Across the Wall: A Tale of the Abhorsen and Other Stories
A collection of short stories.
ACROSS THE WALL brings together an eclectic mix of Garth Nix’s writing spanning several years.
The
opening story is the 2005 World Book Day novella and Old Kingdom story
NICHOLAS SAYRE AND THE CREATURE IN THE CASE, winner of two prestigious
Aurealis Awards.
The rest of the collection includes two tales
inspired by Arthurian legend, a war story, a western, a traditional
tale with a twist and a hilarious choose-your-own-adventure spoof.
The
volume is introduced by the author himself and, even better, so is each
story – giving context, anecdotes and a generous dollop of Nix’s own
wry humour.
Plus! A final bonus section of frequently asked questions for which Garth Nix supplies vital answers.
Garth Nix
Garth Nix was born in 1963 in Melbourne, Australia, to the sound of the Salvation Army band outside playing 'Hail the Conquering Hero Comes' or possibly 'Roll Out the Barrel'. Garth left Melbourne at an early age for Canberra (the federal capital) and stayed there till he was nineteen, when he left to drive around the UK in a beat-up Austin with a boot full of books and a Silver-Reed typewriter.
Despite a wheel literally falling off the Austin, Garth survived to return to Australia and study at the University of Canberra. After finishing his degree in 1986 he worked in a bookshop, then as a book publicist, a publisher's sales representative, and editor. Along the way he was also a part-time soldier in the Australian Army Reserve, serving in an Assault Pioneer platoon for four years. Garth left publishing to work as a public relations and marketing consultant from 1994-1997, till he became a full-time writer in 1998. He did that for a year before joining Curtis Brown Australia as a part-time literary agent in 1999. In January 2002 Garth went back to dedicated writer again, despite his belief that full-time writing explains the strange behaviour of many authors.
The Old Kingdom
Also known as the Abhorsen Trilogy (only in the USA).
The Old Kingdom consists of six primary books, and includes three additional books that complement the series but are not considered mandatory reads. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.
