Customer Reviews

Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary (Fablehaven)

5 star:		(91)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Kendra and Seth are back at home, looking forward to winter break. While secretly reading Patton's journal, Kendra discovers clues to another hidden artifact. But the only key to the artifact is guarded within a deadly dragon sanctuary. But Kendra soon finds herself in more immediate danger. And Seth decides to embark on a dangerous mission of his own. The Knights of the Dawn must protect the artifacts from the power-hungry Sphinx, as he wants to use them to unlock the demon prison.

Kendra and Seth have grown a great deal over the course of the series. They started out as just two normal children thrust into unusual circumstances. But as they learn more about themselves and the world around them, both make admirable choices, growing in character and wisdom.

As so many people in their life have betrayed them, the children have become naturally less trusting. But even more allies turn out to be traitors. And as the Sphinx grows in power, circumstances become dire. But Kendra and Seth never give up hope.

This fourth installment is the most exciting yet. Danger and suspense are a constant. The Knights of the Dawn must use their brains as well as brawn to overcome the perils of the dragon sanctuary. Big surprises lead up to a climactic ending. But fans of the series will have to hold on for next year when the Fablehaven series concludes in the fifth and final book. This is an exciting series that fantasy fans of all ages should love. With a focus on family and fighting for the side of good, in my eyes, it makes Harry Potter pale in comparison.

I had a hard time putting this book down. I read all 527 pages in about 8 hours. I forced myself to go to bed even though I was not done with the book, but I was getting really tired and couldn't keep my eyes open.

OK, so let's break it down:

Characters: There were a couple new characters and surprises on existing ones. I am totally liking Seth now that he is not quite so annoying and "stupid" (in that little brother way). And I loved it when Seth was taunting the poison dragon. Too funny! Brandon is great at making likable (as well as ones we love to hate) and well-rounded characters. He is also doing even better at giving each character a unique voice.

Setting: The dragon sanctuary was cool and Brandon did a good job in narrating their passage through mazes and traps.

Conflict: The action was even more intense and scattered throughout the book on this one, which I feel was a great improvement over the previous books.

Plot: I like how Brandon makes each book feel complete, and yet we know there is more to come. In fact, one more book in the series, to be precise. Interesting twist near the end too.

Text: Brandon is becoming a great writer. I anxiously await the final book in the series.

******NO SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW*********


Ok, first off what is it with people that feel they have to ruin the book by putting spoilers in their reviews?!? I purposely waited until I finished reading the book before I checked out the reviews because I KNEW people would try to ruin it for me. I was glad I waited. Anyways...


The 4th installment of the Fablehaven series is hands down my favorite book of the series so far. I bought it the day it came out and just finished it today. I took a while because I didn't want it to end. I could have read it in a day or two if I wanted to finish it that fast. But I'm glad I savored it. The thing I like about Brandon Mulls writing is that there is never a dull chapter. Most books at least start off slow but Mull gets you interested right away. Dare I say he is even more talented that J.K. Rowling?? I still have never read the 4th Harry Potter book because it just was WAY too slow for me in the beginning. I have never had that problem with any of the Fablehaven books.

I STRONGLY recommend this series to anyone looking for a fantastic fantasy adventure series. READ IT! You will not regret it. :)

I have throughly enjoyed all of these books in this series. I am so looking forward to reading the 5th book. This book has many twists, turns and loads of action to keep you turning the pages. I highly recommend this book.

I found this book to be as entertaining as the early Harry Potter books. I read all four books in the Fablehaven series in less than a week and they just keep getting better. I don't think I enjoyed reading any book as much as Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary since Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I would highly recommend this book and series to anyone.

I love these books--and I'm an adult. I actually find them much more interesting than the Harry Potter series, and these are much more appropriate for older children. I won't go into specific details here, other than to say this is a series well worth reading--and make sure you start with the first one to fully understand what is happening!

I can't wait for the next one!

...Brandon Mull has created yet another outstanding novel. I've been eagerly anticipating this book for some time now, and was not disappointed one bit. Like many others I found it hard to put down, resulting in a lot less sleep. It was worth it. I still think that Grip of the Shadow Plague is my favorite, but this is a close second. Once again there were great moral lessons, intriguing characters, great developments, incredible amounts of imaginative creatures and locations and some HUGE unexpected plot twists. If you haven't started this series yet I highly recommend that you start now. This is a series for all ages, much akin to the Harry Potter series, which it seriously rivals. Fantastic read and I can't wait until the conclusion is released.

I'd give this more like a 3.5 or 3.75 ... but obviously ... it doesnt work that way ...

Since there are more than enough reviews covering all of the goodness of this book and series, I will focus on the few things that I wasn't so crazy about. I should add, I have read each book in the series and while I find some fundamental issues with each book, I think the concept of the series is very cool and unique and the style of Mull's writing improves with every story (and I am very pleased to not have to read about children sliding down the "meaty poles" of the udders on a giant cow ... I mean did anyone else think that could have been edited from book 1???). Some spoilers ahead ... proceed with caution.

First, I find Seth's inability to grow a sense of consequence frustrating. At times I feel I would not be upset if he were eaten by a dragon because it would serve him right for being so stupid and brash. Courageous is one thing, but a blatant disregard for adult guidance in extremely dangerous situations is much more reckless than a well thought out risk. I would think at one point he would stop whining about being left out and actually be a little frightened by the prospect of facing a giant that or a centaur or a dragon or a plague.

That leads to my second issue with this book in particular and the series in general. I dont understand how many completely impossible situations a group can face while always being able to come through them. Sure, that is the greatness of many stories, doing the undoable ... but time after time Seth and Kendra find success where all would have imagined all but hopeless. Stories are great for suspending disbelief, but dont tell me a dragon sanctuary is the worst possible "jungle" in existence and have a group of travelers starting campfires and cooking food in the wide open. If a bear can sniff out food at a campsite, I would imagine a dragon can sniff out 6 people cooking smores under a dragon laden sky.

Furthermore ... wasnt Navarog supposed to be the prince of dragons and demons??? While this was one of the most plausible successes in an unlikely situation, I cant think of a bigger waste of a good villain since Darth Maul. What a wasted opportunity to really embellish on a truly evil character. He was heartless ... but only for a few pages. And while I try not to guess at certain mysteries in a book, I cant say without re-reading books 3 and 4 that there were any even subtle hints at the true nature of Navarog. I mean, at least in Harry Potter you had Moody drinking something from a hip flask every few scenes. I mean ... drop a subtle hint here and there so I can think back and say to myself ... now I see where that was headed.

Lastly ... character development and depth for some has been disappointing for me. I realize in the age of pop fiction, people prefer action to depth and thinking, but as others have mentioned, why would I really care that the parents were kidnapped. They have been an afterthought the entire series. And to be honest, I couldnt tell you the difference between Dougan and Warren if they stood next to each other. The good guys in this story (outside of Patton Burgess who is very cool) are just as bland as the bad guys are well written. I feel that extra time and detail go into Kurisock, Muriel, the Sphinx, the ghost in the mansion from book 3 .... I want just as much detail in my heros to make me care a little more. I mean Newel and Doren are great ... I can see them ... grandma however, toting around her crossbow just doesnt do much for me.

As nit picky as I can be ... it is still a good, quick read. I read the book in a few days because the flow was fast and action packed. As annoying as Seth can be I really like the direction that his character goes in obtaining "dark" abilities that both make him valuable but also scare him. I didnt expect that dynamic and it fit in really well with the story.

I look forward to book 5 and cant help but to wonder if the extra-dimensional space that Warren was trapped in might become important in trapping forever the keys or the villains that might open Zyzyx.

Sticking with amazons rating system I have to give this book a 4 star rating because I did like it. It's better than OK, but there are definitely some issues that hinder my enjoyment. I must say that as a whole this series is unique, fun, exciting, and full of twists. For a children's book series there isn't much more you can really ask for. As an adult reader there is more that I want.

There is plenty of action in Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary, but some of it was rather boring to me. Traveling through lairs, dungeons, and across mountains doesn't have the appeal that it did in previous books. It's getting tedious instead of exciting, boring instead of thrilling, and mediocre instead of dangerous. Overall, the entire dragon sanctuary was a bit of a let down. Not to mention there is only one twist here, and a disappointing one at that. The villain is not used to his full potential, and it's annoying (think Snape in The Deathly Hallows). All of the previous novels made me want to be a part of the universe presented, this one does not. It really could have benefited from some editing. I know that I personally would have enjoyed this more if there was more intrigue and less running around. Sure there was danger, but it just never felt real. I don't understand why the author throws injuries and deaths in at all. I never felt sad when anyone got hurt, and I wasn't scared when a big dragon was breathing death in our characters' faces. I knew that Kendra and Seth would come out alive with the help of some being or object, and that really detracts from my enjoyment. "Evil" creatures turn out to be friendly, and the most complicated of tasks is solved by little effort. My favorite fantasy novels are believable, with dynamic characters, and this one does not quite cut it. As before, Seth is reckless and does not learn from his mistakes. On the other hand, his recklessness almost always leads to good things. It almost seems pointless for characters to continue pointing out his flaws, let alone trying to change him. It won't work. He is reckless. It's really hard for me to like him because he hasn't grown much from book one. Both characters act the same way that they did years ago, and that should not be. They have to face monsters and death constantly, but they are unfazed. They are always brave and always noble. Those are nice qualities for role models to have, but it doesn't make them very deep characters. I know that characters can be multifaceted in children's books, so the reading level is no excuse here. I want to see my characters grow, and with one novel left I don't think that will happen.

Of course there are good things, and this series is highly rated for a reason. It's a fun adventure with interesting creatures and strong characters. Book one made me want to visit Fablehaven. That feeling has decreased a little at this point, but it is still present. If you liked the previous books, you will like this one. There will be friendly bad guys, new creatures, puzzles that are easily solved, and difficult tasks that prove no match for our heroes. I was expecting a little more than I got from Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary, but it is still an enjoyable read and pretty entertaining.

Not only did I love these books--and I am a, shall we say, boomer-age adult--but every teenager I've convinced to read them has loved them, too. Every book is well-written with plenty of adventure, complex and vivid characters, and a liberal dose of humor. Upper elementary students through imaginative adults will probably enjoy them.

Though they are fantasy, the author has a wonderful ability to write situations that seem oddly possible in real life. I love the "family" aspects; no one was too perfect, but no one seemed to have no redeeming qualities whatsoever, either.