Publishers Weekly
07/18/2016
Nix returns to the Old Kingdom with a solid addition to his popular series. Lirael is now Abhorsen-in-Waiting, a far cry from the lowly Second Assistant Librarian she once was. Her older sister, the Abhorsen Sabriel, has trained her in the use of the dangerous magical bells that control the dead. She has been to the land of Death, survived losing a hand, received a magical replacement, and fallen in love. Now the Old Kingdom seems peaceful, just the time for Sabriel and King Touchstone to take a vacation, leaving Lirael in charge. Unfortunately, the ancient, evil Chlorr of the Mask has secretly raised a sorcerous army and is poised to strike. Only by leaving the Kingdom and crossing the Great Rift to a place with neither Charter Magic nor air, can Lirael and her new crush destroy the descending evil. Lirael is a complex character, both bold warrior and lovesick teenager, and the Old Kingdom remains a fascinating fantasy realm. Longtime readers will appreciate cameo appearances by Mogget and the Disreputable Dog, two of the series’ oddest and most endearing characters. Ages 13–up. Agent: Jill Grinberg, Jill Grinberg Literary Management. (Oct.)
From the Publisher
Praise for Goldenhand: “A masterfully spun tale well worth the years long wait.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“For fantasy lovers, teens and adults alike.” — School Library Journal
“Fans will cheer this latest volume- tightly paced with a satisfying resolution, capable and relatable female characters, plenty of action, and reappearances by beloved characters-and fervently hope for more to come.” — Horn Book Magazine
“Goldenhand delivers the bleak, beautiful magic only Garth Nix can create-impeccable in its details, harrowing in its action.” — Leigh Bardugo, New York Times bestselling author of Six of Crows and The Grisha Trilogy
“Goldenhand reaffirms why Nix is a master of the genre: his exquisitely detailed world-building is unparalleled, and his characters are so tremendously alive and compelling that I’m convinced there’s Charter Magic in every word.” — Sarah J. Maas, New York Times bestselling author of A Court of Thorns and Roses and Throne of Glass series
“Garth Nix is one of the best worldbuilders in fantasy, and this book is merely further proof. I love the Old Kingdom series, and Goldenhand is an excellent continuation, packed with the excitement and passion of a storytelling virtuoso at the height of his abilities.” — Brandon Sanderson, New York Times bestselling author of the Mistborn trilogy, Warbreaker, The Alloy of Law, The Way of Kings, Rithmatist, and Steelheart.
Praise for the Old Kingdom series: Praise for Clariel: “Between striking characters-from the heroic if not entirely competent young Abhorsen-in-Waiting, Belatiel, to the enigmatic, catlike Mogget-and Nix’s brilliantly complex magic system, this superb tale is exactly the book fans of the series have been awaiting.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Themes of freedom and destiny underpin Clariel’s harrowing, bittersweet story, and readers will delight in the telling (and in fan favorite Mogget’s return).” — Booklist (starred review)
“Clariel is a deeply sympathetic character faced with complicated choices, the consequences of which are frighteningly uncertain as she is pulled between the wild Free Magic and the disciplined Charter.” — School Library Journal (starred review)
“Nix’s tale provides a complete experience unto itself. But his focus on this strong character whose overriding passion is to go her own way provides a hugely satisfying background to the other Abhorsen books. A suspenseful prequel to the much-loved Abhorsen books, showcasing the independent Clariel.” — Shelf Awareness (starred review)
Praise for SABRIEL: “Sabriel is a winner, a fantasy that reads like realism. Here is a world with the same solidity and four dimensional authority as our own, created with invention, clarity, and intelligence. I congratulate Garth Nix. And I look forward to reading his next piece of work.” — Philip Pullman
Praise for LIRAEL: “What makes Lirael a delight is the magic that Nix brings to his story and to his characters.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Riveting.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
Praise for ABHORSEN: “Breathtaking, bittersweet, and utterly unforgettable.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“At once an allegory regarding war and peace and a testament to friendship, this is thought-provoking fantasy.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
Shelf Awareness (starred review)
Nix’s tale provides a complete experience unto itself. But his focus on this strong character whose overriding passion is to go her own way provides a hugely satisfying background to the other Abhorsen books. A suspenseful prequel to the much-loved Abhorsen books, showcasing the independent Clariel.
Sarah J. Maas
Goldenhand reaffirms why Nix is a master of the genre: his exquisitely detailed world-building is unparalleled, and his characters are so tremendously alive and compelling that I’m convinced there’s Charter Magic in every word.
Horn Book Magazine
Fans will cheer this latest volume- tightly paced with a satisfying resolution, capable and relatable female characters, plenty of action, and reappearances by beloved characters-and fervently hope for more to come.
Brandon Sanderson
Garth Nix is one of the best worldbuilders in fantasy, and this book is merely further proof. I love the Old Kingdom series, and Goldenhand is an excellent continuation, packed with the excitement and passion of a storytelling virtuoso at the height of his abilities.
Booklist (starred review)
Themes of freedom and destiny underpin Clariel’s harrowing, bittersweet story, and readers will delight in the telling (and in fan favorite Mogget’s return).
Leigh Bardugo
Goldenhand delivers the bleak, beautiful magic only Garth Nix can create-impeccable in its details, harrowing in its action.
Philip Pullman
Praise for SABRIEL: “Sabriel is a winner, a fantasy that reads like realism. Here is a world with the same solidity and four dimensional authority as our own, created with invention, clarity, and intelligence. I congratulate Garth Nix. And I look forward to reading his next piece of work.
School Library Journal
09/01/2016
Gr 8 Up—In this brilliant installment of the series, the once shy Lirael steps boldly into her duties as Abhorsen-in-Waiting. While Nix brings back many other familiar characters, he begins on the far side of the Greenwash River Bridge with a young woman of the clans who roam north of the kingdom. Ferin bears a vital message for Lirael and the Clayr from one of their own who traveled north long ago. She is pursued by shamans who can summon Free Magic creatures as well as a necromancer who can call the Dead. Meanwhile, Lirael is called south, beyond the Wall to the Ancelstierre, where she must rescue Nicholas Sayre from a Hrule, a fell creature of Free Magic. Nicholas is sorely wounded, so Lirael must transport him via paperwing to the glacier of the Clayr, the only place in the Old Kingdom where they possess the knowledge and the skill to treat him. Ferin and Lirael will meet in the Clayr's glacier to discuss with Sabriel, Touchstone, and other formidable figures the great threat that looms. Nix's terrific characters enliven the story, while moments of peril provide the rhythm. He even includes some cameos from characters who readers might not expect. His wonderfully imagined world is full of rich details and where Charter Magic flows through and protects humanity. VERDICT For fantasy lovers, teens and adults alike.—Eric Norton, McMillan Memorial Library, Wisconsin Rapids, WI
Kirkus Reviews
★ 2016-07-02
At long last, fantasy master Nix returns to the story of Lirael.Six months after the close of Abhorsen (2003), half sisters Sabriel and Lirael, Abhorsen and Abhorsen-in-Waiting, respectively, stand in Death. Their quarry: Chlorr of the Mask. Chlorr’s body was dispatched, but her spirit didn’t pass the Ninth Gate to the final death. Now one of the Greater Dead, Chlorr won’t die until her anchor in Life is found and severed. Meanwhile, in the North, pursued by enemies, a fiercely determined nomad called Ferin journeys to deliver a vital message to the Clayr. Chapters alternate between Ferin and Lirael, who first travels to nonmagical Ancelstierre to assist friend Nicholas Sayre and later converges with Ferin at the Clayr’s Glacier. Ferin’s message: a warning and instructions concerning Chlorr from Lirael’s long-dead mother. Never lacking in action, the story is equally concerned with showcasing Lirael’s evolution: experience has cultivated her confidence in herself and her abilities—though she’s still quiet and endearingly uncertain at times (especially regarding her romantic interest in Nick). Devotees will find her growth immensely satisfying and empathize with her aching, enduring grief over the loss of her best friend, the Disreputable Dog. Nix’s signature talent is in full effect, creating strong female characters, lucid descriptions, and an absorbing plot. Knowledge of previous Old Kingdom stories isn’t a prerequisite, but readers who take the time to go back to them will not regret it. Brown-skinned Ferin brings cultural diversity to Nix’s largely white England-analogue world. A masterfully spun tale well worth the yearslong wait. (Fantasy. 14 & up)
