Forbidden Mountain
Brandon Mull
Readers rate it 5.0 (1 on Hardcover)
- Pages
- 529 pages
- Published
- 2026
Content report card
What's inside
Violence
Fighting, weapons, death
Language
Swearing, crude humor
Sexual content
Romance intensity, nudity
LGBTQ+ themes
Presence of characters or themes
Scary or mature
Horror, trauma, heavy themes
Substance use
Alcohol, drugs, smoking
What it offers
Positive messages
Kindness, courage, honesty, resilience
Positive role models
Characters who model good judgment and growth
Educational value
History, science, culture, how the world works
A note for parents
Forbidden Mountain is a middle-grade fantasy adventure from Brandon Mull, a bestselling author known for age-appropriate worldbuilding and character-driven plots. The story involves magical conflict, bandit armies, and spiritual danger that carry some intensity and darker themes (choices between good and evil, consequences of dark pacts), but violence is typical of the fantasy adventure genre rather than graphic or gratuitous. The book emphasizes courage, moral choice, and redemption, with protagonists who demonstrate growth and integrity despite facing difficult circumstances.
Analyzed by AI · 1 hour ago
Parent age guide
Is “Forbidden Mountain” right for your kid?
Ready from about age 10.
From about 9, okay with a grown-up nearby.
For younger readers
- Violence is moderate (3/5) — a bit much at 9; fine with a grown-up nearby.
- Scary or mature content is moderate (3/5) — a bit much at 9; fine with a grown-up nearby.
- Suggested for ages 10+.
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From the publisher
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • CHOOSE YOUR GUARDIAN. CHOOSE YOUR DESTINY. From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Fablehaven and Beyonders series comes an epic new fantasy set in a world where children bond with a spiritual guide—some promising greatness and glory, while others, destruction and death. **This... NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • CHOOSE YOUR GUARDIAN. CHOOSE YOUR DESTINY. From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Fablehaven and Beyonders series comes an epic new fantasy set in a world where children bond with a spiritual guide—some promising greatness and glory, while others, destruction and death. **This deluxe hardcover edition features exquisitely designed sprayed edges complete with gold swords!** Every Anoran child dreams of the day they will enter the sacred bonding hut and match with a guardian—a spiritual guide who grants magically enhanced abilities. A lucky few will bond with Advocates, who promise greatness and glory. Others will be tempted by forbidden offers from the Accursed—dangerous spirits who bring nothing but destruction and a penalty of death to any Anoran who chooses them. But when Mako discovers that the worst of these agents of chaos has returned to spread an ancient evil through the empire, he faces an unthinkable choice: Will he bond with one of the Accursed to gain the power to stop another? Halfway across the empire, Arden has no guardian and no prospects of adventure…until she infiltrates an underground criminal network to find her missing friend. Relying on her knack for sensing the truth through even the smoothest lies, Arden finds herself at the center of a sinister conspiracy that runs much deeper than she ever imagined. Soon Mako’s and Arden’s fates collide, and together they must face bandit armies, dark secrets, and untold dangers to fight an enemy who could destroy all they’ve ever known.
Shelved under
- Juvenile Fiction
- Fantasy
- Adventure
ISBN 9780593712047 · Random House