The Final Draw

Kingdom Keepers: Inheritance #3

by Ridley Pearson

This epic conclusion to the KINGDOM KEEPERS INHERITANCE trilogy will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page!

In this final installment in the series that has sold over a million copies worldwide, Ridley Pearson concludes the Kingdom Keepers saga with spectacular magical flair.

The Villains are about to make their ultimate stand in an effort to take over the Disney parks. Ursula, the baddest of the bad, has figured out how to animate every villain in every attraction, and has beckoned them to her side to form the most evil army of all time, leaving the parks without their stories. The result? The parks begin to fade and warp as the stories their attractions are based on cease to exist. Can Eli and his band of talented friends find a way to take down Ursula before her dastardly deeds ruin the Disney Parks for good?

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Young Adult, Magic

320 pages, Hardcover

Published February 25, 2025

About the author

Ridley Pearson is the author of more than fifty novels, including the New York Times bestseller Killer Weekend; the Lou Boldt crime series; and many books for young readers, including the award-winning children's novels Peter and the Starcatchers, Peter and the Shadow Thieves, and Peter and the Secret of Rundoon, which he cowrote with Dave Barry. Pearson lives with his wife and two daughters, dividing their time between Missouri and Idaho.

Also writes Chris Klick mysteries as Wendell McCall.

Reviews

[Kyle · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’ve been following Kingdom Keepers since I was ten. It’s truly my comfort series, but these past few books have been hard to read.

It’s not that I’ve outgrown the series, I read the original seven last year and loved them just as much as I did the first time, it’s that there is something different about how they’re written.

There’s a lot of errors, first off, regarding character’s family lines and names. Like it says that Lily is Storey and Nick’s kid, but frequently refers to her as Jess’s married last name?

Also, the ending of this book in particular was anti-climactic. Like nothing really happened in it.

I did like the “epilogue” of Finn and Eli, but overall, I’m pretty upset with how this book turned out. I feel as though Ridley Pearson has lost the spark that made the original series shine.

There’s no relationships, no character development, nothing but the mission and that’s it. The original books had the mission, but they also had the real life stuff like transitioning from middle to high school, bullies, parent drama, school, work and relationships with each other which this series was lacking.

I wish we solely weren’t focused on Eli, and got to experience the book from the perspective of all five of the “Kingdom Kids” as they call themselves. Also? Marissa was barely in this book, which is odd because she was set up as being “apart of the group” in the last two.

I wish we got to see the original keepers too. Sure, the Finn and Amanda parenting stuff is fun, and the small side mission with Charlene was cool, but was Philby even mentioned once in this book?

Not that I saw.

Overall, I’m disappointed with how this second generation series turned out, I think I’ll just have to stick with the original seven + the return :(

[Noah Peterson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've enjoyed reading this, now 13 book, series but I wish he had ended it at numerous 10. this trilogy had numerous inconsistencies even about what is said during this trilogy such as who characters are related to. I do think that the ending was good with a great reference to the first book but this is probably my least favorite of the entire series

[Ceej Metz · Rating 1 out of 5]

idk what I just read but it was extremely disappointing :/ child CJ wouldn’t like this series one bit.

It also should’ve been called “Kingdom Kids” from the beginning

[Madison Head · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am sad reading this book because I wish I was reading the original series instead. The sentiment is there, I just do not care about any of these kids at all, and there are far too many side characters for me to remember. I know that a 23-year-old is not the target audience for this book, but I love the original 10 more than anything, and these last three are just something else entirely. I will always support Ridley Pearson, but maybe just pretend these last ones don’t exist and reread the originals.

"Our memories are entwined now, yours and mine. We have shared, and that is what friends do.”

[Grace · Rating 1 out of 5]

There is no bigger kingdom keepers fan out there, I promise. I’ve read every book at least a dozen times. Unfortunately, I won’t be returning to the Inheritance when I inevitably re-read another time. This was painful in a million different ways. Grammatical issues and typos make the book hard to read. Storey and Mattie have been combined into one person, like we wouldn’t notice somehow? Philby and Maybeck literally never make an appearance. Willa is mentioned in passing one time. And then Charlene appears as her DHI!!!! If the original KK can still cross over and be projected, why didn’t THEY just save Disney again? They have experience! They’re smart! They’re MADE OF LIGHT AND CANT GET HURT. Instead, children with no experience do it. It’s not really a team effort, either. Eli should have been named Mary Sue….or DILLARD??? COLE??? WAYNE?????? Why didn’t Finn name his child after these important people?!?! The other Kingdom Kids (stupid name) are hard to discern from one another and barely play a part. Which is just as well, given that they’re all, to be honest, dumb as a box of rocks. They’re given the most simple riddle I’ve ever seen in my life that took me less than a second to solve, and these characters struggle with it for OVER A YEAR. my god. no wonder the villains keep winning. Except apparently we can’t call them villains anymore? They’re “conflict characters” now?
Don’t even get me started on WORMS. Worms. Worms. A central feature of these books. Worms.
Almost no Disney characters actually appear here.
Overall, a sad, heartbreaking limp across the finish line. I wanted to love this. But in the end the characters were as flat and two dimensional as a hologram. Justice for Maybeck and Philby.

[Chris · Rating 2 out of 5]

The new trilogy of books does not compare with the original Kingdom Keepers series. The characters are not as engaging. The plot seems a bit too rushed. And there seem to be gaps in the story that do not make sense.

I’ll still to rereading the original series and leave these aside.

[Larissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love this series but if this is truly the final book, I feel a little bit let down. There really is no true big battle. Vanessa steals all the conflict characters and hides them. From there the kids are looking not only for Vanessa but the conflict characters. This leads to very little conflict in the book itself. Ghosts are added, and of course there are the guards in the park. Outside of that there is very little for the kids to fight against. Mostly they are trying to solve a riddle in hopes of finding everyone. I love that they went to Neverland and tied in Tinker Bell. Overall though this book was just kind of underwhelming. I hope that there might be more in the future, with a different series. Yet I understand if this journey of kingdom keepers has truly reached its conclusion.
Thank you to Disney Publishing and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title

[Elias Danko · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was a let down. I have never read the original kingdom keepers series before, but I was intrigued to dive into this new generation of characters. The book could have been better. Knowing that this is the final kingdom keepers book is heartbreaking. Ridley had so much time to perfect this and it just didn’t hit the spot. The ending was rushed, the rides were not that fun, and there was not enough villains. I expected the ending to be epic, with battling and even the return of some old characters, but no. We just got a quick story of a group of kids trying to destroy Ursula’s necklace. Like…..what?! The plot for this should have been in book 2, since Ursula is on the cover. Book 3 should have been about Mickey Mouse, just like the cover promised which was clickbait. I also wish there was a better ending scene, maybe the old kingdom keepers with the new kingdom keepers having dinner with one another, or something like that. Overall, I am disappointed. This installment, I got to say, was better then the previous 2 in this new series, but definitely not worth waiting for. I hope Ridley returns to the series and gives the readers what they really want.

[Kaycee Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was better than the previous two but still nothing compared to the original series 😭

[Ro · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It was a great wrap up to the trilogy and to the series as a whole. I started reading these books when I was a little kid and they still hold a special place in my heart. I love the characters and the story, and how these books encapsulate so much of the Disney magic. Overall it was an amazing read!

[MacKenna B · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.6/5 is where I’m sitting with this right now
Cute throwbacks. A fun deep cut from a ‘90s TV series! Still plenty of inconsistencies, especially with the timeline. The editing makes me feel like different parts of this book passed through different editors instead of one or multiple editors reading it all the way through… A fun twist toward the end that I wasn’t expecting! Also, it ended on a full circle moment that made me smile :)

[Amelia Klish · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel like this series would've been better if written for Teens or Young Adults. Since it was written for middle schoolers (which is fine and dandy), a lot of the phrasing and sentence structure isn't complex; a lot of tell, rather than show. I read the original books when I was in middle school (so, the prime target audience) and I loved them. I don't remember the syntax or diction like this at all but then again, I've grown and this was my favorite book series when I was a kid so, obviously, I will romanticize it. Even though I think it's good to have books that are meant for younger kids, encouraging young readers to want to keep reading outside of school, as I get older, I feel like I've outgrown these books in a way, which is upsetting since this used to be my favorite book series.

The ending seemed extremely rushed too, with the Fairy Godmother taking Eli and his friends back home so that they go to sleep. We don't know what happened to the villains and if they agreed with Ursula or not. They were betrayed by her and held captive, described as almost dead, and we don't get see if they would keep their allegiance to her or not. It was set up previously that they held doubts about her power to take control of the parks, it would have felt nice for that to come full circle and show, hey, the villains are evil, but they also don't like it when someone who allies with them to knock them unconscious.

The ending with Eli and Finn took me back to Finn and Wayne saying goodbye though. I did like how they entered the It's A Small World attraction once again, showing that the Overtakers are gone now and there's no danger anymore. It also shows growth in Finn; he's no longer scared of the dolls and he's sharing his past and life as a Kingdom Keeper with his son. A lot of things have happened to Finn, it's nice to see this growth.

My only other gripe with this is the erasure of Mattie Weaver. Remember? The Fairlie with Amanda and Jess who could touch objects and people and see their emotions or stories or whatever? That Mattie Weaver? She was replaced by Storey Ming, who was her own character, a young woman (older than the original Kingdom Keepers) who just worked for Wayne or something. Storey didn't any powers, but Ridley Pearson, like, mashed the two together or something? Mattie was my favorite character, honestly, so I was really confused when Storey was the one with powers, since I thought that the Kingdom Keepers "banished" her or something because she betrayed or was lying to them. I do understand that Storey is named after Pearson's daughter, so I do get his attachment to that character, but I'm just confused. Did Pearson, in his rewrites, erase Mattie's character and give Storey Mattie's story? Because if so, then it seems I would have to read the rewrites and I own all of the original books.

I did still enjoy this book. It was like I was connecting with my younger, middle-school, self again.

[Mark Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eli Finn and his friends are in Disney World’s Magic Kingdom for the fireworks on Friday night. But the fireworks all go off at once. And then the kids make another discovery – all the villains and henchmen have vanished from the various rides in the parks. Can they figure out the riddle they got from Tiana in time to save the magic? Or will it be lost for good?

If this is your introduction to the Kingdom Keepers universe, you will be very lost since it is the wrap up to over a dozen books across several series. But fans of the series will know what to expect here and will enjoy what we get. It’s pretty much par for the course, with lots of great scenes with Disney characters and the parks in spooky circumstances. The characters are thin, but that’s been true all along the way. Having said that, I really loved a couple of scenes with Eli and his parents that break out of some of the usual interactions with parents in middle grade books. If this does turn out to be the last adventure in the Kingdom Keepers universe, fans will be satisfied.

Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Knowing that this is - at this time - the final Kingdom Keepers book made reading it bittersweet. I've been reading this series since shortly after the first book was released. This is such a difficult goodbye!

The Final Draw was wonderfully written as expected. The story flowed so perfectly with the action rising and ebbing at just the right moments to keep you on the edge of your seat. The characters were well-written and quirky, feeling like old friends. The scenery descriptions jumped off the page making you feel like you were right there with the Kingdom Kids as they saved the parks from the Overtakers - perhaps for the final time. I loved the moments between Finn and Eli the most. I went through so many emotions reading this book, and am not at all embarrassed to admit I shed some tears at the end. It was the perfect ending to one of the best Juvenile Fantasy series ever written. (Though I will never stop hoping that it's not truly the end!)

Thank you, Mr. Pearson, for giving us the Kingdom Keepers/Kids. They have brought so much joy and will continue to do so as their stories are passed on to new readers for many years to come.

[Hannah 🦕 · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 ⭐️ purely for the nostalgia of the series. This one felt the most like the original series and for that I appreciate it a bit more than the previous two. Overall it was a decent end to the series but I would have loved to see more from the original keepers. There were a ton of inconsistencies that definitely took away from my enjoyment of the story. I’m look at you Mattie/Storey character combination. I did love the little call backs to the originals that were sprinkled throughout.

I will say the best part was the final scene which felt like a nice full circle moment. I would have preferred it if it was all the keepers and their kids finally facing that fear but I’ll take what we got.

Overall, the plot was okay and the writing wasn’t great. However my love for the characters and the series is what boosted my rating.

[Trisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone is on deck and ready to take in the villains once more. In this final showdown, Ursula the badest villain of all has summoned all villains to her, but in which park. But as they wait the parks seem to be dying. Can Eli and his specially talented friends stop Ursula in her tracks once and for all, in this final showdown.
This is such a good book and I am very sad to see it end, I can only hope the author keeps the idea of Disney going from maybe further in the future or from another view. This will keep any Disney lover’s attention until it ends. It chalked full of action and suspense that any age person will love. I can not say enough how awesome this book is I love it.
Review copy was provided by Edelweiss

[Lily D · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very similar to my thoughts on the previous two. I’m sad about how the OGs are barely (if at all) in it, and that they don’t try to help their kids at all despite this being their life’s passion. The dynamic between the kids and their characterizations are not as riveting as the OGs. The plot jumps really fast, and I found it hard to feel drawn in. I will say, I loved the final moment - I think it was the moment that made me feel the most kingdom keepers magic in the series. This does make me want to re-read the OG series bc that was my favorite book series, and I think this new series was written for new audiences

[Ron Tyson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started this series when I was in Middle School, I’m now 32 reading this last one so sad to see it end. To be honest I hadn’t loved the last five or six books, since the ending of the original seven concluding with the Insider. I finished the last few more out of obligation to a series that’s meant so much to me. This one was completly different though it felt so much more like the originals again and I leave at the end of this book not saying oh I finished out of obligation but saying Oh no now I actually REALLY want more. Thank you Ridley for a wonderful ride these past twenty years.

[Kimberly Pierce · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED the finale of this series and this book especially. It wrapped everything up in a nice bow and had some fun twists that weren’t expected. I loved how the conflict characters ended up helping in the end and that the Kingdom Keepers were supportive, but ultimately let the Kingdom Kids have their moment to shine. What a great series. This had so much park material and magic and fun it was the perfect cherry on top.

[Katelyn Peel · Rating 5 out of 5]

The perfect ending to this series no matter how much my heart breaks that it’s over 🥺 The relationship as father/son between Finn/Eli while also reflecting on similar experiences is what I truly loved about the inheritance series. I’m so sad it’s over but it was by far one of the best disney series i’ve read detail and imagination wise.

[Evan Sustar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Part of me still feels like something is missing. I’m not satisfied with the ending. Yes, it was nice, father and son reuniting at the attraction that really started it all, but something still doesn’t feel right. I wish ALL of the kids were a part of the final sequence, but alas, it was insanely anticlimactic for the whole of the KK series, not just the Inheritance.

[Bibliohiker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me review this book. This is one of my favorite series and happy yet sad it has reached its conclusion. Eli and his friends face challenges yet never give up.

[Elizabeth Peters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great ending to a series I have loved since middle school!

[William Simmons · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fitting ending to an epic adventure that started years ago!!! Although, part of me hopes, that one day soon, the Kingdom Keepers and the Kingdom Kids may return

[Jennifer Hartman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great end to the series. I will miss the Kingdom Keepers & Kingdom Kids!

[Ragan · Rating 2 out of 5]

as someone who was a diehard kingdom keeper fan as a kid and lowkey still is, this series isn’t canon idc

[Brandon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I willl reread this at some point

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

My inner child is screaming right now.

[Crystal Price · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! That was so much fun. Thank you for the Kingdom Keepers and the rising new generation of Keepers. Sad to see it end. Or is it?

[Julie J · Rating 1 out of 5]

It was time for the series to end. It had a good run. But the ideas had clearly run out.