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Rise of the Evening Star (Fablehaven)


by Brandon Mull
by Brandon Dorman

List Price: $6.99
Available: Usually ships in 24 hours
Sales Rank: 3386
Studio: Aladdin
Binding: Paperback
Reading Level: Young Adult
Number Of Pages: 464
Publication Date: April 22, 2008
Publisher: Aladdin


EDITORIAL REVIEWS

Product Description
At the end of the school year, Kendra and her brother Seth find themselves racing back to Fablehaven, a refuge for mythical and magical creatures. Grandpa Sorenson, the caretaker, invites three specialists -- a potion master, a magical relics collector, and a mystical creature trapper -- to help protect the property from the Society of the Evening Star, an ancient organization determined to infiltrate the preserve and steal a hidden artifact of great power. Time is running out. The Evening Star is storming the gates. If the artifact falls into the wrong hands, it could mean the downfall of other preserves and possibly the world. Will Kendra learn to use her fairy gifts in time? Will Seth stay out of trouble?


CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 5.0 based on 8 reviews)

Weak Start; Strong End  
Do not expect this to be as good as the first entry in the series: Brandon Mull's story kicks off as a pale imititation of a Harry Potter book by starting away from Fablehaven, having a small adventure, and then a non-threatening chase to reach Fablehaven. We never believe the main characters, Seth and Kendra, are in danger.

Once at Fablehaven the book's pace picks up, and there are adventures aplenty. There are some exciting adventures, new creatures, and good character development. Kendra has acquired some magical powers from the events that happened in the first book, and those come into play frequently. New characters and locales are introduced, and although some of them do nothing to advance the plot or story of this book, they will probably be featured in the third entry.

Overall, this was an engaging book.
November 28, 2008

This so beats Harry Potter  
Sometime earlier this year I had the pleasure of finally purchasing the origial "Fablehaven". I was out in the woods all summer, but when I learned that the sequel had been released I was, to put it lightly, considerably happy. And as I read the book, I was not disappointed. Brandon Mull once again proves that he is a solid new face in the world of children's fantasy as this book tops the first marvelous "Fablehaven" and, dare I say it, plenty of other children's literature out there.

For those of you who have not yet had the pleasure of visiting Fablehaven, it is a preserve for all creatures magical and is run by seemingly ordinary mortals. Kendra and Seth Sorenson are the grandparents of said mere mortals, children who have become irrevocably connected with the preserve.

In this installment, this preserve is threatened by the demonic group the Society of the Evening Star. While the first book did a marvelous job in setting up the scene, this book is where the plot truly begins, from a strange new kobold-boy in school to all sorts of betrayal and intrigue. It's surprisingly complex, but still allows us to enjoy the magic of the world that is Fablehaven.

Mull's descriptions are simple yet effective in a charming style that is all his own. What really stands out to me are this characters. While other authors like to make their characters brash, crazy, and wild, Kendra, Seth, and co are more subtle, real, and understandable. They think like real kids, and this is not always seen in literature.

Sparkling, funny, and heartpounding, this is story-telling at its best.
September 27, 2008

Even better than the first book!  
This second book in Brandon Mull's wonderfully imaginative Fablehaven series is even better, and more complex, than the first one. Sister and brother Kendra, 14, and Seth, 12, who are being pursued by the evil Society of the Evening Star, return to their grandparents' sanctuary for mythical and magical creatures. Kendra has magical abilities as a result of having been kissed by fairies that make her a target of the Evening Star, and Seth is being chased by a froglike demon that is determined to devour him.

This story begins in middle school near the end of the spring term, when Kendra, with her magical fairy sight, can see that a hottie new eighth-grade boy who the other girls instantly fall in love with is really a hideously ugly kobold.

When the kids arrive at their grandparents' preserve, they find out that Grandpa has hired three specialists: Tanu, a potion master; Coulter, a collector of magical relics; and Vanessa, a capturer of mystical animals. They must keep a powerful artifact, hidden on the refuge, from falling into the hands of the Society of the Evening Star. Grandpa tells Seth and Kendra that the evil organization has an "uncanny ability for infiltration," and it soon becomes apparent that there is a traitor among them. But who? Issues of trust and betrayal are a prominent theme in this fantastical, suspenseful story.

I find this series so enthralling that I read the first book twice within a month, and I'll be rereading this one before going on to the third book, which I'm hearing very good things about and am really looking forward to.




September 14, 2008

Walk into a Magical World  
Then entire Fablehaven series is simply magnificent. While it is a fantasy book, it is not so unrealistic that it loses the readers interest. It was very easy to see myself in one of the characters and other friends as others which I believe makes it take on more of an emotional attachment.
August 28, 2008

amazing book!  
I enjoyed the fablehaven books so much. They were a great read for the whole family. Brandon Mull does a superior job keeping the action going and the fun. I had lots of laughs. Everyone who loves young adult fiction/fantasy has to read these!
July 28, 2008


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