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Titles in Order of Publication:
MAGYK: Septimus Heap, Book One
by Angie Sage
Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins
ISBN-10: 0060577312
ISBN-13: 9780060577315
Ages 9-12
576 pages
• Read an Excerpt
• Click here to buy from Amazon.com
When Silas Heap brings home a baby girl he finds in the forest, his wife Sarah tells him that his son, Septimus, has died. Jenna, the baby girl, becomes the Heaps' treasured daughter, but of course Silas and Sarah never forget Septimus. However, Silas nearly forgets that soon after he found baby Jenna, the cranky ExtraOrdinary Wizard, Marcia Overstrand, commanded him to tell no one he found her and to claim she was born into the family.
Curiously, six months later Sarah hears that the queen was killed on the day her daughter was born. Rumor has it that Marcia rescued the princess. Sarah realizes that Jenna must be the princess.
A spy discovers the young princess living at the Heaps and notifies the evil Supreme Custodian. He orders Jenna and all the Heaps killed. Luckily, his order is overheard by the ExtraOrdinary Wizard ghost, Alther Mella, who notifies Marcia Overstrand. Marcia takes Jenna, and suggests the Heaps hide in the forest where they will be safe.
In short order, Marcia revives a frozen, nearly dead sentry boy named Boy 412. Jenna is overcome at the magnificence of the Wizard Tower and of Marcia's apartment in which the fireplace lights itself, the sofa situates itself in front of the fire, and warm socks materialize on cold feet. Silas and his son Nicko appear in order to give Jenna her birthday gift --- a pet rock that walks around and then naps cozily on Jenna's palm.
The Assassin arrives at Marcia's apartment prompting Jenna, Marcia, Nicko, Silas, Maxie the dog, and the silent sentry boy to escape down the rubbish chute. After a breathtaking fall (while being continually pelted with garbage), they land in the garbage dump.
The group head down the river in a sailboat with the ruthless Hunter and his Pack close on their heels. The killers catch up to them when the wind dies. Is this the end?
Full of magic, an endearing pooch, breathless adventure, quirkily original humor, and fascinating characters (including math-challenged mirrors, cantankerous magic pens, a duck that's actually a cat, and a dignified Message Rat), this irresistible book is a must-read for fantasy lovers and is destined to become a classic. Highly recommended.
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FLYTE: Septimus Heap, Book Two
by Angie Sage
Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins
ISBN-10: 0060577347
ISBN-13: 9780060577346
Ages 9-up
544 pages
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It's been a year and a half since Septimus discovered his true identity. In the second book of Angie Sage's Septimus Heap series, he is now learning the arts of Magyk as Apprentice to ExtraOrdinary Wizard Marcia Overstrand.
Although Marcia Overstrand ousted necromancer DomDaniel from his reign as ExtraOrdinary Wizard, spiders linger in the Tower, a sign that Darke Magyk remains there. In fact, an ominous Darkenesse follows Marcia constantly.
When Septimus and his adopted sister, the reinstated princess Jenna, visit their mother, their brother Simon charges up on a dark horse, still furious because he believes Septimus usurped Simon's rightful Apprenticeship. Simon swoops up Jenna and carries her away, despite her protests and Septimus's efforts to stop him.
As Simon kidnaps Jenna and heads toward the Badlands, Septimus pleads for help from others but no one will believe that Jenna is actually in true danger. So Septimus packs a bag and starts his quest to save his adopted sister from their evil brother.
Septimus meets up with his brother Nicko, who not only believes Simon has kidnapped Jenna but also has information about an ominous "dark stranger" asking questions about the young princess. Could it possibly be that DomDaniel, assumed to be dead, is actually alive after all?
Septimus is relieved when Nicko joins his quest to locate Jenna. The brothers travel into the forest to find the wild Wolf Boy, who they hope to recruit for his amazing tracking skills. However, all they have is a poorly-drawn map, and soon Septimus and Nicko are lost in a forest full of carnivorous trees, vicious beasts and evil spirits --- and night is falling.
Meanwhile, Jenna learns of Simon's plans for her. She's desperate to escape but is locked in a cell in an underground observatory. Can she overcome impossible odds?
As in the wonderful MAGYK, Angie Sage gives us characters to care for, danger, high adventure, surprising plot twists, and irresistible humor. Again, the book is full of endearing friends (such as Stanley the Messenger Rat) and amazing magykal items: a floor of changing colors and written messages, a chocolate Taste Charm that can turn anything into chocolate, an ingenious lawnmower powered by grass-eating lizards, game pieces with feet and minds of their own, and much more.
The richly rewarding FLYTE fully lives up to the promise in MAGYK. Both books are impossible to put down and are absolute must-reads for Harry Potter fans. Highly recommended.
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PHYSIK: Septimus Heap, Book Three
by Angie Sage
Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins
ISBN-10: 0060577371
ISBN-13: 9780060577377
Ages 9-12
560 pages
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When Silas Heap unseals a room in the palace attic, he sets free the ghosts of evil Queen Etheldredda and her awful pet Aie-Aie. This simple action has dire consequences for everyone, but especially for Septimus and his friends and family.
A Northern Trader named Snorri Snorrelssen arrives at the Castle. She plans to sell her goods at the Traders' Market, but her true dream is much closer to her heart. Snorri is a Spirit-Seer who is hunting for one particular ghost: her father Olaf. While on her ship late at night, she spots a sight that makes her shiver. It is a Spirit Ship, a Royal Barge, with the ghostly Queen Etheldredda on board. And when Snorri enters the Castle the next day, she sees that it is packed full of ghosts. How will Snorri ever find her father in this crowd of spirits?
Meanwhile, people begin coming down with a ghastly Sickenesse after an unknown creature bites them. Sarah Heap keeps warning Princess Jenna to stay inside and be careful, but Jenna has other things to think about, such as the appearance of her intimidating and bossy many-times-great-grandmother, "Queen Etheldredda the Awful."
Septimus has a new fascination despite Marcia Overstrand's attempts to deflect his interest. He is drawn to the ancient art of Physik with its diagnoses of illnesses and prescribing of medication. Septimus believes that Physik could cure the Sickenesse, but Marcia tries to persuade him that Magyk could do the same…eventually.
One night, Alther takes Septimus to meet Queen Etheldredda. She informs him that he will meet the ghost of Marcellus Pye, the great Physician. Septimus is thrilled; he is intrigued by the writings of Marcellus Pye and hopes to learn much from the ghost. But what actually happens to Septimus is terrifying, and soon he is hopelessly trapped.
Jenna must gather forces to rescue Septimus from an imprisonment 500 years in the past. The people who she hopes will guide her plan are not helpful, until Beetle has a brainstorm: Jenna will act as Navigator with Spit Fyre, the dragon.
PHYSIK is another fine fantasy adventure, filled with the characters we've come to care for, quirky magical objects, dragons (and dragon poop), a crazed mob of rat killers intent on doing in Stanley the Messenger Rat and his beloved time travel, and much more. Septimus Heap fans will be delighted!
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 QUESTE: Septimus Heap, Book Four
by Angie Sage
Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins
ISBN: 9780060882075
Ages 9-up
608 pages
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Merrin Meredith, once falsely believed to be "Septimus Heap," has Darke plans for the real Septimus. He has found THE DARKE INDEX, a book of ominous spells, and is ready to unleash a Destiny Darkening spell upon the wizard apprentice. First, he summons a Thing to serve him, but since he is bumbling around, Merrin accidentally calls forth an entire room crammed full of invisible Things. Undeterred, he must rummage about in the nasty pile of slimy bones of his old master, DomDaniel, in order to find the Two-Faced Ring. The ring tightens and burns his own finger…and just about then, Merrin starts to have second thoughts about practicing Darke Magyk. But it doesn't matter because he is now trapped and must continue the spell. So he heads off to the Castle to find his victim.
Meanwhile, Septimus is unaware that there are Darke deeds targeting him. He and Princess Jenna are united in their need to find Nicko and Snorri, who have been trapped in another time. Despite the disapproval of ExtraOrdinary Wizard Marcia Overstrand, Septimus has continued a friendship with the ancient alchemist Marcellus Pye, who has found information he believes may help Septimus and Jenna locate Nicko and Snorri.
Septimus's good friend Beetle has thoroughly enjoyed working for Jillie Djinn at the Magykal Manuscriptorium, but has gotten into deep trouble with Jillie --- even as Merrin applies to work there --- and finds himself underemployed. Beetle joins up with Septimus and Jenna (whom he secretly adores) as they are given notes and a map actually written by Snorri and Nicko in the long-ago time in which they are caught.
The fragile ancient map leads to a place called the House of Foryx, where "All Times Do Meet." Septimus and Jenna hope that Nicko and Snorri are still in the House of Foryx so they can bring them back…until the map disintegrates. Although Beetle has a solution for the map problem, the most important part --- showing the House of Foryx --- has been lost. That is just the first of their many troubles, though. For, in the meantime, the Darke forces Merrin has set into motion against Septimus are gathering. Although wizard apprentices are occasionally sent on a Queste at the end of their training, none have returned. Now it appears that Septimus may be tricked into going on an early Queste. But what can that mean for the hope of finding Nicko and Snorri? The three set off on an adventure full of peril, hope and secrets --- a journey where shocking surprises lurk around every corner.
QUESTE is another rip-roaring great read, full of the series' trademark laugh-out-loud humor, quirky characters (including a half-man/half-rat fellow), odd magykal tokens, friendships and family relationships, and breathless adventures. The Septimus Heap series continues to delight and thrill us, and is well deserving of its bestseller status.
 SYREN: Septimus Heap, Book Five
by Angie Sage
HarperCollins Children’s Books
Hardcover: 9780060882105
Paperback: 9780060882129
Ages 9-up
656 pages
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In the fifth installment of the enthralling Septimus Heap series, we find several groups of our beloved characters heading off on various adventures. Jenna, Nicko, Snorri, Ullr and Beetle are in the harbors known as the Trading Post, where Jenna encounters her father, Milo Banda, who persuades them to spend the night on his ship. Milo promises his somewhat wary daughter “something special.” But what is our hero up to? you may wonder. Well, Septimus Heap has gotten an amazing and sudden promotion, which (on the order of a teen finally getting his driver's license) enables him to head off on an adventure on his own. His escapade begins as he plans a simple flight on board his dragon, Spit Fyre, in order to retrieve his friends from the Trading Post.
Around this time, Aunt Zelda sends Wolf Boy from the Marram Marshes. She is giving him a challenging test as a first step in his becoming the first male Intended Keeper. Aunt Zelda herself has an extremely serious quest in her near future, and as soon as Wolf Boy leaves, she retrieves a SafeCharm, which appears to be a tiny, pear-shaped gold bottle. She has been troubled by the sight of Septimus on Spit Fyre in dire trouble, and must deliver the SafeCharm to him in order to keep him out of harm's way. But Aunt Zelda has been eating a few too many cabbage sandwiches lately, and she finds that her portliness slows her expedition down quite a bit. By the time she arrives at the palace gardens, Septimus is astride Spit Fyre, preparing to take off. Frantically, Aunt Zelda sends a young boy to deliver the SafeCharm…but Septimus doesn't understand that the trinket is from Aunt Zelda and refuses it.
Due to this unfortunate mix-up, the SafeCharm falls into the hand of a scoundrel who stole the little gold vial believing it to be fine and valuable perfume. When he takes the top off to sniff it, imagine his surprise when what goes up his nose is not a fragrance but an all-powerful jinnee! And the jinnee isn't exactly thrilled to find himself up someone's nose, to say the least. When the clueless fellow answers the jinnee's "What do you will?" by telling him to go away, "Jim Knee" is off on his own adventure.
Meanwhile, Wolf Boy is intent on his completing the task that Aunt Zelda sent him on test, a test that author Angie Sage describes in hilarious detail. Wolf Boy approaches the House of the Port Witch Coven as he begins his knee-knocking mission. While there, he meets the young witch Dorinda who adjusts the pink towel wrapped around her hair and says, "You're kidding me, aren't you?" when Wolf Boy tells her what he plans to do. Under Sage’s talented pen, Wolf Boy's entire mission is side-splitting (think: a witch named Linda who reads detective novels, a monster who likes things very quiet, and vampire kittens!).
As poor Aunt Zelda envisioned, Septimus does eventually find himself in great trouble. He is marooned on an island with Jenna and Beetle as well as the deathly ill Spit Fyre. Nearby, nefarious happenings at a peculiar cat-shaped lighthouse threaten not only the unusual lighthouse keeper, but also two of Septimus's friends. However, Septimus’s troubles are only beginning as he meets an unusual girl, Syrah Syara, who is under an enchantment...a dangerous Magykal charm that puts Septimus, as well as the castle, in terrible jeopardy.
As we've come to expect from this series, SYREN offers gripping adventure, whimsical characters, a mesmerizing plot, derring-do heroics, and tons of delightful humor.
 SEPTIMUS HEAP, Book Six: DARKE
by Angie Sage
Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins
ISBN: 9780061242427
Ages 9-12
656 pages
• Click here to buy from Amazon.com
Septimus Heap is preparing for his Darke Week, a rite of passage separating the Ordinary from the ExtraOrdinary Apprenticeship. Since Apprentices choose what they do during their Darke Week, he is determined to retrieve Banished ghost Alther from Darke Hall. A 14th birthday is very special for an Apprentice (since it is twice the Magykal number of 7), but there is an undercurrent of worry throughout the Wizard Tower as Septimus turns 14. It's almost as if everyone is expecting someone (someone like...gulp...Septimus) to die.
Meanwhile, Lucy Gringe has come home after two years away to reunite with her parents. Lucy not only offers apologies for running off to find Simon Heap, she also gives them a heartfelt invitation to her and Simon's upcoming wedding. But the Gringe family reunion is interrupted by the arrival of a black horse. It's Simon's horse, without Simon. Lucy feels pricklings of dread, wondering if something terrible has happened to Simon. Indeed, if Lucy knew what Simon was facing, she would be horrified.
It's Jenna's 14th birthday, too, of course. A woman calling herself The Bringer of the Book arrives bringing a...you guessed it. This particular book is called THE QUEEN RULES and gives Princess in Waiting Jenna some enlightening news. It seems Septimus can no longer dismiss her concerns, including her recent worries that someone has been in the Palace attic. When Jenna tried to discuss this problem with Septimus, he didn't take her apprehension seriously. But even though she now knows Septimus must pay attention to her, she turns instead to the sympathetic Beetle.
Beetle does not take Jenna's anxiety lightly. He even wonders if what she thinks is a person in the attic might not be an Infestation --- the moving of something Darke into a home. However, even with Beetle to help her, it isn't long before Jenna finds herself in a terrifying life-or-death situation during which she makes an unlikely friend. At the same time, her identity (to say nothing of her outfit) takes quite a surprising turn.
None of these characters realize the tremendous battle that lies before them. The Palace has been invaded by the Darke Domain. ExtraOrdinary Wizard Marcia Overstrand is galvanized into action to fight the dreaded Darke. Strangely, the one person she would expect to be fighting at her side appears to be missing, so she drafts another character, who ultimately proves to be a courageous hero. As the monumental battle ensues between the forces of Magyk and Darke, the two sides struggle for power over the kingdom. Someone quite near and dear to both Jenna and Septimus appears to be lost to the Darke forever; in a conflict this massive, there must be (and will be) casualties.
While the plot advances, filled with tons of Magykal adventure as well as hilariously irreverent asides, the characters also mature and strengthen in response to their challenges. Jenna comes to an important realization about her place in the world. Septimus and one of his brothers struggle with trust and reconciliation. One romance comes to a natural and believable ending, while another couple returns to a home in which they were once content.
DARKE is an exciting and thoroughly satisfying page-turner, making this yet another brilliant episode in the series. So why aren't these books as famous as those of that other wizard, the one in the spectacles? They should be.
--- Reviewed by Terry Miller Shannon ---
(terryms2001@yahoo.com)
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