I just recently reread the entire Five Kingdoms series. One chapter into the first book, Sky Raiders, I had to shut it down and take a deep breath. On every page, all I could think was how I couldn’t believe I had forgotten how good it was! With characters that the reader roots for, a spectacular and detailed world, and a plot with plenty of intrigue, readers of any age will love this series by Brandon Mull. Let’s jump into the full review of Sky Raiders, the first book in the Five Kingdoms series.
In a world that lies between reality and imagination, a fanciful, action-packed adventure awaits.
Cole Randolph was just trying to have a fun time with his friends on Halloween (and maybe get to know Jenna Hunt a little better). But when a spooky haunted house turns out to be a portal to something much creepier, Cole finds himself on an adventure on a whole different level. After Cole sees his friends whisked away to some mysterious place underneath the haunted house, he dives in after them—and ends up in The Outskirts.
The Outskirts are made up of five kingdoms that lie between wakefulness and dreaming, reality and imagination, life and death. It’s an in-between place. Some people are born there. Some find their way there from our world, or from other worlds.
And once you come to the Outskirts, it’s very hard to leave.
With the magic of the Outskirts starting to unravel, it’s up to Cole and an unusual girl named Mira to rescue his friends, set things right in the Outskirts, and hopefully find his way back home…before his existence is forgotten.
World, Characters, and Plot
Like his other series, Brandon Mull begins Sky Raiders in our world. We don’t stay there long, however, because within a few chapters, the main character (Cole) finds himself in the Outskirts. I have to point out the fun and unique worldbuilding that the reader gets right off the bat. The Outskirts have a special magic system with unique abilities that only work in certain kingdoms. The land itself has ever-changing skies, magical barriers, and floating castles with traps and monsters. The setting and the plot of the story work hand-in-hand to immerse the reader and pull them in.
The main character is a boy named Cole. He has all the qualities of a good main character: he’s brave, curious, and has a healthy disregard for evil authority. His actions and choices are believable while maintaining the pace of the plot. I have to comment on his maturity, though. We are told that he is middle school age, but as with most of the younger characters in Sky Raiders, he acts a lot more mature.
Jace also stood out to me. His lines were guaranteed to make me laugh, or to make me feel all the feels! His character felt even more relatable than Cole, especially with his struggle to prove himself throughout the story. In fact, every side character had their own arc and personal conflicts that really helped develop the richness of the world. Sky Raiders is definitely a character-driven novel; however, the story itself has plenty of twists and turns. I won’t spoil any of them, but most of the chapters end in a place where you feel like you just have to keep reading. There are no breaks! I loved the pacing in this book. It allows the reader to feel like they are fully immersed in the action and intense timeline that the story suggests.
PAGED IN: There is no profanity or innuendo. The violence is minimal (think Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone level). The Biblical connection in this book can be made when Cole and his friends are caught by slavers in the Outskirts at the beginning of the book. Trapped, they find themselves lost in an unfamiliar, hostile world. Ezekiel 34:11 says this: “For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will search for my sheep and look after them.” Whenever we feel lost, we can trust that God will always be there, looking for us. We don’t have to fear, because He is with us.
Conclusion
Sky Raiders is definitely a five-star read from me, and it always will be. Even when I know the plot twists and storylines, I fall in love all over again with Brandon Mull’s heroic characters, spectacular worlds, and relatable conflicts. This book has become one of my comfort reads; it’s the kind of book you read the night before a big test or take with you on a long car ride because you know it can never disappoint. In fact, I think I might pick it up now and reread it again….
You can buy Sky Raiders here.
Marie