Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy

Skulduggery Pleasant (originally published as Scepter of the Ancients) is the first book in the Skulduggery series.

Stephanie’s wealthy, eccentric, famous author uncle has just died - at his desk of natural causes… or has he? Sophie isn’t so sure - not after she meets Skulduggery Pleasant anyway. Meeting a “living” skeleton that can control the elements while making sassy comments would cause anyone to reevaluate what they thought they knew. Soon, Sophie is meeting all sorts of magic people and learns that a secret war is brewing between good and evil - and that her Uncle had been right in the middle of it - as he had uncovered the long lost Sceptre of the Ancients - which, if used would tip the world into darkness.

With the final book in the series being published last year - I can read these without the pesky year long wait between books. I can wait to see what adventurous mess Stephanie and Skulduggery find themselves in next. 

Review: Sharni @ Balwyn

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REVIEWbyU! The dying of the light (Skulguggery Pleasant #9) by Derek Landy

Rating: 5 stars

The 9th installment in the Skulduggery Pleasant series has got to be one of the best books ever created by Derek Landy excluding the maleficent seven. In this book once again Valkryie Cain and Skulduggery have to work together to destroy the forces of darkness and expel Darquesse into another dimension. In this book Derek ties it all together by adding in all the characters like Melancholia the death bringer and then destroying some of the old ones. But even though Valkrie and Skulduggery are some of the best magicians in the world neither of them will leave this war without being forever changed.


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Post movie blues... Part 3

Have you seen Divergent yet? Whilst I loved reading the trilogy over many weeks, a movie only lasts for a couple of hours. How will we overcome the post movie blues?

Here's part 3 of a series of posts giving you some ideas to get you through this challenging time....

Idea no. 3: Read some other excellent series! What's that you say? Not interested in Dystopian novels? That's OK, how about some of these other excellent series, from sci-fi, to fantasy to everything in-between: 

• The Daughter of smoke and bone trilogy by Laini Taylor. An excellent fantasy series which is so well written, the third book in the trilogy will be published this year. We've reviewed the first book here !
• The Old Kingdom Chronicles by Garth Nix. Garth Nix is an absolutely amazing writer (did I mention he's Australian?) and this fantasy trilogy will never leave you. Join Sabriel as she journeys amongst the living and the dead in the Old Kingdom, whilst just over the border human life exists as normal. Brilliant! 
• The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare. we'd be suprised if you hadn't already seen this series. It has been ridiculously popular. Fantasy. Addictive. Read it. Oh, and we've reviewed at least
  
  one of the books here.
• The Inheritance series by Christpher Paolini. High fantasy, dragons, elves, extremely long and compelling books. Pretty much everything you could want in this genre. Check out this review.
• The Chaos Walking trilogy by Patrick Ness. This series blew me away with its sheer originality and highly original prose. Why have I never reviewed it? I have no idea! Still, go on an adventure and read this futuristic, off-world, post-apocalyptic series.
• How about this one? The Diviners series by Libba Bray. Historical / paranormal / crime thriller / fantasy, super entertaining, set in 1920s New York. I CAN'T WAIT for book #2 to be released this year. Yep, I've reviewed this one here.
• Want some rollicking good fun, witty plot, excellent writing and a series that will keep you going for quite some time? Read the Skulduggery Pleasant series by Derek Landy. I'd love to meet this author in real life - even the dedications he writes at the start of each book are awesome! We've reviewed one book in this excellent series here.

Don't forget, if you can't get these titles off the shelf, check our ebook collection too!

Caitlin @ Balwyn Library.


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Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy

In a word, this bestselling series of books is FUN! Welcome to the world of Skulduggery Pleasant, a detective who is a living skeleton after being mostly killed during a violent magical battle. Skulduggery is an inventive, witty sorcerer dedicated to fighting evil (think vampires, assassins for hire, people with unusual magical powers and your everyday unbalanced evil sorcerers). Much like Harry Potter, in these books magical people live alongside non-magical folk without their knowledge, but Derek Landy has created a series with less darkness and far more humour, wit and action than those written by Rowling. Together with his sidekick, Stephanie - a.k.a.Valkyrie Cain - and a band of trusty allies, Skulduggery fights the powers of darkness with his own unique brand of humour and originality. Highly amusing and highly recommended!

Caitlin @ Balwyn

What now?

• Add your thoughts about in the comments below.
• Go to the catalogue and reserve it.
• Borrow it as an ebook.
• Review a book yourself.