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Dragonwatch #4
Champion of the Titan Games
Who will win the battle between Dragons and Giants?
As the war with the dragons intensifies, all eyes are turning to Titan Valley for help. A dragon sanctuary unlike any of the others, this one is home to enslaved dragons ruled by the powerful Giant Queen, one of the five monarchs of the magical world. In addition, it houses the arena for the Titan Games, a series of gladiator-style battles presided over by none other than Humbuggle, the demon who stole Seth’s memories!
Seth is seeking for his memories. Kendra is seeking for Seth. And everyone is seeking to stop the dragons from taking over the world—everyone but Ronodin, the dark unicorn, who has his own devious agenda. In the monstrous battle between giants and dragons, who wins? In the race to retrieve a magical talisman that could help win the war, can Kendra trust Seth? Will they find the answers they desperately need in a realm of trolls and titans? Or are more betrayals imminent?
As the war with the dragons intensifies, all eyes are turning to Titan Valley for help. A dragon sanctuary unlike any of the others, this one is home to enslaved dragons ruled by the powerful Giant Queen, one of the five monarchs of the magical world. In addition, it houses the arena for the Titan Games, a series of gladiator-style battles presided over by none other than Humbuggle, the demon who stole Seth’s memories!
Seth is seeking for his memories. Kendra is seeking for Seth. And everyone is seeking to stop the dragons from taking over the world—everyone but Ronodin, the dark unicorn, who has his own devious agenda. In the monstrous battle between giants and dragons, who wins? In the race to retrieve a magical talisman that could help win the war, can Kendra trust Seth? Will they find the answers they desperately need in a realm of trolls and titans? Or are more betrayals imminent?
535 pages, Hardcover
First published October 13, 2020
About the author
Brandon Mull
64 books9,979 followersBrandon Mull resides in a happy little valley near the mouth of a canyon with his wife and three children. He spent two years living in the Atacama Desert of Northern Chile where he learned Spanish and juggling. He once won a pudding eating contest in the park behind his grandma’s house, earning a gold medal. Brandon is the author of the New York Times bestselling Fablehaven series and The Candy Shop War.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 617 reviews
February 5, 2021
Seth has escaped from the underking and Ronodin and all he wants to do is get his memories back. He travels to just outside of the Titan Valley to get to Humburgh and he hopes that he encounters Humbuggle there and retrieve his memories. He is joined by Hermo and he already has Calvin. Hermo proves to be quite the companion in finding things and directions. Seth comes across a presence and only he can hear the presence and names the presence, Reggie. Seth, Calvin, Hermo and Reggie make their way to the heart of Humburgh and the arena where the games are being held.
Kendra, Warren, Tanu, Vanessa, Knox, Tess, Newel and Doren are given refuge at the Titan Valley by the Giant queen. Kendra tries to let the Giant queen know how big the threat is with the Dragon war but the Giant queen doesn't listen to her. Dragons are treated like slaves at the Titan Valley and Kendra and her friends are appalled by this behavior. Some Dragons are also in human avatar and have sworn loyalty to the Giant queen. Kendra also meets Ronodin at the Titan Valley but Ronodin is there under false pretenses as can be expected. They also find a Giant who is willing to listen to them and sends them on a mission to retrieve waystar to help with the war against the Dragons.
Seth meets another Satyr called Virgil who is willing to help him with the games and Seth finds out that winning the Titan games is the way to win the wizenstone but winning the games isn't as easy as it seems to be as there are a lot of people who want to win and they have been participating in the games for centuries. Seth and his friends unlock more secrets about the games and wizenstone.
Fairy realm has fallen and Ronodin is the new Fairy king now. Ronodin was helped by the ex-Fairy king and the dragons. All the other Dragon sanctuaries have also fallen and Celebrant comes to the Titan valley and defeat the Giant queen quickly and easily. Kendra, Tanu, Warren, Rextus and Vanessa are on the mission to retrieve the Harp of ages as that instrument can put the dragons to deep slumber but Vanessa ends up losing her eyesight there.
Seth finds out that the presence he named Reggie is actually a legendary dragon slayer's memories and he reunites the memories with the legendary dragon slayer, Merek. Seth and Merek then become acquaintances and set on to retrieve the Harp of ages as well. Kendra and Seth cross paths. Seth and Merek save Kendra and her group and they retrieve the Harp of ages. When Seth cuts the strings, he is transported to Humbuggle and destroy the wizenstone which ends up freeing Humbuggle from the stone's clutches as it turns out that the stone was controlling Humbuggle and not the other way around. Seth finally gets his memories back and when he realizes that he let Wyrmroost fall he hates himself and lets Celebrant capture him.
Grandparents and parents were again non-existent but we do find out at the very beginning that the grandparents are doing okay. I already love Tanu, Warren, Vanessa, Rextus, Calvin, Newel and Doren. I also loved the new characters - Reggie, Hermo (even though Hermo wasn't exactly new in this), Vrigil and Merek. I loved the Legend of the Dragon Slayer and can't wait to read the novella when it is available. Kendra was a lot less annoying in this although she agitated me when she kept on asking the Dragons if they liked their treatment here? Who likes to be imprisoned Kendra? Seth was amazing though and I felt for him throughout. Bracken was there for two sentences only which was a shame because even though I don't much like him and I partly blame him not being in the books for me to actually know him (I don't blame him personally), I actually wanted to know more about the Fairy realm. Newel and Doren were also barely there but as usual they always made me smile. At least Rextus was there a bit more than the last one and loved him.
This book is the best so far in the series. It is completely action packed with some amazing characters both new and old. So many secrets are further revealed and I was stunned most of the time. Even though it is a long book, I devoured this is two sittings and I struggled to put this down but I had to as I needed some sleep in between. I cannot wait for the next book in the series but I also know that that book is going to be the final book in the series and Brandon Mull revealed that fifth book in this series is also going to be the final book in this wonderful world and I am already emotional as I hate goodbyes. At least there is going a be a novella as a special treat.
5 stars
Kendra, Warren, Tanu, Vanessa, Knox, Tess, Newel and Doren are given refuge at the Titan Valley by the Giant queen. Kendra tries to let the Giant queen know how big the threat is with the Dragon war but the Giant queen doesn't listen to her. Dragons are treated like slaves at the Titan Valley and Kendra and her friends are appalled by this behavior. Some Dragons are also in human avatar and have sworn loyalty to the Giant queen. Kendra also meets Ronodin at the Titan Valley but Ronodin is there under false pretenses as can be expected. They also find a Giant who is willing to listen to them and sends them on a mission to retrieve waystar to help with the war against the Dragons.
Seth meets another Satyr called Virgil who is willing to help him with the games and Seth finds out that winning the Titan games is the way to win the wizenstone but winning the games isn't as easy as it seems to be as there are a lot of people who want to win and they have been participating in the games for centuries. Seth and his friends unlock more secrets about the games and wizenstone.
Fairy realm has fallen and Ronodin is the new Fairy king now. Ronodin was helped by the ex-Fairy king and the dragons. All the other Dragon sanctuaries have also fallen and Celebrant comes to the Titan valley and defeat the Giant queen quickly and easily. Kendra, Tanu, Warren, Rextus and Vanessa are on the mission to retrieve the Harp of ages as that instrument can put the dragons to deep slumber but Vanessa ends up losing her eyesight there.
Seth finds out that the presence he named Reggie is actually a legendary dragon slayer's memories and he reunites the memories with the legendary dragon slayer, Merek. Seth and Merek then become acquaintances and set on to retrieve the Harp of ages as well. Kendra and Seth cross paths. Seth and Merek save Kendra and her group and they retrieve the Harp of ages. When Seth cuts the strings, he is transported to Humbuggle and destroy the wizenstone which ends up freeing Humbuggle from the stone's clutches as it turns out that the stone was controlling Humbuggle and not the other way around. Seth finally gets his memories back and when he realizes that he let Wyrmroost fall he hates himself and lets Celebrant capture him.
Grandparents and parents were again non-existent but we do find out at the very beginning that the grandparents are doing okay. I already love Tanu, Warren, Vanessa, Rextus, Calvin, Newel and Doren. I also loved the new characters - Reggie, Hermo (even though Hermo wasn't exactly new in this), Vrigil and Merek. I loved the Legend of the Dragon Slayer and can't wait to read the novella when it is available. Kendra was a lot less annoying in this although she agitated me when she kept on asking the Dragons if they liked their treatment here? Who likes to be imprisoned Kendra? Seth was amazing though and I felt for him throughout. Bracken was there for two sentences only which was a shame because even though I don't much like him and I partly blame him not being in the books for me to actually know him (I don't blame him personally), I actually wanted to know more about the Fairy realm. Newel and Doren were also barely there but as usual they always made me smile. At least Rextus was there a bit more than the last one and loved him.
This book is the best so far in the series. It is completely action packed with some amazing characters both new and old. So many secrets are further revealed and I was stunned most of the time. Even though it is a long book, I devoured this is two sittings and I struggled to put this down but I had to as I needed some sleep in between. I cannot wait for the next book in the series but I also know that that book is going to be the final book in the series and Brandon Mull revealed that fifth book in this series is also going to be the final book in this wonderful world and I am already emotional as I hate goodbyes. At least there is going a be a novella as a special treat.
5 stars
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 9, 2023
reread: splakalam sie strasznie
" - Nie my tu wygramy, mały, i bez obrazy, ty też nie. Jeśli wiesz, co dla ciebie dobre, odejdź, póki możesz. Te Igrzyska to czeluść bez dna. Jeśli raz spadniesz, będziesz leciał bez końca."
🌟
W czwartej części Smoczej Straży Seth, szukając swojego ja, wyrusza do jednego z siedmiu smoczych azylów. Tym razem jednak sytuacja jest tam zupełnie inna - opiekunką Doliny Tytanów jest sama Królowa Olbrzymów, a smoki żyją tam inaczej niż Seth dotąd widział. Żeby zdobyć to, czego pragnie najbardziej, a co zostało skradzione mu przez demona, musi zostać jednym z uczestników Igrzysk Tytanów i, co najgorsze, wygrać właściwie niemożliwą do wygrania grę. Kendra natomiast za wszelką cenę stara się odnaleźć brata i nie dopuścić do upadku kolejnych azylów. Podąża jego tropem z kilkorgiem przyjaciół i aby ponownie ocalić świat, musi zdobyć pewien potężny przedmiot, ukryty gdzieś wśród olbrzymów...
🌟
Nie jestem pewna, czy potrafię wyrazić, jak bardzo zakochana jestem w tej książce i ogólnie całej serii Mulla. Od lat znajduje się ona na liście najbardziej uwielbianych przeze mnie książek i szczęśliwa mogę dodać na nią również czwartą część. Cudownie czytało mi się, jak Seth próbuje odnaleźć się w nowym dla niego świecie, który - już po ośmiu (!) książkach jest tak dobrze znany czytelnikowi - podobnie jak postać samego bohatera! Uwielbialam patrzeć, jak widać powoli zachodzące w nim zmiany, jak próbuje podjąć niepodejmowalne decyzje. Mogłam na nowo wejść w ten świat, w ktorym zakochana jestem od kilku lat.
Jeśli chodzi o Kendrę to widać ogromną różnicę w jej zachowaniu w "Baśnioborze" a "Smoczej Straży". Jej uczucia są zdecydowanie silniejsze - można dostrzec tę jej siłę, pewność siebie w podejmowaniu decyzji, upór, to, że będzie dążyć do swojego celu, ale też emocje takie jak rozpacz i przerażenie - mam wrażenie, że są tutaj dwa razy mocniejsze, przez co zdecydowanie bardziej przeżywałam jej rozdziały. Prawda jest taka, że Kendra przeszła MNÓSTWO i tylko czekam, aż Mull pozwoli jej na chwilę wytchnienia, bo definitywnie na to zasłużyła 🙈 Sama akcja wciągnęła mnie niesamowicie i cudownie było zobaczyć postaci z poprzednich książek, a Warren i Vanessa totalnie podbili moje serducho (nie żeby coś, ale ja czekam na jakieś wedding w piątej części). Muszę przyznać, że po skończeniu czuję niedosyt i nie mogę długo czekać na kolejną część, bo chyba oszaleję 🙈 Końcówka zostawia nas z plot twistem i szczerze nie wiem, jak w jednej części ma się zmieścić tyle akcji!
Podsumowując: jestem w miłości absolutnej do "Mistrza Igrzysk Tytanów", do "Smoczej Straży" i ogólnie całego magicznego świata "Baśnioboru" i nie mogę się doczekać kolejnej, już ostatniej części!
" - Nie my tu wygramy, mały, i bez obrazy, ty też nie. Jeśli wiesz, co dla ciebie dobre, odejdź, póki możesz. Te Igrzyska to czeluść bez dna. Jeśli raz spadniesz, będziesz leciał bez końca."
🌟
W czwartej części Smoczej Straży Seth, szukając swojego ja, wyrusza do jednego z siedmiu smoczych azylów. Tym razem jednak sytuacja jest tam zupełnie inna - opiekunką Doliny Tytanów jest sama Królowa Olbrzymów, a smoki żyją tam inaczej niż Seth dotąd widział. Żeby zdobyć to, czego pragnie najbardziej, a co zostało skradzione mu przez demona, musi zostać jednym z uczestników Igrzysk Tytanów i, co najgorsze, wygrać właściwie niemożliwą do wygrania grę. Kendra natomiast za wszelką cenę stara się odnaleźć brata i nie dopuścić do upadku kolejnych azylów. Podąża jego tropem z kilkorgiem przyjaciół i aby ponownie ocalić świat, musi zdobyć pewien potężny przedmiot, ukryty gdzieś wśród olbrzymów...
🌟
Nie jestem pewna, czy potrafię wyrazić, jak bardzo zakochana jestem w tej książce i ogólnie całej serii Mulla. Od lat znajduje się ona na liście najbardziej uwielbianych przeze mnie książek i szczęśliwa mogę dodać na nią również czwartą część. Cudownie czytało mi się, jak Seth próbuje odnaleźć się w nowym dla niego świecie, który - już po ośmiu (!) książkach jest tak dobrze znany czytelnikowi - podobnie jak postać samego bohatera! Uwielbialam patrzeć, jak widać powoli zachodzące w nim zmiany, jak próbuje podjąć niepodejmowalne decyzje. Mogłam na nowo wejść w ten świat, w ktorym zakochana jestem od kilku lat.
Jeśli chodzi o Kendrę to widać ogromną różnicę w jej zachowaniu w "Baśnioborze" a "Smoczej Straży". Jej uczucia są zdecydowanie silniejsze - można dostrzec tę jej siłę, pewność siebie w podejmowaniu decyzji, upór, to, że będzie dążyć do swojego celu, ale też emocje takie jak rozpacz i przerażenie - mam wrażenie, że są tutaj dwa razy mocniejsze, przez co zdecydowanie bardziej przeżywałam jej rozdziały. Prawda jest taka, że Kendra przeszła MNÓSTWO i tylko czekam, aż Mull pozwoli jej na chwilę wytchnienia, bo definitywnie na to zasłużyła 🙈 Sama akcja wciągnęła mnie niesamowicie i cudownie było zobaczyć postaci z poprzednich książek, a Warren i Vanessa totalnie podbili moje serducho (nie żeby coś, ale ja czekam na jakieś wedding w piątej części). Muszę przyznać, że po skończeniu czuję niedosyt i nie mogę długo czekać na kolejną część, bo chyba oszaleję 🙈 Końcówka zostawia nas z plot twistem i szczerze nie wiem, jak w jednej części ma się zmieścić tyle akcji!
Podsumowując: jestem w miłości absolutnej do "Mistrza Igrzysk Tytanów", do "Smoczej Straży" i ogólnie całego magicznego świata "Baśnioboru" i nie mogę się doczekać kolejnej, już ostatniej części!
December 1, 2020
So far the best book in the series.
It's not a secret that I struggled in reading book 3 of the series and book 2 was kinda a disappointment in my reading career (as if I had one, hehe). Long ago, I dream of a boy and a girl with yin and yang powers. I want to put it into writings but I couldn't. One day as I was looking in the shelves of a bookstore I came across a book with a hag on the cover. As I read the blurb of the book, I thought it would be a great reference if I will begin my writing career. (Guess what, I never become a writer, hehe!). But it starts the likes in the series called Fablehaven.
This fourth installment is a continuation of book 3, (I think so, do you?) it began where book 3 ends (yeah, maybe? 😄✌🏻️). And it ends where book 5 will begins (yeah, kinda 😂😬).
Seriously, I like what happened in the book. It uplift what I felt in the last two books of the series. The book also answer why I should continue to read the series and why so I read. And that is CHOICE... We always have a choice, we can stop, we can go on, or we turn left or right or maybe we can go straight or turn back. Maybe in life, we face things that we should choose. We might be happy with what we choose or maybe sad with what will be the outcome, but still we made the choosing. Still its our choice, so sometimes there will be self blaming.
Slavery was a scene in the book. Some would say, they don't like it, or why the author is putting it there, or he is making a buzz out of it, or etc, etc. etc. Endless questions of why slavery is included. But one thing is for sure, slavery does happen. We may not like it, but it do happen. But what can we do??? (If you have answers comment down below 😊🙏).
Do you know why Seth will be collecting the stones in the crowns of the kings??? Maybe they will float up an island... Just a wild guess. 😊😄😂
Stay safe and God bless everyone...
It's not a secret that I struggled in reading book 3 of the series and book 2 was kinda a disappointment in my reading career (as if I had one, hehe). Long ago, I dream of a boy and a girl with yin and yang powers. I want to put it into writings but I couldn't. One day as I was looking in the shelves of a bookstore I came across a book with a hag on the cover. As I read the blurb of the book, I thought it would be a great reference if I will begin my writing career. (Guess what, I never become a writer, hehe!). But it starts the likes in the series called Fablehaven.
This fourth installment is a continuation of book 3, (I think so, do you?) it began where book 3 ends (yeah, maybe? 😄✌🏻️). And it ends where book 5 will begins (yeah, kinda 😂😬).
Seriously, I like what happened in the book. It uplift what I felt in the last two books of the series. The book also answer why I should continue to read the series and why so I read. And that is CHOICE... We always have a choice, we can stop, we can go on, or we turn left or right or maybe we can go straight or turn back. Maybe in life, we face things that we should choose. We might be happy with what we choose or maybe sad with what will be the outcome, but still we made the choosing. Still its our choice, so sometimes there will be self blaming.
Slavery was a scene in the book. Some would say, they don't like it, or why the author is putting it there, or he is making a buzz out of it, or etc, etc. etc. Endless questions of why slavery is included. But one thing is for sure, slavery does happen. We may not like it, but it do happen. But what can we do??? (If you have answers comment down below 😊🙏).
Do you know why Seth will be collecting the stones in the crowns of the kings??? Maybe they will float up an island... Just a wild guess. 😊😄😂
Stay safe and God bless everyone...
October 17, 2020
When will my heart stop pounding
October 17, 2020
BEST BOOK IN THE SERIES SO FARRRRRRRR. if only it didn't end the way it did. Can't wait till the next book comes out.
March 19, 2022
Rating: 5++++++++++ (+ more) / 5
Yes. Just. Yes. Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes YES YES YES!!!!!!!! YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What more can I say than that?
Ahem, but of course, this literary gem does deserve more words than that, along with the explanations that merit my enthusiasm, so off we go!
First of all, I'd like to congratulate Mr. Mull on a job well done on this new installment of the Dragonwatch series and Fablehaven universe. It does exactly what the fourth book in series of five should do, and what I was hoping for: it represents an upward progression in which the worst mistakes and most hopeless moments are kind of passed, and things begin improving from here. Characters make the right choices; they discover helpful information; they start making plans to fix the mistakes from the past; and, in every which way, they develop--in themselves, in their powers, in their relationships, in their journeys. Champion of the Titan Games contains all of that and more, and is done to a great degree that I simply must applaud it and will enjoy reading it over and over and over again in the future.
Picking up where Master of the Phantom Isle left off, we have both Seth and Kendra headed for Titan Valley, the strongest of the dragon sanctuaries that is presided over by the Giant Queen. Seth is headed there to pursue Humbuggle, the tricky dwarf who stole his memories, and Kendra is of course going to find her brother and furthermore alert the Giant Queen that war with the dragons in one the rise. Their journeys, yet again, are separate, but when in MotPI I cringed every time Seth's journey came up because I just knew he was doing the wrong things, this time I was actually captivated by Seth's story more than Kendra's. The main reason for this, is I had to pinpoint it, is because Seth is completely alone in what he has to do whereas Kendra has the support of all their friends and family, and also that because Seth's only objective is to get his memories back as he's a blank slate, it kind of makes his journey minimal when it comes to consequences and thus allows for his real Seth-ness to come back into his character. (Because, yeah, that was completely suffocated by Ronodin in MotPI and thus made it iffy for me in my reading experience of that.)
That's the general plot outline, anyway, keeping things spoiler-free from this book. To get into spoiler territory though, I'm going to outline the pluses and minuses of the story, starting off with the minuses and then ending off on a positive note with the pluses.
M'kay, here we go:
- The only minus that I can really think of right away is that Bracken is promptly taken out of the story yet again; but...even this isn't really a 100% bad thing, the further I read along into the book. For background, in MofPI one of my beefs was that Bracken wasn't in the story enough, as I already felt that he was kept vague in Dragonwatch and then wasn't present at all in Wrath of the Dragon King. I mean, he's just SUCH an awesome character ever since he was introduced in Keys to the Demon Prison, and yet Mull has been making such minimal use of him that it's positively criminal. He is NOT just there to act as Kendra's love interest, for crying out loud! He's a) a unicorn, b) the son of the Fairy Queen, c) Ronodin's main adversary (or at least his natural opposite, which is just as good), and d) a great fighter with valuable knowledge and skills that could always come in handy. Now, I don't know if Mull's just been keeping him out because he doesn't know how to deal with Bracken outside of being a love interest for Kendra, but nevertheless I was really disappointed in how short his involvement was in this book. I honestly expected more.
That being said though, and to be fair, the further along I read in the story, the more I realized how Bracken wasn't strictly necessary. Apart from the fact that this is Kendra's and Seth's story and therefore their own individual roles are more important--including their emotional support being centered in themselves and how strong they are--the story itself just...doesn't require a unicorn to be present, if that makes sense. There's buildup to something else that I'm sure we'll read about in the fifth book, but just for this book taking place in Titan Valley...yeah, I eventually could agree that Bracken wasn't necessary--much as I would have loved to see more of him regardless.
Now, for the plentiful positives:
+ less of Ronodin. Oh yeah, baby, now that was enjoyable! I think we can confirm that I've thoroughly gone off him since MofPI after what a jerk he was to Seth and just...in general. Gone is the charm; enter Jerkface. Just to confirm though, he is still part of the story and he is still doing bad things (which again, we'll definitely read more about in greater detail in Book 5), but for this book at least, he's more like a minor cameo at one point and otherwise not a big player in the Titan Games portion of Dragonwatch. So...yes, I'm enjoying that while it lasts
+ all of Seth's journey. Just...all of it. I have a private bet going on with myself about a certain aspect of that journey, but to keep this entire section spoiler-free, I won't mention any details. Just...Seth is awesome, guys. Where he didn't feel quite like "Seth" in MofPI, even with his memories gone, Mull has brought him back and kept him up as the Seth we all know and love. It truly feels like a "welcome back!" moment, with or without his memories
+ another Dragon Temple? Yes please! (Again, no spoilers, but let's just say that if you liked Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary, get ready for some serious nostalgia feels here!)
+ The Legend of the Dragon Slayer. Oh, you bet your bottom boots that I'll be buying that when it comes out next year! A beautiful fully illustrated work in the Fablehaven universe? SOLD! Also, just on the story itself, I LOVE how it reads like a fairy tale, because, after all, that's where all fantasy as a genre has started, and it's great to extend that to this universe as well. So, kudos to Mull for getting that in there! Cheers!
+ Kendra's "violent outburst". Okay, so it didn't turn out that well for her, but it was kind of funny and surprising to have any vindictive or violent reaction from this girl, so I'm VERY happy that she did it. Three guesses who it was aimed at? _________
+ Knox's last move in the book. Just...brilliant, dude. I love this kid, seriously, and I'll be keeping an eye on him in the fifth book. (Note: He didn't do as much in this book as in MotPI, but his last move is going to be super important, trust me.)
+ The ending. Just....GAH, SO MUCH TO LOOK FORWARD TO! AND BRILLLLLLLIANT WAY TO TIE UP LOOSE ENDS FOR THIS SERIES, MULL! AND BUILD UP ANTICIPATION FOR BOOK FIVE! IT'S GOING TO BE A LONG ONE, ISN'T IT? MORE QUESTING? MORE POWERS AND DISCOVERIES? DID YOU HAVE THIS PLANNED ALL ALONG? HUH? DID YOU?!
Ahem, and, to end off, let me just put forth this modest request:
Please don't make us wait too long for the next book, Mr. Mull. Pwetty please? Just...make it no later than early 2022, I beg you. *sniffles* That'll be a big year for me and having the last Dragonwatch book in my hands would just about complete it.
Yes. Just. Yes. Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes YES YES YES!!!!!!!! YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What more can I say than that?
Ahem, but of course, this literary gem does deserve more words than that, along with the explanations that merit my enthusiasm, so off we go!
First of all, I'd like to congratulate Mr. Mull on a job well done on this new installment of the Dragonwatch series and Fablehaven universe. It does exactly what the fourth book in series of five should do, and what I was hoping for: it represents an upward progression in which the worst mistakes and most hopeless moments are kind of passed, and things begin improving from here. Characters make the right choices; they discover helpful information; they start making plans to fix the mistakes from the past; and, in every which way, they develop--in themselves, in their powers, in their relationships, in their journeys. Champion of the Titan Games contains all of that and more, and is done to a great degree that I simply must applaud it and will enjoy reading it over and over and over again in the future.
Picking up where Master of the Phantom Isle left off, we have both Seth and Kendra headed for Titan Valley, the strongest of the dragon sanctuaries that is presided over by the Giant Queen. Seth is headed there to pursue Humbuggle, the tricky dwarf who stole his memories, and Kendra is of course going to find her brother and furthermore alert the Giant Queen that war with the dragons in one the rise. Their journeys, yet again, are separate, but when in MotPI I cringed every time Seth's journey came up because I just knew he was doing the wrong things, this time I was actually captivated by Seth's story more than Kendra's. The main reason for this, is I had to pinpoint it, is because Seth is completely alone in what he has to do whereas Kendra has the support of all their friends and family, and also that because Seth's only objective is to get his memories back as he's a blank slate, it kind of makes his journey minimal when it comes to consequences and thus allows for his real Seth-ness to come back into his character. (Because, yeah, that was completely suffocated by Ronodin in MotPI and thus made it iffy for me in my reading experience of that.)
That's the general plot outline, anyway, keeping things spoiler-free from this book. To get into spoiler territory though, I'm going to outline the pluses and minuses of the story, starting off with the minuses and then ending off on a positive note with the pluses.
M'kay, here we go:
- The only minus that I can really think of right away is that Bracken is promptly taken out of the story yet again; but...even this isn't really a 100% bad thing, the further I read along into the book. For background, in MofPI one of my beefs was that Bracken wasn't in the story enough, as I already felt that he was kept vague in Dragonwatch and then wasn't present at all in Wrath of the Dragon King. I mean, he's just SUCH an awesome character ever since he was introduced in Keys to the Demon Prison, and yet Mull has been making such minimal use of him that it's positively criminal. He is NOT just there to act as Kendra's love interest, for crying out loud! He's a) a unicorn, b) the son of the Fairy Queen, c) Ronodin's main adversary (or at least his natural opposite, which is just as good), and d) a great fighter with valuable knowledge and skills that could always come in handy. Now, I don't know if Mull's just been keeping him out because he doesn't know how to deal with Bracken outside of being a love interest for Kendra, but nevertheless I was really disappointed in how short his involvement was in this book. I honestly expected more.
That being said though, and to be fair, the further along I read in the story, the more I realized how Bracken wasn't strictly necessary. Apart from the fact that this is Kendra's and Seth's story and therefore their own individual roles are more important--including their emotional support being centered in themselves and how strong they are--the story itself just...doesn't require a unicorn to be present, if that makes sense. There's buildup to something else that I'm sure we'll read about in the fifth book, but just for this book taking place in Titan Valley...yeah, I eventually could agree that Bracken wasn't necessary--much as I would have loved to see more of him regardless.
Now, for the plentiful positives:
+ less of Ronodin. Oh yeah, baby, now that was enjoyable! I think we can confirm that I've thoroughly gone off him since MofPI after what a jerk he was to Seth and just...in general. Gone is the charm; enter Jerkface. Just to confirm though, he is still part of the story and he is still doing bad things (which again, we'll definitely read more about in greater detail in Book 5), but for this book at least, he's more like a minor cameo at one point and otherwise not a big player in the Titan Games portion of Dragonwatch. So...yes, I'm enjoying that while it lasts
+ all of Seth's journey. Just...all of it. I have a private bet going on with myself about a certain aspect of that journey, but to keep this entire section spoiler-free, I won't mention any details. Just...Seth is awesome, guys. Where he didn't feel quite like "Seth" in MofPI, even with his memories gone, Mull has brought him back and kept him up as the Seth we all know and love. It truly feels like a "welcome back!" moment, with or without his memories
+ another Dragon Temple? Yes please! (Again, no spoilers, but let's just say that if you liked Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary, get ready for some serious nostalgia feels here!)
+ The Legend of the Dragon Slayer. Oh, you bet your bottom boots that I'll be buying that when it comes out next year! A beautiful fully illustrated work in the Fablehaven universe? SOLD! Also, just on the story itself, I LOVE how it reads like a fairy tale, because, after all, that's where all fantasy as a genre has started, and it's great to extend that to this universe as well. So, kudos to Mull for getting that in there! Cheers!
+ Kendra's "violent outburst". Okay, so it didn't turn out that well for her, but it was kind of funny and surprising to have any vindictive or violent reaction from this girl, so I'm VERY happy that she did it. Three guesses who it was aimed at? _________
+ Knox's last move in the book. Just...brilliant, dude. I love this kid, seriously, and I'll be keeping an eye on him in the fifth book. (Note: He didn't do as much in this book as in MotPI, but his last move is going to be super important, trust me.)
+ The ending. Just....GAH, SO MUCH TO LOOK FORWARD TO! AND BRILLLLLLLIANT WAY TO TIE UP LOOSE ENDS FOR THIS SERIES, MULL! AND BUILD UP ANTICIPATION FOR BOOK FIVE! IT'S GOING TO BE A LONG ONE, ISN'T IT? MORE QUESTING? MORE POWERS AND DISCOVERIES? DID YOU HAVE THIS PLANNED ALL ALONG? HUH? DID YOU?!
Ahem, and, to end off, let me just put forth this modest request:
Please don't make us wait too long for the next book, Mr. Mull. Pwetty please? Just...make it no later than early 2022, I beg you. *sniffles* That'll be a big year for me and having the last Dragonwatch book in my hands would just about complete it.
October 14, 2020
There are some full on fans of this series out there and my husband is one of them. He's loved this series since the very beginning of Fablehaven. I am not the biggest fantasy fan so this isn't a series I'm naturally drawn to but I've bought them (or agreed to review them) all because, well, husband. 😊 So, now that you know that you know this little tidbit, the following is my husband's review of this book.
The world of Fablehaven is always so much fun. A new book release in the world of Fablehaven is something I anticipate with eagerness. Brandon Mull does a good job writing the stories to include both Kendra and Seth. That being said, the previous story, Master of the Phantom Isle felt more like it focused on Kendra. For me, Champion of the Titan Games seems more a story for Seth. Seth’s hunt for his memories takes him to exciting places with fun twists. Can he look at things a certain way? How should he respond to an unseen presence?
The arena games are exciting with mysterious participants and secrets to be uncovered. With angry dragons, a looming giant threat, and the Wizenstone at stake, there most assuredly will be a fight. A flying ending with some special challenges provides the icing on the cake! Fans will love this book!
This book is part of a series that should be read in order. This book and series is perfect for all ages. It has a 5-6th grade reading level but younger kids would love hearing this book read aloud. And, as I stated above adults love this series as well. 😉
Content: peril, mild violence
- I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
The world of Fablehaven is always so much fun. A new book release in the world of Fablehaven is something I anticipate with eagerness. Brandon Mull does a good job writing the stories to include both Kendra and Seth. That being said, the previous story, Master of the Phantom Isle felt more like it focused on Kendra. For me, Champion of the Titan Games seems more a story for Seth. Seth’s hunt for his memories takes him to exciting places with fun twists. Can he look at things a certain way? How should he respond to an unseen presence?
The arena games are exciting with mysterious participants and secrets to be uncovered. With angry dragons, a looming giant threat, and the Wizenstone at stake, there most assuredly will be a fight. A flying ending with some special challenges provides the icing on the cake! Fans will love this book!
This book is part of a series that should be read in order. This book and series is perfect for all ages. It has a 5-6th grade reading level but younger kids would love hearing this book read aloud. And, as I stated above adults love this series as well. 😉
Content: peril, mild violence
- I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
October 6, 2020
I’ve been reading these books since I was 13. Over a decade later, a lot of things have changed, but some have stayed the same:
1) these kids cannot catch a break
2) Mull’s still got it
1) these kids cannot catch a break
2) Mull’s still got it
November 30, 2020
Written for children & author’s laziest effort yet
I felt like the target audience was 9 year olds which alone would have been excusable though I had felt in earlier books the maturity was increasing, this book takes it back. I saw examples of lazy writing in almost every chapter, simple explanations for why characters wouldn’t consider viable paths, under developed characters, tossing in a completely unknown character who can provide critical help but that readers won’t be too sad about should they 10 pages later perish... not impressed. I don’t plan to finish this series.
I felt like the target audience was 9 year olds which alone would have been excusable though I had felt in earlier books the maturity was increasing, this book takes it back. I saw examples of lazy writing in almost every chapter, simple explanations for why characters wouldn’t consider viable paths, under developed characters, tossing in a completely unknown character who can provide critical help but that readers won’t be too sad about should they 10 pages later perish... not impressed. I don’t plan to finish this series.
September 24, 2021
Fantastic book! The ending caught me completely off guard making book 5 my most anticipated book of 2021. Thank you Brandon Mull!
February 17, 2022
DAJCIE MI JUŻ 5 CZĘŚĆ!!!
March 30, 2023
Bardzo mi się podobała czwarta część Smoczej Straży. Fajnie było poznać kolejny z smoczych azylów mianowicie Dolinę Tytanów. Jest to dość specyficzny azyl. Panuje w nim królowa olbrzymów i traktuje ona bardzo srogo i surowo smoki. Interesujące były igrzyska tytanów. Postacie i fabuła mi się podobały. Tak samo z zakończeniem. Serdecznie polecam wszystkim tę książkę.
February 7, 2024
It was a solid 4th book.
April 12, 2021
Wow! What a humdinger of a book. This fourth book in the Dragonwatch series, which is a follow-up series to Mull's original Fablehaven series, packs quite a punch. As Mull himself notes at the end of the book, fourth books in a series of five can be tough to write. The story needs to be moved along just enough to set up the last book, but it needs to stand on it's own as well. In my opinion, Mull hit it out of the park with this one. I'm very eager to get my hands on the last book of the series because boy did he set it up well.
Seth and Kendra both end up in Titan Valley, one of the few remaining dragon sanctuaries that hasn't been taken over by the dragons. Seth is there to check out the Titan Games, a contest that promises the powerful Wizenstone to the winner, hoping to get his memories back. But he's up against Humbuggle, a clever dwarf turned demon, who exacts a high price from those who lose at his games. Can Seth find a way to beat Humbuggle and get his memories back or is he doomed to never remember?
Meanwhile, Kendra and her allies arrive at the Giant Queen's fortress to warn her of the developing dragon war and try to help save Titan Valley from being overrun. But the Queen refuses to take heed and Kendra and her allies are left to try to retrieve the Harp of Ages which might give them a chance against the dragons. In order to retrieve the Harp though they must approach the Dragon Temple in the midst of the Perennial Storm and face off with three deadly guardians.
Ultimately, Seth's and Kendra's quests come together, but can they trust each other? And even if they manage to work together, what hope do they really have when the dragons swarm Titan Valley looking for revenge for years of slavery at the hands of the giants?
Full of fascinating twists and turns and action-packed scenes, Champion of the Titan Games does not disappoint. For those who've enjoyed Brandon Mull's other works, this book is a must read.
Seth and Kendra both end up in Titan Valley, one of the few remaining dragon sanctuaries that hasn't been taken over by the dragons. Seth is there to check out the Titan Games, a contest that promises the powerful Wizenstone to the winner, hoping to get his memories back. But he's up against Humbuggle, a clever dwarf turned demon, who exacts a high price from those who lose at his games. Can Seth find a way to beat Humbuggle and get his memories back or is he doomed to never remember?
Meanwhile, Kendra and her allies arrive at the Giant Queen's fortress to warn her of the developing dragon war and try to help save Titan Valley from being overrun. But the Queen refuses to take heed and Kendra and her allies are left to try to retrieve the Harp of Ages which might give them a chance against the dragons. In order to retrieve the Harp though they must approach the Dragon Temple in the midst of the Perennial Storm and face off with three deadly guardians.
Ultimately, Seth's and Kendra's quests come together, but can they trust each other? And even if they manage to work together, what hope do they really have when the dragons swarm Titan Valley looking for revenge for years of slavery at the hands of the giants?
Full of fascinating twists and turns and action-packed scenes, Champion of the Titan Games does not disappoint. For those who've enjoyed Brandon Mull's other works, this book is a must read.
September 12, 2020
Seth and Kendra are doing all they can to get the favor of the giant queen to help them with the dragons, that are sure to attack the Titan Valley as it is the most demeaning place for dragons to live. The giants treat the dragons as slaves there, even Kendra and Seth don't much care for that treatment. But can they convince the giant queen to help them or even any giants, this is the mission they have ever been on, but can they finish it.
I love these books they are so filled with action and suspense that I just can not put the books down. I really love the series all the way back to the Fablehaven part. I really hope Brandon Mull keeps writing about this world because I really need to know how everyone comes out of this.
I love these books they are so filled with action and suspense that I just can not put the books down. I really love the series all the way back to the Fablehaven part. I really hope Brandon Mull keeps writing about this world because I really need to know how everyone comes out of this.
August 3, 2022
Mull is brilliant!
He has managed to catch the younger - older generations in the heart pounding fantasy of Fablehaven once again. So many new characters with so many twist and turns. The fate of the world is depending on so many hero’s.
Some are young, some are old, some tiny and some large. All are important!
So much has been risked and sacrificed to try and keep the dragons from dominating but they continue to advance. Now we must let the fate of Fablehaven and its hero’s rest while we wait for the concluding book to be released.
He has managed to catch the younger - older generations in the heart pounding fantasy of Fablehaven once again. So many new characters with so many twist and turns. The fate of the world is depending on so many hero’s.
Some are young, some are old, some tiny and some large. All are important!
So much has been risked and sacrificed to try and keep the dragons from dominating but they continue to advance. Now we must let the fate of Fablehaven and its hero’s rest while we wait for the concluding book to be released.
July 16, 2021
Brandon Mull tak świetnie łączy wszystkie informacje ze sobą, każdy mały szczegół, tutaj, ma swoje miejsce co jest tak super. Autor świetnie tworzy wszystko, fabułę, bohaterów, świat. Jego rozwiązania są świetne, w ogóle nie przewidywalne, a plot twistów wiele innych autorów mogłoby się od niego uczyć. Zasłużone 5 gwiazdek, czekam na kolejny tom (umieram, że jest jeszcze nie napisany).
January 13, 2021
Not my favorite book in this series like many have announced, but I do really like this book and I am a big fan of Brandon Mull. I have read all of his books, YA and above, and have enjoyed them all very much. I am always excited for what he will do next.
January 10, 2021
Wow! This was crazy fun and I can’t wait for the next!!
February 23, 2022
„Mistrz Igrzysk Tytanów” chyba najbardziej mi się podobał z serii Smoczej Straży. Bardzo lubię wracać do książek Brandona Mulla i szkoda, że na horyzoncie pojawiła się już ostatnia część…
March 21, 2022
3,6 ⭐
Dosyć przewidywalne, a akcja niby była, lecz gasła, jak świeca
Dosyć przewidywalne, a akcja niby była, lecz gasła, jak świeca
June 26, 2023
Chcę mi się po prostu płakać 🥲 To co Mull tu robi z bohaterami ( zwłaszcza z Vanessą) i fabułą łamie mi serducho 💘
November 11, 2020
Around the halfway point through this book, it hit me that this series---not just the five-book Dragonwatch series, but the entire Fablehaven series---is almost finished. The Dragonwatch series has covered such little time (I think from the beginning of Book 1 to the end of Book 4, it's been about three weeks, give or take) and each book holds a fast-paced adventure where our characters are always on the run, as opposed to the original Fablehaven series, where the characters are assigned missions or venture to explore the magical world, but ultimately have this safe preserve to fall back on as their base. In this book, there is hardly any safety or down time. The stakes are real, and the issue of the dragon war is developing swiftly. Despite waiting a year in between each book and having time to think about each one, I hadn't comprehended the series was nearly done due to how swiftly each book has been narrated. At first I didn't love the fast-paced nature of the series, and I still think there should be some time to breathe in between books, but I've realized that regardless of the short span of time it's covered, a lot has happened and our characters have developed significantly since the beginning of the series.
I think this is the best book in the Dragonwatch series, and places near the very top of the entire Fablehaven saga. I said this about the last two books as well, which makes me pleased the books are getting better and more complex as the series goes on. It's clear from the length of the books the stories are getting more complicated and there are more tasks that need completed. So much needs to be done in this book, and many times it feels impossible considering what little time Kendra and Seth have to complete everything, but the successes and goals they achieve never feel cheap or too easy. The standout portion of this book for me was the world of Titan Valley. I found it so fascinating how this dragon preserve is run by giants and how oppressed these creatures are, especially considering how dominant and overpowering the dragons have been in the past three books. It definitely raises a moral issue: should the dragons be oppressed and treated like slaves? The examples of the giants' cruelty suggests they shouldn't be, but when the dragons are finally released during the heart-pounding climax (beginning with the chapter titled, 'Second Storm'), it's evident the dragons hold a collective, fiery anger that can cause great destruction. The answer to the dragon's freedom is not blatantly offered to the reader; I like how there is room for discussion and analysis regarding the catalyst for the series' conflict. Anyways, I think Titan Valley is an intriguing and enjoyable preserve to visit, and the world-building Brandon Mull performs is thorough and impressive as always. I like how Seth's portion of the story deals with Humburgh and the human-sized, community portion of the preserve filled with magical creatures of all kind, whereas Kendra and her arc deals with the royalty of Titan Valley with the queen, the sky giants, and the dragon servants. This preserve is fleshed out superbly, and it's a place I'd want to see return in the one book we have left.
Once the characters get started on their journeys and their crews are organized, I didn't want to put down the book. After mysteries are uncovered and the greater picture is shown, Kendra and Seth chase after the same artifact for different purposes. Kendra wants the Harp of Ages to win the dragon war and put to sleep the dragons, and Seth needs the Unforgiving Blade to destroy the Harp and win the Games, leading to the Wizenstone (which could help win the dragon war) and Seth's memories. Both Kendra and Seth are characters you are rooting for, which makes for such a fascinating journey when their end goals collide drastically. Ultimately, their paths are tied together and it works in a way where they can use the Harp momentarily before Seth destroys it to meet with Humbuggle and win the Games. I'll admit, I preferred slightly Seth would succeed in his mission a tad more than Kendra; I think we all were desperate to see Seth reunited with his memories and win Humbuggle's crazy Games. Which leads me to my favorite part of the book, hands down.
At the end of book two, Wrath of the Dragon King, Kendra and Seth found themselves at Stormguard Castle in Wyrmroost attempting to find the Wizenstone. They encountered a number of trials, tests and abstract challenges presented before them. It included a trio of historic brothers, three coins that could turn anything into its material, and an elusive demon dwarf named Humbuggle. I remember reading these last 100 pages, completely gripped with the mystery and frantic nature of the situation, especially when Celebrant and Ronodin are involved in the contest. It was the most intrigued I'd felt in Dragonwatch so far, and there was so much mystery and secrecy behind the contest that made me crave for the details behind the thrilling ending. Well, all is revealed in Book 4. Humbuggle become one the most fascinating and haunting characters involved in the past two books, especially because he was spoken with such reverence and timid respect. I absolutely love how Seth is chosen as a potential champion for Humbuggle's Games, but he never participates in the traditional gladiator-style games. I love how his main goal throughout the last two books are to find his memories and confront Humbuggle, and the conclusion to this arc is masterful, thrilling and surprisingly poignant. When Seth destroys the Wizenstone, Humbuggle is so shocked he removes the layer of secrecy and subtle dominance he's been known to possess since his introduction. He is portrayed as vulnerable and tired. I love this perspective of such a seemingly omnipotent character, and I relished the details Seth described of his liver spots, the creases surrounding his face, and the graying of his beard. It was a fantastic conclusion to such a compelling storyline, and 'Treasury' is definitely one of the best chapters in the whole series. Not only does Seth destroy the Wizenstone and win the Games, he recieves his memories out of Humbuggle's gratitude. I love how the book makes an emphasis to describe what a weight it is to be reunited with your memories and past experiences, first shown by the combination of Reggie and Merek, then again when Seth remembers his identity. I certainly didn't expect Seth to feel so harrowed by his memories, but I'm grateful this monumental and gratifying event wasn't brushed over quickly. It provides another layer of conflict to Seth's character, even after accomplishing the goal he's wanted for so long.
The depth Brandon Mull goes to to establish historical background to the Fablehaven universe is so enjoyable and creates for a more thorough and cohesive fantasy world. I especially enjoyed the 'Legend of the Dragon Slayer,' written effectively in a tall tale kind of manner. At first, I thought it would be a distracting detour from the story, but I found myself so engrossed in this fable that seems insignificant at the time, but its events and characters will certainly become a central theme and component in the final book. I additionally loved the background of the Wizenstone, the Ethergem, the Void and the Source, discussed by Isadore, Basirus, Seth and Merek. I loved how Isadore mentioned how the Source and the Void is where most magical creature originate from, which was a wonderful inclusion, because up until this point, there was no definitive answer for that question. The Fablehaven world has been expanded monumentally since the very first book, and I love how it sets up the final book with involvement of the magical world's past.
This book has fantastic pacing and engaging storytelling, narrating by Brandon Mull's descriptive immersive language. The action sequences are creative and utilize fun and interesting magical abilities/talismans so the combat scenes never dull. I love the variety and freshness in creatures, magical capabilities, locations and myths. The creativity in this series has not dwindled for a moment. It had me on the edge of my seat the whole time, and I felt in awe with Brandon Mull's vision for the series, how every scene and every word on each page fits into a bigger picture, tying in with a grand and epic collection of storylines. The series has never felt so confident and brilliant than it has in the final chapter, when Seth receives a visit from the very wraith he traveled with in the first chapter he appears in during this sequel series. I had completely forgotten about the Singing Sisters, and I was ecstatic to see their return at such a stupidly inconvenient time. However, when the wraith describes to Seth what favor the Sisters would like him to perform, every arc and every detail this book offers gloriously comes together to illustrate one, final task for Seth and our heroes to tackle in the final installment. I don't know why the Singing Sisters want the shards of the Ethergem, but it will certainly be either the saving grace for our heroes in book five, or the downfall of humanity if it gets into the wrong hands. I know Brandon Mull won't disappoint, and I cannot wait for book five.
Rating: 4.99999999/5. Leaving .00000001 off because Brandon Mull really needs to try out writing an ugly character for once. Also Hermo's dialogue drove me insane. But everything else---genuine perfection.
I think this is the best book in the Dragonwatch series, and places near the very top of the entire Fablehaven saga. I said this about the last two books as well, which makes me pleased the books are getting better and more complex as the series goes on. It's clear from the length of the books the stories are getting more complicated and there are more tasks that need completed. So much needs to be done in this book, and many times it feels impossible considering what little time Kendra and Seth have to complete everything, but the successes and goals they achieve never feel cheap or too easy. The standout portion of this book for me was the world of Titan Valley. I found it so fascinating how this dragon preserve is run by giants and how oppressed these creatures are, especially considering how dominant and overpowering the dragons have been in the past three books. It definitely raises a moral issue: should the dragons be oppressed and treated like slaves? The examples of the giants' cruelty suggests they shouldn't be, but when the dragons are finally released during the heart-pounding climax (beginning with the chapter titled, 'Second Storm'), it's evident the dragons hold a collective, fiery anger that can cause great destruction. The answer to the dragon's freedom is not blatantly offered to the reader; I like how there is room for discussion and analysis regarding the catalyst for the series' conflict. Anyways, I think Titan Valley is an intriguing and enjoyable preserve to visit, and the world-building Brandon Mull performs is thorough and impressive as always. I like how Seth's portion of the story deals with Humburgh and the human-sized, community portion of the preserve filled with magical creatures of all kind, whereas Kendra and her arc deals with the royalty of Titan Valley with the queen, the sky giants, and the dragon servants. This preserve is fleshed out superbly, and it's a place I'd want to see return in the one book we have left.
Once the characters get started on their journeys and their crews are organized, I didn't want to put down the book. After mysteries are uncovered and the greater picture is shown, Kendra and Seth chase after the same artifact for different purposes. Kendra wants the Harp of Ages to win the dragon war and put to sleep the dragons, and Seth needs the Unforgiving Blade to destroy the Harp and win the Games, leading to the Wizenstone (which could help win the dragon war) and Seth's memories. Both Kendra and Seth are characters you are rooting for, which makes for such a fascinating journey when their end goals collide drastically. Ultimately, their paths are tied together and it works in a way where they can use the Harp momentarily before Seth destroys it to meet with Humbuggle and win the Games. I'll admit, I preferred slightly Seth would succeed in his mission a tad more than Kendra; I think we all were desperate to see Seth reunited with his memories and win Humbuggle's crazy Games. Which leads me to my favorite part of the book, hands down.
At the end of book two, Wrath of the Dragon King, Kendra and Seth found themselves at Stormguard Castle in Wyrmroost attempting to find the Wizenstone. They encountered a number of trials, tests and abstract challenges presented before them. It included a trio of historic brothers, three coins that could turn anything into its material, and an elusive demon dwarf named Humbuggle. I remember reading these last 100 pages, completely gripped with the mystery and frantic nature of the situation, especially when Celebrant and Ronodin are involved in the contest. It was the most intrigued I'd felt in Dragonwatch so far, and there was so much mystery and secrecy behind the contest that made me crave for the details behind the thrilling ending. Well, all is revealed in Book 4. Humbuggle become one the most fascinating and haunting characters involved in the past two books, especially because he was spoken with such reverence and timid respect. I absolutely love how Seth is chosen as a potential champion for Humbuggle's Games, but he never participates in the traditional gladiator-style games. I love how his main goal throughout the last two books are to find his memories and confront Humbuggle, and the conclusion to this arc is masterful, thrilling and surprisingly poignant. When Seth destroys the Wizenstone, Humbuggle is so shocked he removes the layer of secrecy and subtle dominance he's been known to possess since his introduction. He is portrayed as vulnerable and tired. I love this perspective of such a seemingly omnipotent character, and I relished the details Seth described of his liver spots, the creases surrounding his face, and the graying of his beard. It was a fantastic conclusion to such a compelling storyline, and 'Treasury' is definitely one of the best chapters in the whole series. Not only does Seth destroy the Wizenstone and win the Games, he recieves his memories out of Humbuggle's gratitude. I love how the book makes an emphasis to describe what a weight it is to be reunited with your memories and past experiences, first shown by the combination of Reggie and Merek, then again when Seth remembers his identity. I certainly didn't expect Seth to feel so harrowed by his memories, but I'm grateful this monumental and gratifying event wasn't brushed over quickly. It provides another layer of conflict to Seth's character, even after accomplishing the goal he's wanted for so long.
The depth Brandon Mull goes to to establish historical background to the Fablehaven universe is so enjoyable and creates for a more thorough and cohesive fantasy world. I especially enjoyed the 'Legend of the Dragon Slayer,' written effectively in a tall tale kind of manner. At first, I thought it would be a distracting detour from the story, but I found myself so engrossed in this fable that seems insignificant at the time, but its events and characters will certainly become a central theme and component in the final book. I additionally loved the background of the Wizenstone, the Ethergem, the Void and the Source, discussed by Isadore, Basirus, Seth and Merek. I loved how Isadore mentioned how the Source and the Void is where most magical creature originate from, which was a wonderful inclusion, because up until this point, there was no definitive answer for that question. The Fablehaven world has been expanded monumentally since the very first book, and I love how it sets up the final book with involvement of the magical world's past.
This book has fantastic pacing and engaging storytelling, narrating by Brandon Mull's descriptive immersive language. The action sequences are creative and utilize fun and interesting magical abilities/talismans so the combat scenes never dull. I love the variety and freshness in creatures, magical capabilities, locations and myths. The creativity in this series has not dwindled for a moment. It had me on the edge of my seat the whole time, and I felt in awe with Brandon Mull's vision for the series, how every scene and every word on each page fits into a bigger picture, tying in with a grand and epic collection of storylines. The series has never felt so confident and brilliant than it has in the final chapter, when Seth receives a visit from the very wraith he traveled with in the first chapter he appears in during this sequel series. I had completely forgotten about the Singing Sisters, and I was ecstatic to see their return at such a stupidly inconvenient time. However, when the wraith describes to Seth what favor the Sisters would like him to perform, every arc and every detail this book offers gloriously comes together to illustrate one, final task for Seth and our heroes to tackle in the final installment. I don't know why the Singing Sisters want the shards of the Ethergem, but it will certainly be either the saving grace for our heroes in book five, or the downfall of humanity if it gets into the wrong hands. I know Brandon Mull won't disappoint, and I cannot wait for book five.
Rating: 4.99999999/5. Leaving .00000001 off because Brandon Mull really needs to try out writing an ugly character for once. Also Hermo's dialogue drove me insane. But everything else---genuine perfection.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 7, 2023
This book was fun and a page-turner for me so it gets four stars. Ultimately it is a book for children, and children’s books get a lot of grace from me in reviews. However, this guy's books will never earn five stars from me due to the racist character descriptions…it is glaringly obvious that he only interacts with white people because he consistently writes the POC characters like they are mythical creatures. Other criticisms: way too many characters (they are very difficult to keep track of and when they die it is supposed to be impactful but I usually didn’t care at all because I couldn't remember who they were or they were underdeveloped) and the immortal being who is literally thousands of years old being mutually in love with an *actual* little girl. It also seems clear that they are going to end up together and the readers are supposed to be rooting for that. Vanessa even mentioned that the age gap was extremely disturbing in the first series, to which Bracken had no rebuttal and even looked ashamed, and this author proceeded to write the romance anyway as if it is cute and okay...creepy choice, Brandon. I enjoyed this a lot though, this stuff doesn’t ruin the books. I just needed to comment on it because these thoughts have been stewing in my head for nine books - what a ride. I’m excited for the last one!
October 20, 2020
Brandon Mull is the author I read no matter what. As soon as the book is announced, it goes on my wish list. And then, I eagerly count down the days until I can have the book in my hands to devour in usually a day or two. The Dragonwatch series is no exception. I've been excited about each one of these returns to the world of Fablehaven, and I will definitely be anticipating the next installment. However, I must say, this latest book in the series, Champion of the Titan Games, felt more like the first half of a final book than a book all on its own. Granted, there is no way to read this series and enjoy it without having read the previous entries, but this one felt as though it was a lot of set up for the final book.
Kendra and Seth are still scouring the magical world, trying desperately to find something that will allow them to secure it from the dragons who are so eager to devour it. From page one, the heroes are off on a quest that will leave them in the worst places, facing their worst fears, and wondering if there is ever going to be a sunrise on the hope they need.
All the typical Brandon Mull action is here, as well as many surprises, which I will definitely not spoil here. Mull's always at his best when characters are deciphering the history of Fablehaven, and there are plenty of scenes for readers to gobble up backstory and information that will certainly spur the conflict on into book five.
While Kendra doesn't get as much "screentime" in this book, there is plenty for her to do. However, Seth is the one who is on a journey here, and I must say, the path he is walking leads to some great questions and no easy answers. As far as character goes, Seth gets the most time out of all the characters to develop further into one of the most complicated heroes in recent fantasy fiction.
My one gripe, if I have to have one, surrounds a somewhat awkward situation in the book about slavery. In light of the conversations taking place in the United States of America regarding racism, this aspect of slavery was never really explored well, and by the way things turn out, it almost leaves the reader in a somewhat awkward space, trying to figure out the ramifications of what has been presented and what has not been presented in the story world. Frankly, there is simply so much going on between multiple threads of the plot that this particular thread feels a little thin. Parents should definitely plan to have a conversation with their kids about slavery afterwards.
All said, Champion of the Titan Games took the story of Dragonwatch to some unexpected places, but by now, I should have expected Brandon Mull to leave me gasping by the last pages. If you want to read this series, I definitely recommend going back and starting with the first book in the first series if you have not read them yet.
Kendra and Seth are still scouring the magical world, trying desperately to find something that will allow them to secure it from the dragons who are so eager to devour it. From page one, the heroes are off on a quest that will leave them in the worst places, facing their worst fears, and wondering if there is ever going to be a sunrise on the hope they need.
All the typical Brandon Mull action is here, as well as many surprises, which I will definitely not spoil here. Mull's always at his best when characters are deciphering the history of Fablehaven, and there are plenty of scenes for readers to gobble up backstory and information that will certainly spur the conflict on into book five.
While Kendra doesn't get as much "screentime" in this book, there is plenty for her to do. However, Seth is the one who is on a journey here, and I must say, the path he is walking leads to some great questions and no easy answers. As far as character goes, Seth gets the most time out of all the characters to develop further into one of the most complicated heroes in recent fantasy fiction.
My one gripe, if I have to have one, surrounds a somewhat awkward situation in the book about slavery. In light of the conversations taking place in the United States of America regarding racism, this aspect of slavery was never really explored well, and by the way things turn out, it almost leaves the reader in a somewhat awkward space, trying to figure out the ramifications of what has been presented and what has not been presented in the story world. Frankly, there is simply so much going on between multiple threads of the plot that this particular thread feels a little thin. Parents should definitely plan to have a conversation with their kids about slavery afterwards.
All said, Champion of the Titan Games took the story of Dragonwatch to some unexpected places, but by now, I should have expected Brandon Mull to leave me gasping by the last pages. If you want to read this series, I definitely recommend going back and starting with the first book in the first series if you have not read them yet.
September 26, 2023
Oh my gosh!!! That ending was great!! I want to read the next one but I think I will wait a little and catch up on some other ones!!
Poor Seth. He has to live with the guilt of what he did when he didn't have his memories and his also grappling with the things he did in the past. Poor Kendra she finally finds Seth to only have him taken away again. I'm sad to see this series end it is so good. But it is a good journey.
Poor Seth. He has to live with the guilt of what he did when he didn't have his memories and his also grappling with the things he did in the past. Poor Kendra she finally finds Seth to only have him taken away again. I'm sad to see this series end it is so good. But it is a good journey.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 9, 2021
Really a 3.5. It was a great book. I just feel like there is so much that the author tries to pack into the book, that there isn't really room for him to do justice to all the stories in just one more book. Fits the pattern of Mull series though.
August 19, 2023
lowkey forgot to update during this. oops
anyways, i was in the worst reading slump during this and i don’t believe it was solely the book’s fault but it is the truth.
i am quite happy with how it is going but the 9 year reading saga of this classic world that i have grown to love so dearly will be coming to an end with the next and final book in this series and i am simply not ready
anyways, i was in the worst reading slump during this and i don’t believe it was solely the book’s fault but it is the truth.
i am quite happy with how it is going but the 9 year reading saga of this classic world that i have grown to love so dearly will be coming to an end with the next and final book in this series and i am simply not ready
June 12, 2021
Really enjoyed this one! I loved the adventure, had the most feels yet for Vanessa, and was legit surprised at certain plot points. For sure left me wanting more! I really enjoy Seth without his memories and the titan games were fun to experience with him.
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