The Seventh Tower Volumes 1-3, Garth Nix.  I've avoided putting up a real entry for this, because I still hope to actually finish the series at some point, but it's becoming harder. Like many readers, I was blown away by Nix's YA Abhorsen trilogy, and the Seventh Tower packaging sounded attractive enough to pick it up. (From a purely aesthetic standpoint, the two Scholastic omnibus volumes are satisfyingly hefty and sturdily bound with attractive covers. I'd want them on my shelves even if I didn't necessarily read them). After reading the first 3, and part of the fourth, I've come to a standstill. Maybe it's because they're aimed at a slightly younger audience, but so much of the plot feels exceedingly contrived and overly questy. I don't know how much more of the nifty light-jewel descriptions I can take.  That said, elementary age fantasy addicts should find much to like in these tales of child heroes with powers well at ease in Rowling's universe.

Originally read July 2005