Customer Reviews
This so beats Harry Potter 
2008-09-27
Sometime earlier this year I had the pleasure of finally purchasing the origial "Fablehaven". I was out in the woods all summer, but when I learned that the sequel had been released I was, to put it lightly, considerably happy. And as I read the book, I was not disappointed. Brandon Mull once again proves that he is a solid new face in the world of children's fantasy as this book tops the first marvelous "Fablehaven" and, dare I say it, plenty of other children's literature out there.
For those of you who have not yet had the pleasure of visiting Fablehaven, it is a preserve for all creatures magical and is run by seemingly ordinary mortals. Kendra and Seth Sorenson are the grandparents of said mere mortals, children who have become irrevocably connected with the preserve.
In this installment, this preserve is threatened by the demonic group the Society of the Evening Star. While the first book did a marvelous job in setting up the scene, this book is where the plot truly begins, from a strange new kobold-boy in school to all sorts of betrayal and intrigue. It's surprisingly complex, but still allows us to enjoy the magic of the world that is Fablehaven.
Mull's descriptions are simple yet effective in a charming style that is all his own. What really stands out to me are this characters. While other authors like to make their characters brash, crazy, and wild, Kendra, Seth, and co are more subtle, real, and understandable. They think like real kids, and this is not always seen in literature.
Sparkling, funny, and heartpounding, this is story-telling at its best.
Even better than the first book! 2008-09-14
This second book in Brandon Mull's wonderfully imaginative Fablehaven series is even better, and more complex, than the first one. Sister and brother Kendra, 14, and Seth, 12, who are being pursued by the evil Society of the Evening Star, return to their grandparents' sanctuary for mythical and magical creatures. Kendra has magical abilities as a result of having been kissed by fairies that make her a target of the Evening Star, and Seth is being chased by a froglike demon that is determined to devour him.
This story begins in middle school near the end of the spring term, when Kendra, with her magical fairy sight, can see that a hottie new eighth-grade boy who the other girls instantly fall in love with is really a hideously ugly kobold.
When the kids arrive at their grandparents' preserve, they find out that Grandpa has hired three specialists: Tanu, a potion master; Coulter, a collector of magical relics; and Vanessa, a capturer of mystical animals. They must keep a powerful artifact, hidden on the refuge, from falling into the hands of the Society of the Evening Star. Grandpa tells Seth and Kendra that the evil organization has an "uncanny ability for infiltration," and it soon becomes apparent that there is a traitor among them. But who? Issues of trust and betrayal are a prominent theme in this fantastical, suspenseful story.
I find this series so enthralling that I read the first book twice within a month, and I'll be rereading this one before going on to the third book, which I'm hearing very good things about and am really looking forward to.
Walk into a Magical World 2008-08-28
Then entire Fablehaven series is simply magnificent. While it is a fantasy book, it is not so unrealistic that it loses the readers interest. It was very easy to see myself in one of the characters and other friends as others which I believe makes it take on more of an emotional attachment.
amazing book! 2008-07-28
I enjoyed the fablehaven books so much. They were a great read for the whole family. Brandon Mull does a superior job keeping the action going and the fun. I had lots of laughs. Everyone who loves young adult fiction/fantasy has to read these!
fablehaven 2 2008-07-15
I enjoy this book, However I liked the 1st one better. Looking forward to reading the 3rd edition.
I love this new series 2008-07-13
At the end of the school year, Kendra and her brother Seth find themselves racing back to Fablehaven, a refuge for mythical and magical creatures. Grandpa Sorenson, the caretaker, invites three specialists -- a potion master, a magical relics collector, and a mystical creature trapper -- to help protect the property from the Society of the Evening Star, an ancient organization determined to infiltrate the preserve and steal a hidden artifact of great power. Time is running out. The Evening Star is storming the gates. If the artifact falls into the wrong hands, it could mean the downfall of other preserves and possibly the world. Will Kendra learn to use her fairy gifts in time? Will Seth stay out of trouble?
Book 2 solidifies the series 2008-07-08
I originally bought Fablehaven for my daughter. I read it first. And I liked it a lot. Its an easy read, but there are some vocabulary words here and there, as well as some easy words that people don't really use much any more.
The second book of Fablehaven is really quite good and its a wonderful followup to the first one.
Two of my favorite lessons from the book:
1) Kids can learn that confidence fixes a lot of problems. This manifests itself in many places in the book. And its true in real life, too.
2) The machinations of evil follow a pattern that holds a lesson. I don't want to give anything away, but its regarding other people's motivations and not to be too naive and trusting. This surfaces at least 3 times in the book and then its spelled out for you. Its a wonderful lesson for teens to use in real life, especially at the age my daughter is.
So, I'm very happy with this book on those levels. There are many other lessons, but you'll have to read the book to find them.
Otherwise, i can only tell you that its an interesting read, entertaining, holds together well. Nothing too scary, but scary enough to be cool and fun. On rare occasions people seem to speak in a bit of a stilted way when they are explaining things, and lack some character depth, but lets not be too picky.
The author does a wonderful job of tying in concepts and mysteries introduced in the first book, as well as laying the groundwork for new concepts and mysteries. For example, you find out how Grandma became transformed in book 1, yet he leaves it at that, leaving the concept to be more thoroughly plumbed in a future book. In short, the series has been thought out ahead of time, which is always a good sign.
These mildly complicated story patterns will be enjoyed by "young at heart" adults as well as children.
All in all, at $6.99 delivered (I'm with amazon prime) its a no-brainer "buy".
