Jared,
Every time I read this series I think back to the first time we read it. How we totally returned the books and they disappeared but the library said we hadn’t returned them. As time has gone on I’m fairly certain that someone stole them or the librarians purposefully hid them so we’d have to pay to replace them. That library was seriously shady.
Title: Castle
Series: Seventh Tower; Book 2
Author: Garth Nix
Genre: Fantasy
Audience: Youth
ROTS Setting: UU/EU, Stone Age/Medieval, Magic
Synopsis: Tal survived his fall off the Red Tower. He even managed to survive his time on the Ice with the Icecarls. Now he just needs to find a way back into the castle. The stakes? His brother is missing, just like his father, his sister is being cared for by malevolent cousins and his mother is on the verge of death. No pressure.
Recommendation: A great chapter book for an early reader. I wish this was around when I was in second grade.
A great continuation to a good series. There’s something about the simplicity that just works. It’s a very easy read but I’m always left wanting more and feeling fulfilled…..content.
Tal is annoying, but it’s on purpose. He’s arrogant, superior, selfish and condescending. This is changing ever so slowly, so there is noticeable growth as he’s confronted with a reality that is vastly different from his previous sheltered existence. He’s a Chosen and has lived his whole life in the Castle. The dark cold world beyond is “empty.” When he falls of one of the Towers (and survives) he discovers all too quickly that it’s not at all empty. In fact there are people living out there.
Milla is one such person. She’s an Icecarl, a nomadic group of people divided into clans that follow the migrating herds of…..things. (Honestly couldn’t describe them to you, but I think of them like a giant walrus.) Milla is has her own reasons for both hating and helping Tal.
Chosen society is separated into castes with the Underfolk being indentured servants. The Chosen themselves are in one of 7 tiers based on color. (Highest to lowest.) Violet, Indigo, Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange, and Red. This corresponds to their magic system which is light-based being generated from Sunstones, small stones that emit light. Neither are particularly unique but they are well used and fit well into the world as a whole.
As I said, it’s a good addition to a good series.
Robert
Coming Soon Aenir; Book 3 >>
Reading Over The Shoulder 
We visited tons of libraries over the years and that was the first one away from home and the only one to give is trouble.
I remember loving these books. I was in about grade 4 when I read them and they where magical. I do not remember the covers looking that creepy. I’m an adult and it still looks freaky.
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The new covers are less creepy but they don’t fit the feel of the books.
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