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Book Trilogy #3
The Book from Baden Dark
The exciting conclusion to the bestselling trilogy that began with THE BOOK OF LIES. three years have passed since Marcel defeated Mortregis, the great dragon of war, and more than a year since the Battle of Cadell. On a mountainside in Elster, Bea, who has lived among the elves all this time, longs to see her human friends again. When strange creatures disturb the tranquillity of the mountain forests and her grandfather disappears, she calls for Marcel's help. together with his cousin, Fergus, they travel into the forbidden underground world of Baden Dark on a rescue mission. But Marcel senses an ancient evil in Baden Dark and becomes determined to free all of Elster from its threat. Forever. the challenge will test his growing power as a sorcerer and even success may come at a terrible price. Bea is not convinced by his ambitions and when Marcel betrays her with his magic, he makes a decision that may keep them apart forever.Fast-paced and completely enthralling, the compelling conclusion to this trilogy is guaranteed to have readers unable to turn the pages fast enough!Ages 9 - 12
305 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 2009
9 people are currently reading
485 people want to read
About the author
James Moloney
54 books193 followersMy full name is James Francis Moloney and I was born in Sydney, Australia on 20 September, 1954. When I was seven years old, my family moved to Brisbane and except for the odd year or two, I have lived in Brisbane ever since. At school, I was into every sport going - cricket, footy, swimming - you name it. It's hard to believe now but in High School, I was a champion Long Jumper! After University I became a teacher and then a Teacher Librarian. I moved around from school to school and in 1977-8 found myself in Cunnamulla, a little "outback" town where many Indigenous Australians live. These turned out to be important years for my writing.
In 1980, I look a year's leave, stuffed a backpack full of clothes and went off to see the world. Got to do it, guys! There's so much out there, from things to uplift your spirit to things that make you question the humanity of your fellow man. I stepped over rotting dog carcasses in Mexico city, got all weepy in a roomful of Impressionist paintings and met some fascinating people. Hope you'll do the same one day.
1983 was another big year. I got married and started work at Marist College Ashgrove, an all-boys school in Brisbane, where I stayed for fifteen years. During this time, I became interested in writing for young people, at first using the ideas and experiences gained from my time in Cunnamulla, mixed in with the thinking and wondering I'd done overseas. After my early attempts were rejected, the first of my novels, Crossfire , was published in 1992.
In 1997, my fifth novel for young adults, A Bridge to Wiseman's Cove won the Australian Children's Book of the Year Award. At the end of that year, I decided to leave teaching and become a full time writer.
In the mean time, my wife and I have produced three great children, two of whom are currently studying at University. Photos of them to the right, along with my lovely wife, Kate, who has encouraged me along every step of the way.
Now that I have turned my hobby into my job, I have had to develop some other interests. For exercise, I go cycling along the bike paths around Brisbane. I'm also into great books, great food, movies, travelling, learning to speak French and I dabble in a little painting. In recent years Kate and I have spent an extended period in France, cycled through Vietnam and soon we will be off to the USA.
In 1980, I look a year's leave, stuffed a backpack full of clothes and went off to see the world. Got to do it, guys! There's so much out there, from things to uplift your spirit to things that make you question the humanity of your fellow man. I stepped over rotting dog carcasses in Mexico city, got all weepy in a roomful of Impressionist paintings and met some fascinating people. Hope you'll do the same one day.
1983 was another big year. I got married and started work at Marist College Ashgrove, an all-boys school in Brisbane, where I stayed for fifteen years. During this time, I became interested in writing for young people, at first using the ideas and experiences gained from my time in Cunnamulla, mixed in with the thinking and wondering I'd done overseas. After my early attempts were rejected, the first of my novels, Crossfire , was published in 1992.
In 1997, my fifth novel for young adults, A Bridge to Wiseman's Cove won the Australian Children's Book of the Year Award. At the end of that year, I decided to leave teaching and become a full time writer.
In the mean time, my wife and I have produced three great children, two of whom are currently studying at University. Photos of them to the right, along with my lovely wife, Kate, who has encouraged me along every step of the way.
Now that I have turned my hobby into my job, I have had to develop some other interests. For exercise, I go cycling along the bike paths around Brisbane. I'm also into great books, great food, movies, travelling, learning to speak French and I dabble in a little painting. In recent years Kate and I have spent an extended period in France, cycled through Vietnam and soon we will be off to the USA.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
May 20, 2011
This is a so-so book.
I mean, it's brilliant. Except oh-so-unrelated to the other books.
And Marcel's character completely changed; he may as well of died and been replaced with a different character. We didn't hear ANYTHING about Damon, Ismar, etc, for the entirety of the whole book (basically) and we didn't hear anything about Baden Dark in the others...
So yeah.
Anyway, character development is good, I guess, but very in your face. If it was more subtle that would be nice.
I liked the idea of spirits passing on their knowledge from earth into the tree which then spreads it back into the soil. But it could have been elaborated on.
The romance thread between Marcel and Bea was extremely cute but I would've preferred it if something had actually come of it.
But anyways. It was an interesting ending and a good read (herh herh)
I mean, it's brilliant. Except oh-so-unrelated to the other books.
And Marcel's character completely changed; he may as well of died and been replaced with a different character. We didn't hear ANYTHING about Damon, Ismar, etc, for the entirety of the whole book (basically) and we didn't hear anything about Baden Dark in the others...
So yeah.
Anyway, character development is good, I guess, but very in your face. If it was more subtle that would be nice.
I liked the idea of spirits passing on their knowledge from earth into the tree which then spreads it back into the soil. But it could have been elaborated on.
The romance thread between Marcel and Bea was extremely cute but I would've preferred it if something had actually come of it.
But anyways. It was an interesting ending and a good read (herh herh)
November 17, 2015
Just loved this book.
Unusual in that it really comes across as a kid's book but the main characters are sixteen and seventeen. Although Marcel, Fergus and Nicola have grown up through the trilogy, they still have a distinct air of being children. Especially Marcel, on whom the book focusses.
***Spoilers follow***
Marcel was always a prodigy when it came to magic - but unknown to him, there's a reason why. It isn't random chance: magic has been poured into him from birth for a particular purpose. He's on Noam, the island of the mages, when a message is received from Bea asking for help. Her grandfather is trapped in Baden Dark and only a magician can break the wardlocks on the entrance to get inside. Marcel leaves Noam at once, asserting his will over people, wind and waves to get home to Elsternwyck as quickly as possible.
His cousin Fergus is alarmed by Marcel's attitude: it's not simply that he wants to help, his domination is because he can. Marcel desperately wants to wipe out all evil in the world, not realising he is becoming arrogant and is in danger of perpetrating it himself. He insists on his own way, believing his magic is so powerful that neither Bea nor Fergus can help him.
Baden Dark turns out to be... well, unexpected.
It was only after finishing the book that I suddenly realised why the giant tree Arminsel seemed to niggle at my thoughts as a familiar name. It is obviously based on the mythic tree/skycolumn Irmunsil.
Unusual in that it really comes across as a kid's book but the main characters are sixteen and seventeen. Although Marcel, Fergus and Nicola have grown up through the trilogy, they still have a distinct air of being children. Especially Marcel, on whom the book focusses.
***Spoilers follow***
Marcel was always a prodigy when it came to magic - but unknown to him, there's a reason why. It isn't random chance: magic has been poured into him from birth for a particular purpose. He's on Noam, the island of the mages, when a message is received from Bea asking for help. Her grandfather is trapped in Baden Dark and only a magician can break the wardlocks on the entrance to get inside. Marcel leaves Noam at once, asserting his will over people, wind and waves to get home to Elsternwyck as quickly as possible.
His cousin Fergus is alarmed by Marcel's attitude: it's not simply that he wants to help, his domination is because he can. Marcel desperately wants to wipe out all evil in the world, not realising he is becoming arrogant and is in danger of perpetrating it himself. He insists on his own way, believing his magic is so powerful that neither Bea nor Fergus can help him.
Baden Dark turns out to be... well, unexpected.
It was only after finishing the book that I suddenly realised why the giant tree Arminsel seemed to niggle at my thoughts as a familiar name. It is obviously based on the mythic tree/skycolumn Irmunsil.
September 9, 2018
While this is a book that would stay with me forever, I don't want to read it again.
This may sound strange but this is one of the books that absolutely can only be read to its full potential at a certain age. I have passed that age now and I don't want to ruin my memories of this book series.
Though The Book from Baden Dark definitely wasn't the best of the series (in my opinion anyway), it showed rapid and radical changes within established characters that turned the world 360 degrees then back. For a while it left me absolutely reeling at all of Marcel's changes and his almost addiction, eagerness at the prospect of power. It felt surprising yes, though too abrupt.
The series (particularly in the first book) had either an overarching or underlying message, whether it be that no amount of power is worth the price of love lost or that one of the most fearsome beasts would be war. For 10 year old me it was new and exciting but nowadays it seems as if all books have similar messages, thus the book lost its reread appeal to me years later.
This may sound strange but this is one of the books that absolutely can only be read to its full potential at a certain age. I have passed that age now and I don't want to ruin my memories of this book series.
Though The Book from Baden Dark definitely wasn't the best of the series (in my opinion anyway), it showed rapid and radical changes within established characters that turned the world 360 degrees then back. For a while it left me absolutely reeling at all of Marcel's changes and his almost addiction, eagerness at the prospect of power. It felt surprising yes, though too abrupt.
The series (particularly in the first book) had either an overarching or underlying message, whether it be that no amount of power is worth the price of love lost or that one of the most fearsome beasts would be war. For 10 year old me it was new and exciting but nowadays it seems as if all books have similar messages, thus the book lost its reread appeal to me years later.
June 19, 2025
This third instalment plunges even deeper into Moloney’s richly woven world, and what a ride it is. The Book from Baden Dark finds Bren facing his darkest trial yet, as the sinister power of Baden Dark threatens to overwhelm both his spirit and the realm he’s sworn to protect.
Moloney’s prose strikes a perfect balance between tense action and heartfelt reflection. I loved how Bren grapples with the weight of destiny, wrestling not just with external foes but with his own doubts and fears. The new characters, especially the enigmatic mage who guards the Baden Dark, add fresh intrigue, and the bond between Bren and his loyal allies grows ever stronger.
The pacing is relentless: jaw-dropping revelations cascade one after the other, leading to a finale that’s as poignant as it is pulse-pounding. A couple of scenes briefly slowed for exposition, but they only served to deepen the stakes for what’s to come.
All up, The Book from Baden Dark is a masterful continuation of the series, dark, immersive and utterly unputdownable. If you’ve been with Bren from the start, this one will reward you tenfold.
4/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Moloney’s prose strikes a perfect balance between tense action and heartfelt reflection. I loved how Bren grapples with the weight of destiny, wrestling not just with external foes but with his own doubts and fears. The new characters, especially the enigmatic mage who guards the Baden Dark, add fresh intrigue, and the bond between Bren and his loyal allies grows ever stronger.
The pacing is relentless: jaw-dropping revelations cascade one after the other, leading to a finale that’s as poignant as it is pulse-pounding. A couple of scenes briefly slowed for exposition, but they only served to deepen the stakes for what’s to come.
All up, The Book from Baden Dark is a masterful continuation of the series, dark, immersive and utterly unputdownable. If you’ve been with Bren from the start, this one will reward you tenfold.
4/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
February 28, 2025
I found this final entry in the series to be a rather satisfying conclusion to the stories of Marcel and his companions. I heavily enjoyed the slightly more mature themes that were explored throughout this novel, in comparison to the previous books. The mysteries and reveals were cleverly executed executed throughout the storyline, making for an enticing read. However, as with the other two books, I found the climax and ending a bit lackluster and rushed consideing the buildup to those moments. Ignoring that issue, I couldn't recommend this book series enough. A truly wonderful introduction to reading.
June 20, 2021
This novel is the final instalment of the Book of Lies series (Book of Lies followed by Master of the Books). In this novel three years have past since Master of the Books and follows Marcel as he continues his studies. Although I found the novel enjoyable, I found Marcel to have become arrogant and wished his personality had remained more like his character in the first two books where he showed more concern for the other individuals in the novel. Overall it was a great read. I recommend this book to those over the age of 12.
May 19, 2017
Less action
Less adventure
More drama and angst
Not very enjoyable and missing the magic that made the first two books so great.
Less adventure
More drama and angst
Not very enjoyable and missing the magic that made the first two books so great.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 21, 2022
3.5 stars
August 29, 2012
I <3 this series. It's captivating, it's fast-paced BUT this particular book was bitter sweet. I almost cried halfway through with Nicola. Sadly it's the conclusion of the series, I'll miss the characters so much. I loved the fact that they all completely grew up and I'm confident Nicola will make a great queen. Bea was also a very inspiring character, who's portrayed as kind hearted but determined. Fergus has grown to be much more mature and is a lot more considerate of others. Marcel is back to his senses after being swept up in a whirlwind of magic. ......I miss Finn :(
December 25, 2010
Probably more 2.5 than 2.0 stars. It was slightly better than the second part (darker and a little more character driven) but still didn't really rock my world. Having read other amazing YA fantasy books (e.g. the fantastically wonderful Monster Blood Tattoo: Foundling trilogy), this trilogy fell short of being wonderful enormously. It is ok enough to be listened to when nothing else is really at hand.
October 13, 2012
Normally when I pick up the third book in a series two or three years after I've read the first two, I struggle to remember the events of the last two. But with this book, that didn't happen. I don't know if it's because of the many references to the first two or because I remembered them well enough, but it is something that stood out to me. I like the way it seamlessly moved between the different characters points of view and ended with a happy ending.
July 2, 2014
Once again I was mostly just disappointed. The story and the characters are fine, but there was a lot of deviation of Marcel's character rendering from the previous books. I once again really enjoyed Bea. My issues with this book stem mostly from the way that the prose of the book is written, but in this book I actually had a lot of issues with the dialogue as it mostly seemed stilted and unrealistic.
December 5, 2016
I loved this series so much as a kid, but I'm only now getting to the third and final one because I'm really bad at finishing series. Also I remember it took me ages to find a copy that matched the height of the previous two (it's still too short though) and now I barely remember the previous two books, otherwise I probably would've enjoyed this so much more. Totally my fault though being a lazy lil shit.
January 26, 2015
Couldn't believe that the name of Fergus' sister had changed from Arabella to Annabel, annoyed me so much!! Didn't enjoy it as much as the previous ones, but I did like the idea of the storyline. It was just a shame that Marcel was unlikeable and that Bea still liked/loved him even though he was acting like a fool. The ending was expected as well so it wasn't overly sanctifying finishing it.
August 22, 2009
This third book of the trilogy is like it's title, deep and darker than the other two. It finishes the trilogy and ties up all the loose ends, although this is a natural progression of the story. I thoroughly enjoyed all the books of the trilogy but this was a totally unexpected conclusion.
March 1, 2012
Absoulutely fantastic ending to a timeless series. Moloney proves that Australian authors can write to all ages. I enjoyed every plot twist and like every good book I found myself skipping lines as I was so eager to know what happens next.
May 15, 2013
An interesting and thought-provoking shift from the first two fine novels of the series. The reader expects to see Marcel encounter horrifying evil as he descends into Baden Dark. What he finds is quite unexpected, requiring that he re-examine himself and his life choices.
May 16, 2011
it is soo good! i wish it continued instead of finishing. i loved the epilogue where it wraps everything up so nicely
Read
February 15, 2013i think this book was an exellent finish to this series
July 20, 2016
Its AWESOME! It drags me into the book like i'm in the story.
January 4, 2014
I don't like what they did to the main character because he was not like he was in the first book
November 5, 2015
*Insert bad words
August 27, 2014
Phenomenal, the series is absolutely amazing!
December 3, 2015
Such a good ending to the trilogy!
July 6, 2015
finally something to test marcel
March 30, 2017
Marcel was kind of annoying
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews