I'm so thrilled to be a part of The Dire King Blog Tour, hosted by The Fantastic Flying Book Club. I jumped right on William Ritter's Jackaby Series when the first book came out four years ago, and I'm so glad. The series has brought me nothing but joy, and every year I've eagerly anticipated the next book's publication date. This week the final book in the Jackaby Series came out, and I am both thrilled to read it and a little sad that the series has come to an end. (Other books in the series featured here, here, here, and here)
Have you read the Jackaby Series? If not now's your chance to win a copy of the first book in the series and get started. Enter the Rafflecopter below for a chance.
Genre: Young Adult, Mystery, Historical Fiction
Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers
Synopsis: The thrilling conclusion to the New York Times best-selling series the Chicago Tribune called “Sherlock Holmes crossed with Buffy the Vampire Slayer” sends the eccentric detective and his indispensible assistant into the heart of a war between magical worlds.
The fate of the world is in the hands of detective of the supernatural R. F. Jackaby and his intrepid assistant, Abigail Rook. An evil king is turning ancient tensions into modern strife, using a blend of magic and technology to push Earth and the Otherworld into a mortal competition. Jackaby and Abigail are caught in the middle as they continue to solve the daily mysteries of New Fiddleham, New England — like who’s created the rend between the worlds, how to close it, and why zombies are appearing around. At the same time, the romance between Abigail and the shape-shifting police detective Charlie Cane deepens, and Jackaby’s resistance to his feelings for 926 Augur Lane’s ghostly lady, Jenny, begins to give way. Before the four can think about their own futures, they will have to defeat an evil that wants to destroy the future altogether.
The epic conclusion to the New York Times best-selling Jackaby series features sly humor and a quirky cast of unforgettable characters as they face off against their most dangerous, bone-chilling foe ever.
The fate of the world is in the hands of detective of the supernatural R. F. Jackaby and his intrepid assistant, Abigail Rook. An evil king is turning ancient tensions into modern strife, using a blend of magic and technology to push Earth and the Otherworld into a mortal competition. Jackaby and Abigail are caught in the middle as they continue to solve the daily mysteries of New Fiddleham, New England — like who’s created the rend between the worlds, how to close it, and why zombies are appearing around. At the same time, the romance between Abigail and the shape-shifting police detective Charlie Cane deepens, and Jackaby’s resistance to his feelings for 926 Augur Lane’s ghostly lady, Jenny, begins to give way. Before the four can think about their own futures, they will have to defeat an evil that wants to destroy the future altogether.
The epic conclusion to the New York Times best-selling Jackaby series features sly humor and a quirky cast of unforgettable characters as they face off against their most dangerous, bone-chilling foe ever.
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The Dire King is such a fantastic conclusion to this clever series. It's always a lot of fun to be back at 926 Augur Lane with these beloved characters. The stakes are appropriately high (as in end-of-the-world high) for the grand finale, and yet, the book still feels personal, maintains its humor. But, believe me it will break your heart a little too. Oh, I'm sad to let this series go. Here's why.
Why I Love Them
1. R.F. Jackaby
R.F.
Jackaby is a detective of sorts who specializes in weird and unexplained
occurrences. Most of New Fiddleham thinks that Jackaby is pretty weird
and barely tolerable, but its his quirk that makes him such a fun character. Jackaby is smart and clever and incredibly funny in a Sherlock Holmsian kind of way. In
other words, he is 100% serious about all the weird things he says and
does.
2. Abigail Rook
I seriously adore Abigail. She is a fantastic narrator, and I just love her adventurous spirit. I mean, the series starts off with Abigail running away from home because she wanted to be a paleontologist. Always plucky and resourceful, Abigail will befriend ghosts and shapeshifters and journey to Hell and the Fairy Realm. She's not your average gal.
3. Jackaby and Abigail
Okay, as much as I love Jackaby and Abigail in their own right, what I really, really love is the two together. You don't see duos like this very often in YA literature. When I first started the series I thought that there was going to be some kind of romance between the two, but I quickly realized that Jackaby is substantially older than Abigail and this a mentorship. And I love that! Abigail and Jackaby's professional relationship is quite endearing. Also, because Abigail is scientifically minded, especially at the beginning of the series, the exchanges between these two can be rather hilarious.
4. 926 Augur Lane
Jackaby's house is just the best! It's messy and cluttered and full of weird objects. It's home to a duck who has his own pond on the third floor and who was formerly Jackaby's assistant. Plus the house is haunted. New surprises arise at 926 in every book. It was a joy to spend so much time there in the final book.
5. Jenny Cavanaugh
Jackaby's house is really Jenny's house. She is the resident ghost, and she allows, or should I say tolerates, Jackaby's presence. The mystery behind Jenny's death ten years prior was one thing that really kept me reading because it's impossible not to like Jenny. Jenny's growth over the series is definitely one of the highlights for me.
6. New Fiddleham
The Jackaby Series is a historical urban fantasy set in the fictitious New England town of New Fiddleham (I love that name). I really like the historical aspect of the story and the way the language helps set the stage, time-frame wise.
7. The Magical Creatures
No one does mythical creatures quite like William Ritter. I love the variety of creatures and the mixture of sources from dragons, to fae, to Greek mythology. Some creatures are scary, some are clever, some are kind. And a bunch are really funny. In the last book, especially, the conflict between the magical and the humans calls attention to issues of hypocrisy, tolerance, and prejudice.
8. The Mysteries
Each book in the series has its own mystery, as well as thread of a larger story. Which, in my mind, is the ideal way to frame a series. I started to get a sense of this larger picture in book 2 and with the subsequent books we got deeper and deeper into the big problem.
9. The Humor
I have mentioned one or five times that I think these books are funny? This isn't hit-you-over-the-head funny. It's a subtle humor that has quite a bit of wit. Just my thing.
7. The Magical Creatures
No one does mythical creatures quite like William Ritter. I love the variety of creatures and the mixture of sources from dragons, to fae, to Greek mythology. Some creatures are scary, some are clever, some are kind. And a bunch are really funny. In the last book, especially, the conflict between the magical and the humans calls attention to issues of hypocrisy, tolerance, and prejudice.
8. The Mysteries
Each book in the series has its own mystery, as well as thread of a larger story. Which, in my mind, is the ideal way to frame a series. I started to get a sense of this larger picture in book 2 and with the subsequent books we got deeper and deeper into the big problem.
9. The Humor
I have mentioned one or five times that I think these books are funny? This isn't hit-you-over-the-head funny. It's a subtle humor that has quite a bit of wit. Just my thing.
ABOUT THE JACKABY SERIES
“A humorous, energetic, action-packed, and magical conclusion.”
—Kirkus Reviews, starred review Ritter’s debut novel
Jackaby (a New York Times bestseller and 2015 Pacific Northwest Book Award winner) introduced readers to R.F. Jackaby, a quirky detective with a knack for the supernatural; Abigail Rook, his skeptical and observant assistant; Jenny Cavanaugh, the ghostly landlady of 926 Augur Lane; and Charlie Cane, a shape-shifting police officer. Beastly Bones and Ghostly Echoes followed the crime-solving team from their home in New Fiddleham to the depths of the underworld as they uncovered more clues about the evil forces behind Jenny’s murder.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: 
WILLIAM RITTER is an Oregon educator and author of the New York Times bestselling Jackaby series. He is the proud father of the two bravest boys in the Wild Wood, and husband to the indomitable Queen of the Deep Dark.
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