Embassy of the Dead: Destiny Calling

Embassy of the Dead #3

by Will Mabbitt, Taryn Knight (Illustrator)

Destiny is calling—but does it have the right number? Jake and his friends are fated to save the Afterworld from a powerful demon in the third installment of this delightfully creepy series.

Jake Green and his friends have managed to save the world from the followers of Fenris twice now, which should be more than enough. But Jake, Cora, and Sab are suddenly given a new, secret mission. It seems one last would-be traitor is still hidden in the world of the Embassy, and it’s up to Jake and his friends to take care of him—permanently. All the signs point to Jake being the Chosen One for this dangerous task, especially since he’s armed with the ancient, Eternal Void–summoning tooth he found on his last trip to the Afterworld. But the more time the three friends spend on their dubious quest, the more Jake wonders if he’s better off making his own destiny. The latest adventure in this fast and funny series delivers plenty of chills, twists, and heart.

Genres: Adventure, Middle Grade, Ghosts, Childrens

240 pages, Hardcover

Published October 11, 2022

Reviews

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

*4.5

[Lorie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second book of a series that was published in the UK in 2019 and brought to the North American market by Candlewick.

In this book, Jake and his friends must find the Embassy traitor and Jake might be the chosen one who has to save the society. The Embassy and the tasks that Jake must do helps lost souls complete what is keeping them here on Earth. There are lots of twists and turns that keep the reader interested to the end.

Middle grade readers who like fantasy series will enjoy this one, though it would be best if readers started with the first book in the series, The Embassy of the Dead. I found it hard to get into without that background knowledge.

I would recommend this book for purchase by public libraries.
This book was provided by the publisher for professional review by SWON Libraries.

[Rachel Coyne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series continues to be terrific - filled with adventure and cool characters

[Philhatch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another one I read to 9yo Tiny. We enjoyed this though it did feel less polished than the first book, which was exceptionally well crafted. (Also, 1982 wasn't an Olympic year.) 

[Dani Resh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I seem to have a bad habit of picking out books and not realizing they are part of a series. Once again, I am guilty of reading out of order. Destiny Calling is the third book in the Embassy of the Dead Series (which I haven’t read), but I still found Destiny Calling to be a fun, enjoyable read.

I was intrigued by the premise that Jake is an Undoer, which is someone who helps the deceased move on to the Afterworld. In previous books, Jake and his friends have successfully saved the world twice from the followers of an evil entity. In Destiny Calling, Jake learns that there may be a new traitor lurking within the Embassy and it’s up to him to stop the traitor with a powerful ancient weapon that seems destined to be in his possession.

The plot moved along at a study pace and there were many creative and unusual elements to the story that kept me engaged. However, my feeling is that struggle, frustration, and failure should be celebrated in young literature, but resolutions to obstacles came too easily for Jake. Especially since this is the third time Jake and his friends have saved the world. I am yearning for characters who don’t automatically demonstrate greatness but grow into it.

True, this is the third book so my criticism may very well be unfounded and Jake and his friends may have indeed grown throughout the series. Yet, I wonder if I would have felt more connected to Jake if he displayed some vulnerability and experienced true setbacks along the way.

[Tasya · Rating 2 out of 5]

It can get pretty dark, with on page death and assassination attempts, but this one was a disappointing ending overall. It felt rushed and not as fleshed out as the other two books, leaving more questions unanswered and sudden ending that left us readers at loss. So Cora was the heir of Uthred, why did Jake felt the call of the tooth? Why does the tooth has effect on Jake, say by increasing his sensitivity and tolerance? Does Sab's sensitivity come from the tooth? What happens next, will there be clean up? Will Jake still work at the Embassy? What about Sab, will he still be sensitive? And what about prince Arkus, and the whole demon vs non demon war going on? And I do wish Sab and Zorro have a more defined or just more role in the story. It has good discussion on prophecy and destiny and indirectly, about expectations and legacy, but overall it was pretty much a rushed book which is a shame considering how enjoyable the rest of the series was.

[Teresa Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like this series - humor, suspense, adventure and friendship - what's not to love. Jake and Cora continue their work for the Embassy and now they have the added help of Jake's friend Sab. Once again they must stop a plot to destroy the delicate balance of the Afterworld... and once again, things are not as they seem. Can Jake and Cora thwart evil, save the day and keep Jake alive? You'll have to read to find out. =D
This isn't the strongest book in the series, but it is very entertaining and definitely worth reading. Taryn Knight's illustrations are wonderful and a great addition to the story. I wish more mid-grade fiction had illustrations. Students gravitate towards books that also give a visual experience.