Author Brandon Mull makes his maiden foray into middle grade high fantasy. No stranger to middle grade fantasy with his Fablehaven and Dragonwatch series, what distinguishes Forbidden Mountain is that it is set entirely in a fantasy world as opposed to crossovers between our world and a fantasy setting. Additionally, it has more of an epic scope, setting up the classic battle of good versus evil on a grander scale. This book feels like a weightier and more serious work.

There are two primary characters: Mako and Arden. They are joined by another friend, Tuck. All are the age of twelve and are going through rites of passage both formal and informal. At times the characters feel like kids and at times they feel more adult, which is what happens at the transition point of life. About mid-book all the characters are brought together in the war camp of Master Rojan. The core concept of Mako and his guardian introduces several themes around whether good can be accomplished via or in spite of evil power sources, do the ends justify the means, and what it means to surrender one’s control to another. This relationship will keep the reader guessing and unsettled right along with Mako. Mako and Arden are both likeable characters that the reader will enjoy.

This is a book that gained strength and momentum as it progressed, ending particularly strong and with an major and unforeseen development. Although this is technically middle grade fiction, it is on the more intense side of the spectrum with deaths of friends and some intense battle scenes. This is the first book in a new series so there is more to come.

Review of a Digital Advance Reading Copy Provided by the Publisher

Content Analysis:

Profanity/Language: None

Violence/Gore: Character comes upon the remains (dust/ash) of three people; brief fight and someone slashes another’s throat; character runs another through the back with a sword; character held hostage with knife at throat; hog hanging out of a butcher shop with blood pooling beneath; characters pursued, chain used to smash and break fingers; characters spar with training equipment; hypothetical discussions about weapons and war; character says that a ruling family has history of murdering each other; character says he has killed; robbery in which characters are killed with arrows, pike, etc.; character hit by arrow, fights with sword, run through with a sword; character pursued with intent to kill them; character is held under the water and drowned; several scenes of fighting in a tournament, both one-on-one match-ups and large melee, some injuries, extended scene; group attacks a family with children, arrows, crossbows, knife resulting in deaths, some description; report that that someone killed three dogs that were sent after them; talk about “ditching” bodies; report that someone cut their own throat rather than be taken into custody; rumors that someone had slain three warriors with only a kitchen knife; report that someone killed two people; someone said they broke another’s wrist when they tried to punch them; training and sparing with weapons, several scenes; extended scene of attack with many injuries and death, some detailed descriptions–arrows protruding from neck, body convulsing in death, swords slashing/stabbing, etc.; character describes a nightmare where there is gushing blood coming from someone who is pursuing him; reference to making an offering of blood, fruit, or something else; character is hypnotized and told he is a horrible person and that he needs to kill his father; character is briefly abducted; character pinned to floor; character placed in chokehold to render them unconscious; something is found that lists everyone someone has killed; extended scene in which there is an attack with many deaths, many bodies seen–including close friends, fighting with arrows, knives, swords, and a mystical powers, a beheading, descriptive language; characters see another character attacked with a mace, some description, individual dies;

Sex/Nudity: Mention that a girl and boy liked each other and had kissed a few times.

Mature Subject Matter:

Missing parent, orphan, gangs/crime, death, murder, emotional abuse of a child via hypnosis, spying, lying.

Alcohol/Drug Use:

Mention of someone smoking a pipe; man looks intoxicated; smoke/vapors used in ceremony; sleeping darts used.