Scepter of the Ancients (Skulduggery Pleasant) - Softcover

Derek Landy lives near Dublin. Before writing his children's story about a sharply dressed skeleton detective, he wrote the screenplays for a zombie movie and a little thriller in which everybody dies.

As a blackbelt in Kenpo Karate, he has taught countless children how to defend themselves, in the hopes of one day building his own private munchkin army. He firmly believes that they await his call to strike against his enemies (he doesn't actually have any enemies but he's assuming they'll show up sooner or later).

The reason Derek writes his own biographical blurb is so that he can finally refer to himself in the third person without looking pompous or insane.

This production is exactly the reason young adult fantasy fare can work so well as audio entertainment. Narrator Rupert Degas will be known to fans of Philip Pullman as Pantalaimon in the audios of His Dark Materials, and he does a bang-up job here as well. This is dark comic fantasy, and Degass timing and complete grasp of the main characters personality couldnt be better. Skulduggery is the ultimate undead; in fact, hes just a skeleton. This does not stop him from being a deadly fighter or a snappy dresser. In this first episode, Skulduggery steps in to help the niece of an old friend who unwittingly has something a group of evil magicians badly needs. What sets the story apart is Degass deadpan delivery with a hint of rumbling laughter. Here is a hero we soon find ourselves immensely attached to. Bring us more Skulduggery! D.G. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine