Search Results for: The Left Handed Booksellers of London

A girl’s quest to find her father leads her to an extended family of magical fighting booksellers who police the mythical Old World of England when it intrudes on the modern world. From the bestselling master of fantasy, Garth Nix.

In a slightly alternate London in 1983, Susan Arkshaw is looking for her father, a man she has never met. Crime boss Frank Thringley might be able to help her, but Susan doesn’t get time to ask Frank any questions before he is turned to dust by the prick of a silver hatpin in the hands of the outrageously attractive Merlin.

Merlin is a young left-handed bookseller (one of the fighting ones), who with the right-handed booksellers (the intellectual ones), are an extended family of magical beings who police the mythic and legendary Old World when it intrudes on the modern world, in addition to running several bookshops.

Susan’s search for her father begins with her mother’s possibly misremembered or misspelt surnames, a reading room ticket, and a silver cigarette case engraved with something that might be a coat of arms.

Merlin has a quest of his own, to find the Old World entity who used ordinary criminals to kill his mother. As he and his sister, the right-handed bookseller Vivien, tread in the path of a botched or covered-up police investigation from years past, they find this quest strangely overlaps with Susan’s. Who or what was her father? Susan, Merlin, and Vivien must find out, as the Old World erupts dangerously into the New.

Praise for Garth Nix

Garth Nix sets the standard for Fantasy (Leigh Bardugo)

A swashbuckling adventure . . . and the most original magic I’ve seen in years (Joe Abercrombie)

Garth Nix is one of the best world-builders in fantasy. (BRANDON SANDERSON)

Angles are called, and swords are swished and there are jealousies and romances galore in this riotous romp. (DAILY MAIL on ANGEL MAGE)

An exciting adventure full of intrigue and action while portraying women in power in a refreshingly casual way. (KIRKUS REVIEW on ANGEL MAGE)

Reader reviews for The Sinister Booksellers of Bath:
‘Garth Nix demonstrates his mastery of the fantasy genre’
‘An extraordinary work of fiction’
‘A cracking sequel to The Left-Handed Booksellers of London‘
‘An amazing fantasy adventure’
‘Well, this is a heap of fun!’
‘Wizards, sorcery, Ancients and living statues – what more could you ask for’

There is often trouble of a mythical sort in Bath. The booksellers who police the Old World keep a careful watch there, particularly on the entity who inhabits the ancient hot spring. Yet this time it is not from Sulis Minerva that trouble starts. It comes from the discovery of a sorcerous map, leading left-handed bookseller Merlin into great danger. A desperate rescue is attempted by his sister the right-handed bookseller Vivien and their friend, art student Susan Arkshaw, who is still struggling to deal with her own recently discovered magical heritage.

The map takes the trio to a place separated from the world, maintained by deadly sorcery performed by an Ancient Sovereign and guarded by monstrous living statues of Portland Stone. But this is only the beginning, as the booksellers investigate centuries of disappearances and deaths and try to unravel the secrets of the murderous Lady of Stone, a serial killer of awesome powers.

If they do not stop her, she will soon kill again. And this time, her target is not an ordinary mortal.

A wintry return to the world of The Left-Handed Booksellers of London, as a magical map leads to a dangerous adventure.

Praise for Garth Nix

Garth Nix is one of the best world-builders in fantasy. (BRANDON SANDERSON)