Synopses & Reviews
Lirael has never felt like a true daughter of the Clayr. Now, two years past the time when she should have received the Sight that is the Clayr's birthright, she feels alone, abandoned, unsure of who she is. Nevertheless, the fate of the Old Kingdom lies in her hands. With only her faithful companion, the Disreputable Dog, Lirael must undertake a desperate mission under the growing shadow of an ancient evil.
In this sequel to Sabriel, winner of the Aurealis Award for Excellence in Australian Science Fiction, New York Times best-selling author Garth Nix weaves a spellbinding tale of discovery, destiny, and danger.
Review
"Readers who like their fantasy intense in action, magisterial in scope, and apocalyptic in consequences will revel in every word..." Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review)
Review
"The relationships between the Kingdom's various realms and the magic may take some unraveling for readers new to the series, but the heroine's plight will be instantly compelling....[S]tartling subplots abound and keep the pages turning." Publishers Weekly
Review
"There is some contrivance in the story, but the characterizations are appealing, and Nix not only maintains the intricate world he created for the earlier book but also continues the frenetic pace of the action and the level of violence." Booklist
Review
"Nix invests the Old Kingdom of his story with a Gothic ambiance that is at once dark, heroic, and resolute....Nix's imaginative magical descriptions, plot intrigues, and adventure sequences are outstanding..." Horn Book
Review
"The plot is filled with hair-raising escapes, desperate flights, relentless pursuits, and magical duels, described in sensual language that makes the scenes live." Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
Review
"The fast-paced plot is packed with harrowing encounters....A must-read for fans of the first book, Lirael will also fascinate readers new to the series." School Library Journal
Review
"The story is long, but Nix provides enough twists to keep up the reader's sense of suspense and discovery. Nix also does a good job of getting inside the skin of a female teenager, which is welcome in this genre." KLIATT
Review
"Sound world-building, swift plotting, and superb characterization...make this sequel must reading for those who have read the first volume and a brisk, involving experience for those who have not." VOYA
Review
"What makes Lirael a delight is the magic that Nix brings to his story and to his characters. It is filled with twists and turns, playful inventiveness and dark magic, and is sure to satisfy his many readers." Locus
Synopsis
With only her faithful companion, the Disreputable Dog, Lirael must undertake a desperate mission under the growing shadow of an ancient evil. In this sequel to Sabriel, Nix weaves a spellbinding tale of discovery, destiny, and danger.
About the Author
Garth Nix was born in 1963 in Melbourne, Australia, to the sound of the Salvation Army band outside playing Hail the Conquering Hero Comes or possibly Roll Out the Barrel. Garth left Melbourne at an early age for Canberra (the federal capital) and stayed there till he was nineteen, when he left to drive around the UK in a beat-up Austin with a trunk full of books and a Silver-Reed typewriter.
Despite a wheel literally falling off the Austin, Garth survived to return to Australia and study at the University of Canberra. After finishing his degree in 1986 he worked in a bookshop, then as a book publicist, a publishers sales representative, and editor. Along the way he was also a part-time soldier in the Australian Army Reserve, serving in an Assault Pioneer platoon for four years. Garth left publishing to work as a public relations and marketing consultant from 1994-1997, till he became a full-time writer in 1998. He did that for a year before becoming a part-time literary agent in 1999. In January 2002 Garth went back to writing full time again, despite his belief that full-time writing explains the strange behaviour of many authors.
Garth currently lives in a beach suburb of Sydney, with his wife Anna, a publisher.