Have you ever wished you could be a hero in a mystical world? In the Beyonders trilogy, our protagonist Jason becomes a hero- but against his will. Forced into the world of Lyrian to fulfill a prophecy to restore a world, Jason is nervous, yet excited to be treated with such praise in an unfamiliar territory.
For fantasy lovers, this series has it all- mythical creatures, magical powers, a complicated plot, and an overarching quest. Inspired by the Lord of the Rings, this series can almost be thought of as a modern version of the tale, with a few twists. Each book has its own separate concept- in the first book, the characters form a baseline for how to defeat Maldor, an evil wizard. In the second book, the characters must meet each other again to rekindle the flame of resistance. In the third book, the characters follow a precarious path towards fighting a war against the evil dictator.
This book absolutely grabs hold the reader's attention. It startles the reader with unexpected twists, and forces the reader to accept the loses of several main protagonists. Wherever the story takes the characters, adventure awaits. So if you're looking for a comical, exhilarating tale of a hero finding himself through a journey, the Beyonders trilogy is for you. ( )

I've reviewed all three separately at FanLit: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/fantasy-author/mullbrandon/ ( )

I've reviewed all three separately at FanLit: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/fantasy-author/mullbrandon/ ( )

Fabulously entertaining! As I did with my daughter when she was a teenager, I am trying to read books with my son. This goal is challenging and growing me as a reader. In other words, I’m trying a new genre: Sci-fi/Fantasy. To pursue this goal, I bought the well-reviewed boxed set of the Beyonders trilogy by NY Times best-selling author Brandon Mull. My son read through it so quickly that he finished the entire trilogy before I even began the first book. That’s how much he loved it. He’s a sixteen-year- old obsessive gamer who took time away from his games to read this series.

The main character, Jason Walker, is an average teenage kid who falls into a hippo tank at his volunteer job and is magically transported to the world of Lyrian. The jaws of a hippo serve as the magic portal. Quite funny, right off the bat. Then there are riddles to be solved, dangerous characters to avoid, the appearance of another Beyonder (people from Earth)in the form of a teenage home-schooled girl named Rachel and a heroic quest.

One of the first people that he meets is the Loremaster (a librarian). Then there is the displacer, one of a breed of characters that can attach and unattach his head, hands, and other parts at will. Disgusting but also handy. Edomic is the language of creation spoken only by the wizards (of which there is apparently only one left and he is evil).

Vocabulary words:

Traversing
Auditory
Aperture
Frieze

Funny quote: Jason was “relieved to have found an actual, non-furious person” (p. 35).

Interesting image: “It looked ready to topple at a cough from a butterfly” (p. 77).

Philosophy: “People find meaning where they can” (p. 82).

For discussion: What makes a hero? Why does the world need heroes?

“Heroism means doing the right thing regardless of the consequences” (p. 110).

“For each of us destiny is a blend of potential, circumstances, and choices. You could flee and hide. You could bargain with Maldor. You have chosen a heroic path. Walk it without apology” (p. 326).

“Yet here you are, toiling in the wilderness,”…”the two of you picked the right road, even though it is the most difficult. This is the essence of heroism” (p. 326).

This is one of those books that may have been written for children and teens but will appeal to adults as well. Perfect for reading together as a family. ( )