Fablehaven, Book 5:Keys to the Demon Prison
by Brandon Mull
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Book Summary Information
Author: Brandon MullBrand: Books
Edition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2010-03-23
ISBN: 1606412388
Number of pages: 544
Publisher: Shadow Mountain
Book Reviews of Fablehaven, Book 5:Keys to the Demon Prison
Book Review: A disappointing finish
Summary: 1 Stars
Mull blew this series in the end in what is claimed to be a planned 5 book series, but probably only in contract and not actual planning. The story lacked the positive sides of Mull's previous books. He normally has great dialogue and interaction between children. In this book, Seth and Kendra are separated until the very end. In the previous books and Candy Shop Wars he maintained a moral of the story. In this one, there was none to be found. I personally, found what could be taken from this book on the ethical level, to have destroyed the moral points behind the rest of the series. Mull also usually has good pacing, building to a natural climax, in this, it's hit the ground running and rammed it all together with no actual fleshing out of the plot. The entire book was anti-climatic, making a disappointing read and again invalidating the series as a whole.
Without Mull's normal good points, it makes other points horrible. All the creatures and concepts shown in this series can be found in many of the classics, leaving an author with only two options, to reinvent by truly fleshing out new mythos or remaining true the original mythos. Things like a pop surprise that the Fairy Queen is actually a unicorn and had four unicorn children with her unicorn consort is an insult to both options. An example of better writing might have been: With the Fairykind that Kendra was and Seth as a Shadow Charmer, he could have used that as a mirrored theme with the more traditional roles where the Fairy Queen's consort was actually the Shadow King who's traditional downfall would have been sinking to far into the darkness. It would have made more sense with the Fairy Queen punishing the astrids, instead of them fighting valiantly, but ultimately failing to defend the King from a being even she could not hope to defeat. Further, the characters in these books also had almost no fleshing out; with, this book being the worst. A character, Victor is introduced and killed in the first 50 pages. Another new character Bracken shows up, with no for-shadowing, although he was one of the key saviours of the main plot of the whole series and Kendra's love interest. Characters that had a bit more fleshing out such as Warren are relegated to nothing more then being present. Perhaps the worst move he made, was with the Sphinx, a character built up as being evil, cruel, cold hearted, a man of trickery and deceit, of high intelligence, and inhuman patience is turned into a, misguided, caring, lenient, fool that was merely a former slave railing against prisons. Atrocious!
Finally, the actual events had almost no point. An example, Seth needed to hunt down this almost impossible to find sword only to end up asking some advice, following it, and being handed the sword. Kendra meanwhile was given the ability to restore the astrids, an ability the Fairy Queen could have done herself, only for her to not even pursue it in any great length, until they were suddenly all at the last shrine with the Fairy Queen. And where there was a point, it was too easy to achieve, such as Kendra defeated a demon that the Fairy Queen and all the other warriors and creatures of the light where merely hoping to wound by chance, in an entire 3 swings of a sword.
I hate writing this review, I really enjoyed the Fablehaven series up to this point. I realize it's just a children's series, but there are many many stories for children much better written in the end without nearly the acclaim. I had hoped that it would be a series to hold onto and point my children to once they are a bit older. Sadly, I regret buying them in hardcover and will likely donate them to a library or something.
Summary of Fablehaven, Book 5:Keys to the Demon Prison
Since ancient times, the great demon prison Zzyzx has protected the world from the most dangerous servants of darkness, including Gorgrog, the Demon King. After centuries of plotting, the Sphinx is on the verge of recovering the five artifacts necessary to open the legendary prison. Facing the potential of a world-ending calamity, all friends of light must unite in a final effort to thwart the Sphinx s designs and find a safe home for the five artifacts. To this end, Kendra, Seth, and the Knights of the Dawn will venture far beyond the walls of Fablehaven to strange and exotic magical preserves across the globe, where the end of every quest becomes the beginning of another. In this explosive series finale, allegiances will be confirmed and secrets revealed as the forces of light and darkness collide in a desperate struggle to control the keys to the demon prison.Action & Adventure Books
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