Lirael is no longer a shy Second Assistant Librarian. She is the Abhorsen-in-Waiting, with dead creatures to battle and Free Magic entities to bind. She's also a Remembrancer, and wielder of the Dark Mirror.
When Lirael finds Nicholas Sayre lying unconscious after being attacked by a hideous Free Magic creature, she uses her powers to save him. But Nicholas is deeply tainted with Free magic and Lirael must seek help for him at her childhood home, the Clayr's Glacier.
But even as she returns to the Clayr, a messenger is trying to reach Lirael with a dire warning from her long-dead mother, Arielle, about the Witch with No Face. But who is the Witch, and what is she planning?
Once more a great danger threatens the Old Kingdom, and it must be forestalled not only in the living world, but also in the cold, remorseless river of Death.
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[In the Sixth Precinct, the inexorable current of the river that flowed through Death slowed almost to a stop]***
(Hot Key Books, 4 October 2016, 432 pages, ebook, bought from @AmazonKindle)
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Oh my, my poor head's in a bit of a tizzy since Goldenhand blew my mind. I've read all of the Abhorsen books, though not for some years so I forgot how much I fricking love them. Goldenhand made me fall in love all over again. My life will be hollow and empty until the next instalment of the series. I need it now Mr Nix. Pretty please? So it's fair to say I loved this book. Two of my favourite characters, Lirael and Nicholas Sayre have leading roles this time around. Yeah! Lirael lost her hand in the last book and it was replaced by a charter-magic hand, the Goldenhand of the title. This has everything you expect from an Abhorsen book; evil, dead creatures wandering around and nefarious schemes. The book contains a revelation right at the end about the true identity of Chlorr which left me reeling with about a million questions. This book is awesome sauce.
