In the 20 years since Brandon Mull debuted as a published author with “Fablehaven” in the summer of 2006, he has created seven series of books and landed on The New York Times bestseller list 20 times.
Yet none of his projects have had the same lasting impact on his career as “Fablehaven.” The middle-grade fantasy novel continues to resonate with readers and has drawn Mull back to its world more than any of his other works.
Now, as the book’s 20-year anniversary approaches, Mull has enthusiastically revisited the series once again, releasing an illustrated edition, while continuing to work on the upcoming film adaptation.
“Of all my story worlds I’ve made, ‘Fablehaven’ is the one that I keep dipping back into,” Mull said. “I keep going back into it and expanding that world.”
“I imagine my whole career, from time to time, I will dip back into ‘Fablehaven,’” he added.
When Mull published “Fablehaven” nearly 20 years ago, his expectations were modest. He had hoped the book would find an audience, but he could never have envisioned the extent of its success — especially that it would remain relevant and popular two decades later.
To mark the book’s 20-year anniversary on July 30, Mull launched the illustrated edition in mid-June at a Utah event that sold out two weeks ahead of time. He signed books for hours, a familiar routine to any release.
But this launch felt different. Connecting with fans of “Fablehaven” two decades after its release was an unexpectedly emotional experience for Mull, who found himself reflecting on the series’ lasting influence. He has come to realize that “Fablehaven” has had the same kind of impact on many readers that his favorite books had on him — the kind that inspired him to become an author.
“The ‘Fablehaven’ story world just keeps sucking me back in,” Mull said. “There’s something about that story world and the possibilities. ... I just keep finding opportunities for stories that seem fun to me. So as long as that keeps happening, I’ll keep going back there.”
He added, “I hope to keep doing this for another 20 years.”
The enduring impact of ‘Fablehaven’
After its 2006 release, a few moments signaled to Mull that “Fablehaven” might have staying power.
Mull endured a series of rejections from publishing companies before reaching a publishing agreement with Shadow Mountain Publishing, a general-trade imprint of Deseret Book. The partnership paid off, as both parties followed through on their commitments and helped set the book on a successful course.
With the release of each “Fablehaven” book, the series gained momentum. The first clear sign of its success came when the second installment, “Rise of the Evening Star,” made it onto The New York Times bestseller list — a first for both Mull and his publisher, Shadow Mountain.
“It was big for me and big for the publisher, and kind of surprising for everybody, kind of a relief for everybody,” Mull said.
The tipping point came at the launch party for the fifth and final installment, “Keys to the Demon Prison,” where Mull filled a 3,000-seat Utah auditorium beyond capacity — an event he compared to the atmosphere of a rock concert.
Outside Utah, Mull also began drawing large crowds, with book signings often stretching for six to eight hours at a time.
“When you see that kind of response to live events, it’s a hint that something’s going on that’s out of the ordinary,” he said. “By the time I finished ‘Fablehaven,’ it was just red hot. It was getting read all over the place. It was exciting.”
Mull’s work continues to draw large crowds. He recently spent five hours at a book signing in Idaho for his newest series, “Guardians.” And the launch of the illustrated “Fablehaven” edition sold out weeks early, attracting readers ranging from elementary school-age kids to grandparents.
Some of his favorite visitors are families who have read the books together. With two decades since its debut, some parents are now introducing their childhood favorite to their own children. Other parents and grandparents discovered the books as adults and enjoy reading them with their kids.
“Now I’m running into, you know, parents who liked it as kids who want to make sure their kids are reading it,” he added. “I can see how this might go on and on.”
There is also a mix of single 30-somethings who fell in love with the series as young readers and continue to show up for “Fablehaven” events.
Mull credits some of the series’ popularity with its age — it has been on shelves for 20 years, giving it time to reach multiple generations of readers. He’s also found that, year after year, young readers continue to connect with the book, which he says can help draw in reluctant new readers.
“One thing I’ve learned is, in this category, there’s always a new crop of kids. Every year, there’s a new crop of kids turning 9, 10, 11 and starting to like reading,” Mull said. “It’s been really gratifying to see.”
After countless book launches and other events, Mull continues to be moved by readers who express gratitude for his fantasy writing, which he views as a way of coping with life.
For as far back as he can remember, Mull has dealt with reality by escaping into fantasies he creates in his mind. When he tries to make sense of the world, he often asks himself questions that eventually take shape in his stories.
In traffic and other mundane moments, his mind drifts into magical worlds like “Fablehaven.”
He says he has the “kind of mind that gets bored with reality and wants to escape into something more adventurous.”
“I don’t have to try to do that. ... For me, it’s a consequence of being alive.”
‘Fablehaven’ gets an illustrated edition
The recently released illustrated edition of “Fablehaven” features 100 full-color illustrations from Brandon Dorman, the original cover artist for the series.
Getting an illustrated version of a novel is a rare “luxury” for an author, Mull said, adding that he wrote a new introduction to the novel, but was otherwise mostly a bystander in the process.
“When I saw some of the art, I was just delighted,” Mull said. “His covers were part of the reason I think people found the series.”
“I can’t believe that I was fortunate enough that people cared to make this beautiful edition of the story,” he continued. “To me it’s the ultimate version of the story.”
Mull intentionally left some descriptions out of “Fablehaven,” including the appearance of main characters Kendra and Seth, so readers could picture themselves in the story and imagine it in their own way.
“So because Fablehaven has millions of readers, there’s millions of different Fablehavens in millions of different brains,” he said, adding that he did not envision the world of “Fablehaven” the same way as Dorman, but the illustrations opened up “all these new possibilities of how I could picture it.”