ACROSS THE WALL

The opening story of this collection, a 90-page novella, is the lure for the many fans of Nix’s The Abhorsen Trilogy—Sabriel, Lirael and Abhorsen. “Nicholas Sayre and the Creature in the Case” features one of the rarest of the Free Magic creatures from the Old Kingdom, a monster with whom young Nicholas Sayre has a mysterious connection. In a grand fantasy adventure tale, Nicholas must get the beast back to the Old Kingdom, ultimately enlisting the aid of Lirael. Other stories—some previously published in other anthologies—are a mixed bag of pieces written over the last 15 years. They include new takes on Arthurian tales, a moving war story inspired by the current Iraq war and a memorable retelling of “Hansel and Gretel” titled “Hansel’s Eyes,” the tale most likely to “linger uncomfortably in the mind” long after the first reading. Fans will eagerly anticipate this volume and find a nice range of writing from one of the leading fantasy writers at work today. (introduction) (Fiction. 12+)