My first introduction to Garth Nix was his Abhorsen series. It was so engrossing that I couldn't wait to read more from him. I was really disappointed in this series. It just didn't engage me, and I found myself putting the book down and not picking it up again for days. I tried to give it a fair shot and picked up the second book, but this too fell flat and I abandoned the rest of the series. ( )

Arthur Penhaligon's school year is not off to a good start. On his first day, he suffers an asthma attack while running cross country and dreams that a mysterious figure hands him a key shaped like the minute hand of a clock. However, when he wakes up, he still has the key. That's when strange things begin to happen. Mister Monday dispatches terrifying, dog-faced Fetchers to retrieve it, a bizarre sleeping illness sweeps the city, and only Arthur can see the weird new house that appears in his neighborhood. The seventh grader knows it all has something to do with the key, one of seven elusive fragments of the Will to which he has become heir apparent, and a mysterious atlas. When he ventures inside the house, he meets more strange characters than he could have imagined, none of whom are what they seem. And, of course, he must battle Monday, who will do anything to get the key back.

This is the first book in the keys to the kingdom series. It is about a boy named Arthur who has asthma and is about to die from an asthma attack. Arthur is saved when Mr. Monday is tricked into giving Arthur the Key and making him the heir to the House. The house, Arthur discovers is a place where everything was created even earth, which is known as part of the secondary realms. Since Arthur becomes the heir to the house he must go into the house and retrieve all of the keys in the house from the Trustees. This was a good book. It was a bit slow at first because it had to lay out the plot for the story. It was a corky and funny book and I would recommend it if you are willing to read the rest of the books.
Tom

School Library Journal Review: Gr 5-8 –Arthur Penhaligon's school year is not off to a good start. On his first day, he suffers an asthma attack while running cross country and dreams that a mysterious figure hands him a key shaped like the minute hand of a clock. However, when he wakes up, he still has the key. That's when strange things begin to happen. Mister Monday dispatches terrifying, dog-faced Fetchers to retrieve it, a bizarre sleeping illness sweeps the city, and only Arthur can see the weird new house that appears in his neighborhood. The seventh grader knows it all has something to do with the key, one of seven elusive fragments of the Will to which he has become heir apparent, and a mysterious atlas. When he ventures inside the house, he meets more strange characters than he could have imagined, none of whom are what they seem. And, of course, he must battle Monday, who will do anything to get the key back. With the help of the key, Arthur must fight his way out. The first in a seven part series for middle graders is every bit as exciting and suspenseful as the author's previous young adult novels. Readers will eagerly anticipate the sequels.–Ginny Collier, Dekalb County Public Library, Chamblee, GA --Ginny Collier (Reviewed December 1, 2003) (School Library Journal, vol 49, issue 12, p158)

This book was ok, but when I was done I didn't care enough about the characters or what was going to happen to keep reading the series. It was a very abnormal science fiction book that at times was confusing and at times I considered just quitting the book altogether, but then I'd keep reading to see if it got more exciting. ( )