Fablehaven, Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary Review

Alright, so I managed to drag 526 pages out over 6 days... definitely an accomplishment! Especially since it was so enjoyable i really could have ate it up in 3 days easily.

Starting about 4 months after book 3, Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary wastes no time before pulling out all the stops. 19 pages in there's a bait and switch, by 42 pages in a major character dies, and by 526 pages in there has been dragons, giant giants, griffins, a hydra, a major plot twist, kidnappings, and one terrible new artifact in the wrong hands. This book wastes no time getting into the action and once it starts it doesn't end, not, at least, until the end. Seth is as amusing and troublesome as ever, Kendra is forced to new levels of bravery, and everyone else plays their part admirably. Honestly...I still want Seth as a little brother, I wonder if he's up for grabs?

The plot twist was exciting and surprising, and admittedly I usually don't see these things coming, but I think this one might be cool enough to surprise even the more jaded readers who're looking hard for the surprises in advance. It's a promising sign of things to come, I love an author who plans their series well enough that they can build a surprise over several books.

No doubt about it, I'm an official Brandon Hull fan, he even thanked me in the credits...
"I'd like to thank those who are spreading the word about Fablehaven...when bloggers make comments...I have a job as a writer because of you guys."
Yes thank you Brandon, I will do my best to keep you employed, if only to eat up the stories you tell so well.

Now I just have to bide my time until the 5th and final part, Keys to the Demon Prison, releases on March 23rd. And of course I'll now also have to read Brandon's other book the Candy Shop War, which also sounds seriously amusing.

Fablehaven, Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary, By Brandon Hull
Published by Aladdin books, Feb 2010