Product Description Strange things begin happening after Arthur Pengaligon dreams of a strange figure who hands him a key shaped like a minute hand. A winged man-dog tries to invade his house. A sleeping sickness falls over the city. And then there's the weird new house that only Arthur can see. . . Before long, Arthur realizes he's stumbled into a strange new universe of moving staircases and gigantic clocks – and it's up to him to set things right in a literal race against time.Full of adventure and mystery, Mister Monday is the first book of seven in the Keys to the Kingdom series. About the Author Garth Nix was born in 1963 in Melbourne, Australia. After graduating from the University of Canberra, he worked in a bookshop, then as a book publicist, a publisher's sales representative, and an editor. Along the way, he was also a part-time soldier in the Australian Army Reserve. Nix left publishing to work as a public relations and marketing consultant for three years before becoming a full-time writer in 1998. He currently lives in a beach suburb of Sydney, with his wife Anna, a publisher. From AudioFile In a fantastic realm discovered by an otherwise unadventurous boy, the clock and calendar take on new identities. The young hero encounters an astonishing definition of reality--including ethereal moving staircases, disposable wings, and words that literally come to life--as he struggles to return to the mortal world. Reader Allan Corduner does justice to the impressively wide range of implausible characters yet somehow leaves room for the listener's imagination. His characterizations are subtly crafted, and he doesn't prematurely reveal which strange creatures are friend or foe. The boy's simultaneous terror and bravery are plausible. Corduner's vocal flexibility is the key to this enjoyable audiobook. N.M.C. © AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine