Безликите

Skulduggery Pleasant #3

by Derek Landy, Дерек Ланди, Емануил Томов (Translator)

Ако сте чели предишните книги за Скълдъгъри Плезънт, значи сте виждали какво ли не, дори преди някакъв злодей да си науми да предизвика края на света. Валкирия и Скълдъгъри ще направят всичко по силите си, за да предотвратят това бедствие. Няколко души ще бъдат наранени, но накрая сигурно всичко ще се подреди. Е, не и този път.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Urban Fantasy, Fiction, Magic, Mystery, Middle Grade

302 pages, Paperback

First published December 24, 2008

About the author

Derek Landy is an Irish writer and screenwriter. In addition to the bestselling children's/YA series of Skulduggery Pleasant books, a supernatural mystery series starring Skulduggery Pleasant, a skeleton detective, and Valkyrie Cain, a young female magician, he has written two screenplays that have been made into films: the IFTA award winning "Dead Bodies" and the IFTA nominated "Boy Eats Girl". Landy himself was nominated for an IFTA for Best Script.

He doesn’t like to brag about all the awards he’s won, such as the Irish Book of the Decade, or the Red House in the UK, or all the other awards that he humbly displays on his mantelpiece. He is also far too modest to mention things like the first book being a Publisher’s Weekly Best Book of the Year, but would like to extend an invitation to Oprah to pop around one day for tea, in thanks for selecting his book for the Oprah’s Book Club Kids Reading List.

Derek plays too many video games, reads too many comics, and watches too many movies. He lives in Ireland with too many cats. Occasionally he talks to real people, but only when he absolutely has to.

Reviews

[Feyre · Rating 5 out of 5]

"That's a plan that could fall apart in so many ways."
"The fun ones are like that."

I just love Skulduggery and Valkyrie. The bickering, the sarcasm, the magic, the bickering, the adventure and the bickering.
It's sadly been a while since I read these books so it's basically been like reading it for the first time because I had forgotten about almost everything that happens (it's a friggin shame, I know). But I'm still in love with the world that Derek Landy created, the writing style is amazing (I can't count the time that I laughed) and the story is gripping. So if you haven't met the skeleton detective yet, you might want to arrange a meeting. ;)

[Mario the lone bookwolf · Rating 5 out of 5]

As the darker tone gets even stronger, the whole series becomes more complex and interwoven

That´s how I like my children, somewhat YA dark fantasy, fast paced, funny, and morbid, including different fantasy creatures and a big cliffhanger towards the end.

Not too much investigation
Some things I subjectively don´t really appreciate that much about the booming YA fantasy crime detective genre is too much focus on the whodunnit thriller plot at the cost of worldbuilding and fresh ideas. That´s absolutely no problem here, there is a bit of questioning about who did it and why, but the main focus stays on fantasy, morbid monsters, and the lovely pair of protagonists.

Funny and smart
Some stupid sidekicks let the clever female lead protagonists and the well dressed skull man seem even more badass while his dark influence begins having more and more control over her and his mysterious backstory revelation is prepared. All in all, a great and solid genre read.

Tropes show how literature is conceptualized and created and which mixture of elements makes works and genres unique:
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.ph...

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Star Rating: —> 5 Stars

July 22, 2021— RE-READ ! So sick rn, so I'm having trouble reading (turns out not being able to breathe & coughing all day & night makes reading super difficult. Go figure.) ANYWAY... WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS... RE-READ SKULDUGGERY PLEASANT!!! So freaking HILARIOUS & just SO GOOOOD!

As always with books in the Skulduggery Pleasant series— a full 5 stars from me!

This installment was NUTS ! 😍😱🤯

[Anniebananie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eigentlich hat es für mich wieder eher nur für 3,5 Sterne gereicht,
allerdings wollte ich gerne zur Geltung bringen, dass mir der dritte Band bisher besser gefallen hat als die ersten beiden.
Hier merkt man einfach, dass Walküre endlich etwas älter wird und somit auch selbstständiger und geübter im Kampf und brenzligen Situationen. Auch die Sache mit dem eventuellen Loveinterest fände ich super.
Gelungen fand ich auch, dass Bezug zu Ereignissen aus den vorigen Büchern genommen wurde.
Allerdings fehlt mir einfach immer etwas die Spannung, da ich viele Situation zu "einfach" gelöst finde, wenn ich versteht was ich meine. Und da kann auch der geniale Humor, den ich wirklich feiere, nicht zu einer besseren Bewertung verhelfen. Es ist einfach keine Serie mit hohem Suchtfaktor für mich, leider.
Allerdings war das Ende hier ja schon echt gemein! 💁🏼

[Montzalee Wittmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Faceless Ones
(Skulduggery Pleasant #3)
by Derek Landy
The snark, wit, clever dialogue, and wild adventures get even crazier in this book! The dreaded Faceless Ones make it a face-off with Valkyrie and Skulduggery. There are loads of other things going on too which is normal for these two!
All of it is full of fun, action, and snark! The ending was very different but now we know what the next adventure will be anyway! Lol! Love this crazy series!

[Damian Dubois · Rating 4 out of 5]

For years these books have been staring me in the face, whether they be at the local bookstore or library, and I felt no real inclination to pick one up to give it a shot. My thoughts were that these were just for kids and simply not worth the time or effort. Something my eight year old daughter might like, but ultimately not for me. Well, boy was I wrong!

I've now read three of these books and each one has been a fun, action-packed and a thrill a minute ride. While some of the names are a little on the childish side (Ghastly Bespoke, Gruesome Krav) and some of the dialogue just a little too cheesy, the main characters are a joy to spend time with and the storyline just drags you in and urges you to just read one more chapter. And then, at the very end, we get a jaw-dropping cliffhanger that just screams at you to pick up the next book. Now. Like, RIGHT NOW!!

I'm definitely looking forward to the next one in the series, Dark Days. Here's hoping that when I go to the library on the weekend there is a copy awaiting me ;)

[Katie.dorny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best in the series without a shadow of a doubt.
Much bigger plot line, fun new characters and with Stephanie growing up it’s so much more sarcastic and I LOVE IT
Here the world of Skulduggery pleasant is introduced more and it becomes more global - as well as the main enemies being fleshed out more and not everything leading up to a happy ending.

[Jim Ef · Rating 4 out of 5]

7.3/10
The best book of the series so far. Not because it does a lot of things different. It's mostly investigating and kicking some butt. The difference is that there is some mystery to the villain of the story and that already makes him more interesting than the first teo guys.

Oh, and what an ending that was.... Straight to the next one.

[ambsreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

These are so enjoyable, I can't help myself.

[Carolin Wahl · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Sterne.
Bisher mein Favorit - liegt aber vielleicht auch daran, dass ich jetzt die Figuren immer
besser kenne und die Geschichte so viel Spaß macht (:

[Lauren Stoolfire · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series is just so much fun! I love how this third installment throws you right into the action. The author still does a wonderful job balancing the action with humor. I absolutely enjoyed loved getting to know more about the our characters and the magic system. It's great seeing Valkyrie learn more and more about her powers. As much as I love Valkyrie and her reflection, my favorite character hands down is definitely Skulduggery himself - I mean, he's a magic using skeleton with fantastic sense of style and a great sense of humor. I will definitely need to continue on with this series.

[Rusty's Ghost Engine (also known as.......... Jinky Spring) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved all the twists, never saw them coming! I think this one is the best so far :D Thumbs up!

[Ryan Buckby · Rating 4 out of 5]

actual rating: 4.5/5 stars

That's a shame. I'm sure somebody, somewhere, cares.

This third novel has this series remain fresh and takes it more into a direction that i wasn't expecting but the ending has really kept me interested to continue this series.

The hilarious dialogue and banter with in this series pages are always top notch and i love having all the characters just bounce off each other. Also the magic, sarcasm and the adventure make this series something special and make me fall in love with each book i read in this series

There are so many different side characters that pop up in this book it's at times getting a little hard to keep up with everyone popping up in this series. However i really have enjoyed with this world and characters that Derek has created and i take my hat off to him.

You don't treat me like a child."
He smiled. "Of course I do, but you seem to have this ridiculous notion that being treated like a child means to be treated with less respect than an adult.

The ending however, that was one really huge cliffhanger and i really can't wait to see what happens in the fourth book because i think it's going to be sweet!

[freddie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Proper RTC maybe? These books are just so much fun and reading them is a happy little trip down nostalgia lane. I think I got up to book five or six when I was a teenager and then stopped following the series (why, I'll never know - teenage!me was a dumb dumb) so I'm super excited to re-read the next few and then dive into the ones I haven't read and catch up!

[Stanislav Lozanov · Rating 5 out of 5]

Определено тази, за момента, ми е любимата от поредицата!!!

[fiona ☁️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

These books just keep getting better and better the older I get when I reread them.

[Isabel ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

2024:
As good as the first time I read it. A new character introduced: Fletcher! I love him.


2020:
EPIC ENDING. I'M EXCITED TO READ THE NEXT ONE.

[Temi Panayotova-Kendeva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Абсолютно и напълно неочакван край! Всяка следваща част ме кара да искам още и още - просто трябва да знам как продължава! Толкова много се смях и все едн съпреживявах битката срещу Безликите с нашите герои - такова хубаво усещане! Едно от първите неща, които ще направя другата седмица е да си купя следващата част!
https://writingisfunbooks.wordpress.c...

[Josh Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was only going to give this one 3 stars, i still enjoyed it as much as the first two, Valkyrie and Skulduggery were just as great as usual, their back and forths working really well and the supporting cast were great, however, it felt quite similar plotwise and the villains were very flat (and didn't really get much time to shine like the villains of book 1 and 2). But when that end sequence hit, it was so awesome (and so much darker than i remembered) that i felt like 11 year old me reading it again for the first time. The cliffhanger ending hooked me and immediately made me want to move onto the fourth book even though i already know what happens (reread).

[Stuart McCarthy · Rating 4 out of 5]

OH MY GOD THAT ENDING!!!!
I AM NOT OKAY!!!!!

[Книжни Криле · Rating 5 out of 5]

Понякога конвенционалните методи и каналният ред чисто и просто не ти позволяват да си вършиш качествено работата. Всяка buddy movie поредица за ченгета неизменно достига до момента, в който шефът е страшно сърдит, а тандемът ядосано оставя значките си на бюрото му и започва да действа на своя глава. Този момент настъпва и за нашия свръхестествен детектив и неговата спътница! Скълдъгъри Плезънт и Валкирия Каин се опитват да извадят наяве кирливите ризи на висшестоящите в Убежището, но вместо да спрат предателството... се оказват уволнени. И то във възможно най-неподходящия момент, тъй като древните врагове на всичко светло и добро този път са по-близо от всякога до достигането на ужасяващите си цели! “Безликите” са тук, в книга трета от поредицата „Скълдъгъри Плезънт” на Дерек Ланди и изд. „Студио Арт Лайн”. Прочетете ревюто на "Книжни Криле":

https://knijnikrile.wordpress.com/201...

[Krasi Karaivanov · Rating 5 out of 5]

УоУ... Ако си мислите, че в първите две книги има екшън, то много бъркате!!! Сравнение с "Безликите" книга първа и вртора са спокойни със слабо действие... не мога да повярвам какво се случва!!! Авторът продължава да създава нови образи със супер шантави имена, които са или много зли или много наивни или много противоречиви или много шантави, но не мога да кажа, че ила и много добри... да факт е, че доброто побеждава, но на каква цена!!!! С една дума СТРАШНА е книгата. Горещо я препоръчвам! Мислех си да започвам друга, но с такъв финал няма как идва ред на "Мрачни дни"...

[annes_lesemeise · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5⭐

[Elevetha · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

My personal favorite skeleton detective is back - and not quite as snarky as ever. Close enough.

For me this series/book is not at all about the plot, because, let's be honest, it's not the greatest plot and even frustrates me sometimes. The Faceless Ones are starting to grate on my nerves but it's definitely not the worst story I've come across and absolutely everything is made better by the characters. I love Skulduggery and Valkyrie and Tanith. They are one of the best bad ass teams I've come across in a long time. And their banter and constant sassiness...I love it. And the supporting characters too! Not as awesome but for side characters, not bad at all.

This Fletcher character intrigues me. Perhaps we shall see more of him? And I'll say this right now: as much as I would love for there to be no romance at all ever in this series and keep everything just the way it is, if Landy decides to do something with Valkyrie and Fletcher and if he continues writing his characters the way he's been doing and if everyone is still their sassy, decidedly not whiny selves, I'll be just fine with it.

HOLY FREAKING CRAP. That cliffhanger is, dare I say, Uncle Troll Rick worthy.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finished listening to the audiobook for the first time, but reading for the second time. This was so great. This book is where the tone of the series becomes darker and bleaker, but still so smart and funny and enjoyable!!

[Kimberley doruyter · Rating 5 out of 5]

i hate the cliffhanger at the end of this one.
it drove me crazy the first time.


i always wondered why that guy was trying to kill her.
i skipped this one because my libary didn't have it, i'm kinda sorry about that.

[Feyre · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ich weiß noch, wie sehr mich das Ende des Buches damals mitgenommen hat, als die Bücher frisch herauskamen. Ich hatte, aber total vergessen, dass das das Ende dieses Buches ist und es hat mich wieder kalt erwischt.
Wie immer sind die Bücher großartig geschrieben und ich liebe die Dynamik zwischen Valkyrie und Skulduggery, je älter sie wird, umso mehr liebe ich das. Mehr will ich gar nicht sagen, außer dass ich die Reihe nur sehr empfehlen kann, wenn ihr sie noch nicht kennt.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best and most satisfying Skulduggery book I've read thus far! Granted, I've only read three. Derek Landy just keeps upping it with each book! Never a dull moment! Like the second book, the other characters came into their own, and as cool and awesome as Skulduggery P is, he needs people to get his back. He needs Tanith Low, Ghastly (all taken names are usually quite cool, because Derek Landy is fabulous.), Kenspeckle, and above all, he needs Valkyrie. His team has saved his butt so many times, one finds it hard to imagine what he'd been doing before he met the girl who was formerly Stephanie Edgley.

And best of all, Landy makes me panic. I swear, he made me tense up a couple of times throughout the book, because behind all the wit and fantastic plotting and epic fight scenes, he has quietly built a cage of emotional involvement to the people in the book around you. And you let him. So now you're stuck at home, worried sick, thinking, oh crap, oh crap, what if he (or she) dies here?! No! We need him/her!

That's right, Derek Landy turns you into a parent. Or perhaps that girlfriend who has just been told that her boyfriend is going to get involved in a gang fight. Or maybe the child of someone who's been admitted to the hospital. Or a pet-owner whose dog/cat is making freaky noises. But I digress.

The notion probably seems silly, until you look at it this way: Every series has at least one immortal character. For the Harry Potter series, you knew without fail that Harry, Hermoine and Ron will survive in the end. For the Twilight series, everyone is an immortal character, except the bad guys. For the Artemis Fowl series, you know that Artemis Fowl, Mulch Diggums and Holly Short will pull through no matter what (I'm not so sure about Butler, though, after what happened in the 3rd book). For the Skulduggery Pleasant adventure, it's Valkyrie Cain and Skulduggery Pleasant (notice how his name is behind hers? Nudge nudge, wink wink). But everyone else in the book probably has a date with Death, because Mr Landy can kill them off at any time...just because he can, and probably because he's Irish. And you know in your heart of hearts, he's toying with this idea to slowly drive you nuts with worry. But that's also what makes him awesome. He isn't afraid to wound his equally-if-not-more-incredble characters, make them scream and run (lots of running in his books), and if the story should lead him that way--kill them off. Derek does seem particularly obsessed with inflicting grievous bodily harm on Tanith Low, though... makes one wonder what he has against hot blondes.

Anyhew, rambling aside, this book has the most epic final battle so far, and it takes an interesting turn that I almost didn't seen coming, had it not been for my friend who spoiled the ending for me. He shall pay. Also, I have given it some thought, and I'd like Katie Mcgrath to play China Sorrows if ever there's a movie, which I'm sure there will be. And as everyone knows, casting the movie version of a book you've read is an undeniable symptom of obsessive fandom. Oh dear.

[Taz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I accidentally spoiled myself for the ending of this one, which bums me out, but I'm still going to give it a high rating because I know if I hadn't been expecting it that certain moment would've hit me a lot harder!

5 stars!

[Kalkwiese · Rating 5 out of 5]

Verschiedene Arten von Büchern müssen mit verschiedenem Maß gemessen werden. Die Skulduggery-Pleasant-Reihe ist ein Jugendbuch für ein junges jugendliches Publikum etwa im Alter von Walküre (13? 14?). Die Handlung und Figuren sind comichaft überzeichnet, die Bösen sind böse, weil sie böse sind, und es gibt viel Action. Da bekommt man bei leichter Kost viel geboten.

Band 3 funktioniert wie Band 1 und 2 mit einem MacGuffin-Plot. Wieder will jemand die Gesichtslosen zurückbringen, aufbauend auf den Ereignissen der vorigen Bände. Dieses Mal sind diese Leute die 'Diablerie' unter der Führung vom mysteriösen Batu, einer Person, die weltweit (also in Irland) Teleportmagier ausmacht und umbringen lässt.

Während dieser Plot sich entfaltet, gibt es langsamen Subplot um Walküres Alltag. Den lebt sie nämlich nicht selbst, schließlich ist sie ja Detektivpartnerin des Skeletts Skulduggery Pleasant. Stattdessen ist es ihr Spiegelbild, das zur Schule geht und jetzt sogar an ihrer Stelle den ersten Kuss hatte ... Das wird noch auf Walküre zurückkommen, ich bin sicher.

Und am Ende passieren einige schwerwiegende Dinge, die Walküre vor ganz neue Herausforderungen stellen. Band 4 liegt bereits bereit.
Das ist eine Art von Jugendbuch, für die ich mich begeistern kann.