The Spell of the Sorcerer's Skull [Paperback]

John Bellairs (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 1985

John Bellairs, the name in Gothic mysteries for middle graders, wrote terrifying tales full of adventure, attitude, and alarm. For years, young readers have crept, crawled, and gone bump in the night with the unlikely heroes of these Gothic novels: Lewis Barnavelt, Johnny Dixon, and Anthony Monday. Now, the ten top-selling titles feature an updated cover look. Loyal fans and enticed newcomers will love the series even more with this haunting new look!

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Is there no end to the suspense John Bellairs can create? (School Library Journal, starred review)

ThereÆs suspense and action aplenty. . . Perfect for the pre-Stephen King set. (Booklist)

Brace yourself for a wild ride. (Kirkus Reviews)

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

John Bellairs died in 1991, leaving a rich legacy of critically acclaimed, best-selling Gothic novels. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Yearling (October 1, 1985)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553155792
• ISBN-13: 978-0553155792
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)

More About the Author

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant!, March 17, 1999

By 

Daniel A. Swick "poop head" (Saranac Lake, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Spell of the Sorcerer's Skull: A Johnny Dixon Mystery (Mass Market Paperback)

I love Bellair's books. I am twenty-one and remeber fondly the first time I read this book. I was drawn into the marvelous story and could not put it down. Reading under the covers with a flashlight, I reveled in the unfliching Bellairs style. His writing was dark, gothic, and deeply atmospheric. The stories were incredibly well crafted and the characters deeply intersting. I urge every child to read Bellairs books. They never treat you like a kid -- they make you part of the story. Each book is an exhilirating, eerie, often nightmarish ride that never lets you down. Those of you who love "Goosebumps" should read a Bellairs book -- they are BETTER. PS -- for some reason the publishers have seen it fit to change the Edward Gorey covers to somthing flashier. This is too bad as the Gorey covers were FAR scarier and atmospheric.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars what happened, July 6, 2001

By 

Adam Halterman (Sturbridge, MA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Spell of the Sorcerer's Skull: A Johnny Dixon Mystery (Mass Market Paperback)

John Bellairs was my favorite author when I was in fifth grade and this was my favorite book. Any kid will absolutely be enthralled by it. The sad thing is, is that what I find even more horrifying than Bellairs' creepy tales is the fact that Edward Gorey's covers have been replaced with some rather bland artwork. Gorey was a true master and no other artist could possibly conjure up the lurking fear of these books. Very bad move. To me, Bellairs and Gorey will forever be linked together. Sadly, kids today won't be able to ponder his wonderfully shadowy covers. Very sad.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A very haunted clock, November 2, 2002

By 

E. A. Lovitt "starmoth" (Gladwin, MI USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: The Spell of the Sorcerer's Skull: A Johnny Dixon Mystery (Mass Market Paperback)

Grownups remain out of sight for the most part in this spooky addition to the Johnny Dixon mystery series by John Bellairs. Crusty old Professor Childermass (a series regular) vanishes early on, to be replaced by crusty old Irish-American priest, Father Higgins, who brandishes a silver crucifix and rescues Johnny in the nick of some very frightening situations.

Johnny is a shy, likeable boy who tries to act brave in spite of thinking himself a coward. His lower lip quivers almost continuously as he and his friend Fergie set out to find the missing professor. (He has every reason to be nervous in a story that reminds me of "The Haunted Doll's House" by that master of horror himself: M. R. James). For reasons that remain a mystery until the last few pages, our youthful hero is plagued by a tiny human skull and an ominous jack-o-lantern after his friend, Professor Childermass disappears.

As skeletons, demons, and a haunted clock all conspire to make Johnny's life miserable, Fergie and Father Higgins pitch in to help him. The climax to "The Spell of the Sorcerer's Skull" takes place on a remote rock off the coast of Maine, appropriately named 'Cemetery Island.'

The book is set in the nostalgic early 1950s (Johnny's father is a fighter pilot in Korea), but you won't have much time to feel nostalgia. You'll be too busy feeling scared. One of the reliable features of John Bellairs's adolescent fiction is that he doesn't try to make his ghosts cuddly or mawkish, like so many so-called 'teen-age horror' authors.