false http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1255642050m/2157243.jpg 2157243 14 Valkyrie Cain-once known to the world as twelve-year-old Stephanie Edgely-has learned a great deal since beginning her apprenticeship to Skulduggery Pleasant, the well-dressed living-dead wizard-detective. But she hasn't learned nearly enough to defeat the horrors massing against her and her friends: An old foe of Skulduggery's, Baron Vengeous, is bent on bringing back to life the horrible Grotesquery-an unkillable monster assembled from the most fearsome beasts of legend. It's up to the ingenious, fearless, and hilarious Valkyrie and Skulduggery to stop the Grotesquery from coming fully to life. Because once it is alive, it will call to its masters, the evil Faceless Ones whose return will mean the end of the world. 909084 1 5 2008 Playing with Fire (Skulduggery Pleasant, Book 2) total:460|5:174|4:177|3:92|2:15|1:2| 460 1886 692 131 5 1 false false Sat Mar 29 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Wed Mar 26 16:03:57 -0700 2008 Wed Apr 09 12:16:10 -0700 2008
Moving forward in her apprenticeship to Skulduggery, Valkrie Cain (aka Stephanie Edgley) has made great strides, but has a great deal left to learn. Skulduggery's old nemesis, Baron Vengeous and his band of legendary monsters, known as the Grotesguery are determined to rel...more...]]> 5 0 false false Wed Feb 04 08:15:27 -0800 2009 Wed Feb 04 08:15:33 -0800 2009
After her uncle’s death, twelve-year-old Stephanie meets Skulduggery Pleasant, a fast-talking, snappy dressing detective who just happens to be a walking, talking skeleton. He tells Stephanie that she is directly descendant from ...more...]]> 0 0 false false Sun Oct 04 17:56:12 -0700 2009 Sun Oct 04 17:58:16 -0700 2009 more...]]> 3 0 false false Tue Jul 01 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Sun Aug 23 16:33:34 -0700 2009 Sun Aug 23 16:34:19 -0700 2009 1 more...]]> 4 0 false false Wed Jul 29 12:59:25 -0700 2009 Wed Jul 29 12:59:34 -0700 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Fri Jul 31 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Mon Jul 20 23:36:14 -0700 2009 Fri Jul 31 15:32:11 -0700 2009 basically, there's this girl, valkyrie cain, who in the previous book willingly thrusts herself into the hidden world of magic and magicians as t...more...]]> 4 0 false false Thu Aug 27 00:01:11 -0700 2009 Sat Sep 19 14:23:06 -0700 2009
Stephanie Edgely never could have predicted the death of her beloved Uncle Gordon would lead to her rebirth as Valkyrie Cain, magical apprentice to the world famous skeleton detective Skulduggery Pleasant.

Instead of attending school, doing ...more...]]> 4 0 false false Mon Jun 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Tue Jul 14 14:13:21 -0700 2009 Tue Jul 14 14:17:15 -0700 2009 more...]]> 5 0 false false Sat May 10 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Mon Apr 13 07:49:28 -0700 2009 Mon Apr 13 07:59:53 -0700 2009 more...]]> 5 0 false false Wed Nov 18 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Wed Oct 14 17:39:36 -0700 2009 Thu Nov 19 16:41:32 -0800 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Thu Jul 30 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Tue Jul 28 19:36:57 -0700 2009 Fri Jul 31 10:16:17 -0700 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Wed Apr 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Thu Mar 19 14:10:44 -0700 2009 Sat May 09 17:55:24 -0700 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Mon Feb 16 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Thu Jan 22 02:58:03 -0800 2009 Wed Sep 09 16:45:19 -0700 2009 more...]]> 5 0 false false Sat Oct 18 17:40:11 -0700 2008 Sat Oct 18 17:49:02 -0700 2008 two and a half times
The following is a exclusive interview with Mr. Gordon Edgely … or perhaps it rather more correct that this is a exclusive interview with Mr. Gordon Edgely’s echo.

“So, Mr. Edgely—”
“Please call me...more...]]> 3 0 false false Sat Jul 19 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Tue Apr 08 17:10:21 -0700 2008 Sat Jul 19 11:27:28 -0700 2008 Skulduggery Pleasant was a great romp--witty, sharp, entertaining. Sadly, I can't give its sequel any more than 3 stars.

Why? 3 big reasons:
1] It lacks the snappy repartee that made the first book so much fun. The original was reminiscient of watching Spencer Tracy & Katharine ...more...]]> 5 0 false false Mon Apr 07 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Sun Mar 30 06:04:33 -0700 2008 Tue Apr 08 13:44:30 -0700 2008
Valkyrie Cain continues to find adventure at the side of the living-dead skeleton Skulduggery Pleasant. This time Baron Vengeous has escaped prison and is attempting to bring the...more...]]> 4 0 false false Tue Apr 01 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Fri Mar 14 13:41:55 -0700 2008 Tue Apr 15 12:38:10 -0700 2008 Skulduggery Pleasant the “other-worldly” adventures continue. Skullduggery, Valkyrie Cain (nee Stephanie Edgely), China, and Tanith Lowe risk life and limb to recapture the deadly Baron Vengeous. The Baron has pulled out all of the stops and has created an invincible monster, t...more...]]> 4 0 false false Mon Nov 17 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Mon Aug 04 16:40:15 -0700 2008 Mon Nov 17 17:54:35 -0800 2008 1 more...]]> 4 0 false false Sat Aug 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Fri Jul 31 00:09:23 -0700 2009 Thu Aug 20 01:52:50 -0700 2009
I found the plot in this 2nd installment a little more complicated than the last (had trouble keeping track of my baddies) but that may ...more...]]> 4 0 false false Sat Aug 30 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Sat Jul 26 22:09:31 -0700 2008 Sun Aug 31 14:51:51 -0700 2008 Skulduggery Pleasant series explores the politics and shifting loyalties of a magical world hidden in this one--without being cliche--and populated by such characters as China Sorrows, B...more...]]> http://www.goodreads.com/book_link/follow/8?book_id=2157243