Skulduggery Pleasant: the Faceless Ones

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Meet Skulduggery Pleasant: detective, sorcerer, warrior.

Oh yes. And dead.

If you've read the previous Skulduggery books then you know what the Faceless Ones are - and if you know what the Faceless Ones are, then you can probably take a wild guess that things in this book are going to get AWFULLY sticky for our skeletal hero and his young sidekick.

If you haven't read the previous Skulduggery books then what are you doing reading this? Go and read them right now, so that you know what all that stuff in the previous paragraph was about.

Done? Good. So now you're on tenterhooks too, desperately awaiting the answers to all your questions, and instead you're going to have to wait to read the book. Sorry about that.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

School Library Journal Review

Gr 5-8-This story picks up where Playing with Fire (HarperCollins, 2008) leaves off. The skeleton detective and his 14-year-old sidekick, Valkyrie, have uncovered an evil plot to allow the Faceless Ones through a portal into our world, which will surely bring about the destruction of life as we know it. Banished from the department and branded a dangerous character, Skulduggery is not allowed to work the case, but he is able to uncover enough information to put the pieces together. The plot contains many twists and double crosses as dubious characters factor into the mystery. In the end, sacrifices are made and Valkyrie is faced with a difficult decision. This third installment has enough action to keep casual or new readers interested in what happens next. Kids who have outgrown Lemony Snicket will enjoy the series.-Karen Hoth, Manatee Elementary School, Fort Myers, FL (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Booklist Review

Skeleton-detective Skulduggery Pleasant and his 14-year-old sidekick, Valkyrie Cain, return for a third adventure following Scepter of the Ancients (2007) and Playing with Fire (2008). The struggle between good and evil intensifies; this time the nefarious Faceless Ones seek a willing Teleporter to open the gates that connect the real world and underworld so that they can destroy everything. This alternate reality is fully developed, but a cast of thousands and frequent references to past adventures may confuse newcomers to this series. Still, brisk action, macabre characters, and a generally dark tone will appeal to mystery and horror fans.--Weisman, Kay Copyright 2009 Booklist

Kirkus Book Review

It's another near squeak for humanity as the laconic, more-or-less dead detective with the natty fashion sense and his young adrenaline-junkie sidekick Valkyrie Cain (ne Stephanie) face off against the Diableriean all-too-capable gang of supervillains who always seem to stay one step ahead in their scheme to bring the vengeful Elder Gods back to this plane. As in the two previous episodes (which should be read first by anyone who wants to keep story line and cast members straight), Landy has entirely too much fun strewing his caper with bloody mayhem, often-hilarious dialogue and an array of distinctive mages and magical creatures as he propels events to a harrowing, ultra-violent climactic battle that litters the landscape with the corpses of allies and enemies both. A gifted storyteller, the author will hook readers on the first page and leave them on the last as wrung out as he leaves his teenage protagonistwho pays a high price indeed for killing a god or two. Rattling good fun. (Fantasy. 11-13) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.