Cirrus@Austlit

'This is a masterful short story collection including a rarely seen Old Kingdom novella. Garth Nix proves he is a master of the short story with this intriguing collection of tales. Leading with the novella to hold the bridge, fans of Garth Nix will be more than satisfied with the richly detailed and thrilling tale of Charter Magic and a deathly duel. Fans new and old will delight in the subsequent tales, including fantasy and science fiction, with witches, vampires, strange worlds and stranger creatures making their appearance.' (Publication summary)

A princess goes back to a castle after using a unicorn to revive her dead mother and seeks to avenge her death.

'Mari and Francesca are sizars - poor students allowed to study witchcraft at Ermine College in return for menial work. Despite the few hours they can dedicate to reading and learning, they are both talented at magic, and determined to graduate. When some of their wealthier schoolmates invoke powerful magic laws to humiliate them, they unleash more than they bargained for. Can the sizars save the college? The future of Ermine College is at stake!'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Obviously a Sherlock Holmes pastiche, in this case featuring the great detective’s young cousin Magnus, currently a resident of Bedlam as a consequence of certain circumstances that may not be discussed. Shepherded by his keeper, Almost-Doctor Shrike, he volunteers to help the police with a strange case of a man who stole an armload of daffodils from Green Park, murdering the keeper in the process.'

Source: Locus Magazine (www.locusmag.com/Reviews/2011/08/lois-tilton-reviews-short-fiction-late-august-2/). (Sighted: 30/11/2016)

In a post-apocalyptic world, a formerly high-ranking official tells the story of the destruction of his 'clockwerk' civilisation.