Five Kingdoms

Brandon Mull

Juvenile FantasyYoung Adult Fantasy

Summary

A resourceful boy tumbles into a world of five kingdoms, where every street and staircase could hide a portal or a peril. As Cole searches for a way back, he finds allies and enemies in equal measure, and discovers that courage is a choice etched into daily acts as much as it is into grand adventures.

The Five Kingdoms series sits within Brandon Mull’s broader catalog of high-stakes fantasy that blends portal fantasy with fast-paced, character-driven plots. It’s typically noted for its brisk pacing, inventive world-building, and a focus on young protagonists facing tangible, dangerous choices. Critics have praised its momentum and accessibility for middle-grade readers, while some reviews note a formulaic rhythm common to action-adventure fantasy for younger audiences. The series has contributed to Mull’s reputation as a reliable, entertaining doorway into epic-scale fantasy for new readers.

Main Titles

Sky Raiders

When Cole Randolph is swept from his ordinary life into the Five Kingdoms, he wakes to a world where dreams become currency and danger rides the skies. Separated from his family, Cole must navigate a realm of floating islands and pirate airships where his only ally is a mysterious Moth—an emissary that shapes the fate of dreamers. Targeted by sky raiders who hunt for soulstones, Cole learns to rely on wit and bravado as the rules of his old life no longer apply. Hunted and alone, Cole forges fragile bonds with rebels and outcasts who teach him survival amid shifting loyalties. As he chases clues about a way home, he discovers that returning may cost more than he imagined. With every narrow escape, Cole grows into a leader who must choose between the safety of his past and the perilous call of a new destiny in the clouds.

2014 Year

9 Publications

Buy on Amazon View Details

Rogue Knight

Cole's search for family pulls him deeper into the politics and dangers of the Five Kingdoms, where chivalry hides knife-edged ambition. Drawn into the orbit of a rogue knight and his band, Cole...

Cole's search for family pulls him deeper into the politics and dangers of the Five Kingdoms, where chivalry hides knife-edged ambition. Drawn into the orbit of a rogue knight and his band, Cole must learn the art of combat and deception to survive courts that trade honor for power. As he trains, he wrestles with the knowledge that alliances shift like wind and that trust is the rarest treasure. When an ancient order resurfaces with secrets tied to Cole's arrival, he faces tests that will shape his courage and conscience. Battling sky-raid leaders and enigmatic foes, Cole finds his actions echo across islands, forcing him to decide which lines he's willing to cross. The choices he makes here will bind him to allies and consequences that carry far beyond any one duel.

2014 Year

8 Publications

Buy on Amazon View Details

Crystal Keepers

A fragile peace fractures as the true power of the Five Kingdoms' crystals comes to light. Cole and his companions must protect caches of dreaming crystal while learning their hidden strengths—and the dangers they attract. Each crystal draws greedy factions and nightmarish creatures, so Cole balances daring raids with careful strategy, trying to keep the fragile balance of the realms intact. Amid betrayals and shifting loyalties, Cole's leadership is tested as never before. He faces moral dilemmas about using the crystals' power and the cost of victory. With loved ones endangered and enemies emboldened, Cole must marshal courage and cunning to keep hope alive, even if it means walking into darker places than he has ever known.

2015 Year

8 Publications

Buy on Amazon View Details

Death Weavers

Shadows lengthen as Death Weavers—agents who twist life and dream—emerge to claim the Five Kingdoms. Cole confronts an enemy that warps memories and fractures bonds; allies may become threats, and reality itself begins to blur. Forced into desperate gambits, Cole leans on unexpected friendships and hard-won tactics to untangle plots designed to unmake the world. Haunted by glimpses of lives that might have been, Cole must choose between vengeance and preservation. The stakes grow personal as those he loves are ensnared by weaving sorceries that feed on fear. To survive, Cole must unravel lies and stitch together a fragile resistance, even when victory demands sacrifice that will echo through every kingdom.

2016 Year

5 Publications

Buy on Amazon View Details

Time Jumpers

The fabric of the Five Kingdoms tears further as time itself becomes a weapon. Cole and his closest allies confront portals and paradoxes that threaten to rewrite their histories. As they leap...

The fabric of the Five Kingdoms tears further as time itself becomes a weapon. Cole and his closest allies confront portals and paradoxes that threaten to rewrite their histories. As they leap through fractured moments, Cole faces versions of choices he once made and must grapple with whether changing the past will save the present—or doom it. Every jump brings new revelations about how the kingdoms were shaped and the roots of the darkness they face. With enemies hunting possibilities as well as people, Cole must anchor himself to what truly matters. In a race to mend time, he must find the courage to accept loss, reclaim hope, and fight for a future that might only exist if he can outwit fate.

2018 Year

5 Publications

Buy on Amazon View Details