Review : A Confusion of Princes by Garth Nix

Title : A Confusion of Princes Author : Garth Nix Reading Dates : 10 Jun - 15 Jun 2012 Total Pages : 337
From Amazon : You'd think being a Prince in a vast intergalactic empire would be about as good as it gets. Particularly when Princes are faster, smarter, and stronger than normal humans. Not to mention being mostly immortal. But it isn't as great as it sounds. Princes need to be hard to kill—as Khemri learns the minute he becomes one—for they are always in danger. Their greatest threat? Other Princes. Every Prince wants to become Emperor, and the surest way to do so is to kill, dishonor, or sideline any potential competitor. There are rules, but as Khemri discovers, rules can be bent and even broken. Soon Khemri is drawn into the hidden workings of the Empire and dispatched on a secret mission. In the ruins of space battle he meets a young woman called Raine, who challenges his view of the Empire, of Princes, and of himself. But Khemri is a Prince, and even if he wanted to leave the Empire behind, there are forces that have very definite plans for his future. . . .

Book Review of A Confusion of Princes.

While A Confusion of Princes doesn’t compare with The Abhorsen Trilogy or The Keys of the Kingdom series, it was still an enjoyable read.

The story doesn’t have many highs and lows but it wasn’t predictable either. Garth Nix simply laid a lot of groundwork so that I was able to see the connections and make a pretty good guess as to the end halfway through the story. Still, I wasn’t completely sure until the end.

As for the world building, the author never fails to amaze me with his imagination. Each of the world his books are set in are so different and incredible that I don’t know how he does it. The 3 teks on which Khemri’s world is built on sounds pretty simple on the surface but a lot of work went into defining them and their uses. The Empire too was a profound construct. The power behind that civilization is both huge and restrictive. While it dominates the universe A Confusion of Princes is set in, it also severely limits the roles of its citizens.

As for the characters, the only one we truly get to know is Khemri. While he is both arrogant and selfish at the beginning, I found it hard to dislike him. Perhaps because he knows he is and sometimes even acknowledges to himself how ridiculous or foolish his behaviour is. And as he survives the situations and challenges put before him, he does grow and learn from his experiences. Most important though, he doesn’t suddenly become selfless hero at the end. He may have grown a heart and come to care for those around him but in the end his goals are still for his own benefit. The only difference being he no longer equates power with happiness.

To sum up, basically I enjoyed reading about Khemri’s adventures as he explores the worlds he lives in.

My conclusions :

• Would I re-read the book ? Yes
• Would I want to read the next book in the series if there were one? Probably.
• Would I want to own my personal copy if I didn’t already own it ? No. If I had it I would re-read the book but the story wasn't so good that I'd be wanting to re-read it frequently.
• Who would I recommend this too? Science fiction and space opera fans.
• For those looking to read the book, would I recommend buying or borrowing the book? Borrow it.

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Challenges : 2012 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge

Review : The Violet Keystone by Garth Nix

Title : The Violet Keystone Author : Garth Nix Reading Dates : 23 Jan - 26 Jan 2011
The Seventh Tower
The books in the series: The Fall Castle Aenir Above the Veil Into Battle The Violet Keystone
From Amazon :
The extraordinary conclusion to Garth Nix¹s best-selling fantasy epic. The veil has been lifted. The Dark World is on its way to destruction. Can Tal and Milla restore order in time?

Book Review of The Violet Keystone.
First off, I’d like to say that I would probably have loved the book more if I’d read it immediately after the previous one. The Violet Keystone is good but it doesn’t stand well on its own since I’m basically starting in the middle of a battle and am seeing out the end of it. Plus the necessarily fast pace doesn’t leave much time to get to know the main characters again and I took some time to recall where the story had stopped before. So, the next time I read this (and I will definitely re-read it), I’ll be borrowing the entire set and re-reading it at one go.

With that said, I think it’s pretty obvious that I enjoyed it. Both Tal and Milla have grown. While, I don’t quite “feel” this, I did note that the both of them are more willing to trust and depend on others as compared to the past.

Aside from that, I got to see more of the Castle and Aenir. Enough for me to wonder about what happened in the past and imagine what might happen next. The creatures or inventions which were left behind and only recently rediscovered hints at an extraordinary civilisation in the past, and with all the difficulty that the protagonists had, I can’t help but speculate on how their predecessors managed. And what about the new responsibilities and difficulties that Tal and Milla now have ? At the end of the tale, I definitely had a yen to read more stories set in this world.

My conclusions :

• Would I re-read the book ? Definitely.
• Would I want to read the next book in the series if there one? Yes.
• Would I want to own my personal copy if I didn’t already own it ? Probably not. I enjoyed it but not so much that I'm thinking to re-read it often.
• Who would I recommend this too? Fantasy and adventure readers.
• For those looking to read the book, would I recommend buying or borrowing the book? Borrow it.

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Challenges : 100+ Reading Challenge, Fantasy Reading Challenge

Review : Lord Sunday by Garth Nix

Title : Lord Sunday Author : Garth Nix Reading Dates : 31 Aug - 31 Aug 2010
Keys to the Kingdom
The books in the series include : Mister Monday Grim Tuesday Drowned Wednesday Sir Thursday Lady Friday Superior Saturday Lord Sunday
From goodreads :
Arthur has seized the Sixth Key from Superior Saturday, but has fallen from the Incomparable Gardens; fallen not to the Upper House, but to somewhere completely unexpected. Alone in enemy territory, as his mind and body are further transformed by the power of the Keys, Arthur must struggle with himself as much as with his many enemies. The tide of Nothing continues to rise, destroying everything in its path, and Lord Sunday makes his move...

Book Review of Lord Sunday.
While I enjoyed The Keys to the Kingdom series, this last book left me feeling a bit depressed.

Although it isn't exactly a sad end, it isn't a happy one either. Arthur regains a part of what he lost but not in the way he expects. I had already suspected some treachery due to the Will's behaviour in the earlier books but the ending was still a major surprise. Yet when I think back on all the clues, the revelations that come and the solution is pretty obvious. But while the ending is apropos, that doesn't mean that I have to love it.

Another reason I didn't like Lord Sunday, was how everyone seemed to be waiting for Arthur to save the day, especially Leaf. She really annoyed me with her unwillingness to play a part unless forced to it. I thought it very unreasonable of her that she expected Arthur to solve all the problems because she was tired of adventuring but never considered that Arthur might have the same thoughts or bigger problems on his hands.

What I did like though was Arthur's never give up attitude and the help he conjures up for himself. Even captured by Lord Sunday and terrified, he refused to give in or simply wait for someone else to save him. Instead, he continued to try to think of a means to escape from Lord Sunday. Having his childhood toy come to live was kind of sweet and there is an innocent charm in it.

What I love about the end though is the new role Suzy will play in the scheme of things. With her involvement, the future definitely promises to be an interesting place to be around.

My conclusion : An exciting read with plenty of action as all out war breaks out between the opposing sides.

Review : Superior Saturday by Garth Nix

Title : Superior Saturday Author : Garth Nix Reading Dates : 30 Aug - 31 Aug 2010
Keys to the Kingdom
The books in the series include : Mister Monday Grim Tuesday Drowned Wednesday Sir Thursday Lady Friday Superior Saturday Lord Sunday
From goodreads :
Arthur Penhaligan has wrested five of the Keys from their immortal guardians, the Trustees of the Will. But gaining the Sixth Key poses a greater challenge than any he has faced before. Superior Saturday is not just one of the Trustees – she is also the oldest Denizen and the most powerful and knowledgeable sorcerer within the House. She has tens of thousands of sorcerers at her command, and she has been preparing her forces all along for the Will’s escape and the activities of the Rightful Heir. As Saturday’s schemes become evident, Arthur is beset on all sides. The House is being destroyed, and only the power of the Keys can hold back the tide of destruction. Arthur’s home city is under attack. His allies are unreliable. He can’t even get into the apparently impregnable Upper House . . . and even if he does, finding the Sixth Part of the Will and gaining the Sixth Key might not be enough to counter Saturday’s bid for ultimate power. Can Arthur survive?

Book Review of Superior Saturday.
Superior Saturday is an okay read but it doesn't quite live up to my expectations.

What with having hundreds of sorcerers at her disposal and the constant problems she's been giving Arthur, I had expected a more exciting read. But while Arthur and Suzy do meet with some problems in the Upper House, their attempt to free the Will is relatively easy to accomplish. So, this part of the story is a bit of a let down.

The other disappointment was how the Will was imprisoned here. It didn't take more than a hint for me to guess what was going on and having the mystery solved so easily makes it kind of hard to believe that Arthur didn't get it much sooner.

The most interesting part of the story is Arthur's transformation into a denizen. This change seems inevitable now and it is kind of sad that he can't avoid it if he's to save the House and the universe. And the worst part isn't even the physical transformation. Now, Arthur has to struggle with his denizen-self a personality that is very different from his usual kind and modest self.

But not all is doom and gloom. Suzy who is as incorrigible as ever supplies most of the fun to the story. There is definitely something to be said for simply enjoying the moment rather than worrying about the future.

My conclusion : An okay read within The Keys to the Kingdom series.

Review : Lady Friday by Garth Nix

Title : Lady Friday Author : Garth Nix Reading Dates : 30 Aug - 30 Aug 2010
Keys to the Kingdom
The books in the series include : Mister Monday Grim Tuesday Drowned Wednesday Sir Thursday Lady Friday Superior Saturday Lord Sunday
From goodreads :
Four of the seven Trustees have been defeated and their Keys taken, but for Arthur, the week is still getting worse. Suzy Blue and Fred Gold Numbers have been captured by the Piper, and his New Nithling army still controls most of the Great Maze. Superior Saturday is causing trouble wherever she can, including turning off all the elevators in the House and blocking the Front Door. Amidst all this trouble, Arthur must weigh an offer from Lady Friday that is either a cunning trap for the Rightful Heir or a golden opportunity he must seize - before he's beaten to it!

Book Review of Lady Friday.
I alternated between loving and disliking this book. This is primarily because I enjoyed the parts involving Arthur but the ones involving Leaf were rather boring.

I suppose the reason I didn't enjoy Leaf's story is because I can't like or understand her. Her character seems to be more for convenience, a character who is needed to carry out certain actions outside of the House and who is not bound by any of its restrictions. So, the parts of the tale involving Leaf always feels like a distraction which could have been avoided. And so, I usually skip these parts of the story whenever possible.

Arthur's part of the tale on the other hand, I enjoyed. One of the reasons for this is his personality. Rather than attacking or suspecting everyone, Arthur prefers to use peaceful means to gain his way and it is wonderful to read a story where the nice guy wins because he is nice. An example are the telephone operators going against their orders and choosing to help Arthur simply because unlike most denizens, Arthur is polite when talking to them.

It is this part of Arthur's character that gains him unexpected assistance whenever he's in trouble. He makes a temporary alliance with Banneret Ugham, a Newnith assigned to watch Suzy Turquoise Blue and gains an understanding of the Newniths which could be important for the future. He also manages to take over Friday's domain with little problem due to his willingness to help Friday's Dawn and the Winged Servants of the Night.

The part I liked best though was meeting the fifth part of the Will who espouses moderation. So far, the Will is usually impractical, choosing to focus more on trivialities even during dangerous times. It was nice to meet a part of it which showed good sense for once.

My conclusion : An enjoyable read for fantasy fans.

Review : Sir Thursday by Garth Nix

Title : Sir Thursday Author : Garth Nix Reading Dates : 29 Aug - 30 Aug 2010
Keys to the Kingdom
The books in the series include : Mister Monday Grim Tuesday Drowned Wednesday Sir Thursday Lady Friday Superior Saturday Lord Sunday
From goodreads :
On the fourth day there was war... Following their adventures in the Border Sea, Arthur and Leaf head for home. But only Leaf gets through the Front Door. Arthur is blocked because someone . . . or something . . . has assumed his identity and is taking over his life. Before Arthur can take action, he is drafted by Sir Thursday and forced to join the Glorious Army of the Architect. While Leaf tries to banish Arthur's doppleganger on earth, Arthur must survive his basic training, avoid getting posted to the Front and work out how he can free Part Four of the Will....

Book Review of Sir Thursday.
Sir Thursday starts off rather slowly compared to the first 3 books, but introduces plenty of new and interesting characters to the world of The Keys to the Kingdom.

What I didn't like were the bits involving Leaf. While that part of the story is important, I thought that it was a bit long drawn out and might have been better if Suzy had arrived earlier to help Leaf.

Arthur's recruitment to the Glorious Army too had an understandably slow start at least until the Piper's army shows up of course. Then, things really got exciting very fast.

What I loved reading about was how Arthur puts the advice his army brother had given him in the past to use. Both when Sir Thursday promotes Arthur and when he finally takes command of the Glorious Army. It was also interesting to note Arthur's frustrations at having to deal with impractical denizens. There is simply something amusing at having a young boy finding adults to be lacking in common sense and having to drum it into them

I also liked having Arthur finally put all the power he now commands to use as he orders the Will to mobilize all available forces from the Lower House, the Far Reaches and the Border Sea to reinforce the Glorious Army. It was just too bad that we didn't get to see any of them in action for long.

The Great Maze where the Glorious Army is stationed is also fascinating. A moving landscape which forms a part of their defensive strategy and which as it turns out can be used against them. How the Piper got a hold of the movements of the tectonic plates is certainly an intriguing question.

My conclusion : An interesting read for fantasy fans.

Review : Drowned Wednesday by Garth Nix

Title : Drowned Wednesday Author : Garth Nix Reading Dates : 28 Aug - 29 Aug 2010
Keys to the Kingdom
The books in the series include : Mister Monday Grim Tuesday Drowned Wednesday Sir Thursday Lady Friday Superior Saturday Lord Sunday
From goodreads :
Everyone is after Arthur Penhaligon. Strange pirates. Shadowy creatures. And Drowned Wednesday, whose gluttony threatens both her world and Arthur's. With his unlimited imagination and thrilling storytelling, Garth Nix has created a character and a world that become even more compelling with each book. As Arthur gets closer to the heart of his quest, the suspense and mystery grow more and more intense. . . .

Book Review of Drowned Wednesday.
Book 3 is another one I loved in The Keys to the Kingdom.

Drowned Wednesday is the most amusing of the books in series so far. Arthur ends up in a number of funny situations after accepting Lady Wednesday's invitation to lunch on the Border Sea, especially as he ends up on the Moth whose crew of salvagers are more suited to administrative work.

The third book is also interesting for its introduction of the Raised Rats. The rats were once ordinary rats brought to the House by the Piper. And while they remain mortal, they are also talking, thinking rats. It was certainly fun watching how these rats proof themselves to be more disciplined and brave than most of the denizens on the Border Sea. I'm certainly looking forward to reading more of the Raised Rats in the next books.

Finally, I also like that throughout most of his adventures, Arthur never does it alone. He might try to do the dangerous stuff single-handedly, but his friends never abandon him even when he orders them too.

My sole complaint though was that we didn't get to explore more of the Border Sea. Although Arthur travels through quite a bit of it, neither he nor we get to see much of it. The idea of a sea where all lost things ends up and which can be connected to different Secondary Realms was fascinating.

My conclusion : A fun read and enjoyable read for fantasy fans.

Review : Grim Tuesday by Garth Nix

Title : Grim Tuesday Author : Garth Nix Reading Dates : 27 Aug - 28 Aug 2010
Keys to the Kingdom
The books in the series include : Mister Monday Grim Tuesday Drowned Wednesday Sir Thursday Lady Friday Superior Saturday Lord Sunday
From goodreads :
The second remarkable installment in The Keys to the Kingdom, from spellbinding bestseller Garth Nix. Seven days. Seven keys. Seven virtues. Seven sins. One mysterious house is the doorway to a very mysterious world--where one boy is about to venture and unlock a number of fantastical secrets. Arthur doesn't think he will ever have to return to the strange house that nearly killed him on Monday--the house that contains an entire world. But Tuesday brings new challenges--in the form of an enemy named Grim Tuesday, who threatens the well-being of both Arthur's family and his world. Arthur must retrieve the Second Key from Grim Tuesday in order to save everything--an adventure that will include stealing a Sunship, surviving a very weird work camp, befriending a bear-like spirit, fighting the void-like Nithlings, and traveling in the scary Far Reaches for the ultimate showdown.

Book Review of Grim Tuesday.
Grim Tuesday isn't as exciting a read as Mister Monday but it is still an enjoyable one.

I found the idea of the House at the centre of creation being faced with an accounting problem rather funny. Especially since there is spill over into the rest of the universe, one which affects the economy of the Secondary Realms and especially Arthur's family's livelihood. And all because the Lower House Arthur wrested from Mister Monday is supposedly in debt to Grim Tuesday.

I also liked how Arthur always finds help whenever he needs it. The Far Reaches is a terrible place and most of the denizens who end up there keep to themselves and prioritize their own survival. Even Arthur has a hard time keeping up his spirits in the bleak landscape. But he refuses to give up and gets plenty of assistance from old friends like the Lieutenant Keeper of the Front Door and Suzy Turquoise Blue as well as encountering new ones like the former Thesaurus, Japeth and the Mariner, the imprisoned second son of the Architect and the Old One.

Finally, it was also nice to see growth in Arthur's character. It would have been rather irritating if he had continued to pretend the rest of the Morrow Days would leave him alone until he was ready for them. Fortunately, Arthur realizes this won't be the case by the end of this second book and is already considering what he needs to do next.

My conclusion : An enjoyable read for fantasy fans.

Review : Mister Monday by Garth Nix

Title : Mister Monday Author : Garth Nix Reading Dates : 26 Aug - 27 Aug 2010
Keys to the Kingdom
The books in the series include : Mister Monday Grim Tuesday Drowned Wednesday Sir Thursday Lady Friday Superior Saturday Lord Sunday
From goodreads :
Seven days. Seven keys. Seven virtues. Seven sins. One mysterious house is the doorway to a very mysterious world -- where one boy is about to venture and unlock a number of fantastical secrets. This is another thrilling, triumphantly imaginative series from Garth Nix, the best-selling author of THE SEVENTH TOWER, SABRIEL, and LIRAEL.

Book Review of Mister Monday.
I love The Keys to the Kingdom series and the world it introduces me to.

Right from the first time of reading Mister Monday, I was enchanted with the world the author creates in the series and the charm has never worn off despite re-reading the books numerous times. The mysterious Architect who imagined most of creation into existence, the living Will she left behind, the House which lies at the centre of the universe, the varied denizens of the House with their rather specialised duties and eccentricities, the different and magical modes of travel which sometimes relies on nothing more than the power of imagination and many other wonders. And the author manages to pack all of this world building into the tale without bogging down the story in the slightest.

Apart from that, I also loved the main characters in the story. Arthur Penhaligon is an infinitely likeable character. He is astute, resourceful, kind and loyal. More than once, the Will's plans go awry or are rather vague and it is up to Arthur to figure out how to save his own bacon. More importantly, Arthur is no pushover and figures out fairly early on he needs to stand his ground if he is to make his point with the manipulative Will. Including not abandoning his friends and allies whenever it suits the Will.

Then, there's the rather irrepressible Suzy Turquoise Blue. Once a mortal like Arthur, she was one of the children led by the Piper into the House and abandoned there. Suzy proofs to be a steadfast and useful friend to Arthur. Frequently risking her life and limb to help Arthur although she was initially forced into service by the Will.

Finally, I also liked the way the author poked fun at some of the affectations of our society today. For instance, one of Arthur's older siblings, Eminor, had his name changed to Patrick when he became a musician.

My conclusion : A fast-paced read with plenty of world building fantasy readers will enjoy.

Into Battle

Title : Into Battle
Author : Garth Nix
Reading Dates : 14 Apr - 17 Apr 2010


Seventh Tower Series. Into Battle is the 5th book in Garth Nix's The Seventh Tower series. The books in the series includes :

• The Fall
  
• Castle
• Aenir
• 
  
  
  Above the Veil
• Into Battle
  
• The Violet Keystone
  

Book Summary of Into Battle.
Instead of resolving Tal's problems, his audience with the Empress Kathilde in Aenir underlines to Tal that the safety of their world greatly depends on his subsequent actions. Both the Empress and the Light Vizier are not only idiots but when they overthrew the previous Emperor Mercur they lost the Violet Keystone and placed themselves under the power of the Dark Vizier Sushin. Worst still is that Sushin is merely a Shadowpawn being controlled by the Shadow Sharrakor. The only stroke of luck is finding out that the Sunstone Tal and Milla had found earlier was in fact the Violet Keystone. Now, Tal must find a way to free the Keystone guardians to restore the Veil, convince the Chosen of the truth so that the Shadows are forced back to Aenir as well as restore the Violet Keystone which was split in half between Tal and Milla. To this end, Tal returns back to his body only to find himself in the midst of a war between Chosen and Icecarl. While trying to take advantage of the chaos to save his family, Tal is captured by Sushin instead.

Milla too has her share of problems. Although most of the Freefolk have agreed to help the Icecarls fight the Chosen, the Icecarls element of surprise is lost when ex-Chosen Jarnil betrays them. Thrown into battle before their main host and supplies can be gathered, all Milla and her available forces can do is attempt to hold the Underfolk levels of the Castle against both Chosen and Shadows.

Book Review of Into Battle.

I can't wait to read the conclusion to this series. Battle is joined and all parties are beginning their end game. Tal embarks on his chosen path to free the Keystone guardians, Milla leads her people in a war against the Shadows, the Freefolk aids the Icecarls to gain freedom from the Chosen and free-willed Shadows invade the Castle. How will it end ? Can the Icecarls and Chosen learn to work together ? Will Tal's mother be able to pass on his message to Milla in time ? How much time do they have before the Veil fails ? Can they restore it ? These and many questions beg to be answered. Into Battle is certainly an exciting read.

Related Links.

• Amazon's Garth Nix Page
• Garth Nix

Above the Veil

Title : Above the Veil
Author : Garth Nix
Reading Dates : 12 Apr - 14 Apr 2010


Seventh Tower Series. Above the Veil is the 4th book in Garth Nix's The Seventh Tower series. The books in the series includes :

• The Fall
  
• Castle
• Aenir
• 
  
  
  Above the Veil
• Into Battle
  
• The Violet Keystone
  

Book Summary of Above the Veil.

Tal and Milla manage to elude their pursuers with the help of the Freefolk and Tal's great-uncle Ebbitt. Putting the information they each have together, they soon realize their world is in grave danger. For some unknown reason, Shadowmaster Sushin is conspiring to remove the Veil which protects their world from the Aenirans. Unfortunately, neither the Freefolk, Chosen or Icecarls seem able to work together. Milla chooses to return to her people with the news of the impending danger while Tal attempts to unravel the mystery behind the disappearance of the guardians of the Keystones.

Despite breaking their people's injunctions against Shadow magic, the Crones which govern the Icecarls spare her life and appoint her as their War-Chief . Milla is then given the task to lead the invasion force to the Castle. As for Tal, while he manages to recover the Red Keystone and its trapped guardian, he does not have the means to free Lokar. Not only that, Tal finds that their Castle has been invaded by a host of free-willed Shadows while most of the Chosen are away in Aenir. Desperate, Tal decides to seek out the Empress in hopes of ridding himself of his unwanted responsibility.

Book Review of Above the Veil.

Although Tal and Milla discover that the reason for the mysterious disappearances of Chosen over the years is related to the plot to remove the Veil which protects their world from Shadows, their mistrust and different beliefs do not permit them to work together. Thus despite their desperate situation, each chooses to goes their own way with Milla returning to the Icecarls while Tal attempts to locate the missing Keystone guardians. Instead of death, Milla is named the Icecarls War-Chief to lead the invasion force to the Castle. And meanwhile, Tal must escape from the army of free-willed Shadows guarding the Red Keystone. These and many more such events make for a rather exciting read. Whether it is Milla and Tal's escape from the pursuing Chosen, Milla's desperate flight back to the Ruin Ship or Tal's attempt to hide from an army of Shadows.

What will Tal and Milla do should their paths cross again ? Will these once allies be able to work together to oust the invading Aenirans or will they kill each other ? Why would Shadowmaster Sushin work against the Chosen ? In the end, how will Tal and Milla resolve this situation ? It will be interesting to see the choices Tal and Milla will make. These two who were once enemies turned trusted companions, only for betrayal to make them uneasy allies forced to work together for their survival.

Related Links.

• Amazon's Garth Nix Page
• Garth Nix

Aenir

Title : Aenir
Author : Garth Nix
Reading Dates : 10 Apr - 11 Apr 2010


Seventh Tower Series. Aenir is the 3rd book in Garth Nix's The Seventh Tower series. The books in the series includes :

• The Fall
  
• Castle
• Aenir
• 
  
  
  Above the Veil
• Into Battle
  
• The Violet Keystone
  

Book Summary of Aenir.

Breaking the customs and rules of both their world, Tal binds the Storm Shepherds Odris and Adras as Milla and his Spiritshadow companions respectively despite Milla's vehement protests. Angered, Milla runs off with Odris trailing her. Knowing little of Aenir's dangers, both Tal and Milla soon find themselves escaping numerous life-threatening situations.

Tal and Milla are reunited when the Codex contacts them and instructs them on how to free it. For Tal, he needs the Codex to find and rescue his younger brother Gref. For Milla, who learns that 2000 years ago both Chosen and Icecarl once came together to fight a war against Aenirans, she realizes that the Chosen must be prevented from freeing Aenirans once again.

Although they recover the Codex, Tal's attempt to rescue Gref fails and they must once again flee from their enemies. With even the Empress's guards chasing them, Tal and Milla flee to lowest of the Underfolk levels.

Book Review of Aenir.

While the spirit world Aenir is teeming with what should be strange and dangerous creatures, the more interesting part of this tale is what happened 2000 years ago. While the Chosen and most of the Icecarls are unaware of the existence of the other and the Chosen seem to believe that Aenir exists for the sole purpose of providing them with Spiritshadow servants, Milla has learned otherwise. In the past, Chosen and Icecarl came together to fight a war against Aenir. The war ended with the Chosen creating the Veil which covers their world and the Icecarl casting a Forgetting and binding the Aenirans to their world. Why do the Chosen and Icecarls remember none of this ? What has any of this to do with Tal and his family who are so obviously being persecuted ? Why was the Codex stolen and hidden these past 22 years ? And what of the mysterious disappearances of the Chosen over the years ? Tal may have solved a small part of the puzzle when he himself was lured by an ancient Chosen into a trap and discovers the bones of other young Chosen, but what was the old man's purpose ? What will Tal and Milla find fleeing from the Empress's guards into the lowest levels of the Castle where the Chosen rarely enter ? I can't wait to find the answers to these questions.

Related Links.

• Amazon's Garth Nix Page
• Garth Nix

Castle

Title : Castle
Author : Garth Nix
Reading Dates : 8 Apr - 10 Apr 2010


Seventh Tower Series. Castle is the 2nd book in Garth Nix's The Seventh Tower series. The books in the series includes :

• The Fall
  
• Castle
• Aenir
• 
  
  
  Above the Veil
• Into Battle
  
• The Violet Keystone
  

Book Summary of Castle.

With the help of his rather unpredictable companion, Milla an Icecarl from the Far-Raider clan, Tal has made it back to the Castle. Along the way, he even finds the item he almost died for, a Sunstone. But all is not well. From his great-uncle Ebbitt, Tal learns that his mother's condition has worsened and she has fallen into a comatose-like sleep. And Gref, his younger brother, has been captured by an unknown enemy. The only way to find him would be to seek out The Codex of All Things. The only catch being that the Codex has been lost for more than 20 years.

However before any of them can do more, they are attacked by the Chosen and only Ebbitt escapes. Tal is taken to the Pit while Milla is interrogated within the Hall of Nightmares. The Icecarls however have their own way of dealing with nightmares and for the first time ever the Chosen start to realize that contrary to their beliefs there are people living outside of the Castle. Tal escapes from the Pit with Ebbitt's help and they rescue Milla as well. To avoid the Chosen hunting them and to seek the Codex, Tal and Milla ventures into the spirit world Aenir with Ebbitt guarding their physical bodies.

Book Review of Castle.

Unfortunately the Chosen's world is not as interesting as the Icecarl's. Although there are apparently many creations of the Chosen, they are not as wondrous as the creatures populating that of the Ice. Part of this maybe because the Chosen has forgotten their creations of old and because Tal and Milla are too busy evading Tal's unseen enemies.

What is interesting is Tal's great-uncle Ebbitt. Though Tal has always thought of his great-uncle as strange, it seems he maybe more than he seems. Ebbitt seems to have a unusual understanding with the Underfolk and is aware of the many strange events and conspiracies going on in the Castle even if he does not know who is behind them. He also seems to have an unexpected knowledge of the Castle's secret ways.

At the end, we have Tal and Milla travelling into Aenir. What will these two find there ? Will Tal be able to bind a great Spiritshadow to him, find the lost Codex and rescue his brother Gref ? All interesting questions.

Related Links.

• Amazon's Garth Nix Page
• Garth Nix

The Fall

Title : The Fall
Author : Garth Nix
Reading Dates : 5 Apr - 7 Apr 2010


Seventh Tower Series. The Fall is the 1st book in Garth Nix's The Seventh Tower series. The books in the series includes :

• The Fall
  
• Castle
• Aenir
• 
  
  Above the Veil
• Into Battle
  
• The Violet Keystone
  

Book Summary of The Fall.

13 year-old Tal's father Rerem is missing and possibly dead. His mother Graile is stricken with a mysterious illness and dying. Neither his younger siblings, 9-year old Gref and 3-year old Kusi, seem to comprehend the trouble the family is in. With the family's Primary Sunstone lost together with their father, their family will be unable to enter Aenir on the Day of Ascension. This would not only mean they would lose a chance to find a cure for Graile but their entire family could be demoted from Chosen to Underfolk forever.

All Tal's attempts to gain a Primary Sunstone seems to be doomed to failure. From asking for one from his cousins, winning one by attempting an Achievement or even seeking an audience with the Empress. Tal begins to feel as if someone is working against him with strange Chosen and Spiritshadows picking on him for no apparent reason and Shadowmaster Sushin purposefully making life more difficult for Tal. His great-uncle Ebbitt seems to agree with Tal that someone higher up has taken a disliking to their family and suggests Tal climb the Red Tower of the Castle they live in to steal Sunstones despite the enormous risk. Desperate, Tal agrees only to fall from the Tower into the unknown world outside.

Tal survives the fall with the help of his Shadowguard but is almost killed by Milla, an Icecarl of the Far-Raider Clan. The Far-Raider clan agrees to spare Tal and even help him home on the condition that he give them a Sunstone to replace their own failing one. Now Tal has to depend on Milla, a girl who sees him as an intruder to be killed, to navigate and survive on the ice.

Book Review of The Fall.

The world of the Chosen and the Icecarls that Garth Nix has created is certainly interesting. A world that is covered in darkness by a Veil created by the Chosen. Why this is done is a mystery that is yet to be explained.

Then, we have the Chosen in the Castle and the Icecarls who live circling this world of ice. Tal like all Chosen sees having free-willed Shadows which aid and protect them as normal. Those who do not possess such, like the Underfolk, are no more than servants to be lorded over. And since none of the Chosen are supposed to ever leave the Castle, it comes as a great surprise to him when he stumbles across the Icecarls who refuse to behave as servants. On the other hand, the Icecarls find the idea of Shadow magic disturbing and prohibit Tal's Shadowguard from behaving in a manner unlike a normal shadow on pain of death. The Icecarls too speak of a long ago past when they fought and drove the Shadows away. What could have happened and why do the Icecarls avoid contact with the denizens of the Castle when they are aware of them ?

All of these are interesting questions waiting to be answered as Tal starts his journey back to a hostile home with an equally hostile companion.

Related Links.

• Amazon's Garth Nix Page
• Garth Nix