The Fall (Nix novel) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
The Fall

The Fall book cover
Author	Garth Nix
Illustrator	Steve Rawlings
Cover artist	Madalina Stefan
Country	Australian
Language	English
Series	The Seventh Tower
Genre	Fantasy novel
Publisher	Scholastic
Publication date	17 June 2000
Media type	Print (paperback)
Pages	195 (US)
ISBN	0-439-17682-4
OCLC	44189031
LC Class	CPB Box no. 1858 vol. 13
Followed by	Castle

The Fall is the first book in Garth Nix's exciting The Seventh Tower series. It was published in 2000 by Scholastic. This fantasy novel tells the story of a boy named Tal. He lives in a world that is always dark, inside a giant Castle with seven tall towers. The book's cover art was created by Madalina Stefan and Steve Rawlings.

Tal's Dangerous Climb

The story begins with Tal, a young boy from the group called the Chosen. He is climbing the Red Tower with his shadowguard. His goal is to steal a special object called a Sunstone.

As he gets close to the top, just below a mysterious barrier known as the Veil, Tal hears a scream. He first thinks he's been caught, but then realizes the cry came from his little brother. His brother had secretly followed him and was caught by a Spiritshadow.

Tal knows it's too risky to go back down to help. So, he continues his climb over the Veil. Once he reaches the top, he meets a Spiritshadow that doesn't have a master. This creature calls itself the 'Keeper'. After a short fight, the Keeper pushes Tal, sending him falling off the Red Tower!

Before the Fall: Tal's Quest

Before his dangerous climb, Tal faced many challenges. He had just learned that his father was missing and likely gone forever. His father was the only one in their family who owned a Primary Sunstone.

Tal's mother also had a Primary Sunstone, but its power faded when she became very ill. Without a Sunstone, Tal's family cannot enter the spirit world of Aenir. This is a big problem for two reasons. First, Tal is old enough to get his own Spiritshadow, but he can't without a Sunstone. If he doesn't get one, he will become an Underfolk, a servant in the Castle. Second, Tal believes the cure for his mother's illness might be found in Aenir.

Tal knows he must find a Sunstone. He tries three different ways to get one.

Asking for Help

First, Tal asks his cruel aunts for a Sunstone. They have many, but they refuse to give him one. While asking, Tal meets Shadowmaster Sushin. Sushin, like his aunts, seems to want to make Tal's life harder. Tal is puzzled because he doesn't know Sushin.

The Chosen Competition

Since his aunts won't help, Tal tries his second plan. He decides to win a Sunstone in a competition called the Achievements of Luminosity. He signs up for the "Achievement of Body" category. However, at the last minute, he finds out he was "registered" for the wrong category. His name is on the "Achievement of Music" list instead!

Without a song to play, Tal rushes to find his great-uncle Ebbitt. Ebbitt gives him a piece of music to perform. When Tal enters the contest, he is shocked to see that Sushin is one of the three judges. Tal plays the music very well, but he is given the "Yellow Ray of Failed Ambition." This means the judges thought he tried too hard. He does not win a Sunstone.

A Game with the Empress

Tal's third idea is to ask the Empress of the Castle for a Sunstone. The Empress's guards make a deal with him. Tal must play a game called 'Beastmaker'. If Tal wins, he can enter and speak with the Empress. If he loses, he must give up his own Sunstone.

They play the game, and it looks like Tal is about to win. But then, Sharrakor, who Tal knows as the Empress's Spiritshadow, violently stops the game. The frightened guards force Tal to leave.

A Desperate Plan

With no other way to get a Sunstone, Tal goes to his great-uncle Ebbitt again. Ebbitt gives him a risky piece of advice: steal a Sunstone. He tells Tal to climb the Red Tower, which is the least guarded of the Castle's seven towers. This leads directly into the events of the prologue.