Goldenhand

Garth Nix

Oct 2016 · Old Kingdom Book 5 · Sold by HarperCollins

About this eBook

The long-awaited fifth installment in Garth Nix’s New York Times bestselling Old Kingdom series, for readers who enjoy series by Rae Carson, Kristin Cashore, Scott Westerfeld, and Cassandra Clare.

Goldenhand takes place six months after the events of Abhorsen and follows the novella Nicholas Sayre and the Creature in the Case, which is featured in Across the Wall.

Lirael lost one of her hands in the binding of Orannis, but now she has a new hand, one of gilded steel and Charter Magic.

On a dangerous journey, Lirael returns to her childhood home, the Clayr’s Glacier, where she was once a Second Assistant Librarian. There, a young woman from the distant North brings her a message from her long-dead mother, Arielle.

It is a warning about the Witch with No Face. But who is the Witch, and what is she planning? Lirael must use her new powers to save the Old Kingdom from this great danger—and it must be forestalled not only in the living world but also in the cold, remorseless river of Death.

Ratings and reviews

Reads like a bad Hollywood adaptation. Characters fall flat, plot is tenuous, pacing is odd and many other problems besides. I love the preceding books in this series, but it feels like all the heart went out of this one... almost like someone far less talented than Nix wrote it. Stop with Clariel (which is great!) And don't bother with this one.

the story seems like a summary.. there's no content.. there were so many places to expand and actually tell a story and that doesn't happen... same with the last book.. just ope there's a problem let's go solve it. oh cool solved.. boring..I'm super disappointed I've read these books since middle school..

As usual for Nix's works, the world-building is excellent, altough oddly inconsistent with the original trilogy. The pace of the book is too fast in the second half. Too much untapped opportunity for character development.

About the author

Garth Nix is a New York Times bestselling novelist and has been a full-time writer since 2001 but has also worked as a literary agent, marketing consultant, book editor, book publicist, book sales representative, bookseller, and part-time soldier in the Australian Army Reserve.Garth’s many books include the Old Kingdom fantasy series, beginning with Sabriel and continuing to Goldenhand; the sci-fi novels Shade’s Children and A Confusion of Princes; the Regency romance with magic Newt’s Emerald; and novels for children including The Ragwitch, the Seventh Tower series, the Keys to the Kingdom series, and Frogkisser!, which is now in development as a feature film with Fox Animation/Blue Sky Studios. Garth has written numerous short stories, some of which are collected in Across the Wall and To Hold the Bridge. He has also cowritten several children’s book series with Sean Williams, including TroubleTwisters and Have Sword, Will Travel.More than six million copies of his books have been sold around the world and his work has been translated into forty-two languages.