One of my very favorite fantasy series--it lost nothing on the second read-through. Dark and beautiful, and incredibly well-developed, with wonderful characters (and strong female leads). I love just about everything about it. ( )

Liked Sabriel, love the worldbuilding. Loved Lirael, this second book really drew me into the world. Liked Abhorsen, the last in the trilogy. Really glad I read this trilogy and will probably keep it on my shelf to read again in the future. ( )

This is a huge book even by my standards, and to add to the confusion it is one of those that, by some strange reason is known under a different title depending on where in the world you live; for example in the Authors native Australia this book is entitled The Old Kingdom Chronicles. It is also a trilogy that not many fantasy readers appear to know about. As for me it took me some time to actually finish reading this, and that was not due to its size.

The characters in all three of the books, in my opinion, could have benefitted from a lot more time spent in their development. None of them really gripped me and made me want to invest more of my time in getting to know them. I really was expecting to like the characters, but they were flat and very one dimensional people who seemed to enjoy a lot of walking. You would have to read the books to understand that reference. Having said this, the character of Sabriel in the first book of the three was, by far, the most interesting of any in the Chronicles; she is a determined young woman with a definite plan for her life. When curve balls are thrown at her she is able to adapt and think on her feet making her the most impressionable of all the characters in these books. What really would have helped the characters come into their own in these books would have been more background and explanation into how they learned their skills and came to be in the place they are when the books open.

The world in which these books are set could have been so much more. It was a wonderful concept but I felt that the Author really did not do it justice and, like his character development, it would have benefitted from more time being spent in the descriptive aspects. At no time did I feel as if I had actually been transported into this world and was experiencing the events occurring; in a good fantasy novel a reader should feel themselves transported to the alternate world, as that is part of the pull of this genre.

After buying this trilogy on the recommendation of a friend, I now wish that I had kept my money in my pocket and will be donating my copy to the local library. If long and plodding fantasy books are something you enjoy, this is probably the book series for you; if not I would recommend you give this a miss.


Originally reviewed on: http://catesbooknuthut.com/2015/01/26/review-the-abhorsen-chronicles-the-abhorse...





This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
( )

This is a huge book even by my standards, and to add to the confusion it is one of those that, by some strange reason is known under a different title depending on where in the world you live; for example in the Authors native Australia this book is entitled The Old Kingdom Chronicles. It is also a trilogy that not many fantasy readers appear to know about. As for me it took me some time to actually finish reading this, and that was not due to its size.

The characters in all three of the books, in my opinion, could have benefitted from a lot more time spent in their development. None of them really gripped me and made me want to invest more of my time in getting to know them. I really was expecting to like the characters, but they were flat and very one dimensional people who seemed to enjoy a lot of walking. You would have to read the books to understand that reference. Having said this, the character of Sabriel in the first book of the three was, by far, the most interesting of any in the Chronicles; she is a determined young woman with a definite plan for her life. When curve balls are thrown at her she is able to adapt and think on her feet making her the most impressionable of all the characters in these books. What really would have helped the characters come into their own in these books would have been more background and explanation into how they learned their skills and came to be in the place they are when the books open.

The world in which these books are set could have been so much more. It was a wonderful concept but I felt that the Author really did not do it justice and, like his character development, it would have benefitted from more time being spent in the descriptive aspects. At no time did I feel as if I had actually been transported into this world and was experiencing the events occurring; in a good fantasy novel a reader should feel themselves transported to the alternate world, as that is part of the pull of this genre.

After buying this trilogy on the recommendation of a friend, I now wish that I had kept my money in my pocket and will be donating my copy to the local library. If long and plodding fantasy books are something you enjoy, this is probably the book series for you; if not I would recommend you give this a miss.


Originally reviewed on: http://catesbooknuthut.com/2015/01/26/review-the-abhorsen-chronicles-the-abhorse...





This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
( )

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 - Sabriel's father is an Abhorsen. He is a necromancer who has sworn to use his powers only to lay the dead to rest. He does most of his work in the Old Kingdom beyond the wall where magic is still strong and the dead roam. Though he has taught Sabriel his trade, she has grown up across the wall at a boarding school. When she receives word from beyond death that her father is in trouble, she drops everything to help. But something has gone badly wrong in the Old Kingdom, and Sabriel barely knows enough to survive. Will she be able to find her father and save the whole world from the fearful death that is stirring?

Lirael - Lirael is a daughter of the Clayr. At least that's what everyone keeps telling her. But she does note FEEL like one. She barely knew her mother and no one knows who her father was. She doesn't look like the Clayr either. Her hair is black. Her eyes are brown. All her relatives are blond and blue-eyed. But most of all, what sets Lirael apart and makes her lonely, is her inability to see the future. Though she briefly contemplates suicide rather than this life of perpetual disappointment, she instead directs her attentions to the great library and the knowledge of magic that can be gained there. But when she turns nineteen, Lirael discovers a strange secret and is sent on mission by the Clayr who have finally seen her in their visions. This one thread of prophecy will direct the course of Lirael's life as well as the fate of the Old Kingdom. For something evil is stirring and somehow, Lirael is the only one who may stop it.

Abhorsen - In this continuation of Lirael's adventures, she must race against time with Sam to rescue Nick from the evil that is growing inside him. The two metals spheres that Nick's men have dug up contain the Destroyer, an old power sealed away many years ago. If to two halves are joined the Old Kingdom and the whole world will fall before the ravening beast. Lirael will need all the power of the Clayr, Abhorsen, and the Charter to see the creature laid to rest again.

This series is very solid on the whole. I REALLY enjoyed Lirael but felt Abhorsen dragged a bit. Taken together, the three books are very entertaining and worth the read. ( )

Very well-written, with excellent characterization and fast paced, inventive plotting. That being said, I loathed these books, except for the parts about the library. The legions of the Dead with their putrefying, suppurating flesh made me queasy. The places where these books tipped from fantasy into horror were, in fact, horrifying. I hate this sort of thing, but the story was so good I couldn't allow my complete revulsion keep me from finding out what happened next. ( )

Oh-ho! The good stuff in YA literature. Garth Nix is a fascinating author, and he really had a good take on death and Necromancer[ing:] in this trilogy. I love this series and reread it occasionally, just because it has such a unique vision. And don't be fooled: though the subject matter is dark, this is a wickedly fun read, and absolutely worth devoting some time to reading. ( )

The last time I read epic fantasy was in college when I stumbled upon a copy of the Lord of the Rings and figured that I might as well give it a try because the calculus textbook wasn’t ever going to become even remotely interesting. Tolkien’s heavyweight was definitely better than calculus and helped pass the time but it didn’t thrill me (yes, I know, blasphemy) so when I realized that the Abhorsen Chronicles is also considered epic fantasy I proceeded with caution. The box set was already there though and there were girls on the covers so seduced by the promise of girl power I read on.
This was a rather dark series set mainly in the first half of the 20th century on a continent reminiscent of Great Britain, which is split in two by a great ancient wall. On one side the world is modern with technology thriving and phenomena explained by science. On the other side the world is archaic because none of the new inventions will work there, magic is everywhere and even the calendar is different. I really enjoyed the parallels between the worlds in these books and the Europe of that time - it was an interesting take on the reasons behind the World Wars and the part the people who were at the helm played in the events. These parallels weren't immediately obvious but as the story progressed I felt they were undeniable.
The first book, Sabriel, sets the stage for the events that take place in the second and third volumes and prepares the reader for all the magic, action and a bit of drama that unfolds as the great battle that holds life and death in the balance approaches. The pacing lagged a bit in some instances when some of the main characters had to grow up a bit before they could continue on their quest but the general feel of the series is not slow by any means. There are several plot lines and mysteries that arise and develop throughout the books and Nix skillfully drives them either to a logical conclusion or untangles the secrets in a very satisfying way that isn't forced or contrived. When I turned the last page of the last book I felt that everything was as it should be, which can be challenging with as many character and story arcs as we have here.
Garth Nix does a great job of developing the characters in the trilogy. These books are as much about a quest and a battle as they are about growing up, learning about oneself, accepting who one is, owning it and becoming stronger for it. All the main characters start out in the story when they are teenagers and they all have challenges they must deal with, be that their past that haunts them, their perceived shortcomings or a destiny that feels completely wrong. I was very impressed with how their personal growth was woven into this mainly plot-driven story and how in the end every oddity became a perfect puzzle piece.
This series was on the Goodreads Best Fantasy list and I thank those who included it and voted for it to push it up higher in the rankings. These books are some of the best I've read this year and if you enjoy fantasy I recommend that you check them out. ( )

This volume came packaged with the three books, Sabriel, Lirael, and Abhorsen, along with a bonus novella, Nicholas Sayre and the Creature in the Case.

Sabriel was young-adult fantasy before young-adult fantasy became popular. The magical world it introduces, in which characters can cross into the river of Death, armed with a bandolier of bells, is one of the most haunting and imagery-rich fictional worlds I've come across. Like any well-crafted world, allusions to its rich history enrich the story without bogging it down. Nix's world-crafting, in which a magical kingdom is juxtaposed next to a regular, England-type country, separated only by a wall, is truly excellent.

Sabriel herself is a fairly typical protagonist: after a normal education, set apart only by her father's teachings and knowledge of Death, she enters the bordering magical kingdom in her quest to save him. I would have appreciated a longer glimpse of Sabriel's "normal" life; it would have made her more identifiable, I think. And the plotline is fairly standard, also: Sabriel rescues her father, and rescues the kingdom in the process, falling in love with a prince who she also rescued along the way. There are airplanes that fly by magic, creatures who help whose motives are always somewhat suspect, a powerful enemy to overcome, and lessons of loss and love and responsibility that Sabriel must learn. In all, it's a wonderfully immersive and enjoyable read, but I couldn't help but feel that if the plot and characterization had received the same attention that the world-crafting did, it would go from simply being enjoyable to being outstanding.

Lirael and Abhorsen must be treated as one work, a sequel to Sabriel. Lirael's character and background are given much more attention than Sabriel's were, which is to her benefit. Lirael starts as a misfit among a community of seers, and she finds a place for herself working in a library (but a magical, dangerous, wonderful library), with a magical dog for company and adventures. Oh, how every young girl reading fantasy novels must drool over Lirael's library and dog companion!

Again, though, once the adventure really begins, the two books suffer from a too-straightforward plot. The action centers around Lirael and Sabriel's son, the prince Sameth, but their tale is a standard one of stepping up to their own destinies and saving the world from an outright evil enemy. Yawn. Much more interesting was the more minor character of Nicholas Sayre, Sam's friend who is taken in by the bad guys. Now here is a complex character--unlike Lirael and Sam, he doesn't know what's right, and also unlike them, he doesn't have the knowledge or capabilities to fix what's wrong. I was totally invested in his story.

So I really enjoyed the bonus novella, Nicholas Sayre and the Creature in the Case. Here was an imperfect and fallible protagonist, trying to deal with a problem that is far beyond what he is capable of. Sabriel and Lirael had also been tested in deep waters, but they had a destiny and a magical book that gave them information. Nicholas had none of the sort, which is why he's my favorite. ( )

Hands down, one of the best YA Fantasy trilogies I've ever read. Individually the First book is my favorite, and I think, the strongest. The third book--for me--is the weakest of the bunch, leaving a great deal undone, but still head and shoulders above the majority of YA books being published right now. Absolutely worth reading and owning. ( )

another fun fantasy series that's great for kids. the other series by garth nix don't look as fun. i wished there were more books in this series. ( )

This trilogy consists of the books Sabriel, Lirael, and Abhorsen; the first two titles refer to protagonists, and the last one to the job title of these characters. Abhorsen is the name given to the “official necromancers” of the Old Kingdom. The Abhorsen (there can only be one at a time, and the title is inherited) is in charge of keeping the population of Dead under control. When a Dead creature attempts to return to the world of the living, the Abhorsen will wield the bells of necromancy and enter into Death to make sure the spirit heads back down all nine gates of the river that leads to the beyond.

The problem is that there are stronger forces controlling the Dead, powers who would like to unleash all of Death’s denizens upon the Old Kingdom and even on neighboring Ancelstierre, a land where technology has replaced a belief in the magic prevalent in the Old Kingdom (though Ancelstierran machines tend to break down as soon as they cross the Wall that separates both lands.

Nix’s trilogy deals not only with these attempts to overrun the Old Kingdom and Ancelstierre with the Dead, but more importantly with the Abhorsens’ struggles with power and responsibility. The titular characters of the first two books, Sabriel and Lirael, are thrust into the office of Abhorsen (or Abhorsen-in-waiting, in Lirael’s case) with little preparation or ceremony. How each of these women reacts to her new role (and especially Lirael’s realization that she will never be what she had been waiting an entire lifetime to become, but that her future is much more unique than even the reader imagines) is central to both the main and secondary storylines in the trilogy.

I enjoyed these books immensely, and recommend them to anyone looking for fantasy stories for and about young people that are more “grown up” than the usual fare. There is no glamor in the magic that Sabriel and Lirael must wield; in this sense, it’s more similar to the final Harry Potter novels than to the early ones (just as a reference, since Rowling’s books have become such a point of comparison). The world-building is excellent, and the characters fleshed out and believable. ( )

Sabriel is a story about a girl, just out of school, who is thrust into a problem that will be difficult, if not impossible, to overcome. Sabriel's father, the Abhorsen, is the Old Kingdom's necromancer, but his responsibilities are to put the dead to rest, not to raise them. Shortly before Sabriel is due to graduate from school, she receives a message from her father, he is in trouble and has passed the tools of his trade on to her. Sabriel leaves Ancelstierre and returns to the Old Kingdom to search for her father and rescue him, if possible. Along the way she meets Mogget, a Free Magic being who has been to the Abhorsen's service, and Touchstone, a member of the Royal Guard who had been trapped alive in Death for 200 years. Sabriel and her companions continue on her quest to try to rescue the Abhorsen and save the Old Kingdom from the Dead who have walked there since the Royal family fell, 200 years earlier.

The first story in The Abhorsen Trilogy is well-written and enjoyable. The story moves quickly and keeps your attention. I would strongly recommend this story to anyone who enjoys fantasy novels.

One of the most unique series I've read. Hard to put down. While I wanted to read more about Sabriel, I became equally attached to Lireal.

In Sabriel, Lirael, and Abhorsen, Nix offers up three interconnected fantasies about a family of necromancers whose job it is to lay the dead to rest. The Abhorsens must fight against the forces of evil who wish to use the dead for their own purposes; this is an action-packed young adult trilogy of high dark fantasy. ( )

http://insomniel.blogspot.com/2007_06_01_archive.html#4829908669537545777 ( )

This is my favourite book of all time. I read it when I was about 11, and I have reread it so many times I can't remember. Its the perfect book, action, adventure, romance and magic.
Basically, its set in a world where there is a place like ours, and a half where across a wall is the 'old kingdom'. Its full of magic and stuff, and death things. They come back from the dead and inhabit bodies or as spirit s and try to kill people to get fresh ones. And there's this guy, the Abhorsen, who has to try and stop them. He goes into death, which is a series of 7 levels, in river form, with stuff like whirlpools and things hiding below the surface, and its very creepy. Since I read it so young it has actually changed what I think death is like to be like this! And the Abhorsen has to go into death and get rid of these dead things using his bells, which can control them, and send them past the 7 gates to hell (or heaven) where they can't come back. It gets harder to come back the further you go, so only really strong ones make it back to earth, and so they're harder to control.
Anyway, the story starts when his daughter finds out her father is trapped in death, and needs her to rescue him. She's living on the other side of the wall, at school, so she isn't really used to the magic, and it's like a coming of age thing- doing her fathers job whilst trying to rescue him.

Oh, and theres a talking white cat called Mogget who's totally awesome. I want one.

So, yeah. READ IT!