Scholastic NY: 2000

195p. pbk., $14.95

0439176824

This book is the first in the series The Seventh Tower, by Garth Nix.  It was published in U.S.A. in 2000.

I recommend this series for older ages because it is serious, mature and deep.  Every second of the story is very intense, desperate and fearful.  However, it can sometimes have a sudden twist to the story.

The Seventh Tower (the series) is in another world, where the sunlight is blocked out by a strange, black undercover high in the sky, called The veil.   It is a world of shadows that come to life and can touch people.  It is a bizarre but believable place.

In this dark world there is no living being (so it is thought to be) except in the castle with seven towers.  There are two types of people inside it, the chosen and the underfolk.  (The chosen are served by the underfolk.)

It starts off with a boy called Tal, whose father Rerem has disappeared, mother Graille is seriously ill, brother Gref, just annoying, and Kusi, a little child who doesnt understand what has happened to their father.

Tal (a chosen) is in search of a primary sunstone (stones with magic powers that give off light from above the veil) because Rerem had taken the familys with him.   If he cannot find a sunstone he will become one of the underfolk and not get to Aenir, the spirit world.  He has many difficulties and dangers in his search to find a sunstone. He finds living things (Icecarls) outside the castle.  Later, he nearly dies from poisonous water spiders.

This series is great.  I love it.

Owen  11 years old.