Author Brandon Mull has done it again with the next installment of the Dragonwatch series, Master of the Phantom Isle. He delivers an action-packed adventure that takes the reader to new magical preserves where they meet new magical creatures. He also masterfully creates this constant underlying tension of good vs evil throughout the entire novel, propelling the storyline. This novel picks up right where the second one left off and kidnapped Seth Sorenson is grappling with who he is and what it means to have these dark powers. Kendra Sorenson is left to deal with the dragon rebellion on her own at Wyrmroost. As events unfold, she is free to go and find her bother, which takes her around the world. Here we see Mull’s genius as he creates yet again another magical world that is unique and fascinating with new magical creatures and unusual surroundings as he draws on the lore of ancient peoples.
As Seth and Kendra are off on separate journeys and adventures, the reader is constantly drawn to the contrast of light/dark and good/evil. Mull expertly uses this conflict to drive the story line as he examines whether or not a dark character like Seth, who is a shadow charmer, is inherently evil or if there is more to it. With no memories, Seth is having to explore this question on his own with nothing else to base it on. Kendra is also forced to deal with this question as she must decide whether or not to combine light and darkness at one point in the novel. This constant conflict and what it means for the main characters is part of what pulls the reader in to this novel as they too search for answers.
As stated, this Master of the Phantom Isle is the third novel in the Dragonwatch series and in order to understand what is happening, one really must start at the beginning. That being said, one will not regret this requirement as Dragonwatch really is packed with adventure, excitement, and peril that will leave you on the edge of your seat and have you eagerly turning pages.
Other novels in this series:
This book was sent to Compass Book Ratings for review by Shadow Mountain
Content Analysis:
Profanity/Language: None
Violence/Gore: Character told he will die if a certain magical creature wants him dead; Magical creature puts a character in a type of magical bondage; Character sees evidence of 2 murdered magical creatures; 10 page frightening scene of characters fleeing from the undead; A dragon eats a character; Characters are attacked by dragons; Character told how a carnivorous plant will eat him alive; 10 page frightening scene where characters are chased by a giant triclops; 4 page frightening scene where characters are chased by the undead; Characters are attacked and taken captive by a giant octopus-like demon; Character sacrifices himself to a dragon so others can have a chance to escape; Character chased and confronted by the undead; Character threatened by the Underking that they will be killed; Underking kills a fairy in front of a character; 2 unicorns duel each causing injuries to the other
Sex/Nudity: Boy puts his arm around a girl.
Mature Subject Matter:
Kidnapping; Death.
Alcohol / Drug Use:
None
