Yesterday the next installment of this popular middle grade series was released! I received a free copy of the book from the publisher to review.
Disclosure: This post contains Amazon affiliate links. I get a very small commission if you purchase an item from an affiliate.
Book Details:
Wrath of the Dragon King by Brandon Mull
Book two in the Dragonwatch series, which is a sequel series to Fablehaven
Release date: October 23, 2018
Publisher: Shadow Mountain
Page numbers: 416
Synopsis:
Dragons have declared war on humanity
After a humiliating defeat at the hands of Kendra and Seth, Celebrant, King of Dragons, prepares to unleash his fury and take control of his native preserve. Two of the seven dragon sanctuaries have already fallen. Will Wyrmroost be next?
Armed with secret information from a new ally, Celebrant seeks a talisman that will guarantee victory in the war against the humans. With a cursed castle and traitorous creatures standing in the way, Kendra and Seth must attempt to foil Celebrant’s plan and beat him to his prize.
Will the two young caretakers rally enough support from the creatures of Wyrmroost to quell the uprising and protect the world from draconic dominion? One thing is certain—dragons are deadly foes, and one wrong move could bring swift defeat. It will take more than Kendra, Seth, and their current allies have ever given to endure the wrath of the Dragon King.
Review:
I thought this was an exciting and entertaining sequel to Dragonwatch. There was a high stakes plot, a compelling setting, and intriguing new characters and character development.
As I was reading I kept thinking how it must be empowering for kids to read about other kids in such important positions of leadership and significance. The child characters really matter and make a difference, but they can’t do it without any thought or support of others. The story doesn’t villainize all the adults or make them dumb like some of others stories I’ve read. Instead there is a balance between kids following counsel from adults and having the strength to make their own decisions as well.
The Fablehaven and Dragonwatch series don’t personally capture me as much as some other middle grade books, but I’m realizing that when I’m reading fantasy I tend to prefer adult or YA (whereas I love historical and contemporary middle grade books).
I think there is plenty of appeal for young readers and lovers of fantasy in this series–especially including reluctant readers. I would recommend it to fans of Percy Jackson as both series give me a similar feel.
Other books by Brandon Mull:
