Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #18098 in Books
• Published on: 2007-04-02
• Binding: Hardcover
• 368 pages

Synopsis
Get ready for the biggest NEW publishing phenomenon of 2007! "So you won't keep anything from me again?" He put his hand to his chest. "Cross my heart and hope to die." "Okay then. Though you don't actually have a heart," she said. "I know." "And technically, you've already died." "I know that too." "Just so we're clear." Stephanie's uncle Gordon is a writer of horror fiction. But when he dies and leaves her his estate, Stephanie learns that while he may have written horror, it certainly wasn't fiction. Pursued by evil forces intent on recovering a mysterious key, Stephanie finds help from an unusual source -- the wisecracking skeleton of a dead wizard. When all hell breaks loose, it's lucky for Skulduggery that he's already dead. Though he's about to discover that being a skeleton doesn't stop you from being tortured, if the torturer is determined enough. And if there's anything Skulduggery hates, it's torture! Will evil win the day? Will Stephanie and Skulduggery stop bickering long enough to stop it? One thing's for sure: evil won't know what's hit it.

Customer Reviews

Full of suspense, enthralling a classroom of kids!
I bought this book for my P5/6/7 class at Christmas time and began reading when we came back from holiday.

So far, although we are about a third of the way through, a handful of the children have badgered their parents enough to buy them their own copy! A big plus, apart from the fact they sometimes spoil the exciting bits!

I used the action scene where Skulduggery is introduced as a basis for some absolutely fantastic writing. We are all really looking forward to book 2 and to the film which is due out in 2010!!

Okay, not amazing
The fantastic front cover artwork and the snappy blurb on the back, combined with the slick marketing and advertising, would have you believe that Skulduggery Pleasant is the Next Big Thing after you-know-what.

Sadly, this isn't the case. Make no mistake, S.P is a GOOD read, but that's as far as it goes. The story is a bit thin on the ground and is padded out with far too many action scenes that are hard to follow. Skulduggery himself is a likeable character and hero, but he isn't as 'hilarious' as you'd believe. The pace cracks along nicely, if occasionally too quickly, and the world Landy has created is believeable and carefully introduced.

However, the biggest letdown within the book is that Landy himself is far too self-conscious of the story. Okay, so it's ultimately a comedy but that doesn't mean that everything should be turned into a joke. Whenever the story gets suitably serious or a character makes a poignant speech, it's cancelled out by a flippant quip at the end: 'I just made a big speech. It was quite good.' While funny at first, it quickly starts to grate and you'd just wish that Landy would get on with the story rather than trying desparately to squeeze some cheap laughs.

That said, it's fun, fast and the ending is rather nice, which leaves you with a sweet taste in the mouth rather than a bitter one. You will certainly enjoy S.P., just don't go expecting a book as special as the front cover looks.

Great
This is a great book probably the best book i've read i love it Skulduggery Pleasant and his battle against Nefarian Serpine it is great cant wait till April when number 2 comes out.