Book Review: Fablehaven Series Overview

OVERVIEW

What I did and didn't like about the series as a whole. More spoilers, and less vague criticisms (so if you haven't read the whole series yet then skip this). What I wished would have been different. I tried to start out with what I liked first, then what I didn't like, although it kind of got all mixed up.

CHARACTER LIKABILITY

Both Soren and Kendra and likable and distinct. They were a good contrast to each other. Seth was goofy, sarcastic, naive and reckless. Kendra was patient, hesitant, serious and studious.

It was easier to like Kendra than Seth many times, mainly because Seth kept ignoring everyone, somehow forgetting that he could get himself and others killed. The scene where he saw a baby on the roof in book one was so bad.

Kendra manages to stay out of the Mary Sue trope because she constantly doubts herself and hesitates. Although it would have been nice if she had made a big mistake, so as to even her and Seth out a bit. Although I don't think she should have been able to wield Vasilis like Seth did.

THE WORLD OF FABLEHAVEN

The world is essentially my favorite aspect. It is the main reason I like the series. I forgave the lack of growth and personality in so many characters, because of it.

I loved the pond of naiads and the boardwalk. I loved the stubborn pride of the centaurs (which I wish developed by the way). And I loved the arrogance and beauty of the dragons.

Ephira was one big disappointment of mine, as I really wanted to know more about her, maybe even see her redeemed.

The revenant was on of the creepiest monsters I have ever read. That and the scene with Seth and all of the undead were two of my favorites. I also loved the wall of totem poles and the giant frog. The scene in book two at the mortuary is also on my favorites.

HUMOR

Another area where Mul shines is his sense of humor. Seth has more one liners that I can count. The two satrys are often great comic relief. Even Hugo can be unintentionally funny. When Seth tries to make excuses for the fact that he actually read a book, I found it hilarious.

LENA & PATTON-SPOILERS

The romantic relationship between these two was one of my favorite aspects of the series. Not that was super deep, but it was sweet. It showed how sacrifices had to be made for relationships, like how Lena had to watch Patton age and die while she still lived. As well as Lena sacrificing herself and Patton knowing about it, yet still having to go back in time to live out the rest of their relationship.

GOOD AND EVIL

I liked how Mul tried to explain how magical creatures are different than humans in book three. I found it very original and I wish there had been more discussion about it. Specifically the disagreement between Grandpa Sorenson and Coulter regarding if they had real free will. It showed hints of depth that was never fulfilled.

CHARACTER GROWTH-SPOILERS

The problem when it comes to Seth is simply that he never develops. He keeps making huge mistakes that involve ignoring warnings and rules. And the constant push that it's not his fault, so that he never faces any real consequences, gets maddening. It's as if the only way to move the story along and face new problems, was for him to be stupid. One real part where he shines though is when he thinks that Kendra is dead, but it's just her stingbulb that died. I wish there were more scenes that like, and I wish it had effected him longer.

Perhaps if the story had taken places with months or years in between each book, instead of a matter of weeks as it usually did. But even without time to help him grow, how many near death experiences does it take for one kid to grow up?

When it comes to Kendra, I suppose she does grow, but I felt she had less things to overcome. She felt the most vulnerable in the first book to me. Even when she finds out the truth about Gavin being a liar, her reaction is more amusing than moving. I would have preferred a horrified and broken spirit, like she had in the first book when Mendigo was chasing her. And although there was a supposed affect to Gavin lying to her, basically that she no longer trusts people, it's only mentioned in the beginning of the last book. So it doesn't feel important. After all, she falls head over heels for Bracken almost instantly.

TOO MANY CHARACTERS?

I found it odd that Kendra and Seth both had such strong personalities, and yet everyone else is basically a cardboard cut-out of a character. At first this didn't bother me, mainly for two reasons. The first, the world was so detailed and unique. The second was that in the first two books, there just isn't that many side characters. It didn't bother me that Tanu, Coulter and Dale didn't much have personality, because it was just the three of them. After all, Vanessa has a strong personality. And so did the Sphinx. They kind of made up for it. Not to mention Patton and Lena.

I kept waiting for Gavin to progress but he never did. Because of this, the relationship between him and Kendra never felt like an actual relationship. Just a slight crush.

In the end, I think there should have been less mentor-like characters (who were never really mentors) and more characters that were equals to Seth and Kendra. I would have loved to see Kendra in a friendship with someone of her own sex. She is obvious kinda geeky and it would be nice to see how she would react to a girly girl. We get a small hint of that with Vanessa, but only at the first meeting.

And to see Seth with a friend his age would be nice as well. Even an older, big brother figure. Vanessa almost played that for Kendra (but not really). I wish Warren had played some sort of big brother role, but it just wasn't there.

DEATHS

I liked how Mul wasn't afraid to show there were consequences in this world and that it was dangerous (unless you were Seth, I mean). Lots of characters die. My only problem was I never felt much simply because I barely knew the character, or the character had spent enough time around, I just didn't care about them. Again, the other problem was that Seth never seemed to grasp this, even if the reader did. So his constant recklessness contradicted everything else the author was trying to tell us about the world.

WORTH READING?

In the end, I do think the whole series is worth reading. The last two books are not so bad as to make you wish you never read the series.

What I liked: Seth and Kendra were distinct characters, the world and creatures of Fablehaven's originality, the use of humor and Lena and Patton's relationship.

What I disliked: Seth never developing or facing real consequences for his actions and too many characters that I didn't care about (no personalities).

I give the Fablehaven series three stars.

Book Review: "Keys to the Demon Prison" by Brandon Mul

SPOIL-FREE SUMMARY

The gate to the demon prison Zyzyxx is about to be opened. Seth and Kendra both are trying to stop it but they can't do it alone. They need the help of old allies and new friends.

CHARACTER GROWTH

Kendra is not sure she can trust anyone since what happened in the last book. Although she suddenly changes her mind when she meets Bracken. She seems more confident as the book goes on, making sure she is not left out of anything.

Seth's finally development involves him rectifying a massive mistake he makes. It happens pretty fast in the story, and a part of me was rooting for him to be right for once. But he wasn't, which is consistent with all the other books and Grandpa Sorenson's view on evil.

I encountered another familiar problem. When Seth makes the biggest mistake he has made yet, he is again, reassured that it wasn't his fault. No really. Coulter says he is a good boy and was just showing mercy (and ignoring the advice of everyone around him). While Patton says he would have done the same because apparently he's an idiot too. I was so frustrated to see nothing has changed.

NEW CHARACTERS

Bracken is a prisoner that the Sphinx keeps at his secret lair. He becomes an ally to Seth and eventually becomes close to Kendra. He is thousands of years old but appears to be in his late teens.

Nagi Luna is a demon who the Sphinx has teamed up with. But she seems to have no loyalties to him.

Vince is a new character that helps in the first mission of the book. He isn't in the story long enough to develop any personality.

PACING

Pacing is decent. We get a small chapter in the beginning before getting straight to the mission. From there there is plenty of action that eventually slows down and then speeds up again. Eventually the story splits off with the perspectives of Seth and Kendra, each on their own. This helps keep the story moving.

DEATHS OF SIDE CHARACTERS

There are a few new characters that are introduced. One is barely in the book before she leaves and then is revealed to have died. I wanted to feel awful for what could have been an amazing character but I just didn't care.

When a second new characters dies, he was in the book slightly longer, and the way he died was tragic. The affect of it horrified me...but I still didn't know the character enough to care about him personally. It was more the way he died that got a reaction out of me.

Two other characters die that we don't really know. I didn't really care.

FORGOTTEN CHARACTERS

There are plenty of characters that have been introduced throughout the series: Mara, Dale, Coulter, Trask, Warren, Elise, Tanu, ect. Some characters I felt initially had importance, and even personalities. Other didn't even have personalities to begin with. Mara, Trask and Elise come to mind. But I feel like all of them were abandoned.

THE PHILOSOPHY OF EVIL

If you remember previously, I discussed Grandpa Sorenson's view on demons and other dark creatures. He thought their nature was to be evil and they had no real free will of their own to decide to be good. I never quite liked this view because it meant the villains of the story were not really bad, they were just following their instincts.

The idea that they had no free will didn't appeal to me, especially since they are clearly smarter than animals. I shouldn't have been surprised when this idea was consistent but a part of me wanted him to rethink the whole thing. It would have made the story less predictable and Seth seem less stupid.

KENDRA'S STORY-SPOILERS

Eventually Kendra goes on a mission with a few others to protect the last of the Eternals, people who can live forever and are important to the Demon Prison. But honestly, I had to wonder why this was important to the plot. Both attempts fail so nothing is really gained in this venture. Was it so Kendra could get to know Bracken better?

Seth, in contrast actually accomplishes quite a lot, getting a new sword and finding out how to get to the demon prison. Not to mention bringing along three people as allies that otherwise would not have been there.

BRACKEN & KENDRA

Throughout the book it is hinted at that Kendra has a crush on Bracken. I get it, she had that whole thing with Gavin last time, and we want her to have a happy relationship. But Bracken is supposed to be thousands of years old. I know he is supposed to be around her age in his years, but I never quite believed he was old as he was.

There is one scene where he rallies the troops where he seems quite wise, but other than that, not so much. If he has seen centuries of life and witnessed how culture and people have changed, I would think he would have a much more detached air about him (or at least different ideas about modern culture). But he jokes and talks like an actual teenager from the same time period as everyone else.

And in the last pages, Kendra reveals her thoughts for becoming an eternal so she can be with him forever. I wanted to laugh it was so absurd. She has only known him for a few weeks.

THE SPHINX

There is a scene where we learn the Sphinx's history and where he tries to convince Seth he is not evil. I found it interesting, although his arguments for opening the prison were not very convincing to me. I don't quite care for the scene where the villain tries to convince the hero to join him. There is never any chance the hero will and the reader never buys it if the character even considers it.

I liked learning about the Sphinx, so I found it puzzling that later on he is a mere side character, even in the climax. And I didn't find his fate quite believable. I get it, this is a kids book, but it just came off as naive and stupid to me.

AMAZING PLACES

I would be remiss if I didn't mention the originality of the many places that Seth and Kendra visit. The various parts of the Dreamstone were interesting and unique. The giant wall of totem poles was a cool concept. The room of zombies was creepy.

In one scene, when Kendra has to go through an area with dangerous fruit that tempts her, the rationalizations she uses are actually convincing. I had to wonder if she was really going to give in.

We get to see new creatures as well, like leprechauns and harpies. There are things I really enjoyed.

LOOSE ENDS

Some loose ends are tied, such as who sent Kendra the knapsack and the stingbulb when she was kidnapped by the Sphinx. But a lot of things feel awkward. It's randomly mentioned that Vanessa and Warren have a relationship now. No mention of when or how that happened. Or even why. It's just thrown in there. Newel and Doren's constant joking is funny, until we get to the climax when it just makes the gravity of the situation disappear.

CLIMAX-SPOILERS

It all accumulates in an all out battle as the demons pour out of zyzyxx. I felt that Seth defeated his opponent far too fast and the discussion they had beforehand was shallow and short. Also, it bothered me that Kendra was able to wield his sword. I know she needed to have her own role, but I felt that being fairy kind should have given her some abilities. Did she need to fight too? Maybe her role should have been something other than a warrior.

The twist at the end was interesting, as no one but Bracken and the fairy queen were in on it.

CONCLUSION

I love Mul's humor and I was smiling so many times throughout this book. The places we visit and the missions are often rather unique. But Seth refuses to develop, and others still make excuses for him. Kendra's mission felt like a waste of time and her relationship with Bracken felt unreal to me. Not to mention new characters and old ones alike seem to have no importance or presence at all. I give “Keys to the Demon Prison” three stars.

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.

Book Review: "Fablehaven" by Brandon Mul

SPOIL-FREE SUMMARY

When siblings Seth and Kendra are sent to spend the summer with their grandparents, they don't know what to expect. They barely even know them. It seems there is a secret, including the mystery of where there grandmother is. Told not to go into the woods, Seth can't help but disobey. Eventually the two discover the truth: the woods hold the reserve for magical creatures.

OUR CAST OF CHARACTERS

Kendra is more cautious, studious and patient then her little brother. She doesn't desire adventure, more aware of the dangers that come along with it.

Seth is adventurous, eager and a little reckless. He tends to brush off warnings from adults, thinking they are overprotective. He isn't afraid to get dirty and likes animals, taking a liking to the chicken in their room.

Grandpa Sorenson is rather secretive about the grounds, as well as the whereabouts of his wife. He is blunt, strict and used to being obeyed.

Lena cooks and takes care of the house from Grandpa Sorenson. She is a great cook and helps take care of the house. She also takes care of the garden.

Muriel is the old woman who lives in the woods. She is crafty and willing to do anything to get free from her chains.

PACING-SPOILERS

The pacing is decent. We start right off on the way to Fablehaven. And from the first chapter, there are only four chapters until we discover the secret in Chapter five. There a few hints here and there to keep you guessing, like the weird behavior of the bees, the keys that Grandpa gives Kendra, and the fact that grandma is missing and the reason given sounds flimsy. Not to mention the odd behavior of Lena.

There is really no reason to draw this part of the book out, just by the title of the series you know it's a fantasy book. Mul doesn't make that mistake. Although it is not until chapter eleven that the main problem and the rest of the plot is revealed which is halfway through a nineteen chapter book.

CREATURES OF FABLEHAVEN

One of the best aspects of the books are the creatures that reside in Fablehaven. From the naiads, the satyrs, trolls, and the golem, Hugo. We only get glimpses of many of them, making us want to learn more. And surely there are many more creatures we have not yet seen. I really liked Hugo, who seemed almost like a cute, huge pet. And the limberjack was quite creepy.

MYSTERIES OF FABLEHAVEN

There are mysteries presented throughout the plot. Such as Pattern Burgess, Warren, and the fate of Lena. All of these created interest for me to want to learn more. It was shown in a way that made you understand why this was a series. Unlike some series', that present everything new in each book. Reading the first, it was obvious that there was more to learn.

THE PROBLEM OF SETH-SPOILERS

When Seth offends the fairies by kidnapping one, you can forgive him because of his ignorance. But the result is nightmarish, one that would freak out any adult, let alone a child. I thought it was strange that no punishment is ever mentioned from what should be a serious incident. It destroyed any levity to the situation.

By the time Midsummer Eve rolled around, and after being warned about the danger and the possibility of death, Seth is just as dumb as before the fairy incident. And because of him, everyone is put at risk. His family is possibly dead, or soon will be.

If that wasn't enough, when he finally admits it is all his fault, both Kendra and grandma do their best to make him feel better, and say it's not. Or give him platitudes about learning from his mistake. He almost killed everyone. He didn't flunk a test.

SETH'S REDEMPTION

There is scene later where Seth puts his own life at risk, rather then let his grandma do it. But we are never sure about his motivation. It seems obvious it would be redeeming himself for his past sins. But this is never even mentioned, and is left to readers' imagination. This was a big mistake.

Seth desperately needed redemption. And the reader needed to witness his inner struggle, so we could celebrate with him. Instead we are kept in the dark and his character feels stunted.

MIDSUMMER EVE

I already pointed out the problem with Seth. But he was supposed to have been deceived, instead of just being reckless. But the event that occurs is so obvious a trap, that even Kendra points it out. The deception should have been somewhat convincing to make the reader think twice.

Perhaps something having to do with their parents returning. Maybe being set up with texts on their phones or something. (If the creatures could manipulate machines, that would be a twist.) It should have been an understandable mistake.

Instead a baby magically appears on the roof of the house and Seth stupidly believes it is real. It was just lazy writing, like in a horror movie, where the only way to move the story alone is to have the brain-dead protagonists rush headlong into danger while the audience screams at them to go back, simultaneously laughing at their stupidity.

EVERYTHING'S RELATIVE

Lena gives the kids a speech about how the creatures in Fablehaven are neither good or bad. Seeing how they have such a long life span in comparison to humans, that may be understandable. Like how humans would treat flies. But when he get introduced to a creature called Bahamut, suddenly the idea of the creatures being beyond good and evil seems ridiculous.

Also, the kids are also told that the creatures live by a set of rules, a pact, placed upon them by Fablehaven: they can't hurt you unless you hurt them first. But there is no mention of how they treat each other. That could be an indicator of if they are moral or immoral.

CLIMAX-SPOILERS

In the end, it's really Kendra's book. As she is the one who has to save everyone. I felt in many ways she was the opposite of Seth. She was cautious but curious, and her reaction to loss and danger was way more realistic than his. When she is the only one left, she actually breaks down and starts crying, feeling completely overwhelmed. It's what any of us would do. And I couldn't help but feel bonded to her in that scene.

There is a good mix of action and mystery. And the problem to the solution was hinted at much earlier in the book, but it's not obvious. After all, Kendra has no guarantee that what she does will work. These scenes were by far my favorite part in the book. When the limberjack came after her, the scenes reeked of desperation and fear. There was a sense of urgency that had not existed until then.

CONCLUSION

Mul creates an original world with unique creatures. The pacing is good and the problems keep coming to help the story move along. But too often the story moves along because of something stupid that Seth did. And his refusal to learn, or face any real consequences bugged me. Still, there are enough mysteries planted in this story that makes me want to read another. And Kendra's adventures to save her family was suspenseful and exciting. I give “Fablehaven” three stars.