The Fall (Seventh Tower #1)

Tal has lived his whole life in darkness. He has never left his home, a mysterious castle of seven towers. He does not see the threat that will tear apart his family and his world.

But Tal cannot stay safe forever. When danger strikes, he must desperately climb the Red Tower to steal a Sunstone. He reaches the top...

...and then he falls into a strange and unknown world of warriors, iceships, and hidden magic. There Tal makes an enemy who will save his life—and holds the key to his future.

Children's Literature

Fantasy stories are enjoying another wave of popularity among young readers. While fans await the next Harry Potter book, they may be interested in "The Seventh Tower" series. Tal, the young hero, faces the daunting task of saving his family from being condemned to the Underworld. The only way to do this is to steal a new sunstone (the source of all power in this alternative world) from the Red Tower. His quest is fraught with danger and encounters with strange characters. Tal's guide is his exact opposite, making the journey to the tower even more unpleasant and hideous beasts frequently appear along the way. This is a fast-moving story that can be somewhat confusing; the names of the characters and locations get tangled up in the fantasy jargon. Also, the story starts in the middle; after one chapter of mid-story action, readers are pulled back for ten chapters of action that led up to this mid-point, then fourteen more chapters of what happened after the mid-point. Most of the traditional fantasy elements are included in this story, which leads into the next book of the series. Nix may have tried to pack too much into this book for readers to digest. 2000, Scholastic, Ages 11 to 14, $4.99. Reviewer: Carol Lynch