Of the three in the trilogy, this is the most unique because it’s entirely a fantasy world rather than a mythology of bats within our own world. Shade and his son Griffin are thrust into the world of the dead even though they are still alive, and all of the elements that they encounter are entirely otherworldly, even the way the world is created. On the other hand, it works against this text as a classroom text because it’s completely out of the context of our own world. The natural laws are entirely different.My favorite of the three in the trilogy is the second, but this one has its own aspects to offer that the other two don’t. It has two main characters, Griffin and Shade, who are clearly different in the way that they think and the reasons they act. Oppel has done an excellent job making them distinct. Also, a more expansive history involving bats and their mythology is offered, which gives the reader an even larger context to their world. Ultimately, it’s still just a story about trying to get from one place to another, which is similar to the other books, but the landscape itself is interesting. It’s a fun read, and I recommend this to children ages 8-13 and adults interested in fantasy and nature.-Lindsey Miller, www.lindseyslibrary.com ( )

It gets a little confusing, but overall it is a great book, it has a lot of detail and some interesting plots. The only problem I had with it is that the action scenes could get a little muddled, its one of those books where you may have to reread a scene a couple of times to understand what happened, but overall it's a quick easy read. I really enjoyed how the story played out (with my screen name, you can see I'm a fan). ( )

Shade's son, Griffin, is sucked under the earth during an earth tremor and falls into the Underworld, the land of the dead. Shade enters through the same fissure to rescue him. More is at stake than just the life of Griffin though; Griffin and Shade uncover a diabolical plot to take over the land of the living.

This third book in the trilogy is by far my favourite. Just absolutely riveting. Many familiar characters make appearances and the new characters are endearing. The plot is dark and the Underworld is fascinating. The ending is heart wrenching and brought tears to my eyes. An exceptional book and a fitting end to the trilogy. I highly recommend this trilogy. ( )