The Absolute Book by Elizabeth Knox is $1.99 on
Amazon.com
Quote:
Taryn Cornick believes that the past--her sister's violent death, and her own ill-conceived revenge--is behind her, and she can get on with her life. She has written a successful book about the things that threaten libraries: insects, damp, light, fire, carelessness and uncaring . . . but not all of the attention it brings her is good.
A policeman, Jacob Berger, questions her about a cold case. Then there are questions about a fire in the library at her grandparents' house and an ancient scroll box known as the Firestarter, as well as threatening phone calls and a mysterious illness. Finally a shadowy young man named Shift appears, forcing Taryn and Jacob toward a reckoning felt in more than one world.
The Absolute Book is epic, action-packed fantasy in which hidden treasures are recovered, wicked things resurface, birds can talk, and dead sisters are a living force. It is a book of journeys and returns, from contemporary England to Auckland, New Zealand; from a magical fairyland to Purgatory. Above all, it is a declaration of love for stories and the ways in which they shape our worlds and create gods out of morals.
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Reviews:
- Matthew Keeley on Tor.com
- Amal El-Mohtar on NY Times (paywall)
- Dan Kois on Slate.com
- Terri Windling on Twitter: "The Absolute Book" is indeed a masterpiece of fantasy literature. I've never read anything quite like it, and I've been reading/editing/writing in this field for a long, long time now.