book cover of The Left-Handed Booksellers of London
Added by 221 members
 

The Left-Handed Booksellers of London

(2020)
(The first book in the Left-Handed Booksellers of London series)
A novel by

 
 
A girl's quest to find her father leads her to an extended family of magical fighting booksellers who police the mythical Old World of England when it intrudes on the modern world. From the bestselling master of fantasy, Garth Nix.

In a slightly alternate London in 1983, Susan Arkshaw is looking for her father, a man she has never met. Crime boss Frank Thringley might be able to help her, but Susan doesn't get time to ask Frank any questions before he is turned to dust by the prick of a silver hatpin in the hands of the outrageously attractive Merlin.

Merlin is a young left-handed bookseller (one of the fighting ones), who with the right-handed booksellers (the intellectual ones), are an extended family of magical beings who police the mythic and legendary Old World when it intrudes on the modern world, in addition to running several bookshops.

Susan's search for her father begins with her mother's possibly misremembered or misspelt surnames, a reading room ticket, and a silver cigarette case engraved with something that might be a coat of arms.

Merlin has a quest of his own, to find the Old World entity who used ordinary criminals to kill his mother. As he and his sister, the right-handed bookseller Vivien, tread in the path of a botched or covered-up police investigation from years past, they find this quest strangely overlaps with Susan's. Who or what was her father? Susan, Merlin, and Vivien must find out, as the Old World erupts dangerously into the New.

Praise for Garth Nix

Garth Nix sets the standard for Fantasy (
Leigh Bardugo)

A swashbuckling adventure . . . and the most original magic I've seen in years (
Joe Abercrombie)

Garth Nix is one of the best world-builders in fantasy. (
BRANDON SANDERSON)

Angles are called, and swords are swished and there are jealousies and romances galore in this riotous romp. (
DAILY MAIL on ANGEL MAGE)

An exciting adventure full of intrigue and action while portraying women in power in a refreshingly casual way. (
KIRKUS REVIEW on ANGEL MAGE)

Genre: Fantasy

Praise for this book

"A swashbuckling adventure with lashings of swordplay, dastardly intrigue, and the most original magic I've seen in years." - Joe Abercrombie

"A warm, whimsical delight—The Left-Handed Booksellers of London is a witty, clever adventure in an exquisitely detailed world you will love escaping into." - Veronica Roth

"This is my favorite kind of tale, one where the magic and the real nest together like pages in a book. A delightful read." - V E Schwab


Visitors also looked at these books


Used availability for Garth Nix's The Left-Handed Booksellers of London


About Fantastic Fiction       Information for Authors