120,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock πŸ‡³πŸ‡Ώ

🌸 Our Spring Sale is here! Save on Books, Toys, & Puzzles! With overnight NZ-wide delivery πŸŽ‰

The Severed Land

By Maurice Gee
0.0 (0 reviews)
3.55 goodreads logo

Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.

Check link for latest rating. ( 173 ratings, 36 reviews)
Brief Description
"A masterclass in plotting and elegant writing with turns of phrase that are genius" - Napier Courier The Severed Land by Maurice Gee is a gripping, page-turning fantasy adventure that immerses readers in a perilous quest through a divided world. The story begins high in the... Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$2200
AVAILABLE WITH SUPPLIER Ships from our Auckland warehouse within 4-6 weeks

Found a better price? Request a price match

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

"A masterclass in plotting and elegant writing with turns of phrase that are genius" - Napier Courier

The Severed Land by Maurice Gee is a gripping, page-turning fantasy adventure that immerses readers in a perilous quest through a divided world. The story begins high in the branches of a towering tree, where a young girl named Fliss watches as soldiers relentlessly attempt to breach an invisible wall separating their land. The wall's magic holds strong, but amid the chaos, a drummer boy makes a desperate bid for freedom. Just as he is about to be shot, Fliss bravely reaches through the wall and pulls him to safety.

However, Fliss's act of heroism does not bring the satisfaction she expected. Instead of a fellow wanderer, she finds herself rescuing an overfed rich boy. Her dismay intensifies when she learns she must aid him on a vital mission that requires journeying back through the treacherous wall to rescue a figure known only as the Nightingale.

The journey that follows is fraught with danger. Fliss and the drummer boy must navigate a world teeming with predatory thieves, ruthless slave masters, cunning beggars, sneaky pickpockets, and the enigmatic wall-men. This land is also riddled with hidden threats posed by ruling families locked in a lethal struggle for power. Amongst this turmoil, trust becomes an invaluable yet scarce commodity. Will Fliss be able to overcome her disdain for the spoiled boy? Can they forge an alliance built on mutual respect and necessity?

A vivid tapestry of richly drawn characters and settings awaits readers of The Severed Land. Maurice Gee's storytelling prowess shines through with every twist and turn, keeping readers on the edge of their seats. Who is the Nightingale, and why are they so important? The truth unfolds in a breath-taking adventure that will captivate the imagination and question the very nature of bravery and loyalty.

Embark on this extraordinary journey with Fliss and the drummer boy and discover whether they will make it back alive. Each page of The Severed Land promises suspense, excitement, and the elegance of masterful storytelling.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780143770244

Publisher: Penguin Group (NZ)

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 30 January 2017

Country: New Zealand

Imprint: Penguin Books (NZ)

Audience: Children

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 19.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 196.0mm

Weight: 174g

Pages: 192

Collections

Children's Books Children's Fiction Children’s, Teenage and Educational Maurice Gee New Zealand and Australia Published New Zealand Children's Books New Zealand Published Penguin Books Young Adult

About the Author

Maurice Gee has long been considered one of New Zealand's finest writers. He has written more than thirty books for adults and young adults and has won numerous literary awards, including the UK's James Tait Black Memorial Prize for fiction, the Wattie Award, the Deutz Medal for Fiction, the New Zealand Fiction Award and the New Zealand Children's Book of the Year Award. In 2003 he received an inaugural New Zealand Icon Award and in 2004 he received a Prime Minister's Award for Literary Achievement. Maurice Gee's novels include The Plumb Trilogy, Going West, Prowlers, Live Bodies and The Scornful Moon. He has also written a number of much-loved children's novels, including Under the Mountain, The O Trilogy and The Salt Trilogy. Maurice lives in Nelson, in New Zealand's South Island, with his wife Margareta, and has two daughters and a son.

Also by Maurice Gee

View all
  • Under the Mountain
    Theo and Rachel Matheson, spirited and adventurous eleven-year-old twins, head to Auckland expecting an ordinary fortnight's holiday with their uncle and aunt. Little do they know that their adventure will be anything but ordinary. Upon arrival, they encounter their peculiar neighbours who show a troubling interest in the redheaded siblings. This curiosity is further amplified when the twins meet the...
    By Maurice Gee
    Paperback
    $1900
    Elsewhere:
    $2200
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Halfmen Of O
    Susan had always been a bit odd, never quite fitting in and often puzzling those around her, especially her cousin Nick. However, their worlds are turned upside down when a mysterious mark appears on Susan's wrist, drawing them together into an unimaginable adventure. Despite their differences, the two cousins find themselves summoned to the magical and perilous land of O,...
    By Maurice Gee
    Paperback
    $2000
    Elsewhere:
    $2200
    Backorder
    Ships mid September
  • Plumb
    This classic has been released in the Popular Penguin format to mark 50 years of publishing in New Zealand. The format reaches further back to 1935, when Allen Lane founded Penguin Books with a clear vision: 'We believed in the existence of a vast reading public for intelligent books at a low price, and staked everything on it.' Regarded as...
    By Maurice Gee
    Paperback
    $1500
    Elsewhere:
    $1599
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Fire-Raiser
    He let the matchstick burn, knowing the power in his hand... flame filled the inside of his head. It ran along his arteries. It licked around his bones. Kitty Wix is knocked over as a strange loping figure is seen fleeing the burning stables. But who is the fire-raiser and why is he creating such terror? Kitty has her own...
    By Maurice Gee
    Paperback
    $2200
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Pre-order
    Plumb
    Maurice Gee's signature novel bound in a beautifully crafted, clothbound hardback edition for the Penguin Modern Aotearoa Classics series A stunning foil-stamped hardback cover makes this edition of Maurice Gee's classic novel a must have for any serious collector's library. Long regarded as one of the finest novels ever written by a New Zealander, and introducing one of its most...
    By Maurice Gee
    Hardback
    $3299
    Elsewhere:
    $4000
    Pre-order
    Out 20 Oct 2026
  • Motherstone: The O Trilogy Volume 3
    In the riveting conclusion to Maurice Gee's acclaimed O Trilogy, Motherstone: The O Trilogy Volume 3 plunges readers back into the enchanting yet perilous world of O. For siblings Susan and Nick, it seems their tumultuous adventure has reached its end as they prepare to leave the mystical realm and return to Earth. However, their journey is far from over....
    By Maurice Gee
    Paperback
    Sold Out
  • Creeks and Kitchens
    Widely regarded as one of New Zealand's greatest fiction writers, Maurice Gee has written virtually no non-fiction. The exceptions are the two exquisite childhood reminiscences combined here into a memoir. Gee's description of childhood and family life in West Auckland offers illuminating insights into some of the creative forces that have driven his writing.
    By Maurice Gee
    Paperback
    Sold Out
  • Live Bodies
    As a young man in Vienna in the 1930s, Josef Mandl was a member of underground left-wing groups battling the Nazis. In New Zealand during the Second World War, Mandl is judged a communist agitator and interned on Somes Island along with several other Germans and Italians. Josef makes two unsuccessful attempts to escape, and in the process discovers Wellington...
    By Maurice Gee
    Paperback
    Sold Out
  • Blindsight
    Widely acclaimed when first published, Maurice Gee's Blindsight is now regarded as one of the master's finest novels and one of the best novels published in New Zealand in the past couple of decades. Reviewer Dennis Welch suggests it may be Gee's best work of fiction since the highly regarded Plumb. Gee's complex but knowing portrait of siblings who were...
    By Maurice Gee
    Paperback
    Sold Out
  • Scornful Moon
    A reprint of Maurice Gee's latest novel about politics and personal secrets. It is set in 1930s Wellington. Joint runner-up of the Deutz Medal for Fiction at the 2004 Montana Book Awards. Wellington, 1935. James Tinling, a former cabinet minister, plans a political comeback, although a brash newcomer stands in his way. James has methods of dealing with people who...
    By Maurice Gee
    Paperback
    Sold Out
  • Crime Story
    Worlds separate Brent Rosser from Ulla Peet, but a burglary gone wrong brings them into a confrontation that will change their livesβ€”and end one of them, or perhaps both. There are many crimes in this chilling novelβ€”brutal murder, corporate fraud, domestic violence, and spiritual bankruptcy. Through the chance meetings of the Peet and Rosser families, Crime Story asks questions about...
    By Maurice Gee
    Paperback
    Sold Out
  • The Champion
    What do you answer when people say, 'Who was the most important person you've ever known?'... It was Jackson Coop. He changed my life - Jackson and the things that happened in those two weeks. It is summer 1943 in a small New Zealand town, and a wounded American soldier is coming to stay with 12-year-old Rex and his family....
    By Maurice Gee
    Paperback
    Sold Out

More from Children's Books

View all
  • New Release
    The Neverfear
    A world of richly-imagined wonder Cressida Cowell It’s the Midsummer Feast on the Islet of Glimt and on this magical moonlit evening, the word on everyone’s lips is bandits. Reports of masked men burning villages are spreading throughout the Archipelago, but worse is still to come: Christopher and Anya are ambushed and one of the people they love most is...
    By Katherine Rundell
    Paperback
    $1999
    Elsewhere:
    $2299
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Matihe! Achoo! Matihe! Achoo!
    New Release
    Matihe! Achoo!
    What happens when a grumpy tupua has to sneeze? Matihe! Achoo! is a bilingual story about the tupua Mataoho and his connection to the volcanoes of Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland. It comes with an action song to engage young readers! He pūrākau e pā ana ki a Mataoho me ngā puia o Takamaki Makaurau. He tupua pukukino a Mataoho e noho...
    By Qiane Matata-Sipu
    Paperback
    $1899
    Elsewhere:
    $2100
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Pocket Observology
    New Release
    Pocket Observology
    Pocket Observology is a practical field guide designed for those who love to explore and understand the natural world around them. Slip this guide out of your pocket to identify, measure, compare, or find clues to the things you encounter every day in nature. This pocket guide is a useful tool and a fun reminder of how to engage with...
    By Giselle Clarkson
    Paperback
    $2399
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Minecraft Annual 2027
    New Release
    Minecraft Annual 2027
    The official Minecraft Annual 2027, full of updates, builds, activities, and more! Discover all there is to know about the past year of Minecraft in this exciting annual. Stuffed to the brim with updates, activities, step-by-step builds, and tips and tricks for the game, this book is a must-have for any minecrafter. This year’s annual includes: Mob guides on happy...
    By Mojang AB
    Hardback
    $1999
    Elsewhere:
    $2499
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    Giant Heart
    Meet Jonah Lomu, one of the greatest All Blacks of all time. His speed and strength on the rugby field made him famous around the world, and his fun and generous personality made him beloved, but all the while he faced a big battle with his health. β€œ[David Hill’s] stories are wonderful, full of action and are always teaching the...
    By David Hill
    Hardback
    $1999
    Elsewhere:
    $2500
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Protector of Beyond 1
    New Release
    Lizzy's Pick Lizzy's Pick
    Protector of Beyond 1
    Experience fierce magical creatures, perilous trials, and a heroine to root for in this 1st instalment in a new blockbuster fantasy series. The moment you enter the Arbiter, your fate is sealed. If you spark, you fight! And 12-year-old Elder Triss produces a spark like no other. Transported to the mysterious Beyond, Elder has no choice but to train for...
    By Shara Curlett
    Paperback
    $2199
    Elsewhere:
    $2400
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    Animalia 40th Anniversary Edition
    A beautiful, foiled collector's edition to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Graeme Base's classic and bestselling Australian picture book, Animalia. Embark on a fantastical alphabetic adventure where each turn of the page unveils a rich tapestry of intricate illustrations tied to a unique letter of the alphabet. More than 5 million copies sold worldwide Children's Book Council of Australia (CBCA)...
    By Graeme Base
    Hardback
    $2999
    Elsewhere:
    $3500
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Little Kiwi Builder
    New Release
    The Little Kiwi Builder
    Oh no, the little kiwi builder's house is falling down! His screws have all come loose - what can he do? When the brickie, the plumber, the roofer, the sparky and the painter all come to help, it's looking good! Until, that night ... uh-oh! Perfect for: Anyone who likes fun and silly rhyming stories Reading aloud with little ones...
    By Tim Saunders
    Paperback
    $1899
    Elsewhere:
    $2199
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • You Choose Party Time You Choose Party Time
    New Release
    You Choose Party Time
    It's time to celebrate - Party Time is a brand new You Choose adventure! It's Party Time and you choose what happens! What kind of party will it be? Who will you invite? Which cake would you like to eat? Will you dance to a steel pan band or bagpipes? The possibilities are endless in this magical storytelling toolkit which...
    By Pippa Goodhart
    Hardback
    $2599
    Elsewhere:
    $3400
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    When Nature Calls (Duck #2)
    New in 2026, the latest story from Duck, the quirky new children's series by million-copy bestselling author Matt Stanton. Do you ever wonder what animals think about humans? Do they feel they could do a better job running things? Would they ever try and take over? Duck, Mouse and Dog are alarmed that the adults in Redhill are being brainwashed...
    By Matt Stanton
    Paperback
    $1700
    Elsewhere:
    $1999
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    The Case of the Viral Video: Violet and the Velvets 3
    Violet and the Velvets can hardly believe they've come so far in the BandChamps competition with only hard work, a smidge of talent, and a whole lot of thinking outside the box. This time, they get to record their new song in a proper recording studio and star in their very own music video! But Violet is letting her perfectionism...
    By Rachael King
    Paperback
    $1600
    Elsewhere:
    $1899
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    Royalslinger
    K Pop Demon Hunters fans will love this! Graci Kim is back with the second book in her exciting and fantastical Slinger series where dragons and phoenixes roam the skies of Seoul; meals magically appear based on your mood; and dreams literally come to life. Praise forΒ Dreamslinger: β€œA mind-blowingly original fantasy adventureβ€”Graci Kim has done it again!”—Rick Riordan,Β New York TimesΒ #1...
    By Graci Kim
    Paperback
    $1999
    Elsewhere:
    $2400
    In Stock
    Ships today

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.

Children's Books lists from the team

Explore our curated lists from our heroes to find your next read!

The Latest at Book Hero

View all