Meet Skulduggery Pleasant
Ace detective
Snappy dresser
Razor—tongued wit
Crackerjack sorcerer
and
walking, talking, fire-throwing skeleton
As well as ally, protector, and mentor of Stephanie Edgely, a very unusual and darkly talented twelve-year-old.
These two alone stand in the way of an all-consuming ancient evil.
Starred review from February 5, 2007
Stephanie Edgley's uncle, a bestselling novelist, dies and leaves her his fortune. But the money doesn't interest her nearly as much as the odd, overdressed figure who appears at the funeral. He turns out to be the eponymous hero, the skeleton of a man, back from the dead to avenge his family's murder at the "red right hand" of Nefarian Serpine. Turns out, Stephanie has also inherited the family gene for sorcery, and she teams with Skulduggery to defeat the villain. Violent clashes with various cretins ensue. Some supporting characters, such as the magic world's "Elders," blend together, and Serpine's motivation is of the vague "I will rule the world!" variety. But plucky Stephanie and her dapper, urbane mentor make up for this slight lack of definition and clarity. Skulduggery is as caustic and witty as Jonathan Stroud's Bartimaeus, but a man (er, skeleton) of fewer words. First novelist Landy, a Dublin playwright, excels at dialogue; the repartee between the two leads recalls Hepburn and Tracy in its ongoing, affectionate contest of verbal one-upmanship. (When Stephanie complains about Skulduggery's high-falutin' vocabulary, he retorts, "You should read more," to which she replies, "I read enough. I should get out more.") Landy sets the tale on the Irish coast and reaches into Celtic lore for a cameo from the son of Finn McCool, but there's nothing old-fashioned about the way this story unspools. The book may be hefty but it moves at warp speed. An utterly charming debut, perfect for the Potter crowd. Ages 8-12.
October 1, 2007
Gr 4-8-Every once in a while a story comes along that is pure unadulterated fun. This tale (HarperCollins, 2007) by Irish screenwriter Derek Landy is one of those gems. Stephanie Edgley. age 12, meets Skulduggery at her uncle's funeral. He is covered from head to foot and it is some time before Stephanie realizes Skulduggery is a skeleton. Far from being repulsed, she's fascinated by a world of magic she never knew existed. When Stephanie inherits her uncle's estate, strange men begin pursuing her and detective Skulduggery comes to her rescue. The plot thrusts the duo into tight spots and narrow escapes which will keep listeners on the edge of their seats. Narrator Rupert Degas is flawless in his interpretation of the story. Even minor characters come deliciously to life. But it is the relationship between Stephanie and Skulduggery that makes this tale such a hoot. The two bicker back and forth with dry wit and sarcasm, but Stephanie holds her own against the flawed, heart-of-gold Skulduggery. Hopefully, we have not heard the last of this dynamic duo. A must-have purchase."Tricia Melgaard, Centennial Middle School, Broken Arrow, OK "
Copyright 2007 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
May 27, 2009
Skulduggery Pleasant is the adopted name of a powerful detective mage who is sworn to protect Stephanie, the 12-year-old niece of his murdered friend. Here, skulduggery takes a double meaning-our detective is capable of scurrilous behavior in the pursuit of his suspects, and he's also a skeleton, robbed of his flesh by an age-old spell. Listen Up: Skulduggery's droll bass is a delight, and the cool-cat jazz on the soundtrack is an added bonus for grown-ups hip enough to know a groovy story when they hear one. Degas has a wonderful time building this story's suspense and conveying its dry humor.-Angelina Benedetti, King Cty. Lib. Syst., WA
Copyright 2009 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
July 1, 2007
When Stephanie's beloved uncle Gordon, an author of "tales of horror and magic and wonder," dies suddenly, Stephanie is the unexpected inheritor of his estate. It is soon apparent that Gordon was in possession of an unstoppable ancient weapon constructed to defeat unstoppable ancient gods called the Faceless Ones. The only things now standing between that weapon and an evil sorcerer are Stephanie, Gordon's best friend Skulduggery Pleasant (a living -- sort of -- magic skeleton), and Skulduggery's dubious collection of allies. Stephanie, the adventure-bent twelve-year-old heroine with an improbable aptitude for magic and martial arts, is a walking fantasy stereotype (as are her Dursley-like relatives and excessively oblivious parents), and though Skulduggery is given a tragic history and a supposed thirst for revenge, his past never comes into play, either in his relationship with Stephanie or in the larger magical-political conflict. Still, the convenience-ridden plot is elevated somewhat by Stephanie and Skulduggery's snappy banter, and the flowing action sequences, detailed mythology, and frequent twists will keep readers engaged.
(Copyright 2007 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)
June 1, 2007
Gr 5-8-When 12-year-old Stephanie's eccentric Uncle Gordon dies, a mysterious man bundled in an overcoat, scarf, sunglasses, and a hat shows up at both the funeral and the reading of the will. This man, as it turns out, is Skulduggery Pleasant, a walking, talking skeleton who rescues Stephanie when she is attacked while alone in the house that she has just inherited. It seems that a particularly evil person named Serpine is trying to obtain a scepter that will allow him to rule the world. Stephanie is swept into a world of magic, secrets, power, and intrigue as she and Skulduggery try to keep one step ahead of Serpine and various other nefarious folk. Deadly hand-to-hand combat, nasty villains, magical derring-do, and traitorous allies will keep readers turning the pages, but it is the dynamic duo of Stephanie and Skulduggery who provide the real magic. The girl eagerly jumps into this new, dangerous, action-packed life, but she isn't sure that she has the guts or the power to pull it off. Skulduggery Pleasant lives up to his name, performing amazing feats with such self-effacing drollness that readers will wish they had a similar skeletal friend. Give this one to fans of Eoin Colfer's "Artemis Fowl" books (Hyperion) or to anyone who likes a dash of violence and danger served up with the magic."Eva Mitnick, Los Angeles Public Library"
Copyright 2007 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.