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Saturday, July 5, 2008

Fablehaven: The Grip of the Shadow Plague by Brandon Mull



Link to synopsis: Fablehaven: Grip of the Shadow Plague (Fablehaven)

I am a huge Fablehaven fan. When I talk about how and why I like juvenile fiction, I am talking about books like this. Don't be fooled, this is not some cutsie little story meant to replace Saturday morning cartoons where no one gets hurt and the dialogue is limited to an occasional three-syllable word here and there. No, this is a great storyline, bringing action, strong characters and complex themes to the table. Yes, it was written for a younger audience, but when you have a great author putting it together, anything that would be missing from an adult version would only be a distraction in this story. The length is perfect, the story moves along at a good clip and in the end you can't wait for the next book in the series. I am rambling, yes, but this book deserves a little positive rambling.

Another thing I love about this book is that it is an all-out success story for a fairly new writer. While I have never met him, from the description on the dust jacket Brandon Mull lives relatively close to my current home. I would love to shake his hand and congratulate him on breaking into the big time. If I were to pursue my writing dreams I would be aiming to duplicate what he has done, and it is always a positive thing (to me) to see someone else succeed in that path. It more or less validates that it can be done, and it takes away any cheesy excuses I may have about why I haven't done it. I am my only barrier.

Well, this isn't a journal entry, so I will wrap it up with a big round of applause for the Fablehaven series. I look forward to the next installment.

Date Completed: 6/27/08
Rating: 4.1


EDIT: I reread this book in 2013 and wrote another review...

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