Nicholas Sayre will do anything to get across the Wall, back to the Old Kingdom.
Thoughts of Lirael and Sam haunt his dreams, and he has come to realize that his destiny lies there, along with all those he cares for. But here in Ancelstierre, far south of the Wall, the Charter is dormant, and among the obstacles Nick faces is one that is not entirely human, and which has a strange power that seems to come from Nicholas himself.
With ""Nicholas Sayre and the Creature in the Case,"" Garth Nix continues to explore the magical world of The Abhorsen Trilogy. In additional short stories that range from classic fantasy -- two widely different takes on the Merlin myth -- to a gritty urban version of Hansel and Gretel, to an unusual take on the role of nature in matters of love, and to a heartbreaking story of children and war, Garth Nix displays the range and versatility that have made him one of today's leading writers of fantasy for readers of all ages.
" ...ContinuaThis book of short stories was a real insight into Garth Nix's literary brain. Each story is prefaced with a couple of pages where he talks about his motivations behind the text. There is also an interesting Q&A section at the end of the book to answer his fans' FAQs.
I especially enjoyed 'Down To The Scum Quarter', which is a parody on "Choose your own adventure" books, where each numbered paragraph tells you which number to follow next. Nix has a laugh at the fantasy genre which is refreshing and an insight into his sense of humour.
The main story of 'Nicholas Sayre and the Creature in the Case' is best read soon after finishing the 'Sabriel', 'Lirael' and 'Abhorsen' trilogy. In fact, DON'T read the story unless you've read the trilogy, or you won't know what's going on. In my case, I read the short story approximately ten months after finishing 'Abhorsen'. Unfortunately I was lost as to the references to the end of the story, which I couldn't quite remember and had to guess at.
...ContinuaFor any fan of the Abhorsen trilgy, these stories are worth a read. Not quite as full or exciting as the books, but an interesting look at life down the line.
