Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Rise of the Evening Star by Brandon Mull

Book 2 in the Fablehaven series

Plot: Kendra and Seth are back at Fablehaven, and this time the stakes are higher. Their grandma and grandpa have called in reinforcements; the house is crowded with the addition of a brawny potions expert, a beautiful magical-creature trapper, and a sexist magical-relic collector. The Society of the Evening Star is getting stronger, and Kendra and Seth need all the help they can get to protect Fablehaven and everything it stands for.

Comments: I liked this book better than Fablehaven (the first book - see Fablehaven post). I think part of the reason is because I understood Kendra better in this story and felt like I knew her better. The plot was good and original. The problem with a lot of book series is that they start to repeat themselves or get a little too predictable, and though this is only the second book, I don't think we have anything to worry about for the Fablehaven series. Everything was completely different - even the characters from the last book had changed a little, from the beginning of Fablehaven 1 to the beginning of this book, Fablehaven 2.

I liked the new characters in this book. It's always good to introduce new people, because to not repeat yourself, you need a new setting (sometimes), a new plot, and new characters. I'm glad they didn't overpower the main characters, but they still were present and made a good impact on the story. There's a subtle reminder in this story that you can't judge a book by its cover; for example, while Tanu, the potions master, is built big and well-muscled, he's kind, fair, and soft-spoken. I always like it when authors weave messages like that in – even if they don't realize it!

Rating: I rate this book a seven and a half out of ten. I need to go check out the third book!

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