The logo for the first novel
The Isle of the Lost is a series of novels written by author Melissa de la Cruz, based on the Descendants film series.
Synopsis[]
The novels are primarily intended to serve as prequels to the Descendants films, with four of them being released prior to the films' release to provide background information on the films' plot. The only exception being the second novel, Return to the Isle of the Lost, which served as a sequel to the first film and a tie-in to the television series Descendants: Wicked World, which was airing at the time.
As the series title implies, the novels have the Isle of the Lost as a central setting; though they also include plots taking place on Auradon. With the exception of the fifth novel, Beyond the Isle of the Lost: Wonderland, where the plot takes place in Wonderland, with both the Isle of the Lost and Auradon only being mentioned (though the latter was the setting in an extra chapter included in the Barnes & Noble exclusive edition).
Books[]
| # | Cover | Title | Release Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 |  |
The Isle of the Lost | May 5, 2015 |
Twenty years ago, all the evil villains were banished from the kingdom of Auradon to the Isle of the Lost―a dark and dreary place protected by a force field that makes it impossible for them to leave. Stripped of their magical powers, the villains now live in total isolation, forgotten by the world. Mal learns from her mother, Maleficent, that the key to true darkness, the Dragon's Eye, is located inside her scepter in the forbidden fortress on the far side of the island. The eye is cursed, and whoever retrieves it will be knocked into a deep sleep for a thousand years. But Mal has a plan to capture it. She'll just need a little help from her “friends.” In their quest for the Dragon's Eye, these four kids begin to realize that just because you come from an evil family tree, being good ain't so bad. |
| 02 |  |
Return to the Isle of the Lost | May 24, 2016 |
Mal's an expert at intimidating her enemies, but she's broken the habit since leaving her villainous roots behind. So when she and her friends Evie, Carlos, and Jay all receive threatening messages demanding they return home, Mal can't believe it. Sure, she's King Ben's girlfriend now, and she's usually nice to her classmates, but she still didn't think anyone would be silly enough to try to push her around. The thing is, it kind of worked. Especially since she and her friends have a sneaking suspicion that their villainous parents are behind the messages. And when Evie looks into her Magic Mirror, what she sees only confirms their fears. Maleficent's just a tiny lizard after her run-in with Mal at Ben's Coronation, but she's the worst villain in the land for a reason. Could she have found a way to escape? Whatever's going on, Mal, Evie, Carlos, and Jay know they have to sneak back to the Isle and get to the bottom of it. Without its infamous leader, the island's even worse than when they left it, but the comforts of home―even a home as gloomy as the Isle of the Lost―can be hard to resist for recently reformed villains. Will the kids be able to beat the evil bubbling at the Isle's wicked core, or will the plot to destroy Auradon succeed? |
| 03 |  |
Rise of the Isle of the Lost | May 23, 2017 |
Deep beneath the waves, King Triton's powerful trident has passed through the magical barrier that surrounds the Isle of the Lost―keeping villains in and magic out. And when Mal's longtime rival Uma, daughter of Ursula, gets wind of this, she can't believe her luck. The tide has dragged in something good for a change, and Uma is determined to get her wicked hands on it. But first, she needs a pirate crew. A storm is brewing back in Auradon, and when Mal, Evie, Carlos, and Jay hear that the trident has been washed away, they realize they'll have to find it before anyone from the Isle does. Luckily, they seem to have a talent for locating missing magical objects. As Uma readies for the high seas alongside Harry, son of Captain Hook, Gil, son of Gaston, and the toughest rogues on the Isle of the Lost, the reformed villains of Auradon devise their own master plan. And with King Ben away on royal business, they won't have to play by all the rules. Using bad for good can't be totally evil, right? The thrilling, perilous race to the trident pits old friends―and current enemies―against each other with the future of Auradon on the line. Both teams might like to make waves, but only one will come out on top of this one. |
| 04 |  |
Escape from the Isle of the Lost | June 4, 2019 |
Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos may have once been the most evil of the lot, but now they've (supposedly) put their wicked ways behind them. Graduation is coming up! But first, the gang is hatching a plan. There are plenty of children of villains on the Isle of the Lost who are eager to attend Auradon Prep School. Even Dr. Facilier's daughter Celia wants to go to Auradon, so Mal and her friends will use their visit to the Isle of the Lost to make their plans a reality. Meanwhile, Uma is desperate to exact her long-awaited revenge on Mal. When Uma discovers the underground lair of Hades, god of the underworld, she realizes she's found the perfect partner in crime. Together, Uma and Hades can defeat Mal, destroy the Island's magical barrier, and escape it for good. |
| 05 |  |
Beyond the Isle of the Lost: Wonderland | May 7, 2024 |
Fall down the rabbit hole… But then the Queen declares that Red will issue a royal decree at the annual Wonderland Tea Ceremony (aka she'll come up with new ridiculous laws). Of course, Red loathes idea of following in her mother’s crimson-heeled footsteps. Banding together with new friends, Ace and Chester, Red plans the ultimate rebellion: a party. Little does she know that they’ll be setting off a chain of events (or un-events) that could change things forever. |
Alternative editions[]
| Cover | Title | Release Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Escape from the Isle of the Lost (Barnes & Noble Exclusive Edition) |
June 4, 2019 |
Edition of Escape from the Isle of the Lost released by Barnes & Noble, which includes a bonus yearbook page. |
 |
Beyond the Isle of the Lost: Wonderland (Barnes & Noble Exclusive Edition) |
May 7, 2024 |
Edition of Beyond the Isle of the Lost: Wonderland released by Barnes & Noble, which includes an extra chapter focused on the protagonists of the first three Descendants films in a meeting with King Arthur and the Charming family. |
Graphic novels[]
The first two novels in the series were adapted by Robert Venditti into graphic novels, with the art by Kat Fajardo for the first and Krzysztof Chalik for the second:
| # | Cover | Title | Release Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 |  |
The Isle of the Lost | September 4, 2018 | Graphic novel adaptation of The Isle of the Lost. |
| 02 |  |
Return to the Isle of the Lost | July 30, 2019 | Graphic novel adaptation of Return to the Isle of the Lost. |
