[Jade]

Hey, people! This is the FAKER "Book Club" thread, basically where the most awesome fans of Gordon Korman come and talk about his books! Thank you Logan for bringing up this idea! So, this is the new thread since the first one was getting buried by new posts. 

 

This Book Club is different from the past ones. This time, please read the entire book before looking below. We’re discussing a different analysis-type topic every day until we run out: and we have the list of (18) topics below.

 

We’re going to switch discussion leaders every day, and right now the order is… the order in which you reply to this thread. Claim your spot before it’s too late! Ha!

 

If you're a discussion leader, feel free to pick one from the list of topics. Make your own if you don’t want to use any from the list! The more creativity the better.

 

I can’t wait to start this book club with you guys. 

 

Be blessed,

Jade

 

Here’s the list of topics:

 

1. What do you think of con-artistry? Do you think Junior was in the right? How would you feel if you were Trey?

 

2. Thoughts on Arianna as a whole? Good girl, bad girl? Good character?

 

3. What was the biggest/coolest plot twist in the story and why?

 

4. What was different about FAKER? What makes it stand out more than all the other Gordon Korman books?

 

5. If you see this, scream “FAKER!”

 

6. Do you think Trey had character development? Did he grow as a person?

 

7. What was the coolest part of the story?

 

8. Ideas overall on El Capitan? Good car idea? Do you think a real car like this will come out?

 

9. If there was a sequel or a prequel, what would you make it about?

 

10. Did they deserve a second chance? Why or why not?

 

11. If you could make an alternate ending, what would you make happen? Why?

 

12. If you could change one thing about the story, what would it be?

 

13. Who would you cast for a FAKER movie?

 

14. Do you think the cover was fitting? If not, what would you make it?

 

15. Thoughts on Logan? His character? Everything?

 

16. What did you think about the ethics lesson? Did it make you think?

 

17. Would you rather be a rich person living 16 different lives or a normal person living one?

 

18. What do you think happened to their Mom? Where do you think she went? Do you agree with her decision?

 

19. What direction did you think FAKER was going in, and how were you proven wrong?

 

 

Here's our most recent Book Club, for RESTART: http://gordonkorman.com/forum?t=25255

[Jade]

I call dibs on spot #1. Sorry guys. Ya snooze ya lose!

[Logan]

I’d love to go second.

[Marlo]

If I get the book, dibs on 3!

[E.W.]

I get dibs on 4th!

[Raymond Jardine]

@J.R.: If you're in on the FAKER book club, you should get the next spot in the rotation.

@Jade: I'm happy with wherever you place me.

[Marlo]

FAKER

[Jade]

Thank you! And this is awesome, so "Jade, Logan, Marlo, E.W., J.R., Raymond" ??? Marlo, get da book!!!

Be blessed,

Jade

[E.W.]

So when do we start?

[J.R.]

Last I guess? I was in Minnesota, no Internet so I couldn't respond.

[Jade]

Sorry dude! But not to worry, the lineup doesn't really matter. So, guess what! Guys, I was thinking we could start it on August 6th, giving Marlo exactly one more week to get the book! Dude, I have been stalling so hard, xD! But if we wait one more week, more people like Zoe (in General Topics) can see that we're doing it and come on ahead! I'm really excited, guys. We have a whole six people, seven if Marlo can read the book! Coming from somebody who had an absolute blast doing a book club with only three people (Jena, Raymond, and I) this is going to be sooo awesome. Great way to start the school year, anyways, since my first day back is August 7th.

Does August 6th work for everybody? Always up to changing it but the sooner the better!

 

Be blessed,
Jade

[J.R.]

It works for me. I don't have anymore long term events this summer so I can finally do the full thing.

[E.W.]

August 6th is fine for me.

[Logan]

It works for me.

[Raymond Jardine]

The 6th is great! Can't wait to hear what everyone thinks about FAKER.

But did you know already GRK told us what he thinks about the story?!? Check out the Barnes and Noble "B&N Reads" blog: Reasons I Love Summer Reading: A Guest Post by Gordon Korman. 

[Asher]

I hope to join if I can. I haven't read it yet, but will try over the weekend.

[Jade]

That's awesome, Asher!

And Raymond, that article was cool. Who knew Gord felt that way about FAKER?

[Jade]

Guys! Can you believe it! It's the first day of the FAKER "Book Club"! I've been so waiting for this and looking excited towards it. So, instead of using one of the prompts I listed, I have this one:

1. What are your thoughts on this book? Initial? Ending?

My thoughts were that it was awesome. It was so different and unique compared to the other things Gord has written. The ending left me gobsmacked and speechless! I really like how he created the characters and how empathetic Trey was. He was a wonderful main character! I like the focus it has on Junior and a bit more on Arianna, too. It wasn't as action/adventur-y as I'd preferred, but that doesn't mean it was any less good. My main problem with the book is how short it was. If only we could get a FAKER 2. 

This story really touched my heart. I felt so much for Trey, and as a philosophy-nerd, I really liked the "ethics" lesson. He had so much growth throughout the story! All of them did! I felt his fear as my own when El Capitan disappeared. I felt his own remorse for his life when he realized that what they were doing was wrong. I like how it tackled friendship, in a way, but was mainly a story about a family going the right path.

Most GK books are about friendship so I like this switch-a-roo. I wasn't really sure where the book was going or where it was supposed to be going, but I realized it was a lot more inner-peace and introspection than action/adventure. Oh, yeah, and I really like how Trey cared about the environment for some reason. It was also massively funny. I mean massively funny, me cackling at about 30-40 pages in. 

Thankfully, this story didn't break my heart as much as MIXED UP did, which I can really appreciate. Anyways, what did you all think? Can't wait to see your thoughts!

 

Be blessed,
Jade

[J.R.]

 My thoughts:

It was amazing! There is so much tense moments that leave you at the edge of your seat and timed where getting caught or busted seems downright inevitable.

Trey changed so much and you can see as the book goes on he has more and more doubts about what he is doing and his "Ethics" lessons.

GK also masterfully created the character of Arianna. Do I like her? No. Did she change the story in every single way? Absolutely.

I wasn't really emotionally touched by the story, but I'm not really much emotionally touched by much. I was honestly cheering for him to scam his dad and then go rogue. Anyway, I can't wait to see everybody else's thoughts!

@Jade

5:39 AM? What were you doing up so early? Anyway, I loved all your points!

[E.W.]

My thoughts about the book are,

it's amazing!!!!

I like the whole con artist thing,

And how Trey met a kid whose family is like his (with the con artist stuff) family.

 

 

[E.W.]

P.S: I think the timeline on this forum is messed up, it says I posted the last post at 2:28 PM and it's 9:30 am

 

[J.R.]

That'd possibly explain it E.W. 

[Logan]

 

Faker was amazing.

Starting with the first bit of it, we got introduced to Trey and his family. Let me just say how gripping these first few chapters are. It has you immediately hooked. 
I like how Trey is still shadowed in this time and believes he can have fun with his friends while also being in “the family business”. Rudy’s a character I did want to see again, maybe just even Trey responding to an email, but it’s a good thing we didn’t get that. The reason being then that’s a consequence Trey would avoid.

Bringing up another point of why this book is so good, Trey does get consequences. He feels bad for every person he affected, and he lost a lot of friends in the process.

I just want to talk about the characters for a bit. Specifically Logan and Arianna.

Logan was such a cool character because Trey had signs since he met Logan that something is up with him, but Logan sadly had to hide it by being a “class clown”. The final part with Logan was absolutely jaw dropping because of the dialogue and emotion he spills to Trey. This might be a wild guess but I’m pretty sure Logan hasn’t felt that he could be real with anyone-not even his own parents. It’s good that he found a friend. I kept rooting for Trey to spill to Logan that his family is full of con artists too-but it didn’t happen. Which like the Rudy thing - that’s more good than bad. Another consequence that Trey has to face.

Arianna was a very unlikeable character. Not a bad written character, a very well written character, just not very likeable. At first I compared her with Melody from the Slacker series. (Specifically because of the email) However, Melody actually seems to care for Cam while Arianna is hoping for his downfall. I know it’s probably not great to be left out of things but Arianna goes to a whole different level. Keeps trying to prove to her dad that she’s ready for the family business by harassing poor kids.

Overall, the ending is really good. I do have a few ideas for a sequel but this book also works great standalone.

I rate Faker a 4.5/5 stars.

Hi, everybody,

So glad FAKER is going over well (so far) with the group.

Re: the timeline. You're right. Can anybody tell me (simple instructions, please) how to re-set it?            ---GK---

[Jade]

Wow! It’s cool seeing what you guys thought. I think Arianna was annoying but I liked her! I liked her sass, her attitude, her energy. Glad to see what you all thought. Also, she was very immature. I know she was ten, but still.

@J.R.: It was maybe 2 AM when I wrote that? And you’re right. The story was really tense. “Scam his dad and then go rogue” Wow! Since he’s such a nice guy, I was expecting something more like him going rogue too, but not scamming. Maybe telling on them to the feds. And it did seem inevitable!

@Logan: Logan was an awesome character, and they were all written pretty well! And Trey does get consequences which was great, in my opinion.

 

Be blessed,

Jade

[Raymond Jardine]

Responding to: 1. What are your thoughts on this book? Initial? Ending?

Thanks for getting the FAKER Book Club up and running, @Jade. And your Day One question is a great way to jump into the discussion.

My first impression of the book was based on the front cover tag line: It’s no fun being a son on the run. In addition to appreciating the poetry of the statement, my mind immediately brought up all the many ways GRK has tackled the father-son dynamic in earlier works. And more specifically, the conflict that arises when a son’s worldview parts company with his father’s outlook.

(In particular, I thought about SON OF INTERFLUX and A SEMESTER IN THE LIFE OF A GARBAGE BAG and THE TWINKIE SQUAD and NO MORE DEAD DOGS and SON OF THE MOB and BORN TO ROCK and RESTART and UNPLUGGED.)

What a cool topic to explore in different ways for middle grade and young adult readers, who are of the age when they’re recognizing “Dad” isn’t infallible. It’s likely a lot of readers from the target audience are in some stage of rebellion against their own fathers’ values, purpose, or parental expectations. 

So, I had some preconceptions about relationship dynamics when I first started reading. And I expected humor (c’mon, there was a beaglepuss on the front cover).

My impression after reading was that I was right about both of those expectations, but I was also completely surprised by the direction the story took. And I loved it. With Gordon Korman, you know you’re going to get an ending where the good guys prevail and the world is a slightly better place than it was when the story’s conflict began. But with that “given,” I’ll say the characters’ actions (and even the outcome) weren’t predictable in FAKER.

@Jade: Good points on the ethics and morality and characters’ (plural!) personal growth. And on the different approach to being a “friendship story.” That actually stood out to me as all-important: Trey’s feelings of friendship forced him to see the world in a different light.

@J.R. and @Logan: Nice insight about character likability. I like that Arianna was in the story, I appreciate her role, but I’m not in any hurry to make a friendship bracelet for her. @Jade, you seem more forgiving of Arianna’s quirks than you were of Shoshanna Weber’s (RESTART).

@E.W.: Two con artists in one little town?!? What a plot twist!

@Logan: Agreed on wishing that Trey could have reconnected with Rudy, but losing him was the impetus for so much great personal growth.

----------

@GRK: Your WordPress date/time settings are probably defaulted to GMT, making the timestamps “off” by 4 or 5 hours in EDT/EST. Your webmaster may be able to adjust the setting—but I know The Forum has been around for a while, so it’s also possible you’re stuck with old coding.

[Logan]

I also just want to say how powerful the part where Trey finds out that they don’t always steal from rich people. It was truly such a great character moment for Trey. It was probably my favorite part of the book.

With best regards, Logan

[Logan]

For my turn as discussion leader, I’ll use a topic Jade made.

1. If there was a sequel or prequel, what would it be about?

I’ve been thinking about a direct sequel to the book for a while and all the possibilities it could carry.

Logan would be back in town. He came as quick as he can, all by himself, homeless and alone. He tells Junior an excuse about his parents dropped him off there for a family emergency. Logan stays with them, but what he truly needs is Trey to pull off one final scheme with him.

Trey tells him about how his family used to be con artists and how he doesn’t want to be involved in it again at all, but this is the final scheme that determines Logan’s safety, so he agrees.

Trey and Logan set up the volunteering club where they take on different tasks to help out around town. Only Logan and Trey wouldn’t be doing that. 
They’re schemes pass through people, but not the new policeman and his family that just came in town. And not just any police family - one Trey and his dad had to scam.

Soon the whole town learns about the mysterious schemes, and the police officer is set to find the doer.

That’s when they wrongfully arrest Kaylees father - catching him in the evidence.

Kaylee is set on finding who did it and giving them justice.

Trey wants to stop before it goes too far- but Logan keeps on going. When Trey tries to leave the scam, he finds Logan has the entire conversation of him and his family scamming people on the cell phone.

Thats when Harry says he remembers Trey. Trey has to tell him the truth though. After he does, Trey and Harry team up to stop Logan’s scams and action behind that happens.

Kaylees father earns justice, but Logan gets caught. His parents get called and they pick him up. They are furious at him.

However, that was Logan’s plan all along. He wanted to get caught so his parents would stop.

Anyways, sorry for the whole explanation of the story. Some more would probably be added to it but that’s all I have for now.

With best regards, Logan

[E.W.]

I think a sequel would be cool. I feel like Trey has to find Logan and tell him the truth about his family being scammers too.

A sequel would also be nice to make the story longer since Faker is a little bit too short of a book.

I don't really have much else to say about having a sequel of Faker, but the sequel idea is cool though.

 

 

[Raymond Jardine]

Responding to: 2. If there was a sequel or prequel, what would it be about?

@Logan, I’m guessing if GRK keeps a list of all the questions and comments he gets from fans, “You should write a sequel” would be in the top 5. So, good pick for today’s discussion topic!

I tend to be skeptical about sequels. When you find a new favorite book, of course you want to find out everything about the characters and what becomes of them. A “part two” sounds really appealing. But unless they planned the book as part of a series, most authors tell the story they want to tell and end where they want to end. Picking up the same characters and settings but having to create a new storyline isn’t easy, and most readers will complain that the sequel wasn’t as good as the original. Not much incentive for the author if that’s the most likely outcome.

In the spirit of the day’s question, though: My initial thought about a sequel would be to refocus on Logan and follow his family after they depart Boxelder. Trey might make a token appearance (maybe Logan calls him for advice or runs away and briefly reconnects with Trey at some point) but the story would really need a new protagonist. The problem: How does Logan’s story differ from Trey’s? If Logan has a similar journey to ethical enlightenment as Trey did, it would feel kind of repetitive. And if he doesn’t have a similar story arc, it probably means he doesn’t reform—and it’s hard to get excited about a kid who unrepentingly follows in his parents’ criminal footsteps. 

@Logan: You do present a pretty compelling new story arc. I bet you could repurpose some of those ideas in a story of your own, with new characters you imagine and bring to life.

@E.W.: Your comment that “FAKER is a little bit too short of a book” echoes other comments about the length. I’m not sure about word count, but looking back at page count of other recent GRK books, it appears FAKER is about 10 percent shorter. I actually noticed the smaller number of chapters more than the overall length. I am just guessing based on genre information online, but I’d guess FAKER’s page count just above 200 is a more traditional length for a middle grade novel than something like MASTERMINDS or NOTORIOUS or UNPLUGGED, which are well into the 300s.

[J.R.]

What is the discussion leader order?

[Jade]

Hi guys!

So, for an idea of a sequel or prequel. Actually, I was thinking along the lines of another book that follows Logan and his family's journey up to getting to meet Trey. It would be called "COPYCAT" and be about Logan and his family; how they got into the business, why they stayed in it, and how it was going. I think it would dive more into why the parents chose to be a part of it. It would reveal a lot of aspects about why he was the "class clown" yet with this thing tugging at him. It'd be similar to Trey except he could never get his parents to "quit". 

Unlike FAKER, it would definitely delve into how the FBI had been chasing Logan's family. He would know lots about being on the run constantly and it would highlight the difference between the two families with Logan's having to transport paintings all of the time.

I imagine that the business would be much bigger. COPYCAT would be set in many different countries if possible and be a bit like a race against the clock to escape the FBI/CIA/MI6. Have you guys read the series "I.Q."? Sort of similar in that way. It would definitely have more action and Logan would be in on some of the conniving schemes just like Trey. His involvement would be more and once again, they would mainly scam people who were filthy rich. But I also imagine that not only from making/using fake art, they would also steal real art to get counterfeits. Overall, the family would be a much bigger monster than Junior & Trey. 

To add more stakes, they would have had too much on the line to actually "quit". People were watching them, people were onto them, and they were in cahoots with the rest of the family in the faux art business as well as having threats to their lives and identities to keep doing it. All the while, Logan wishes to escape. But he wants to save his parents, too. However, the business is just a beast much bigger than he had ever expected so as he tries to escape, he finds himself tied into the spiderweb, realizing that his parents (seemingly unloving and greedy) were actually trying to protect him. The phrase on the front would be "Look beyond the surface.", "Things aren't always as they seem.", or "Appearances can be deceiving."

It could be two books, the first before "FAKER", the second after "FAKER."

I think we all have some pretty good ideas! 

Raymond, I think we are thinking similar ideas! And I totally agree that Logan can write a cool story with those ideas. Ethan, I think it was way too short too!

 

Be blessed,

Jade

[Jade]

Also, @J.R.: Jade, Logan, Marlo, E.W., J.R., Raymond is the order. But I don’t think Marlo has read Faker yet, so he can’t do it tomorrow.

[J.R.]

Thanks Jade!

Late response to 2.

I think a good prequel would be Junior's uprising into the "Business" We really do not get much info on his backstory and I think it would be really cool.

[E.W.]

So as my turn as discussion topic leader (Marlo doesn't have the book yet so he has to wait a little while for his turn),

I'm going to pick: Who would you cast for a FAKER movie?

I'd cast some of the actors in Swindle the movie; Noah Crawford, Cris O'Neal, and Noah Munck.

Maybe Oakes Fegley from the movie War with Grandpa; he could be Trey or Logan.

 

There are a lot of actors out there!

Thanks,

Ethan

 

[Logan]

This is a good question, Ethan. I watch a lot of movies and tv shows.

First for Arianna, I would choose Piper Braun who’s in a few tv shows I’ve seen on and off

For Kaylee, I would choose Leah Sava Jeffries from Percy Jackson and the Olympians.

For Junior, I would choose Jason Bateman.

For Logan, I would probably choose Gordon Cormier from the live action Avatar show because of how he can play the comedic class clown but also give a good emotional scene.

For Trey, I would choose Julian Hilliard from WandaVision.

E.W., I haven’t seen the Swindle movie.

With best regards, Logan

 

[J.R.]

Hm... I really don't know any actors at all...

I mean, I watch older movies so all the actors I know are old or dead.

Sincerely,

J.R.

[Jade]

Wow. These are not the people I would cast, but can you believe how hard it is to look up child actors online!? Crazy.

Walker Scobell as Trey, Olivea Morton (except when she was 10) as Arianna, Andrew Alvarez (except age 12) as Logan, and (this took forever) Jake Abel as Junior.

For the other characters, this has already taken forever!

Be blessed,
Jade

[Zoe]

Hi! I know I'm a little late but I've finally finished FAKER! It was amazing, thank you for another good read, Gordon Korman! I agree with some of you guys, saying how it was a less action/adventure-type book, but I still loved it nonetheless.

Anyway, onto today's topic (technically yesterday lol), I picked out a couple of actors but I'm not sure they're good picks. I can only think of actors from popular shows, so you'll most likely recognize these names.

I feel like Trey could be Logan Lerman. Arianna as Ariana Greenblatt (their names being the same makes it even better) or Sadie Sink. Junior as William Zabka. Logan as Walker Scobell.

BTW I know some of the actors are pretty old to play younger characters, so let's just imagine them younger. I hope you guys think my casting is good (I definitely think it could be better) but these actors just stuck out to me.

 

 

Have a great day/night,

Zoe 

 

P.S. Jade, I saw what you were doing there with the Percy Jackson cast! They're awesome.

 

[Raymond Jardine]

Responding to: 3. Who would you cast for a FAKER movie?

You picked a topic that stumped the Book Club, @E.W.!

Maybe not @Logan, though--he offered some great ideas.

I think @Jade and @Zoe (welcome, Zoe!!) are on the right track by getting to choose actors who were a good fit when they were the right age but who are too old now.

Since I (like @J.R.) don't watch a whole lot of television or movies, I'm going to go with a different type of response: 

> For the teen and tween characters, I pick all the Forum regulars to star in their breakout roles as Hollywood's newest talent. Sorry in advance to anyone who gets the Arianna role, you'll be typecast for life!
> For Junior, it's gotta be GRK himself. He's "invented" cars before (Mike Otis's shiny black behemoth and Mr. Kermit's tricked-out Coco Nerd come to mind), so he's believable as the mastermind behind El Capitan. And he has 100-plus examples of his ability to make up characters and backstories, which is Junior's big talent, just applied with more devious intent.

[J.R.]

Sorry for the delay on the question guys, but here it is.

What are your overall ideas on El Capitan? Good idea? Bad design?

I will answer this later, I am in a car right now.

Sincerely,

J.R.

[E.W.]

I think the El Capitan would be an okay car in real life if it wasn't a Tesla in disguise.

but in the book, it's obviously a scam.

 

-- Ethan

 

 

[Raymond Jardine]

Responding to: 4. What are your overall ideas on El Capitan? Good idea? Bad design?

Overall, El Capitan was a brilliant con. Cars are a reflection of their owners. A distinctive, ostentatious, and exclusive vehicle is a status symbol, so of course residents of a well-to-do town are going to want one. And a super-efficient, planet-friendly car is going to appeal to a different demographic of buyers. So now, El Capitan has both the luxury seekers and the tree huggers eager to buy in. And Junior has a "working prototype" that is more than enough to sell people on the concept. The cars are a big-ticket item, so investing in the auto manufacturer is an even bigger commitment of cash. Grab the money and run, just like Junior's normal script. 

[Logan]

I think the El Capitan would work good in real life, but it would be one of those cars that people talk about knowing they’re probably not going to get it.

Maybe you’ll see it once in a while, but it’s still a big car.

With best regards, Logan

[Raymond Jardine]

Hey, everyone: Don't forget previous days' questions are fair game. I'm posting a new discussion prompt but you can still respond to earlier ones, including @J.R.'s fun one yesterday about El Capitan.

-----

5. Let's talk about the book's appearance.
When you first saw the book cover, what did you think it would be about? Did you know what the cover illustration was? How did the book's appearance influence your perception of the story before reading it? If you could have designed the cover illustration, what would you have chosen? Did you find anything interesting while reading beyond the story (like the author bio or dedication)? What else did you notice about the physical book that's worth mentioning?

(All those questions are just meant to inspire some ideas. Don't think you need to respond to each one, just pick one or a few that you find interesting!)

I'll come back later to give my own response!

[J.R.]

Responding to 5.

I obviously thought immediately it would include disguises of some sort 👍🥸. I did also think that it would have some humor, since the glasses depicted is a gag gift.

Responding to 4.

El Capitan was a great operation but it could've easily been busted. Junior was taking lots of chances. It was great, in spite of the risk.

[Jade]

Guys! Long time no see. Sorry I didn't say anything yesterday--I was just so busy! School is super stressful (crazy.) and I went to the football game last night. My bad!

Responding to 4:

So, El Capitan! First of all, it makes me smirk when people refer to it as "the El Capitan" because "El" means "The" in Spanish. So it's like "chai tea." So, yeah.

The description of it made me fall in love! Red, sparkly, wow... I would so adore to have that car. Electric, too? It honestly just felt amazing and stunning. Yes, I agree that it would be very easy to see that it's a fake. I also don't think the business had enough credentials for people to really invest in it like that, but man, was it a great idea!

Personally, if I got El Capitan I would get a wrap of it in bright pink. That would be so cool. By the way, @Gord, do you have any sketches of it? Like the one in the story? I would love to see it if there is one.

I certainly agree that it's a car that people would probably never imagine getting. I also think it could be a bit flashy sometimes, but yeah. It's so stunning. I can only imagine how beautiful and "huzzah" it would be! 

Responding to 5:

I... don't think I really had thoughts on the cover, since I read the blurb before I looked at the cover. But just looking at it, I really like the colors that are going on. That shade of purple looks really nice and I like how it goes with the yellow of the actual book. They're complimentary, right? It's like the color scheme of "MIXED-UP" but a lot more chill. I think that reflects how the book was less action/adventure and more introspection.

I like the pink nose on the cover. Honestly, I thought it was Gord's nose, until I realized it was just one of those mask thingies. But the entire contraption (idk what it's called) made me think the book would be more funny-haha than comedic with hints of sadness. It made me think the story would be less serious than it actually was.

Thinking of "disguises" makes so much sense! Maybe it's like how Trey is always disguising the ugly truth from himself without knowing it, hiding behind something more lighthearted like a joke or it being a "business", all the lies he'd tell himself/accept from his dad.

Anyways, that's all I've got. But I have plenty to say in Sorry for Spam about life.

Be blessed,

Jade

[Raymond Jardine]

Responding to: 5. Let's talk about the book's appearance.

@J.R. hits it exactly: The cover hints at disguised identities and humor. So simple, but such an effective image, especially when combined with the FAKER title. I was intrigued! And @Jade, I agree, it’s a really good symbol but it sort of makes you expect a more slapstick type of humor. (Like Kirkus Reviews said: “Korman goes more for ironic humor than the physical or stand-up sort in this book, as shown by Trey’s enrollment in an ethics class that forces him into some decidedly hypocritical stances.”)

Trivia: FAKER’s cover is the second time (that I know of) when Groucho glasses have appeared on a Gordon Korman dust jacket. (The other time was more than 20 years ago, on the back flap of MAXX COMEDY.) 

The cover’s lavender background is a bold choice. Way back when, NO COINS PLEASE was the OG purple cover and FAKER’s color is similar. I wonder if there was any intentionality or homage—Artie Geller was definitely one of GRK’s original “fakers.” Then the inside flaps are a complementary yellow. I know @Jade took note… does anyone else notice a trend with the purple-and-yellow color scheme? We’ve seen a similar palette on MIXED UP and NOTORIOUS recently, along with SLACKER.

FAKER’s back cover is the second time Scholastic has featured six previous Korman covers with a teaser to read more of them. (MIXED UP was the previous one.) @Jade, did you notice the designer dropped WHAT’SHISFACE and kept the older title SLACKER? I really like this treatment. It's a fun change from the normal blurbs.

Scholastic Press sometimes gets creative for their intrachapter separators. MIXED UP had lightning bolts, THE FORT had potted cacti, WAR STORIES had plastic soldiers, LINKED had a chain of paper links, and in FAKER we see a “fake mustache” used to indicate a break in time or setting. It’s a fun little detail.

The cover’s back flap repeats two surprisingly frequent mistakes in GRK’s bio: It says he wrote his first book at 13 (it should be 12) and that the title was This Can’t Be Happening at MacDonald Hall, miscapitalizing “Macdonald” and omitting the exclamation mark—which would be less egregious if it weren’t formatted and punctuated correctly in the partial list of GRK’s previous works at the start of the book.

While I’m really a fan of cover illustrations that capture one scene from a book, I appreciate the “iconic” format Scholastic has used in the past several years. Plus, the distinctive font (for the title and author name) help to identify these as Gordon Korman books, even at first glance.

[Logan]

I really loved the cover when I first saw it after reading the blurb and understanding the title. It was just so fitting.

I also liked the font as usual, and the lavender color fit well. I can’t imagine the title with another color.

With best regards, Logan.

[Zoe]

Hey! Sorry for responding a little later, just been busy the past few days.

 

Responding to 4:

I can't believe it was spelled El Capitan, and not El Captain, because when I first read it my brain immediately just thought of Captain, not knowing there was a slight difference in spelling. Anyway, I thought it was a genius idea, as soon as I read the name I knew it would deceive people easily. While reading the description of the car, I almost fell in love. I can imagine it in front of me, the sparkly red car just gleaming in my face... Also, the fact that it's electric too, makes it 100% better (although it is a fake haha.) And Jade, I could try to sketch the car (I love drawing... I'm just not that good at drawing automobiles.) I have a good depiction of it in my mind and maybe I could show you guys?

 

Responding to 5:

I agree with all of you guys, I thought the lavender background was very nice. I like how he adds yellow to the cover, just as Raymond and Jade noticed, they're complementary colours. Putting the Groucho glasses on the cover was a clever choice, representing how Trey and his family had to cover up to hide their old identities. I liked the subtitle "It's no fun being a son on the run". The rhyming makes it catchy, and intrigues you on how the two words "son" and "run" relate to each other in the story. Overall, I think the cover looks awesome!

 

And wow, Raymond you're a great observer. Or maybe just a big fan. Or maybe both.

[E.W.]

Responding to: 5. Let's talk about the book's appearance.

Sorry for the late response.

I think the cover looks pretty good.

The Faker disguise nose and glasses were a good cover choice!

 

Thanks,

Ethan

 

[Jade]

Hi, guys. I think it's my turn now? But Zoe, since you're here, I'm pretty sure it's supposed to be your turn. So it's your turn today--I hope you see this message!

@Zoe: I would love to see your sketch of it! And Raymond's a bit more than a big fan, I think he's actually Gord's biggest fan! And he's a great observer too. I think he's basically a GK Wikipedia.

@Raymond: Thanks for all the cool facts! I hadn't noticed how often purple and yellow were used. And no, I do not like the WHATSHISFACE change! I firmly believe it's the best GK book ever and should be appreciated always! But in all honesty, I'm just joking. I think it's cool how they're switching things up! Gives light to even more of Gord's books.

Also, since you've got me looking, I noticed that they wrote "MIXED UP" instead of "MIXED-UP". But yeah. I think everybody got great opinions.

Be blessed,

Jade

 

[J.R.]

Hey guys! We might've getting a new member of the book club! I won't give him an introduction or anything, that is for him to do. But I met him on a strategy game, and I have been telling around, trying to advertise the book club here. Just giving you guys a heads-up.

Sincerely, J.R. 

[Raymond Jardine]

I'll second what @Jade said: It would be cool to see your El Capitan sketch, @Zoe!

Excellent news, @J.R. Hope your buddy can join in the Forum fandom.

So, while we're waiting on a new discussion topic, I thought I'd share two real-life "fakers" that are my favorites from history:

1. Gregor MacGregor, who served in the British armed forces in the 1800s, basically did the El Capitan scheme but instead of a car he made up an entire country. He swindled hundreds of investors out of all their savings when they gave him money to purchase land in "Poyais," a country that totally didn't exist. Dozens of people who thought they were the new owners of grand estates in Poyais traveled to where MacGregor said it was--and a bunch of them died in the jungle that he claimed was prime land.
   
   


2. Frank Abagnale pretended he was an airline pilot. And a university professor. And a doctor. And a lawyer. And he became a master of faked documents. And he was such a skilled con artist that (1) the FBI asked him to work for the bureau, and (2) a movie was made about his life: Catch Me If You Can. (The funny thing is, the only part of that we know for certain is true is the movie, starring Leo DiCaprio. All the rest of it might be one big ongoing scam. Abagnale is still alive, still telling stories, and no one can prove any of it is true (or false).)

[Zoe]

Hi guys! Thanks Jade for telling me, so here’s the topic for today: What was the biggest/coolest plot twist in the story?

 

For me, it would definitely have to be when Logan admitted his parents were con artists as well. When Logan told Trey that it was important, I immediately thought that Logan was going through the same exact situation, and I was right! It’s crazy how they ended up as neighbours, then best friends, and then get each other’s parents to swindle each other! (Although no money was stolen.) I really like how Gordon added this part because Trey’s scenario was like no other. Then Logan shows up, and suddenly he’s not alone anymore. Even though I’ve never had a life like Trey’s before, reading this part gave me sense of relief. It’s so hard to find someone to relate to, especially if your position is unique and not many people can find themselves in it. Once again, Gordon surprises us with his remarkable and staggering plot twists.

Also thanks Raymond for the stories, I always wonder how they always get away! I’ll be working on the sketch very soon, once I finish the MASTERMINDS fanart. I’ll be posting both pieces on my instagram!

[Logan]

Raymond, those stories were really cool and Zoe, an El Capitan sketch would be awesome.

My response: For me the biggest plot twist was when Trey found out Junior didn’t care about the people he was scamming, he was scamming from people who couldn’t handle the money loss too. What really sold me on the surprise is Trey’s surprise, his reaction and outrage. The whole part was amazing. I was actually surprised because the whole story even though Junior was stealing which isn’t okay, he still seemed like a genuinely caring guy and an even better father. Even if he was a liar, it doesn’t seem like he would want to do too much to hurt people. That’s why it was just such a twist to me, and a good one at that.

With best regards, Logan

[Jade]

Such cool faker stories! Wanna know another cool one? Ferdinand Waldo Demara Jr. was a genius with probably a photographic memory. He was a guy, stole his friend’s birth documents, faked his death, moved somewhere, claimed to be a pastor and helped found the church’s university. But when they didn’t give him a good job there he got angry, stole their car, and met a Canadian doctor. He then stole the identity of the doctor and applied to join the Canadian Military (he was American by the way) and he got posted somewhere. Something happened and he had to perform surgery 12+ Korean soldiers and actually the vast majority of them were successful. By the way, he did this after skimming a medical surgery book for maybe an hour or two. Probably less, since many of the soldiers were in critical condition.

Oh yeah, he was also a prison warden at some point. He did get caught for a couple things but he didn’t serve much time. Overall, he was happy, was a con artist his whole life, and died.

Here’s a cool video about him: https://youtu.be/Q_ERvQDi-0A?si=gKGmGCRqf1qo9aQr

It’s by Brew, a super cool channel that I enjoy! Educational and interesting stuff. All true stories.

 

Responding to 6: Coolest Plot Twist

 

Guys. Definitely the Logan plot twist. When I tell you my jaw dropped, I got up and paced, I had to rethink everything. It was so good and especially well executed. I liked the internal struggle of Trey. I like the way Logan just disappeared, I like how the people in the van were the FBI. (It reminded me a lot of Matilda!) And overall, everything that Zoe said. I honestly thought that Logan was just depressed with other issues and he hid it behind being the class clown. Maybe he is, but “other issues” is being the son of a con artist! That’s also why I’d love a book on Logan and his adventures. It reminds me a lot of “The Van Gogh Deception”, if anyone has read it. One of my favorite books, it actually helped fuel my love for writing. But I would love a “Logan” story.

Zoe! When you finish your MASTERMINDS fanart, make sure to post it on the MASTERMINDS Fandom Wiki. It has some people there which I find awesome

 

Be blessed,

Jade

[E.W.]

Responding to: What was the biggest plot twist?

 

The biggest plot twist was when Logan and Trey found out both of their families were scammers.

It was a big and cool plot twist, I was shocked when I read it.

 

 

[Raymond Jardine]

Responding to: 6. What was the biggest/coolest plot twist in the story?

Wow, so many great responses. @Zoe, this may be the best discussion question yet.

I'll add a variation of the Logan twist: It was such a surprise when it becomes clear the FBI has been on the scene all along--but not surveilling the "Whitfields."

And maybe the most unexpected plot twist of all: When Junior listens to his son and turns straight. 

Whichever plot twist was biggest, @Logan has some good analysis: What sells the "twist" isn't just what happens, it's how the characters react. Trey's outrage, Junior's nonchalance. The action is fun, but caring about the characters makes this story great.

----------

Whoa, @Jade. Ferdinand Waldo Demara Jr. sounds fascinating. I'll check into his story.

[J.R.]

Responding to 6:

Ooh... That would have to be either when Trey found out about Logan's family, or the mysterious email person was revealed.

[Zoe]

Oh yes, I totally forgot about some of the other crazy plot twists in the story. Logan, I like your response. The ethics lesson really changed Trey, and when he found out his father lied about who he chooses as his victims, Trey was outraged. Then the whole car plunging into water thingy happened, I was shocked! And yes, Junior seems like a kind and genuine person, even though he stole. Raymond, I definitely agree with you too. It’s not only about what happens, but also how the characters react. I like that. Also J.R has a good one as well! Arianna being I.C. All was so surprising! At first, I thought it would be someone like Logan. Then Trey started piecing all the evidence together, and turns out the mysterious email person was Arianna! It makes a lot of sense.

[Raymond Jardine]

Did everyone get a chance to post a FAKER book club discussion topic? Did we miss anything? 

[Jade]

Hi guys. Sorry that I forgot that it was my turn. Here’s my prompt: 

 

 

10. Did they deserve a second chance? Why or why not?

 

Let’s just say that I forgot to bring my computer to school today!

 

Be blessed,

Jade

[Raymond Jardine]

Responding to: 7. Did they deserve a second chance? Why or why not?

Until I get a degree in philosophical ethics, I'm unqualified to answer that question. But, since that's never stopped me before:

They probably don't deserve a second chance. After all, they swindled people for years and would never be able to undo the damage they caused. I'm guessing even rich people will feel a sense of loss beyond the money they invested in Junior's schemes--being cheated shatters our feelings of security and innocence. And the law doesn't let criminals go just because they've had a change of heart and promise not to do it again. So, morally and legally, deserving to get away with their past actions doesn't cut it with me.

But do I want them to get away with it? For sure, yes! If the family has turned over a new leaf and will be upright citizens going forward, I hope it works out for them. In their case, getting caught and being made accountable probably would mean jail time for Junior, juvenile services for Trey and Arianna, and a lifelong dark mark on their names. That's not a win for them, but it's also not a win for society at large.

Almost everyone benefits from a "get out of jail free" card at some point in their life. For some people it's something minor, for others it's life-changing. Let's hope Junior uses his to reset his life and make sure his kids are better morally grounded than he was.

[Jade]

As much as I love them, they should have been locked up. Junior should have been imprisoned, sued, everything. Like Raymond said, you can't just steal millions of dollars and be like "oh, sorry, won't do it again. I'm a new guy." send the money back! And go to jail! Just because the people could afford to lose the money doesn't mean they deserved to be robbed! I don't think Arianna should go to Juvie, since she was 10 and they never actually let her in any of the programs--but Trey needs a program or something. Maybe some years. Because he mainly facilitated what his father's crimes were and knew what was going on. Of course, he's like, 13, so not that much, but still.

They were criminals. We have a justice system for a reason! People like that shouldn't just get away. They need to pay their dues, especially Junior! 

 

Be blessed,
Jade

[Raymond Jardine]

@Jade, you have z-e-r-o moral ambiguity. If you decide against writing, you need to be a prosecutor. I expect you to win every case you argue. (No judge would dare to rule against you.)

And of course you're right. 

But I'll frame my flawed argument slightly differently: We have the choice of seeing old Junior as the villain, or new Junior as the reformed antihero. We all cheer when a villain is captured and brought to justice. But most of us root for the antihero to achieve some level of salvation and clemency. 

[J.R.]

I got a list of words today I want to show you guys before I start venting about Junior.

Jail.

Prison.

Asylum.

Locked up.

Life sentence.

Juvie.

Probation.

House arrest.

 

Ok, from a writer's perspective, it isn't that good of an idea to end the book with "And Arianna burst out in tears, Trey sobbing and weeping, watched the Authorities drive Junior off in a van, and to prison for life."

So I can perfectly get why GK ended the story like that.

But, from an American Citizen perspective, THROW THEM ALL IN JAIL!

No mercy to the ten year old. She helped out and was part of the conspiracy. The police really don't care whether you are a "fUlL

pArTnEr!" Or whatever. I'd send her to Juvie and then Jail when she is old enough.

Trey will be locked up cold and clean, five minutes trial. Same for Junior, who I would give a ten billion fine that should put him in debt for life once he gets out of Jail.

Note: Please do not take my advice on the American Legal system, this is all biased.

Sincerely,

J.R.

[J.R.]

Watching, not watched. Sorry.

[Logan]

Ok so yes, Junior definitely deserves imprisonment and things like that, but for the kids it’s a different story.

I felt like ever since they were a kid, they were basically manipulated to think what Junior did was right. He wanted them to believe it was though.

Even if I don’t think Trey really deserves it, that’s the law and according to that he’s definitely facing Juvie. Even if he was controlled, he would probably settle in there.

For Arianna I have no idea what would happen.

With best regards, Logan

[Jade]

Okay, so I looked it up a bit: It is SUPER unlikely for a 10-year-old to go to jail. She’d probably get probation and community service, especially because she probably got “in” the business at 5 and so has been in it for five years, all because of her father, and also she’s just… she’s in elementary school. Courts in america don’t usually lock up elementary schoolers especially for something they’ve been lowkey brainwashed to do. 

Now, Trey would probably go to jail. Not only because all of the clients (at least the vast majority of them) came through him. He went to private school to get clients while Arianna just went to public school, right? Trey would probably get a couple years. Maybe more. Rest of middle and high school in juvie, time in jail after that. Not sure how long but it would be a while. It wouldn’t be as bad a sentence because these kids were raised to be con artists, so this is all they ever knew, but Trey would still get a lot.

Yeah, we all agree that Junior would go to jail.

@J.R.: I don’t think he’d get a trn billion dollar fine, though. He probably never stole that much money, maybe like half a billion? Or less. I don’t know if the couple weeks long stint with the dog was a normal amount of money for them to make. But I don’t think he ever reached a billion.

@Raymond: Well, it’s easy for me to say this knowing that these characters never existed and if they did I wouldn’t have any say in their lives. I don’t feel bad for wanting them to go to jail because they’re not, and they’re not real, so they’re gonna be just fine! But if I met a situation in real life, I would approach it very differently. I would probably have a lot more empathy.

@Logan: I agree that they were influenced growing up to be a part of the scamming. The judge would consider that too.

Be blessed,

Jade

[Logan]

Hi guys. For todays discussion topic I decided to make my own:

What is your biggest “what if?” In the story? What would you think would happen?”

If you don’t get what it means, basically you ask a question “what if” something in the story didn’t happen or was changed differently. An example is: “What if Logan’s family weren’t con artists?” “What if the El Capitan crashed?” Etc.

My biggest “What if?” Is: What if Junior didn’t break?

This refers to Junior respecting Treys wishes at the end and quits the “family business”.

This is something I’ve been thinking about since I put down the book and I think that Arianna and Junior would move and Trey would just have to find something to work out. I don’t think that he would go with them, I think he would possibly tell Mr Novak everything and asks to stay with him. Obviously, Trey would offer to get a job to try to pay him the money back but Mr Novak doesn’t care and just wants Trey to be safe. I think life would be normal for him, but on the other hand..

Junior and Arianna probably and realistically wouldn’t be able to do it without Trey. He’s too vital and Arianna just isn’t on his level. I think they would probably get sent to jail and Arianna to like Jade said, probation or community service.

I think everything else would probably stay the same. I can’t wait to see your responses.

With best regards, Logan

 

 

[E.W.]

Responding to: 7. Did they deserve a second chance? Why or why not?

Sorry for the late reply.

I think they should get a second chance.

-----------------------------------------------------

 

Responding to: What is your biggest “what if?” In the story? What would you think would happen?

 

I think the biggest what-if in the story is probably \'What if they got caught?\'

If they got caught, they would be in prison, and Trey and Arianna would be in a boarding school.

And if the El Capitan crashed then the whole operation would just be in the trash probably.

 

-- Ethan

 

 

[Jade]

Responding to 7: What is your biggest "what if?" in the story?

Logan, I'm so excited that you made your own topic! That's awesome, and I really like this one! My response is mainly to yours.

I feel like if Junior didn't quit, that Trey would not have stayed with Mr. Novak (Realistically, he couldn't just afford to take in another child, not if he's a teacher and his wife is something else: can't just drop everything for Trey.) But Trey would run away, off on his own. If he was feeling really, really bad he would turn himself into the authorities and tell on his family. However, I don't think Junior and Arianna would be caught for another couple years--they might even relocate to another country and take their operations there.

I don't think Arianna was bad. You guys are really disqualifying how she swindled that little boy who liked her, getting his parents to be the first "clients" that donated a pretty big sum. She's literally Junior junior. (LOL!) She's good at what she does. I think her and Junior would be wildly successful, especially since her mind is just made for the business. However, she's too reckless. Don't forget how she duped Trey! It was really smart with the "I. C. All" thing, especially knowing that Trey wouldn't tell their dad. Reckless, but very cunning. So I think it's more like Arianna has a lot more potential than Trey--remember, he's being doing this since he was like, 6. She's never done it. 

And I love Trey and all, but Junior is a mastermind. He will make anything work. He loves Trey but doesn't need Trey in the schemes. They would still be successful, but eventually get caught, due to the FBI/CIA getting on their case.

However, since Trey told on them all to the federals, he would go to Juvie. Which is sad. Junior --> Prison, Trey --> Juvie, Arianna --> Probation/Programs/Foster Care

Now, for my personal what if.

What if "I. C. All" was somebody outside of the scheme? // They got caught?

I think it would be a disaster. Since Trey didn't call a Houdini, Junior would be upset but their house would be broken into and their histories searched showing that there really were no true versions of these people. They would be revealed to the government. All of the imprisoning and stuff would happen. But Junior would try to run away and there's be a chase with him and the kids in the car (not El Capitan.) He'd wreck it into the ocean or something and ditch. However, they would get caught. It'd be a disaster! They may even cause some car wrecks. Leave it to your own imagination!

And then the book would end on a cliffhanger. Preferably, the I. C. All person would reveal this just as Junior decided to turn a new leaf and be a better person--then everything is leaked. They have to call a Houdini even though it's over. They might even get as far as almost on the plane (like the beginning scene) but be caught.

 

Be blessed,

Jade

[Raymond Jardine]

[Relating to the comment from August 14, 2024 at 09:13 pm] Hey, @J.R.: Add this one to your list of words: Recidivism. Let's hope Junior doesn't wiggle his toes in those waters. 

Responding to: 8. What is your biggest “what if?” In the story? What would you think would happen?”

I like the Kormanesque "what if" as a prompt for reflection. Good stuff, @Logan.

So many smart "what ifs" in the comments. I love all the reflection on what might have happened in each of those scenarios. @Logan, just the thought of Junior saying "no" is scary. Father vs. son? With legal implications? Yikes! And @E.W., if they got caught, you're definitely right about Junior and jail time. I think a lot of the answers to this would be similar to some of the answers to @Jade's question about whether they deserved to get away with it (prison and juvie were mentioned frequently). And @Jade, your "what if" about I.C. All is one we probably all were considering a bit while reading the book. Good reminder that we didn't find out her identity until Trey did! You guys are really creative.

For my "what if," with some inspiration from @Jade's, I will go with What if Gator (Junior's "guy" at the garage who fixed up El Capitan) was actually an FBI agent on a sting operation?

I think Junior would have figured it out at some point and implemented a Houdini. But the family would be crunched for cash since they didn't make any money on the El Capitan scheme, and they would've been forced to try a riskier scheme with less research to refill their coffers, starting a downward spiral that would eventually land them in the FBI's net. 

[J.R.]

@Raymond Junior BETTER not do that. And embarssingly, I had to look up the meaning of that word.

Great Question! The biggest What If? for me was What if Mr. Novak had never decided to invest? Trey would've never gotten upset at Junior, and the story may have not turned out the way it did!

[Jade]

Ethan, you responded without telling us your own prompt! It's your turn, right?

 

Be blessed,

Jade

[E.W.]

Sorry for the late reply.

I pick: Would you rather be a rich person living 16 different lives or a normal person living one?

I will post later about what I think of this.

-- Ethan

 

[Jade]

I would definitely rather be a normal person living one, like the Mom. It would be nice being ultra rich. (By the way, Junior spent his wealth terribly. They'd do an operation, go on a super expensive vacation, and then blow it all. That's so dumb! They should have invested in stocks or something to keep making money as they got richer. Maybe keep it in cryptocurrency. Not sure, but he did not handle it the best he could.) But I'd enjoy the money. However, I would feel bad never getting to keep friends or having a "real" life. Everything would be a transaction. I would have nobody but my sister and dad. I would feel really, really conflicted like Trey did.

 

Be blessed,

Jade

[Raymond Jardine]

Responding to: 9. Would you rather be a rich person living 16 different lives or a normal person living one?

Having had quite a few years living the life of a normal person, I see some fascination in the idea of living multiple different lives. Being rich in those lives would probably make the transitions easier, but would be less important than having a richness of experiences. 

But to take into account @Jade's excellent arguments: My answer presupposes a life without the burdens or joys of children. While I could conceive of a life spent jumping from one situation to the next, it would not be fair to inflict that on kids. If Junior wanted that lifestyle, he could have had it--alone, or possibly with an agreeable partner. But when he became a father, he set himself on a different path, and it was unfair to drag his son and daughter along with him on a life's journey that robbed them of a sense of roots and permanence. 

[Logan]

Definitely a normal person living one. Way calmer.

With best regards, Logan

[J. R.]

Ok, I have a little bit of catching up to do but here is mine:

10: what direction did Mom take after leaving Junior? Thoughts?

Responding to 9.

I think she would’ve honestly loved a pretty normal life from there on out. Just with a secret. She probably seated or married someone else and had more children.

[E.W.]

Responding to: what direction did Mom take after leaving Junior? Thoughts?

I think she would have had a normal life.

[Logan]

I agree with Ethan. Probably just went on normally.

[Raymond Jardine]

Responding to: 10. what direction did Mom take after leaving Junior? Thoughts?

Let me overthink this one. I'm going with "She suffered the turmoil of a hard decision and will never feel whole again."

So, here's the deal: Just like nobody is one hundred percent pure, villains aren't fully awful. Trey and Arianna's mom abandoned her kids and became the bad guy here from the vantage point of anyone worried about the children's well-being. But FAKER wasn't told in multiple perspectives, and "Mom" didn't get a chapter in this book to give her side of the story. She probably had reasons and probably weighed the effect of staying versus leaving. And then chose to leave. I will at least entertain the possibility it was a selfless decision. 

After she ran off, I'm going to guess Mom mourned her broken bonds and spent a long time unable to imagine a new life for herself. Maybe she even broke her own resolve early on and decided to go back to her family, but couldn't find them as they were escaped to an island paradise or immersed in a new alias. She spent time picking up the pieces of a shattered existence and now manages to get through some days without being racked by uncontrollable sobs. But she hopes one day she'll see her kids again, and that they will forgive her, or even better be able to recognize why leaving was a sacrifice made for them.

Hmmm... today you get Dark Raymond. Is it my turn for a discussion prompt tomorrow? I promise I'll be a bit more chipper. (Are we finishing up the FAKER Book Club this week? @Jade, do you want to pose a final question later in the week to close it out?)

[Jade]

I don't think there would ever be a "normal" after having to leave your two kids behind. And probably the love of your life. Based on Junior, he seems like a good guy (other than the scamming thing) so I imagine he had a healthy relationship with his ex-wife. But I think she'd be put in a really hard situation. Take the man she loved and started a family with to court for custody of the kids and put him in jail for life, ruining everything he had? And then starting over as a heartbroken single mom of two? Or join him in committing heinous crimes and losing her true life? Oh, and goodness! What if she met Junior while he was scamming someone? What if she fell in love and had a family with a false persona only to realize she'd been played? Such a rough situation! So guys, I don't think there would be a normal. Not after having her heart shattered by not only Junior but also losing her two babies.

Also, who knows if she just left? Junior is definitely an unreliable narrator. He could have taken the kids with him for a multitude of reasons: 1) he knew his wife would tattle on him & he didn't want to lose his kids either (he loves them) being one of them! What if she didn't leave, but he ran away from her--taking their kids with him? Who knows!

Also, how old were they again when she left? I remember that Trey's first scam was when he was 5-6, so would he and Arianna be 4 & 6? That would mean that their mom had been raising them for quite a long time, from birth to starting school. That also implies that she was with Junior for at least 7 years, or Trey's age + 1. That's a long time!

I'm with Raymond on this one. If I were a mom, I'd be hard-pressed to leave my two kids.

@Raymond: Yeah, it's your turn tomorrow! And sure, we can close it out--but only if @everyone else wants to. There's still plenty of discussion to use if we wanted to do more.

 

Be blessed,

Jade

[Raymond Jardine]

11. If I loved FAKER, what should I read next? 

The one thing I dislike about every Gordon Korman book is that they all end. But with more than 100 titles available and more coming out every year, a new book always beckons. And GRK has explored a lot of topics and a lot of characters over the years. So, if I told you I had just really enjoyed reading FAKER and was looking for my next read, what would you suggest?

I'll give my own thoughts later. 

 

[J.R.]

I red the Superteacher once I was done with that, but as @Raymond said there is over 100 books by GK out there to read. The options go on and on!

[J.R.]

Read, not red

[Logan]

I don’t really know any books about con artistry, but I do know if you’re a regular fan of Gordon Korman you’ll probably like Rob Buyea books.

He made two pretty popular series: The Because of Mr Terupt series and The Perfect Score series. I really liked them and the writing feels similar. It also has multiple point of views.

With best regards, Logan

[Raymond Jardine]

Responding to: 11. If I loved FAKER, what should I read next? 

To answer the question, I’d first want to know: What do you like about FAKER? 

> If you’re fascinated by the father/son dynamic: Simon Irving (SON OF INTERFLUX) and Vince Luca (SON OF THE MOB) and Chase Ambrose (RESTART) and Jet Baranov (UNPLUGGED) all have conflicted relationships with their fathers. Love and respect and resentment and disappointment all mingle. 

> If it’s the theme of con artistry and schemes: Griffin Bing (SWINDLE) is “the man with the plan” and the plan is usually a complexity of schemes. To be fair to him, he’s usually plotting to restore justice instead of pursuing a get-rich scheme. Artie Geller (NO COINS, PLEASE), on the other hand, schemes to rake in piles of cash while traveling the country—sound familiar?

> If it’s the family's chameleon-like ability to assume new identities: Phil Baldwin (SON OF INTERFLUX) isn’t devious about it, but he reinvents himself multiple times to join new programs at his school for the arts. The Falconer siblings (ON THE RUN and KIDNAPPED series) become masters of blending in (and creating false identities) to avoid capture.

> If it’s Trey and Arianna’s sibling rivalry: Sean and Nicolette Delancey (A SEMESTER IN THE LIFE OF A GARBAGE BAG) and Will and Lyssa Greenfield (ISLAND trilogy) are brother-sister pairs who fight dirty with each other but ultimately have to work together.

> And if it’s the sleek wonder of technology known as El Capitan: Nothing compares to Mike Otis’s shiny black behemoth (DON’T CARE HIGH), but Mr. Kermit’s Coco Nerd (THE UNTEACHABLES) is a souped-up beauty, and Joe Cardone’s classic Camaro (LOSING JOE’S PLACE) is an aerodynamic black hole, and Phil Baldwin and Sam Stavrinidis’s “the wreck” (SON OF INTERFLUX) is only one tiny intermittent defect removed from the perfect car.

Let's be honest: I'd suggest reading all the Gordon Korman books. But any of the above would be a good place to continue the journey.

 

[Jade]

Don't know why I was so confused, sorry. Just realized.

11. If I loved FAKER, what should I read next? 

I have no idea. But maybe The Van Gogh Deception or I.Q. they're two pretty great series about stuff kind of similar to this? I really like them because of their topics. Scamming, forgery, etc. Neither are just as similar to Gord's, but Raymond had the recs pretty on the head.
I'd definitely recommend NOTORIOUS (Gord) for another interesting adventure. And of course, MASTERMINDS.

 

Be blessed,

Jade

[Jade]

And because me, the very intelligent person (ofc), just realized that it's my turn:

12. What was the coolest part of the story?

There were some pretty cool things, like El Capitan, and that super-rich party, but it was definitely Logan's plot twist. All the way. ALL THE WAY. I'll give you a better description later--let's just say I loved it!

Be blessed,

Jade

[Raymond Jardine]

Oh! @Jade, I'm unfamiliar with The Van Gogh Deception and I.Q. but your comment on forgery makes them sound interesting. I was a big fan of some stories with codes, forgeries, and the like when I was growing up. I hadn't really made the connection to FAKER, but I can see some overlap now that you point it out.

Responding to: 12. What was the coolest part of the story?

My "honorable mention" goes to the father and son dynamic. For about a decade leading up to the pandemic, it seemed like there was a new "The ___'s Wife"-titled bestseller every year or so. The Time-Traveler's Wife ... The English Wife ... The Silent Wife ... The Zookeeper's Wife ... The Kitchen God's Wife ... The Aviator's Wife ... The Banker's Wife .... Well, Gordon Korman has only three "Son of ___" titles, but FAKER easily could have brought that number to four. When the Gordon Korman Book Club reviewed MIXED UP, I commented that I loved how GRK will sometimes explore ideas from different angles. In that case, it was memory; with FAKER, it's another perspective on the patriarchal connection.

But the coolest part of the story is that it ends more happily than could be expected, yet without any saccharine sweetness. Trey gets his family to go straight and he's able to establish some roots in a place where he can live a normal existence. But he doesn't immediately get to reclaim his friendship with Rudy, and he doesn't get to save Logan so the two can be reformed and penitent together in a perfect new life. Even with a get-out-of-jail-free card, Trey and family have some unhappy consequences to face for their misdeeds. It would probably be easier to write a perfect bow to tie up the story neatly and set up Trey for a utopian future, but it's more satisfying to see a real bildungsroman where the protagonist's journey continues beyond the closing pages. 

[E.W.]

Responding to: 12. What was the coolest part of the story?

Honestly, the whole book was cool.

It's hard to pick a cool part when there are so many cool parts.

--Ethan

[Asher]

Hope it's not to late to join. Just read Faker. Honestly, I was disappointed. It started off great, with a clear reference to a I Want To Go Home story element, the ball kick in the woods to escape - with a fellow classmate named Rudy as well. I absolutely loved the book's plot and characters as well. But then we get to the question:

 

. What was different about FAKER? What makes it stand out more than all the other Gordon Korman books?

 

 Unfortunately,  the ending. I like my GK endings. I call them Kormancapolypses, where everything in the book comes together in the end. I was waiting for this one, where there is a huge confrontation with the FBI, with a grand mixup of the criminals, with both of them trying to scam one another (maybe a Beware the Fish style ending)? Or the emailer being the old friend Rudy? Either way, the ending that we got was way short of epic. At the very least,  Trey should have snitched on his father. Instead it felt like there were no stakes raised. It was like "dad, let's not" and he says "ok"? And the fathers instant conversion to being a good dad after years of being a manipulative narcissistic criminal felt forced and unlikely. Had Trey actually left the ending would have been more realistic. Honestly, the ending was such a letdown that I wonder if GK had an alternative ending and Scholastic made him change it.

 

Other than the ending, it was a very well written book. I really liked the characters. 

[Asher]

And I saw Raymond already mentioned it, but this book is a Mashup of Son of Infterflux and Son of the Mob. 

 

Son of Faker, perhaps. 

[Raymond Jardine]

@Asher, I'm glad you found the discussion, and even gladder you brought up the I WANT TO GO HOME parallels. I thought of that when reading but didn't make a good mental note of it. I had been expecting a bit of a NO COINS, PLEASE vibe in this book and was tickled to find a bit of Rudy Miller in addition. (In my mind, I fuse IWTGH and NCP as wild summer break stories involving rebellious campers and hapless counselors. I was expecting more of NCP in FAKER because of the scammer element.)

"Kormanpocalypse." -- nice

 I recall the term "cathartic convergence" from literature analysis back in school, and I think I've heard music's "harmonizing crescendo" used to describe the same thing. That technique is so satisfying for the reader. Didn't we get that when the CableWeb Communications van was unmasked as an FBI surveillance operation--and the interwoven revelation that Logan and the Romanos are another faker family, alongside Trey's Cameron Frey-esque destruction of El Capitan and Mona becoming a Kirkwood and I.C. All being unmasked? That's a lot of seemingly disparate threads being tied together to make possible an otherwise inconceivable outcome where Trey's family goes straight and gets to stay in Boxelder. 

As for "Son of Faker" as an alternate title: How about "Son of Houdini"?

 

 

[Jade]

Gonna be honest, I barely know who Harry Houdini is. I really doubt people born in 2010-2012 are gonna know who he is either! But it's a cool name. If everybody got the reference, it would be a good fit!

@Asher: That's a lot of flames for the ending! I mean, it's not what I was expecting either, but dang! I see where you're coming from, and what you're talking about. A lot of GK books have this kind of buildup to some huge event at the end, wider than the original scope (MASTERMINDS, NOTORIOUS, MIXED-UP, WHATSHISFACE for example) and this ending was so not that. But to me, it made sense. The book wasn't really going in that direction from the get-go. Where Eli and friends' adventure was leading to them escaping the middle-of-nowhere New Mexico, with lightning and other big stuff... that's not really where FAKER was going. About halfway through I realized it was going to be more introspective, more evaluating who he's really meant to be, if he's a good person, rather than going on some huge scheme to oust his dad. Instead, I agree with Raymond that it was a more bittersweet ending.

"Gonna be honest, I barely know who Harry Houdini is. I really doubt people born in 2010-2012 are gonna know who he is either! But it's a cool name. If everybody got the reference, it would be a good fit!

@Asher: That's a lot of flames for the ending! I mean, it's not what I was expecting either, but dang! I see where you're coming from, and what you're talking about. A lot of GK books have this kind of buildup to some huge event at the end, wider than the original scope (MASTERMINDS, NOTORIOUS, MIXED-UP, WHATSHISFACE for example) and this ending was so not that. But to me, it made sense. The book wasn't really going in that direction from the get-go. Where Eli and friends' adventure was leading to them escaping the middle-of-nowhere New Mexico, with lightning and other big stuff... that's not really where FAKER was going. About halfway through I realized it was going to be more introspective, more evaluating who he's really meant to be, if he's a good person, rather than going on some huge scheme. I agree with Raymond that it was a more bittersweet ending. 

" It was like "dad, let's not" and he says "ok"? And the fathers instant conversion to being a good dad after years of being a manipulative narcissistic criminal felt forced and unlikely"

I also think him leaving would have been slightly more realistic. Not super, since he's like, twelve, but more realistic than what actually happened. I felt like I knew Junior for the story and then he just went good and I was a little bit blind sighted by it. Not complaining, but was definitely caught off guard.

I... don't think he was very "manipulative narcissistic criminal", especially since he clearly loved his kids very much. Selfish? Yes. Manipulative? Also yes, but not in the way that label implies. It was less "I'm manipulating you because I want the world for myself" and more "I'm manipulating you because unfortunately, I'm blinded by my greed. And I do want the world, but we can share. Love you."

Junior was definitely a very... conflicted person. On one side, great dad. Except for the huge hole where he's manipulating them into becoming criminals. And on the other, a very, very bad person stealing money from rich people for himself. Except he loves his kids. Either way, he should be locked up forever. I agree that it seemed a bit abrupt of an ending.

More of a letdown in my opinion was just how not-actiony the story was. With that kind of prompt (son of a con-artist? Big Kahuna?) I would have taken it many places that are just really, really different than what Gord did. And what he did was great. Just not what I expected from a prompt with so much potential for an action/adventur-y story.

Glad to see your insight. Sorry I haven't been online for days! School.

Be blessed,
Jade

[Raymond Jardine]

I just got a notification from my library that FAKER is now available in the Libby app as an audiobook. Do you all listen to the audio versions? They usually have pretty good voiceover artists. Anyhow, I'm no. 13 on the wait list. 

[E.W.]

I don't normally listen to audiobooks, I like Paper and Ebooks better.

I can remember better when it's on paper or an iPad.

But I might try one later anyway.

-- Ethan

 

[J.R.]

Harry Houdini was one of the most famous and exemplary magicians of the 20th century. He died of a ruptured appendix early in his career due to being punched I believe… if my memory has not failed me.

 

[Jade]

That's cool!

Well guys, I think that this book club format was successful. I like the new format. What book club do you guys want to do next? What did you like/dislike about this format, and what would you like to change?

Also, Gord asked if we really want another tab on the Forum. It's a lot of work to do but he'll do it if we really want it. I really want it, but I won't speak for everybody so what do you guys think?

Yay guys! It makes me so happy that so many people participated in this book club!

Be blessed,
Jade

[Raymond Jardine]

This one was fun. Agreed, @Jade, the discussion format with daily questions was a nice shake-up. It was cool to see what was on the minds of each leader. Some of the queries were really creative.

Looking ahead, I think maybe it would be good to give two days for each topic, whether the format is a discussion question or certain chapter(s), or some hybrid. Some book clubbers might have an easier time checking in every other day instead of daily. (And it doesn't limit those who post more regularly--we can go back and forth for two days on each topic, responding and reacting to each other's comments.)

One thought for a future book club would be to combine the two formats: Maybe cover three chapters at a time, and the discussion leader picks a question from those three chapters. That way, we would all be covering the same parts of the book at the same time, but we'd have a designated leader for each section and a different idea to focus on to encourage extra reflection. 

Another thought is to post a schedule so everyone knows whose turn is next and can plan ahead. 

Regarding the proposed Book Club tab: For now, the "Talking About Books" arrangement works okay. If we get to the point where we have 100 participants posting their thoughts in a book club discussion, let's bring it up again. There are some bigger improvements that would make the Forum better for book clubs (like comments being posted without a lag, and the ability to register with the site, and alerts when new comments are posted). But that's an even bigger project than a new tab, and the only way to justify it is if lots and lots of readers join in the discussions. 

@Jade, thank you as always for facilitating the group. Your enthusiasm inspires a lot of newcomers to be repeat visitors. And to all the FAKER Book Club participants and fellow Kormaniacs, well done! Every day was filled with excellent insights. @GRK, we're all looking forward to what comes next. Thanks for allowing us along for the ride.

Thanks, people!

This was, as it always is, another eye-opener. It convinces me yet again that the dynamic between author and reader is precious. And really fun. I look forward to further Book Clubs and a broadening dynamic.

Next up: OLD SCHOOL, due in January.                                           -----GK-----

[J.R.]

This really was a good idea!

I agree with @Raymond-we should do three chapters and then a discussion. Thanks for letting me be apart of it!

-~J.R.~-

[Logan]

I really liked doing this book club. It was super fun and I can’t wait for the next one. 
I also can’t wait for Old School. It’s going to be great.

With best regards, Logan

Hello, Book Club People:

I want to update you on the site, which has undergone a slight alteration.

The sections are now as follows:

                                                     General Topics: What's on Your Mind?

                                                                                  and

                                            Talking about Books: Book Discussions and Book Clubs

Yes, it's a compromise. But it also addresses the fact that a section for Book Clubs alone would pretty much be asking you to be engaged in a Book Club all the time, which is asking an awful lot of the readers.

So, as Raymond suggested, let's continue this way and see how it goes.                    -----Gordon Korman-----

[Jade]

Yes! I saw the new update and was surprised. Cool. So the next Book Club is OLD SCHOOL—will we not do anything before it comes out? Like what we did with RESTART? There’s a long wait between now and January!

 

Sorry I haven’t been too active. I’ve been checking in nearly every day but I just haven’t known what to say.

 

Be blessed,

Jade

[Raymond Jardine]

Hey @Jade. I'm always in for a new book discussion.

I don't know what jibes with school schedules. Is it easier or harder to chime in on weekends? Is it better to plan ahead and give everyone an opportunity to prepare, or just to start a discussion and see who's available to join? Is there a logical approach to covering 100-plus books, or do we trust the universe as our inspiration?

GRK has written several (several!) books featuring Halloween dances. Would we want to review one of them in October?

Would a Thanksgiving holiday weekend mini-book club be of interest, or will everyone be tuned out for turkey and travel? (And which Thanksgiving would we celebrate--Canada's or the U.S.'s?!?)

Did we miss our opportunity to discuss The Secrets of Splat Night (<--LINK) in the RESTART Book Club, or is it fair game to go back and opine on how that extra chapter fits into our perceptions of Chase Ambrose?

So many questions.

[Jade]

For me, it's normally easier to chime in on weekends. It should be harder since I always have something, but I'm sick right now, so I don't have much else better to do than sit here. It'd be nice to have time to prepare! And... I don't know if there's a logical approach. But I'd try and find one, because we could easily get lost in flipping through books! First thing I'd do would be find a chronological list of all of Gord's books.

To Halloween dances--> Sure!

To any of the holiday ones, sure! Ah, which Thanksgiving? I don't know. How about both? 

Anything is fair game! And that was a fun read, though short. It made me miss RESTART all over again. 

I agree, Raymond. There are so. many. questions. But what I've come to realize for me is that I'm virtually always going to be busy, so any time is a good time. If that made any sense.

 

Be blessed,

Jade

[Raymond Jardine]

How about a month-long "weekend edition" of the book club? For example, in October we could cover a quarter of a book each week, with new discussion prompts each weekend. I'm pretty sure @Jade is up for anything. Any other Gordon Korman Book Clubbers still following this thread? Who's in? Any votes for a title to look at? 

It's not perfectly chronological, but a full list of GRK's books with publication year is here: Gordon Korman - Wikipedia.

[Jade]

I'm not entirely sure what that means but I'm down. -BBJ

Oops. I goofed and lost the message that said "I'm down for anything."

I think it was J.R.  Being down for anything sounds like J.R., right?

Sorry so clumsy.                                                                                                                           ---GK---

[J.R.]

It’s ok GK. That was me 👍

[Raymond Jardine]

J.R.! Jade! Kormaniacs around the world! Any thoughts on an October Surprise Book Club? What title to cover... when to start... how to make sure everyone who's interested knows it's happening....

[Jade]

I'm in! 1000%!

What title to cover, hmm. I don't know if any of GK's novels are properly spooky enough for October, so I'd just say I WANT TO GO HOME since it's allegedly awesome. We could start. I know we usually give a week or two to read, so something like that. Or less/more if y'all want! And I don't know how to get it out there, maybe just making posts about it on here and on Twitter.

Be blessed,
Jade