Physik (Septimus Heap, #3)

by Angie Sage

Mark Zug (Illustrator)

When Silas Heap unseals a forgotten room in the Palace, he releases the ghost of a Queen who lived five hundred years earlier. Queen Etheldredda is as awful in death as she was in life, and she's still up to no good. Her diabolical plan to give herself ever-lasting life requires Jenna's compliance, Septimus disappearance, and the talents of her son, Marcellus Pye, a famous Alchemist and Physician. And if Queen Etheldredda's plot involves Jenna and Septimus, then dark adventure awaits. With heart-stopping action and endless wit, Angie Sage continues the fantastical journey of "Septimus Heap".

• ISBN10: 0060577398
• ISBN13: 9780060577391
• Publish Date: 11 March 2008 (first published 27 March 2007)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: HarperCollins Publishers
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 576
• Language: English

Reviews

[Katie King]

I really tried to enjoy this.

This is, after all, the book that led me to abandon this series so many years ago. Now I can say I've finally made it through it!

But it was SUCH a struggle. I almost didn't finish it.

I didn't really care about Marcellus or Etheldredda. She didn't even seem all that threatening or scary. I think it's hard to write for this audience while keeping the attention of older readers. Sure, it's not written specifically for older readers such as myself, but I'd like to pretend I could still enjoy the series. I think it's losing me, though.

There is some kind of emotional disconnect between all the Heap siblings. Outside of a few, none of them seem to care about any of the others. Some kids are conveniently missing from the story. Pivotal events from previous stories (like uh, the princess was kidnapped??) aren't even addressed, nobody thinks about them...it's like they didn't happen. Nobody even mentions Simon being evil anymore. The parents don't even hardly notice Septimus and oh, 3 or so of their other kids are MISSING IN ANOTHER TIME until they've al,let come back. There's no seamless transition from book to book anymore, just rigidly segmented different stories. Hmmm.

Might have to take a break before the next one.