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Fablehaven #1-5
Fablehaven Complete Set (Boxed Set) by Brandon Mull
Package includes the following paperbacks in the Fablehaven series:
Fablehaven
Rise of the Evening Star
Grip of the Shadow Plague
Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary
Keys to the Demon Prison
Fablehaven
Rise of the Evening Star
Grip of the Shadow Plague
Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary
Keys to the Demon Prison
Unknown Binding
First published December 13, 2010
1063 people are currently reading
2666 people want to read
About the author
Brandon Mull
75 books10.6k followersBRANDON MULL is the #1 New York Times best-selling author of the Fablehaven, Dragonwatch, Beyonders, and Five Kingdoms series. A kinetic thinker, Brandon enjoys bouncy balls, squeezable stress toys, and popping bubble wrap. He lives in Utah in a happy little valley near the mouth of a canyon with his wife, Erlyn, their eleven children, and three mischievous cats. Brandon loves meeting his readers and hearing about their experiences with his books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 449 reviews
September 19, 2011
This is the BEST series ever!! I am currently re-reading the fifth book for the third time, and again,I CAN NOT put it down!! I Recommend this to anybody who is anybody, and more. Especially if you are trying to get someone to like reading more. My brother used to hate reading, in fact, it took months to finally convince him to read it, but now, HE won't put it down either!! Anyway,I think these are the best books ever, and you aren't going to get a description out of me, because there is no way to describe them, so read and find out!
September 15, 2011
The main characters of the story, are:
Seth, a young boy who honestly, I would kill if he were mine. lol. He gets into the worst mischief! But the things he does, are all for a purpose and all play a part in the ending and if he hadn't of gotten into the trouble he does, they would not have been able to survive through as many things as they did before the end.
His sister is Kendra, a sweet and kind hearted young girl who although she was afraid of many things, stood up to those fears and was able to help the group through some amazing trials.
Then there is a Sphinx. Who plays the part of the good guy well, but there are some tricks up his sleeve that I will not say because, it will ruin it! Honestly, I was so mad at myself. I was about halfway through the 3rd book, when I saw the 5th book in the store, picked it up, and read the inside sleeve of the front cover, only the first paragraph. I was SO mad! I thought I had ruined the rest of the books! But, honestly, didn't. There are so many twisties in this story that it kept it interesting.
It's a younger adult read, kindof like the Harry Potter series is, but it's good. I liked it and I think that there is enough in it, that adults who liked the HP series will most likely like this as well.
The ending is good. I did not expect to have this end the way it did. It ends good and happy like any younger adult book would, BUT, you certainly don't think it will while your into the last chapters. It doesn't look good at all.
There are alot of miracles that go into making this a good story, there is humor, but innocent humor. The Satyrs are hilarious in my mind.
Brandon Mull certainly did well tying the books together, there is very minimal story line that is not direct action in some way.
I think it should keep your attention.
Pick it up. Try it out. Tell me what you think about it.
Seth, a young boy who honestly, I would kill if he were mine. lol. He gets into the worst mischief! But the things he does, are all for a purpose and all play a part in the ending and if he hadn't of gotten into the trouble he does, they would not have been able to survive through as many things as they did before the end.
His sister is Kendra, a sweet and kind hearted young girl who although she was afraid of many things, stood up to those fears and was able to help the group through some amazing trials.
Then there is a Sphinx. Who plays the part of the good guy well, but there are some tricks up his sleeve that I will not say because, it will ruin it! Honestly, I was so mad at myself. I was about halfway through the 3rd book, when I saw the 5th book in the store, picked it up, and read the inside sleeve of the front cover, only the first paragraph. I was SO mad! I thought I had ruined the rest of the books! But, honestly, didn't. There are so many twisties in this story that it kept it interesting.
It's a younger adult read, kindof like the Harry Potter series is, but it's good. I liked it and I think that there is enough in it, that adults who liked the HP series will most likely like this as well.
The ending is good. I did not expect to have this end the way it did. It ends good and happy like any younger adult book would, BUT, you certainly don't think it will while your into the last chapters. It doesn't look good at all.
There are alot of miracles that go into making this a good story, there is humor, but innocent humor. The Satyrs are hilarious in my mind.
Brandon Mull certainly did well tying the books together, there is very minimal story line that is not direct action in some way.
I think it should keep your attention.
Pick it up. Try it out. Tell me what you think about it.
April 22, 2011
Probably the main thing I noticed about this book was the feeling you get as you go through the series. You feel as if the plot grows with each detail Kendra and Seth learn about the magical civilization that has been living right under world's nose for as long as history itself. As I describe it to my friends, the first book is sorta good, the second book is good, the third book is really good, the fourth book is amazing, and by the time you get to the fifth book, you are so engaged in the series, unable to close the covers, as if the second you do, it will all just disappear.
November 4, 2010
This entire series was absolutely fantastic. It's meant for younger readers but I love it. I've restarted the series 4 times, each before a new book came out. The imaginative plot line and characters make it a pleasure to read. Even as a 16 year old.. It's really quite fantastic.
April 4, 2011
My kids got me to read this set, and I got hooked! The story moves fast and has so many unexpected twists that it was a really fun ride. I loved that the author inserted little bits of wisdom along the lines of making good choices and facing the consequences of your choices. Great set of books!
July 17, 2013
I just finished my adventures in Fablehaven and to be perfectly honest, I feel sad that it's over with. I picked up the Kindle edition complete series of Fablehaven (all five books) after reading the excellent reviews - mostly adults who'd said they'd picked up the books for their kids but had fallen in love with the series and read all of the books themselves, first. I am already planning to re-read the books in the very near future!
The series has several main characters although the two most prominent are Seth and Kendra Sorensen, a brother and sister duo who find out that their father's parents are caretakers of a magical preserve. The preserve itself has light and dark magical creatures, and both can be hazardous to humans. Kendra is a reserved, obey-the-rules kind of person, whereas her younger brother Seth is reckless and takes action without prior thought. Together, throughout the series, they help conquer dark magic that intends to dismantle the preserves and eventually open the demon prison, which would end the world as they know it.
I absolutely loved the books. They are well written and can be enjoyed by both older children and adults alike. The author manages to temper very serious situations in which there is death with humor and I found myself both tearing up and laughing during all of the books. I love the satyrs, Newel and Doren, and their inherent ability to have other responsibilities just when something potentially dangerous comes along. Their sense of humor (along with Seth's) helps keep the books from being too serious. The occasional illustrations are cool although the author does a very good job of being descriptive enough that you can envision it in your head, without getting bogged down with the details. I adore Hugo, the golem, who the fairies eventually give free will to, and how he adores and protects Seth and Kendra. I am terribly sad that I've finished the books and won't get to experience the thrill of first-time reading them again.
If you enjoyed Harry Potter even in the slightest, you should put these books on your "to-read" list. This is not to say that they are the same as the Harry Potter books, but in my opinion, as just as unique and good. Highly recommend for all - although for children I would say what Amazon says - ages 9 and up.
The series has several main characters although the two most prominent are Seth and Kendra Sorensen, a brother and sister duo who find out that their father's parents are caretakers of a magical preserve. The preserve itself has light and dark magical creatures, and both can be hazardous to humans. Kendra is a reserved, obey-the-rules kind of person, whereas her younger brother Seth is reckless and takes action without prior thought. Together, throughout the series, they help conquer dark magic that intends to dismantle the preserves and eventually open the demon prison, which would end the world as they know it.
I absolutely loved the books. They are well written and can be enjoyed by both older children and adults alike. The author manages to temper very serious situations in which there is death with humor and I found myself both tearing up and laughing during all of the books. I love the satyrs, Newel and Doren, and their inherent ability to have other responsibilities just when something potentially dangerous comes along. Their sense of humor (along with Seth's) helps keep the books from being too serious. The occasional illustrations are cool although the author does a very good job of being descriptive enough that you can envision it in your head, without getting bogged down with the details. I adore Hugo, the golem, who the fairies eventually give free will to, and how he adores and protects Seth and Kendra. I am terribly sad that I've finished the books and won't get to experience the thrill of first-time reading them again.
If you enjoyed Harry Potter even in the slightest, you should put these books on your "to-read" list. This is not to say that they are the same as the Harry Potter books, but in my opinion, as just as unique and good. Highly recommend for all - although for children I would say what Amazon says - ages 9 and up.
March 16, 2017
If you liked Harry Potter Boxset, you have to at least try Fablehaven. Both series are excellent and target a similar audience.
The first 4 books of Fablehaven earned a solid 5 stars due to great humor, difficult social situations, enjoyable characters, and a compelling storyline. The writing style is simple, but of excellent quality. Though it's fantasy, there is enough puzzle solving to read almost like a mystery. The last book was 3 stars because while it still had some great moments, the character interaction and growth was somewhat overshadowed by a formulaic end battle with a few weak attempts at adding some romance toward the end. The last book wasn't awful, but it lost a star for the series. I was pretty much glued to this series from about the 3rd chapter until the last half of the last book.
This series is true Children's or Young Adult. The main characters are children. The violence is not described in detail (yay!). There is no sex (yay!) and nothing truly romantic (*sigh*). This series is not about gender or race, but if I were in a book club, I'd be interested to hear what other people thought of how gender and race were treated in this book. There were a variety of gender roles, occasionally modern, but often very traditional. I don't think any racial allegory was intended, but I think that would be a discussion-worthy topic as well.
The first 4 books of Fablehaven earned a solid 5 stars due to great humor, difficult social situations, enjoyable characters, and a compelling storyline. The writing style is simple, but of excellent quality. Though it's fantasy, there is enough puzzle solving to read almost like a mystery. The last book was 3 stars because while it still had some great moments, the character interaction and growth was somewhat overshadowed by a formulaic end battle with a few weak attempts at adding some romance toward the end. The last book wasn't awful, but it lost a star for the series. I was pretty much glued to this series from about the 3rd chapter until the last half of the last book.
This series is true Children's or Young Adult. The main characters are children. The violence is not described in detail (yay!). There is no sex (yay!) and nothing truly romantic (*sigh*). This series is not about gender or race, but if I were in a book club, I'd be interested to hear what other people thought of how gender and race were treated in this book. There were a variety of gender roles, occasionally modern, but often very traditional. I don't think any racial allegory was intended, but I think that would be a discussion-worthy topic as well.
October 12, 2010
Another great bookset. The first book started a bit slow for me, but once the secrets started to reveal themselves, then the book became a lot of fun to read.
One thing that I really enjoyed with this series is that the books seem to be one long story split across the books as oppposed to 5 books that had overlapping stories. I was a bit frustrated at times of how Seth kept making poor decisions, but things turned out well.
There was also some inspiring counsel given from a relative to Seth which I really enjoyed. This is a great book series with some good messages for our youth. I enjoyed it, and I enjoyed seeing Kendra be a heroine.
One thing that I really enjoyed with this series is that the books seem to be one long story split across the books as oppposed to 5 books that had overlapping stories. I was a bit frustrated at times of how Seth kept making poor decisions, but things turned out well.
There was also some inspiring counsel given from a relative to Seth which I really enjoyed. This is a great book series with some good messages for our youth. I enjoyed it, and I enjoyed seeing Kendra be a heroine.
November 1, 2011
I really liked this entire series. I thought that the series and the characters matured from book to book and I was consistently entertained by the stories. While they are sometimes predictable (they are written for a younger audience, after all), there were certainly twists and turns along the way that I didn’t see coming. The last book was a bit slow to start, but that didn’t detract from the overall entertainment value. I liked they way that the book handled the maturation of the main child characters – not making them too grown up too fast – as well as the relationships that were created between characters. Overall, a solid series.
June 8, 2011
(sigh) this has to be one of my absolute favorite series, becuse it has just enough fariy forest and the right amount of action and mysteries to have you not want to put it down! The only thing that wasnt my favorite was that every 5 chapters or so there would be a picture, but they were pretty good pictures and they didn't give away to much of the story for it to matter. So i survived and ended up having some new favorite books! :)
February 17, 2015
Was a great series. Easy read for young adults and even those that are younger that have a somewhat advanced reading ability. I would recommend this for anyone who is into Harry Potter type mystery, some mystic animals/people, spells, and magic. Has a great spin off of fairies and dragons with a hint of vampires and demons. If you into any of these then my advice is to at least read the first book...it will hook you in.
January 21, 2021
My kids and I have devoured these books. We should have read them out loud instead of staggering them because the last reader got cheated out of being the first to discover the direction the adventure was taking our heroes next. Can I say delightful? Entertaining? Fun? This series made my son finally put down the dogman books. Hallelujah.
July 21, 2011
A very different approach to fantasy.A different perspective on mythical creatures and living amongst them. The first few chapters of the first book are little slow, but once you get into it, you cannot stop reading. I am a fan of the uprising author, Mull. All his books are really good!
September 17, 2010
I read this series one after another, so the books all kind of blur together. Overall I was entertained by the story. It doesn't go into my list of favorites, but I enjoyed them.
January 15, 2012
One of my all time favorites! The writing is exceptional and keeps you in the story right next to the characters. I can't wait till my kids are old enough to read these stories.
March 3, 2017
Fablehaven is somewhere that I want to live. It's mysterious and an adventure. The characters are relatable and lovable. If you love fantasy then you need to read these books.
September 20, 2018
this whole series is dope ^-^ O.o \(o-o)/ yuh. but would recommend but u gotta know abt dragons and shi nam sayin dawg. hush yung kate. oops i meant to say dat out loud. gnite. i <3 k8
February 20, 2021
Enjoyed all the way to the end... And the last few chapters felt like they were just hurried wrap ups. So disappointed in the awkward dealing of the budding romance. Like... It did not need to be spelled out! Sigh. Otherwise super series! Really, really enjoyed books 1-4... And maybe it was because I didn't want the series to end? But yeah, the loose ends wrap up was very unsatisfactory- even though the end of the main plot point was perfectly satisfying.
February 24, 2024
This is one of my favorite series of all time, a modern epic fantasy with a well set world and beautiful characters and epic battles between good and evil. Definitely recommend for anyone looking for one of the best fantasy stories told!
September 17, 2019
Overall Fable haven was a good series. That is because the plot was so interesting and I always wanted to read more. This changed me as a reader because it was the first real series that I had ever read. It introduced me to real reading and did a great job.
April 26, 2024
I immensely enjoyed this series.
March 11, 2025
Jammer dat deze op goodreads telt als één boek :)
Enorm van genoten. Ik vind het gewoon jammer dat het verhaal niet nog 2000 bladzijden doorloopt.
Enorm van genoten. Ik vind het gewoon jammer dat het verhaal niet nog 2000 bladzijden doorloopt.
December 16, 2024
Years ago, after I finished the Harry Potter series, I started looking for a book (or book series) that was similar yet different. Much to my dismay, too many of the books I found were merely Potter carbon copies. However, that changed when I read the blurb on the back of a book entitled Fablehaven that said it would be enjoyed by Harry Potter fans. I was skeptical, so I paged through the first three chapters (yes, while in the bookstore) and was convinced that I had to read the whole book. So I bought it and, as it turns out, Fablehaven has become one of my favorite fantasy series.
There are five novels that make up the Fablehaven series, which was penned by Brandon Mull (I am excluding the Dragonwatch novels as, while they feature some of the same characters, it is a completely separate series): Fablehaven, Rise of the Evening Star, Curse of the Shadow Plague, Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary, and Keys to the Demon Prison. Each book serves as its own unique story (i.e. a micro-plot) while also acting as an entry into the series at large (i.e. the macro-plot). And "large" does not begin to describe the immensity of this series' story world.
Plot-wise, the Fablehaven series focuses on two young teen protagonists, Kendra and Seth Sorenson, who are eventually immersed in a world beyond their wildest imaginations. The overall premise is that all manner of creatures, beings, and even monsters from myths and legends roam the earth, but in order to protect them from humans, as well as keep the human world safe from any potential unsavory influences, these creatures dwell in magical preserves or sanctuaries across the globe. Kendra and Seth's grandparents serve as caretakers of one such preserve called Fablehaven, which is home to all sorts of fantastical creatures, from fairies to dryads, trolls to centaurs. However, not everyone within the magical community agrees with the idea of keeping such beings contained; hence, the aim of the series' villains is to create a world where even demons can walk free. Until now, all of the world's demons have been imprisoned in a dungeon-like realm called Zzyxx, but things are about to change that might unleash a devilish horde upon humankind. And it's up to Kendra, Seth, their grandparents, and a cast of colorful characters to stop it.
The world of Fablehaven and its level of detail are staggering. It functions very much like a sandbox environment where readers get to explore every nook and cranny right along with the main characters. Each book assumes an adventure/quest angle though the novels tackle this story type in different ways - sometimes characters are searching for a magical artifact while other times they're racing against time to prevent a threat that will breach the human world. The pacing is generally brisk and the narrative is nicely balanced with quiet moments of character development/reflection and chapters of adventurous action mixed with appropriate amounts of humor. While this series is aimed at middle grade readers, adults can enjoy it, too, for its clever world-building, fun characters, and occasional philosophical insights regarding the nature of morality as well as good and evil. In terms of the latter, the series makes it clear that while there are moral absolutes, sometimes the choices people make are not always black and white, which is refreshing to see in stories aimed for younger readers where, all too often, characters get rubber stamped.
Concerning the series entries themselves, Fablehaven serves as a solid opener, introducing readers to the titular magical preserve. Initially, Kendra and Seth must spend the summer with their enigmatic grandfather, which doesn't sound all that exciting - until Seth and Kendra follow some rather unusual advice and an entire fantastical realm is revealed right before their eyes. The build up here is slow but necessary. There is much to learn about the magical preserve of Fablehaven, and I felt like I was exploring it piece by piece alongside Seth and Kendra. Naturally, living on a magical preserve isn't all fun and games, and Seth's seemingly insignificant meddling ignites a chain of events that threatens to unleash a demonic evil that may destroy Fablehaven itself. As a whole, this first novel is a good self-contained story that can both stand on its own as well as set the stage for the series' macro-plot
The follow-up novel, Rise of the Evening Star, crafts another self-contained tale, this time focusing on a missing magical talisman that the Sorensons believe is located somewhere in the far reaches of Fablehaven's property. However, a potential foe is approaching, so they take great care in who they choose to trust. Once more, Seth finds himself as the unwanted instigator of magical retribution of the demonic persuasion, though this only accounts for the novel's second act conflict. It then changes focus to who may or may not be trustworthy in terms of the artifact recovery team Grandpa has put together. As a whole, Rise of the Evening Star is a solid follow up that doesn't try to rehash the first book as it creates its own story, this time with more of a quest/adventure element as well as subtle hints at what the series' villains have in mind.
The third novel, Curse of the Shadow Plague, takes the action away from Fablehaven for a time and splits up Kendra and Seth. Kendra is asked to join a team of diversely talented magical adventurers to a preserve located in the desert Southwest while Seth is forced to remain at Fablehaven. However, Seth soon puts his daring, snooping ways to good use when he uncovers a sinister plague unfolding in the preserve. When things come to a head, Seth and Kendra find themselves on the front lines of a battle between good and evil, light and darkness. While for me the early chapters of this novel are a bit slow, the action picks up once Kendra reunites with Seth at Fablehaven to stop the plague. In the end, this is by no means a slump of a read and is filled with some surprisingly emotional moments.
Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary serves as the penultimate entry that, for the most part, steps away from Fablehaven and introduces readers to Wyrmroost, a dragon sanctuary that's essentially a giant death trap. This novel also retains a quest narrative that, at times, much like the early portions of Curse of the Shadow Plague, can feel a bit slow and repetitive. But moments of fun character interactions, character team ups, and a surprising reveal that's been three novels in the making is totally worth it. And it's also worth noting that the cliffhanger ending makes for a good transition into the final novel.
Lastly, Keys to the Demon Prison closes out the series, hitting the ground running with an action-packed opening and the story rarely lets up from there. If I had any complaints with this final entry, it would be that at times it feels like it's a little too full, trying to cram in as many parting details as possible. For instance, one such element that is introduced here, a group of people called the Eternals, feels a bit like a missed opportunity as this marks the first and only time we learn about these individuals in the entire series. But, to its credit, the novel wisely raises the stakes and, for that, I give it a passing grade, too, as it serves up a very satisfying ending.
Overall, the Fablehaven series is worth diving into if you're looking for a myth-and-legend-focused fantasy series with fun, creative world-building and relatable, entertaining lead characters. While I will confess that some of the middle novels do seem to possess some repetitive plot features, they fit in with the series' macro-plot, so I can't fault it too much for that as everything all falls into place by the end. Overall, I love the Fablehaven books and it's a sheer delight to dive into them again and again. So if you're hunting for an addictive fantasy series that appeals to all ages, then Fablehaven is one series certainly worth checking out.
Content:
Language - None, other than some sporadic name-calling.
Violence - Most of the violence involves magic or magical tools as opposed to weapons (aside from swords or knives). Characters find themselves in numerous perilous situations and, in some cases, characters, including beloved characters, are killed in non-graphic ways. Demons also become a central threat and it's clear they plan to inflict destruction upon the human world. One character tries to befriend a dying demon in an attempt to do the right thing, though this turns out to be a mistake. Other fantasy creatures, such as darkness-infected beings, witches, zombies, and dragons, also pose as threats at times. One character who is eventually unmasked as the chief villain has questionable aims that often put the lead characters and their friends and loved ones in harm's way. It's also worth noting that Seth has a penchant for being recklessly immature at times, though sometimes his actions come out of a spirit of taking extreme/risky measures in extreme, desperate, or dangerous situations. In short, while there is plenty of magical action and some fight scenes, nothing ever turns gory or graphic.
Sexual Content - None. In one novel, a magical creature comes to Kendra's school disguised as an attractive male student who female students fawn over. We learn he kissed a girl (off-page) who later tells Kendra she was repulsed by his bad breath, so nothing further occurs. Elsewhere, an adult character starts to talk about puberty to Kendra and Seth but his speech is abbreviated, so nothing on the subject is really discussed or mentioned at any length. Lastly, a magical device enables users to travel back in time but they can't bring anything from the present with them, including clothing. However, no scenes of nudity are ever described save for a mention of characters trying to hide/cover themselves (but as to what they're hiding/covering is never explicitly described).
There are five novels that make up the Fablehaven series, which was penned by Brandon Mull (I am excluding the Dragonwatch novels as, while they feature some of the same characters, it is a completely separate series): Fablehaven, Rise of the Evening Star, Curse of the Shadow Plague, Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary, and Keys to the Demon Prison. Each book serves as its own unique story (i.e. a micro-plot) while also acting as an entry into the series at large (i.e. the macro-plot). And "large" does not begin to describe the immensity of this series' story world.
Plot-wise, the Fablehaven series focuses on two young teen protagonists, Kendra and Seth Sorenson, who are eventually immersed in a world beyond their wildest imaginations. The overall premise is that all manner of creatures, beings, and even monsters from myths and legends roam the earth, but in order to protect them from humans, as well as keep the human world safe from any potential unsavory influences, these creatures dwell in magical preserves or sanctuaries across the globe. Kendra and Seth's grandparents serve as caretakers of one such preserve called Fablehaven, which is home to all sorts of fantastical creatures, from fairies to dryads, trolls to centaurs. However, not everyone within the magical community agrees with the idea of keeping such beings contained; hence, the aim of the series' villains is to create a world where even demons can walk free. Until now, all of the world's demons have been imprisoned in a dungeon-like realm called Zzyxx, but things are about to change that might unleash a devilish horde upon humankind. And it's up to Kendra, Seth, their grandparents, and a cast of colorful characters to stop it.
The world of Fablehaven and its level of detail are staggering. It functions very much like a sandbox environment where readers get to explore every nook and cranny right along with the main characters. Each book assumes an adventure/quest angle though the novels tackle this story type in different ways - sometimes characters are searching for a magical artifact while other times they're racing against time to prevent a threat that will breach the human world. The pacing is generally brisk and the narrative is nicely balanced with quiet moments of character development/reflection and chapters of adventurous action mixed with appropriate amounts of humor. While this series is aimed at middle grade readers, adults can enjoy it, too, for its clever world-building, fun characters, and occasional philosophical insights regarding the nature of morality as well as good and evil. In terms of the latter, the series makes it clear that while there are moral absolutes, sometimes the choices people make are not always black and white, which is refreshing to see in stories aimed for younger readers where, all too often, characters get rubber stamped.
Concerning the series entries themselves, Fablehaven serves as a solid opener, introducing readers to the titular magical preserve. Initially, Kendra and Seth must spend the summer with their enigmatic grandfather, which doesn't sound all that exciting - until Seth and Kendra follow some rather unusual advice and an entire fantastical realm is revealed right before their eyes. The build up here is slow but necessary. There is much to learn about the magical preserve of Fablehaven, and I felt like I was exploring it piece by piece alongside Seth and Kendra. Naturally, living on a magical preserve isn't all fun and games, and Seth's seemingly insignificant meddling ignites a chain of events that threatens to unleash a demonic evil that may destroy Fablehaven itself. As a whole, this first novel is a good self-contained story that can both stand on its own as well as set the stage for the series' macro-plot
The follow-up novel, Rise of the Evening Star, crafts another self-contained tale, this time focusing on a missing magical talisman that the Sorensons believe is located somewhere in the far reaches of Fablehaven's property. However, a potential foe is approaching, so they take great care in who they choose to trust. Once more, Seth finds himself as the unwanted instigator of magical retribution of the demonic persuasion, though this only accounts for the novel's second act conflict. It then changes focus to who may or may not be trustworthy in terms of the artifact recovery team Grandpa has put together. As a whole, Rise of the Evening Star is a solid follow up that doesn't try to rehash the first book as it creates its own story, this time with more of a quest/adventure element as well as subtle hints at what the series' villains have in mind.
The third novel, Curse of the Shadow Plague, takes the action away from Fablehaven for a time and splits up Kendra and Seth. Kendra is asked to join a team of diversely talented magical adventurers to a preserve located in the desert Southwest while Seth is forced to remain at Fablehaven. However, Seth soon puts his daring, snooping ways to good use when he uncovers a sinister plague unfolding in the preserve. When things come to a head, Seth and Kendra find themselves on the front lines of a battle between good and evil, light and darkness. While for me the early chapters of this novel are a bit slow, the action picks up once Kendra reunites with Seth at Fablehaven to stop the plague. In the end, this is by no means a slump of a read and is filled with some surprisingly emotional moments.
Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary serves as the penultimate entry that, for the most part, steps away from Fablehaven and introduces readers to Wyrmroost, a dragon sanctuary that's essentially a giant death trap. This novel also retains a quest narrative that, at times, much like the early portions of Curse of the Shadow Plague, can feel a bit slow and repetitive. But moments of fun character interactions, character team ups, and a surprising reveal that's been three novels in the making is totally worth it. And it's also worth noting that the cliffhanger ending makes for a good transition into the final novel.
Lastly, Keys to the Demon Prison closes out the series, hitting the ground running with an action-packed opening and the story rarely lets up from there. If I had any complaints with this final entry, it would be that at times it feels like it's a little too full, trying to cram in as many parting details as possible. For instance, one such element that is introduced here, a group of people called the Eternals, feels a bit like a missed opportunity as this marks the first and only time we learn about these individuals in the entire series. But, to its credit, the novel wisely raises the stakes and, for that, I give it a passing grade, too, as it serves up a very satisfying ending.
Overall, the Fablehaven series is worth diving into if you're looking for a myth-and-legend-focused fantasy series with fun, creative world-building and relatable, entertaining lead characters. While I will confess that some of the middle novels do seem to possess some repetitive plot features, they fit in with the series' macro-plot, so I can't fault it too much for that as everything all falls into place by the end. Overall, I love the Fablehaven books and it's a sheer delight to dive into them again and again. So if you're hunting for an addictive fantasy series that appeals to all ages, then Fablehaven is one series certainly worth checking out.
Content:
Language - None, other than some sporadic name-calling.
Violence - Most of the violence involves magic or magical tools as opposed to weapons (aside from swords or knives). Characters find themselves in numerous perilous situations and, in some cases, characters, including beloved characters, are killed in non-graphic ways. Demons also become a central threat and it's clear they plan to inflict destruction upon the human world. One character tries to befriend a dying demon in an attempt to do the right thing, though this turns out to be a mistake. Other fantasy creatures, such as darkness-infected beings, witches, zombies, and dragons, also pose as threats at times. One character who is eventually unmasked as the chief villain has questionable aims that often put the lead characters and their friends and loved ones in harm's way. It's also worth noting that Seth has a penchant for being recklessly immature at times, though sometimes his actions come out of a spirit of taking extreme/risky measures in extreme, desperate, or dangerous situations. In short, while there is plenty of magical action and some fight scenes, nothing ever turns gory or graphic.
Sexual Content - None. In one novel, a magical creature comes to Kendra's school disguised as an attractive male student who female students fawn over. We learn he kissed a girl (off-page) who later tells Kendra she was repulsed by his bad breath, so nothing further occurs. Elsewhere, an adult character starts to talk about puberty to Kendra and Seth but his speech is abbreviated, so nothing on the subject is really discussed or mentioned at any length. Lastly, a magical device enables users to travel back in time but they can't bring anything from the present with them, including clothing. However, no scenes of nudity are ever described save for a mention of characters trying to hide/cover themselves (but as to what they're hiding/covering is never explicitly described).
March 21, 2017
I was 27, never able to finish a novel all the way through, and picked up the first book in this series. It was my nephew's book and was sitting on the shelf in the living room when I saw it. I was home by myself and bored, so I started reading it. I found myself blasting through it, and ended up finishing in a weeks time. Thus began my addiction to books. I bought the whole series of five books and read them. Reading is one of my favorite past times now.
August 2, 2014
The first book introduces a strange world of mystical creatures and two young siblings, Kendra and Seth, who are introduced into that world by their grandparents. As the series progresses Kendra and Seth become more central characters in the story as they learn to use the magic gifts that they inherit. Seth often behaves just as you would expect a pre-teen may do and gets not only himself but many others into terrible situations. Kendra on the other hand is very serious and hates going against the rules. Together they balance each other out to accomplish amazing things with the help of the mystical creatures they befriend. This is a story that emphasis the differences between right and wrong, good and evil, fidelity and betrayal, and benevolence and greed. Above all it is a story of strong family relationships.
Even though this series is written for young adults I, being many years beyond that age, found it to be an exciting story. Of course you have to suspend your perception of reality but it is a fun read. I am glad I read it as a complete series so that I could move directly from one volume to the next. If I had needed to wait a year or two between volumes it would not have been as easy to follow the story, even though Mr. Mull did a small recap at the beginning of each new volume.
I highly recommend The Fabelhaven series to readers of all ages. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Even though this series is written for young adults I, being many years beyond that age, found it to be an exciting story. Of course you have to suspend your perception of reality but it is a fun read. I am glad I read it as a complete series so that I could move directly from one volume to the next. If I had needed to wait a year or two between volumes it would not have been as easy to follow the story, even though Mr. Mull did a small recap at the beginning of each new volume.
I highly recommend The Fabelhaven series to readers of all ages. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
December 8, 2010
Fablehaven is a great fantasy series. I love what Brandon Mull has done with this storyline and all the places he has taken it. The series starts out with Kendra and her brother Seth who have been sentenced to spend their summer vacation with their grandparents while their parents go on a cruise. The kids disappointment suddenly vanishes when they discover that their mysterious grandparents are actually the caretakers for a preserve for magical and mystical creatures. The kids have fun exploring Fablehaven (Seth probably a little bit too much) but discover that all is not well within Fablehaven. The dark forces of evil are trying to destroy Fablehaven, and everything goes wrong! It's up to Kendra and Seth to stop it! These books are so great and have valuable lessons in them for kids. They explore themes such as the consequences of one's actions, love and friendship, trust, and good vs. evil. They are so much fun to read and its fun watching Kendra and Seth grow as they struggle to save Fablehaven and other preserves like it around the world!
February 12, 2020
I absolutely love this series!! I discovered the first book soon after reading Harry Potter, and I instantly fell in love with the idea of a preserve for magical creatures.
I relate so much to the two characters, Kendra and Seth, and I loved reading about their adventures. These characters were so well written and they felt so relatable and real. As an older sister to a brother very simmilar to Seth, I related very much to the brother and sister relationship, and I loved their dynamic with eachother and the other characters.
This story was so fun to read about, and I can’t wait to read the sequal series!
I relate so much to the two characters, Kendra and Seth, and I loved reading about their adventures. These characters were so well written and they felt so relatable and real. As an older sister to a brother very simmilar to Seth, I related very much to the brother and sister relationship, and I loved their dynamic with eachother and the other characters.
This story was so fun to read about, and I can’t wait to read the sequal series!
June 17, 2014
O.k seriously boring. To be honest the last 3 books held some interest but I had to force myself to finish these books. The truth is even though these books have a lot of potential it had to much unnecessary info. It drags along making a person feel that one would slit your own wrists in exchange for getting to the point. I don't recommend this series to anyone who has a brain. It was predictable and such a slow read. Please find something beter to read.
March 3, 2011
Love, love, love this series! I know I might get flack for this, but I actually like it better than Harry Potter. It's not quite as dark as HP and I love how the author ties lessons and morals into the story. At the end of the book he has a list of questions for the reader think about when they finish. Our whole family has read them and we all LOVE them!
December 25, 2011
this book wa sso good! if you love action packed adventures this book is for you! i have read many books and this one is at the top of my favorite list! i couldnt put it down. at the time i was reading Fable haven i wasnt much of a reader, but i definatly was after this amazing novel. the beggining starts out kinda boring, but it get alot better and is not a slow read.
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