Skulduggery Pleasant: Dark Days
Fourth book in the Skulduggery Pleasant series.
Skulduggery Pleasant: Dark Days, the fourth book in Derek Landy’s series, came out in April 2009. It follows *The Faceless Ones* and sees Valkyrie Cain, a sorcerer-detective, hunting for her mentor Skulduggery Pleasant’s original skull so she can free him from the realm of the Faceless Ones. A group of notable villains from earlier books reunites to get revenge on the pair. The novel was released in the US and Canada in 2011, and HarperCollins Audio puts out unabridged CD versions read by Rupert Degas.
For nearly a year, Valkyrie and her friends have searched for Skulduggery’s skull, during which time she’s been learning necromancy—a type of magic that other elemental users look down on. The villain Dreylan Scarab gets out of prison and forms the Revengers’ Club with several past antagonists. Valkyrie locates the skull and uses a combination of necromancy, trickery, and a soul catcher device to steal it from Sanctuary detective Davina Marr. With her friends, she then uses it to bring Skulduggery back from the other realm.
During a separate encounter with a seer named The Torment, Valkyrie and Skulduggery see a vision of a future where a woman named Darquesse destroys the world. At home, Valkyrie learns her mother is pregnant. Meanwhile, the Revengers’ Club breaks into the Sanctuary to steal a bomb. With help from Myron Stray—a man whose life was ruined when his True Name was exposed—the duo finds the villains’ hideout and retrieves the bomb. But the Club made a copy, and they plan to blow up a stadium. Valkyrie and her friends race there, and Fletcher teleports the duplicate bomb to the ocean, where it detonates safely. The Sanctuary arrests some of the Club, but Davina Marr betrays them, using Myron’s True Name to force him to destroy the Sanctuary with the original bomb. The book ends with Valkyrie dreaming of an earlier adventure where she saw the Book of Names, realizing she’s known her True Name all along: Darquesse.
Key characters include Valkyrie Cain, Skulduggery Pleasant, Fletcher Renn (Valkyrie’s boyfriend and the last known teleporter), Dreylan Scarab (a powerful sorcerer and assassin seeking revenge after being framed), and the Revengers’ Club, which aims to destroy the Sanctuary.
Critics largely praised the book. Alys Tandle noted Landy balances light and dark well, though things are getting darker. Jessica Alben called the series fun, with
- Published
- April 2009
- US/Canada release
- 2011
Lore & Background
The plot centers on Valkyrie Cain and her friends searching for Skulduggery's skull for almost a year, during which Valkyrie learns necromancy, a magic frowned upon by elemental magic users. Villain Dreylan Scarab is released from prison and forms the Revengers' Club with several villains from previous books. Valkyrie tracks down the skull and uses a combination of necromancy, trickery, and a soul catcher device to steal it from Sanctuary detective Davina Marr, then rescues Skulduggery from the realm of the Faceless Ones.
Reader's Guide
The book introduces the Revengers' Club, a group of returning villains seeking revenge. Valkyrie and Skulduggery are shown a vision of a future where a woman named Darquesse destroys the world. Valkyrie's mother is pregnant. The Revengers' Club steals a bomb and plots to blow up a stadium; Fletcher Renn teleports the duplicate bomb to the ocean. Davina Marr betrays the Sanctuary, using Myron Stray's True Name to force him to blow up the Sanctuary with the original bomb. The story ends with Valkyrie realizing her True Name is Darquesse. The book received largely positive reviews, with critics noting its darker tone and character-driven story.
Did You Know?
- The book did not see release in the US and Canada until 2011.
- HarperCollins Audio publishes unabridged CD sets read by Rupert Degas.
- Valkyrie Cain learns necromancy, a magic frowned upon by elemental magic users.
- The Revengers' Club is led by Dreylan Scarab.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Skulduggery Pleasant: Dark Days?
Dark Days is the fourth book in Derek Landy's Skulduggery Pleasant series, first published in April 2009. It continues the story directly after The Faceless Ones, centering on Valkyrie Cain's effort to recover Skulduggery's original skull.
What is the main plot of Dark Days?
Valkyrie and her allies have been searching for nearly a year to locate Skulduggery's original skull so she can sever his connection to the Faceless Ones and set him free. At the same time, a coalition of villains from earlier books joins forces to exact revenge on the pair.
Who are the main antagonists in Dark Days?
The novel assembles several well-known villains from previous entries in the series into a single revenge-driven alliance aimed at Valkyrie and Skulduggery.
When was Dark Days released in the US and Canada?
Although the book debuted in April 2009, North American readers didn't get it until 2011. HarperCollins Audio also issued unabridged CD editions narrated by Rupert Degas.
Why is Dark Days important in the overall series?
It resolves the immediate crisis of Skulduggery's captivity by the Faceless Ones while significantly raising the stakes through the villain reunion. The events and alliances set up here carry forward into the later books of the series.
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