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Abhorsen #1-3
Sabriel / Lirael / Abhorsen
One warrior - to stand against all the dead. Untried and untested, can Sabriel find the power to guard the living when the Dead arise? As a child, Sabriel is sent across the Wall to the safety of a school in Ancelstierre. Away from the Old Kingdom's wild magic; away from the Dead. Then, on the edge of death, Sabriel's father, Abhorson, sends for her - and an 18-year-old Sabriel returns across the Wall. Now it is up to Sabriel to take on her father's role, laying the disturbed Dead back to rest with the help of seven powerful bells. But the evil which lies buried in the depths of the Old Kingdom will demand every drop of Sabriel's power - and cast a shadow far into the future, which Sabriel alone cannot dispel.
Paperback
First published March 1, 2003
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About the author
Garth Nix
228 books14.9k followersGarth Nix was born in 1963 in Melbourne, Australia, to the sound of the Salvation Army band outside playing 'Hail the Conquering Hero Comes' or possibly 'Roll Out the Barrel'. Garth left Melbourne at an early age for Canberra (the federal capital) and stayed there till he was nineteen, when he left to drive around the UK in a beat-up Austin with a boot full of books and a Silver-Reed typewriter.
Despite a wheel literally falling off the Austin, Garth survived to return to Australia and study at the University of Canberra. After finishing his degree in 1986 he worked in a bookshop, then as a book publicist, a publisher's sales representative, and editor. Along the way he was also a part-time soldier in the Australian Army Reserve, serving in an Assault Pioneer platoon for four years. Garth left publishing to work as a public relations and marketing consultant from 1994-1997, till he became a full-time writer in 1998. He did that for a year before joining Curtis Brown Australia as a part-time literary agent in 1999. In January 2002 Garth went back to dedicated writer again, despite his belief that full-time writing explains the strange behaviour of many authors.
He now lives in Sydney with his wife, two sons and lots of books.
Despite a wheel literally falling off the Austin, Garth survived to return to Australia and study at the University of Canberra. After finishing his degree in 1986 he worked in a bookshop, then as a book publicist, a publisher's sales representative, and editor. Along the way he was also a part-time soldier in the Australian Army Reserve, serving in an Assault Pioneer platoon for four years. Garth left publishing to work as a public relations and marketing consultant from 1994-1997, till he became a full-time writer in 1998. He did that for a year before joining Curtis Brown Australia as a part-time literary agent in 1999. In January 2002 Garth went back to dedicated writer again, despite his belief that full-time writing explains the strange behaviour of many authors.
He now lives in Sydney with his wife, two sons and lots of books.
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December 27, 2010
Yeah.! This was an amazing read. If you like Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials (which I did), then you definitely have to grab a copy of these precioussssss piecesss. Anyway, As I was trying to check his website for an update of Clariel: The Lost Abhorsen the fourth book in the series.. I found this instead.. Really funny Nix! Really Funny. I still do not know how to create some really cute links here, so I just copied the whole article and pasted it. EnjoY!
MY NEW REALLY EPIC FANTASY SERIES
by Garth Nix
This is a variation on a talk I gave at Aussiecon Three and at Swancon 2000. While I'm better known for writing quite dark fantasy, I do like to let the lighter side of my writing brain take over once in a while . . .
I'm going to read the prologue from my new 47 book epic fantasy series which is currently titled THE GARBELIAD. The titles of the individual books include:
Book One A Time of Wheels
Book Two A Throne of Games
Book Three The Dragon Who Died Young
Book Four The Sorcerer's Thirty-Seven Apprentices
Book Five The Witch Wardrobe of Lyon
Book Six The Dark is Falling
Book Seven The Seventh Book
Book Eight The Return of the Mistakenly Purchased King
To tell the truth I'm not entirely sure about the other 40 books yet, though I'm toying with 'The Book Whose Title Must Not Be Spoken' for Book 26. You know, to keep the series sort of atmospheric and spooky.
Anyway, I decided that before I write this series I'd analyse the components of successful epic fantasy. Like when to have the ultimate evil first be mentioned and so on -- should it be page 42 or page 67? And one thing I discovered pretty early on is that you need to have a prologue and preferably a prophecy as well. A birds-eye view of something is a bonus and you can add that in if you like, but it's not essential.
So this is the prologue and prophecy from the first book of my new 58 book series -I just decided I'd need another eleven books to do it properly, 42 isn't enough.
Prologue
From the Secret Ledger of the Accountant
High above the dusty plains, an eagle whose wings stretched from side to side, soared and soared and . . . soared. Its eagle-eyes focused on the ground below, seeking out tasty vihar-vihar-rabbits.
Then a glitter caught its eye. Not the glitter of dull vihar-vihar-rabbits. No, this was metal, not fur.
The eagle folded the wings that went from side to side and dropped like an eagle that has stopped flying. Down and down and down it plummeted, until two hundred and three feet and seven inches above the ground its wings snapped out. The eagle stopped in mid-air.
When it recovered from the shock of stopping so suddenly, the great bird of prey, the raptor of the skies, the lord of the birds, saw that the glitter came from a metal badge. A metal badge that was fastened to a brim. The brim of a hat. A hat that was on a head. A head that was connected to a body. The body of a man, who was a traveller. This was not a vihar-vihar-rabbit. This was not food. Still, the eagle circled in a soaring sort of way, watching and listening. For this eagle had not always been an eagle. It had once been an egg. But even so, it had the gift of tongues and could understand human speech. It could speak it too, though badly. It had a stutter because its beak was bent.
This is what the eagle heard, when the man with the metal badge on the brim of his hat began to speak to the other men who didn't have metal badges and thus didn't glitter in a way that attracted the attention of eagles that soar.
WHAT THE MAN WITH THE METAL BADGE ON THE BRIM OF HIS HAT SAID
Gather round, unpleasant acquaintances, and partly listen to a tale of our knuckle-dragging forebears and the battles they ran away from. Our recorded history goes back some three weeks to the time that Sogren the Extremely Drunk burnt down the Museum. But I remember tales older still . . . going back almost ten years, to the time when Amoss the Stupidly Generous gave the Midwinter Party with the ice-skating accident.
Know that this is a story before even that - back to the almost legendary but still quite believable times of twenty years ago. The time when rumour reached the Lower Kingdoms of a new, dark power growing without aid of fertiliser in the north. The name of the Overlord was spoken softly for the first time in secret and troubled councils. In many dark corners, lips whispered it, and then trembled with the effort of not laughing.
For the Overlord's name was 'Cecil' and he was known to have a lisp. Naturally enough, he preferred to be referred to as 'Overlord', and whenever his agents heard his true name spoken, dire retribution would swiftly follow. No one was safe. The merest innocent mention of the word 'Cecil' would result in hideous and usually magical destruction of everyone within hearing distance.
Within days of the first outbreak, the town of Cecil was completely vaporised, and poor unfortunates who had been baptised Cecil were forced to change their names to 'Ardraven' or 'Belochnazar' or other wimpish monikers lacking the macho virility of their own true names.
How is it that I dare to mention the word 'Cecil' to you now? I have this amulet, which magically erases the word 'Cecil' from the minds of listeners after ten minutes have passed. Instead, you will remember a conversation littered with small chiming sounds where the word 'Cecil' has been erased.
But I digress. Where was I? Yes. Frantic messages from the Dwarves went unanswered as their messenger service took so long to walk over the mountains that they weren't actually received until three years after the dire warnings they contained were sent. In any case, Falanor and Eminholme were unprepared to send men to war. Instead, they offered a troop of armoured monkeys and the entire population of a reform school for small children.
This elite force went into the mountains and never returned alive. However, they did come back dead, even more horrible than before and in the service of Cecil . . . I mean the Overlord.
Shocked, the kingdoms ordered a massive mobilisation and the kings had extra horses harnessed to their personal escape chariots. Yet, even as they extracted the most valuable items from their treasuries, many feared it would be too late.
The forces of Cecil were on the march. Slowly, it is true, for dead Dwarves march even slower than live ones. Yet it became clear to the minds of the Wise that within the next seventeen years, something must be done.
But it seemed that there was no power in the South that could resist the Overlord. For he was the mightiest sorcerer in his age bracket, the winner of all the gold medals in the Games of the Seventeenth Magiad. He was also a champion shotputter, who practiced with the skulls of his enemies filled with lead. And his teams of goblin synchronised swimmers could cross any moat, could emerge at any time in private swimming pools or even infiltrate via the drains, dressed in clown suits. No one was safe.
It was then that the Wise remembered the words written on the silver salad bowl they had been using for official luncheons the last hundred years. It was brought from the kitchens, and despite the scratches and dents from serving utensils, the Wise could still make out the runes that said, 'Sibyl Prophecy Plate. Made in Swychborgen-orgen-sorgen-lorgen exclusively for aeki.'
The other side appeared completely blank. But when olive oil was drizzled upon it, strange runes appeared around the rim. Slowly, letter by letter, the Wise began to spell it out.
'A s-a-i-l-o-r w-e-n-t t-o s-e-a s-e-a s-e-a t-o s-e-e w-h-a-t h-e c-o-u-l-d s-e-e s-e-e s-e-e.'
Days went by, then weeks, then months, as you would expect. If it was the other way around it would be a sign that the Overlord had already triumphed. Finally the Wise puzzled out the entire prophecy.
A sailor went to sea sea sea to see what he could see see see
But all that he could see see see
Was the bottom of the deep blue sea sea sea
The meaning of this prophecy was immediately clear to the Wise. They knew that somewhere in the Lower Kingdoms, a boy would be born, a sailor who would use the power of the sea to defeat the Overlord. A boy with eyes as black as the bottom of the deep blue sea. A boy who might even have vestigial gills and some scales or maybe a sort of fin along his back.
But the Wise also knew that the Overlord would know the prophecy too, for his spies were everywhere, particularly amongst the waiters at the Wise Club. They knew that he knew that they knew that he knew.
They all knew that the Wise must find the boy with the power of the sea at his command first, and take him somewhere where he could grow up with no knowledge of his powers or his destiny. They must find him before the Overlord did, for he would try and turn the boy to the powers of darkness.
But who was the boy? Where was the boy? Was there a second salad bowl, a second verse to the prophecy, long lost to the Wise but known to an aged crone in the forest of Haz-chyllen-boken-woken, close by the sea, where a small boy with eyes the colour of dark mud swam with the dolphins?
Yes, there was.
MY NEW REALLY EPIC FANTASY SERIES
by Garth Nix
This is a variation on a talk I gave at Aussiecon Three and at Swancon 2000. While I'm better known for writing quite dark fantasy, I do like to let the lighter side of my writing brain take over once in a while . . .
I'm going to read the prologue from my new 47 book epic fantasy series which is currently titled THE GARBELIAD. The titles of the individual books include:
Book One A Time of Wheels
Book Two A Throne of Games
Book Three The Dragon Who Died Young
Book Four The Sorcerer's Thirty-Seven Apprentices
Book Five The Witch Wardrobe of Lyon
Book Six The Dark is Falling
Book Seven The Seventh Book
Book Eight The Return of the Mistakenly Purchased King
To tell the truth I'm not entirely sure about the other 40 books yet, though I'm toying with 'The Book Whose Title Must Not Be Spoken' for Book 26. You know, to keep the series sort of atmospheric and spooky.
Anyway, I decided that before I write this series I'd analyse the components of successful epic fantasy. Like when to have the ultimate evil first be mentioned and so on -- should it be page 42 or page 67? And one thing I discovered pretty early on is that you need to have a prologue and preferably a prophecy as well. A birds-eye view of something is a bonus and you can add that in if you like, but it's not essential.
So this is the prologue and prophecy from the first book of my new 58 book series -I just decided I'd need another eleven books to do it properly, 42 isn't enough.
Prologue
From the Secret Ledger of the Accountant
High above the dusty plains, an eagle whose wings stretched from side to side, soared and soared and . . . soared. Its eagle-eyes focused on the ground below, seeking out tasty vihar-vihar-rabbits.
Then a glitter caught its eye. Not the glitter of dull vihar-vihar-rabbits. No, this was metal, not fur.
The eagle folded the wings that went from side to side and dropped like an eagle that has stopped flying. Down and down and down it plummeted, until two hundred and three feet and seven inches above the ground its wings snapped out. The eagle stopped in mid-air.
When it recovered from the shock of stopping so suddenly, the great bird of prey, the raptor of the skies, the lord of the birds, saw that the glitter came from a metal badge. A metal badge that was fastened to a brim. The brim of a hat. A hat that was on a head. A head that was connected to a body. The body of a man, who was a traveller. This was not a vihar-vihar-rabbit. This was not food. Still, the eagle circled in a soaring sort of way, watching and listening. For this eagle had not always been an eagle. It had once been an egg. But even so, it had the gift of tongues and could understand human speech. It could speak it too, though badly. It had a stutter because its beak was bent.
This is what the eagle heard, when the man with the metal badge on the brim of his hat began to speak to the other men who didn't have metal badges and thus didn't glitter in a way that attracted the attention of eagles that soar.
WHAT THE MAN WITH THE METAL BADGE ON THE BRIM OF HIS HAT SAID
Gather round, unpleasant acquaintances, and partly listen to a tale of our knuckle-dragging forebears and the battles they ran away from. Our recorded history goes back some three weeks to the time that Sogren the Extremely Drunk burnt down the Museum. But I remember tales older still . . . going back almost ten years, to the time when Amoss the Stupidly Generous gave the Midwinter Party with the ice-skating accident.
Know that this is a story before even that - back to the almost legendary but still quite believable times of twenty years ago. The time when rumour reached the Lower Kingdoms of a new, dark power growing without aid of fertiliser in the north. The name of the Overlord was spoken softly for the first time in secret and troubled councils. In many dark corners, lips whispered it, and then trembled with the effort of not laughing.
For the Overlord's name was 'Cecil' and he was known to have a lisp. Naturally enough, he preferred to be referred to as 'Overlord', and whenever his agents heard his true name spoken, dire retribution would swiftly follow. No one was safe. The merest innocent mention of the word 'Cecil' would result in hideous and usually magical destruction of everyone within hearing distance.
Within days of the first outbreak, the town of Cecil was completely vaporised, and poor unfortunates who had been baptised Cecil were forced to change their names to 'Ardraven' or 'Belochnazar' or other wimpish monikers lacking the macho virility of their own true names.
How is it that I dare to mention the word 'Cecil' to you now? I have this amulet, which magically erases the word 'Cecil' from the minds of listeners after ten minutes have passed. Instead, you will remember a conversation littered with small chiming sounds where the word 'Cecil' has been erased.
But I digress. Where was I? Yes. Frantic messages from the Dwarves went unanswered as their messenger service took so long to walk over the mountains that they weren't actually received until three years after the dire warnings they contained were sent. In any case, Falanor and Eminholme were unprepared to send men to war. Instead, they offered a troop of armoured monkeys and the entire population of a reform school for small children.
This elite force went into the mountains and never returned alive. However, they did come back dead, even more horrible than before and in the service of Cecil . . . I mean the Overlord.
Shocked, the kingdoms ordered a massive mobilisation and the kings had extra horses harnessed to their personal escape chariots. Yet, even as they extracted the most valuable items from their treasuries, many feared it would be too late.
The forces of Cecil were on the march. Slowly, it is true, for dead Dwarves march even slower than live ones. Yet it became clear to the minds of the Wise that within the next seventeen years, something must be done.
But it seemed that there was no power in the South that could resist the Overlord. For he was the mightiest sorcerer in his age bracket, the winner of all the gold medals in the Games of the Seventeenth Magiad. He was also a champion shotputter, who practiced with the skulls of his enemies filled with lead. And his teams of goblin synchronised swimmers could cross any moat, could emerge at any time in private swimming pools or even infiltrate via the drains, dressed in clown suits. No one was safe.
It was then that the Wise remembered the words written on the silver salad bowl they had been using for official luncheons the last hundred years. It was brought from the kitchens, and despite the scratches and dents from serving utensils, the Wise could still make out the runes that said, 'Sibyl Prophecy Plate. Made in Swychborgen-orgen-sorgen-lorgen exclusively for aeki.'
The other side appeared completely blank. But when olive oil was drizzled upon it, strange runes appeared around the rim. Slowly, letter by letter, the Wise began to spell it out.
'A s-a-i-l-o-r w-e-n-t t-o s-e-a s-e-a s-e-a t-o s-e-e w-h-a-t h-e c-o-u-l-d s-e-e s-e-e s-e-e.'
Days went by, then weeks, then months, as you would expect. If it was the other way around it would be a sign that the Overlord had already triumphed. Finally the Wise puzzled out the entire prophecy.
A sailor went to sea sea sea to see what he could see see see
But all that he could see see see
Was the bottom of the deep blue sea sea sea
The meaning of this prophecy was immediately clear to the Wise. They knew that somewhere in the Lower Kingdoms, a boy would be born, a sailor who would use the power of the sea to defeat the Overlord. A boy with eyes as black as the bottom of the deep blue sea. A boy who might even have vestigial gills and some scales or maybe a sort of fin along his back.
But the Wise also knew that the Overlord would know the prophecy too, for his spies were everywhere, particularly amongst the waiters at the Wise Club. They knew that he knew that they knew that he knew.
They all knew that the Wise must find the boy with the power of the sea at his command first, and take him somewhere where he could grow up with no knowledge of his powers or his destiny. They must find him before the Overlord did, for he would try and turn the boy to the powers of darkness.
But who was the boy? Where was the boy? Was there a second salad bowl, a second verse to the prophecy, long lost to the Wise but known to an aged crone in the forest of Haz-chyllen-boken-woken, close by the sea, where a small boy with eyes the colour of dark mud swam with the dolphins?
Yes, there was.
September 26, 2025
The Old Kingdom Series is one of my favourites, it was the first fantasy series I got into as a young adult and it’s a series that I return to regularly. This volume contains the first 3 book in the series, Sabriel, Lirael and Abhorsen, what I love about this series is the magic system as it’s truly unique and so is the world. Normally a necromancer raises the dead but the Abhorsen’s job is to make sure they stay dead and to fight the dangerous free magic creatures, Sabriel and Lirael both have a hard time of it when they are thrust into fighting the dead.
Lirael is my favourite character as she really wanted to belong with the Clayr and have the sight, she wanted it so badly as all her life she’d felt like a square peg in a round hole. The disreputable dog and Moggett are also some of my favourite
Characters from this series, I have also read the two prequels and the sequel to this trilogy - they are also worthy additions to the series. Overall I would highly recommend this series, it’s an easy 5 stars from me.
Lirael is my favourite character as she really wanted to belong with the Clayr and have the sight, she wanted it so badly as all her life she’d felt like a square peg in a round hole. The disreputable dog and Moggett are also some of my favourite
Characters from this series, I have also read the two prequels and the sequel to this trilogy - they are also worthy additions to the series. Overall I would highly recommend this series, it’s an easy 5 stars from me.
January 3, 2011
Many of you may not have heard of this series… I picked it up by complete chance about 5/6 years ago when visiting a relative. I forgot the book I was currently reading (Magicians Guild) and was kinda bored over the weekend there. Still having 5 days left on my trip, I walked past a charity shop and sat in the window was a book called ‘Sabriel’. Now, to me it looked ‘fantasy-ish’ so I picked it up…
The book was so amazing that by the end of the holiday I was almost finished on the third in the series (after two emergency trips to Waterstones Book Store!). It in fact went on to go to my sister who to this day swears the second in the series being the best book she ever read (Lirael) and myself having very fond memories of it and wishing, begging, pleading Garth Nix to do a follow up…
The series I am talking about here is ‘The Old Kingdom Trilogy’ by Garth Nix. Also known as the ‘Abhorson Series’ in North America; it consists of three books; Sabriel, Lirael and Abhorsen. The challenge here is doing a review on three books without giving any spoilers… I’m gonna give it a shot!
The first book, Sabriel follows a young girl who is in a seemingly normal(ish) school. We quickly find out that this school is ‘behind the wall’ and therefore safe from what has happened in ‘the old kingdom’. We find that the old kingdom is full of danger. Sabriel gets a message from her farther who is the Abhorsen – the man charged with following spirits into death and ensuring they get through it. This is a world where evil spirits don’t like to die. And when they do die they fight death.
In the Old Kingdom, when a creature dies it enters into the River of Death. Once there, these once living spirits who have both the inclination and the ability to resist the pull of the River of Death may rise again. Though very few are powerful enough to fight the currents, if summoned by a necromancer it is a relatively quick process for them unless stopped by the Abhorsen.
The fact that the Abhorsen is now missing means that anyone wanting to summon the dead can do so fairly easily. Sabriel knows why her father has given her the message – she needs to return to the Old Kingdom and rescue him even if he is already dead himself. Quickly she finds that to find the Abhorsen she is going to have to fight the dead in both the Old Kingdom and the River of Death…. Something she does not have nearly enough power for.
Her journey is one of magic, betrayal, love, growth and even possessed, talking cats.
—
Book Two links in with book one but we are no longer following Sabriel (for reasons you will see after book 1). We are now following ‘Lirael’, living at a school for those who have ‘the sight’ – she is an outcast on the verge of suicide. ‘The Sight’ is the ability to see into the future or at least see the possibilities that the future brings and the fact she has not yet developed it is of great shame. Where as most girls develop the ability around 11, Lirael is 14 now and without it. In addition to her lack of the gift, she also differs physically from all the other girls at her school. Where as they are beautiful with blonde hair and striking blue or green eyes, she has a pale complexion, black hair and brown eyes.
Upon her 14th birthday the Clayr (The name of the race that Lirael is a part of) appoint her to work at the library. Although still distressed over the lack of sight it gives her focus and a ‘role’ in the school. Through her work in the Library Lirael is able to access books that are usually ‘out of bounds’ and casts a spell, which inadvertently goes wrong and results in the summoning of the Disreputable Dog.
Through the usage of the library and help of the Disreputable Dog (who can talk!), Lirael begins to unlock the keys to embarking upon an adventure of utmost importance.
At the same time we meet a prince based in Ancelestierre (the good side of the wall) who is left injured by a fight with an evil necromancer (one that helps the dead rise through the River of the Dead). When Sameth is revealed to be in-line to become an Abhorsen one day, he rejects the idea due to his fear of necromancy.
Their stories are interwoven, whilst Sameth must return to the Old Kingdom and learn to help counter the enormous threats that are coming, Lirael must too do her part with help from the Disreputable Dog. Both extremely young and barely able to cast their first, most basic spells – just how is it that they will steer the world away from the coming darkness and mystery that is approaching?
—
Book Three in the trilogy is Abhorsen. It is the linking of the previous two books and of course the conclusion. The evil powers in The Old Kingdom have been growing in strength and number and it is the job of the remaining characters to work together and overcome the threat they possess to the thriving Kingdom of Ancelestierre. I can’t say much else without spoiling the previous two books, but it is certainly a good bringing together of all the characters and story lines up until this point.
——————————————————
Onto my thoughts on the series… this is a very ‘different’ series. It is not a ‘huge’ or ‘epic’ fantasy. It has been marketed for those aged around 15-17, although is very, very universal. I’d say the reading age would be higher than that of Harry Potter for example so don’t think anyone should label this book as a ‘kids book’ and write it off. The ‘Old Kingdom’ is one of the most realistic worlds I have ever read about in a geographic sense. The contrast of a modern, technologically advanced Ancelestierre living in relative harmony with ‘The Old Kingdom’ being a complete wasteland full of Demonic Creatures, Magic, Death and Evil is told in a way that is so far unmatched.
What really makes the books is the system of death. The fact that when an evil creature dies it is not dead… it is living in the ‘River of Death’ is terrifying and a unique way to do things. There are 9 gates of death, each with stronger and stronger currents. Therefore to ensure that something is ‘really’ dead you need to push them through all 9. Even the Aborsen can only go a certain distance into death, relying on the currents to push them the through the remaining gates. By going too far the Aborsen risks an ambush from any number of dead fighting against the currents, getting trapped against the current or even dragged through the 9th gate them-self.
When we are not in death, we are primarily in either the Old Kingdom or the Clayr’s school. Both are fascinating places that are brought to life through Garth Nix’s writing style. There are various styles of magic; Charter Magic, Necromancy and Free Magic that are all used to keep battles and obstacles enjoyable. Perhaps the interaction between Sabriel and ‘Mogget’ the talking cat as well as Lirael and the ‘Disreputable Dog’ is one of the very best parts in the book. There is always the question there as to whether Mogget is trying to help or to kill Sabriel as he openly tells us when we first meet him/her that her father trapped his evil spirit into the cats form. The book moves at such a breathtaking pace that by the time you have finished you cannot believe how much has really happened. Everything is interesting in this series – there is not a dull moment and there is very little world building or background that doesn’t involve some kind of action.
Perhaps my one problem with this series is that it was a trilogy. That might sound as if I am saying ‘I want more books’, but actually it is more; ‘I want more answers’. There are a few loose-ends to say the least and even a few characters who we are lead to believe will be re-introduced are not. I personally think (could be wrong) that Garth Nix intended to write more of the Old Kingdom books soon after the original trilogies release but simply didn’t have time… He has gone on to write some very popular series since that maybe he wasn’t expecting to do and I can only guess this got put on the back burner. Perhaps supporting this assumption is the fact that Garth Nix has written a number of ‘short stories’, showing he does want to re-enter this world but just doesn’t have time or inclination to commit to a full novel.
According to wiki-pedia (not the most reliable of sources);
“Garth Nix has announced two additions to the series: a prequel and a “sequel of sorts to Abhorsen”. While the sequel is unnamed, the prequel has the working title Clariel: The Lost Abhorsen. The books are stated to appear in 2011…” HOWEVER I looked a few years ago and it said the same thing but with ’2009′ on the end so I am waiting to see.
Fantastic series that if you have not done already – you need to check out! Just be aware that it is a book that will draw you so deep into its world and characters that leaving them will be hard and leaving them without a complete resolution is even tougher. I guess the question to ask; “Is leaving a reader begging for more always a good thing?”
The book was so amazing that by the end of the holiday I was almost finished on the third in the series (after two emergency trips to Waterstones Book Store!). It in fact went on to go to my sister who to this day swears the second in the series being the best book she ever read (Lirael) and myself having very fond memories of it and wishing, begging, pleading Garth Nix to do a follow up…
The series I am talking about here is ‘The Old Kingdom Trilogy’ by Garth Nix. Also known as the ‘Abhorson Series’ in North America; it consists of three books; Sabriel, Lirael and Abhorsen. The challenge here is doing a review on three books without giving any spoilers… I’m gonna give it a shot!
The first book, Sabriel follows a young girl who is in a seemingly normal(ish) school. We quickly find out that this school is ‘behind the wall’ and therefore safe from what has happened in ‘the old kingdom’. We find that the old kingdom is full of danger. Sabriel gets a message from her farther who is the Abhorsen – the man charged with following spirits into death and ensuring they get through it. This is a world where evil spirits don’t like to die. And when they do die they fight death.
In the Old Kingdom, when a creature dies it enters into the River of Death. Once there, these once living spirits who have both the inclination and the ability to resist the pull of the River of Death may rise again. Though very few are powerful enough to fight the currents, if summoned by a necromancer it is a relatively quick process for them unless stopped by the Abhorsen.
The fact that the Abhorsen is now missing means that anyone wanting to summon the dead can do so fairly easily. Sabriel knows why her father has given her the message – she needs to return to the Old Kingdom and rescue him even if he is already dead himself. Quickly she finds that to find the Abhorsen she is going to have to fight the dead in both the Old Kingdom and the River of Death…. Something she does not have nearly enough power for.
Her journey is one of magic, betrayal, love, growth and even possessed, talking cats.
—
Book Two links in with book one but we are no longer following Sabriel (for reasons you will see after book 1). We are now following ‘Lirael’, living at a school for those who have ‘the sight’ – she is an outcast on the verge of suicide. ‘The Sight’ is the ability to see into the future or at least see the possibilities that the future brings and the fact she has not yet developed it is of great shame. Where as most girls develop the ability around 11, Lirael is 14 now and without it. In addition to her lack of the gift, she also differs physically from all the other girls at her school. Where as they are beautiful with blonde hair and striking blue or green eyes, she has a pale complexion, black hair and brown eyes.
Upon her 14th birthday the Clayr (The name of the race that Lirael is a part of) appoint her to work at the library. Although still distressed over the lack of sight it gives her focus and a ‘role’ in the school. Through her work in the Library Lirael is able to access books that are usually ‘out of bounds’ and casts a spell, which inadvertently goes wrong and results in the summoning of the Disreputable Dog.
Through the usage of the library and help of the Disreputable Dog (who can talk!), Lirael begins to unlock the keys to embarking upon an adventure of utmost importance.
At the same time we meet a prince based in Ancelestierre (the good side of the wall) who is left injured by a fight with an evil necromancer (one that helps the dead rise through the River of the Dead). When Sameth is revealed to be in-line to become an Abhorsen one day, he rejects the idea due to his fear of necromancy.
Their stories are interwoven, whilst Sameth must return to the Old Kingdom and learn to help counter the enormous threats that are coming, Lirael must too do her part with help from the Disreputable Dog. Both extremely young and barely able to cast their first, most basic spells – just how is it that they will steer the world away from the coming darkness and mystery that is approaching?
—
Book Three in the trilogy is Abhorsen. It is the linking of the previous two books and of course the conclusion. The evil powers in The Old Kingdom have been growing in strength and number and it is the job of the remaining characters to work together and overcome the threat they possess to the thriving Kingdom of Ancelestierre. I can’t say much else without spoiling the previous two books, but it is certainly a good bringing together of all the characters and story lines up until this point.
——————————————————
Onto my thoughts on the series… this is a very ‘different’ series. It is not a ‘huge’ or ‘epic’ fantasy. It has been marketed for those aged around 15-17, although is very, very universal. I’d say the reading age would be higher than that of Harry Potter for example so don’t think anyone should label this book as a ‘kids book’ and write it off. The ‘Old Kingdom’ is one of the most realistic worlds I have ever read about in a geographic sense. The contrast of a modern, technologically advanced Ancelestierre living in relative harmony with ‘The Old Kingdom’ being a complete wasteland full of Demonic Creatures, Magic, Death and Evil is told in a way that is so far unmatched.
What really makes the books is the system of death. The fact that when an evil creature dies it is not dead… it is living in the ‘River of Death’ is terrifying and a unique way to do things. There are 9 gates of death, each with stronger and stronger currents. Therefore to ensure that something is ‘really’ dead you need to push them through all 9. Even the Aborsen can only go a certain distance into death, relying on the currents to push them the through the remaining gates. By going too far the Aborsen risks an ambush from any number of dead fighting against the currents, getting trapped against the current or even dragged through the 9th gate them-self.
When we are not in death, we are primarily in either the Old Kingdom or the Clayr’s school. Both are fascinating places that are brought to life through Garth Nix’s writing style. There are various styles of magic; Charter Magic, Necromancy and Free Magic that are all used to keep battles and obstacles enjoyable. Perhaps the interaction between Sabriel and ‘Mogget’ the talking cat as well as Lirael and the ‘Disreputable Dog’ is one of the very best parts in the book. There is always the question there as to whether Mogget is trying to help or to kill Sabriel as he openly tells us when we first meet him/her that her father trapped his evil spirit into the cats form. The book moves at such a breathtaking pace that by the time you have finished you cannot believe how much has really happened. Everything is interesting in this series – there is not a dull moment and there is very little world building or background that doesn’t involve some kind of action.
Perhaps my one problem with this series is that it was a trilogy. That might sound as if I am saying ‘I want more books’, but actually it is more; ‘I want more answers’. There are a few loose-ends to say the least and even a few characters who we are lead to believe will be re-introduced are not. I personally think (could be wrong) that Garth Nix intended to write more of the Old Kingdom books soon after the original trilogies release but simply didn’t have time… He has gone on to write some very popular series since that maybe he wasn’t expecting to do and I can only guess this got put on the back burner. Perhaps supporting this assumption is the fact that Garth Nix has written a number of ‘short stories’, showing he does want to re-enter this world but just doesn’t have time or inclination to commit to a full novel.
According to wiki-pedia (not the most reliable of sources);
“Garth Nix has announced two additions to the series: a prequel and a “sequel of sorts to Abhorsen”. While the sequel is unnamed, the prequel has the working title Clariel: The Lost Abhorsen. The books are stated to appear in 2011…” HOWEVER I looked a few years ago and it said the same thing but with ’2009′ on the end so I am waiting to see.
Fantastic series that if you have not done already – you need to check out! Just be aware that it is a book that will draw you so deep into its world and characters that leaving them will be hard and leaving them without a complete resolution is even tougher. I guess the question to ask; “Is leaving a reader begging for more always a good thing?”
June 9, 2010
These were fun books.
Sabriel is pretty much a stand-alone book, but the second two are really one novel - Lirael ends right smack in the middle on a cliffhanger, and Abhorsen starts right where it left off...
The trilogy gives us a dual world - one which very strongly resembles Britain in the early twentieth century - and then, across the Wall, the Old Kingdom, a magical land which is currently in a dire state of anarchy and seriously plagued by the Dead - which rise as zombies and make themselves the sort of nuisance that zombies generally do.
Sabriel has been raised at a girls' school in Ancelstierre (Britain), but has always been aware that her father is the Abhorsen, a powerful individual with magical influence over the Dead. But when her father disappears, and Sabriel sets out to find him, she realizes that she has never been aware of even half of her father's abilities and duties... duties which are now on her shoulders, as she realizes that more is at stake than merely her father's life...
The second story (Lirael/Abhorsen) takes place around 20 years later, and deals mostly with the next generation... of course, things are even worse, plots are afoot to bring about the end of the world, necromancers are causing problems, and our young protagonists, Lirael and Sam, must both discover who they truly are, find their path/calling in life, and, oh, save the world. With the help of the snarky magical cat (?), Mogget, and the Disreputable Dog.
Sabriel is pretty much a stand-alone book, but the second two are really one novel - Lirael ends right smack in the middle on a cliffhanger, and Abhorsen starts right where it left off...
The trilogy gives us a dual world - one which very strongly resembles Britain in the early twentieth century - and then, across the Wall, the Old Kingdom, a magical land which is currently in a dire state of anarchy and seriously plagued by the Dead - which rise as zombies and make themselves the sort of nuisance that zombies generally do.
Sabriel has been raised at a girls' school in Ancelstierre (Britain), but has always been aware that her father is the Abhorsen, a powerful individual with magical influence over the Dead. But when her father disappears, and Sabriel sets out to find him, she realizes that she has never been aware of even half of her father's abilities and duties... duties which are now on her shoulders, as she realizes that more is at stake than merely her father's life...
The second story (Lirael/Abhorsen) takes place around 20 years later, and deals mostly with the next generation... of course, things are even worse, plots are afoot to bring about the end of the world, necromancers are causing problems, and our young protagonists, Lirael and Sam, must both discover who they truly are, find their path/calling in life, and, oh, save the world. With the help of the snarky magical cat (?), Mogget, and the Disreputable Dog.
August 18, 2008
Technically, I started reading this trilogy about ten or so years ago. I don't really remember -- I might've been around fourth or fifth grade when I first read Sabriel. I loved the book so much. Bells, the river of death, the Wall -- there is so much originality. I wanted in the Old Kingdom so badly, and I wanted to be Sabriel so badly when I grew up.
Of course, I haven't done either of those things. But what I did manage to do is read the other two books in the trilogy. They never quite hit me the same way Sabriel did -- the characters just aren't the same, and, uh, Lirael kind of got on my nerves for the first few chapters. (I stuck through it, though. Mostly by being amazed at how accurately Mr. Nix portrayed child depression for not belonging.) Having said that, I think the last two books, Lirael and Abhorsen are written better, have more depth and detail to them, and develop the characters and world better.
Sabriel still wins my heart, though.
Of course, I haven't done either of those things. But what I did manage to do is read the other two books in the trilogy. They never quite hit me the same way Sabriel did -- the characters just aren't the same, and, uh, Lirael kind of got on my nerves for the first few chapters. (I stuck through it, though. Mostly by being amazed at how accurately Mr. Nix portrayed child depression for not belonging.) Having said that, I think the last two books, Lirael and Abhorsen are written better, have more depth and detail to them, and develop the characters and world better.
Sabriel still wins my heart, though.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 16, 2022
I read this series many years ago when my daughter, now 32, was in high school or middle school. I had forgotten how good they were. Strong female character that doesn't go the usual YA route of falling in love and needing a man to survive. I love to see a strong female character that can do it on their own. Anyway, recently listened to the audio version of the 3 books and OMG!!!
Tim Curry narrating, dear Lord it doesn't get any better than having a classically trained "theatre" actor reading all the parts. Absolutely wonderful, in fact, I joined audible because I couldn't get the 3rd book for several weeks from the library. I will definitely download the first and second in the series so I can listen again.
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Tim Curry narrating, dear Lord it doesn't get any better than having a classically trained "theatre" actor reading all the parts. Absolutely wonderful, in fact, I joined audible because I couldn't get the 3rd book for several weeks from the library. I will definitely download the first and second in the series so I can listen again.
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August 29, 2017
There's something very *pure* about this trilogy that I can't quite put my finger on. Honestly, I think if I'd read these books as a teen, I would've been confused and bored, though that would have been the result of my own inattention. Reading them now, I can see the intense and subtle care that has gone into the crafting of Nix's world, especially in the way that magic functions, both as a structured utilitarian system (charter magic) and a natural, untempered chaotic force (free magic). There's a lot more to explain about how necromancy fits into this, how the Abhorsen stands in as a kind of one-person army, maintaining order between the living and the dead.
Point of view is third person omniscient, but there is no Hagrid-like gatekeeper to guide us along and instruct us about what's what and who's who; we must instead infer the world's inner workings from how characters suss out whatever situations are going on around them. The end result is an exploratory close-to-the-ground experience viewed over the shoulders of the trilogy's protagonists, Sabriel and Lirael, two quiet but highly independent and active characters. You could even say that the triology is, at it's core, about young women setting off on their own, executing plans (however flawed), and solving seemingly insurmountable problems.
There's also a talking cat, and a talking dog, and they are both very good and magical.
The trilogy isn't perfect. It's villains are not as complex or as frightening as they could be; their motives are not where the narrative's interests lie. When the endgame boss's ultimate goal is the debasement and destruction of all things everywhere, there's not much doubt as to whether or not the protags will succeed in their quests. But it's still a fun ride in the meantime.
Point of view is third person omniscient, but there is no Hagrid-like gatekeeper to guide us along and instruct us about what's what and who's who; we must instead infer the world's inner workings from how characters suss out whatever situations are going on around them. The end result is an exploratory close-to-the-ground experience viewed over the shoulders of the trilogy's protagonists, Sabriel and Lirael, two quiet but highly independent and active characters. You could even say that the triology is, at it's core, about young women setting off on their own, executing plans (however flawed), and solving seemingly insurmountable problems.
There's also a talking cat, and a talking dog, and they are both very good and magical.
The trilogy isn't perfect. It's villains are not as complex or as frightening as they could be; their motives are not where the narrative's interests lie. When the endgame boss's ultimate goal is the debasement and destruction of all things everywhere, there's not much doubt as to whether or not the protags will succeed in their quests. But it's still a fun ride in the meantime.
December 11, 2019
I give this series a 3 out of 5 due to the author's writing style and choices for what to include and how to end the series, for the most part.
The first book, Sabriel, is an enjoyable adventure with memorable characters, nonstop movement, and an abrupt ending. The second book, Lirael, is an enjoyable adventure focused on different but memorable characters, nonstop movement, and ends abruptly mid-story. The final book, Abhorsen, is an enjoyable adventure with memorable characters, nonstop movement, and ends abruptly.
Nix sets up a pretty interesting world and teases at greater knowledge. Stick around, and you'll understand what the Wall is and why it is there; you'll learn about the whispered events that transpired early in the lives of the fun and interesting familiars, Mogget and Dog. You'll get a sense of the culture of the North and its friction with the South. You'll get to learn exactly what Free Magic and Charter Magic are, their history, how to use them, how characters learn to use them. And you'll get to explore how the characters interact with one another, and how they develop.
Instead, however, the series proves to be unsatisfying. The world's detail is never fleshed out; its history, never satisfactorily detailed - simply, things happen because they're "meant" to happen, and we have to be OK with that. You get several chapters of movement and action, followed by a shift in perspective to a short vignette into the lives of characters you don't care about and cannot be made to care about (looking at you, Perimeter Scouts). Indeed, perspective shifts not only from chapter to chapter, but from paragraph to paragraph. We are getting inner monologues and it isn't always clear who is thinking something in the scene or who is saying something. And at the end of each book, there is climax, then epilogue.
This last part is probably what irks me the most. I know not every author cares about world building, or consistency, and that is OK. But we are expected to ride along on the nonstop adrenaline fest of these books and just be fine with the fact that there is no resolution. In fact, there is an enormous amount of exposition that we don't see on the page, and that we must be left wondering why Nix did not include any of it.
Finally, once all the dust settles at the end of the third book, the book is over. In fact, far before the dust settles. It isn't clear what the consequences are. It isn't clear what the characters will do going forward. There are more questions than answers, and the series... just.... ends.
Ultimately, it was a fun story that ends in an unsatisfying way, by author's choice of information to include, not by intent or anything else.
The first book, Sabriel, is an enjoyable adventure with memorable characters, nonstop movement, and an abrupt ending. The second book, Lirael, is an enjoyable adventure focused on different but memorable characters, nonstop movement, and ends abruptly mid-story. The final book, Abhorsen, is an enjoyable adventure with memorable characters, nonstop movement, and ends abruptly.
Nix sets up a pretty interesting world and teases at greater knowledge. Stick around, and you'll understand what the Wall is and why it is there; you'll learn about the whispered events that transpired early in the lives of the fun and interesting familiars, Mogget and Dog. You'll get a sense of the culture of the North and its friction with the South. You'll get to learn exactly what Free Magic and Charter Magic are, their history, how to use them, how characters learn to use them. And you'll get to explore how the characters interact with one another, and how they develop.
Instead, however, the series proves to be unsatisfying. The world's detail is never fleshed out; its history, never satisfactorily detailed - simply, things happen because they're "meant" to happen, and we have to be OK with that. You get several chapters of movement and action, followed by a shift in perspective to a short vignette into the lives of characters you don't care about and cannot be made to care about (looking at you, Perimeter Scouts). Indeed, perspective shifts not only from chapter to chapter, but from paragraph to paragraph. We are getting inner monologues and it isn't always clear who is thinking something in the scene or who is saying something. And at the end of each book, there is climax, then epilogue.
This last part is probably what irks me the most. I know not every author cares about world building, or consistency, and that is OK. But we are expected to ride along on the nonstop adrenaline fest of these books and just be fine with the fact that there is no resolution. In fact, there is an enormous amount of exposition that we don't see on the page, and that we must be left wondering why Nix did not include any of it.
Finally, once all the dust settles at the end of the third book, the book is over. In fact, far before the dust settles. It isn't clear what the consequences are. It isn't clear what the characters will do going forward. There are more questions than answers, and the series... just.... ends.
Ultimately, it was a fun story that ends in an unsatisfying way, by author's choice of information to include, not by intent or anything else.
July 2, 2014
Love the story, the world, and the characters. Well-paced page turners, featuring pretty classic quest stories. Doesn't break any boundaries but the world is beautiful, with just enough information to make you want to learn more; the characters grow, both in themselves and on you; and it balances the plot with small but effective moments of comedic relief, which I find especially enjoyable because they're such quick bursts of humor they leave you wanting more -- but Nix keeps the action going.
I'm currently on my third reading of the trilogy, which I end up doing about once a year when I'm home for the summer and find the box set sitting on my shelf. As someone who rarely picks up books again after I'm done with them, that's saying something for how enjoyable the books are to read. They're easy reads, and the stories just catch you up in them. I'd absolutely recommend the trilogy to anyone, not just fans of the fantasy genre.
I'm currently on my third reading of the trilogy, which I end up doing about once a year when I'm home for the summer and find the box set sitting on my shelf. As someone who rarely picks up books again after I'm done with them, that's saying something for how enjoyable the books are to read. They're easy reads, and the stories just catch you up in them. I'd absolutely recommend the trilogy to anyone, not just fans of the fantasy genre.
September 27, 2016
Reading Clariel made me yearn to reread this wonderful series by Garth Nix, which I last read when I was in middle or high school. And I have to say, for the most part, it holds up to a reread. All the characters are wonderful and well-developed; the cosmology of Death, Free Magic, and Charter Magic is beautifully wrought; and the story pulled me in as intently as before. I could barely put the book down to interact with the people I love most.
Stylistically, there's a few choices made here that I don't love -- in particular, Garth Nix is VERY FOND of dramatic sentence fragments. They're great when used sparingly, but put enough of them on a page together and I find it makes the narrative a tad choppy. That wasn't nearly enough to damp my enthusiasm for the novels, however.
I recommend this series for young readers and adults alike.
Stylistically, there's a few choices made here that I don't love -- in particular, Garth Nix is VERY FOND of dramatic sentence fragments. They're great when used sparingly, but put enough of them on a page together and I find it makes the narrative a tad choppy. That wasn't nearly enough to damp my enthusiasm for the novels, however.
I recommend this series for young readers and adults alike.
May 24, 2007
This reminded me somewhat of the His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman, but not quite as good. Where His Dark Materials is about Science and Religion instead of Swords and Sorcery, the substitute here is Necromancy.
My issue with this trilogy (and to a lesser extent with His Dark Materials), was how the second book started out with a new unfamiliar character. In the case of Lirael, her story was not compelling enough for me to want to read it. I wound up putting the book down for a while, and didn't pick it up for a while, finally forcing myself to trudge past the lull of Lirael's back story.
Besides that one complaint about the middle of the three books, the series is good, and worth a read by any fantasy fan looking for something a little different.
My issue with this trilogy (and to a lesser extent with His Dark Materials), was how the second book started out with a new unfamiliar character. In the case of Lirael, her story was not compelling enough for me to want to read it. I wound up putting the book down for a while, and didn't pick it up for a while, finally forcing myself to trudge past the lull of Lirael's back story.
Besides that one complaint about the middle of the three books, the series is good, and worth a read by any fantasy fan looking for something a little different.
April 15, 2019
This fantasy storyline is refreshingly original, fast-paced, darkly humorous, and will suck you into the dangerous world of the Old Kingdom. The character development is wonderful. I connected with Sabriel and Lirael, adored the Disreputable Dog, and even grew to love the snarky "cat" Mogget. The reader will want to whistle up a wind for a paperwing, wield the bells of the Abhorsen, and ,if they are anything like me, long to explore the great Library of the Clayr.
One of my favorite series. These books were referred to me in high school by a friend. At the time, I did not read much in this genre. So, I was surprised to find that I Loved these books. I have re-read these books many times and will, I'm sure, enjoy them many more times in the future.
One of my favorite series. These books were referred to me in high school by a friend. At the time, I did not read much in this genre. So, I was surprised to find that I Loved these books. I have re-read these books many times and will, I'm sure, enjoy them many more times in the future.
September 16, 2009
I admit that I am currently reading far below my grade level.
Maybe I missed my adolescent moment to truly immerse myself in the Fantasy. Maybe I am making up for lost time. Maybe I am researching appropriate Fantasy novels for the giraffes. Maybe I require lite works with strong female characters.
If you are looking for some lightweight magical fare that features girl-heroes, check out Nix's Abhorsen Trilogy. It is truly not to be missed, the first, second or third time round
Maybe I missed my adolescent moment to truly immerse myself in the Fantasy. Maybe I am making up for lost time. Maybe I am researching appropriate Fantasy novels for the giraffes. Maybe I require lite works with strong female characters.
If you are looking for some lightweight magical fare that features girl-heroes, check out Nix's Abhorsen Trilogy. It is truly not to be missed, the first, second or third time round
January 17, 2016
Series review to come! Instant all-time favorite and new obsession ♥
September 16, 2021
Overall 3 stars - interesting story, interesting setting, some unique ideas, but not really a catchy enough writing style to forget everything else and just want to continue reading the books. Although I did in the end with some struggle.
I liked the unusual concepts in the book - the way the Death works with many gates for the spirit to pass through before it's is truly dead, the way Free Magic and Charter Magic work and compete and can be used against each other, the mystery of the Old Kingdom. And also the little things like the Clayr library, the paperwings, and so on. All that I really liked.
What I didn't enjoy so much was the author's writing style. My biggest issue is that the story wasvery predictable at some places. What will happen down the road was often revealed beforehand and the story then completely lacks the tension build up.
For example when Lirael and Sam arrive to the Abhorsen's house they almost immediately discuss that they could escape through the well in the garden if needed but that there's a great danger down there. Few chapters later guess what - they have to escape, they have to go through the well and guess what - they face a monster there. Who would have thought! Such a great opportunity to build up some tension - all wasted.
Another example - when Sabriel and Touchstone are attacked in Corvere it was immediately revealed that they survived. Why?! The other characters didn't know - Lirael, Sam, Ellimere - and were confused as to what to do with the Destroyer without Sabriel and Touchstone. But we the readers already knew that they will turn up at the last minute because they were not actually killed. Why were we told?! And this happens over and over again throughout the book. It makes it a very non-thrilling story.
The other problem is that many of the important moments happen off the pages. What did Hedge need Nicolas for? How is it possible that Sam is the heir of the Wallmakers? Is he not Sabriel's + Touchstone's child? What happened in that well between Mogget and Astrael - it seemed important but was never revealed or discussed again. Why did Arielle abandon Lirael? Who is/was Chlorr of the Mask? How did she turn to be what she was? So many unanswered questions.
And then the biggest let down of all - what did Lirael see in the Dark Mirror beyond the 8th gate about the Beginning and about the binding of the Destroyer? That should have been the ultimate climax of the series, revealing the whole history (after all it was a journey to The Beginning!), the reasons why everything happens as it happens, making some sense of all the ancient forces, explaining why only the Old Kingdom was affected, and so on. But - nothing. Lirael simply returned from there equipped with a cook-book kind of recipe for binding the Destroyer. Wait what?! Is that all? All the struggle through 1000+ pages just to be let down like this? We deserved some explanations Mr author.
It could have been such a great trilogy! In the hands of a good script writer it may turn into a great movie though :)
I liked the unusual concepts in the book - the way the Death works with many gates for the spirit to pass through before it's is truly dead, the way Free Magic and Charter Magic work and compete and can be used against each other, the mystery of the Old Kingdom. And also the little things like the Clayr library, the paperwings, and so on. All that I really liked.
What I didn't enjoy so much was the author's writing style. My biggest issue is that the story wasvery predictable at some places. What will happen down the road was often revealed beforehand and the story then completely lacks the tension build up.
For example when Lirael and Sam arrive to the Abhorsen's house they almost immediately discuss that they could escape through the well in the garden if needed but that there's a great danger down there. Few chapters later guess what - they have to escape, they have to go through the well and guess what - they face a monster there. Who would have thought! Such a great opportunity to build up some tension - all wasted.
Another example - when Sabriel and Touchstone are attacked in Corvere it was immediately revealed that they survived. Why?! The other characters didn't know - Lirael, Sam, Ellimere - and were confused as to what to do with the Destroyer without Sabriel and Touchstone. But we the readers already knew that they will turn up at the last minute because they were not actually killed. Why were we told?! And this happens over and over again throughout the book. It makes it a very non-thrilling story.
The other problem is that many of the important moments happen off the pages. What did Hedge need Nicolas for? How is it possible that Sam is the heir of the Wallmakers? Is he not Sabriel's + Touchstone's child? What happened in that well between Mogget and Astrael - it seemed important but was never revealed or discussed again. Why did Arielle abandon Lirael? Who is/was Chlorr of the Mask? How did she turn to be what she was? So many unanswered questions.
And then the biggest let down of all - what did Lirael see in the Dark Mirror beyond the 8th gate about the Beginning and about the binding of the Destroyer? That should have been the ultimate climax of the series, revealing the whole history (after all it was a journey to The Beginning!), the reasons why everything happens as it happens, making some sense of all the ancient forces, explaining why only the Old Kingdom was affected, and so on. But - nothing. Lirael simply returned from there equipped with a cook-book kind of recipe for binding the Destroyer. Wait what?! Is that all? All the struggle through 1000+ pages just to be let down like this? We deserved some explanations Mr author.
It could have been such a great trilogy! In the hands of a good script writer it may turn into a great movie though :)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 20, 2020
This trilogy has been among my favorites since it came out. I reread it about every five years. It centers on a coming of age story of a girl thrust into a role she is not ready for, but takes on anyway to save the life of her father. She discovers a complex world of magic and a mother's family that she never knew she had.
If you like your fantasy to build a world in which the rules make sense within that world, this is a book you will like. The bells call forth different spells depending on how you ring them and for how long and in what order. It is almost scientific. And yet the fantasy elements that you want exist here too. Monsters bent on revenge. A quest (or 2). A love story. A redemption.
Enjoy this trilogy!
If you like your fantasy to build a world in which the rules make sense within that world, this is a book you will like. The bells call forth different spells depending on how you ring them and for how long and in what order. It is almost scientific. And yet the fantasy elements that you want exist here too. Monsters bent on revenge. A quest (or 2). A love story. A redemption.
Enjoy this trilogy!
August 7, 2017
Hands down, one of my favorite fantasy adventure series. You wouldn't expect a series that revolves around Death to be so full of life, but when it rains in a scene, you can believe that you feel it in your skin and wade through the River of Death itself. It is a series that immerses you in its present and manages to mix elements of romance, mystery, suspense and magic. Sabriel inherits a huge task and takes it in stride but somehow manages to still seem down to earth. The characters are deep but relatable, the environments are easy to visualize and not over described. This is a rare fantasy series that doesn't mess with unnecessary filler.
April 9, 2025
Absolutely loved these books (and the audiobooks narrated by Tim Curry!) A “young adult” fantasy series that totally enchanted me as an adult - I would love to go back in time to give this to my 13 year old self. The world Nix builds is timeless, beautiful and at times terrifying. This is a book that deals frankly in death, loneliness, and the strangeness of coming of age as a young woman. Our characters experience real teenage emotions - including depression and sexual curiosity - in a way that feels respectful to the rich interior life of so many teenage readers looking to be reflected in the books they read.
Belongs on the shelf next to His Dark Materials.
Belongs on the shelf next to His Dark Materials.
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November 25, 2023Sabriel (Old Kingdom series #1) by Garth Nix
Follow this Necromancer’s daughter into the world of the dead. Join the fight alongside Sabriel and her unlikely companions to maintain the balance in favor of the living. Action will keep you turning pages long into the night even if some of the fantasy makes the hair on your neck rise just a bit.
Lirael is a librarian with the Disreputable Dog by her side finally finding her role that she fills.
Battel intensifies in Abhorsen (I do need to finish the rest of the series....)
Follow this Necromancer’s daughter into the world of the dead. Join the fight alongside Sabriel and her unlikely companions to maintain the balance in favor of the living. Action will keep you turning pages long into the night even if some of the fantasy makes the hair on your neck rise just a bit.
Lirael is a librarian with the Disreputable Dog by her side finally finding her role that she fills.
Battel intensifies in Abhorsen (I do need to finish the rest of the series....)
July 26, 2017
If you fantasy magic mixed with darkness, this is your go to series!
I haven't put it down since I first fell in love with it (in the seventh grade). Throughout my years I've re-read it time and time again because the magic and the story line is exactly what I need to be able to disappear into another world. It doesn't stop when you put the book down either. You'll find yourself compelled to keep going if not, you're going to be wondering all day!
Enjoy.
I haven't put it down since I first fell in love with it (in the seventh grade). Throughout my years I've re-read it time and time again because the magic and the story line is exactly what I need to be able to disappear into another world. It doesn't stop when you put the book down either. You'll find yourself compelled to keep going if not, you're going to be wondering all day!
Enjoy.
May 28, 2024
I haven't read this since I was in my teens, but I loved getting to reread them all over again. They were just as wonderful and thrilling to read as I remember them being! Lirael seemed to succumb to the curse of the second book in a series and did pad out the series well, but wasn't my favourite. My jaw was on the floor by the end of Abhorsen as I had forgotten all the details of this book! Ambolsutely stunning!!!!!
June 17, 2024
Read this series of the span of several months, at first I was reluctant to move forward with Lirael because I get attached to a character and want to know about their journey instead of starting over with someone new (Sabriel my darling ❤️) but I fell in love with Lirael and her perseverance. I loved the magic system in this book and the interlocking of characters and quests, how everything seems to fall into place and yet still be chaos. Had a great time!
May 12, 2017
I finally bought my own copy and will be re-reading it a few more times :).
If you like magic, fantasy, female heroines, and the good 'ol fight of good vs. evil....then what are you waiting for? Plus the second book has the romanticism of libraries in it, which is never a let down.
I want to be magical soooooo badly!
If you like magic, fantasy, female heroines, and the good 'ol fight of good vs. evil....then what are you waiting for? Plus the second book has the romanticism of libraries in it, which is never a let down.
I want to be magical soooooo badly!
November 19, 2017
I love this series so much and have read it three times over! All of the books had so many interesting characters and plots that kept me reading into the night! However, I would recommend the books for people over 12 years old as it has advanced language and themes. If you haven't read these then you're missing out and should go and read them now!
May 10, 2021
3.5 stars.
Sabriel was oddly paced to me, but the following two books were better on that front.
Fun and somewhat unique world. Clearly based on real world in an era less common for fantasy, but doesn't build on that too heavily.
Compelling narratives, but the world building and character building are less emphasized.
Sabriel was oddly paced to me, but the following two books were better on that front.
Fun and somewhat unique world. Clearly based on real world in an era less common for fantasy, but doesn't build on that too heavily.
Compelling narratives, but the world building and character building are less emphasized.
June 21, 2021
A very familiar feeling for fans of high fantasy stories, with the characteristic style fans of the Keys to the Kingdom series will know Nix for. Sabriel was my favourite of the books, and new readers should know that it stands more as a prequel to the two following entries than as a first instalment in a normal trilogy.
June 8, 2022
These were great, definitely not for the faint hearted though. At times gruesome and descriptive. Big gap between books 2 and 3, that's why it lost a star. Still liked the ending and how it all tied together, guess I was just too attached to the original story. It's a great fantasy world and a quick read too, a real page turner.
December 31, 2023
Sabriel: 5⭐️ this book has such lovely and magical Ghibli vibes!! Definitely a new fave
Lireal: 4⭐️ I love any premise of a magical library/librarian
Abhorsen: 3⭐️ just silly and nonsensical
The last two seemed to drag on, overcomplicating some things while making other would-be challenges and obstacles resolve all-too quickly. I was happy to be done.
Lireal: 4⭐️ I love any premise of a magical library/librarian
Abhorsen: 3⭐️ just silly and nonsensical
The last two seemed to drag on, overcomplicating some things while making other would-be challenges and obstacles resolve all-too quickly. I was happy to be done.
October 12, 2017
It seems that everyone has a role in the world. The cast of characters in lireal and abhorsen reminded me of both Harry Potter and the goonies. I loved lireal and the message of who she becomes despite her failed expectations.
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