Dark Passage

Kingdom Keepers #6

by Ridley Pearson

The five Kingdom Keepers and their core friends have uncovered a startling truth: Maleficent and the Overtakers (Disney villains) are plotting a catastrophic event that could have repercussions far beyond the world of Disney.

Aboard the Disney Cruise Line's inaugural passage through the new Panama Canal, the Keepers and their holograms uncover a puzzle hidden within the pages of a stolen journal. The point of that puzzle will reveal itself in the caves of Aruba, the zip lines of Costa Rica, and the jungles of Mexico. A destructive force, dormant for decades, is about to be unleashed. The five Kingdom Keepers are to be its first victims.

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

464 pages, Paperback

First published April 2, 2013

About the author

Ridley Pearson is the author of more than fifty novels, including the New York Times bestseller Killer Weekend; the Lou Boldt crime series; and many books for young readers, including the award-winning children's novels Peter and the Starcatchers, Peter and the Shadow Thieves, and Peter and the Secret of Rundoon, which he cowrote with Dave Barry. Pearson lives with his wife and two daughters, dividing their time between Missouri and Idaho.

Also writes Chris Klick mysteries as Wendell McCall.

Reviews

[Redfox5 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kinda sad I finished this so quick! I really want to go on a Disney cruise. OTS optional! I haven't given this book full marks and it's the first Kingdom Keepers book I've done that with. The reason is this, Ridley has a massive backlog of Disney Charcters to use in his books and yet the whole series we've only seen about 6 of them. I just think this is such a waste and there could have been so many cool interactions between Keepers and Characters. Also where the hell are the good guys? I mean we see a few of them but they don't actually do anything to help. You would think with the bad guys now organized, Mickey and his crew would get their shit together and start helping the Keepers out abit more. But besides that, this was the sort of fast adventure you would expect from a Keepers book. New character in the form of Mattie, who I liked. The kids are starting to talk about their romantic feelings for each other which was nice also. Can't belive I have to wait another year for the next one but at least we're off to Disneyland! Yay! But for our last Kingdom Keepers adventure :( I would recommend this series for anyone who is a fan of Disney. And people who miss Harry Potter. More people in the UK need to read this! And I'm really hoping for a Kingdom Keepers film!

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been a fan of the Kingdom Keepers series by Ridley Pearson since the first book and have loved it. I'm just sad that this series is ending next year when book 7 is released in April. It's been a fun run with the keepers fighting the Disney villains known as the overtakers and getting help from the Disney heroes and heroines. They have even had to solve puzzles to find out where their friend Wayne is hiding. Placing the story on the Disney cruise line is really interesting too. Definitely check the whole kingdom keepers series out if you like Disney and the Disney imagineers. the series ends next year. :( I'm going to miss reading about the Keeper's escapades when it ends.

[MOVED - CHECK BIO · Rating 5 out of 5]

REVIEW TO COME

[Kathy Davie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sixth in the Kingdom Keepers urban fantasy series for kids revolving around holograms, Disney World, and a close-knit group of kids.

My Take
We pick up where we left off in Shell Game , 5, while Finn and Willa are flying through the air just after they've jumped off the Disney Dream. And it's a mad race to survive!

This is the first time Pearson has concentrated on romance for Charlene and she's torn between two boys while Amanda is frustrated with Finn who is torn between Amanda and Storey. It's a mess. Then there's the hinted retirement from their DHI roles. It's not good.

That scene between Willa and Charlene where Charlie's questioning who makes the decisions just feels too fake. As though some readers whined that the boys had all the power, so Pearson felt a need to address the issue.

Hmm, Finn has a point about the balance of power and the part the DHIs have played in upping the stakes. And yet another hmmm when Luowski feels as though a "drain plug has been pulled". Keep an eye out for it and see if you come to same conclusion I did! Mattie has a point as well, one that she learned from Amanda and Jess, and I'm curious if it'll lead to a spin-off series or part of the KK adventures.

Clever use of hibernation---parents might find this an interesting angle to use with the kids to encourage them to learn---ya never know what school teaches that you might need in a dangerous situation…*grin*!

Whoa...it's kidnappings and the craziest chase scenes: under and over the water, through the AquaDuck, in caves---some are pretty disgusting, and over zip lines.

There are some minor loose threads in this: Dillard's fate, which I'm guessing that Pearson is saving for #7; who the other kid is that Clayton found up in the pipes; and, how Finn's mom got off the ship. And I must confess that I did not like the ending. For all its drama (and the accompanying relief), it felt disappointingly short and left me with a sense of loose ends. Besides the ones I've already whined about!

I dunno...it might be safer for the kids if they get retired…!

The Story
While the threat of replacement by the new beta version of the DHI 2.0 is hanging over the kids, they still have a mission to accomplish: prevent Maleficent, the Evil Queen, and Tia Dalma from carrying out their plans for Chernabog!

Only, Finn and Willa have jumped overboard from the Disney Dream to escape a pack of wild hyenas, and the ship is fast sailing away. If they don't reboard quickly, their holograms will fall into shadow, and they'll never awaken!

The Characters
Leadership seems to be splitting between the very intelligent Dill Philby's increasingly superior airs, who is lying, and keeping secrets, and Finn Whitman, who is questioning his role as the Kingdom Keepers' leader. He does have a secret weapon from Triton, the King of the Sea who makes a valuable ally. The physically fit---and hot---Charlene Turner, a cheerleader at school and a starter on the gymnastics team, has a wounded shoulder---and a secret pash for Finn and Terry. Isabella "Willa" Angelo has her own not-so-secret love. Terry "Donnie" Maybeck is a fifteen-year-old artist who helps his Aunt Jelly in her shop and thinks he's God's gift to girls.

There are three Fairlies (fairly human, but with unique powers) in this story: Amanda Lockhart is telekinetic, Jezebel "Jess" is clairvoyant, and Mattie Weaver has the power of touch. All three girls have been projected into the cruise by Wanda at the end to help. Amanda and Jess are still in fostercare with Mrs. Nash and trying to duck the government while Mattie is a friend of Amanda and Jess who's escaped a government facility in Baltimore. Dillard Cole is Finn's closest friend outside the Keepers and he keeps popping up on the cruise---also sent by Wanda Alcott, Wayne's daughter.

Finn's mom has been Overtaken, and they can no longer trust her while Gladis Philby, Philby's mom, is their chaperone on the trip.

Two of the six DHIs who have been created from Cast Members to augment the original Keepers have been placed onboard to help: Kenny Carlson and Bart.

Captain Cederberg is captain of the Disney Dream; Robert "Uncle Bob" Heinemann is the security officer Wayne told the kids to trust—oops; Clayton Freeman, a security wizard, has seen too much to brush the kids off without thought; Rafina is a fellow security officer; and, Storey Ming is a member of the crew helping the Keepers. Andy Meyers is a film director shooting a Disney Channel 365, and Jodi Bennett is a Disney Cruise Line executive who is managing the shoot.

Cast Members and characters of the Disney theme parks have begun to take sides. They think of Wayne Kresky, the head of the Imagineers, as the Elder. He's the one who pulled the DHIs into this troupe of fighters.

Maleficent, the nasty witch from Sleeping Beauty, the Evil Queen, and Tia Dalma are working together to bring Chernabog completely to life. Somehow Maleficent has spelled other middleschoolers to do their dirty work—recognizable by their green eyes. Greg "Lousy" Luowski is one of them! And he has embraced the mayhem. Although...they're starting to ask too much. Others who have been turned include Dixon, Victor, and Joe College.

The DHIs are Disney Host Interactives, a.k.a., Daylight Hologram Imaging, holograms which act as Park hosts for Disney. What most people don't know is that "their holograms had been engineered by Disney's Imagineers to do battle with...the Overtakers" (OTs), a dark force that includes the evil villains of Disney, eager to take over the world.

The Cover
The cover carries on from Shell Game when Finn and Willa jump from the Disney cruise ship to escape the hyenas with Finn diving right at us and Willa running in mid-air while Tia Dalma looms large over all.

The title is part of life as Maleficent intones, that Dark Passage when "one must face one's demons", but Maleficent doesn't understand that the kids have already faced one such passage, even as they must still endure the other.

[Alyssa Gabrielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

WTH??? When did this book become so dark? I actually love that aspect, but I wasn't expecting it! I'll write a full review soon, but for now, some thoughts...

--Charlene and Maybeck! Charbeck! (No seriously, that's there ship name). The only couple in this series I actually care about, and their scenes together are just perfect! But RP needs to let Charlene get over Finn. It's getting annoying and adds nothing to the story
--poor hyena! And the stereotypical bully might actually have a heart! Predictable, but at least he has some depth now
--Dillard! I care less than I probably should, but mainly because he's not a recurring character
--I care about Mattie slightly more than I care about Storey Ming, but that's not saying much. I wish RP would stop adding characters and instead develop the ones he already has
--So for once, Jess's drawing didn't come true at all. And yet they trust her wholeheartedly. But at least it got Charlene out of being the damsel in distress AGAIN. In fact, Willa and Charlene save Philby and Maybeck! Yay!
--Amanda and Jess used to be main characters, where are they the past two books? I can't care about Finns love for Amanda if she's AWOL
--RP, Wayne being on the ship is not a cliffhanger if you already confirmed it earlier in the book
--So the cruise is over? Maybe?
--Disneyland, CA? YES. THIS.
--HUMAN SACRIFICES? WHAT IS THIS, Indiana JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM?
--I'm a bit worried about the portrayal of some of the native cultures in this book. At some point RP makes them look kind of stupid and simplistic, and while I'm sure that's unintentional, it still bugs me.
--When Luoski kills a hyena, it's this sudden moral conflict. Finn tries to kill Tia Dalma, possibly killed Maleficent and Chernabog, and it's no big deal? Cause they're evil or something?
--Did I mention this book is really dark? It is. A lot
--Charlene is awesome and I want to hug her and I wish she was the main character instead of Finn. Except she needs to get over Finn. Like, now.

Well, that's all for now!

[Jessica (JT) · Rating 1 out of 5]

The biggest problem with the Kingdom Keepers Series is that it is too long. If Ridley Pearson had kept it to three or four books, he could have done what he wanted to do with it but would not have run out of plot devices.
This book dragged on and on with the same things happening over and over again from the previous books but set on a ship which somehow made it more boring than interesting.
The characters never learned anything and just made me annoyed. I used to like some of the characters but now they are just boring, repetitive people who insist on fighting about the stupidest things.
Then there are the Disney characters, which let's be honest, are the reason that most of us are here. They are nothing like the Disney characters in the movies that we know and love them from. They are flat, strange representations that show up for random, short periods of time and don't really do anything.
This book was the worst of the bunch in my opinion. Next to nothing happened, the kids seemed to regress rather than make progress in anything, and the Disney characters were so far off from anything that was ever shown in the classic Disney movies that I just got mad and frustrated as I read any scenes with them.
I have never been a huge fan of Pearson's writing, but this installment just brought all of my frustrations to a head. His actions scenes somehow manage to be boring and conversations progress in a way that no one ever talks in, especially not kids. Decisions are made in no logical progression and the entire plot is so boring and pointless at this point.
This series had some good parts towards the beginning, but now it is a struggle to get through a chapter without feeling frustrated.

[Lucee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finished this book earlier. It was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!! It's totally got me on the edge of my seat waiting for the seventh ( and final ) book. I've read the Peter & the Starcatchers series and I, personally think Ridley Pearson does much better writing alone than with somebody else. Just an opinion.

[Drew Graham · Rating 1 out of 5]

Hot on the heels of Book 5's (extremely predictably resolved) cliffhanger, Finn and his fellow Kingdom Keepers/honorary Keepers/anyone who wants to become a Keeper are still hanging out on the Disney Dream cruise ship trying to figure out what the Overtakers are up to and how they can stop them. (If this sounds familiar, it's because it's the EXACT SAME plot that every KK book is about, but most especially the previous book in the series.)

*sigh* Where do I begin?... Seeing as how this book is almost a carbon copy of the previous book, I could just copy and paste my review from that one, make minor changes and be done, but that's just not how I roll. I also thought about NOT writing a review because of how annoyed I am, but that's NOT how I roll. First of all, I'm kind of baffled seeing so many reviews calling this book "AMAZING." I guess it IS amazing, but not really in the way they mean... When I started reading this time, I decided to fold the corner of the page down whenever I read something that was confusing or bad writing or a typo or didn't make sense or contradicted something the author had previously said. By the end I had FIFTY-PLUS pages marked (and that was being pretty lenient). I totally understand the occasional typo, I really do. This is not occasional, neither is it acceptable. Anyway, like I said, this book is basically the same story as Book 5 (though admittedly, blessedly, shorter), which made for a REALLY boring read. (Luckily I had to read it really fast in order to return it to the library in time. I was so glad when it was over.) I guess the major difference is that this book featured a slight twist of some kind of cop-out possible death prophecy which ended up involving a character we barely know and definitely don't care about. When I was done, The Wife asked me to summarize my thoughts is three sentences. They were these:

1. It was more of the same.
2. It had an almost interesting climax/ending (except that it was based around a completely invented character posing as a Disney character).
3. I was SO glad they FINALLY made it off that infernal ship. (If anything could possibly dissuade me from my previously strong desire to take a Disney cruise...)

So yes, the cruise line commercial continues! And this time it expands to even more thrilling excursions that tourists would love, as, evidently, do teens in constant mortal peril! (AquaDuck! Fancy theaters! Fine dining options! Zip lines and cave exploration!) So let's break this down... THE CHARACTERS: The usual dozen or so characters are here, as inconsistent and unpleasant as ever. I mean, if these kids have had to deal with life-and-death situations together for all these months and years, might they not have established SOME kind of camaraderie that doesn't include constantly snapping at each other or putting each other down?? Hormones, sure, but it IS possible for teenagers to be friends. In fact, many of them are becoming even LESS friendly with each other as time goes by, no matter how many times they save each other's skin. They really are a terrible team. Most of the time I don't even realize why they're upset with each other, most of their conversation seems pretty innocuous and flimsy, and they jump down each other's throat at the slightest provocation (if any at all). And MUST they constantly refer to Storey Ming by her full name?? I'm pretty sure she's the only Storey around. (Evidently one of the author's children is named Storey... I C wut U didd ther!) THE STORY: The story and technology still make little to no sense (it even at one point goes so far as to say that the technology is changing, but "no one understood why or how" [including the author, evidently]), and the kids still figure things out way too easily (except for the obvious things). The author is by now apparently trying to involve the world outside the handful of Keepers in the "war," but it's just not working, and leads to a bunch of unnecessary characters no one cares about or remembers. THE WRITING: There are blatant, rampant typos, even to the point of getting the speakers of a dialogue between two characters wrong. There were a few moments where I could actually picture Ridley Pearson sitting at his laptop just glowing and thinking to himself, "Ooh, this is such great writing! I used alliteration and everything!" (Even if it doesn't really make sense... "Where did the potency of possibility give way to the power of persuasion?" "...a collision of confusion" "...a chrysalis in catharsis.") There are still awkward sentence fragments throughout, and the dialogue is as unnatural as ever ("Do not say that stuff," Finn awkwardly says at one point, while later, "Amanda met eyes with him."), and reasonably intelligent children are baffled by long words like "refreshing," and think "perspective" has to do with art, regardless of its context. If you can't understand the meaning and usage of words like impale, implode, capitulate, churlish, hypothesis or primordial, I don't think you get to use them. There seemed to be several really odd and blatant barbs about race and religion/marriage (including references to "heaven, or wherever people went when they were no longer people," and Maybeck's occasional uncontrollable outrage at the mere mention of slaves, regardless of their race, and regardless of its relevance to the story or his character). The out of place pop-culture references/obvious winks still abound (Disney Podcasts! The Hunger Games! Harry Potter! Percy Jackson! [Twice!] Artemis Fowl! Even, probably most out of place of all, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo!). There's nothing wrong with a pop-culture reference in general, but the way he uses them makes them sound like an older fellow's desperate attempts at sounding hip. Also, "bat guano" and "overtly obvious" are redundant, and dolphins are not slimy.

Halfway through the reading of this book, I was thoroughly convinced this man has never had or interacted much with children, since his writing indicates VERY little understanding of how they think or talk or communicate. Turns out my assumption was incorrect, which makes these books and characters that much more baffling. Maybe if he tried less to sound like a teenager, especially when just narrating, it would come off more naturally. Maybe.

I should point out that perhaps the most interesting thing about this penultimate (whew!) volume in this woefully mishandled series is that he actually tried to explain why the Disney characters the kids meet and interact with bear little to no resemblance to their expertly-created film/theme park counterparts (or he at least acknowledges that they do, which still makes no sense considering these are supposed to be real beings that stand in for the characters that represent them, making it easier for them to infiltrate the world of Disney... if they don't actually resemble the characters people are familiar with, how in the world can they stand in without being noticed?). And yet, Ariel appears (apparently without pants), and speaks in a dreamy lilt, bewildered by the idea of "tek-nology" (while also having fought this battle with the villains for decades... which also apparently started out as a fun-and-games series of pranks? That's new) and Megara shows up with some kind of mystical knowledge of alchemy, serenely referring to teenagers as "child" and being completely out of character. And, like I said, the ending came as close as these books ever have to an actually exciting finale, except that the whole set-up was based on a character completely of the author's creation, masquerading as a very well-known Disney villain. (Writing action especially doesn't seem to be his strong suit.) This general and complete inconsistency of character has always been a major problem with these books, and I'm afraid it's too late to try to explain it away now, six overlong books later. I can't help but imagine (in moments of extreme internet vanity) that my reviews and letters to the author actually made him realize something he should have realized before embarking on this project. I'm sorry Ridley, but I have to lay this all out.

In the acknowledgments for this book, the author says, "For those Disney enthusiasts who spot mistakes, they're entirely on me." Oh, we know, Ridley. No one's blaming anyone else. This book is more of the same, and for some reason I keep reading (at least there's only one book left, and they're FINALLY off that ever-lovin' ship, so THAT particular commercial is more or less over now). As Finn says at one point, indicating the Keepers' popularity and importance to the company, and apparently echoing the sentiment of many fans in a moment of fourth-wall semi-breakage, "We're waiting for the movie." Keep waiting, Finn and Co., because to make a movie of these books would basically require a complete re-write of story and character.

(And now I wonder if this is my longest KK review yet...)

(... yep, pretty sure it is.)

[Heidi Lil' Chip · Rating 3 out of 5]

I give this book 3.5 stars, I really liked most parts, but some I wasn't a big fan of

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

The sixth of Ridley Pearson's clever "Kingdom Keeper" novels starts with a splash -- literally. Two of the Disney Hologram Interactive (DHI) kids, Willa and Finn, are overboard the Disney Dream cruise ship, and in trouble. The Overtakers (OT) ... Disney villains of the worst sort ... are on-board and planning an even bigger takeover than just the Disney parks.

I've found these books consistently clever and entertaining. The characters, with the exception of the villains (who are who they are), are well-rounded and interesting. We see not only the teenage angst about crushes, but also the challenges that come with being the smart kid in the crowd, or the kid being raised by an aunt ... or anything else that makes a young person stand out in a less-than-positive way.

All of that said, it is beginning to feel like Pearson is a little tired of his first group of DHI characters, as he is introducing new youths into the mix ... and those kids seem to know more than the first group about what is going on.

It will be interesting to see how this plays out in future series titles.

[Jenn G · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

I'm sad to say I didn't like this one as much as the previous ones in the series. I missed the parks! Hopefully the next (and last book in the series) will be more like the first ones.

[Amanda Lowther · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first time that I've ever reviewed a book, but Dark Passage is definitely worth a review. Just a warning- spoilers are ahead, so if you haven't finished yet, don't read! As always, the plot raced along. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. The characters were all developed a little more throughout the book. It was interesting how Ridley Pearson added how romance and crushes affected the relationships between the keepers.
And the ending. Oh, the ending. Ridley, it's official- you and I have a definite love/hate relationship. This has got to be the worst cliffhanger yet! I'm guessing that the crewman will be Wayne, but who knows?
In the last book, I'd like to see exactly how much Wayne has been grooming Phillby to be leader, and why on earth he wants to replace Finn. I also want to see more of Wayne. All in all, Dark Passage was a ride from the very first page. I can't wait for the seventh book to come out. Write fast, Ridley!

[Ray Palen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ridley Pearson's terrific Kingdom Keepers series, like the Harry Potter series, has officially graduated from YA to adult. With each successive release (this is now the 6th of 7 novels) the Kingdom Keepers have gotten far more serious and the danger that much more real than when the series started.

In DARK PASSAGE, the 5 DHI hosts and their alllies continue to battle the Over Takers for domination of all things Disney. Seeing the greatest Disney villains come to life and actually try to harm people is chilling and their greatest plan yet is to reinvigorate Chernabog whose wraath and evil will crush the Kingdom Keepers and allow for the conquest of Disney.

A true treat for fans of Disney --- this novel goes in-depth on the Disney Dream cruise ship --- Ridley Pearson has tapped into the heart and soul of Walt Disney and his Imagineers and create another brilliant novel that will have fans counting the days until the release of the 7th and final book in the series.

[Scooby Meredith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was definitely better than the last one. The seriousness and severity of their adventures are alarming. Very quick read though the spa day I took helped get through it quickly. I thought there were at least 9 books in the series but just discovered that the 7th book is the final one, and then there is a prequel trilogy.

[Drew S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

"You ready", are the first words you read and that is from the 5th book and the Keepers have a bigger problem then they could ever think of. Chernabog was brought aboard at Castaway Cay and with the looming phrase "One of us will die," and no one know what the phrase means and with Disney 365 gone wrong this have gone into the Keeper hardest fight yet to "keep" the peace in Disney

[Annika B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Overtakers are on board the Disney dream and this message comes repeatedly 'One of you is going to die' Will one of the kingdom keepers die? Who keeps sending that message to the keepers? Will this have a fairy tale ending? you will have to read to find out

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

It isn't too often that a book catches me off guard, but WOW! I did not see some of the events at the end coming! Anxious to start the next one!

[Bridget · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found Book VI (continuation of the cruise storyline) better than Book V, particularly because it focused solely on the cruise ship and the ports of call, with no addition of a water park or Hollywood Studios. Tia Dalma, who was on the cover of Book VI, was actually a main villain in this book unlike Ursula in the previous book. The cruise line storyline intrigued me, but it wasn’t as well executed as I had hoped. The writer utilized a few more characters in this book, particularly villains, but still missed the opportunity to incorporate other characters. Where are the characters that fight alongside the KKs on the cruise ship? The writer introduced character as allies to the KKs in Hollywood Studios in the previous book, but they are nowhere to be found in this one. Also, Book VI definitely was much darker than the rest of the books in the series. Mixed feelings again. On to Book VI.5.

[Nick Peterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book was quite good. it talked about a lot of things going on with the DHIs. It had the characters going on Adventures through different places. Plus making new memories and creating new explorations that could never be possible in real life. It also had the characters on a mission to find the Overtakers and they had succesfully defeated them in Mexico and then got back on the ship and headed to the U.S. which was their home country. Also, they were prond of themselves for the ability get done what they never would have thought would have been possible.

[Raymond · Rating 2 out of 5]

although the action scenes were the highlight of the story, most of the book was more about encounters with the kingdom keepers relationships. I felt it detracted from the main storyline. I also had several instances of grammatical errors and spelling of people's names wrong. unfortunately this has been the weakest of the series.

[Nele · Rating 4 out of 5]

More action, less slow. Loved it! On to number 7!

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5 stars. Review coming soon

[syd · Rating 2 out of 5]

short. disappointing. what is going on. how is this a KIDS book. he didn’t need to die for the plot… it added nothing

[Rachel Guertler · Rating 4 out of 5]

OMG this one took a turn I did not see coming!!! I wish that all of the books had been written like this. The series would have been SOO much better overall!

[Anna · Rating 2 out of 5]

The further I get along in the series the harder it is for them to keep my attention. Hopefully the last one will be great!

[Merin · Rating 2 out of 5]

DISCLAIMER: Because this is the sixth book in the Kingdom Keepers series, this review does contain some references to occurrences in the previous books. Major plot points or spoilers, however, are avoided.

I am at a loss when it comes to my feelings about this series. It started out so incredibly strong, with awesome world-building and likable characters. I loved the inside look at the inner workings of Disney that most tourists and fans don't get to see, from the behind-the-scenes mechanics of rides and attractions, to the glimpse inside the areas of the parks that only Cast Members are allowed inside. The idea of five teenagers being turned into holograms - and then told that their "other" job (aside from marketing) is to fight the Overtakers, or Disney villains, who are trying to gain control of the Parks and turn them decidedly darker. But as the series has gone on, instead of the awesome action scenes and battles between good and evil, the books have devolved into Relationship Drama (and yes, it deserves capital letters) between the main characters. And that's just majorly disappointing to me.

I mentioned in my review of Shell Game that the editing of these books has become extremely lackluster. In that book, there were lines of dialogue that didn't  match up to the speaker, misspellings galore, and gaping plot holes. I mentioned that I didn't like the fact that Mr. Pearson turned Tia Dalma into a villain, either, and considering her huge role in Dark Passage, my unhappiness with that move has grown exponentially. I'm sorry, but she's NOT evil. She very clearly was helpful in the Pirates films, and I don't like what he's done with her character at all. I can get behind the other villains - the Evil Queen from Snow White, and Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty, to name a few, because that's exactly how they were written in their original fairy tales. Their evilness, if you will, makes sense. Tia Dalma's? Not so much.

Considering that the main part of this book is supposed to be about the Kingdom Keepers' fight against the Overtakers, way too much of this book is taken up with teenage drama of various sorts. Not only do you have the typical love interest stuff - Willa likes Philby, Charlene likes Maybeck and Finn (but maybe Maybeck more?), Finn likes Amanda, but finds himself also crushing on new character Storey Ming (who is WAY too old for him and therefore should NOT be crushing back, ugh), Philby also likes Storey but probably Willa more, and, just, seriously, STOP. Chapter after chapter of this book is taken up with all this ~drama~ about who likes whom, and it's just ridiculous. I also am getting really tired of the increasing strain between Finn and Philby and who is the true "leader" of the Keepers. And while I used to like Wayne, I find him at fault for most of it, so my dislike of him has also grown in each installment. Philby is a massive jerk, who likes to prove he's the smartest and basically says things just to make Finn angry, and also revels in the fact that Wayne has told him some things he hasn't told Finn. The only character I really liked in this book was Maybeck, who at least isn't treating everyone terribly!

I also need to mention that the editing of this book was no better than Shell Game. It's overly long (see that paragraph above regarding all the drama) and there were typos throughout (and this was a hardback copy, not the e-book version). At one point Philby tells Willa that her idea is "brilliant" and then five lines later he tells her it's "too risky". What? Which is it? That's just one example, but there are moments of this throughout the book. Every time it happens it just really knocks the reader out of the story, which further lowers your enjoyment.

Dark Passage is the most disappointing installment in the series thus far. Considering that the books have gotten worse as they've gone along, I have little hope that the final installment will be any better. If we could just go back to the main plot of this series - the battle against the Overtakers - and stop with all the unnecessary romantic "intrigue" then I think you'd have a decent finale. Alas, I don't hold out much hope of that happening. Will I still read book seven? Yes, because I've devoted myself to the previous six, and I want to see how everything ends. Will I enjoy it? Unfortunately, that seems extremely unlikely.

***

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[One Man Book Club · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Kingdom Keepers tricked me! I started the series a couple of weeks ago when the sixth (and supposedly FINAL) book was published. If you've read my reviews, you know I never start a series until I can read the whole series at once....a rule I established after enduring the torture of waiting for each new Harry Potter book. So you can imagine my surprise when I arrived at the end of book 6 of The Kingdom Keepers to find there is still more story left! And not just a little! Oh, and book 7--the REAL series ender--isn't going to be published until APRIL 2014! Sigh.

Oh, well. Minor annoyance I suppose. I'll review the series up to book 6, and when book 7 comes out next year I'll just add to it. Enough. On to the review...

I'm always on the lookout for books my kids might enjoy, and The Kingdom Keepers sounded like a lot of fun. Who wouldn't want to wake up each night somewhere in Disney World as a hologram, where you become the only force for good defending the world against the nefarious plans of all the Disney bad guys? Sounds like a good time to me. Turns out, that fun premise makes for some pretty fun adventures, and The Kingdom Keepers reads quickly and easily. The series definitely finished stronger than it started. I enjoyed the last three much more than the first three.

I do wonder how much Disney paid the author to write these books. They are all Disney propaganda at its best (worst?). I also don't like that dads are portrayed as out of touch idiots...that's a problem in our society that deserves a much more in depth discussion. There are several instances were kids lie and keep things from their parents, and even a couple instances when the mom and the son conspire to hide things from the brain dead dad. I don't appreciate that either. However, I'm still happy to let my kids read The Kingdom Keepers. It's exactly for these types of issues I always preread my kids books, and I'll be able to talk about these issues as they come up.

I hope your family has fun reading The Kingdom Keepers. Now I just have to wait for April 2014 to see what happens next!

[Ashley Randolph · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ok, this one isn't going to count towards my total b/c I didn't actually FINISH it, but I thought I should warn others about this book. It is SO bad. I only made it about 100 pages in before I gave up. I have read all the other books in the series and they have gotten progressively worse. First of, the books starts mid action. Now, while it has been a while since I finished the previous book, I don't remember it ending in a cliff hanger. Which means, action has taken place between the end of book 5 and the beginning of book 6 that we didn't see. So, we jump in mid action and have no idea what is going on. If I am wrong and the previous book did end on a cliffhanger, I think we deserve a synopsis or something at the beginning of the new book to refresh our memories.
When the books started out, there were 5-6 central young people as characters and 1 main adult protagonist. Now, I have lost count of the number of characters. In fact, I can't even remember who some of them are supposed to be there are so many!
Let's add to that techno-babble that makes no sense, unnecessary love triangles, lack of continuity, and just plain poor writing- it all equals a book that isn't worth your time.
I hate that I have invested enough time to read 5 books in this series only to drop out before the final 2, but I just can't do it. Maybe if I get to a point where I have nothing else to read and I have emptied my "to read" list I can return to this one, but I doubt it.

[Kiana · Rating 1 out of 5]

My thoughts on the original Dark Passage.

The great thing about the updated version of Dark Passage is that it’s less than half the length of the original while still feeling like the same story—which both illustrates how pointlessly bloated it was ten years ago and allows the story to now stand unpadded in all its pathetic glory.

Of course, people who want more of Pearson’s technobabble, circuitous conversations, narrative dead-ends, and laughable dialogue will be disappointed—that stuff is all still there, but not nearly as much of it. Me, I say good riddance; if these rewrites won’t make the books any better (the only one which even came close to doing that was the updated Disney In Shadow), at least they’re making them mercifully shorter.


Miscellaneous changes from the original:

* There is no subplot of tracking down an Overtaker USB (and resultantly, no gutted hyena).

* Because there are no hyenas, Jess is not injured by said hyenas; and therefore, there is no scene where she is magically healed by Megara as Ariel, Pluto, and Amanda stand by.

* The runes in the journal are immediately translated, rather than taking several chapters (see: original version's pointless bloat).

* Instead of Maybeck and Storey going into the stalactite cave, only Maybeck goes.

* There is a new sequence of Storey looking at the ship’s landfill and having a bad feeling. Nothing actually happens; but, you know, she watches it and has vibes.

* Luowski and the OTKs don’t salvage computer equipment for the Overtakers on the island stops.

* There is no longer a subplot of Philby being primed to replace Finn as the Kingdom Keepers leader (and it isn’t missed, because it never went anywhere).

* There is no longer a subplot of Finn suddenly having super strength (and it isn’t missed, because it never went anywhere).

* Storey is incapacitated in the bird attack during the Disney 365 shoot, not Maybeck.

* Luowski steals Philby’s room card, and then the journal from his room, meaning there is no scene of Finn, Philby, and Maybeck facing off with Maleficent and the Evil Queen for the journal (although this scene was basically in the updated version of Shell Game).

* The kids search the ship for Chernabog and Tia Dalma, not Maybeck’s DHI (because Maybeck isn’t comatose in this version—Storey is).

* Maybeck and Willa are in the kitchen fight with Diablo, not Philby and Willa.

* There is no longer a hospital fight scene between Finn and the Evil Queen.

* Amanda is made up to look like Charlene instead of Kenny being made up to look like Philby. (As far as I can tell, Kenny doesn’t exist in this version of the series.)

* Philby is in on the doppel-Keepers ruse, whereas in the original he was not.

* There’s an added scene where Finn randomly tells Amanda that he flirted with Charlene (because again, Pearson has no idea how actual teenagers—or humans—interact) and she gets angry.

* The exchange where Willa basically calls Charlene an airhead is cut.

* There’s a new detail where the zip-line instructor/leader is called a “dolt” for repeating safety instructions so many times. I kind of wanted a Kingdom Keeper to die on the zip line just to validate him.

* Maybeck goes with Willa on the zip lines instead of Charlene. Maybeck also replaces Charlene as the one who investigates the folks in the jungle.

* The sequence of Mattie, Amanda, and Charlene looking for Dillard in the jungle is gone (which makes sense, because it went nowhere).

* There are no hints that Mattie/Storey intends to return to Baltimore and free all the Fairlies after the Kingdom Keepers business is done.

* There’s a new scene with a narrative retcon where Finn explains to Amanda that he can go all-clear in human form because he touched ink from the Stonecutter’s Quill. This is a really weird point to insert this retcon, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it was only mentioned here because Pearson/his editing team thought of it at that very point in the writing process. Because nothing is planned or thought out in these books.

* Willa doesn’t join Finn and Charlene on the motorbikes to the temple.

* There’s no solar eclipse.

* Tia Dalma doesn’t transform Dillard to look like her so Finn stabs him. Instead, Tia Dalma cuts Dillard’s throat herself.

* Maleficent’s death is way more graphic, detailing how Finn pulls out her heart with conviction. Like, he feels it attached to other organs, but he just keeps pulling harder until it pops. It’s disgusting.

* Willa’s not in the final temple fight at all. She was just following them in a taxi that I guess showed up way after the battle ended. We see her in the van when they drive away from the temple, but she’s not mentioned at any point between then and her in the taxi at the very beginning.

* The Evil Queen transforms into a snake and escapes the cave, rather than just running further into its tunnels.

* Luowski is recruited by Disney staff to be an insider spy for the Overtakers. I wonder if they’ll actually continue that thread in The Insider 2.0.

* There’s no discussion of getting Tia Dalma to resurrect Dillard—which is just as well, because the subsequent book forgot that thread entirely, and I guess it was easier to erase it than correct it in the rewrite. Even though bringing back Dillard would make the books a little more middle-grade-friendly, and I know he gets resurrected eventually anyway in the spinoff Return series—so why not here? Oh, wait, is the Return series canon to the Kingdom Keepers 2.0 rewrite universe? Are they concerned about maintaining the integrity of the Return series? Of all the places to consider continuity in the Kingdom Keepers books, the even lousier spinoff series would not be my recommendation.

* There’s no nonsense subplot about the Kingdom Keepers being taped for some reality TV show—which is just as well, because THAT NEVER WENT ANYWHERE EITHER.

[Wendy Siegel · Rating 2 out of 5]

These are no longer enjoyable. The author spends a lot of time wasted on tween feelings. He likes her. She likes him. He gets excited by every girl he walks by...


I'm a disney fanatic and the author is given exclusive rights to research. The disney facts are the only things keeping me reading this series.