Title: Gold, Babies and the Brothers Muldoon
Author: Derek Landy
In: Armageddon Outta Here (Derek Landy)
Series: Skulduggery Pleasant #2.5
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Crime, Dark fantasy, Easy reading, Paranormal fantasy
Pace: Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: Harper Collins
Year: 2011
5th sentence, 74th page: “Ok,” Valkyrie interrupted, “I get it.

Midnight. Valkyrie Cain approaches an old, ramshackle church to make a delicate deal with a trio of ugly, hairy goblins. To her absolute non-surprise, the goblins have no intention of honouring that deal- but not to worry. Skulduggery Pleasant is standing by to deliver a surprise of their own.

Things, however, don’t go exactly according to plan. Not least because the goblins have a sister. A very big, very strong sister. Who might just have a TINY crush on one of our heroes…

Trolls and goblins are always interesting, and disgusting, and a good misadventure for any books’ or series’ heroes. Which is where the Brothers Muldoon fit into this tale – they are disgusting and entertaining. They are a good counterbalance to the babies which Valkyrie and Skulduggery are trying to rescue. And the combination of evil cunning and sheer stupidity made me giggle all throughout this short story.

At the opening of this story I thought that this was just about Valkyrie and a solo mission. It was kind of an exciting idea, but what I love most is the witty repartee between the two leads, so it was also a little disappointing. But then Skulduggery bursts through the ceiling, gets trapped by a potential wife and general chaos ensues. Which leaves me not in the least bit disappointed, and very much entertained.

Image source: Skulduggery Pleasant Wiki

Title: The Lost Art of World Domination
Author: Derek Landy
In: Armageddon Outta Here (Derek Landy)
Series: Skulduggery Pleasant #1.5
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Crime, Dark fantasy, Easy reading, Paranormal fantasy
Pace: Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: Harper Collins
Year: 2011
5th sentence, 74th page: You were asking all those questions.

It isn’t easy to take over the world. First you need the scheme. Then you need the muscle. Then you need to come up with a system for ruling six billion people and keeping them fron revolting. It takes a certain kind of man to take over the world. Scaramouch Van Dreg, however, is not that man. But he has one thing going for him. He has his arch enemy, Skulduggery Pleasant, chained in his dungeon, and the only person who is coming to save him is the skeleton detective’s 13 year old sidekick. What could possibly go wrong?

This is a Skulduggery Pleasant story that I was expecting. Funny, witty and adorable. It also involved a villain that had no idea what he was doing, a detective that was kind of clueless about what said villain was doing and a poor rescue from his sidekick. Honestly, this was just a cute and funny side story between Skulduggery Pleasant and Playing with Fire.

There is an inherent flaw for the plan of world domination – it hinges on a small insect. Which is easily crushed. The contempt with which the plan for world domination is foiled would be sad, if it wasn’t for the conversations that proceeded it. And the fact that he wasn’t the aimed for villain. And that even Valkyrie had no idea who he was… alright, it was sad… but in a very funny, pathetic way.

Image source: Skulduggery Pleasant Wiki

Title: The Horror Writers’ Halloween Ball
Author: Derek Landy
In: Armageddon Outta Here (Derek Landy)
Series: Skulduggery Pleasant #0.5
Rating Out of 5: 3.5 (Liked this)
My Bookshelves: Crime, Dark fantasy, Easy reading, Paranormal fantasy
Pace: Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: Harper Collins
Year: 2011
5th sentence, 74th page: They lay there like that for some time.

Gordon Edgley has been invited to the famed horror writer Sebastian Fawkes’ legendary, very exclusive, annual Halloween costume ball, and has brought Skulduggery along (dressed as Claude Raines’ Invisible Man) thinking he’ll enjoy it. All present are horror writers and Gordon is struggling with his Creature from the Black Lagoon costume, but it’s not so bad when he runs into an old acquaintance, Susan DeWick , even if she’s more charmed by Skulduggery. After Fawkes himself makes a speech, he approaches Gordon and effectively berates him and his first novel, Caterpillars, before departing.

Gordon Edgely’s death is the instigator of the Skulduggery Pleasant series, and although Skulduggery talks about it, it’s kind of hard to see how they related to one another. Until you read The Horror Writers’ Halloween Ball – it’s one of the adventures the two had together and an idea of how their friendship operated.

The world of writing and publishing is overwhelming. I’ve been trying to dip my toes into the world, and can’t imagine what it’s like to actually “make it”. So, Gordon’s presence at a ball specifically for the elite of horror writers was fascinating. It sounds just as bitchy as I imagine any group of the elite can be. The sinister deals that the head of this group decided to make just help to highlight how compromising things can be.

Image source: Skulduggery Pleasant Wiki

Title: Across a Dark Plain
Author: Derek Landy
In: Armageddon Outta Here (Derek Landy)
Series: Skulduggery Pleasant #0.25
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Crime, Dark fantasy, Easy reading, Paranormal fantasy
Pace: Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: Harper Collins
Year: 2011
5th sentence, 74th page: The kind only fire or a bullet to the brainpan could put down.

150 years before the events of the series, the Dead Men are on a mission to hunt down Nefarian Serpine in the Wild West.

Western meets Skulduggery. Brilliant. And funny. And just… fun. It wasn’t even remotely what I would have expected of a pre-Valkyrie era, but that’s probably because I thought it was even better!

Skulduggery’s history with Serpine and his desire to wreak vengeance on him are drivers that were well publicised in Skulduggery Pleasant. But, this drive, the lengths to which he is willing to travel are shown a little more in Across a Dark Plain. There isn’t the wit and humour that marks his words throughout the first novel, just a single-minded drive and desire to gain his revenge.

His companions are introduced beautifully though, and even though this isn’t a story full of wit and humour as I was kind of expecting, it is one that helps to show the drivers of the main character in a different light. I love the different ways in which Landy is able to explore his character. It adds even more layers to an already well-loved, multi-dimensional character.

Image souce: Skulduggery Pleasant Wiki