Fablehaven, Book 5: Keys to the Demon Prison

by Brandon Mull

Other authorsBrandon Dorman (Illustrator)

Hardcover, 2010

Status

Available

Call number

823

Publication

Shadow Mountain (2010), Hardcover, 544 pages

Description

Since ancient times, the great demon prison Zzyzx has protected the world from the most dangerous servants of darkness, including Gorgrog, the Demon King. After centuries of plotting, the Sphinx is on the verge of recovering the five artifacts necessary to open the legendary prison. To thwart the Sphinx's designs and find a safe home for the five artifacts, Kendra, Seth, and the Knights of the Dawn must venture far beyond the walls of Fablehaven in a desperate struggle to control the keys to the demon prison.

User reviews

LibraryThing member teppy11

Amazing! One of the best books I've ever read. I really enjoy this series and I hope more people will eventually pick it up. It's such a great book!

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LibraryThing member willowcove

Who wouldn't want to live in a secret refuge for 'mythical' beasts? I LOVE this series!

LibraryThing member The_Hibernator

This was a fantastic series. It is fun and exciting and funny...and all the loose ends are tied up. It was also very well organized. Mull clearly had an idea of where the series was going right from the beginning.

One thing I love about this series is that it STAYS in the young adult genre all the

way through. Too many of these series start out for young adult and then develop content and concepts that are not age appropriate. In this one, the kids remain innocent and childlike all the way through. Their characters, of course, develop throughout, but without losing their old selves. Way to go Mr. Mull! I can’t wait for you to pump out some more books!

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LibraryThing member krau0098

This is the fifth (and final) novel in the Fablehaven series by Brandon Mull. A ton happens in this book and it is a wonderful conclusion to the series tying everything up nicely.

The book starts with Seth, Kendra and the other Knights of Dawn leaving on a quest to obtain the Translocator. Things,

of course, go horribly wrong and our heroes end up on a desparate quest to prevent the opening of great demon prison Zzyzx. Some heroes perish, while new heroes join the story. Many of the events still focus on Seth, Kendra and the Sphynx.

This book is very fast paced and a lot happens in it. Seth and Kendra are separated for much of the book, each going on their own separate quests. All of our old favorite characters are in this book. Some of those favorites are sacrificed as quests are undertaken. New characters are added, my favorite of which was Bracken...he was an awesome main character who played a major part in this story. I wished that he had become part of the story sooner.

Mull's writing style is very readable and well paced. He does a fabulous job summing up this series and we learn answers to all of the questions that we have been longing to have answered. There really wasn't anything that I would change about this book. The only thing that made me sad is that this series is over now. In his afterword Mull makes it very clear that there will be no direct additions to this series.

I will definitely be checking out Mull's "Candy Shop Wars" as well as keeping an eye on the new series he is starting in 2011. This is one of the best series of books I have ever read and this book is a wonderful conclusion to it.

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LibraryThing member Rubbah

I have nothing bad whatesoever to say about this series, and I wish that more people in the UK to knew about them. In this final installment, Kendra and Seth must use the unique skills and powers that they have harnessed in the earlier books, in order to fight against the demon hoard about to be

unleashed on the world by the sphinx. Together, with old and new friends come together in a thrilling battle that was not the let down that I had feared after such big build up throughout the series. This a very accessible series, suitable for anyone from 10 up,yet follows adult themes. I'm 19 and I love this series, and have just recently got my dad(normally not a big reader) to start them from the beginning. I only wish I was him, so that I could read them fresh all over again.

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LibraryThing member noranydrop2read

I've really enjoyed this series, but the last book was a bit of a slog. I could easily put this book down for long stretches, and I almost dreaded picking it back up again. Things are getting very dark and serious, and I missed the lighthearted fun elements that were more prevalent in the early

books. On top of that, Kendra and Seth are separated for most of the book, and their sibling interaction is one of my favorite parts of the series. Plot twists like "a shocking betrayal!" were becoming stale for me. A reader can only take so many shocking betrayals before he can't be shocked anymore. This one is the most plot-driven of the series. As the characters race from danger to danger, there's little time for character development or reflection. It was rather exhausting, and while Book 5 tied up all the loose ends, making it a must-read for fans of the series, it had a perfunctory feel, as if Mull were checking off dangling threads from a list. I read this for closure, and so will anyone who read the first four books, but I was disappointed in the execution. The joy I found in the rest of the series was missing.

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LibraryThing member rebecca10

i really enjoyed this action-packed series fanaly, but i think there should be a continuation of Kendra and Brackens relationship.

LibraryThing member hoosgracie

Final book in the series. The audio was as good as always. Satisfying end to the series, although the romance between Kendra and Bracken was a bit much.

LibraryThing member thediaryofabookworm

So at long last...I've gotten my hands on the final Fablehaven book, I still have no idea why it's not in Canada yet, but my advice right now is go to New York to get it. It's well worth the trip!

Brandon Mull has done a stand up job of ending this series. So often authors let me down at the end,

with oodles of exciting, leading up to big old boring or nonsensical let downs for endings.
Not so in Fablehaven.
From book number one onwards this has been one exciting, twisting, story full of surprises and great laughs. It's getting the highest honour I can bestow on a YA or 9-13 book, it's going on the same shelf as Harry Potter.

What can I tell you about Keys to the Demon Prison other than you have to read it? It has the best ever battle cry "Frito-Lay!", can you guess Doren and Newel have something to do with it? There's a terrific new good guy, who has a fantastic Hero moment where I wanted to jump up and cheer. Maybe one of my favorite parts (that I can tell you about anyhow) is at the end Brandon Mull does a run down of what he's up to now, tells you specifically about his next release (the Beyonders 2011), as well as addresses the "more Fablehaven" question (maybe, though this story is wrapped up). Why don't all authors do this?! It made me twice as excited, and less disappointed by the fact I had no more Fablehaven left.

I took a moment last night, as I was falling asleep, to think about why I'm such a sucker for the epic, fantasy, quest stories like Fablehaven. I think it has a lot to do with the anything is possible element, you live with that belief growing up and it makes an everyday world more magical simply because you believe it can and will be whatever you want it to be. As you grow up the mundane aspects of life (9-5 jobs, bills, dealing with phone companies etc.) can suck away some of that belief. And except for those magical days when you daydream about winning the lottery, or you get some surprising happy news, being "realistic" can suck the magical fount of belief quite dry. Stories like Fablehaven help to remind me to be starry eyed and believe in the crazy if for no other reason then it's fun, and everything in life shouldn't be realistic or even practical. Hell if I want to believe I might one day still turn out to be a fairy princess who's really really rich, then I'm just going to nurse the dream and help it grow (but maybe not mention it out for drinks with friends, I don't want to end up in an asylum after all).

Get your magical glow on, read this series next, you won't be disappointed.

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LibraryThing member DestinyY

Fablehaven keys to the demon prison is a book beyond words. It is the fifth and final book of the Fablehaven series. Full of adventure and mystery. This book is full of suprises and conundrums that include humor friendly for kids, teens and even adults. The main characters, 12 year old Seth

Sorenson, and 15 year old Kendra Sorenson, go through dangerous and taxing quests to save their mom and dad from and evil society that is trying to unleash a catastrophy on the world. The demon prison, Zzyzx. Throughout this book Seth, Kendra and their grandparents gain and lose companions who try to help their futile cause. This book is one of my personal favorites because it is very well written and is even with the plot and characters to where it will keep you up till the late hours of the night.

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LibraryThing member jfoster_sf

Incredible finish to one of my favorite series, I'm sad though to say goodbye to the characters so I hope he changes his mind and writes more Fablehaven books some day! He has a new book coming out in March that will be the first in a new fantasy series, so I hope they live up to these ones!!

LibraryThing member NaMo0104

I just LOVE this book and it makes me sad that this is the final book of the series. this book is the reason why I love fantasy book so much! I wish that there was more story to read! this is one book that I will love rereading!

LibraryThing member cmbohn

Seth and Kendra and their friends are ready to help them defend the world against the demon invasion. I don't want to give away too much, since this is just out and I'm sure that there will be a lot of people who haven't read it yet. In the last book, Seth and Kendra's parents were kidnapped by the

Sphinx, and it was up to them to figure out how to get them back. They also needed to find a way to prevent the Demon Prison from opening. No spoilers, but let's say that not everything goes according to plan.

This is a great series, full of action. It's written for a little younger age than Harry Potter, but there are plenty of great themes in here. Mull is not afraid to put his characters through some tough things and not everyone survives. I loved the twist at the last book, and this one is also a very strong story. I may be a little generous in giving it 5 stars, but I was on the edge of my seat reading and shooed my kids away so I could finish the last two chapters in peace. Recommended for fantasy fans, and especially good for kids.

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LibraryThing member tjsjohanna

Mr. Mull's writing has improved over the course of the series - he still tends to make lists of things but the overall flow is definitely better in this book. My kids and I were sad to see the end of this series - we have enjoyed reading it aloud. This book was full of disappointments, but also

there were great moments of bravery and courage. I especially enjoyed the illustrations of such ideas as obedience and making choices and what the consequences of those choices might be. Great things to talk with kids about and a fun way to do it.

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LibraryThing member irisboullion

Kendra and Seths parents have been abducted by the society. They have two of the artifacts but those are taken by the Society when they capture them and has now all five. They escape with the help of the Sphinx who has lost control of the society to demons, and a unicorn named Bracken. Seth must

now find the legandy sword Vasils. They all must go to the Shoreless Isle to fight the demons after they are released. The Astrids are restored and the Fairy Queen herself leaves her realm to fight the demons and their king. Seth takes out two of the most powerful demons but is injured so Kendra takes Vasils and slays the demon king. The Fairy Queen uses her realm as bait to trap the demons and uses it as a prison, but will make her new realm in the old prison.
Keys to the Demon Prison is the 5th and final book in the Fablehaven series. It is by far the best. I wish that there were going to be more Fablehaven books but sadly there aren't. It is one of the best books I have ever read. I hope that Mull's other series are as good. I doubt this because these books are really just that great. But you never know seemingly inpossible things can happen.

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LibraryThing member publiusdb

Great for new readers or younger teens...just couldn't keep my attention, though.

LibraryThing member Mirkwood

Absolutely adored this series, one of my new all time favorites. Brandon Mull is an extraordinary writer with a real gift. I loved his secondary characters, who knew satyrs are funny in every book?
These have the elements I long for in all my favorites, humor, wisdom, characters I care deeply

about, a fantastic setting and bonus illustrations.
I don't know what age these were written for and I don't care, they were ageless fun.
I am very much looking forward to more of his work.

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LibraryThing member br14zape

I read the entire Fablehaven series. I would recommend them to almost anyone. They have action, humor, adventure, and suspense. Keys to the Demon Prison is the last book in the five book series. You would definitely want to read the first four before you read this one. I really liked the first one,

and they just got better and better.

The books are based on the characters Seth and Kendra. The brother and sister team try to save Fablehaven, and in the series they put their lives on the line to continue to help their grandparents keep mythical creatures safe.

In the finale, Keys to the Demon Prison, Seth continuously throws himself in the path of danger. He has to travel to different locations gathering items to prevent demons from taking over the world. Zzyxx is the demon prison that houses the world's deadliest demons including the demon king. Kendra also puts her life on the line, but most of the time, she is just trying to figure out how to keep her brother alive.

If you liked Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, and Eregon, then you will really like Brandon Mull's series.

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LibraryThing member sreeparna

What an ending to an wonderful series.I couldn't have asked for anything better than this.This one outshines the other books of the series completely.The best thing was ,Brendan Mull was able to maintain the excitement and the mystery till the end.I couldn't guess what would happen next or at the

end no matter how hard I tried.

The story was complicated and full of magical wonders than ever.At the first part the good guys tried to retrieve the one of the last artifacts,got ambushed and some of them ended up being captured.Remaining ones formed a plan to rescue them and ran into disaster.Allies got separated but new friendships formed in the hard times.Sphinx's secrets was revealed and the bad guys reached their goal.
But wait for it,here came the twist.It didn't happened as the way readers expected it to be.It was really refreshing to see how the author constantly changed courses and brought surprises at every corner.

I liked the character of the dragon Raxtus.He matured very well in this book.I loved those satyrs.They were simply hilarious,a relief of fresh air into the dire situations.
But my favorite character was Seth.He was so good in it.I was glad Seth got a lot of focus in this book.I never quite like Kendra.She was too good and obedient.It was not natural for a kid.But Seth was a real character.He made mistakes but tried the hardest to unmake them too.That was the brilliant part of him.I was sad that he didn't get to establish a tower.And really I couldn't believe the fairy queen was actually.......well if I continue any longer I will spill everything out.A great book,feeling sad that the series had ended.

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LibraryThing member piersanti

If I could give a book more than five stars, I would give this one six or seven! A very good ending to an excellent series. This last book was at least as good as the last books in the Harry Potter series. It's been a long time since I couldn't put a book down, but this one kept me reading.

Extremely well-written, well thought-out, likeable characters, and just great fun to read.

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LibraryThing member JohnS.B4

Kendra, Seth, and the Knights of the Dawn continue to take the last possible steps to safeguard the keys and locks placed on Zzyzx. Seth was taken captive to a preserve called the Living Mirage owned by their worst enemy, the Sphinx .When they tried to save him using the last key to teleport to his

prison, they were captured and the society gained all of the necessary keys to open the demon prison Zzyzx. They gained two new allies and found an old friend during her quick visit in the same cell as her brother had been. One named Bracken is a unicorn stuck in his human state. The three, Kendra, Warren, and Bracken, took the very last steps to prevent the demon prison from being destroyed and opening. After retreating over to the preserve's wall, the three raced to beat the Society to the final locks that held Zzyzx shut. During Bracken’s journey, Bracken found an old friend. Meanwhile, Seth was trying to come to terms with coulter a close friend's death at the perserve. Patton Burgess, in a letter to Seth, suggests some desperate courses of action to prevent the unleashing of the demon horde. He must gain a powerful weapon, a remarkable sword called the Vasilis that may save the world. When all of the demon prison's locks were undone, they prepared their defenses. They all meet up at the place where the ship Lady Luck will take them to Shoreless Isle. They use the items to summon the Lady Luck. Seth They search for one of the Fairy Queen’s shrines near Zzyzx. Kendra and Bracken speak once more to the Fairy Queen and they have one final secret plan that may just grant success. The astrids', old warriors of the fairy queen are summoned into warriors to hold off the demon horde. Bracken needed the five artifacts, so Seth, some astrids, and the Sphinx teleport using one of the arifacts into the dome and reclaim the artifacts. After evacuating her world, the Fairy Queen traps the demons into her world, and makes the old demon prison Zzyzx her new home. After a success on the battlefield, Kendra, Seth, and all creatures of Light must wait to see whether Bracken's plan would work and whether the world would live to see a dawning of a new age of security. Very soon they are working to build the new kingdom in the place that was once Zzynx. After that, Kendra is relieved in joy because her family is released and is able to once again be reunited with her family.

I gave this book five stars for many reasons. The vast description that Brandon Mull put so much time into, made it feel like I was constantly in a 3D movie. The constant flares of action made me hold my breath to see what would happen. I would recommend this book for anyone who enjoys action, and a vast taste for adventure. And finally, I’d recommend this book for anyone who wants to be immersed into a world of imagination.

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LibraryThing member Dreesie

The final book of the series! And I have to say I am so impressed with how the story wraps up. The final solution is clever and smart--and completely believable (assuming you can handle the dragons, wyverns, demons, etc etc).

I also very much like how Mull includes a final chapter on how this really

is the last in the series. There will be no surprise continuations in a few years. He is moving onto other things. Which is great--maybe we will see some of these characters again, or maybe not. It will not be in the context of Fablehaven, in any case. I think with a middle grade/YA series (this series kind of straddles that divide) it is even more important to just end it. The audience shifts as kids become old enough to read these, and the others age out. My 7th grader finished this last fall, he has read 1+ a year since 4th grade. His reading has improved dramatically over that time. But he too is ready to move on. This was his favorite of the series.

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LibraryThing member M.Akter.Tonima

The book created the action, n anticipation withits progression.unlike any other of this kind of books, this actually had a good ending that dint let me dowm.two thumbs up to Mull

LibraryThing member M.Akter.Tonima

The book created the action, n anticipation withits progression.unlike any other of this kind of books, this actually had a good ending that dint let me dowm.two thumbs up to Mull

LibraryThing member polywogg

BOTTOM-LINE:
The final battle isn't as big as expected
.
PLOT OR PREMISE:
Almost three separate stories together -- an opening reset of who is on which team, separate adventures for Kendra and Seth, and then a merged final battle.
.
WHAT I LIKED:
Seth's story is almost readable now, although I still feel

most of the time it could have simply been one kid's story, not separate ones for Kendra and Seth. I like his adventure to retrieve a magical sword, and the final magical battle is decent.
.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
The final battle seems less intense than the previous one at Fablehaven with the dark plague. Almost "battle-lite" rather than the final battle. The final "solution" is a bit simplistic, more trick than strategic, and a bit of a let-down. And some of the threads of the story, particularly with Seth, are left unresolved.
.
DISCLOSURE:
I received no compensation, not even a free copy, in exchange for this review. I am not personal friends with the author, nor do I follow him on social media.

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Fewer

Awards

Whitney Award (Finalist — 2010)

Language

English

Original publication date

2010-03-23

Physical description

544 p.; 8.04 inches

ISBN

1606412388 / 9781606412381

Local notes

Since ancient times, the great demon prison Zzyzx has protected the world from the most dangerous servants of darkness, including Gorgrog, the Demon King. After centuries of plotting, the Sphinx is on the verge of recovering the five artifacts necessary to open the legendary prison. Facing the potential of a world-ending calamity, all friends of light must unite in a final effort to thwart the Sphinx s designs and find a safe home for the five artifacts. To this end, Kendra, Seth, and the Knights of the Dawn will venture far beyond the walls of Fablehaven to strange and exotic magical preserves across the globe, where the end of every quest becomes the beginning of another.