Review: Fablehaven – Grip of the Shadow Plague *****

Title: Fablehaven: Grip of the Shadow Plague
Author: Brandon Mull
Why I Read This: I liked the other books in this series.
Short Summary: A plague is striking the magical preserve Fablehaven which turns creatures dark and destructive.
Website: http://www.fablehaven.com/

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This is the third book in the Fablehaven series. The first two are Fablehaven and Fablehaven: Rise of the Evening Star. The first book sets up the world, and had I reviewed it, I would have given it 4.5 stars. The second book brings in the storyline that will arc through the series. If I had reviewed it, I would have given it 5 stars.

This book is thick for an early young adult, but it was never boring. There is lots of action (including an Indiana Jones-esque quest for an artifact), lots of intrigue, and plenty of surprises. Although when you reduce the plot to the very basics, it has the same structure as the other books in the series. Grandparents get captured, Seth has a turn at heroics (which includes bringing in someone to help), and then Kendra has a turn. It’s at least different enough from the other books to be interesting, but if the rest of the series follows this formula, it could get boring because it has become predictable.

Also, the heroics really do feel heroic. I felt plenty of suspense and danger. Also, when they do manage to pull something off, the characters are really admirable, because they’ve used their determination to defy the odds. Although I must admit that this is more true for Seth than for Kendra.

The two protagonists have really good chemistry. Seth is very bold, though it often gets him in trouble. Kendra is more cautious, but she has the stronger powers of the two. Because Seth succeeds more through his own talents as opposed to magical gifts, I like him more between the two. He does get a magical gift in this book, but I didn’t feel as cheated (I like characters in a fantasy setting that do well without magical powers), because he really earned them from Rise of the Evening Star.

I love the Fablehaven world. The idea of magical preserves spread through the world is interesting. What I really love though, is all the creatures that Mull brings into the books. There’s the standard fairies and centaurs, but there’s also more exotic ones that may exist in legends, but I haven’t heard as much about, such as brownies and fog giants. And each race has its own distinct personality.

If this book were to be the first one you were to read, you may get a little lost with all the characters. There are details from the previous books that are important, but I thought Mull gave you the information you need in line with the narration pretty well. Of course, I read this book soon after reading the other two, so I may not be able to judge that very well. At least there is a solid plot that begins and ends in this book. There are plenty of loose strings to go on to the rest of the series, but at least there’s no huge cliff hanger like there was at the end of book 2.

There is no swearing or sex in this book. There is a bit of actiony violence (including people dying) but nothing graphic.

My main disappointments with this series now are that book 4 doesn’t come out until 2009 and I don’t know how many books there will be in the series. I hope it won’t be a series that will continue on forever, but at least the plot so far has done a good job of progressing. If that continues, then I will happily read more books.

Overall, I give this book 5 out of 5 stars.