Reviewed by Dominic Ball
Keys to the Kingdom:
Superior Saturday
By Garth Nix
Allen & Unwin
Paperback, ISBN 9781741145908, RRP $15.95, June 2008
The Keys to the Kingdom series is one of the best I’ve come across. It combines non-stop action with a brilliant, intriguing plot, making everything come together perfectly.
In the latest thrilling installment, Superior Saturday, Arthur Penhaligon must find a way to get into the Upper House, locate the sixth part of the Will and wrest the sixth key from its guardian, Saturday. But Saturday is not only one of the Trustees, she is also the most powerful sorcerer in the House.
As usual, Garth Nix writes so wittily and creates such vivid imagery that it is impossible to put the book down:
Saturday looked down through the rain-washed glass at the multitude of fuzzy green spots of light below. It looked like the tower, thousands of feet high had suffered a vast, vertical infestation of green glow-worms, but the spots of light actually came from the green-shaded lamps that sat on every desk in the Upper House, in exactly the same position, just as each desk was set exactly in the middle of an open cube of red wrought iron, with a grille floor and no ceiling.
He creates amazing traps for his characters, some they can’t escape. (Of course, there are also monsters, puzzles and huge waves made of Nothing!) Then he wraps things up astonishingly, leaving with a cliffhanger that makes you hungrily crave the next book.
Words cannot describe what a brilliant series this is, and Superior Saturday is the best of the lot! Garth Nix is one of the greatest writers I know; his words give a picture of real life.
About the reviewer: Dominic Ball is an eleven year old reader, who likes nothing better than to curl up with a good book and a slice of parmesan. He also enjoys astronomy, Dr Who, playing piano, and writing his own stories.