Goldenhand
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4.5 • 61 Ratings
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
Following the events of Garth Nix's award-winning Abhorsen, Lirael must rely on new allies to finally defeat an ancient enemy.
For everything and everyone, there is a time to die ...
Lirael is no longer a shy Second Assistant Librarian - she's now the Abhorsen-in-Waiting, with a new hand, one of gilded steel and Charter Magic. When she discovers Nicholas Sayre lying unconscious, she uses her powers to save him. But the attack has left Nicholas tainted with Free Magic, so together they embark on a dangerous journey to seek help at Lirael's childhood home, the Clayr's Glacier. Ferin, a young woman from the distant North is travelling to meet them, bearing a warning from Lirael's long-dead mother about the Witch With No Face. But who is the Witch, and what is she planning? Lirael and her companions must save the Old Kingdom from this great danger - and it must be forestalled not only in the living world but also in the cold, remorseless river of Death.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
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.
Customer Reviews
Brilliant
I'm only up to chapter 14 but holy hell, It's fantastic!
Everything and more I expected!
Slightly disappointed
I absolutely love this series. The world is an incredible place, and Garth Nix fills the books with such detail, you can see what he sees. This book however fell very short of the grandeur of its predecessors. It felt rushed and lacked the rich tapestry I've come to love from the series. There could have easily been another 10 chapters that looked into the relationships between the king/abhorsen/abhorsen-in-waiting. I felt like I was reading about people who knew each other, not a family. In previous books, traveling was detailed over many days, in this they seem to go from one end of the kingdom to the other in less than a chapter. I hope there won't be any more books written in this series, not if they are going to be of this calibre.