by Angie Sage
First published 2011
A Darke Domaine swallows the Castle whole. Alther Mella has been cast out through Banishment. A Darke dragon roams free, threatening everything Septimus Heap holds dear. The young wizard faces his greatest challenge yet as darkness spreads toward the Wizard Tower. Septimus must do the unthinkable. He must enter the Darke itself to save his world. The mission demands more than his magical training can provide. Jenna stands ready to help, along with the banished Alther Mella and the enigmatic Marcellus Pye. Even Simon Heap, Septimus's estranged brother, joins the desperate fight. Together with Marcia Overstrand, they battle the creeping Darkenesse that threatens to consume everything. Septimus discovers that victory requires understanding a fundamental truth about Magyk. All things belong to a living whole. His world's survival depends on whether he can master this wisdom before the darkness wins.
Genres: adventure, fantasy, young-adult, dark-fantasy
Vibes: dark, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: chosen-one, found-family
Setting: Castle, Wizard Tower
Period: Darke Domaine
641 pages · Hardcover · HarperCollins