Lord Sunday

Gr 4—7—In the final volume (Scholastic, 2010) of Garth Nix's complex seven-part series, Arthur Penhaligon and his friends, Leaf and Suzy, battle the most powerful of the seven Trustees of the Will. Lord Sunday possesses the seventh key whose power surpasses that of all the previous keys combined. The story moves between the struggle of Arthur and Sunday and the battle his friends are waging against the rest of the House. It also becomes clear that Arthur is battling to retain what remains of his own humanity. The power of the keys is changing him both physically and emotionally, threatening to overwhelm him with anger and arrogance. Nix pulls all of the pieces of the complicated story line together in a grand conclusion that fans of the series will applaud. Allan Corduner clearly voices all the characters with distinct voices and nicely captures their emotions. He does a particularly commendable job as he brings the grand story to its ultimate conclusion with just the right pacing to capture the pressure, fear, and possibility of the final moments. While this series needs to be followed from beginning to end, those who have done so will appreciate the final installment.—Deanna Romriell, Salt Lake City Public Library, UT