The Other Book by Philip Womack

Edward Pollock lives at Oldstone Manor, a boarding school for boys. Every day is predictable...until Edward finds an odd book in the library and strange things start happening to him. He discovers that he has been chosen to protect the Other Book, a magical object which has enough power to cause horrible destruction in the wrong hands. But then a new substitute teacher takes a peculiar interest in Edward and he must fight for his life -- and for other things that he isn't sure he even understands.

This was an interesting concept, although I had difficulty getting into this book at first. It's definitely not a light-and-fluffy read; it actually has a similar feel to some of the old medieval romances (e.g., stories about King Arthur's court and other books written in that time period). The plot felt a little bit haphazard to me and didn't have a fully satisfying ending, but it was a decent read if you prefer serious books. I would recommend this to fantasy fans who would prefer something set in the real world that is a little darker or less fluffy.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: The Abhorson Trilogy, Storm Thief, Erec Rex: The Dragon Eye, or Swoon

Magical Mischief by Anna Dale

Mr. Hardbattle is quite happy living alone in his little bookshop in Plumford; but then magic moves in to the dusty corners between his shelves. Although Mr. Hardbattle is willing to coexist with the magic - and the horrible smells, mischievous practical jokes, and animated objects - it scares customers away, leaving Mr. Hardbattle no choice but to try and find it a new home. When he shares his predicament with Arthur, a young boy, and Miss Quint, they agree to watch his store while Mr. Hardbattle searches for an appropriate place for the magic to live. But no one can guess how much trouble the magic can get into, especially while Mr. Hardbattle is away.

This is a cute story with an interesting premise. Miss Quint is a little annoying, but the characters are all realistic and the plot certainly kept me wondering what would happen next. I would definitely recommend this to younger fantasy fans and readers who are looking for something light and a bit out of the ordinary.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Now You See It..., Fablehaven, Flora Segunda, or The Frog Princess

Abhorson Trilogy and Across the Wall by Garth Nix

The trilogy includes Sabriel, Lirael, and Abhorsen all of which take place in a universe where the Old Kingdom borders the country of Ancelstierre. In the Old Kingdom, the Charter allows all people to use magic, although some (mostly necromancers) also attempt to use dangerous Free Magic to accomplish what regular magic cannot. On the other side of a spelled wall, the people of Ancelstierre are people of science, much like today's world of technology, and do not believe in the magic of the Old Kingdom.

Sabriel is just finishing school in Ancelstierre where she has lived for years, while her father, Abhorsen, travels around the Old Kingdom, using the skills of a necromancer and the magic of the Charter to undo the damage of actual necromancers and put souls back to rest. Now, however, Sabriel discovers that her father is missing and that strange and terrible things roam the Old Kingdom in his absence. As she sets out to find him, she gathers companions along the way - a cat named Mogget who is not at all what he seems, and Touchstone, a man who has been ensorceled for two hundred years. Together they must help Sabriel find her father, learn to use her powers, and stop the evil before the entire kingdom is lost.

The other two books take place back-to-back, more than a decade after the end of Sabriel. Lirael is a daughter of the Clayr who are distant cousins of the royal line and who all come into their peculiar power of seeing the future. But Lirael is different - she does not look like the other Clayr and does not know who her father was since her mother died when she was young; worst of all, Lirael is quickly becoming the oldest Clayr who has not yet come into the Sight. In desperation, Lirael finally gains permission to work in the library and devotes herself to learning and the use of complicated Charter magic. Along with the companion she creates, the Disreputable Dog, she stumbles upon her fate, different from all of the other Clayr.

Meanwhile, Sam, the prince, encounters terrible magic on the other side of the wall where he has been sent to school. Although he escapes, he has been wounded both physically and emotionally. He is sent home to recuperate, but he cannot seem to bring himself to do what his parents expect of him. Even worse, his friend (Nick) came out of the experience even more damaged although no one realized it. Now, Sam has decided to sneak out on his own and find Nick, not understanding the depth of the problem awaiting him. When his path crosses Lirael's, they must join forces (along with Mogget and the Dog) and race to save the kingdom from the evil threatening to destroy them all.

I really enjoyed this trilogy (and not only because Lirael was a librarian, although that was a fun part of the story); the characters are all very well developed and easy to relate to. There were a few parts of the world-building that were confusing when they were first introduce (for example, the Clayr are mentioned in the first book, but there is no real explanation of who they are until the second book), but I did not feel as though they really detracted significantly from the story. Although Nix's style can be a little tedious, I did not feel that these books were as slow as the Keys to the Kingdom series that I reviewed previously. Aside from all of that, these books are rather unique although they are a bit darker than some fantasy - particularly since the central plot revolves around necromancy and Raised Dead. I would definitely recommend these books to fantasy readers who are looking for something a little different or a little more serious than some of the lighter books.


Also, Across the Wall: A Tale of the Abhorsen and Other Stories includes a story about what happens to Nick following the end of the trilogy, although the other short stories are not related in any way. The story about Nick was a nice 'postscript' to the books although I was a little disappointed by the ending (I would have liked to know more about what happened and what had happened to all of the other characters who are not mentioned). I did not read all of the other stories in the book, although several of them were very interesting and readers who are looking for short stories that are a little different may want to pick this book up for some quick reads.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: The Last Apprentice, The Protector of the Small series, or Annals of the Western Shore

Annals of the Western Shore by Ursula K. Le Guin

In the first book of this series, Gifts, Orrec and Gry live in the Uplands where powerful families keep control of their lands and feifs by wielding magical gifts that are inherited father to son and mother to daughter. Orrec's gift is slow to come, but when it shows itself, it is so powerful and uncontrollable that his family ends up blindfolding him to make sure that he does not accidentally kill in anger. His friend, Gry, has the power to call animals but refuses to call them for the hunt. Together, they must find a way to deal with the way that their birthrights conflict with their beliefs.

The second book, Voices, takes place about 20 years later, after Orrec and Gry have become travelers. This book takes place in Ansul - a city that used to be a mecca for learning before the Alds invaded. The desert dwellers have taken over the city and hold the city hostage, destroying all books which they claim are evil. Memer is a 'siege brat' - half Ald and half native of the city. When she learns to read, a new world opens to her and she realizes that her destiny lies in learning about her mother's heritage and the secrets of Ansul. But will she learn enough to save herself and her people?

The third book, Powers, tells the story of Gavir, a slave in Etra. He and his sister were taken from the Marsh people to be house slaves of the Arca family. Gavir has the power of foresight from his ancestors, but his sister, Sallo, tells him that he mustn't ever tell anyone about his visions. Gav lives a happy life - the Arca family treats their slaves well and has all of them educated, Gavir most of all since he will replace the current teacher. His life changes forever when their city comes under seige and he first reads Caspro's poetry. Later events cause him to leave his home and his travels take hime many places, forcing him to reevaluate what it means to be educated, skilled, or free - only he can figure out what he seeks, and then, perhaps, find it once and for all.


This is certainly an interesting series; each of the books is stand-alone, although they are connected. The characters and places are all unique and so well developed that readers can clearly imagine the world and events. Personally, I tend to find Le Guin's style to be a little tedious - I enjoyed these stories, but they did seem rather slow. The third one was the best of the bunch except that the second half of the book or so felt repetetive and a bit longer than it needed to be. All in all, I would still recommend these books to fantasy fans, but just keep in mind that these books aren't for you if you prefer less descriptive, or more fast-paced writing styles.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: The Keys to the Kingdom, Spindle's End, or Princess Academy

Fly By Night by Frances Hardinge

Mosca Mye lives in a precarious world full of political and religious complications. There are dozens of candidates to be the next monarch (although the appointed committee is taking so long to decide that some of the candidates have died and been replaced by children or grandchildren) and there are even more deities presiding over every facet of life. Meanwhile Guilds maintain order amidst the chaos including the Stationer's Guild which must approve any written publications. Although her scholarly father died when she was very young, he taught Mosca to read (a rare skill) and infected her with a love of language. When Mosca ends up tagging along with an odd fellow who has many secrets and uses interesting words, she and her goose, Saracen, discover that they've ended up in the middle of an adventure.

This was an interesting story. The plot is somewhat complex and full of political intrigue. The characters are fairly realistic, although the world is just odd enough that it takes some getting used to. I had a few issues with this story: for one thing, it's supposed to be horribly strange that Mosca can read (and people have strange reactions to any written word not approved by the Guild) but it's surprisingly easy for her to buy written tracts and no one seems to question it; it seems to attempt a commentary on censorship, but it's all rather heavy-handed or vague enough to be confusing and a little annoying. Also, the story tends to plod; although it's clear that the author loves language and likes to play with it (which is refreshing), the writing is not pretty, mostly just tedious. Overall, I'm not a huge fan - this wasn't a bad book, but I didn't enjoy it very much. To be fair, however, I don't usually enjoy 'political intrigue' stories, but fantasy readers who do might want to give this book a chance.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Spirit Fox, Lady in Gil, or Howl's Moving Castle