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Nov 09, 2011

Qt rated it:

I loved discovering this book; I thought it had a very fun mixture of magic, action, creepiness, and humor--plus, I really love the title character :-)

11 comments like (8 people liked it)

Oct 02, 2008

your neighborhood librarian rated it:

Skulduggery Pleasant is Derek Landy's first book for children, and the second is already in the can, which is a Very Good Thing. His characters are broadly drawn, meaty, yet precise - like Chinese calligraphy done with a big fat brush dripping with ink. The dialogue is snappy, with some fun deconstructionist bits; and the plot is just twisty enough: not even the very close listener Mr. Four could find any holes.

But the real revelation here is Skulduggery Pleasant himself, a several-h More...

1 comment like (6 people liked it)

Dec 17, 2009

Kadrin rated it:

This book is absolute fun from beginning to end. It has a sweepingly fast pace without feeling rushed, all kinds of epic drama without feeling melodramatic, horrific monsters (I'm thinking of one in particular, but it's a spoiler) without being too dark, and brilliant banter without not having brilliant banter. While a children's book, it can definitely be enjoyed by all ages. The strong female characters (both Stephanie and Tanith Low are my heroes), warnings against violence and revenge, and i More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Jan 11, 2012

Janis rated it:

Detective story with a fantasy twist. Skulduggery Pleasant is a sentient skeleton, detective, who also can do magic. He's good natured, with a delightfully dry wit. He teams up with 12 year old Stephanie to find out who killed her beloved uncle. Stephanie is spunky, clever and pretty quick witted herself. Their good natured bickering and conversations often had me chuckling out loud. Their relationship is what I liked best about this story.

"Being a detective isn't all about t More...

4 comments like (3 people liked it)

Oct 07, 2007

Eboni rated it:

Slightly disturbing- I enjoyed it!

I initially picked this book up to return it to it's rightful division -glancing at the cover, I doubted it was a children's book. I decided to read the first sentence...then the first paragraph...first page...

The dialogue was witty (you can tell Landy has a background in screenwriting) and the protaganist Stephanie is the first twelve year fictional female character I've enjoyed in a while. This would be a great book-talk.

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jan 19, 2009

Kelly rated it:

This was a very enjoyable adventure story. I loved, loved, loved the witty dialog between the two main characters. I wasn't completely engrossed by it, though. I think that's because it seemed like the girl in the story was along for the ride just because her life was normal and boring and she wanted some adventure and magic to spice it up. That's exciting and all, but for me to have cared about her as a character, I think I needed to see more depth--for example, her feelings about her recently More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

May 16, 2011

± Colleen of the Crawling Chaos ± rated it:

I will freely admit that a good part of the consideration of this 4-star rating is that I'm really enamored with the whole idea and premise of the thing - the animated skeleton, who's also a wizard, and a detective? It's like Harry Dresden and Bob all rolled into one snarky, crime-fighting, bad-guy-stopping-pacakge. So, if the execution faltered here and there - the idea is just too cool.

Another part of the 4-star rating is that I like the characters. I like Skulduggery and Stepha More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Apr 02, 2011

Mark rated it:

Disappointing. The title/name and the cover illustration really appealed to me, but the book was generic and unbelievable from the start. I suppose some could be forgiven considering that the intended audience appears to be slow witted 12 year olds, but I personally don't believe that children's books should be low quality just because they are aimed at children. That is all.

...oh, and saying "I'm a genius" all the time does not make a character full of "dry wit" More...

3 comments like (1 person liked it)

Sep 16, 2010

E rated it:

Good points first: 12-year-old Stephenie (the primary protagonist) is strong, tough, and awesome. Her new friend, Skulduggery Pleasant (an undead skeleton detective) is quite clever and fun, and adds some silly, Sherlock Holmesian humor to the narrative.

However, the writing is dreadful. DREADFUL. Settings are nearly nonexistent, action sequences don't make any bloody sense, and the characters are underdeveloped. Where was the editor? Where, I say! Where!

Also, there's thi More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Jun 09, 2010

Cathy rated it:

I loved this book! I found it listed on one of Goodreads' best audiobooks lists, and boy were they right. I'm sure I would have enjoyed the story in print as well. It's the kind of story I like, with a plucky but slightly snarky kid and a cool magical mystery. And Skulduggery just takes it over the top with his cool lines and risky moves. But listening to the book as read by the incredible Rupert Degas made it extraordinary. He made every character feel totally real. Skulduggery is cool, funny a More...

3 comments like (2 people liked it)

Sep 21, 2008

Anna rated it:

Stephanie has been thrown into a world out of one of her dead uncle horror novels. Well not really, rather she has been thrown into a world that was what her uncle has base his horror novels upon. A world where magical creatures are co-existing right along side our world. Where a secret war was being battle right under our noises so many years ago.

Stephanie hadn't meant to walk into this oh-so dangerous world. No, this world literately blasted down her door and tried to kill he More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Mar 07, 2008

Terri rated it:

Take one sudden death and a hard-boiled detective. Add a preteen sidekick, an evil sorcerer, and a massive infusion of magic, and you have a sure-fire recipe for a great read.

At the funeral of her recently deceased uncle, a writer of highly successful horror novels, twelve-year-old Stephanie Edgely meets a mysterious gentleman totally swathed in a scarf, hat, and overcoat even though it is summer. They meet again at the reading of her uncle's will, where it is revealed that Stephani More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jun 01, 2010

Colleen rated it:

I was hoping to give this book a 5 star rating. A living skeleton who is a detective, a magical hidden world, a scepter with untold power...what's not to love. I like all the characters in the book, even the bad guys. They're deliciously evil! But the book didn't grab me like I hoped it would. The writing is just not compelling enough. I will read the other books in the series in hopes that the writing gets better.

2 comments like (1 person liked it)

Nov 27, 2008

Anika rated it:

I read this book out loud to my kids starting at Halloween time. It was recommended by that same librarian – who I think has creepy taste. Stephanie is a normal twelve-year-old who gets thrown into extraordinary circumstances by inheriting an estate, magical friends and a mystery to solve from her recently deceased uncle. She teams up with her uncle’s friend and partner, a skeleton detective named Skulduggery Pleasant who shows her around the new magical world. She joins forces with others t More...

0 comments like

Feb 22, 2012

Charming rated it:

A good fun romp. A star off for a jerky, sometimes childish writing style, and a star off for a a stereotypical villain and related, self-indulgent speeches - but the dialogue was witty, Skulduggery himself was an excellent character, and I especially liked Tanith - she was pretty badass - but I didn't particularly like the (developing) relationship between her and Stephanie. They were suddenly all, "LET'S BE SISTERS" and giggled a lot while they were in the middle of trying to find an More...

0 comments like

Feb 11, 2012

Jessica rated it:

Review via the Deseret News
Have you heard of Skulduggery Pleasant? You really should have by now. No? Well now's your chance.

Skulduggery is, well, there's no kind way to say it, decidedly different. You see, Skulduggery is a skeleton detective. That's right, a collection of bones walking around with no skin, muscles or organs. Oh, and his head, it's not even his own. He won the skull he's wearing in a poker game.

Skulduggery is the brainchild of author Derek Landy, whose More...

0 comments like

Jan 09, 2012

Daniel rated it:

The Scepter of the Ancients had an amazing plot that resulted in a final scene where everything worked out, yet still left room for a sequel. I also liked how the author, Derek Landy, animated the real world with elements of fantasy. What really got me was when the main character, Stephanie, during her first year of “secondary school” stepped into a world of magic and fantasy. However, some parts of the book were confusing. For example, if you don’t know what a troll, zombie, dwarf or other myth More...

0 comments like

Jan 09, 2012

Nia rated it:

Last year I had the pleasure of reading a fantasy book called Scepter of the Ancients. This book was written by Derek Landy. This book is unique in its story’s plot but it has elements most other fantasy books have.
Like most fantasy books the main character is unaware of her magical heritage. Her parents do not believe in magic tales. And when her father was younger he used to hear magic tales that eventually he stopped believing because he “grew up”.
The main character of this book More...

0 comments like

Nov 09, 2011

Sherry rated it:

Summary
Skullduggery Pleasant is an adventure into another world. When young Stephanie Edgely inherits her uncles estates after his death, she finds herself on a mission to save the world from impending doom. She isn't alone in her quest. She has Skullduggery Pleasant as her guide and together they seek to save two worlds from evil. Only one problem the Evil One is trying to kill her and her sidekick Skullduggery, but then he is already dead.

Reaction

This book is remi More...

0 comments like

Oct 30, 2011

Христо rated it:

“Скълдъгъри Плезънт” – смахнати магьоснически приключения
http://www.knigolandia.info/2011/03/blog...

Е, да, и аз имам нужда да прочета нещо разпускащо понякога. А великолепното оформление на “Скълдъгъри Плезънт” на Дерек Ланди просто ме грабна от първия миг – значи можело все пак да се правят красиви корици за тийнейджъри, а?

Вярно е, скелeтът на корицата, с невинна (или зловеща, както щете) усмивка, е от добрите, че е и топ Добрият даже. Името му е звучното Скъл More...

0 comments like

Oct 27, 2011

Eve rated it:

Sorry, this review will be in german, because I'm not nearly as good in English as I should be:

Jaa, zu erst muss ich sagen, dass es mir immer, immer wieder wehtut eine schlechte Bewertung abzugeben.
Ich habe mich wirklich bemüht, dass Buch zu mögen, aber nachdem auch der zweite Anlauf das Buch zu lesen schief gelaufen ist und ich noch nicht eínmal die Hälfte erreicht habe, kann ich leider nicht mehr als einen Stern verteilen.
Ich weiß noch nicht einmal genau woran es lag. More...

0 comments like

Sep 29, 2011

Junemorris rated it:

Summary: How many 12 year olds own a house? Stephanie Edgley does. When her uncle passes away, Stephanie inherits his house and the problems that come along with it. Her first night staying there, she is attacked. She is saved by Skullduggery Pleasant, who just happens to be a magical skeleton. Stephanie becomes Skullduggery’s sidekick in protecting the magical world from begin taken over by the ‘dark side’.

Personal Reaction: I read the first 2 chapters of this book and then s More...

0 comments like

Sep 27, 2011

Erin rated it:

See, I do like some books. In fact, I strongly recommend this book to anyone who likes words.

Skulduggery Pleasant came into my life by chance one day while I was in grad school. One of the instructors had returned from a children's lit conference with a bunch of free books that she left out for anyone to take in the lounge. I took a few. Okay, I took the whole box. Among them was this strange book about a dapper skeleton detective and his wise-cracking twelve-year-old sidekick. Imagine More...

0 comments like

Sep 08, 2011

Chauncey rated it:

Stephanie Edgley's uncle Gordon has died, and she has inherited his house. While that might seem like the strangest thing a 12-year-old could expect, it's really only the beginning. Before long, Stephanie is attacked by a violent man who makes references to his "master," saved by a talking skeleton, and drawn into a world of magic and danger. As the skeleton, detective Skulduggery Pleasant, and the young girl work together to solve her uncle's murder, Stephanie learns the basics of thi More...

0 comments like

Sep 06, 2011

Najentel rated it:

SUMMARY: When Stephanie Edgley’s Uncle Gordon suddenly dies, she is surprised to find that she has inherited his home and all his wealth. But that shock is nothing compared to the one she gets when a skeleton rescues her one night from a very strange man. Soon the skeleton, Skulduggery Pleasant, takes Stephanie on an exciting and dangerous adventure into an unseen world of magic and monsters. Along the way she learns a lot about this new world and her uncle’s secret life, but mostly about hersel More...

0 comments like

Sep 02, 2011

Dena rated it:

Summary: When Stephanie's Uncle Gordon dies, she is left with his mansion and the royalties of his novels. After Stephanie sees a mysterious figure creeping around the mansion, she begins to wonder if he may have had something to do with her uncle's death. Stephanie soon crosses paths with Skulduggery Pleasant, a skeleton wizard, and they work together to solve Uncle Gordon's murder. Along the way, Skulduggery and Stephanie learn that her uncle hid a sceptre underneath his mansion, and the t More...

0 comments like

Aug 11, 2011

Evie rated it:

Reading Scepter of the Ancients by Derek Landy is an unusual experience! Quite unlike anything else I’ve read, although it reminded me of some of my favorite Middle Grade books, like A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle or Noah Barleywater Runs Away by John Boyne. The easiest way to describe this book would be to say that it’s a mix of Harry Potter and Indiana Jones, but I’m afraid it wouldn’t do the book justice because Scepter of the Ancients is so much more than just that! Highly amusing, r More...

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

Jul 05, 2011

earthy rated it:

Let's get the technical stuff out of the way first: This is by no means a perfectly-written book. Stephanie doesn't always act like a 12-year-old so much as an adult writing a 12-year-old, and the first fourth or so relies way too much on telling rather than showing story elements.

But. BUT.

The characters are FANTASTIC, especially Skullduggery Pleasant, skeleton/detective/wizard extraordinaire. The Irish backdrop is a fun change from Those Other Really Popular Fantasy Nove More...

0 comments like

May 20, 2011

Abby rated it:

Why did I read this book?--Because the cover made me curious.
Was I surprised by what this book held in store for me?--Yes. Yes I was.
Why am I recommending this book to you?--Because it's so much fun.

Even as I read the book, I felt sort of silly for liking it as much as I did. I mean, it's about a magic skeleton detective. That's sort of a silly premise for a story. But the story is also about a girl who is trying to live a normal life but who is instead pulled into an e More...

0 comments like

Feb 15, 2011

Mike rated it:

Skulduggery Pleasant is urban fantasy at its best. It has enough of the tropes for the series to feel familiar. It has a big bad with a world changing mission. It has a hard boiled detective with a tragic past. It even has a damsel in distress. Like any good additions to genre fiction, it twists those familiar boring tropes into something that pops. In most novels of this type, it takes three hundred pages to define and discover the criminal behind the evil plot. Landy lets us know who the villa More...

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