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Guardians #1
Forbidden Mountain
Choose your guardian. Choose your destiny. A new epic fantasy from the #1 bestselling author of the Fablehaven and Beyonders series.
Every Anoran child dreams of the day they will enter the sacred bonding hut and match with a guardian—a spiritual guide who grants magically enhanced abilities. A lucky few will bond with Advocates, who promise greatness and glory. Others will be tempted by forbidden offers from the Accursed—dangerous spirits who bring nothing but destruction and a penalty of death to any Anoran who chooses them. But when Mako discovers that the worst of these agents of chaos has returned to spread an ancient evil through the empire, he faces an unthinkable Will he bond with one of the Accursed to gain the power to stop another?
Halfway across the empire, Arden has no guardian and no prospects of adventure…until she infiltrates an underground criminal network to find her missing friend. Relying on her knack for sensing the truth through even the smoothest lies, Arden finds herself at the center of a sinister conspiracy that runs much deeper than she ever imagined.
Soon Mako’s and Arden’s fates collide, and together they must face bandit armies, dark secrets, and untold dangers to fight an enemy who could destroy all they’ve ever known.
Every Anoran child dreams of the day they will enter the sacred bonding hut and match with a guardian—a spiritual guide who grants magically enhanced abilities. A lucky few will bond with Advocates, who promise greatness and glory. Others will be tempted by forbidden offers from the Accursed—dangerous spirits who bring nothing but destruction and a penalty of death to any Anoran who chooses them. But when Mako discovers that the worst of these agents of chaos has returned to spread an ancient evil through the empire, he faces an unthinkable Will he bond with one of the Accursed to gain the power to stop another?
Halfway across the empire, Arden has no guardian and no prospects of adventure…until she infiltrates an underground criminal network to find her missing friend. Relying on her knack for sensing the truth through even the smoothest lies, Arden finds herself at the center of a sinister conspiracy that runs much deeper than she ever imagined.
Soon Mako’s and Arden’s fates collide, and together they must face bandit armies, dark secrets, and untold dangers to fight an enemy who could destroy all they’ve ever known.
Audible Audio
First published April 14, 2026
About the author
Brandon Mull
74 books11.1k followersBRANDON MULL is the #1 New York Times best-selling author of the Fablehaven, Dragonwatch, Beyonders, and Five Kingdoms series. A kinetic thinker, Brandon enjoys bouncy balls, squeezable stress toys, and popping bubble wrap. He lives in Utah in a happy little valley near the mouth of a canyon with his wife, Erlyn, their eleven children, and three mischievous cats. Brandon loves meeting his readers and hearing about their experiences with his books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 165 reviews
August 3, 2025
The setup of the fictional spiritual world is too close to reality in some aspects while being completely inaccurate in others. Yes, there really are many spirits on the earth. And yes... some of them really can grant unnatural power. But God does not mean for us to make deals with supernatural phenomena, evidenced by the sound denouncement it always receives in the Bible by both God and believers. Whether it's Saul consulting a witch or a fortune-telling slave girl ranting about Paul, God condemns it as evil, and we are to have nothing to do with it.
So when you have this fantasy mountain where just about everyone has this "Guardian", or spirit partner, and it's portrayed as not only good but practically a necessary part of their culture, completely normal, without any risk or shade of suspicion that humans are not meant to bond with spirits, no matter how benevolent they may seem, it makes me very uncomfortable. Then multiple evidences seem to insinuate that both human authorities and spiritual good guys are corrupt, and that the only way to stop a powerful evil spirit is to bond with a less powerful evil spirit. It makes perfect sense in the book, but it doesn't work that way in the real world. You can't fight Satan by making a deal with a demon. He'll only have you further under control. Not to mention that dabbling at all in witchcraft—and this is what it is—is spiritually perilous. The whole ages-old idea of trading away your soul, or people being possessed by demons? Not as fictional as the rational Western society would like them to be. All of this to say, it's just a really, really bad idea.
At the risk of repeating myself for the twentieth time: God makes it clear we are NOT to mess with this. Not in real life, not in fiction, and not even inside the bounds of a pretty sprayed-edges first edition of a middle grade book written by arguably one of the best middle grade authors writing today.
And so unfortunately, I am forced to DNF, approximately ten chapters in.
[First reaction before reading: AHHHHHH NEW BRANDON MULL SERIES THIS IS NOT A DRILL]
So when you have this fantasy mountain where just about everyone has this "Guardian", or spirit partner, and it's portrayed as not only good but practically a necessary part of their culture, completely normal, without any risk or shade of suspicion that humans are not meant to bond with spirits, no matter how benevolent they may seem, it makes me very uncomfortable. Then multiple evidences seem to insinuate that both human authorities and spiritual good guys are corrupt, and that the only way to stop a powerful evil spirit is to bond with a less powerful evil spirit. It makes perfect sense in the book, but it doesn't work that way in the real world. You can't fight Satan by making a deal with a demon. He'll only have you further under control. Not to mention that dabbling at all in witchcraft—and this is what it is—is spiritually perilous. The whole ages-old idea of trading away your soul, or people being possessed by demons? Not as fictional as the rational Western society would like them to be. All of this to say, it's just a really, really bad idea.
At the risk of repeating myself for the twentieth time: God makes it clear we are NOT to mess with this. Not in real life, not in fiction, and not even inside the bounds of a pretty sprayed-edges first edition of a middle grade book written by arguably one of the best middle grade authors writing today.
And so unfortunately, I am forced to DNF, approximately ten chapters in.
[First reaction before reading: AHHHHHH NEW BRANDON MULL SERIES THIS IS NOT A DRILL]
April 20, 2026
WOW! This world and story and characters sort of blew my mind!
I started the audiobook and had a bit of difficulty really getting into this new world at first, but once I finally got used to it, I loved everything about it and highly recommend this newest from a favorite author of mine.
The characters and their inner struggles are really well written. I loved watching them battle with themselves and discern between right and wrong. Since this is going to be a series of 3 books, there wasn't much character development yet. We will see that in later books I'm sure.
I loved the rich world-building and the cultures and people Brandon has created in this new series. I was intrigued by the spirit guardian concept, especially the scene in the Guardian Hut where Mako has to choose his guardian and that whole process.
The ending will leave you yearning for book 2, so be prepared mentally for that. I cannot wait to see where Brandon takes this new series and to watch the journey these characters will go on in fighting corruption and evil in an Empire.
I definitely recommend this great start to a new Middle Grade Epic Fantasy series for ages 11 and up. If you or your child loved Beyonders series, you will love this new one. I would say the violence is similar to that series. It is labeled as Middle Grade, but because of the violence toward the end, I would suggest for upper middle grade, meaning grades 6+.
Content Guide:
Language: none
Romance Content: none
Violence/gore: Mild-violence involving swords, characters/people getting shot by arrows, someone is mentioned as having been beheaded (not described or gory), other mild fantasy violence, death/murder
Substance Use: none that I remember, if there is, only the adult characters mildly partake
Prejudices: Some involving cultures (mild and mainly misconceptions)
Religious Content: Spirit Guardians (they aren't worshipped though, just meant as guides and to help enhance and give special abilities to their mortal)
Other: Some mild unkind comments between characters, good vs evil, characters have special abilities that could be viewed as magic
Book info:
Series: Book 1 of Guardians
Genre: Epic Upper Middle Grade Fantasy
Romance Level: None
Release Date: Available Now
Publisher: Penguin Random House Kids
Narrator: George Newbern
POV: Dual Third Person
I started the audiobook and had a bit of difficulty really getting into this new world at first, but once I finally got used to it, I loved everything about it and highly recommend this newest from a favorite author of mine.
The characters and their inner struggles are really well written. I loved watching them battle with themselves and discern between right and wrong. Since this is going to be a series of 3 books, there wasn't much character development yet. We will see that in later books I'm sure.
I loved the rich world-building and the cultures and people Brandon has created in this new series. I was intrigued by the spirit guardian concept, especially the scene in the Guardian Hut where Mako has to choose his guardian and that whole process.
The ending will leave you yearning for book 2, so be prepared mentally for that. I cannot wait to see where Brandon takes this new series and to watch the journey these characters will go on in fighting corruption and evil in an Empire.
I definitely recommend this great start to a new Middle Grade Epic Fantasy series for ages 11 and up. If you or your child loved Beyonders series, you will love this new one. I would say the violence is similar to that series. It is labeled as Middle Grade, but because of the violence toward the end, I would suggest for upper middle grade, meaning grades 6+.
Content Guide:
Language: none
Romance Content: none
Violence/gore: Mild-violence involving swords, characters/people getting shot by arrows, someone is mentioned as having been beheaded (not described or gory), other mild fantasy violence, death/murder
Substance Use: none that I remember, if there is, only the adult characters mildly partake
Prejudices: Some involving cultures (mild and mainly misconceptions)
Religious Content: Spirit Guardians (they aren't worshipped though, just meant as guides and to help enhance and give special abilities to their mortal)
Other: Some mild unkind comments between characters, good vs evil, characters have special abilities that could be viewed as magic
Book info:
Series: Book 1 of Guardians
Genre: Epic Upper Middle Grade Fantasy
Romance Level: None
Release Date: Available Now
Publisher: Penguin Random House Kids
Narrator: George Newbern
POV: Dual Third Person
April 15, 2026
I have been a huge Brandon Mull fan ever since the first Fablehaven book. I've read every series he's written except for The Candy Shop War books 2 and 3. Otherwise, I'm all caught up on my Mull books!
With all that said, I had a hard time with this newest book, Forbidden Mountain, book one in the new Guardians series. It took me quiet a while to place my finger on what it was exactly that I wasn't connecting with, until I hit on it: for this book, Mull seems to be taking his cues from the Cozy Fantasy genre of books that have grown in popularity lately. This book is much more a slice of life fantasy book instead of the quest, grand adventure to defeat evil, types of narratives he's written in the past. Mull admits in the acknowledgements that this is a new type of fantasy book for him to write and he wanted to push himself as he wrote this one.
This is Mull's first non-portal fantasy book he's written, and with him being away from the typical tropes that have helped him structure his fantasy books: a human narrator who is exploring the new world along with the reader, a quest for the characters to embark upon, or a grand evil slowly emerging throughout the storyline, this new book suffers from trying to find its way.
From amongst Mull's own bibliography, I feel as though this book is most similar to his Beyonders trilogy, but even that book had a killer hook and payoff at the very end of the first book. Forbidden Mountain feels more like a series of episodes with mini-climaxes throughout the story before moving to the next day with something new. By the very end, I could see the setup for book 2, and I think that has the potential for explosive action, a quest, and the typical fantasy elements Mull excels at. This first book felt more like Taran Wanderer, book 4 in The Chronicles of Prydain series by Lloyd Alexander but without the angst which allowed that book to exist in a pedestrian space while exploring deep emotional arcs within the characters. This book, however, has not established the emotional arcs of the characters quite strongly enough yet for that kind of exploration, and it's not a later book in a series after a bunch of action / adventure to give you a break from the excitement.
So all said, this one is a 3 star from me. I'm interested to see where it goes, because I trust Brandon Mull, but for regular fans of Mull, this might not be a win. If you like cozy fantasy, this might be just the kind of book you'll love!
With all that said, I had a hard time with this newest book, Forbidden Mountain, book one in the new Guardians series. It took me quiet a while to place my finger on what it was exactly that I wasn't connecting with, until I hit on it: for this book, Mull seems to be taking his cues from the Cozy Fantasy genre of books that have grown in popularity lately. This book is much more a slice of life fantasy book instead of the quest, grand adventure to defeat evil, types of narratives he's written in the past. Mull admits in the acknowledgements that this is a new type of fantasy book for him to write and he wanted to push himself as he wrote this one.
This is Mull's first non-portal fantasy book he's written, and with him being away from the typical tropes that have helped him structure his fantasy books: a human narrator who is exploring the new world along with the reader, a quest for the characters to embark upon, or a grand evil slowly emerging throughout the storyline, this new book suffers from trying to find its way.
From amongst Mull's own bibliography, I feel as though this book is most similar to his Beyonders trilogy, but even that book had a killer hook and payoff at the very end of the first book. Forbidden Mountain feels more like a series of episodes with mini-climaxes throughout the story before moving to the next day with something new. By the very end, I could see the setup for book 2, and I think that has the potential for explosive action, a quest, and the typical fantasy elements Mull excels at. This first book felt more like Taran Wanderer, book 4 in The Chronicles of Prydain series by Lloyd Alexander but without the angst which allowed that book to exist in a pedestrian space while exploring deep emotional arcs within the characters. This book, however, has not established the emotional arcs of the characters quite strongly enough yet for that kind of exploration, and it's not a later book in a series after a bunch of action / adventure to give you a break from the excitement.
So all said, this one is a 3 star from me. I'm interested to see where it goes, because I trust Brandon Mull, but for regular fans of Mull, this might not be a win. If you like cozy fantasy, this might be just the kind of book you'll love!
April 20, 2026
Brandon Mull has done urban fantasy and portal fantasy. This is his first work of high fantasy.
The Fablehaven series was one of my first forays into the Fantasy genre around 4th grade or so. It contributed to a lifelong obsession, which has only grown since.
My palate has expanded to other authors since, but I've still followed Brandon Mull's work as closely as I could, and was very excited to hear him as a guest on Brandon Sanderson's podcast Intentionally Blank back in August of 2024. While Mull was visiting, he dropped a hint about an upcoming book that he said was more ambitious than anything he'd done before. This was that book and, honestly, he nailed it.
Sure, there are still some elements of his middle grade background in his writing, pacing, and main characters' ages and perspectives, but the plot has grown beyond anything I've read in his works before. I loved it.
The Fablehaven series was one of my first forays into the Fantasy genre around 4th grade or so. It contributed to a lifelong obsession, which has only grown since.
My palate has expanded to other authors since, but I've still followed Brandon Mull's work as closely as I could, and was very excited to hear him as a guest on Brandon Sanderson's podcast Intentionally Blank back in August of 2024. While Mull was visiting, he dropped a hint about an upcoming book that he said was more ambitious than anything he'd done before. This was that book and, honestly, he nailed it.
Sure, there are still some elements of his middle grade background in his writing, pacing, and main characters' ages and perspectives, but the plot has grown beyond anything I've read in his works before. I loved it.
April 17, 2026
I was hesitant about this book from the start. Mainly because I was disappointed that he wasn't writing the Patton Burgess Chronicles or a sequel series to the Beyonders. I am not sure if that affected how I felt about this book but I really feel like this was not as good as his other books. It didn't draw me in as much and didn't seem to have the same well developed characters and fun plot points.
It might be because the main characters make some questionable decisions and it wasn't clearly revealed that those decisions ended up working out. This is clearly setting up for a longer series and maybe the other books will help me feel better about this one... I should have waited until the other books were published before I read this one.
It might be because the main characters make some questionable decisions and it wasn't clearly revealed that those decisions ended up working out. This is clearly setting up for a longer series and maybe the other books will help me feel better about this one... I should have waited until the other books were published before I read this one.
July 3, 2026
This book, is AMAZINGLY AMAZING if that makes any sense.
The characters, the plot, the STORYLINE, it is just perfection!
I definitely enjoyed reading this, and don’t know what to read in the mean time till book 2 comes out.
The writing style kind of reminded me of “Eragon” a bit.
I definitely recommend reading this!
The characters, the plot, the STORYLINE, it is just perfection!
I definitely enjoyed reading this, and don’t know what to read in the mean time till book 2 comes out.
The writing style kind of reminded me of “Eragon” a bit.
I definitely recommend reading this!
August 26, 2026
I really liked this book. Ik it wasn’t meant to be Christian, but it’s like that KPDH movie. There were some aspects that could be interpreted as Christian things with that worldview.
Brandon mull typically can’t write kids book super well, (they have comments that are… interesting.) it was well-written, flowing, and unique with the word palette. Books like that are increasingly rare, in todays bookish society. This did touch onto a few topics that the target audience wouldn’t necessarily be able to understand when reading it the first time. (There is a benefit to that, making it a new experience when you reread it!) the lore is already deep, which, Brandon is good at lore. Even the lesser known candy shop wars had a good amount of lore in it. (Even tho it was 200 pages. Very Impressive.) the action was smooth and felt very real, in terms of the pace and the vocabulary. I really loved this, especially with the character dev. Character dev is a tough topic to do right. I know that the beginning was a little clunky, but it found it’s rhythm early on. I understand why people aren’t liking this book, but for me, personally, it was one of my favorite books of 2026. Can’t wait for the next one!
Brandon mull typically can’t write kids book super well, (they have comments that are… interesting.) it was well-written, flowing, and unique with the word palette. Books like that are increasingly rare, in todays bookish society. This did touch onto a few topics that the target audience wouldn’t necessarily be able to understand when reading it the first time. (There is a benefit to that, making it a new experience when you reread it!) the lore is already deep, which, Brandon is good at lore. Even the lesser known candy shop wars had a good amount of lore in it. (Even tho it was 200 pages. Very Impressive.) the action was smooth and felt very real, in terms of the pace and the vocabulary. I really loved this, especially with the character dev. Character dev is a tough topic to do right. I know that the beginning was a little clunky, but it found it’s rhythm early on. I understand why people aren’t liking this book, but for me, personally, it was one of my favorite books of 2026. Can’t wait for the next one!
July 16, 2026
I'm a big fan of Brandon Mull, but it's been several years since I read anything from him. But when I saw a new book by him, I immediately requested it, expecting something like his other books. As I started reading it, I realized that unlike his other books, there isn't an "Earth world" and "fantasy world" where people travel by portal to access. So instead of exploring this new world alongside a point-of-view character, we are learning about the world through people who are already familiar with the world. There are two primary characters, Arden and Mako, although I believe Tuck, Mako's best friend, will also be a significant part of this world. The story starts out more slowly than some of his other stories, but I think it's to help us understand who these characters without resorting to a brain dump, which is especially challenging when you're listening to an audiobook. Although I did a mixture of listening and reading, I appreciated not having to scour my memory of when I first met this person and when and where they fit in the context of the world. On the flip side, this meant that Mull took the time to sprinkle information in places that made sense and didn't even bring the characters together until about 60% of the way through the book. Which might be frustrating for some readings. Personally, there was always something interesting and relevant happening that my interest never lagged. I also found the battle scenes interesting, which is unusual for me. I think part of it was that Mako is discovering some of what he can do with his guardian that he's always been able to visualize, but never able to carry out, which is exciting for him, but he also has to balance that with whether he allows his guardian to take control or he remains in charge. Arden, too, has never been in battle, but suddenly, because of some poor choices that she made, she finds herself in the middle of multiple attacks.
I also really liked Mako and Arden--they are young and don't have the best judgment, but at heart, they want to do what's best to help their loved ones. Mako's stubbornness in thinking that being a warrior is the best way to help his people did frustrate me because there was some arrogance in thinking he knew better than everyone who loved him. Moreover, he has a unique gift of music, and I so wanted to have him take the path that would allow his music to flourish, but then again, if he had, there wouldn't be nearly the tension that will always be with him as he tries to keep some secrets.
The magic system of the world was also interesting, if not entirely unique. While only Mako's people seem to be able to bind with a guardian, it seems that is not the only way magic can be wielded. Arden is not Anoran and therefore can't bind with a guardian, but I'm left wondering if that's because it wouldn't be allowed or if she physically can't do so. She does have a gift, and some would call it magical, but despite having the gift, it's clear that she's very young, so she hasn't spent enough time developing it nor has she learned to balance her gift with common sense.
I would say this series is geared towards older middle school or even teens, partly because of the complexity in the worldbuilding, and partly because of the sheer length of the book. But kids who are used to diving into long stories would probably not be put off by the length. As an adult, I very much enjoyed this, even if majority of it was spent not on the plot, per se, but more on helping us understand the world and our major characters. The book eventually brings them together, with an epic series of fights that leave us wanting to immediately dive into the next book. Which is sadly not yet written. However, I've read that he plans on releasing book 2 in 2027 and book 3 in 2028, so hopefully we won't have to wait long!
Overall, I was very pleased with this new series and can't wait for the next episode!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I also really liked Mako and Arden--they are young and don't have the best judgment, but at heart, they want to do what's best to help their loved ones. Mako's stubbornness in thinking that being a warrior is the best way to help his people did frustrate me because there was some arrogance in thinking he knew better than everyone who loved him. Moreover, he has a unique gift of music, and I so wanted to have him take the path that would allow his music to flourish, but then again, if he had, there wouldn't be nearly the tension that will always be with him as he tries to keep some secrets.
The magic system of the world was also interesting, if not entirely unique. While only Mako's people seem to be able to bind with a guardian, it seems that is not the only way magic can be wielded. Arden is not Anoran and therefore can't bind with a guardian, but I'm left wondering if that's because it wouldn't be allowed or if she physically can't do so. She does have a gift, and some would call it magical, but despite having the gift, it's clear that she's very young, so she hasn't spent enough time developing it nor has she learned to balance her gift with common sense.
I would say this series is geared towards older middle school or even teens, partly because of the complexity in the worldbuilding, and partly because of the sheer length of the book. But kids who are used to diving into long stories would probably not be put off by the length. As an adult, I very much enjoyed this, even if majority of it was spent not on the plot, per se, but more on helping us understand the world and our major characters. The book eventually brings them together, with an epic series of fights that leave us wanting to immediately dive into the next book. Which is sadly not yet written. However, I've read that he plans on releasing book 2 in 2027 and book 3 in 2028, so hopefully we won't have to wait long!
Overall, I was very pleased with this new series and can't wait for the next episode!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
May 26, 2026
Zakazana Góra to pierwszy tom nowego cyklu od Brandona Mulla, czyli Opiekunowie. Książkę w Polsce wydało Wydawnictwo Wilga.
Jeśli chodzi o moją znajomość z twórczością Mulla, to znam głównie książki ze świata Baśnioboru. Pierwszy raz usłyszałam o nich jako dorosła i skusiłam się na audiobooki, przez które zakochałam się w tamtym świecie. Zakazana Góra była moją pierwszą okazją, by poznać autora poza światem Baśnioboru i się nie zawiodłam. Opiekunowie zapowiadają się świetną serią.
Zakazana Góra opowiada o dwójce młodych nastolatkach, Mako i Arden. Każde z nich wiedzie zupełnie inne życie. Mako szykuje się do związania z tytułowym opiekunem, by razem z nim służyć Cesarstwu z użyciem swoich specjalnych umiejętności. Z kolei Arden to wchodząca w przestępczy światek dziewczyna, która pragnie jedynie ocalić przyjaciółkę. Nic nie jest jednak takie proste, jak to się może wydawać.
Książka wciąga od pierwszych stron i to tak, że naprawdę trudno jest się od niej oderwać. Czyta się ją naprawdę dobrze – Mull ma przyjemny styl. Co prawda w kilku miejscach zetknęłam się z nieco nietypowym wyborem słownictwa, które miało chyba brzmieć tajemniczo czy magicznie, a wyszło nienaturalnie, ale to drobiazg. Nie wpływały one na rozumienie tekstu.
Mull bardzo dobrze wprowadził czytelnika w stworzony przez siebie świat. Stworzył nie tylko interesujący system opiekunków, czyli duchów dzielących ciało z ludźmi z Anoran, ale również dość rozbudowany świat Cesarstwa. Ekspozycji jest sporo z tego powodu, ale nie przytłacza ona. I chociaż jako osoba doświadczona z fantastyką momentami czułam, że może już jej za dużo, tak dla młodszych czytelników, grupy docelowej, jest to dobrane idealnie.
Fabularnie naprawdę wiele się dzieje. Nie ma chwili dla nudy i każdy rozdział niesie ze sobą mnóstwo akcji. Nie jest to zaskoczeniem, gdy czytelnik śledzi dwa całkiem rozbudowane wątki, które choć w pewnym momencie się splatają, to wciąż istnieją w pewnym sensie niezależnie od siebie. Mimo to nie sposób ich pomieszać, co również jest istotne. Osobiście bardziej wczytywałam się w historię Maka, ale zawsze byłam większą fanką wojowników.
Autor snuje w Zakazanej Górze wiele intryg i widać, że ma ambitne plany na przyszłość. Tom pierwszy to dopiero wprowadzenie, choć samo w sobie porusza wiele ciekawych tematów. Nie ma jednak takiej historii, która zamyka się w tym tomie. W gruncie rzeczy po lekturze w głowie czytelnika kłębią się setki pytań, prawie brak odpowiedzi, za to bardzo, ale to bardzo chce się sięgnąć po kolejny tom.
To wszystko prowadzi do tego, że Zakazana Góra to świetna lektura – zarówno dla grupy docelowej, jak i dla starszych czytelników. Myślę, że odnajdą się w niej nie tylko fani twórczości Mulla, choć jeśli ktoś szuka drugiego Baśnioboru, może go nie znaleźć. Ta historia wydaje się być nawet bardziej ambitna i rozbudowana. Naprawdę nie mogę się doczekać kontynuacji.
Jeśli chodzi o moją znajomość z twórczością Mulla, to znam głównie książki ze świata Baśnioboru. Pierwszy raz usłyszałam o nich jako dorosła i skusiłam się na audiobooki, przez które zakochałam się w tamtym świecie. Zakazana Góra była moją pierwszą okazją, by poznać autora poza światem Baśnioboru i się nie zawiodłam. Opiekunowie zapowiadają się świetną serią.
Zakazana Góra opowiada o dwójce młodych nastolatkach, Mako i Arden. Każde z nich wiedzie zupełnie inne życie. Mako szykuje się do związania z tytułowym opiekunem, by razem z nim służyć Cesarstwu z użyciem swoich specjalnych umiejętności. Z kolei Arden to wchodząca w przestępczy światek dziewczyna, która pragnie jedynie ocalić przyjaciółkę. Nic nie jest jednak takie proste, jak to się może wydawać.
Książka wciąga od pierwszych stron i to tak, że naprawdę trudno jest się od niej oderwać. Czyta się ją naprawdę dobrze – Mull ma przyjemny styl. Co prawda w kilku miejscach zetknęłam się z nieco nietypowym wyborem słownictwa, które miało chyba brzmieć tajemniczo czy magicznie, a wyszło nienaturalnie, ale to drobiazg. Nie wpływały one na rozumienie tekstu.
Mull bardzo dobrze wprowadził czytelnika w stworzony przez siebie świat. Stworzył nie tylko interesujący system opiekunków, czyli duchów dzielących ciało z ludźmi z Anoran, ale również dość rozbudowany świat Cesarstwa. Ekspozycji jest sporo z tego powodu, ale nie przytłacza ona. I chociaż jako osoba doświadczona z fantastyką momentami czułam, że może już jej za dużo, tak dla młodszych czytelników, grupy docelowej, jest to dobrane idealnie.
Fabularnie naprawdę wiele się dzieje. Nie ma chwili dla nudy i każdy rozdział niesie ze sobą mnóstwo akcji. Nie jest to zaskoczeniem, gdy czytelnik śledzi dwa całkiem rozbudowane wątki, które choć w pewnym momencie się splatają, to wciąż istnieją w pewnym sensie niezależnie od siebie. Mimo to nie sposób ich pomieszać, co również jest istotne. Osobiście bardziej wczytywałam się w historię Maka, ale zawsze byłam większą fanką wojowników.
Autor snuje w Zakazanej Górze wiele intryg i widać, że ma ambitne plany na przyszłość. Tom pierwszy to dopiero wprowadzenie, choć samo w sobie porusza wiele ciekawych tematów. Nie ma jednak takiej historii, która zamyka się w tym tomie. W gruncie rzeczy po lekturze w głowie czytelnika kłębią się setki pytań, prawie brak odpowiedzi, za to bardzo, ale to bardzo chce się sięgnąć po kolejny tom.
To wszystko prowadzi do tego, że Zakazana Góra to świetna lektura – zarówno dla grupy docelowej, jak i dla starszych czytelników. Myślę, że odnajdą się w niej nie tylko fani twórczości Mulla, choć jeśli ktoś szuka drugiego Baśnioboru, może go nie znaleźć. Ta historia wydaje się być nawet bardziej ambitna i rozbudowana. Naprawdę nie mogę się doczekać kontynuacji.
June 5, 2026
This is a great start to a new adventure with intriguing characters in a whole new universe created by Brandon Mull. I enjoyed this book and I'm excited to see how the story continues in the sequels. There's my own fairly short review. The rest of my review I'm writing in reaction to another review.
Another reviewer felt that this "fictional spiritual world is too close to reality in some aspects while being completely inaccurate in others". You can say that about pretty much any other work of fiction. Every fictional work has some reality, and of course, because it's fiction, it's also "inaccurate". The other reviewer states
Then the reviewer gives a couple examples from the bible. You can state almost anything and then back it up with a couple examples from the bible. The bible is filled with "supernatural phenomena" of all kinds, including a man who slew thousands with the jawbone of a donkey, a man that brought plagues to Egypt, and the many miracles Jesus worked. The bible has evil spirits and it has good angels. If people in the bible were not to ever listen to any message from a "supernatural being", then Mary and Joseph, among many others, would be among them. What's more, you can make the case that you, yourself, are a spirit, and therefore a "supernatural being", inside your body, conversing, when you pray, with another "supernatural being".
The other reviewer feels uncomfortable with a fictional culture, where most of the people depend on a union with supernatural beings. The reviewer felt that this book says:
If the message you get from these books is that all conversation with "the supernatural" must be with evil spirits, and that you can only stop evil by collaborating with evil spirits, then you may also want to steer away from this book, and pretty much all fiction that has anything "evil" in it. The other reviewer believed that this was the inevitable result after reading only 10 of 39 chapters, so I have to add that there was a lot of conclusion jumping there. If, however, you look for some other more positive meaning from this book, then you may well enjoy it like I did, and you may actually get a positive message from this book, like most people seem to get from all Mull's other books.
The age old claim that some work of fiction is witchcraft and therefore everyone should avoid it is old. Denouncing a work using a personal interpretation of the Bible and thinking that's how everyone else should see it is equally old. If you want to give this a try, go for it. You might find you like the message you get from the work. Some won't like it, and that's okay too. Personally, I think it was a great read, and it will be on the top of my list for my 300+ books read for this year.
Another reviewer felt that this "fictional spiritual world is too close to reality in some aspects while being completely inaccurate in others". You can say that about pretty much any other work of fiction. Every fictional work has some reality, and of course, because it's fiction, it's also "inaccurate". The other reviewer states
... there really are many spirits on the earth. And yes... some of them really can grant unnatural power. But God does not mean for us to make deals with supernatural phenomena, evidenced by...
Then the reviewer gives a couple examples from the bible. You can state almost anything and then back it up with a couple examples from the bible. The bible is filled with "supernatural phenomena" of all kinds, including a man who slew thousands with the jawbone of a donkey, a man that brought plagues to Egypt, and the many miracles Jesus worked. The bible has evil spirits and it has good angels. If people in the bible were not to ever listen to any message from a "supernatural being", then Mary and Joseph, among many others, would be among them. What's more, you can make the case that you, yourself, are a spirit, and therefore a "supernatural being", inside your body, conversing, when you pray, with another "supernatural being".
The other reviewer feels uncomfortable with a fictional culture, where most of the people depend on a union with supernatural beings. The reviewer felt that this book says:
... both human authorities and spiritual good guys are corrupt, and that the only way to stop a powerful evil spirit is to bond with a less powerful evil spirit...
If the message you get from these books is that all conversation with "the supernatural" must be with evil spirits, and that you can only stop evil by collaborating with evil spirits, then you may also want to steer away from this book, and pretty much all fiction that has anything "evil" in it. The other reviewer believed that this was the inevitable result after reading only 10 of 39 chapters, so I have to add that there was a lot of conclusion jumping there. If, however, you look for some other more positive meaning from this book, then you may well enjoy it like I did, and you may actually get a positive message from this book, like most people seem to get from all Mull's other books.
The age old claim that some work of fiction is witchcraft and therefore everyone should avoid it is old. Denouncing a work using a personal interpretation of the Bible and thinking that's how everyone else should see it is equally old. If you want to give this a try, go for it. You might find you like the message you get from the work. Some won't like it, and that's okay too. Personally, I think it was a great read, and it will be on the top of my list for my 300+ books read for this year.
August 29, 2026
Brandon Mull said this was his most ambitious project yet, and he was not wrong. It’s so different yet so familiar in his own unique writing style. I admire the spirituality he’s injected into his writing and the overarching theme of what it costs our own souls in fighting against evil or what it means to partner with them. The choices that Mako and Arden make I think many young people will find relatable, and the guidance their Elders give them (and the shared trust they have between them) is something I was really glad to see in this story. Too often I see characters make mistakes, or don’t put their trust in their elders who can help them, and I love that these characters did so in many ways.
I’m very excited to see where the rest of the series goes. Now I desperately want to know who my own Guardian would be!
I’m very excited to see where the rest of the series goes. Now I desperately want to know who my own Guardian would be!
September 19, 2026
Brandonie Mull, proszę, napisz kolejne tomy jak najszybciej, niech to nie zajmie 2,5 roku 🤞🤞
July 28, 2026
Defintitely an intriguing beginning to Brandon Mull's new series! Excited to see where this goes!
July 7, 2026
4.25/5
It official, she is back on her Brandon Mull bullshit in a big, big way. I don't know why I ever strayed. I hit Fablehaven hard and then never really wandered. Well now, I am going to start a-wanderin.
This was definitely a little bit of a slower pace and I don't have the same nostalgia as Fablehaven but I did start thinking about it while I was at work today. It had some of the same whimsy but a little more murder?? Following the two perspectives and watching them converge was nice. We they making some sus decisions? Sure but they are 14... ya know
It official, she is back on her Brandon Mull bullshit in a big, big way. I don't know why I ever strayed. I hit Fablehaven hard and then never really wandered. Well now, I am going to start a-wanderin.
This was definitely a little bit of a slower pace and I don't have the same nostalgia as Fablehaven but I did start thinking about it while I was at work today. It had some of the same whimsy but a little more murder?? Following the two perspectives and watching them converge was nice. We they making some sus decisions? Sure but they are 14... ya know
April 26, 2026
I’m a HUGE fan of Brandon Mull’s works. LIKE HUGE FAN!
This book was probably his most disappointing work. I would not have finished it if it wasn’t written by one of my favorite authors. The pacing was reallyyyy slow, and nothing happened for like the first half of the book. The characters also didn't meet until about halfway through the book, and even then it was pretty light. There wasn't much conflict between them or much real trust built just kinda like "mm he feels trustworthy even tho he's lying" and "hm she seems nice we're friends". The conclusion was also really weak. I felt like it wasn't building up to any conflict specifically, so when the final conflict was what it was, it just felt meh. Like I didn't really care one way or the other, or feel like the stakes were that high.
In comparison, by the end of Fablehaven, you feel SO invested in the state of the haven and Kendra and Seth. The problems that they could cause were foreshadowed from the beginning, and the stakes felt real. In contrast, everything is pretty abstract in this book. "Oh the Accursed are evil and I can't trust my spirit" but he hasn't really done anything wrong yet you're not getting any closer with him??? And then "maybe it's the advocates who are actually evil" but we never meet one after the first time they threaten Mako, so it feels like there's zero development in that arena. Overall, the characters feel disjointed from each other (no significant relationships are built between anyone) and the stakes feel abstract and the conflicts feel inconsequential/weak.
I liked the last chapter—though I thought it was going in a different direction.
3/10
Honestly might read the next one tho? Idk. Mull is one of my favorite authors, soooooooo.
This book was probably his most disappointing work. I would not have finished it if it wasn’t written by one of my favorite authors. The pacing was reallyyyy slow, and nothing happened for like the first half of the book. The characters also didn't meet until about halfway through the book, and even then it was pretty light. There wasn't much conflict between them or much real trust built just kinda like "mm he feels trustworthy even tho he's lying" and "hm she seems nice we're friends". The conclusion was also really weak. I felt like it wasn't building up to any conflict specifically, so when the final conflict was what it was, it just felt meh. Like I didn't really care one way or the other, or feel like the stakes were that high.
In comparison, by the end of Fablehaven, you feel SO invested in the state of the haven and Kendra and Seth. The problems that they could cause were foreshadowed from the beginning, and the stakes felt real. In contrast, everything is pretty abstract in this book. "Oh the Accursed are evil and I can't trust my spirit" but he hasn't really done anything wrong yet you're not getting any closer with him??? And then "maybe it's the advocates who are actually evil" but we never meet one after the first time they threaten Mako, so it feels like there's zero development in that arena. Overall, the characters feel disjointed from each other (no significant relationships are built between anyone) and the stakes feel abstract and the conflicts feel inconsequential/weak.
I liked the last chapter—though I thought it was going in a different direction.
3/10
Honestly might read the next one tho? Idk. Mull is one of my favorite authors, soooooooo.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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January 28, 2026As a huge fan of Brandon Mull, I was so excited to read this book and had very high hopes. He did not disappoint! The story follows two different teens with good hearts, strong wills, unique talents, and sometimes a lack of better judgment. Set entirely in a fantasy world, people have unique gifts and some bond with guardian spirits that can enhance their talents and abilities. Not all guardians have admirable intentions and some are downright evil. With evidence that some of the worst are back in action, Mako, Arden, and their friends have high hopes and slim odds of helping to combat this evil. After the initial exposition, the story travels quickly and is near impossible to put down. Relating to other Mull series, this has feelings most similar to 5 Kingdoms or Beyonders, but it is yet another unique and fascinating world. How one mind can create all of these realms that are extraordinarily detailed and fascinating while remaining believable never ceases to amaze me. So that I don't fan girl too much, I'll leave highly recommending the book and anxiously awaiting the rest of the series. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the early read and allowing me to share my thoughts.
Currently Reading
June 4, 2026can we usunąć egzaminy, żebym zaraz mogła wrócić do mojej brandon mull era? 😔
September 2, 2026
Best fantasy book I've read this year, hands down! I was hesitant because some people mentioned that it wasn't as good as other series Mull's written and that it felt slow paced. In my very honest and extremely picky opinion, this book was perfection. It never felt slow paced to me and was a wonderful introduction to the series. Imagine a much faster paced "The Way of Kings" with constant action and intensity, balanced with beautiful and imaginative world-building bordering on epic. It was like he took some notes from Sanderson and was like, hold my beer, THIS is how it's done! As far as age appropriateness, it is very PG most of the time with very mild PG-13 like violence even at it's most intense that I would probably feel comfortable with 10 year olds plus reading. Just keep in mind the body count is pretty high as there is warfare. It has no profanity or sexuality. It has good messages and is just fun to read. This is one of those books that I will recommend to everyone. I am 32 years old and loved it. Basically, the perfect book recommendation or gift for any fantasy lover. I'm not always a fan of too nerdy 'high fanstasy' fiction, but this one was so well done that it feels like the Harry Potter of the magical, medieval swordplay fiction genre. The writing doesn't feel too juvenile despite being easy to read and that adds to its appeal to readers of all ages. Just go pick it up and read it already, it will not disappoint!
May 1, 2026
3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars.
I’m a huge Brandon Mull fan and one of my favorite things about his writing is that there is always a touch of whimsy that I’ve come to expect. Forbidden Mountain did not have this whimsy. While I was taken aback by the very traditional fantasy storytelling, this did not necessarily take away from my enjoyment. The concept reminded me a bit of a middle grade Wheel of Time, which is right up my alley. The magic, the guardians, the slow build of the group all created a very interesting dynamic that I’m very excited to see continued in future books of the series.
Forbidden Mountain had a very slow start in my opinion. I struggled to become invested in the individual characters or their stories until right before they joined up, which was about 50ish percent of the way in. I did consider DNFing at one point but I trusted Brandon’s storytelling enough to persevere. I’m very glad I did because the last 30-40 percent of the book was incredible. I binged that ending in a few hours after taking nearly a month to read the first half.
Overall, while this might not be my favorite book that Brandon has ever written, I enjoyed Forbidden Mountain and am looking forward to the next installment of the series!
I’m a huge Brandon Mull fan and one of my favorite things about his writing is that there is always a touch of whimsy that I’ve come to expect. Forbidden Mountain did not have this whimsy. While I was taken aback by the very traditional fantasy storytelling, this did not necessarily take away from my enjoyment. The concept reminded me a bit of a middle grade Wheel of Time, which is right up my alley. The magic, the guardians, the slow build of the group all created a very interesting dynamic that I’m very excited to see continued in future books of the series.
Forbidden Mountain had a very slow start in my opinion. I struggled to become invested in the individual characters or their stories until right before they joined up, which was about 50ish percent of the way in. I did consider DNFing at one point but I trusted Brandon’s storytelling enough to persevere. I’m very glad I did because the last 30-40 percent of the book was incredible. I binged that ending in a few hours after taking nearly a month to read the first half.
Overall, while this might not be my favorite book that Brandon has ever written, I enjoyed Forbidden Mountain and am looking forward to the next installment of the series!
June 9, 2026
This built slowly at first, but wow, the conclusion was worth it! The world-building and character development is incredible. This had some interesting elements and was extremely entertaining and exciting. Now I have to wait for the sequel!
May 6, 2026
A little slow to start, but when it picks up , it’s hard to put down.
May 30, 2026
Very interesting. A lot of set up in this first one, I'm very curious to see where the series goes.
May 31, 2026
When I first started reading this book, it made me very uncomfortable. I didn't like the entire premise of good and bad spirits being able to enter someone's body…it just felt a little wrong to me. However, my son was really enjoying it, so we kept reading. Over time, I think I became somewhat desensitized to the concept and tried not to overthink it. I'm not sure whether that was the right decision or not, but in the end, I really enjoyed the book.
June 2, 2026
This was so good hopefully he can write the next one fast because this trilogy is gonna be the best he's ever written!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
June 20, 2026
An amazing start of a new series. I can’t wait for the second one to come out!
July 7, 2026
Great roadtrip audio book. Brandon Mull must’ve written this book during a D&C Come Follow Me year…
May 2, 2026
In all honesty... the first 1/3 bored me a bit... but I'm glad I stuck to it. The stories came together and it was well done. An interesting YA read.
July 27, 2026
This is a great new series by Brandon Mull! Bravo!
August 17, 2026
I like this new series and curious where it will go. This book has the definite feel of we can not always see the co sequences of our actions. This is certainly true for Arden and Mako.
September 2, 2026
JA CHCE WIECEJ
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