Collection
Series
Publication
HarperCollins Children's (2009), Edition: 1st UK, Hardcover, 320 pages
Description
Fourteen-year-old Valkyrie and the skeleton mage, Skulduggery Pleasant, try to foil a plot set in motion fifty years before to find and open the gate that will allow the Faceless Ones to return to this reality.
Language
Original language
English
User reviews
LibraryThing member bookappeal
Even though Skulduggery Pleasant has been kicked out of the Sanctuary, he can't trust his replacement to do the job right when Teleporters are being targeted and murdered. Skulduggery and his fourteen-year-old trainee, Valkyrie, take the case unofficially. The stakes are huge. Someone is trying to
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bring back The Faceless Ones, whose return will be disastrous for humans and magical folk alike. With their trademark sense of humor and penchant for running into dangerous situations head first, the duo join old friends and make unusual alliances to prevent the end of the world. Show Less
LibraryThing member SunnySD
In which the plot darkens, the White Cleaver reappears, a Sea Hag attacks, Stephanie's parents take a vacation, the world almost ends, and Skulduggery... but no, that would be telling. You'll have to read for yourself and see what happens!
Stephanie, a.k.a. Valkyrie Cain, and bony detective
Sure, it's a bit formulaic. And the people warning Stephanie/Valkyrie that she's only 14 and needs to enjoy her childhood are growing in number and getting a bit tiresome. But the action's headlong and the dialogue is clever, and this one has a twist at the end - cliffhanger, anyone? I'll definitely be tracking down the next installment.
Stephanie, a.k.a. Valkyrie Cain, and bony detective
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Skulduggery Pleasant are still not back in good graces with the Grand Mage - accusing someone of treason (and not being able to prove it) does have a few nasty side-effects. Unfortunately, the mysterious cabal bent on returning thel Faceless Ones to our plane of existence hasn't stopped plotting. Teleporters are turning up dead all over the place, and it's apparent something unpleasant is in the works - if Valkyrie and company can't stop them - say it with me, now - the world as we know it will cease to exist. Sure, it's a bit formulaic. And the people warning Stephanie/Valkyrie that she's only 14 and needs to enjoy her childhood are growing in number and getting a bit tiresome. But the action's headlong and the dialogue is clever, and this one has a twist at the end - cliffhanger, anyone? I'll definitely be tracking down the next installment.
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LibraryThing member twonickels
Didn't love it the way I loved the first two. Took me a long time to feel connected to the characters again, and it lost a lot of the funny. But the ending made up for a lot of that - very exciting!
LibraryThing member lilibrarian
Book 3 in the Skulduggery Pleasant series where the skeletal detective and his teenage sidekick once again save the world from evil magic.
LibraryThing member phoebesmum
The third book in this superior YA series; detective Skulduggery Pleasant, who just happens to be a skeleton but doesn’t let that slow him up, and his plucky teenage sidekick Stephanie/Valkyrie Cain, are now working without official sanction. They don’t let that slow them up either and,
What indeed.
Although this series is head and shoulders above most of its contemporaries, if for nothing else but the humour and the snappy dialogue, book three does exhibit some bucket-too-often-to-the-well symptoms, with an over-reliance on frequent and repetitive fight scenes. There are hints of something more interesting developing, though, in terms of Stephanie’s over-dependence on her reflection, which she uses to live her routine life while she’s out fighting crime, and the ending promises to shake up book four dramatically.
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needless to say, they run rings around the official channels. This time, something is targeting Teleporters, with an end to bringing about the end of the world. Again. Routine stuff for Skulduggery; what can possibly go wrong?What indeed.
Although this series is head and shoulders above most of its contemporaries, if for nothing else but the humour and the snappy dialogue, book three does exhibit some bucket-too-often-to-the-well symptoms, with an over-reliance on frequent and repetitive fight scenes. There are hints of something more interesting developing, though, in terms of Stephanie’s over-dependence on her reflection, which she uses to live her routine life while she’s out fighting crime, and the ending promises to shake up book four dramatically.
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LibraryThing member 6h.library
This book is about Skulduggery Pleasant and Valkryie Cain. They are detectives who try to chase evil. In this world there is magic! These two have a gang who aid them in stopping them in crime!
LibraryThing member wyvernfriend
I felt kinda lost in this story, I didn't connect enough with the characters and it just left me feeling a bit meh.
Skulduggery and Valkyrie investigate the deaths of teleporters and find that they're getting fewer and fewer. It would appear that someone plans to bring the faceless ones back and the
It's not bad, probably if I had read it closer to the last one I would have enjoyed it more but the series is losing a push for me to keep reading. I do plan to read book 4 at another stage but right now it can wait.
Skulduggery and Valkyrie investigate the deaths of teleporters and find that they're getting fewer and fewer. It would appear that someone plans to bring the faceless ones back and the
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powers that be don't believe Skulduggery and in fact are getting in the way of solving the crimes.It's not bad, probably if I had read it closer to the last one I would have enjoyed it more but the series is losing a push for me to keep reading. I do plan to read book 4 at another stage but right now it can wait.
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LibraryThing member rrainer
I can see, in an objective sort of a way, that this is a decent enough series. But even now, three books in, I haven't managed to really connect with any of the characters. I don't feel much of an investment in their successes or failures and, really, don't feel like I know them very well at
The most interesting thing about this particular installment to me was the thread throughout it that it is not okay for a fourteen-year-old girl to be living her life like this. Not that Valkyrie is a convincing teenager, but it's interesting to have that aspect of her chosen life laid out so explicitly. Because it is quite, quite ridiculous and foolhardy and I'm interested to see where they go with that, at least.
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all.The most interesting thing about this particular installment to me was the thread throughout it that it is not okay for a fourteen-year-old girl to be living her life like this. Not that Valkyrie is a convincing teenager, but it's interesting to have that aspect of her chosen life laid out so explicitly. Because it is quite, quite ridiculous and foolhardy and I'm interested to see where they go with that, at least.
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LibraryThing member klee98
Derek Landy has definitely done it this time. With Faceless One, he was able to captivate the audience with what Valkyrie had felt throughtout the story.
LibraryThing member SpockMonkeys
Great series - wish our library owned more of them
LibraryThing member Lydia_Perversius
It appears two was my limit with this series before it finally hit a rock...
Skulduggery Pleasant and his sidekick, Valkyrie Cain, have to save the world from evil once more. This time, someone is trying to bring The Faceless Ones. And our two detectives will have to stop it from happening. But will
I admit I was happy to get my hands on this one. Having loved the previous books, I was eager to see what kind of adventures that wonderful pair would get into! Not to mention the humor that is right up my alley and the wit!
And as expected, it didn't disappoint when it came to those parts!
But, as I kept reading, something kept bothering me. At first, I didn't really understand what it ws, until Scapegrace pointed it out (thank you, dear Vorien): Valkyrie.
Our dear, lovely Val, was becoming more and more like her mentor. I know, she's a teenager, and teenagers are supposed to mimic their elders. But it wasn't ok for me. Because I was watching, helplessly, as a girl who should be someone with her own individual personality, was giving it her best to be somebody else. And while everyone kept pointing it out from some point onward - yes, Scapegrace wasn't the only one who noticed - she just ignored them all. That wasn't some kind of sassy attitude or wisdom beyond her young years. That was what I call "being a brat". And while that would seem normal for a teenager, it still pissed me off at some point.
I hope this doesn't happen in the next book. Now that she has no one to act like, maybe she will get a personality of her own...
Skulduggery Pleasant and his sidekick, Valkyrie Cain, have to save the world from evil once more. This time, someone is trying to bring The Faceless Ones. And our two detectives will have to stop it from happening. But will
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this time be like the others or will they not escape unscathed?I admit I was happy to get my hands on this one. Having loved the previous books, I was eager to see what kind of adventures that wonderful pair would get into! Not to mention the humor that is right up my alley and the wit!
And as expected, it didn't disappoint when it came to those parts!
But, as I kept reading, something kept bothering me. At first, I didn't really understand what it ws, until Scapegrace pointed it out (thank you, dear Vorien): Valkyrie.
Our dear, lovely Val, was becoming more and more like her mentor. I know, she's a teenager, and teenagers are supposed to mimic their elders. But it wasn't ok for me. Because I was watching, helplessly, as a girl who should be someone with her own individual personality, was giving it her best to be somebody else. And while everyone kept pointing it out from some point onward - yes, Scapegrace wasn't the only one who noticed - she just ignored them all. That wasn't some kind of sassy attitude or wisdom beyond her young years. That was what I call "being a brat". And while that would seem normal for a teenager, it still pissed me off at some point.
I hope this doesn't happen in the next book. Now that she has no one to act like, maybe she will get a personality of her own...
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LibraryThing member bookbrig
I think this series is wonderful. I love books that mix action and humor, and these do that beautifully. Plus: talking skeleton. Yes.
LibraryThing member MontzaleeW
The Faceless Ones
(Skulduggery Pleasant #3)
by Derek Landy
The snark, wit, clever dialogue, and wild adventures get even crazier in this book! The dreaded Faceless Ones make it a face-off with Valkyrie and Skulduggery. There are loads of other things going on too which is normal for these two!
All of
(Skulduggery Pleasant #3)
by Derek Landy
The snark, wit, clever dialogue, and wild adventures get even crazier in this book! The dreaded Faceless Ones make it a face-off with Valkyrie and Skulduggery. There are loads of other things going on too which is normal for these two!
All of
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it is full of fun, action, and snark! The ending was very different but now we know what the next adventure will be anyway! Lol! Love this crazy series! Show Less