Garth Nix is an Australian children's author who has produced a number of lauded fantasy series. His work is marked by a distinctive style, with vividly realized characters who have very real fears and aspirations. Nix's books run the gamut from books designed for young adults to a series of board books for very young children known as The Very Clever Baby. Many bookstores in English-speaking nations around the world carry the work of Garth Nix, and others are typically happy to order them.
Nix was born in 1963 in Australia; he claims that his birth was unremarkable, except for the presence of a Salvation Army brass band outside the window. In 1986, he took a degree in professional writing from the University of Canberra, and Garth Nix has worked in some aspect of the publishing industry ever since, wearing a variety of hats from bookseller to writer. In 2002, after experiencing some success as a writer, Nix decided to become a full-time writer.
The work of Garth Nix has won numerous awards, both in his native Australia and abroad. His works include the Old Kingdom Series, which is known as the Abhorsen series in the United States, along with the Seventh Tower Series and the Keys to the Kingdom Series. He has also written a number of standalone books, such as Shade's Children (1997), along with companion guides to his popular fantasy series.
In addition to his time in publishing, Garth Nix also spent time in the Australian Army Reserves, serving in an Assault Pioneer Platoon. He also found time to marry and produce two sons, living with his wife and children in Sydney, Australia. His extensive experience in the publishing field no doubt helped to propel the fame of his books, although one could also argue that they appear to be withstanding the test of time.
His most famous series is probably the Old Kingdom series, which includes books like Sabriel (1995), Lirael (2001), and Abhorsen (2003). The books deal with very adult themes like death and love, with a rich cast of complex characters which have left many readers clamoring for more in the series. The Old Kingdom is also a complex and intriguing fantasy world, in which a world of magic users exists alongside a more mundane world which resembles early 20th century England.
