Zakazana góra

Guardians #1

by Brandon Mull, Rafał Lisowski (Translator)

Nowa epicka przygoda od mistrza fantasy – przygotuj się na świat pełen magii, wyborów i niebezpieczeństw!

Każde dziecko z Anory marzy o dniu, kiedy wejdzie do Chaty Wiązania i połączy się z Opiekunem – swoim duchowym przewodnikiem. Niektórzy połączą się z Orędownikami, którzy zapewnią im wielkość i chwałę. Innych będą kusić Przeklęci, za których wybór grozi kara śmierci. Mako staje przed trudnym wyborem…

Arden na własną rękę próbuje odnaleźć zaginioną przyjaciółkę i infiltruje podziemną siatkę przestępczą. Jej niezwykła umiejętność odróżniania prawdy i kłamstwa sprawia, że Arden trafia w sam środek złowrogiego spisku.

Wkrótce losy Maka i Arden się splatają. Wspólnie muszą stawić czoła wrogom i ogromnym niebezpieczeństwom.

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Fiction, Adventure, Audiobook, Young Adult, Childrens

568 pages, Paperback

First published April 14, 2026

About the author

BRANDON 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.

Reviews

[Leiana Day · Rating 1 out of 5]

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]

[Holly (IG Hollys_Book_Musings) · Rating 5 out of 5]

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

[Shaun Stevenson · Rating 3 out of 5]

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!

[Christian Nicholas · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Gable Roth · Rating 2 out of 5]

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.

[Skye Elder · Rating 5 out of 5]

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!

[Connor H · Rating 5 out of 5]

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!

[Eileen · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Kasia | Zapisana w Książkach · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Brandon Stout · Rating 5 out of 5]

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

... 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.

[Callie · Rating 5 out of 5]

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!

[Ada · Rating 4 out of 5]

Defintitely an intriguing beginning to Brandon Mull's new series! Excited to see where this goes!

[Kelli Quinlan · Rating 4 out of 5]

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

[Zal · Rating 2 out of 5]

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.

[Rachel MacDonald]

As 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.

[Veronica - I need a husband, to have a fancy last name]

can we usunąć egzaminy, żebym zaraz mogła wrócić do mojej brandon mull era? 😔

[Hails · Rating 4 out of 5]

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!

[Valerie · Rating 5 out of 5]

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!

[Ellen Little · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little slow to start, but when it picks up , it’s hard to put down.

[Baylie Sorensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting. A lot of set up in this first one, I'm very curious to see where the series goes.

[Maquell canfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Lincoln Durtschi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so good hopefully he can write the next one fast because this trilogy is gonna be the best he's ever written!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Nolan · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing start of a new series. I can’t wait for the second one to come out!

[Landon McNeil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great roadtrip audio book. Brandon Mull must’ve written this book during a D&C Come Follow Me year…

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great new series by Brandon Mull! Bravo!

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Ashley Scow · Rating 4 out of 5]

(4.5 rounded down) I really enjoyed immersing myself into this new fantasy world! It had a plethora of unique characters and a refreshing story arc. I'm greatly looking forward to the next book in the series!

Thank you to Labyrinth Road for a physical ARC and thank you to Libro.fm and Penguin Random House Audio for access to the ALC!

[Savannah Wilkerson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brandon Mull will always be an auto-buy author for me! This was a fantastic first installment in a new series. I can tell this is a passion project for him. I really enjoyed reading about the main character grappling with having a supposedly “bad” guardian and feeling trapped no matter what decision he makes. Will definitely pick up the next one!

[The Book Nerd's Corner · Rating 5 out of 5]

After twenty years of writing, Brandon Mull final tackles epic fantasy in this thrilling series starter to his "Guardians" trilogy!

In Anora, every child is given the chance to bond with a magical guardian who will help them throughout their entire life. Mako has reached his thirteenth year, and now it is his turn to be offered a guardian. The luckiest will bond with one of the fourteen Advocates. Others will be tempted by the dark power of the twenty Accursed. Mako has a huge decision to make when he enters the bonding hut and learns that some of the Accursed have returned to his world and he may have the potential to stop them. Down the mountainside, Arden lives a simple life, away from magical abilities and dangerous quests. That is, until she finds herself tied up in the realm of street gangs, heists, and a criminal network more elaborate than she ever could have concocted. Eventually, the fate of these two unlikely heroes will intertwine as they try to survive in this dangerous world and help take down the corruption of the Accursed.

When I heard that Brandon Mull was trying his hand at epic fantasy rather than urban fantasy or portal fantasy, I was super intrigued. I considered preordering this one but figured I'd wait until an even better sale rolled around. Well, I ended up with something even better than a fifty percent off book. I entered a giveaway and I got my hands on a signed and personalized copy of this book, which is honestly the coolest thing ever! Having a book signed by Mull is a dream come true! Bonus points that his new series is just as amazing as his previous books!

I must admit that the beginning of this book reads a bit slow, but I found myself having a blast with the slow-paced nature at the start. There was so much lore to learn about this world; I'm glad Mull didn't throw us headfirst into the action immediately. While we are learning about the complex magic system, the kids manage to find themselves in some pretty unfortunate circumstances. Mako somehow finds himself kidnapped in the first few chapters, and Arden is being inducted into a street gang. The stakes are lower, but it does a wonderful job of setting up the rest of the book.

The concept of guardians isn't anything too original, but I still think they are neat. Essentially, anyone from Anora, the community nestled on the forbidden mountain, is able to bond with a spiritual entity that will bond with them and work to better them as they progress through life. At first, this reminded me of Mull's idea behind the "Spirit Animals" series, but the "Guardian" trilogy seems way more intense as I keep reading into it. Guardians can enhance one's natural abilities, such as speed, strength, agility, or even musical talent. They can also nudge their bonded partner in certain directions and in unique cases, even take complete control over them. Mako's guardian is quite the character, and I'm really interested to see how their relationship develops as this series continues.

Mako and Arden are such fun characters. When I first met Mako, it felt a bit like reuniting with Seth in the early days of the "Fablehaven" universe. They both aspire for greatness, are cocky as heck, and have horrible decision-making skills. I am so excited to see the repercussions of all the interesting decisions Mako has already made in this series. Arden's heart is definitely in the right place, but her sense of judgement is also seriosuly lacking, especially for a girl who has the ability to sense people's true motives and emotions. She ends up entangled in a dangerous street gang due to her desire to help her friend, Kita, get out from the gang she previously joined. This leads Arden to be neck deep in horrible situations, which is what eventually has her seeking refuge with the organization that Mako is a part of.

After they get their guardians, young Anorans are sent on a three-year voyage to hone their abilities and serve the empire. Mako lucks out and is sent (alongside his best friend, Tuck) to join the convoy of a renowned warrior, Master Rojan. That is where he meets Arden, and their paths finally cross. I must say that this doesn't occur until around 300 pages into the story, but their individual journeys were so fascinating that I never found myself bored.

By the final portion of this book, these two have truly found themselves in some very dire situations. All the battle scenes are quite engaging, and I find myself rooting for Mako, Arden, and Tuck through the most uncertain of circumstances. The ending is honestly crazy, and I'm so excited to see how things play out in the second book in this trilogy.

Before I go, I just wanted to say how nice it was to be back in a Brandon Mull story. It has been quite some time since I've read any of his books, and I'm still in love with his humor, worldbuilding, and lovable characters. I can't believe that Mull has been writing for as long as I've been alive, but it checks out because he is a fantastic writer. I can't wait to read everything else he pens!

Overall, "Forbidden Mountain" was such an amazing introduction into Mull's new epic fantasy world. The concept of guardians is really fun, and I thought it was cool how deeply the spirit world is brought front and center. Mako and Arden are both extremely likable characters, despite them being young tweens who make terribly decisions at every turn. I love how chaotic Mako is; I'm so excited to see how all his choices pan out throughout the rest of this series! As always, Mull's humor, worldbuilding, and ability to draw me in never failed. I'm hooked on the "Guardians" series and wish I had another 500+ pages to binge read immediately; this one was certainly a long one, but it still ended too soon. I'm so excited to read the next volume when it comes out!