Wisdom and Wickedness in To Hold the Bridge, Garth Nix’s Creature Feature
Sometimes, wisdom arises in the strangest of places, like a conversation between a witch and her cat. “Wickedness depends on where you’re standing, doesn’t it?” the cat tells her, not only making a salient point, but also summing up a central theme of Garth Nix’s new collection of short stories, To Hold the Bridge.
To Hold the Bridge
Hardcover $17.99
To Hold the Bridge
By Garth Nix
Hardcover $17.99
In 18 short works of fiction, Nix adds his masterful touch to just about the entire spectrum of science fiction and fantasy. In these pages are vampires, demons, ancient gods, some breed of space plant people, zombies, unicorns, and more, alongside loving nods to characters like Sherlock Holmes, Hellboy, and John Carter.
With his characteristic attention to compelling characters, Nix spends much of this volume, in which he has assembled pillars of multiple genres, celebrating and subverting standard tropes. For example, does “The Unwelcome Guest” focus on a wicked witch? Nah, better watch out for rogue teenagers instead.
Indeed, most of the stories feature fantastical settings and window dressing, but the hearts of their matter lie much closer to home. Grouped loosely by theme, they tackle relatable issues, like coming of age, evaluating self-worth, finding new families, and defending not only the honor of others, but your own. That these lessons can be taught by forest spirits and revenants (“Ambrose and the Ancient Spirits of East and West”) is just icing on the cake.
Nix begins this creature feature with a prequel of sorts to his Old Kingdom series, the titular story, “To Hold the Bridge.” (There are also stories tied to Nix’s Shade’s Children and A Confusion of Princes.) It’s a worthy beginning, with a young protagonist, Morghan, who sets out not to merely rise above his meager circumstances but to make a name worth having for himself.
Morghan isn’t all chivalry and dashing good looks. He’s an awkward, studious teenager unsure of himself and his place in the world. That characterization is a hallmark for Nix, and it’s put to good use here as Morghan tries to make his way as a cadet with the Bridge Company and sharpen his already skilled hand in magic as an outside danger looms.
The danger lurks closer to home in “The Quiet Knight,” another standout entry, but the resonance may be even stronger. High school, after all, can be as terrifying as any necromancer. Tony may be brawny and athletic, but his insecurity about his damaged voice and his devotion to the LARP life make him as vulnerable to teenage angst as the rest of us. As his school and extracurricular worlds bleed together, he’s forced to make a decision between self-preservation or true heroism. It’s one thing to role-play chivalry; it’s another to apply it in everyday life.
Nix explores many of those difficult choices without straying into heavy-handed morality. In “A Handful of Ashes,” the aspiring young lowborn witches at Ermine College test the waters of self-determination, fighting for their right to be, but the story plays out less like a Cinderella-esque fable and more like a modern magical caper, a Mean Girls for the broomstick-and-cauldron set. Of course, that’s a credit to deft storytelling, but also to the inclusion of a university chancellor flying in on an armchair, teacup in hand. (Somebody introduce this guy to Horace Slughorn, stat.)
While a few of the entries can lean toward the spooky (deliciously so, as in “Vampire Weather”), they’re balanced by a smattering of light-hearted romps—more frequently, a single story can go from grisly to grin-inducing in a matter of pages. If fishing with Hellboy has ever been on your bucket list, this book has you covered. Similarly, if you’ve ever cared to explore the Holmes family tree in more depth, meet Sir Magnus Holmes, consulting cousin. (Bonus giggle there: Enjoy the detective named Cumber.)
There’s a little something for everyone in To Hold the Bridge, and a right buffet for longtime Nix enthusiasts. Wickedness may wear all kinds of faces—an astounding number of them belonging to teenagers—but so does magic.
To Hold the Bridge is on sale today.
In 18 short works of fiction, Nix adds his masterful touch to just about the entire spectrum of science fiction and fantasy. In these pages are vampires, demons, ancient gods, some breed of space plant people, zombies, unicorns, and more, alongside loving nods to characters like Sherlock Holmes, Hellboy, and John Carter.
With his characteristic attention to compelling characters, Nix spends much of this volume, in which he has assembled pillars of multiple genres, celebrating and subverting standard tropes. For example, does “The Unwelcome Guest” focus on a wicked witch? Nah, better watch out for rogue teenagers instead.
Indeed, most of the stories feature fantastical settings and window dressing, but the hearts of their matter lie much closer to home. Grouped loosely by theme, they tackle relatable issues, like coming of age, evaluating self-worth, finding new families, and defending not only the honor of others, but your own. That these lessons can be taught by forest spirits and revenants (“Ambrose and the Ancient Spirits of East and West”) is just icing on the cake.
Nix begins this creature feature with a prequel of sorts to his Old Kingdom series, the titular story, “To Hold the Bridge.” (There are also stories tied to Nix’s Shade’s Children and A Confusion of Princes.) It’s a worthy beginning, with a young protagonist, Morghan, who sets out not to merely rise above his meager circumstances but to make a name worth having for himself.
Morghan isn’t all chivalry and dashing good looks. He’s an awkward, studious teenager unsure of himself and his place in the world. That characterization is a hallmark for Nix, and it’s put to good use here as Morghan tries to make his way as a cadet with the Bridge Company and sharpen his already skilled hand in magic as an outside danger looms.
The danger lurks closer to home in “The Quiet Knight,” another standout entry, but the resonance may be even stronger. High school, after all, can be as terrifying as any necromancer. Tony may be brawny and athletic, but his insecurity about his damaged voice and his devotion to the LARP life make him as vulnerable to teenage angst as the rest of us. As his school and extracurricular worlds bleed together, he’s forced to make a decision between self-preservation or true heroism. It’s one thing to role-play chivalry; it’s another to apply it in everyday life.
Nix explores many of those difficult choices without straying into heavy-handed morality. In “A Handful of Ashes,” the aspiring young lowborn witches at Ermine College test the waters of self-determination, fighting for their right to be, but the story plays out less like a Cinderella-esque fable and more like a modern magical caper, a Mean Girls for the broomstick-and-cauldron set. Of course, that’s a credit to deft storytelling, but also to the inclusion of a university chancellor flying in on an armchair, teacup in hand. (Somebody introduce this guy to Horace Slughorn, stat.)
While a few of the entries can lean toward the spooky (deliciously so, as in “Vampire Weather”), they’re balanced by a smattering of light-hearted romps—more frequently, a single story can go from grisly to grin-inducing in a matter of pages. If fishing with Hellboy has ever been on your bucket list, this book has you covered. Similarly, if you’ve ever cared to explore the Holmes family tree in more depth, meet Sir Magnus Holmes, consulting cousin. (Bonus giggle there: Enjoy the detective named Cumber.)
There’s a little something for everyone in To Hold the Bridge, and a right buffet for longtime Nix enthusiasts. Wickedness may wear all kinds of faces—an astounding number of them belonging to teenagers—but so does magic.
To Hold the Bridge is on sale today.