Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy

Wow. I really enjoyed this book. Like, it’s-my-new-favorite-thing enjoyed this book. If you liked the action in Harry Potter but wanted more of it with more wit, then this is the book for you.

The novel follows a young woman named Stephanie. Her uncle, a famous horror writer, just died and the family gathers to listen to his will. There she meets Skulduggery Pleasant for the first time. He is a mysterious man, most likely because he is hidden from head to toe behind a long coat, gloves, scarf, sunglasses, wig, and a hat.  Stephanie is immediately drawn to him because she is not like the rest of her family. They are only interested in what they will get from her Uncle’s will. No one really cares about his death, or how he died. They just really want his stuff. To Stephanie’s surprise she is the one who receives the majority of his estate. She even gets her Uncle’s house, which Stephanie and her mother soon set out to explore. Once they get there their car breaks down. After some pleading with her mom, Stephanie is left alone at the house while her mother rides with the tow truck to the mechanic. Stephanie putters around the house, reading her Uncle’s unfinished novel, until she starts getting harassing phone calls. The voice on the line wants a key. Stephanie hangs up. And that is about when the man on the phone bursts through the window and attacks her. And then the door explodes, revealing Skulduggery Pleasant. In the melee Skulduggery’s attire comes loose and Stephanie realizes that Skulduggery is actually a living, walking skeleton. Afraid for her life, stuck between a skeleton and an attacker, Stephanie sets out on an adventure to find out why her uncle died… That is if she survives.

Did I mention I loved this book? It has tons of action and is actually really funny. Skulduggery has that dry James Bond understated humor down pat. The novel also combines fantasy and horror extremely well. It also references the monsters and the tone of H.P. Lovecraft. Between the magic, the humor, and the creeps, it is a perfect combination. Highly recommended. It’s appropriate for 6th grade on up, although it is a bit more intense then Harry Potter.

I’d like to note that I read the book by listening to the audiobook. It is a wonderful adaptation that rivals the quality of the Harry Potter audiobooks. It is an excellent read and an excellent listen. Enjoy!

And it’s sequel is already out! Hooray for me!

Posted under a librarian reads, review

The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor
This book deserves 4 stars

This book is a sort of retelling of Alice in Wonderland that says Alyss Heart is the heir to the throne of Wonderland. Her evil aunt Redd killed her parents and took the throne for herself. Alyss escaped to our world, but she has to return now to reclaim her rightful throne as Queen of Hearts.

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Eldest by Christopher Paolini
This book deserves 5 Stars

The suspenseful sequel to Eragon. Eragon travels to Ellesmeria to resume trainig. Danger lurks around every corner, and Eragon and Saphria are in more danger than ever before. This book truly deserves 5 stars.

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Molly Moon’s Incredible Book of Hypnotism by Georgia Byng
This book deserves 4 stars

This book keeps you on your toes. It’s a action/slight drama. Molly lives in a orphanage and life there is horrible. When she finds a hypnotism book and learns it, her life changes. She hypnotizes her way to the top of NY. All the while, a crook has been looking for the book, so he can hypnotize banks into giving him their jewels. He also knows Molly’s secret and blackmails her into doing something she doesn’t want to…

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The Monster Series by David Wellington

I am going to admit off the bat that I love David Wellington’s Monster series. Originally, these books were published as online serials. You can find the links off his homepage here. If that wasn’t cool enough, the books are actually really good. Like incredibly good. Like read them now good. But be warned, these novels aren’t for the faint of heart. The VBG level (violence, blood, gore) is at an all time high. So if that’s not your bag and you gross out easily then you should probably find something else on the shelf. But for those who do read these books you will find lots pf action, plenty of survival adventure, and really good character development. These books are recommended for anyone who loves zombies, and are appropriate for ages 14 and up.
More Zombie Fun

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Soon I Will Be Invincible by Austin Grossman

What would you do if you were the smartest person in the world, had impenetrable skin, and that nagging feeling that you just never belonged? If you are Doctor Impossible you would become a supervillain and try to conquer the world. And when the world’s heroes stopped you time and time again? Well, you would just keep on keeping on, never giving up on your dreams of world domination. Statistically speaking you are bound to win at least once, and when you are taking over the world one win is all you need.

This novel is a wonderful homage to superhero comics. It pits the quintessential supervillain (Doctor Impossible) against the archetypal superhero team (The Champions). If you have ever read Superman, Justice League, or the Avengers, or even seen the movie The Invincibles then you are already familiar with the world of superheroes and how the epic battle between good and evil plays out over and over again. In the superhero world people have extraordinary powers that they receive either by birth, an industrial/scientific accident, or by extraterrestrial means. Some have super speed, some have super strength, some are magicians, and some wield magic. And supervillains try to take over the world, sometimes by political intrigue, or by destroying the moon, or by creating a race of giant murderous ants. In the superhero world the extraordinary is rather mundane. Battles between superpowered peoples take place everyday, and the devastated cities they leave behind them is just a normal part of living in the big city.

Austin Grossman captures the normalcy of this superhero world acutely. What happens when a 500lb cyborg walks down the street? The cement crumbles beneath her, and she gets embarrassed because everyone stops and stares. What happens when a supervillain in street clothes gets recognized at the local coffee shop? He quickly hides behind a napkin mask and dukes it out with the heroes the best he can, all while screaming “You will all bow before me!” The reader gets a real inside look at just how human superhumans really are on page after captivating page.

This novel was a treat. It has a extensive list of colorful quirky superhumans, it’s campy, their is adventure, humor, action, drama, and is above all is a great superhero story. This novel could totally work as a Superman or an Avengers story. The book is appropriate for anyone, but readers 14 and up who are very into superhero comic books will probably enjoy it the most.

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Eragon by Christopher Paolini
5 Stars

Eragon by Christopher Paolini is about a young boy named Eragon who lives in a world of danger, war, and rebellion. While out hunting, he finds a stone which happens to be a dragon egg. It hatches and he names the dragon Saphria, and the two team up with Brom the storyteller. They must join they rebellion to defeat the evil king with danger around every corner. This is a perfect book for anyone who likes suspense.

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