Ratings86
Average rating3.9
For centuries, mystical creatures of all description were gathered to a hidden refuge called Fablehaven to prevent their extinction. The sanctuary survives today as one of the last strongholds of true magic in a cynical world. Enchanting? Absolutely! Exciting? You bet. Safe? Well, actually, quite the opposite . . .
Kendra and her brother Seth have no idea that their grandfather is the current caretaker of Fablehaven. Inside the gated woods, ancient laws give relative order among greedy trolls, mischievous satyrs, plotting witches, spiteful imps, and jealous fairies. However, when the rules get broken, an arcane evil is unleashed, forcing Kendra and Seth to face the greatest challenge of their lives. To save her family, Fablehaven, and perhaps the world, Kendra must find the courage to do what she fears most.
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**Books in this series**
1. Fablehaven
2. [Rise of the Evening Star][2]
3. [Grip of the Shadow Plague][3]
4. [Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary][4]
5. [Keys to the Demon Prison][5]
[2]: https://openlibrary.org/works/OL8755876W
[3]: https://openlibrary.org/works/OL15597926W
[4]: https://openlibrary.org/works/OL15069174W
[5]: https://openlibrary.org/works/OL15597614W
Featured Series
5 primary books6 released booksFablehaven is a 6-book series with 5 primary works first released in 2006 with contributions by Brandon Mull and Rafał Lisowski.
Reviews with the most likes.
Great book for young adults is part of the reason I love fantasy today
Dang. Not as good as I remembered.
The series does get better; I remember that. But the challenge here is that Mull is trying to convey his mental movie of the story, but can't quite land the words to make it flow naturally on the page. Seth, while not the best character at this point, is not the absolute moron most of the non-positive reviews claim. The man is young, and developing character. He is a little ambitiously reckless, but I know enough ten-year-old siblings of my friends to inform those kind reviewers that they need more experience with children. Seth is slightly annoying, but checks out.
What lands now is the sheer... absurdity of the world building. Not that it's bad, simply absurd. Things happen, or are world rules, for reasons that Mull capitalizes on in later entries, leaving their mystifying roots here. If this were standalone, I would not rank it so highly.
Two children are sent to their grandparents house in Connecticut, where they learn that drinking the milk from a magical cow will allow their “eyes to be opened” and they can suddenly see all the magical creatures surrounding their house. They learn that their grandfather is the curator of a place called Fablehaven, an area of protection for these mythical creatures.
The book is very well written and engaging. It kept my attention during the whole book (I even ended up reading the entire series afterward). However, it is essentially the same plot as another series, the Spiderwick Chronicles. That's not a bad thing, but it is very interesting to see Brandon Mull's approach to these fantastical ideas. Children would enjoy this book because they would relate to the two main characters and could easily imagine themselves in the amazing situations the characters find themselves in. Plus, there's dragons.
Featured Prompt
209 booksBooks read in your formative years can shape the person you become just as much as parents, teachers and friends. What were some of the books that you remember most from your childhood years?