Skulduggery Pleasant – Death Bringer

The sixth book in the Skulduggery Pleasant saga, “Death Bringer“, has to be the most satisfying read since the first book (and “Mortal Coil“, the fifth book). Sort of carrying on where “Mortal Coil” left off, the book begins with Meloncholia becoming the Death Bringer, and the Necromancers looking forward to ushering in the Passage.

Telling more than that is telling too much, and I’m sure some might be annoyed already with the Meloncholia spoiler (although that is revealed on the back cover so…). There are quite a few new characters introduced, albeit in a minor way, but I can imagine they’ll play a bigger role in stories to come. I can’t say there are any memorable new characters, but I love Scapegrace, especially what happens to him in the end.

Of course, the big revelation (not so big if you’ve been paying attention) and the bigger climax is truly entertaining and far darker than any of the first four books. The back of the book announces a novelette “End of the World” to be published in March 2012 in conjunction with World Book Day, and a full length novel in September 2012. And Derek Landy says on his blog that he envisages the Skulduggery Pleasant adventure to be a nine-book saga, which is good. Because at the rate the books are going, I don’t want them to end!

Related articles

• Skulduggery Pleasant – Dark Days (pottedplot.com)
• Mortal Coil totally rocks! (pottedplot.com)
• Re-read: Skulduggery Pleasant 1-3 (pottedplot.com)
• Skulduggery Pleasant: Death Bringer by Derek Landy – review (guardian.co.uk)