Sir Thursday

Infobox Book |
name = Sir Thursday
title_orig =
translator =


author = Garth Nix
cover_artist = Sandra Nobes/Hofstede Design (paperback, Allen & Unwin)
country = Australia
language = English
series = Keys to the Kingdom
genre = Young adult
publisher = Scholastic Paperbacks
release_date = March 1 2006
media_type = Print (paperback & hardcover)
pages = 344
isbn = ISBN 0439700876
preceded_by = Drowned Wednesday
followed_by = Lady Friday

"Sir Thursday" is a children's fantasy novel written by Australian author Garth Nix. It is the fourth book in The Keys to the Kingdom series, and was released in March 2006. [cite web|title=Amazon.com Book Details|date=March 1, 2006|url=http://www.amazon.com/Sir-Thursday-Keys-Kingdom-Book/dp/0439700876|accessdate=2008-09-27] Sir Thursday continues from the preceding book, following the adventures of Arthur Penhaligon as he attempts to retrieve the Fourth key of the Kingdom, and claim mastership of The Great Maze.

As with the other books in the series, the theme of 'seven' is prevalent, [cite web|title=The Trades|author=R. J. Carter|date=March 25, 2006|url=http://www.the-trades.com/article.php?id=4170|accessdate=2008-09-27] along with the themes of sin and virtue.Fact|date=September 2008 The book received generally favourable reviews,Fact|date=September 2008 but was criticised for a rushed pace and structural similarity to all the previous books.Fact|date=September 2008

Synopsis

The book begins with Arthur Penhaligon and Leaf attempting to return to Earth after their adventures in the Border Sea. While Leaf is able to pass through the front door and return to Earth, the presence of a double of Arthur prevents him from doing so, and he is forced to remain in the Lower House.

Dame Primus then informs him that, despite being powerful denizens and former trustees of the house, Mister Monday and Grim Tuesday have been assassinated. Moments later he is drafted into the Glorious Army of the Architect - everyone living in the House must serve in the army for 100 years - which is based in the chessboard-like demesne called the Great Maze. The leader of the army is the fourth trustee of the Will - Sir Thursday, a denizen who is afflicted with the deadly sin of wrath. The army is currently involved in a campaign against the Piper, who is also trying to claim the Fourth Key.

Within the army, Arthur is soon mistaken for a Piper's child and washed between the ears (his memory is wiped), and he forgets all details of his previous existence. It is a month later when, during the first battle against the Piper's New Nithing army, Arthur begins to recall his identity. It is later still that he fully remembers who he was and why he was there.

Meanwhile on Earth, Arthur's double - known as the Skinless Boy - has thrown the hospital into a panic by infecting staff and patients with a fungoid, extra-terrestrial life-form, which allows him to read and eventually control their thoughts and actions. The mould is mistaken for a biological weapon, and the hospital put under quarantine. Leaf infiltrates the hospital, seeking to obtain and destroy the magical object used to create the Skinless Boy: a pocket torn from one of Arthur's shirts. She succeeds, but is infected in the process. She then leaves the hospital, only to find that the House has appeared above it and cannot be reached from ground floor. She makes her way to Arthur's house where she uses a special telephone to contact Arthur's friends and get help, just as the mould begins to gain full control of her body.

Fortunately, Suzy Turquoise Blue arrives and takes the pocket to the House. There, she finds Arthur and Fred, and joins them in a raid led by Sir Thursday to find and destroy the New Nithlings' weapon, which is preventing the mechanical floor of the Great Maze from shifting around. Arthur destroys the weapon by throwing the pocket into it, simultaneously destroying the Skinless Boy. As Arthur escaped from the Piper with Sir Thursday, he distracts Thursday enough for the fourth part of the Will - a snake with the virtue of Justice - to break free, whereupon it makes Arthur the Bearer of the Fourth Key - a sword or baton depending on the wielder - and Commander of the Glorious Army of the Architect. With help from Dame Primus who arrives from the lower demesnes, Arthur finally defeats the New Nithling army.

On Earth, Leaf wakes up in a hospital a week after the Skinless Boy was defeated, learning from a nurse that the Grayspot has ceased to exert effect. A Doctor nicknamed 'Dr. Friday' arrives, whereupon the book ends suddenly.

Characters

Major characters

* Arthur Penhaligon – The protagonist of the book, Arthur is a human asthmatic, who was chosen by the Will of the Architect to become the Rightful Heir to the house. He owns the First, Second and Third Keys, but is not in possession of them throughout most of the book. Arthur shows a strong sense of right and wrong,Fact|date=October 2008 as well as a reliance on friends and allies to achieve his goal: the rightful mastery of the entire House.
* Dame Primus – The embodiment of the Will, she consists in "Sir Thursday" of the First, Second and Third parts of the Will. She is portrayed as caring little for others, becoming easily annoyed if they seem to be slowing down the process of restoring the House.
* Sir Thursday – Sir Thursday is the fourth trustee of the Will, and is afflicted with the sin of Wrath. He is a military denizen, and believes in order and control. The Will breaks free from him when Arthur makes him sufficiently angry.
* Leaf – Leaf is one of Arthur's few human friends. She supports him in "Sir Thursday" by retrieving the pocket that supports the existence of the Skinless Boy.
* Suzy Turquoise Blue – Suzy Turquoise Blue is a piper's child, and another friend of Arthur. She also aids him in his adventures, and joins Arthur in the army in order to pass him the pocket.