Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2998026 in Books
• Published on: 2001-10
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: School & Library Binding
• 248 pages

Synopsis
Tal and Milla's search for the truth about their world becomes even more dangerous when they meet Crow and his band of Underfolk rebels, who have discovered many secrets about the Castle, and are about to find the most important one.

Customer Reviews

Above
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.

Yet another great book in a great set
Even tho this set of books is aimed at kids i love them and so do many of my friends as well as my 9 year old neice. Garth nix has found a way of releasing your imagination in these books, there are twists which you dont expect and a story you cant help get into. the charcters have their own personalities and their own back ground which gives to a great story which you cant wait to read. this book expands out from the others in the series as Milla and Tal have to move their own ways to save everything they believe in. In this book Tal and Milla are joined by others on their quest and the story spreads out to take the points of view of others for the events in motion.