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21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Make war, not love, February 25, 2006
Arthur Penhaligon's week just keeps getting worse.
The Keys of the Kingdom series hits a turning point in the fourth book, "Sir Thursday." People are killed, new creatures appear, and Arthur finds himself in a lethal power struggle with the Morrow Days. Garth Nix is in fine form in this book, one of the best of the series, and it only promises to get better.
When Arthur and Leaf try to return to Earth, they are stopped by Dame Primus -- it seems that a Spirit-Eater (the Skinless Boy) has taken Arthur's place on Earth. If he goes back home, he might destroy the world. To make matters worse, he is tricked into accepting Sir Thursday's shilling, which means he's been drafted into the army... for a hundred years.
Leaf goes back to Earth, and tries to destroy the Skinless Boy, with the unexpected help of Suzy. Meanwhile, Arthur struggles in the Army -- especially since part of it is being "washed between the ears." As he tries to remember to remember who he is, Arthur becomes a part of the regiment fighting a new breed of Nithling -- and under the command of the berserk Sir Thursday.
Unexpected twists are the order of the day on "Thursday" -- Garth Nix serves up mind-reading spores, assassinations, new Nithlings, and the Piper (often mentioned, but never before seen). With a stunning ending and some otherworldly battles, this is probably the best book since "Mister Monday."
And Nix's detailed, dark-edged writing is given a full workout here.He does a great job of describing battles against Nithlings and Nothing, as well as the creepy invasion into our own world. It takes awhile for Sir Thursday to even become part of the plot -- much of the book, actually -- but when he does show up, he's a suitably nasty Day. Think a demented drill sargeant.
Since Arthur has already come to terms with being the Heir, Nix lets him focus on something even scarier -- using the Keys is slowly turning him into a Denizen. Since he has amnesia for a good chunk of the book, he's most afraid near the end. And Leaf gets some further fleshing-out, as she tries to destroy the Skinless Boy without being taken over by it.
Perhaps the worst part of it is that "Sir Thursday" ends on a double cliffhanger. It's going to be awhile before we're introduced to Lady Friday, but "Sir Thursday" was worth the wait. Chilling and wonderfully dark.
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12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Best Since the First, February 13, 2006
This book, was an amazing entry in the series, and makes me wish Lady Friday were coming out so much faster than it actually will. This was my favorite book in the series since Mister Monday. It was action-pack and makes Arthur look like a real threat to the morrow days, and his trying to stay Mortal and not become a denizen is a great subplot to the series. I cant wait for the rest in the series, I wish he had stayed at the 6 month turn-around on them, but ah well they are all good, but this could make the series great.
Where is it all headed? I dont know, but I cant waith to hear about the other sins, left to face as we have already had Sloth, Pride/Greed(still not certain on Tuesday's), Gluttony, and Wrath. I can't wait for Lust, Envy, and Pride/Greed depending on what Tuesday actually is.
READ THIS BOOK, THIS AUTHOR, AND THIS SERIES, YOU WILL ENJOY THEM ALL.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A suspenseful and action-packed adventure, March 24, 2006
On the first day, there was mystery.
On the second day, there was darkness.
On the third day, there were pirates.
On the fourth day, there was war.
It is Thursday. After their thrilling, high-seas adventure on the Border Sea, Arthur and Leaf are eager to return home to their families in the Secondary Realms. When they arrive at the Front Door, they discover that only Leaf can come home since someone --- or something --- has taken Arthur's place. Just when things couldn't seem to get any more complicated, Dame Primus holds a council of war in Monday's Dayroom. Mister Monday and Grim Tuesday have been assassinated by sorcery!
Arthur is stunned by the news but is in for another surprise when he's tricked by Sir Thursday and forced to join the Glorious Army of the Architect. Suzy Turquoise Blue offers to go with Arthur, much to the disapproval of Dame Primus, but is told by the recruiting officer that volunteers can't join. Arthur doesn't want to go and leave his family in danger, but luckily Leaf decides to go back through the Seven Dials and try to banish the Spirit-eater (Skinless Boy) herself until Dame Primus and the rest of Arthur's staff can figure out a way to shorten his proposed stint of a century.
Arthur and Leaf each must rely on magic and their wits to accomplish seemingly impossible tasks. Leaf has to banish the Spirit-eater while saving herself and Arthur's families from being mind-controlled. (Fortunately, she has a bit of help from Suzy and an unlikely thrill-seeker.) Meanwhile, Arthur has to go undercover and survive his basic training, avoid getting posted to the Front, and work out how he can free Part Four of the Will and retrieve the Fourth Key from the psychotic Sir Thursday. All this while battling a couple of his own personal demons, a mysterious new force, and a few thousand New Nithlings in the Great Maze.
There is much suspense and action-packed adventure both in and outside the House. Many old and new characters are introduced in SIR THURSDAY who are sure to make the rest of the series even more interesting. There are a few violent scenes that some younger readers may find scary, but rest assured the book is definitely worth reading.
Unfortunately there's no tidy ending, so readers may have to take their time reading SIR THURSDAY (or reread the first three books in the series first) because it's going to be a while until we find out what happens next when LADY FRIDAY makes her presence known.
--- Reviewed by Sarah Sawtelle (SdarksideG@aol.com)
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