Kingdom of the Wicked Review

Our favourite skeleton is back, just in time to save Ireland from yet another catastrophe. Poor Ireland. That's seven nasty incidents now. Magic is somehow permeating the very fabric of reality, and it's beginning to give normal humans extraordinary powers in a heartbeat, ironic when compared to adepts or elementals like Valkyrie and co who have trained for years and have only mastered a few skills. We immediately meet the villains, a bunch of bratty teenagers who abuse their powers and care little for the consequences. Teenagers with city-burning powers? Why not.

The intrepid duo of Cain and Pleasant once again are called into the fray chasing after a mysterious man called Argeddion, who went missing after a Sanctuary team was sent to apprehend him. He is visiting people in their dreams and giving them power, turning people into werewolves and super-powered sorcerers. It's great to see Derek Landy inject some more of his dry wit and humour into this book, and it's a refreshing difference to many other books where stone-faced warriors stay sharp on and off the fields of war. There's also a Dimensional Shunter thrown into the mix, opening up a new door (literally) to another future, one where a certain villain is alive, healthy and ruling to world to boot. Our favourite swordswoman and her burrowing friend also make a return, though their roles in this unfolding chaos are not immediately revealed. As the pair go chasing after Argeddion, new truths and secrets are revealed, clever tie-ins from Landy to his previous works.

Unlike my other reviews I won't get too into the plot of this book, as Landy has genuinely put a lot of effort into this book, unlike many other child/young-adult series which I have read. He has lived up to the standards of his previous books, and the result shows. A mix of secrets, intrigue and fast-paced action gives this book a 8.5/10