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Skulduggery Pleasant: Resurrection
Skulduggery Pleasant: Resurrection
Author Derek Landy
Cover Artist Tom Percival
Date Published 1st June 2017
Date Set In Spring 2017
Publisher HarperCollins
No. of pages N/A
ISBN ISBN-10: 0008266468
ISBN-13: 9780008266462
Publication Order
Preceded by
Skulduggery Pleasant: The Dying of the Light
Followed by
Skulduggery Pleasant: Midnight
"The skeleton detective is coming back to life… again! It’s the tenth, triumphant novel in the Skulduggery Pleasant series, and it will REARRANGE YOUR WORLD."

Skulduggery Pleasant: Resurrection is the tenth book in the Skulduggery Pleasant series. It was first announced by Derek Landy via YouTube on July 29th, 2016[1]. The book will have main characters Skulduggery Pleasant and Valkyrie Cain return, as well as a new protagonist Omen Darkly[2].

Synopsis

In this new book, the start of what Derek Landy has called "phase 2" of Skulduggery Pleasant, Skulduggery attempts to recruit Valkyrie (who is suffering from implied PTSD and depression) to join him again. They must work together to stop Abyssinia, Skulduggery's ex, with the help of 14-year-old Omen Darkly.

Plot

"I was halfway through Last Stand of Dead Men, I think when I realized that I had more stories to tell. I told myself that if Skulduggery and Valkyrie survived the series, I would leave the option open of returning to their world. There were still secrets I need to reveal, after all, and there were still horrors they had to face. They survived the first series. But they’re really going to wish they hadn’t."
Derek Landy in an interview about the book.[2]

Valkyrie Cain has returned to a secluded existence in Ireland after five years secluded in Colorado, America. Now living in her uncle Gordon's old house, she is suffering from implied PTSD and depression, due to the events of The Dying of the Light. She gets an unexpected, and rather unwelcome, visit from Skulduggery Pleasant, who needs her help on a new case. He had sent in a mage called Temper Fray as a spy, and Temper has gone missing. Skulduggery convinces Valkyrie to return to the job for twenty-four hours.

Due to information received from Temper, Skulduggery believes the anti-Sanctuary may be recruiting young members at Roarhaven's new boarding school, Corrival Academy. They need someone they can trust and who won't stand out as a lookout to report any suspicious activity. They approach Omen Darkly, a shy third-year boy who is the brother of "Chosen One" Auger Darkly. Valkyrie is against the idea of putting teenagers in danger; a newfound empathy after her own responsibility in the killing of 1,351 people. She eventually agrees, however, and Omen is sent back to class, excited, with a new mission.

During this time, the anti-Sanctuary have infiltrated and taken control over Coldheart Prison, a floating island where, along with other prisoners, Abyssinia's heart is being kept. They take out all the guards and staff but don't release the prisoners. Lethe takes over the controls to steer the island and Coldheart no longer reports to the High Sanctuary.

After wandering through the city of Roarhaven, Skulduggery notices that Valkyrie develops headaches whenever she approaches the area where Darquesse had set off the giant explosion on Devastation Day. This area is reportedly known for causing distress in some people's minds and some Sensitives are unable to go near the place. This makes Skulduggery decide to go to Cassandra Pharos's old cottage, as he suspects that Valkyrie might have psychic abilities that may reveal themselves in the Sensitive's cottage.

Along with Finbar Wrong, Cassandra and nine other psychics had been assassinated two years earlier in an event now called The Night of Knives. Due to the remaining traces of magic in the cottage, a vision is triggered in Valkyrie. She is able to project it in the basement in the rising steam, like a hologram. She sees a series of events.

Someone unknown whistles "Dream a Little Dream of Me". A continuous line of people traveling with bags and children walk past her. Omen Darkly and his brother, beaten and bloodied, stand in a burning town, surrounded by enemies. Sebastian Tao asks: "You actually think you're going to win?" She sees Saracen Rue, lying dead on the ground, throat torn open. Cadaverous Gant walks by, holding a rag doll in a blue dress. Tanith Low, hair cut short, backs away from an enemy in fear. China Sorrows sorrows lie in a field of broken glass, dead. A stream of energy hits an unknown girl in the chest. Then Valkyrie sees herself, on her knees. She knows this is how she dies. The last image is of a woman with silver hair, who announces herself as The Princess of the Darklands. She places a finger under Valkyrie's chin, which Valkyrie can feel. When the vision finishes, Skulduggery informs Valkyrie that he hadn't seen everything she had seen. Had only seen the lines of people, the fire, Saracen, and China.

Meanwhile, Omen reports his first suspect: history teacher Parthenios Lilt. Lilt heads a study group called Arcanum's Scholars, all of whom, including Lilt himself, have a severe dislike towards Mortals. Skulduggery looks into Lilt's records and finds that he had filed a report on Neoteric sorcerers a while back. Neoterics are mages who weren't taught magic, so their magic abilities formed around their personality, making them generally more powerful, but less controlled. In the report they find other names: Richard Melior and Azzedine Smoke. As they can't find a trace of Smoke, they decide to track down Melior, who lives in Roarhaven.

Melior is a Vitakinetic, a magical healer whose Neoteric advantage is being able to resurrect recently deceased people. He works in a mortal hospital. Melior attacks them when they make their intentions clear, causing a small explosion of energy. Then the other anti-Sanctuary members arrive. The man in the black leather and rubber suit announces himself as Lethe. He and Skulduggery engage in a fight, where Lethe, unexpectedly emerges victorious. Fletcher Renn arrives to get them out. He takes them to Reverie Synechdoche's clinic, but the anti-Sanctuary's teleporter Nero is able to follow Fletcher and stabs him in the back. Fletcher survives but needs to stay in hospital. Skulduggery is left with bones broken and in need of reattachment.

Omen overhears the Arcanum's Scholars talking in the library, discussing rumors of the fight between Lethe and Skulduggery. He manages to steal one of their ceremonial masks, which they wear to their secret meetings. On Omen's tip-off, Parthenios Lilt is arrested and the Arcanum's Scholars continue their meetings without him. Omen manages to infiltrate one of the meetings by wearing the stolen mask. For the first time, the Scholars meet the main anti-Sanctuary members. Lethe announces that they are to be the "First Wave" of the war against the mortals. After a headcount, however, Omen is discovered and he flees before he is unmasked.

Later, Nero confronts Jenan Ispolin, a member of the Scholar's, in his dorm for allowing a spy into the meeting. Omen hides under Jenan's bed, and when Nero is about to leave, he touches the teleporter's shoe, traveling with him to Coldheart Prison.

Skulduggery and Valkyrie try to track down Richard Melior again, who is much calmer on their second visit. He tells them more about the anti-Sanctuary. An organization so secret, it doesn't even have a proper name, has been plotting in the background for centuries, orchestrating wars and assassinations, and they have finally stepped out of the shadows. The plan to force a war between the mortals and sorcerers, resulting in sorcerers ruling over the mortals. Melior gives the two all the names he knows, as well as their abilities. The anti-Sanctuary need Melior for the resurrection, so they kidnapped his husband Savant Vega.

(continued later).

Additionally, Landy has said Saracen Rue and Dexter Vex will appear in the series. Xena, China Sorrows, and Alison Edgley have also been mentioned to return. Tanith Low was implied to have a minor role. Roarhaven and the relationship between the magical community and mortals will feature[need specific tweets to reference].

Landy has also mentioned that previous open plot points will be answered, such as the secret Dusk discovered about Valkyrie's blood and Rue's power[needs reference].

Gallery

References

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