The Page TurnEARS book review series takes a look at the follow-up to Ridley Pearson’s highly successuful novel ‘Kingdom Keepers – Disney After Dark’, moving on to its 2009 sequal ‘Kingdom Keepers II – Disney at Dawn’

Kingdom Keepers II ~ Disney At Dawn

The blurb!

Its supposed to be a happy day at the Magic Kingdom – the teenage holographic hosts have returned. But things go wrong when a sudden lightning storm disrupts the celebration, and Amanda’s mysterious sister, Jez, disappears. The only clue is the sighting of a wild monkey in the Magic Kingdom during the storm. The mystery deepens when Finn is contacted by Wayne, an old man he hasn’t heard from in months. Wayne tells Finn that there’s trouble at the Animal Kingdom: the evil Overtakers have gained control of one of the computer servers that will used to operate Daylight Holographic Imaging there. That means if any holographic hosts fall asleep, they will go into a coma… permanently!
Filled with action and brimming with the same meticulous detail as the Kingdom Keepers: Disney After Dark, this second book in the series – Disney at Dawn – is the result of hands on research behind the scenes at Disney Animal Kingdom Park. Readers young and old alike will get a glimpse into a second Disney Kingdom. The wild rides have only just begun, and the clock is ticking. How long can the teens keep themselves awake in their quest to find their friend – and what happens if they fail?

With so many loose ends left untied from our first introduction to the Kingdom Keepers, a second adventure was inevitable and not to mention much sought after.

Despite the popularity of Ridley Pearson’s original Kingdom Keepers tale, fans had to wait some 4 years for the follow-up.

‘Disney at Dawn’ picks up a month or so after Finn and his fellow DHI’s (Disney Hosts Interactive) first showdown with the evil Queen Maleficent.  Her plan to seize control of the Disney Parks thwarted thanks to the Keeper’s discovery of the Stonecutters Quill, a pen with powers so mighty that both sides sought and fought for its possession.

From the very first chapters you are thrown straight into the action, with pursuits, escapes and plot mysteries aplenty to help lay the foundations of what is to come.

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of ‘Disney at Dawn’ is that it centres on Amanda and her sister Jez. Neither were particularly prominent characters first time around, Jez perhaps the more mysterious of the pair and who we learnt the least about.

Both however were shown to possess certain superhuman-like abilities, but the reasons why were left (intentionally) unanswered.

From the get go of KK II though, Jez’s gift of foresight sets in motion the basis for the Kingdom Keepers quest. Vision’s of her own disappearance we discover, have been documented in her diary and lead the would-be rescuers to the Animal Kingdom and the setting for their next adventure.

Ridley cleverly uses his insider knowledge of various backstage and rarely seen areas as a backdrop to the unfolding drama. There is even a far-fetched yet practical use for the defunct VMK (Virtual Magic Kingdom) referenced in the first book as a means of communication for the Kingdom Keepers which sees it modified into a Virtual park maintenence system.

Its while in these off the beaten track locations that Ridley is able to flesh out the character traits of the Keepers, which only through their adventures do we begin to understand, such as Charlene’s athletic ability, Maybeck’s strength and guile and Philby’s technical wizardry. It helps give each character an identity from which they build upon in later episodes.

One telling point about Disney at Dawn is that whilst the first book used rogue audio-animatronics as henchmen to Maleficent’s evil mastermind, KKII sees some of the Animal Kingdom’s fiercest creatures fall under Maleficent’s evil spell and gives the story a touch more realism (well as real as a bunch of holograms running unchallenged around a theme park can get!).

We are introduced to a host of none-to-friendly animals intent on stopping the Keepers progress, from Monkeys and bats to Alligators, Lions and Tigers.

It must be said however that although the problem solving and unfolding of mysteries matches and indeed succeeds it predecessor, the ending of this particular book was a bit of an anti-climax.

A second villain with powers in excess of Maleficent’s we know (from his brief mention in KK1) to be Fantasia’s own Chernabog.

The eventual showdown between the Keepers and their foes within the bowels of the Expedition Everest attraction doesn’t really ignite and for all his build up, Chernabog’s appearance seems like nothing more than a cameo.

Again, I’m sure this was done with the follow –up books in mind, and we are set up nicely for KK3 with the untimely disappearance of Wayne (the KK’s ‘Yoda’) and the bad guys living to fight another day in another park.

Ridley’s second helping of Kingdom Keeper adventure is a worthy addition to the series and races through many familiar and not so familiar Animal Kingdom attractions. Visitors to the park will be able to visualise the paths the characters take, whilst those who’ve never been will be swept along in his descriptive interpretation.

There’s enough re-capping of the first book (Disney After Dark) throughout to not make reading it a necessity before moving onto this one, although like any series it’s best to start at the beginning

Despite my personal misgivings about Disney at Dawn’s crescendo finale, the tale leading up to it is superior in detail than its predecessor, with a greater emphasis on the characters and their personal role in becoming and serving as a ‘Kingdom Keeper’.

Were they all chosen for a specific reason?

Perhaps the third instalment will reveal all….

Buy Kingdom Keepers II at amazon.com

Buy Kingdom Keepers II at amazon.co.uk

Next up :- Review #5 – Welcome Aboard ~ The Creation of the Disney Dream by Jeff Kurti.