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The Traitor King
Family secrets lead to a fantasy world in this dazzling fantasy debut from Todd Mitchell.
Darren and Jackie Mannahan thought they lived in an ordinarily unhappy family, where some things were never discussed. But an unexpected, shadowy visitor suddenly propels them into a mystery they didn't even know existed -- the mystery of where exactly their family came from, and why it's now in ruins. After tracking down many clues and signs, Darren and Jackie discover an alternate world where their family used to rule -- and was banished in disgrace. Can they redeem the family name ... and discover whether their lineage is truly evil, or if there's more to the story than that?
Darren and Jackie Mannahan thought they lived in an ordinarily unhappy family, where some things were never discussed. But an unexpected, shadowy visitor suddenly propels them into a mystery they didn't even know existed -- the mystery of where exactly their family came from, and why it's now in ruins. After tracking down many clues and signs, Darren and Jackie discover an alternate world where their family used to rule -- and was banished in disgrace. Can they redeem the family name ... and discover whether their lineage is truly evil, or if there's more to the story than that?
256 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2007
11 people are currently reading
134 people want to read
About the author
Todd Mitchell
23 books107 followersTodd Mitchell is the author of several award-winning middle grade and YA novels including The Last Panther (Penguin Random House), The Traitor King (Scholastic), The Secret to Lying (Candlewick), and Backwards (Candlewick). He has two new books coming out in fall 2021—one for writers, artists, and creators titled Breakthrough: How to Overcome Doubt, Fear, and Resistance so that You Can Be Your Ultimate Creative Self, and a middle grade novel that's recently been optioned for film/TV development titled The Namer of Spirits.
He lives in Fort Collins, Colorado, where he kayaks, mountain bikes, and teaches creative writing at Colorado State University. He loves speaking with young readers and writers. You can visit him (and learn about his squirrel obsession) at www.ToddMitchellBooks.com
About THE NAMER OF SPIRITS:
“A dangerous town carved out of unforgiving forest, a young girl who can name spirits and tame monsters, a race against time to save the natural world: The Namer of Spirits is what readers want and the world needs.”
—New York Times bestselling author Eliot Schrefer
About THE LAST PANTHER (winner of the Colorado Book Award, the Green Prize for Sustainable Literature, and a Green Earth Honor Book Award):
"BRILLIANT! A boldly original, profoundly wise, deeply moving book. It’s a rare gift to any reader, as well as to our planet."
—T. A. Barron, author of the Merlin Saga
"A powerful tale." —KIRKUS
"Difficult to put down. An important addition on a timely subject." —SLJ
About THE SECRET TO LYING (winner of the Colorado Book Award, for ages 14 & up):
"Engrossing and entertaining... a great read."
—PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY
About BACKWARDS (winner of the CAL Award, for ages 13 & up):
“[A] suspenseful paranormal novel. …at once thought-provoking and satisfying.” —School Library Journal
About THE TRAITOR KING (Scholastic Press, for ages 8 & up):
"Humor, menace, and mystery suffuse this fast-paced tale... This well-written tale is a must for most fantasy readers."
—School Library Journal
Other projects:
I co-wrote a graphic novel that came out with Vertigo Comics (part of D.C.), called A FLIGHT OF ANGELS (selected as a YALSA Top Ten Pick for Great Graphic Novels for Teens).
BROKEN SAVIORS, an alien invasion graphic novel series for ages 13 and up. You can read the first few issues of BROKEN SAVIORS on my website for free. Or find it in full HD on ComiXology!
http://www.toddmitchellbooks.com
He lives in Fort Collins, Colorado, where he kayaks, mountain bikes, and teaches creative writing at Colorado State University. He loves speaking with young readers and writers. You can visit him (and learn about his squirrel obsession) at www.ToddMitchellBooks.com
About THE NAMER OF SPIRITS:
“A dangerous town carved out of unforgiving forest, a young girl who can name spirits and tame monsters, a race against time to save the natural world: The Namer of Spirits is what readers want and the world needs.”
—New York Times bestselling author Eliot Schrefer
About THE LAST PANTHER (winner of the Colorado Book Award, the Green Prize for Sustainable Literature, and a Green Earth Honor Book Award):
"BRILLIANT! A boldly original, profoundly wise, deeply moving book. It’s a rare gift to any reader, as well as to our planet."
—T. A. Barron, author of the Merlin Saga
"A powerful tale." —KIRKUS
"Difficult to put down. An important addition on a timely subject." —SLJ
About THE SECRET TO LYING (winner of the Colorado Book Award, for ages 14 & up):
"Engrossing and entertaining... a great read."
—PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY
About BACKWARDS (winner of the CAL Award, for ages 13 & up):
“[A] suspenseful paranormal novel. …at once thought-provoking and satisfying.” —School Library Journal
About THE TRAITOR KING (Scholastic Press, for ages 8 & up):
"Humor, menace, and mystery suffuse this fast-paced tale... This well-written tale is a must for most fantasy readers."
—School Library Journal
Other projects:
I co-wrote a graphic novel that came out with Vertigo Comics (part of D.C.), called A FLIGHT OF ANGELS (selected as a YALSA Top Ten Pick for Great Graphic Novels for Teens).
BROKEN SAVIORS, an alien invasion graphic novel series for ages 13 and up. You can read the first few issues of BROKEN SAVIORS on my website for free. Or find it in full HD on ComiXology!
http://www.toddmitchellbooks.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
July 8, 2008
Not really a new idea.Two kids discover a new magical land by crawling through some object and realize they are unique and special. But, Mitchell takes this used plot and gives it some interesting twist and turns. The two kids are Darren and Jackie and they are spending the summer at they're crazy Uncle Will's house. When they get to the house they find Uncle Will missing and a strange letter in his place. Using the letter as a treasure map/clue, the two siblings set out to find their lost uncle. Along the way they of course find an object, crawl through it and discover a beautiful world full of fairies, trolls and mean powerful Kings. The new twist is manifested by the fact that the "specialness" the kids find out about themselves isn't very nice and how they learn to deal with this dark part of themselves is really the true message of the book. It's an interesting way to teach kids about survival and the limits people will go to forget something painful.
Read
October 23, 2021 Solidly researched and quite chilling. The title is grimly accurate!
May 31, 2019
The Traitor King
Todd Mitchell
May 30, 2019
The Traitor King is a fantasy novel written by author Todd Mitchell. The story follows an 11-year-old boy who often daydreams by the name of Darren Mananann. Recently, Darren’s daydreams have been filled by a creature which he can only describe as a skeleton. He continuously dismisses these scarily realistic dreams until he catches a glimpse of it in real life. After telling his sister Jackie, Darren begins to think he is crazy yet he continues to see the skeleton in real life. Adding to that, the one person who actually listens to Darren has now disappeared. His mysterious uncle Will left without a trace after burning all of their family documents. Darren and his sister Jackie must figure out a way to find their uncle while being stalked by the mysterious skeleton. Darren has always felt that his family was a little odd, but as the story continues, he discovers what the true meaning of Mananann is.
For me, The Traitor King was more of a fun book to read. I felt the book was written for middle schoolers so it was really easy to understand compared to other books I have read. The author, Todd Mitchell, definitely did keep me engaged at points by using suspense and cliffhangers. Mostly, at the end of each chapter, the author would include a cliffhanger which would leave me wanting to keep reading. His writing is also plain and effective. The author does not add anything extra and he uses simple words to paint the picture of his story. To introduce the characters, he wrote, “Kini started to whine--a shrill noise that increased in volume like the baby’s scream. Darren stopped messing with his cousin’s hand and she stopped whining. Her mouth curled into a satisfied smirk. He clenched his fists. Even though he was eleven and only Kini was ten, she always got her way.” (16). Although the author’s words are easy to understand, they paint a very vivid picture of what’s going on. He also includes very detailed character development which will later influence the story. I also like how the author used simple words to build a great theme. In The Traitor King, I found that the main theme was that family is always the most important. Throughout the whole story, Darren’s sister Jackie never fails to support him and encourage him. Without Jackie or even Kini, Darren would have never been able to figure out where his uncle was. Throughout the story, Darren learned that his family would always be there for him no matter what. I think the author wanted to let us know that our family will always be there for us and we should learn to trust them. Family is one of the most important things in our lives. A book that is similar to The Traitor King is The Land of Stories. They both involve a set of siblings traveling into a magical world where anything could happen. I would probably not recommend this book to others because it’s not extremely intriguing and it’s also considered an easier book. However, I still enjoyed reading it.
Todd Mitchell
May 30, 2019
The Traitor King is a fantasy novel written by author Todd Mitchell. The story follows an 11-year-old boy who often daydreams by the name of Darren Mananann. Recently, Darren’s daydreams have been filled by a creature which he can only describe as a skeleton. He continuously dismisses these scarily realistic dreams until he catches a glimpse of it in real life. After telling his sister Jackie, Darren begins to think he is crazy yet he continues to see the skeleton in real life. Adding to that, the one person who actually listens to Darren has now disappeared. His mysterious uncle Will left without a trace after burning all of their family documents. Darren and his sister Jackie must figure out a way to find their uncle while being stalked by the mysterious skeleton. Darren has always felt that his family was a little odd, but as the story continues, he discovers what the true meaning of Mananann is.
For me, The Traitor King was more of a fun book to read. I felt the book was written for middle schoolers so it was really easy to understand compared to other books I have read. The author, Todd Mitchell, definitely did keep me engaged at points by using suspense and cliffhangers. Mostly, at the end of each chapter, the author would include a cliffhanger which would leave me wanting to keep reading. His writing is also plain and effective. The author does not add anything extra and he uses simple words to paint the picture of his story. To introduce the characters, he wrote, “Kini started to whine--a shrill noise that increased in volume like the baby’s scream. Darren stopped messing with his cousin’s hand and she stopped whining. Her mouth curled into a satisfied smirk. He clenched his fists. Even though he was eleven and only Kini was ten, she always got her way.” (16). Although the author’s words are easy to understand, they paint a very vivid picture of what’s going on. He also includes very detailed character development which will later influence the story. I also like how the author used simple words to build a great theme. In The Traitor King, I found that the main theme was that family is always the most important. Throughout the whole story, Darren’s sister Jackie never fails to support him and encourage him. Without Jackie or even Kini, Darren would have never been able to figure out where his uncle was. Throughout the story, Darren learned that his family would always be there for him no matter what. I think the author wanted to let us know that our family will always be there for us and we should learn to trust them. Family is one of the most important things in our lives. A book that is similar to The Traitor King is The Land of Stories. They both involve a set of siblings traveling into a magical world where anything could happen. I would probably not recommend this book to others because it’s not extremely intriguing and it’s also considered an easier book. However, I still enjoyed reading it.
July 10, 2017
THE TRAITOR KING is a powerful read - full of adventure and family drama and Celtic mythology. Todd Mitchell did a magical job with each character's unique voice, especially Dwyfen and Nim. But, it is Darren who stole my heart. The author nailed a young teen boy trying to figure out his place in this world. And in another world, too. Highly recommended - I can see why THE TRAITOR KING was a Colorado Book Award Finalist.
January 24, 2022
I had to read this in class fir a paper and dreaded it. Once I started reading this, I realized I couldn't put it down. I have read this one several times since then. The first time was in middle school and I am ow a Junior in college. What I loved most about this story was the plot. I love how it wasn't always dialogue. You get that with a lot of books, but this one focused on scenery and made it easy to follow along and picture this book.
December 15, 2021
Didn’t finish this book. Thought it was going to be a good children’s book, and it ended up terrifying them.
January 7, 2023
very interesting book...very enjoyable
November 18, 2012
Reviewed by Christian C. for TeensReadToo.com
Every year, the Manananns spend their bucolic summers together at Uncle Will's country house in Maine; a little cabin in the woods with no television or cell phone signal. But this summer is not going to be like the others. This summer, Uncle Will will disappear, and when Darren and Jackie try to find out where he is, they'll also find out the Manannan's darkest secret: the story of the Traitor King.
As Darren and Jackie suspected, Uncle Will leaves them some clues on how to find him. But following those clues turns out to be more difficult and more dangerous than they thought. The first clue takes them to the library, where a nervous and weird acting librarian greets them. Then a spooky old man who looks like a skeleton chases them all over town. The last clue will take them to the tallest tree in the woods, the tree that will take them to the incredible and different world -- Tavare.
What is this new world? And how can it be so different and yet feel so familiar? Will Darren and Jackie find Uncle Will there? Will they ever make it back?
You MUST read this book. There's no doubt (and let me assure you of this) you'll be glad you did. And, if you're like me, when you finish, you'll be desperately asking Todd Mitchell for the sequel.
To be honest, when I first received this book to review, I was a little worried because I'm not a big fan of fantasy novels. But after reading Todd Mitchell's fantastic debut novel, I have a completely different view about the entire genre.
So why did it take me over a month to write this review? The answer is simple: it's because I wanted to find the right words to tell readers just how much I liked it, and how much I enjoyed the author's descriptions, and how after reading them, I could close my eyes and see exactly what he was seeing, and how badly I wanted to go to this wonderful land that he had created, and how much I enjoyed traveling between the worlds of fiction and non-fiction, where reality meets fantasy, and how much I enjoyed the adventures and the tension, and the excitement of this whole new world.
I hope I succeeded, and that you won't go another day without visiting Tavare.
Every year, the Manananns spend their bucolic summers together at Uncle Will's country house in Maine; a little cabin in the woods with no television or cell phone signal. But this summer is not going to be like the others. This summer, Uncle Will will disappear, and when Darren and Jackie try to find out where he is, they'll also find out the Manannan's darkest secret: the story of the Traitor King.
As Darren and Jackie suspected, Uncle Will leaves them some clues on how to find him. But following those clues turns out to be more difficult and more dangerous than they thought. The first clue takes them to the library, where a nervous and weird acting librarian greets them. Then a spooky old man who looks like a skeleton chases them all over town. The last clue will take them to the tallest tree in the woods, the tree that will take them to the incredible and different world -- Tavare.
What is this new world? And how can it be so different and yet feel so familiar? Will Darren and Jackie find Uncle Will there? Will they ever make it back?
You MUST read this book. There's no doubt (and let me assure you of this) you'll be glad you did. And, if you're like me, when you finish, you'll be desperately asking Todd Mitchell for the sequel.
To be honest, when I first received this book to review, I was a little worried because I'm not a big fan of fantasy novels. But after reading Todd Mitchell's fantastic debut novel, I have a completely different view about the entire genre.
So why did it take me over a month to write this review? The answer is simple: it's because I wanted to find the right words to tell readers just how much I liked it, and how much I enjoyed the author's descriptions, and how after reading them, I could close my eyes and see exactly what he was seeing, and how badly I wanted to go to this wonderful land that he had created, and how much I enjoyed traveling between the worlds of fiction and non-fiction, where reality meets fantasy, and how much I enjoyed the adventures and the tension, and the excitement of this whole new world.
I hope I succeeded, and that you won't go another day without visiting Tavare.
April 12, 2011
The book is very engaging early on and holds the reader well through the ending with only a few slower spots on the way. The language and content are easily accessible, and many young people will relate to the sibling dynamics of Darren and Jackie. Most notable is the risk that the author takes with the ending. Endings are often the ruin of what could otherwise be great. They can feel contrived, or can sacrifice the art or overall feel of the story for a cheap “moment” or to have a bland, typical, stock resolution.
The author's choice of ending is, I think, entirely appropriate for the rest of the story given the themes of righting wrongs and choosing paths different from those of our ancestors. In addition there is a natural flow of events that point toward such an ending and the author would be cheating his readers and his story to do anything differently.
The author's choice of ending is, I think, entirely appropriate for the rest of the story given the themes of righting wrongs and choosing paths different from those of our ancestors. In addition there is a natural flow of events that point toward such an ending and the author would be cheating his readers and his story to do anything differently.
October 11, 2008
An ambitious fantasy-mystery, weaving Irish folklore into a modern setting. It's not bad--a hunt for a missing uncle, a trip into Tir na N'Og, betrayals, legacies. It didn't light my world on fire, but it's good. I'd have liked a little more of the mystery aspect than the fantasy, or less of the Quest Novel, but even with those issues, it's not bad.
It is set up for a sequel, though, and I think I've ranted about that enough times. But any points it loses for being sequel-prone, it gains back by having no made-up words in it, for spells or creatures or anything like that. That kind of thing makes me crazy.
3 stars 'cause I'm feeling grumpy and can't really justify a fourth. It's not that great.
It is set up for a sequel, though, and I think I've ranted about that enough times. But any points it loses for being sequel-prone, it gains back by having no made-up words in it, for spells or creatures or anything like that. That kind of thing makes me crazy.
3 stars 'cause I'm feeling grumpy and can't really justify a fourth. It's not that great.
July 15, 2013
If you like mystery and fantasy you will love this book. It is about Darren and Jackie Mananann who suspect that there is something a little strange about their family. At their family reunion at their Uncles house they find out just how strange. Their Uncle is know for creating an elaborate scavenger hunt for them to participate in but this year their Uncle is missing and the scavenger hunt takes them places in another realm. Read to find out if they find their Uncle and more about the special abilities they have discovered they have.
February 10, 2015
Fantastic MG novel. The author weaves this story with great tension and suspense so it's hard to put the book down. This book will especially interest people who find Celtic mythology and ancestry roots interesting...highly recommend.
Ms. Jamieson Haverkampf
M.F.A. Creative Writing candidate at Northwest Institute of Literary Arts (specializing in writing for children and young adults) and the author of the award winning resource guide: Mom Minus Dad: The Essential Resource Guide for Busy Adults with a Newly Widowed Parent
Ms. Jamieson Haverkampf
M.F.A. Creative Writing candidate at Northwest Institute of Literary Arts (specializing in writing for children and young adults) and the author of the award winning resource guide: Mom Minus Dad: The Essential Resource Guide for Busy Adults with a Newly Widowed Parent
October 21, 2011
Annoyed with the easy-to-guess-plot and the easily-resolved-conclusion, but Darren was a neat character, and I liked the idea of "shadow casting," and the pace was good, and the dialogue worked. The names were good.
I didn't like how drunk the adults got in the book. It didn't really add to the plot or much of the characters. This IS supposed to be a children's book, and yet it makes heavy drinking sound perfectly normal.
It's still a fun story to read.
I didn't like how drunk the adults got in the book. It didn't really add to the plot or much of the characters. This IS supposed to be a children's book, and yet it makes heavy drinking sound perfectly normal.
It's still a fun story to read.
July 16, 2014
The first half was my favorite. The initial tone created a nostalgic charm. The imagery of shadow casting, and the audio treasure map were terrific. (I, since then, have wanted to make an audio map for a BD party... great idea.) It takes an tremendous amount of talent to write a novel of any sort-- to hold it all together, and give the reader a journey. So for that reason especially, I admired Traitor King.
April 23, 2008
Mystery, fantasy, and some danger all rolled up into one book.
I had been meaning to read it for about a year. Judging by the cover (without even looking at the blurb on the back), it looked interesting.
It was good, but just not what I expected. That'll teach me to judge a book solely on its cover, right? ^_^
I had been meaning to read it for about a year. Judging by the cover (without even looking at the blurb on the back), it looked interesting.
It was good, but just not what I expected. That'll teach me to judge a book solely on its cover, right? ^_^
September 4, 2008
I like a book that I think about for days after reading it! I really enjoyed how Mitchell drew Irish folklore into the modern day. I especially like the "brownie" and will be taking a closer look at things I think I see out of the corner of my eye! I'm looking forward to his first YA novel (due out in '09, I believe)
October 31, 2008
A children's fantasy book that tells the story of 11 year old Darren and his sister. They discover a family history that lies in a fantasy world. It was OK, nothing incredible. The one major gripe that I had with it is the alcoholic tendencies of the adults...not children's book material in my opinion.
February 28, 2011
This was a fun and exciting book! I think kids from 4th and up would enjoy. Although Jackie's defiant personality bugged me and at one point I almost decided to stop reading, I'm glad I finished. I think the author had some new and creative ideas for a book that somewhat reminded me of FableHaven. I see some future for a series! (?)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 20, 2011
Sequel, please? :)
I will admit that it took awhile for me to get into this book; at about page 30 I was ready to put it down for good, so I decided to skim the pages and see what I was missing.
If you feel the same way when you read it, stick with it until they get to the library. That's all I'm sayin'. :)
I'd love to know....what happens next??
I will admit that it took awhile for me to get into this book; at about page 30 I was ready to put it down for good, so I decided to skim the pages and see what I was missing.
If you feel the same way when you read it, stick with it until they get to the library. That's all I'm sayin'. :)
I'd love to know....what happens next??
March 6, 2012
The beginning of the book is good. I love the shadow-casting idea, and the whole setup is interesting.
Then Darren and Jackie get to Tir Na N'Og, the story goes completely downhill. Even the parts after that where they're back in Daylight is just not as good as the first half of the story. Good setup, good idea, bad ending.
Then Darren and Jackie get to Tir Na N'Og, the story goes completely downhill. Even the parts after that where they're back in Daylight is just not as good as the first half of the story. Good setup, good idea, bad ending.
November 2, 2013
Myths, monsters, skeletons, banshees, even a gentle wolf get together in this middle grade book about an eleven year old boy who can cast his own shadow, crawl into another world, and finally come to grips with the good and the bad, the light and the shadow, in his family and in the world. I loved it. It’s not just for kids. Read it; you’ll be glad you did.
March 22, 2014
I absolutely loved this book! I love the idea of real life mixed in with fantasy and a little action and humor added. I got to meet the author personally, and he told me that he used some of his personalities to personify his characters and I thought that was pretty cool. All in all, I enjoyed this book a lot. Also, he should write a sequel.
February 10, 2009
It was an okay book but I felt like I had heard the story and plot so many times in other books that I was rushing so I could get to another story. Not too original but the writing was good. My son really liked it though and the author came to the school.
Read
June 24, 2010I wrote this book, too. I feel kindof odd commenting on my own books. But after writing a book, it's like I come to it like any other reader. In fact, I kindof forget that I wrote it, and I just read it to enjoy it.
Cheers,
T.
Cheers,
T.
August 15, 2010
I love the premise of this book: brother and sister find out that they are part of a magical family. Great idea! But the book meanders and meanders and meanders...I think kids will get bored quickly.
October 13, 2012
I didn't love it. I didn't hate it. It was just...there. It was pretty boring. I would probably never read it again. I didn't feel one way or the other about it. So you can take what you want from that.
February 11, 2008
A story of fairies and family. A good read.
March 29, 2008
I really liked this book. It was interesting to be kept in the dark, just like the characters in the story are. I liked the way the author created the shadow land.
May 22, 2008
Todd Mitchell actually came to my school and it was amazing he is such a good writer and helped me start a story of my own.
March 30, 2010
It's not bad, but it is blatantly a kid's book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews