Book Review: "Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary" by Brandon Mul

SPOIL-FREE SUMMARY

The group has to travel to a dangerous dragon preserve in order to get the key to a vault that hold a dangerous artifact. But in order to get to it they have to get past a giant, dragons, a hydra, and the demon Navarog.

CHARACTER GROWTH

Kendra develops in small ways. When she is all alone and trapped, she shows courage and her sarcasm is almost reminiscent of Seth. She still has a crush on Gavin but this is never expressed, unless you count letters they supposedly exchanged. On another note, she has to goad a new ally into killing a new enemy. I didn't like it. The new ally should have developed some courage and done it without any manipulation.

Seth does develop in a way. He learns more about his newly obtained skills. Also, it turns out he may have some new surprising ones. And how he reacts to witnessing the death of a character is quite moving, and we do witness how it effects him. Although there are a few times when he still acts as stupid as he did I the first book, making me annoyed.

Gavin returns in the second part of the book. There isn't any development between him and Kendra, which I was disappointed in, as it was hinted at in the last book. There are no conversations between them about anything personal. And although Seth takes him aside and asks him about their relationship, and Gavin hints that he likes Kendra, there isn't any real relationship. I get it, their teenagers. But they could have flirted, or held hands or...something.

Warren has more personality than others in that he is often joking. He is good for a laugh, but it's hard to develop a character that is so shallow. Considering that he has been around since book two, I kind of expected him to develop or at least be more crucial to the plot. Also, he encourages Seth to do something that could potentially get him killed, and disregards Grandpa Sorenson's orders. This is never addressed.

Mara actually appeared in the last book. She lived at Lost Mesa. She was barely in it, and although she is in half of this story, I still know nothing about her. She is described as serious and athletic. That is all. There are no conversations between her and other characters that reveal anything about her.

Dougan, Maddox's brother, is another character that seems to have no real personality. He was in the the last book as he went to Lost Mesa with Kendra. He had no personality then and still doesn't.

NEW CHARACTERS

Trask is a new character, who is the leader of the mission in the second portion of the book. The only impression I get from him is that he is mature and patient. Not much else. I would have liked to see him be a mentor Seth and Kendra. But that interaction just wasn't there.

Agad is the wizard and the caretaker of Wyrmroost, the dragon sanctuary. He isn't in the story much but comes across as a mentor, not just to Kendra, but to Seth as well.

Thronis is a giant who lives in Wyrmroost. His laid-back demeanor masks his willingness to kill. He isn't in the story quite enough to develop.

Bubda is a troll that resides in a magical item. He isn't that smart, but is rather amusing. Also, he is actually crucial in one part of the story.

Raxtus is a dragon who was rescued by faeries and hatched by them. Because of that, he is small and excluded from other dragons. He is slightly timid and not fierce or inclined to fight. He does play an important role, but I actually didn't care for how it was done.

PACING

The pacing is good, and the action starts pretty much right away. And from then, we split back in fourth between Kendra's and Seth's perspectives. That keeps the story moving pretty fast. Even when they are reunited, things go pretty fast. Seth has his own risky quest, as well as him and Kendra being attacked. Eventually, it all culminates into a trip to Wyrmroost, the dragon sanctuary.

SAME OLD SETH

I have the same problem I always have with Seth. He keeps ignoring the rules, disobeying and having no consequences whatsoever. And I don't just mean getting grounded. I mean messing up and having something bad happen as a result. It seems whenever Seth takes a big risk, he always succeeds and suffers no consequences. Just like in the last book, where Seth basically signs a death warrant with the centaurs, but gets pulled out by Patton.

Kendra actually does this too. There is a scene where she disobeys and talks to a dragon in the last book, but nothing bad comes from it. And it's starting to get annoying. Kendra blames herself for something bad that happens in this book, but it's not really her fault. It's the Knights of the Dawn's fault.

CLIMAX-THE BETRAYAL

In order to be shocked by a betrayal, I really have to know a character. So when he or she turns against the other characters, I can be angry. Or at least look back at certain moments and wonder if there was any sincerity. Also, looking back at hints and thinking, “I knew it!” or “It was so obvious!”

Oddly, I felt none of these things when a character is revealed to be a traitor. I went back to see if their were hints, to check if I was just being dense. But I saw nothing overt. Except for the whole “dragon” title thing. But honestly, the name was mentioned once, and I didn't think Mul would be so obvious. Although I think the big hint was supposed to be when this character went off on his own to defeat a dangerous enemy. I guess this was kind of fishy, but I chalked it up to crappy writing. Although it was mentioned that Navarog had an avatar.

I really think it would have been normal for Mul to simply have Navarog show up near the end. After all, we didn't learn about Ephira till well near the climax in the last book. So it would be par for the course.

THE KNIGHTS OF THE DAWN

One of the knights of the dawn is a traitor. Not surprising, right? We learned from book two that there were most likely traitors there. And then we learned the sphinx was the leader. So obviously no one can be trusted, right? Right?

So if a member was revealed to be a descendant of a previous member, and no one had heard of him...and only one person vouched for him and the sphinx was the leader of the knights...see where I am going? This person essentially never existed and no one decided to look in on it.

I kept thinking there should have been a side story where another character investigated or maybe accidentally found out the truth. The whole “Knights” thing suddenly seems like a joke. I just couldn't suspend my disbelief. This is a magical world. Couldn't we have had a more convincing lie, like a shapeshifter or something?

EXPLICIT CONTENT

Two characters get killed by a dragon, who eats them. Not much detail is given. Another is killed by having his youth sucked away.

CONCLUSION

The story isn't bad at all. In fact, it's original and well paced. Both Kendra and Seth are crucial to the story and have unique talents and there are many charming moments. But there are too many characters I care nothing about and the twist ending annoyed me, rather than shocked me in the way I think it was supposed

Book Review: "Grip of the Shadow Plague" by Brandon Mul

SPOIL-FREE SUMMARY

A plague is settling over fablehaven, turning everything it touches into creatures of darkness. Kendra goes off with others on a mission, while those at Fablehaven try to learn about what's really going on, and how to stop it.

CHARACTER GROWTH-SPOILERS

Kendra is fairykind, so she gets treated rather special. Even so, she isn't a Mary Sue. She struggles to understand her role, and has to learn that being fairykind doesn't make her strong or wise.

There is a scene between her and Gavin where she comes off as obnoxious. It's clear that Gavin is only worried for her safety, but she takes it as chauvinism. This is reminiscent of book one, when she assumes Coulter is sexist. But unlike in book one, I am glad to say that Kendra learns that she was mistaken. So when she fumes about how she saved Fablehaven before, and should be good enough to go on any mission, we see it's her immaturity, not the author screaming how sexist everyone is. Although one could argue she is on the verge of being a Mary sue, as she does disobey one time and have zero consequences. This is bearable because the others don't worship her nor does Kendra brag about her abilities.

Seth is still up to his old tricks, like trading batteries for gold. Although he has the decency to feel bad afterwards. I understood this had a crucial part of moving the story forward, so I can kind of forgive the fact that Seth still hasn't learned much from his past mistakes. To be fair, there are actual consequences for his disobeying orders.

It's important to note that Seth discovers he has his own set of skills. I think if this wasn't revealed, he would easily get overshadowed by Kendra. I felt in the first two books, she was much more important than him. I am relieved to see this was remedied. There are a few hints throughout the book so you are not too surprised to find out the truth.

Grandpa Sorenson develops in this story as he actually doubts he is fit to be caretaker. So many incidents have happened lately. I thought this was rather realistic, as it is he who decided to let Kendra and Seth stay, and his wisdom should have come under scrutiny before.

NEW CHARACTERS

Gavin is a member of the Knights of the Dawn. He is in the first part of the book. His stuttering can sometimes make him come off as unsure, but often times he shows great passion and certainty.

Dougan is a member of the Knights of the Dawn. He is in the first portion of the book. He didn't really have a distinct personality to me.

LOST MESA

There are a small group of characters we are introduced to in the new preserve. But to be honest, I didn't find them interesting enough to really care about. Only one left a lasting impression.

But the obstacles were interesting, from the Choke pods to the finale. And from these events, more is revealed about both Kendra and Gavin.

A LATE ADDITION

A new character get's thrown into the story rather late. But it worked, mainly because we had learned about this character throughout the first two books. Because of this, it was easy to get invested in the relationships he has. Otherwise, it never would have resounded with me.

SETH'S DISOBEDIENCE

It's no surprise when Seth decides to disobey his grandpa. And for once, he didn't come off as selfish. He decides it's time to risk his own life. My real qualm is after he is spotted and chased by everyone, Grandpa Sorenson forgives him and decides he can come with. It just felt a little far fetched to me. Seth has disobeyed so many times, this reaction might have made sense with Kendra. Because she usually obeys.

Also, he is reckless later on, basically making a deal to help the situation now, so he can die later. I think Mul wanted to use Seth's hot-headedness to his advantage. But I though it just made Seth look foolish. Perhaps he should have done it anther way, like Seth's bluntness and honesty helping to win over new friends instead.

He is saved from this ordeal later on and even from Grandpa finding out about it. I understand a new character appears, so it makes sense to want him to have a purpose. But I don't think Seth ever felt the gravity of the situation he created.

PACING

Because most of the book is divided between two different adventures, the pacing is good. Although Kendra's side is more action packed, while Seth's involves more mysteries that present themselves. This is made obvious because Kendra gets six chapters and Seth only gets four.

CLIMAX

It was interesting to me to see the events of the past came into play regarding the villain. Also the idea of someone dying was planted early on. It's easy to think this will be bypassed. I appreciated Mul's willingness to sacrifice someone that wasn't a background character.

A FALLEN STATE

The affect that the plague has on magical beings, doesn't effect humans. Grandpa Sorenson tries to explain this, discussing his view on it. I thought it was really interesting, how he explained the difference between the two and how some magical beings don't have fallen states, meaning they have more autonomy, similar to humans. It was an interesting philosophical discussion, especially since Coulter disagrees with Sorenson on some of his views.

EXPLICIT CONTENT

A character gets killed by being thrown off a cliff. Not much detail is given. Another is killed but is in a separate room, so no one witnesses it directly.

CONCLUSION

Mul weaves together events from books one and two to create a third story an in impressive way. He never lets you forget past events. Also, he gives Seth some new abilities so he can start to become equal to Kendra. It was nice to see he wasn't afraid to sacrifice important characters. I give “Grip of the Shadow Plague” four stars.

Book Review: "Rise of the Evening Star" by Brandon Mul

SPOIL-FREE SUMMARY

Seth and Kendra are put in danger, and have to return to Fablehaven for protection from the Society of the Evening Star. There they are taught by three new allies and learn that magical artifacts have been stolen from other reserves. And then there is the mystery of the Sphinx, an ageless being who helps protect the magical reservations all over the globe.

NEW CHARACTERS

Errol Fisk introduces himself in the beginning of the book, offering to help the kids with their kobold problem. He seems eccentric, but nice enough.

Coulter Dixon hunts for magical relics and is rather gruff. Also, he tells Kendra that he is old fashioned, and there are places he won't take woman, because he respects them.

Tanu creates magical potions and hunts for their ingredients. He introduces the kids to potions that can manipulate your emotions.

Vanessa finds and captures mystical animals from all around the world. They are different than magical beings, who have the intelligence of humans, like the satyrs, demons, and the fairies, ect.

Warren, is the younger brother of Dale. Who is currently catatonic, and turned albino from an unknown creature in Fablehaven.

The Sphinx is an ageless being currently in the form of a middle-aged black man. He immediately comes across as mentor full of wisdom, understanding that Seth and Kendra both need to be treated differently.

KENDRA

Kendra learns more about the after affects of the fairies who kissed her. Turns out she is more than just fairystruck, but fairykind. Her abilities are revealed throughout the book and eventually come in handy.

Although there is a time where she comes off as annoying, when she responds to Coulter's polices regarding the treatment of woman. She calls Seth brain dead and later says that Coulter is sexist, even though he clarifies that he doesn't treat girls different because he thinks they aren't as smart or capable as men. Simply that he thinks they deserve special treatment.

This is just a weird aspect of the story in general though. Perhaps this was meant for us to be suspicious of his morality. It didn't make me feel that way. He didn't come off as sexist at all. He seemed well intentioned, and Kendra's reaction to it was rather childish. If the point was for Kendra to learn to respect people she disagrees with, this would make sense. But we never get any scene that reveals this.

But this was a small scene, and is easily forgettable.

SETH & CONSEQUENCES

When Seth first realizes a mistake he made, and that Kendra was right, he does note that he hasn't changed or learned anything.

But then Kendra comes in and explains that Seth's actions are never Seth's fault because Errol fooled her too. She says he is just brave, again babying him like everyone did in the previous book. Peoples' lives are supposed to be at risk. But Seth never gets so much as a slap on the wrist.

Even after learning about consequences of something he did, there is still not so much as a reprimand. Grandma simply parrots what Kendra said earlier: it is not his fault, he was just being brave and trying to help.

But, on a positive note, he does put his life at risk for everyone. But I am not sure if it was because he was trying to prove himself or just sick that his sister has all of the abilities. He does snap at her, calling her the fairy princess and saying only she can do whatever she wants (in reference to her risking her life in the first book).

A BELIEVABLE DECEPTION

Seth and Kendra may both be deceived, and you might think after going through so much at Fablehaven, they would be more careful. But a certain character does come across as rather convincing, mentioning things that only an ally would know. So the deception is quite plausible (unlike in the last book, where it ruined a large portion of the plot).

PACING

The pacing is good, as we jump into the story pretty fast, with the introduction of a new kid at Seth and Kendra's school who causes trouble. And then we meet another character and get involved into a dangerous task. Not long after that we are headed back to Fablehaven but not without some fast paced trouble.

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER-SPOILERS

Mul doesn't present any information that isn't useful to the plot later on. So it's important to be paying attention, or you might be surprised later on. The poison darts that Vanessa has from the salamanders are presented; Warren is shown in his catatonic state; Coulter shows the kids his invisibility glove and his cocoon device and Vanessa reveals a secret way of communication with Kendra. These are planted (as well as other scenes) and all pay off later.

Also, Mul reveals information about the last book. Like Grandma revealing how she was turned into a chicken, and the Sphinx revealing exactly why the faeries did what they did to Kendra.

FUTURE PLANS

Mul places things in the book that may be used later one, such as Hugo's growing intelligence (thanks to the faeries putting him back together) as well as mentioning the Knights of the Dawn, a group of people who fight to protect the sanctuaries. Again, he lets the reader know that this is series, planting seeds that won't be revealed until later.

CLIMAX

The climax of the story mostly involves Kendra and Warren. Seth isn't involved, similar to the last book, which surprised me. But to be fair, he actually accomplished something crucial to the climax, allowing Kendra to go to inverted tower with an ally.

CONCLUSION

Mul creates a faster paced story with the same original world. Every piece of information he presents is important and later put to good use. Kendra develops, learning about her abilities and the responsibilities that come with it. And after a time, Seth steps up to prove himself. Even the ending is juicy. I give "Rise of the Evening Star" four stars.