Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary by Brandon Mull (Fablehaven 4)

Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary by Brandon Mull
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Maybe I'm being too free with my stars on this review, but I am really enjoying this series. It has also been a while time since I have taken time out to read a whole series for recreation, so Fablehaven may be benefiting from my overall love of reading as a hobby, especially in this genre.

So Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary has a couple of intriguing developments, including the big shocker at the end, which I won't discuss here. But I can talk about how well Brandon Mull positions Vanessa throughout the series. She keeps being relevant, but completely unresolved from a reader's point of view. She is like the Snape of Fablehaven, and Snape was a key to the Potter series...

I also like that Mull is not hesitant about diving deeper and deeper into the Fantasy world he has created. For most of the book Kendra and Seth are in a fictional setting, which Mull has complete artistic control over, yet we identify with them as contemporary school children. It is a well thought out plot. I'm looking forward to the finale.

Grip of the Shadow Plague by Brandon Mull (Fablehaven 3)

Grip of the Shadow Plague by Brandon Mull
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

So I have nitpicked at the previous Fablehaven books, finding fault with some small facet of the book to justify 4-star ratings. With this third installment I can't find the flaw. The small things that bothered me before have fallen into balance as the characters and plot have stabilized. Dragons, kachinas (?!?!?), and a mysterious leader with questionable loyalties. I can't wait to get to the next book, and so am going to hand out five stars and go back to my reading...

EDIT: So I noticed that I have another review for this book from a previous reading.  That happens sometimes, and it is interesting to see how my perception has changed over time (and how it hasn't :) )

The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvement

The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvement by Eliyahu M. Goldratt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

So this book is a must-read for any professional in an operations role. And I mean any operations role, not just manufacturing. There is an approach to life here that is important not to miss: have a goal, and then do what is necessary to reach that goal. Avoid extraneous activities that don't help you accomplish your goal.

The story is fairly well-written, although at times you can tell Goldratt is trying to pack in data/specifics into the story for their academic value only. However, this was written fairly early in the overall history of business "stories" meant to teach in an entertaining way, and it is very well done given when it was published.