This is a collection of thirteen short stories by Garth Nix, an an author very popular in playgrounds up and down the land. I like Garth Nix. He tells a great story and writes utterly without pretension, using an interesting blend of reality and magic to make a fantasy world that has its roots very much in our own experience. His books are direct, strong on narrative and tension and never descend into the turgid, self-indulgent ramblings that scar so many fantasy novels. Better still, his protagonists are always believable, well-rounded characters.