Skulduggery Pleasant

Countdown to Skulduggery Pleasant Book 8

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The wonderful people at HarperCollins New Zealand sent me a very exciting email today about Skulduggery Pleasant.  Only 219 days until the, as yet untitled, Skulduggery Pleasant Book 8 is released!  Read on for more info and to view Tom Percival’s temporary cover.

If you’ve been following Derek’s blog, you’ll know that he has written a third of Book Eight already. In fact, he’s cracking on with it at such an amazing pace that we can now officially confirm that Skulduggery Pleasant Book Eight will publish on 29th August 2013.

Yes, that’s just a little over 7 months away. Or a mere 219 days. Only 5,256 hours. And if you want to know the minutes, you should get a calculator.

Only kidding: it’s 315,360.

Derek will reveal the title on his blog soon (http://dereklandy.blogspot.co.nz/) – just another reason to check the blog page regularly. That, and he sometimes posts funny pictures of cats.

Nor will that be the last exciting reveal of the spring, because the jacket will be revealed sometime after that, once artist extraordinaire Tom Percival has worked his usual magic.

In the meantime, here’s a lovely holding image, to keep you going:

Skulduggery Pleasant 8

Stay tuned for further developments.

And start counting down the minutes.

Cover reveal: The Maleficent Seven by Derek Landy

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Derek Landy has just revealed the spectacular cover for his Tanith Low novella, as created by the brilliant Tom Percival.  Check out the cover and the synopsis below…

This time, the bad guys take the stage.

Tanith Low, now possessed by a remnant, recruits a gang of villains – many of whom will be familiar from previous Skulduggery adventures – in order to track down and steal the four God-Killer level weapons that could hurt Darquesse when she eventually emerges. Also on the trail of the weapons is a secret group of Sanctuary sorcerers, and doing his best to keep up and keep Tanith alive is one Mister Ghastly Bespoke.

When the villains around her are lying and scheming and plotting, Tanith needs to stay two steps ahead of her teammates and her enemies. After all, she’s got her own double-crosses to plan – and she’s a villain herself…

The Maleficent Seven is a stand alone novel set in the Skulduggery Pleasant world, starring Tanith Low. It‘s due out on 28th March, 2013, so for those crazy Skulduggery Pleasant fans like me you don’t have too long to wait.

Win a set of Skulduggery Pleasant postcards

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Would you like to win a set of 6 postcards featuring everybody’s favourite skeleton detective, Skulduggery Pleasant?  Derek Landy’s wonderful publishers had a whole heap of these very cool postcards left over after Derek’s tour of NZ so I’m very lucky to have some to give away here on the blog.

If you would like to get your hands on a set, just enter your name and address in the form below and I’ll pick 10 lucky winners on Friday (NZ only).  If you’re one of the winners, a set of the postcards will turn up in your letterbox soon.

This competition is now closed.

Win Kingdom of the Wicked signed by Derek Landy

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Skulduggery Pleasant creator, Derek Landy, was in NZ last week and you might have been one of the lucky people to meet him and get your books signed.  For those Skulduggery Pleasant fans who didn’t get the chance to meet Derek I have a very cool prize for you.

I have 2 copies of the latest Skulduggery Pleasant book, Kingdom of the Wicked, signed by Derek Landy to give away.  All you have to do to get in the draw is enter your name and email address in the form below.

Competition closes Wednesday 22 August (NZ only).

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Skulduggery Pleasant: Kingdom of the Wicked

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Derek Landy’s Skulduggery Pleasant series keeps getting better and better (as well as each book getting bigger and bigger).  We find out more about our favourite characters with each new adventure and get introduced to new weird and wonderful ones.  Skulduggery Pleasant: Kingdom of the Wicked is Derek Landy’s latest and greatest Skulduggery book and he sure doesn’t let his army of minions down.

Magic is a disease.

Across the land, normal people are suddenly developing wild and unstable powers. Somehow infected by a rare strain of magic, they are unwittingly endangering their own lives and the lives of the people around them. Terrified and confused, their only hope lies with the Sanctuary, which is having problems of its own. Skulduggery Pleasant and Valkyrie Cain are needed now more than ever – not only to find out what is causing the infection, but also to prevent the take-over of the Sanctuary by a consortium of international sorcerers.

And then there’s the small matter of Kitana. A normal teenage girl who, along with her normal teenage friends, becomes infected. Becomes powerful. Becomes corrupted. Wielding the magic of gods, they’re set to tear the city apart unless someone stands up against them.

Looks like it’s going to be another one of those days …

CAUTION: While I do my best not to mention any spoilers, if you don’t want to know anything about Kingdom of the Wicked, please don’t read on.  You have been warned!

Kingdom of the Wicked delivers everything I’ve come to expect from a Skulduggery Pleasant book – brilliant characters with the best names around, witty dialogue, magic creating havoc, and violence aplenty.  This book could almost be titled, Valkyrie Cain: Kingdom of the Wicked, as the story focuses mainly on her, with Skulduggery popping up every now and again to help save the day.  Valkyrie has grown in confidence and can now handle situations by herself, and in this book, she doesn’t have much choice as Skulduggery often isn’t around to help.

Many of Derek’s best characters are back, including Scapegrace and Thrasher, who were real highlights in this book for me as they provide some hilarious comic relief in amongst the death and destruction.  We meet some new characters (with awesome names) and some old characters that have only been mentioned in other books in the series.

Derek Landy doesn’t just write a good story, he’s also fantastic with dialogue.  The interaction between characters, particularly the banter between Skulduggery and Valkyrie, is one of the reasons why I love the Skulduggery books so much.  You can always rely on Skulduggery and Valkyrie to see the humour in a situation, even if they may be facing death.

Kingdom of the Wicked is probably the most violent, and at times revolting, book in the series so far.  There were several parts that made me cringe, especially towards the end.  When Derek describes a tendon ripping in someone’s neck of someone’s ribs shattering you almost feel it yourself.

The shocking conclusion to Kingdom of the Wicked made me desperately want to read the next book.  However, with only two more books left in the Skulduggery Pleasant series, I’m willing to wait because I don’t want to say goodbye to Derek’s fantastic creation.

5 out of 5 stars

Derek Landy heads Down Under this week

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Derek Landy hits New Zealand this week!  If you’re a huge Skulduggery Pleasant fan like me you’ll be itching to meet Derek on one of his tour stops.  You can meet him at The Children’s Bookshop in Christchurch this Friday (10 August) at 4:30pm.

In 2010 I got the chance to interview Derek Landy, author of the Skulduggery Pleasant books.  He is a really cool guy and very funny.  I asked him lots of questions about his characters, his inspirations and writing.  Read the interview to find out the answers to these questions and more:

  • How do you come up with your names?
  • Was Skulduggery’s sidekick always going to be a girl?
  • What specific books, movies and music inspire you?
  • Would you consider making a Skulduggery Pleasant movie?

The latest Skulduggery Pleasant book, Kingdom of the Wicked is out now.  Get your copy from your library or bookshop now.

If you don’t get a chance to get along to one of Derek’s events I’ll be giving 2 signed copies of Kingdom of the Wicked away on My Best Friends Are Books next week.

Derek Landy’s NZ Tour – Event Details

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HarperCollins Publishers NZ is delighted to announce that Derek Landy, creator of the wise-cracking skeleton of a dead wizard Skulduggery Pleasant, will be returning to our shores in August.

Over the space of five days Derek will visit Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch and speak to more than 3,000 children.  The Kingdom of the Wicked, the seventh book in the bestselling and award-winning Skulduggery Pleasant series will be released to coincide with Derek’s visit.

Derek is author of the bestselling Skulduggery Pleasant series which is hugely popular with children all over the world.  The first book in the Skulduggery series was published in 2007 and since then the series has sold more than 3 million copies worldwide and earned many prestigious awards, including the Red House Children’s Book Award and the Bord Gáis Irish Book of the Decade (awarded in 2010).

Children and fans of Skulduggery Pleasant will be able to meet Derek at the following events:

Thursday 9 August – Wellington

4.30pm

Opportunity to meet Dereky Landy and have him sign your book.

The Children’s Bookshop,
26 Kilbirnie Plaza,
Kilbirnie,
Wellington

7.00pm – Opportunity to meet Dereky Landy and have him sign your book.

Whitcoulls Queensgate,
Westfield Queensgate, Corner Queens Drive and Bunny Street,
Lower Hutt,
Wellington

Friday 10 August – Christchurch

4.30pm – Opportunity to meet Dereky Landy and have him sign your book

The Children’s Bookshop,
Shop 5, Blenheim Square,
227 Blenheim Road,
Christchurch

Saturday 11 August – Auckland

10.00am – Opportunity to meet Dereky Landy and have him sign your book

Whitcoulls Albany Westfield,
Westfield Albany,
Don McKinnon Drive,
Albany,
Auckland.

1.00pm – Opportunity to meet Dereky Landy and have him sign your book

Paper Plus Botany Town Centre
Botany Town Centre,
588 Chapel Road,
East Tamaki,
Auckland

Derek Landy’s 2012 Down Under Tour

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Does your world need more awesome?

Well, Derek Landy is about to bring it – and Skulduggery Pleasant: Kingdom of the Wicked – when he visits New Zealand and Australia for his 2012 Down Under Tour.

I’ll certainly be queuing up with hundreds of other Skulduggery fans to see the creator of one of the coolest series around.  Venues and times are soon to be released but in the mean time, here are the NZ and Australian cities that Derek will be visiting (more details to follow):

NZ

  • Auckland – 8 August 2012
  • Wellington – 9 August 2012
  • Christchurch – 10 August 2012
  • Auckland – 11 August 2012

Australia (roughly 12-21 August 2012)

  • Brisbane
  • Sydney
  • Melbourne
  • Adelaide
  • Perth

Cover reveal – Skulduggery Pleasant: Kingdom of the Wicked

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Magic is a disease.

Across the land, normal people are suddenly developing wild and unstable powers. Somehow infected by a rare strain of magic, they are unwittingly endangering their own lives and the lives of the people around them. Terrified and confused, their only hope lies with the Sanctuary, which is having problems of its own. Skulduggery Pleasant and Valkyrie Cain are needed now more than ever – not only to find out what is causing the infection, but also to prevent the take-over of the Sanctuary by a consortium of international sorcerers.

And then there’s the small matter of Kitana. A normal teenage girl who, along with her normal teenage friends, becomes infected. Becomes powerful. Becomes corrupted. Wielding the magic of gods, they’re set to tear the city apart unless someone stands up against them.
Looks like it’s going to be another one of those days …

Derek Landy revealed the cover for Kingdom of the Wicked on his blog on Friday.  I can’t wait for this book!  I’m a huge fan of the series and even had the pleasure to interview the very funny Derek Landy a couple of years ago.  Tom Percival is the illustrator of all of the Skulduggery Pleasant covers and deserves a huge amount of praise.  I think he’s probably just as responsible for Skulduggery’s huge following as Derek is.

Kingdom of the Wicked (book 7 in the series) is due out in New Zealand in August and you can look forward to Derek Landy’s NZ tour in August too (more details to follow).

Skulduggery Pleasant: The End of the World by Derek Landy

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Everyone’s favourite skeleton detective is back in a mini-adventure.  The End of the Worldis a shorter story that Derek wrote for World Book Day in the UK and we’re also lucky enough to get it in New Zealand too.

The End of the World focuses on Ryan, an ordinary boy living in an ordinary world.

Or so he thought.

Ryan holds the key to a powerful weapon that could destroy the world.  He’s being pursued by a gang of insane sorcerers who will do anything to get a hold of the key.  His only chance for survival rests with Skulduggery Pleasant and his teenage partner, Valkyrie Cain, and we all know how things work out when Skulduggery gets involved.

This short Skuduggery adventure packs the same punch as the longer stories and is full of the magic, action and humour that you love about the Skulduggery books.  The coolest thing about this story is that it kicks off in a library.  Imagine, you’re choosing your books or reading quietly in a corner when fireballs start being thrown around, shelves go flying and Skulduggery and Valkyrie come storming into the library!  That would be the BEST DAY EVER!  As well as the main story, there’s also a bonus short story featuring the winners of the Australia/New Zealand character competition.

Derek Landy is coming to New Zealand in August so don’t forget to enter the competition to go in the draw to meet Derek in person.  Also, make sure you enter our Free Book Friday competition this week for the chance to win a copy of The End of the World.