Customer Reviews

The Spell of the Sorcerer's Skull (Johnny Dixon)

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

I'm a big fan of John Bellairs and have read about 6 of his books....The Spell of the Sorcerer's Skull is by far the most thrilling. Johnny Dixon and his funny friend, Fergie find themselfs in the middle of a mystery, Just after Johnny takes a strange small skull (that he beleives to be good luck) from a miniture room that the Professor's granduncle was murdered in, they're friend, Professor Childermass has suddenly disappeared. And it's up to Johnny, Fergie, and Father Higgins to find the Professor before it's too late. I hope this review helped you and I hope you enjoy the book as I did.

John Bellairs books have a certain style that you come to expect -- it's got to have lots of humor, a cheesy title that sounds like a B-movie, dark visions, weird dreams, and a shapeless supernatural evil that can destroy us all. One outstanding example would be "Spell of the Sorcerer's Skull," a genuinely creepy little horror story tinged with clever humor.

Professor Childermass's car breaks down in a small town. While he waits for it to be repaired, he and his young friend Johnny Dixon are shown a dollhouse connected to the professor's grandfather, who died under mysterious circumstances. Johnny finds a tiny skull, which he finds he can't speak to anyone else about -- then he has a vision of a ghostly figure killing the old man. Soon afterwards, Professor Childermass vanishes under mysterious circumstances.

Johnny finally approaches the priest Father Higgins, who promises to help if he can. A petition to Saint Andrew provides sudden answers, in the form of a cryptic rhyme that leads Johnny, Fergie and Father Higgins to a remote island in Maine. But even if they can find the professor, how can they defeat the evil forces that center on the sorcerer's skull?

John Bellairs had a very clever knack for spooking people, scattering creepy elements through "Spell of the Sorcerer's Skull" like a farmer strewing seeds. He has creepy caretakers, Victorian mansions, an enchanted skull and visions of evil skeleton scarecrows -- and while these things just sound a little cheesy, he imbues them with a dark, eerie feeling that seems to cling to even the innocent scenes.

But as usual, he also injects plenty of quirky humor into the story, such as Father Higgins whipping out a guitar and singing a folk song (much to Johnny's bewilderment). It's a good balance to the darker elements of the story. The only problem is that some of the plot twists seem rather contrived, but the story is a fairly decent one despite that flaw.

He also uses this book to introduce the character of Father Higgins, a gruff but kindly priest who serves as the adult authority figure in this book since the professor is, obviously, nowhere to be seen. He's not quite as knowledgeable as the professor, but he serves as a good temporary replacement, and he works well with the complementary buddies Johnny and Fergie.

"Spell of the Sorcerer's Skull" is a genuinely spine-tingling nugget of kiddie horror, and despite no longer being a kid, I still feel a chill at some of the darker moments. Funny, eerie and weird.

for a children's story, this is very mature horror. in this book by horror genius, john bellairs, we have the classic good vs. evil. there are also elements of satanism, roman catholicism countering the satanism, latin incantions, holy water, its...yeah pretty heavy stuff for grade schoolers. its still quite worthwhile to read, as i read them as a child and loved them. yes, they are terrifying, but they are extremely well written, in an easy flowing narrative that makes it simple for children to follow. enjoy these classic additions to children's gothic horror (a...strange genre indeed).

I'm a big fan of John Bellairs and have read about 6 of his books....The Spell of the Sorcerer's Skull is by far the most thrilling. Johnny Dixon and his funny friend, Fergie find themselfs in the middle of a mystery. Johnny has taken a strange small skull (that he beleives to be good luck) from a miniture room that Professor Childermass's granduncle was murdered in. Just after that they're friend the Professor has suddenly disappeared. And it's up to Johnny, Fergie, and Father Higgins to find the Professor before it's too late. I hope this review helped you and I hope you enjoy the book as I did.

This book is magnifecently written with good characters and an amazing plot. Not a horror but dishes out an eerie feeling, perfect to read on a stormy fall night.

In the book The Spell of the Sorcerer's Skull is about Johnny and one of his best friends Professor Childermass. When Professor Childermass is taken away by an un-named force, Johnny has to go and save him. Johnny takes Fergie (his best friend) and Farther Higgins along with him not even knowing what he was getting himself into. The three men follow all of the clues that the professor may have left at the place where the disappearance happened. They finally get to an island where their troubles run thick.
I liked this book because it was very suspenseful and it made you want to read on and on so that you could find out what happened next. I also liked this book because Johnny has to go through a lot and it shows how much of a friends he is to Professor Childermass.

Hi my name is Jeffrey Goldsmith . I live in Charlse County and Iam going to tell you about a book called The Spell of the Sorcerer's Skull. The author of the book is Jhon Bellair. This book had no awards that I see and no star rating . I liked this book becase it is a mystery book and I like mystery books. What I dont like about the book is that the skull was in a dollhouse but you would like it. I am going to tell you a little about the book so you can see if you want to check the book out at your local libary. The spell of the sorcerer's skull is about a boy that take a skull frome a haunted dollhouse and demonic forces were unlessed. the forces capthured Profesor Childmass and leading jonny on a harrowing chase to a desert in Main.