Goldenhand

July 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.

Starred review from July 15, 2016
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)

COPYRIGHT(2016) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

September 1, 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

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2016
Grades 7-10 Nix skillfully gathers the stories and characters from his Abhorsen trilogy and prequel Clariel (2014) in his newest novel. Abhorsen Sabriel and King Touchstone are on a long-deserved vacation when Lirael, the Abhorsen-in-Waiting, receives impossible news of a Free Magic creature loose in nonmagical Ancelstierre. Lirael reunites with Nick Sayre to battle the creature, after which the pair hopes to study Nick's strange fusion of Charter and Free Magic. Meanwhile, Ferin, a fierce young warrior from the northern tribes, makes a dangerous journey to the Old Kingdom to deliver the final vision of Arielle, Lirael's long-dead mother: The Witch with No Face, aka Chlorr of the Mask, has raised an army in the North. Nix alternates chapters between Ferin and Lirael, drawing out suspense and balancing the frightening scenes of Ferin's story with awkward romantic humor from Lirael's interactions with Nick. While the story is rushed in places, readers who have anxiously awaited the return of Lirael and Nick, and longed for a conclusion to Clariel's tragic story, will snatch up this volume. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Fans of the best-selling Old Kingdom series will come out of the woodwork for Nix's long-anticipated fifth installment.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)