Cirrus@Austlit

'No one is safe when even the past can′t be trusted Elcho falling is under siege from the forces of infinity.

'Axis must deal with treachery while Maximilian confronts the One in the depths of the citadel. Maximilian seems to have the upper hand, but finds his oldest ally′s advice disguises a vicious motive.

'Meanwhile, everyone has forgotten the Skraelings, who conceal a strange, ancient secret. Now these wraiths face a choice that appears to be no choice at all: the way of Infinity, or allying themselves with the StarMan, whom they have loathed for generations.

'In a heart-stopping conclusion to this superb trilogy, Maximilian and his friends battle for survival from the malevolent depths of DarkGlass Mountain to the pinnacle of a crumbling Elcho Falling and beyond ... as the past reaches out to seize Axis and drag him into yet another confrontation with his hated brother, Borneheld.' (From the publisher's website.)

'In Percheron, Zar Boaz is preparing for the imminent arrival of the Galinsean fleet and it seems inevitable that the realm will be plunged into war. His only hope is to use Lazar as a bargaining chip but it is likely that the Galinseans are past diplomacy. Despite the necessity for him to be in the city for the negotiations, the Spur is determined to travel back to the desert to rescue the abducted Zaradine Ana and bring her home.

'However, finding Ana will not be a simple task. She is being held by the despotic Arafanz and his fanatical followers and as it slowly becomes clear what the presumed madman plans for Percheron, Ana does not know if she is to survive ... and if she is, to what end?

'In the meantime a much larger doom hovers over Percheron that no-one but Pez and his nemesis, the charismatic Grand Vizier Tariq understand. The chaos between the neighbouring realms could become irrelevant when the final confrontation for the region's faith is played out.' (Publisher's blurb)

'In Percheron an old Zar dies and Boaz, the 15-year-old son of Herezah, his Absolute Favourite, takes power. Ambitious and scheming, Herezah arranges for her son's rivals to be disposed of with the help of the loathsome Grand Master Salmeo, and oversees the assembly of a new harem. One of its number is Ana, who enters a world where she wants for nothing ... except her freedom. Ana's only friends are Lazar, the secretive and eligible Spur of Percheron, and a seemingly insane dwarf called Pez. Her attempt at escape after witnessing a disturbing eunuch ritual and undergoing her own brutal Test of Virtue sets in motion forces beyond anyone's control... Even more mysterious is the rising of Iridor heralding a new cycle in the war of faith led by the evil Maliz that will enmesh them all in a deadly battle between gods.'

Source: Publisher's website www.voyageronline.com.au (Sighted 15/4/10)

'The Circlians have secured victory over the Pentadrian army, but Auraya′s sleep remains filled with nightmares of war. And the one person she once loved and trusted, Leiard, has disappeared.

When a sickness sweeps through the tribes of the Siyee, the White send Auraya to help them. It is there that she begins to learn the truth about Leiard ... And far to the south, the Pentadrians lick their wounds and set about finding a new leader.

Their faith unshaken, they are still resolved to convert the heathens of the north. In the aftermath of war, the Priestess is forced to make a terrible choice - the consequences of which could change the world forever.' (Source: Publisher's blurb)

'Nicholas Sayre will do anything to get across the Wall. Thoughts of Lirael and Sam haunt his dreams, and he has come to realize that his destiny lies with them, in the Old Kingdom. But here in Ancelstierre, Nick faces an obstacle that is not entirely human, with a strange power that seems to come from Nicholas himself.

With "Nicholas Sayre and the Creature in the Case," Garth Nix continues to explore the magical world of the Abhorsen Trilogy. In additional short stories that range from two widely different takes on the Merlin myth to a gritty urban version of Hansel and Gretel and a heartbreaking story of children and war, Garth Nix displays the range and versatility that has made him one of today's leading writers of fantasy for readers of all ages' (Amazon).

'Ten stories that delight, shock, intrigue, amuse and move the reader to tears with their imaginative reach, their dark humour, their subtlety, their humanity and depth of feeling: As part of a public execution, a young boy forlornly helps to sing his sister down. A servant learns about grace and loyalty from a mistress who would rather dance with Gypsies than sit on her throne. A terrifying encounter with a demonic angel gives a young man the strength he needs to break free of his oppressor. On a bleak and dreary afternoon a gleeful shooting spree leads to tragedy for a desperate clown unable to escape his fate.'

'Black Juice offers glimpses into familiar, shadowy worlds that push the boundaries of the spirit and leave the mind haunted with the knowledge that black juice runs through us all.'