Kingdom Keepers VI: Dark Passage

So much suspense I personally, think it is the best in the series. The kingdom keepers build on more friends and allies. I liked how there was a lot more romance in this and I have been waiting for the keepers to couple up since the second book. Not enough of Amanda and Jess in this one though. This is the best kingdom keepers yet.

I have read all the kingdom keeper books. This is a great book, Pearson did an amazing job on the 6th installment of this series. I was so excited for this book to come out. Each book is full of suspense, suprises, and unexpected turn of events. I would highly recommend to read this. There is romance, jealousy, drama, action, and magic. I can't wait for the 7th book to come out

it's amazing, just like the other Kingdom Keepers! I definitely recommend purchasing the entire series. This series is perfectly Disney- related but still fits into my age range, 16. I've loved these books since I first heard about them 3 or 4 years ago and I probably always will.

These books are addicting! Our whole family can listen to the audiobooks, the youngest loves to also read the books over and over!! We even went 1000 miles to hear him speak at the homeschool conference at Disneyworld!! We are waiting still got the 6th one on audiobook! We have heard a few spoilers about this one but REALLY REALLY REALLY want to buy the Audiobook also!! Hint Hint!!!

I just finished book 6 last night. My main reaction - "ehh... it's okay." The first few books in the series were enjoyable and fun to read. Books 4 and 5 took a slight down turn, IMO, when they tried to become Percy Jackson-like, or Harry Potter-like. The books were good enough to stand on their own without needing to become a Rick Riordan novel.

Book 6 took an even greater down turn. The flow was choppy and disconnected. There were too many detached events that took place. I thought at times it was foreshadowing an event to be covered later in the book, but it proved to be meaningless sections of the book that were random at best.

Finn's mother was a big disappointment. It seemed to be a major event from book 5, but fizzled into nothing in book 6. Jess and Amanda were randomly inserted into various chapters. The book could have actually excluded them totally and better use of those characters on the ship. The use of Wanda in the book was also meaningless since it didn't seem to have any connection to the storyline of this book.

Finally (spoiler alert), the book ended at least one chapter too short. It needed another 25-30 pages to "Debrief" with Wayne after all of the chaos and confusion that occurs during the book. The tension between Finn - Philby - Wayne needed to be addressed. Nothing. It's just a loose end. The changes to Finn after the ordeal in the engine room of the ship could have been addressed by Wayne. Having Wayne spend time with Finn after what happens to his friend absolutely needed to be included. Since I mentioned Harry Potter, it was one of the great parts of the Harry Potter series when Dumbledore debriefed Harry in his office after the final confrontation of the book... especially after Digory died. There were other loose ends that needed to be wrapped up too, not least of which is Finn talking with his mother (not merely waving at her). Amanda and Finn's relationship needed to be mentioned. If there is a book 7, then it will have been 2 books since they last spoke and talked out their feelings. Maybe the book needed another 50 pages.

To me, the book was rushed. It needed more time to edit and think through before going to press. Was it good to read? Yes, it's a Disney book and I've enjoyed the series. I gave it 3 stars because it is a book in a series. By itself, it is more of a 2 star book. Like another reviewer stated - it just got a little too far fetched at times, was disjointed, seemed random at times, and goes down some dark roads.

Anyway, great series. This book... ehh... it's okay.

This book picks up exactly where the previous book in the series ends, which is actually a good thing for fans since it ended with a major cliffhanger. That particular issue is resolved quickly, but life aboard The Disney Dream continues to be filled with danger for the Kingdom Keepers. They have to uncover Chernabog’s hiding place and kill him before Maleficent, the Evil Queen, and the rest of the Overtakers can resurrect him. And they may have finally found a clue. But can they stop fighting long enough to figure out what it means?

If none of what I’ve just said makes any sense to you, then don’t start here. Go back and read the earlier books in the series that set things up.

I keep reading the series because I like the idea behind it, but I must admit I’ve gotten a bit frustrated with the series. It seems like our heroes are always playing defense. This is the first time in a long time where they’ve managed to get on the offensive, and I enjoyed that. The climax was fairly exciting as well, although there were parts that still dragged. Plus the characters could still be better developed.

I’m looking forward to see how things are resolved in what is supposed to be the final book in the series. On the whole, this one’s flaws balanced out the parts I did enjoy.

I've been plodding through this series for a while now only for the love of Disney. It started really awesome. Like some of the other sequels, this book pales in comparison.

How exactly were Finn and Willa saved from the water? They were relying on people on the deck spotting them? Wasn't the Sail Away party way over? And then finding some way to get people to forget they saw them. So did that even happen? Why are the interesting and detailed parts taken away from the reader? And what was with the sub? It was really poorly explained how that helped their rescue. Or how Triton was involved in the rescue. They just woke up back on the ship out of their projected forms. This is only a tenth into the book...

Then they go through a lot of intricate trouble to decipher codes and try to find the Chernaborg, amidst weak teenage sparks between characters with no development into the reason for the attraction or the relationship. (Switch around their names it still wouldn't affect the logic of the story. Strong characters would not be easily interchangeable like this). During a discussion, it was revealed that once they find the Chernaborg, they would just tell Uncle Bob about it. Shouldn't Uncle Bob have been helping them from the start then? If these teenagers are set to take on the world with almost everything else they are doing, wouldn't just running to Uncle Bob invalidate all that work?

Overall very disjointed and weak logic and storytelling. Ridley should look at books like Ready Player One.

Sixth in the Kingdom Keepers urban fantasy series for kids revolving around holograms, Disney World, and a close-knit group of kids.

My Take
We pick up where we left off in Shell Game (Kingdom Keepers, #5), while Finn and Willa are flying through the air just after they've jumped off the Disney Dream. And it's a mad race to survive!

This is the first time Pearson has concentrated on romance for Charlene and she's torn between two boys while Amanda is frustrated with Finn who is torn between Amanda and Storey. It's a mess. Then there's the hinted retirement from their DHI roles. It's not good.

That scene between Willa and Charlene where Charlie's questioning who makes the decisions just feels too fake. As though some readers whined that the boys had all the power, so Pearson felt a need to address the issue.

Hmm, Finn has a point about the balance of power and the part the DHIs have played in upping the stakes. And yet another hmmm when Luowski feels as though a "drain plug has been pulled". Keep an eye out for it and see if you come to same conclusion I did! Mattie has a point as well, one that she learned from Amanda and Jess, and I'm curious if it'll lead to a spin-off series or part of the KK adventures.

Clever use of hibernation---parents might find this an interesting angle to use with the kids to encourage them to learn---ya never know what school teaches that you might need in a dangerous situation...*grin*!

Whoa...it's kidnappings and the craziest chase scenes: under and over the water, through the AquaDuck, in caves---some are pretty disgusting, and over zip lines.

There are some minor loose threads in this: Dillard's fate, which I'm guessing that Pearson is saving for #7; who the other kid is that Clayton found up in the pipes; and, how Finn's mom got off the ship. And I must confess that I did not like the ending. For all its drama (and the accompanying relief), it felt disappointingly short and left me with a sense of loose ends. Besides the ones I've already whined about!

I dunno...it might be safer for the kids if they get retired...!

The Story
While the threat of replacement by the new beta version of the DHI 2.0 is hanging over the kids, they still have a mission to accomplish: prevent Maleficent, the Evil Queen, and Tia Dalma from carrying out their plans for Chernabog!

Only, Finn and Willa have jumped overboard from the Disney Dream to escape a pack of wild hyenas, and the ship is fast sailing away. If they don't reboard quickly, their holograms will fall into shadow, and they'll never awaken!

The Characters
Leadership seems to be splitting between the very intelligent Dill Philby's increasingly superior airs, who is lying, and keeping secrets, and Finn Whitman, who is questioning his role as the Kingdom Keepers' leader. He does have a secret weapon from Triton, the King of the Sea who makes a valuable ally. The physically fit---and hot---Charlene Turner, a cheerleader at school and a starter on the gymnastics team, has a wounded shoulder---and a secret pash for Finn and Terry. Isabella "Willa" Angelo has her own not-so-secret love. Terry "Donnie" Maybeck is a fifteen-year-old artist who helps his Aunt Jelly in her shop and thinks he's God's gift to girls.

There are three Fairlies (fairly human, but with unique powers) in this story: Amanda Lockhart is telekinetic, Jezebel "Jess" is clairvoyant, and Mattie Weaver has the power of touch. All three girls have been projected into the cruise by Wanda at the end to help. Amanda and Jess are still in fostercare with Mrs. Nash and trying to duck the government while Mattie is a friend of Amanda and Jess who's escaped a government facility in Baltimore. Dillard Cole is Finn's closest friend outside the Keepers and he keeps popping up on the cruise---also sent by Wanda Alcott, Wayne's daughter.

Finn's mom has been Overtaken, and they can no longer trust her while Gladis Philby, Philby's mom, is their chaperone on the trip.

Two of the six DHIs who have been created from Cast Members to augment the original Keepers have been placed onboard to help: Kenny Carlson and Bart.

Captain Cederberg is captain of the Disney Dream; Robert "Uncle Bob" Heinemann is the security officer Wayne told the kids to trust--oops; Clayton Freeman, a security wizard, has seen too much to brush the kids off without thought; Rafina is a fellow security officer; and, Storey Ming is a member of the crew helping the Keepers. Andy Meyers is a film director shooting a Disney Channel 365, and Jodi Bennett is a Disney Cruise Line executive who is managing the shoot.

Cast Members and characters of the Disney theme parks have begun to take sides. They think of Wayne Kresky, the head of the Imagineers, as the Elder. He's the one who pulled the DHIs into this troupe of fighters.

Maleficent, the nasty witch from Sleeping Beauty, the Evil Queen, and Tia Dalma are working together to bring Chernabog completely to life. Somehow Maleficent has spelled other middleschoolers to do their dirty work--recognizable by their green eyes. Greg "Lousy" Luowski is one of them! And he has embraced the mayhem. Although...they're starting to ask too much. Others who have been turned include Dixon, Victor, and Joe College.

The DHIs are Disney Host Interactives, a.k.a., Daylight Hologram Imaging, holograms which act as Park hosts for Disney. What most people don't know is that "their holograms had been engineered by Disney's Imagineers to do battle with...the Overtakers" (OTs), a dark force that includes the evil villains of Disney, eager to take over the world.

The Cover
The cover carries on from Shell Game when Finn and Willa jump from the Disney cruise ship to escape the hyenas with Finn diving right at us and Willa running in mid-air while Tia Dalma looms large over all.

The title is part of life as Maleficent intones, that Dark Passage when "one must face one's demons", but Maleficent doesn't understand that the kids have already faced one such passage, even as they must still endure the other.

This book was better than the one that preceded it. There was less techie talk and more action, with the ending quite a shock. While I enjoy the books taking place in the parks more than on the cruise ship or in foreign countries, it was still a good story. The characters, however, are not very likeable and a lot of people speak in cliches.

KINGDOM KEEPERS BOOK 6

The Kingdom Keepers (a group of teenagers, some with
psychic abilities) face a great threat when the
Overtakers (all the evil Disney characters) smuggle a
rather large crate on board the Disney cruise ship. The
Kingdom Keepers face new threats, zombie crew
members and a secret weapon.

Kids will like this book because of the action. My favorite
part was near the end (I don't want to spoil the ending). I
recommend reading 1-5 first.

Review by Kevin W., age 10, St. Louis Area Mensa

KINGDOM KEEPERS VI: DARK PASSAGE is an exciting Children's Books/Action & Adventure/Science Fiction/Fantasy and so much. Age range: 10 and up. #6 in the "Kingdom Keepers" series,but can be read as a stand alone. This is my first in this series,but it will not be my last. Packed full of action,adventure, friendship,mystery,danger,trust, and of course Disney. From the book jacket: "According to plan,one of the five Kingdom Keepers is to be this monster's first victim." Who will it be and why? You must read "Kingdom Keepers: Dark Passage" to find out. A fast paced story from beginning to end. A fascinating story of friendship and trust. Everyone young and old will enjoy the "Kingdom Keepers". Received from the publisher for an honest review.

RATING: 4

HEAT RATING: NONE(CHILDREN'S BOOK)

REVIEWED BY: AprilR, Review courtesy of My Book Addiction and More

This is a great book. Ridley Pearson hits another home run. Dark Passage is an awesome book but not my most favorite-- 3,5,6,1,4 last 2.
Dark Passage: ... is a book about the DHIs on the Disney Dream ---a cruise--- where they go to Aruba and Mexico and travel while fighting the Overtakers. It seems that the Overtakers are trying to wake Chernabog ---the mightiest of all Disney villans. Finn and his fellow DHIs have their journal. The journal is the clue to trying to defeat the Overtakers. The DHIs now know their plan ---3 steps, a witch, key flower, and a human sacrafice---of how the villans are going to wake Chernabog.
This book is a must read. Recommended for young teens or adults.

ridley pearson has done it again. dark passage starts off exactly where shell game left off. aboard the disney dream. ridley pearson took many risks writing this. in this book ridley pearson focuses a great deal on the five kingdom keepers relationships with each other. there were also many action scenes in this installment of the series which i was completely shocked by. but he came through and made it work. while i had very few complaints about this book, i didn't give it five stars for a reason. i was extremely upset about amanda and jess. the two fairly "sisters" were almost non existent in this book. amanda showed up for a few chapters but jess was only in about ten pages of a book that was nearly five hundred. other than that i have no complaints. see you guys next time. for more information about my upcoming reviews follow me on twitter @jacobcote4

My daughter and I love the Kingdom Keepers series and eagerly look forward to each new novel. The latest doesn't disappoint in terms of plot and character, but the editing is atrocious! I've counted at least 4 mistakes as we've been reading. And I'm not one who gets their kicks by picking apart other people's grammar (obviously). Nor do I make a habit of looking for mistakes. I'm talking, mismatched tenses, dropped words, etc. It's kind of annoying and makes me wonder just how fast he's cranking these out, but we love them just the same.