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authoraugust's review against another edition
4.0
Short story collections are always hit and miss for me, because of how much variety is in them. In Nix's case, that works well in his favor - I loved his novels, and I liked seeing the scraps of the other worlds he might have made. I wasn't thrilled with the titular novella, but the most of the other stories were very effective (especially Three Roses). An enjoyable collection. (Thanks, Anna!)
steph01924's review against another edition
3.0
Framing this book as one in the Abhorsen series is a bit misleading since it mostly features other short stories written by Garth Nix. Read my review on Forever Young Adult to see if it's worth your time.
nimeneth's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.5
The first story is about the only one I liked. The rest are well-written, but very dark and weird, even in comparison to the Abhorsen series. The first is the only Old Kingdom story and the rest are miscellaneous settings.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Murder, and Violence
alyshadeshae's review against another edition
5.0
My full review is here on my personal website. I'll post a few excerpts here, though:
5.0 out of 5.0 stars
The very worst thing about this book is that Garth Nix dares to tell us that he doesn’t want to hear if our favorite story is “The Coin Shower.” What was he thinking?!
The very best thing about this book is the variety of stories. They aren’t all Old Kingdom tales, and the one that is wasn’t my favorite – I’m not big on mysteries. My favorites were probably “The Hill” and “Heart’s Desire.” “Lightning Bringer” was interesting, if not a little disturbing and kind of out of place, I think. They’re all great, though! Even “The Coin Shower” in it’s eight-word glory. :-D
5.0 out of 5.0 stars
The very worst thing about this book is that Garth Nix dares to tell us that he doesn’t want to hear if our favorite story is “The Coin Shower.” What was he thinking?!
The very best thing about this book is the variety of stories. They aren’t all Old Kingdom tales, and the one that is wasn’t my favorite – I’m not big on mysteries. My favorites were probably “The Hill” and “Heart’s Desire.” “Lightning Bringer” was interesting, if not a little disturbing and kind of out of place, I think. They’re all great, though! Even “The Coin Shower” in it’s eight-word glory. :-D
readingjag's review against another edition
3.0
A collection of short stories, including one that serves as a sequel to Abhorsen. A well balanced collection and a fast read.
annir's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
pebbajebbas's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
emilyplun's review against another edition
The Old Kingdom novella in this collection is set after the initial trilogy-- will return when I finish the trilogy
mythie's review against another edition
3.0
The first story in this collection, Nicholas Sayre and the Creature in the Case, is a delightful addition to the Old Kingdom books.