Customer Reviews

Seventh Tower #4: Above the Veil

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Things get more intense in "Above the Veil," a pivotal point in Garth Nix's Seventh Tower series. New alliances are forged, new information is found, and the endangered Milla takes the biggest risk of her life. While not quite the most gripping, this book hints at future apocalyptic events further on in the series.

Tal and Milla have just returned to Aenir, and end up falling in with a group of rebel Underfolk, who are determined to rise above the nasty caverns where they live. He also finds Jarnil, a blinded Chosen who was thought to be dead, and the ringleader of the rebels. With his help -- and the discovery that the Codex is wandering around the Castle.

Elsewhere. Milla leaves the Castle to return to the Icecarls. Since she now has a Spiritshadow, she knows that they will kill her. However, the Crones come to a decision about Milla that will change their culture forever. And at the Castle, Tal and the belligerent Underfolk Crow uncover the secrets of the Keystones -- a secret guarded by the inhuman Sushin.

"Above the Veil" is one of those books that serves mainly to set up the action of future novels. Garth Nix's creepy fantasy elements and taut writing keep it from being one long boring infodump. And by the ending, some very important events have taken place.

Nix also reveals more about the Underfolk, and their lives as semi-slaves under the Castle, as well as the natural resentment they have toward the privileged Chosen. Nix's intense writing is well-suited to scenes like Milla being attacked by a fellow Icecarl, or our heroes being attacked by venomous water spiders. There are a few moments of comedy, usually from Uncle Ebbitt, but not many.

Tal and Milla have both changed dramatically. Tal has already learned to appreciate the warlike Icecarls, and now he has to accept the Underfolk, which he always took for granted. Milla also has grown up, although her sense of honor and loyalty is unchanged. Crow isn't nearly as likable -- he's even more bigoted than Tal was originally. But Nix makes it understandable why that is.

The fourth Seventh Tower book, "Above the Veil," begins the buildup to the final battle of the series. Epic, creepy and pivotal.

Tal and Milla have successfully returned from Aenir and infiltrated the Castle. They are hidden with a group of renegade Underfolk, who call themselves Freelies. Milla leaves to complete her quest by going to the Shield Mother, which is easier said than done. When she is wounded, she forces herself into the tenth Rokvir breathing pattern, one which will get the user to the end of their task, and then the user will die. She is attacked by a Shield Maiden because of her unnatural shadow, Odris, and ends up slaying her to continue on her journey. When she finally gets there, she must be revived. If the Shield Mothers cannot, Milla will die. Meanwhile, Tal and Crow, a Freelie leader, are climbing the Red Tower, when suddenly they penetrate the Veil and Crow falls because of the Sun's sudden light. What will become of them? Read Garth Nix's book, Above the Veil!

My favorite part of this book was the part where Tal and Crow were getting the Red Keystone with the Guardian, Lokar, trapped in it. Every triumph for Tal was a triumph for the reader, and this, even if it was a medium-paced book, was still quite exciting and interesting. I hope that you enjoy this book!

Tal and Milla have successfully infiltrated the Castle. They are hidden with a group of renegade Underfolk, who call themselves Freelies. Milla leaves to complete her quest, by going to the Shield Mother. Easier said than done describes it best. When she is wounded, she forces herself into the tenth Rokvir breathing pattern, one which will get the user to the end of their task, and then the user will die. She is attacked by a Shield Maiden, and ends up slaying her to continue on her journey. When she gets there, finally, she must be revived. If the Shield Mothers cannot, Milla will die. Meanwhile, Tal and Crow are climbing the Red Tower, when suddenly, they penetrate the Veil and Crow falls, because of the Sun's sudden light. What will become of them? Read Garth Nix's book, Above the Veil!

My favorite part of this book was the part where Tal and Crow were getting the Red Keystone with Lokar trapped in it. Every triumph for Tal was a triumph for the reader, and this, even if it was a medium-paced book, was still quite exciting and interesting. I hope that you enjoy this book!

If you've been following the series this one will be impossible to put down. The plot intensifies, Tal's problems continue to spiral out of control, and the consequences of even one mistake on his part could spell doom for his world.

Tal and Milla seperate early in the book, and Tal is the main focus through most of it, which means loads of character development for him. The author writes each character, though particulerly Tal in this book, not as a thirteen year old boy, but as a human being, caught in frightening events, and handed burdons that seem impossible to bear. Thus, every time Tal triumphs, it seems a triumph to the reader as well, rather than a predictable outcome.

But, despite the excellently developed characters, this book is mainly about action and plot, which is written just as well. Definitely read this series from the beginning, and you won't regret it when you do. :-)

This book is so fast paced and interesting. Garth Nix has put in many suprises. I'd say this book, with its contents, deserves a 5-star rating!

Each book in this series has seemed to be a little worse then the one before it, but this one broke the pattern, being far better then #3-Aenir. In this book, Tal returns to the castle which I find more intresting then the dream world of Aenir, and he and Milla split up for almost the whole book, which I was pleased with, as I don't like Milla. While Tal deals with rebelling Underfolk- Freefolk, Milla has to go back and face the Far-Raiders. It was intresting to find out more about the keystones of the castle, and to see why the series is called 'The
Seventh Tower.'

In the fourth book of the six book series Seventh Tower Tal and Milla discover a secret band of Underfolk who call themselves "Freefolk", with Crow as their leader, in the help to protect the veil. Tal reunites with his uncle Ebbit who has been living in hiding with the Freefolk since Tal left for Aenir. Tal also reunites with his old Lectourium teacher Jarnil who he thought died years ago. Together the figure out the truth about the not so human Sushin and figure out part of his only greater evil plan.

Meanwhile, Milla decides to go to see the Shield Mother and tell her about all that she has learned and the danger of the veil falling apart, then she will give herself to the ice. However things go terribly wrong as Milla kills the Shield Mother who attacked her because she had a spiritshadow. Milla thinking she will be severly punished instead become the leader of all Icecarls and becomes a War Chief and is to lead them on the mission to take over the castle and forever secure the veil.

While Milla is sorting out her army Tal and Crow set out on a mission to protect the veil. However betrayal by both boys lead to tragedy. This was as excepted another great book by Garth Nix. I highly recommend it!

This was an adventurous book. I really liked the part when they were trying to get to the red keystone. This book really kept my interest. I think you would like it also. I'm looking forward to reading the next one Into Battle.

As usual, Nix writes another great book. As a book from the Seventh Tower books, it follows the characters Tal and Milla throught their adventure to... to... well, the main goal is pretty vague, but Milla plans to become a Shield Madien, though in the last book, her dream was shatterd by taking a spiritshadow in the shape of a stormshepard (don't ask...) from the world of Aenir. So basically in this book, her goal was to report to the mother crone and then giver herself to the ice.

Tal's plan, as always is to restore his family. Rescue his brother, cure his mother, rescue his father, and protect his sister, though he never seems to do any of these things because he's caught up in a battle between Aenir and the world he and Milla grew up in, away from the sun, below the veil.

Another complication (as if they didn't already have enough): A band of humans who don't believe themselves as underfolk, but as Freefolk (has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?) give them troubles along the way to find Tal's uncle Ebbitt.

Yet another fact I forgot to mention: "Sunmaster" Sushin (basically the guy who is ready to make Tal's life horrid, as well as his family's) who doesn't seem quite... how should I say this?... human... Sad to say, he holds so much power throughout the towers.

Well, Milla escapes from the castle while Tal is climbing the tower with Crow (a freefolk). Along the way, Milla kills a Sheild Madien who tries to kill Milla because of her spiritshadow and that Sheild Madien just happens to be the Sheild Mother (Milla's absolute rolemodel)... who knows what will happen? All I can say is this: Don't ever, ever, ever read this book without reading the first several. It gets too confusing (as if I haven't confused you enough already), believe me.

this book is so good I can say one thing about it:Spectacular