Fablehaven: Grip of the Shadow Plague by Brandon Mull

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

Middle Grade Fantasy
480 pages, hardcover
Target Reader: Ages 9-12

Shadow Mountain
978-1590388983
Release Date: April 21, 2008




From the publisher:

Strange things are afoot at Fablehaven. Someone or something has released a plague that transforms beings of light into creatures of darkness. Seth discovers the problem in its infancy, but as the infectious disease spreads, it becomes clear that the preserve cannot hold out for long.

In dire need of help, the Sorensons question where to turn. The Sphinx has always given sound advice—but is he a traitor? Inside the Quiet Box, Vanessa might have information that could lead to a cure—but can she be trusted?

Meanwhile, Kendra and members of the Knights of the Dawn must journey to a distant preserve and retrieve another hidden artifact. Will the Society of the Evening Star recover it first? Will the plague eclipse all light at Fablehaven? Find out in Fablehaven: Grip of the Shadow Plague.

Series books: Fablehaven (book 1), Rise of the Evening Star (book 2)

This is book #3 in the Fablehaven series. I really like this series and suggest it for middle grade readers and people who love simple fantasy.

I felt this book could have been edited just a bit tighter, losing maybe 50 pages. There were a few places where it went on longer than needed. Also, I have an issue with this cover. The first two books had their villains on the cover. The centaurs in this book are not villians. Their one of the good guys, even if they are kind of snooty about it. The illustration that should be on the cover is the one of Ephira (pg 459). I think it would have looked really cool. But boys won't read books with girls on the cover, so I'm sure that's why they went with the centaur. But still. Ticks me off a bit.

That said, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. We get to see Kendra again for awhile. We discover a few more secrets about Fablehaven's past and Kendra's powers. Seth acts a bit more responsibly. The satyrs are still incredibly funny (they're my favorite characters). I'm looking forward to book #4.


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Content Ratings

Language:

Violence: The humans are fighting demons. There's some mild violence, but it's not bad.

Drugs/Alcohol:

Immorality:

Values/Themes:

Age Appropriate: Older teens and some adults may like this series.

Writing Mechanics: Needed a tighter edit.


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