Sabriel follows the journey of a young woman who unexpectedly inherits her father's title as Abhorsen, a powerful necromancer, and embarks on a quest that takes her across the wall into another world. The book delves into a dark and magical Old Kingdom where Sabriel must rescue her father from the Land of the Dead while battling against evil forces trying to destroy the balance of the realm. The narrative weaves intricate world-building, necromancy, and a band of loyal companions, creating a suspenseful and engaging story filled with vivid descriptions of the magical realm and its inhabitants.
The writing style of Sabriel is praised for its dark and cold atmosphere, with the protagonist navigating through desperate situations in the Old Kingdom and Death itself. The book introduces a unique magical system involving bells and a necromancer's duty to lay the dead to rest, all while exploring themes of family legacy, self-discovery, and the struggle between good and evil in a fantasy setting that captivates readers with its originality and depth.
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From The Publisher:
Aurealis Award for Best Fantasy Novel
Game of Thrones fans will love the New York Times bestselling Abhorsen series. Sabriel, the first installment in the trilogy, launched critically acclaimed author Garth Nix onto the fantasy scene as a rising star.
Dark Secrets, Deep Love, and Dangerous Magic
Sent to a boarding school in Ancelstierre as a young child, Sabriel has had little experience with the random power of Free Magic or the Dead who refuse to stay dead in the Old Kingdom. But during her final semester, her father, the Abhorsen, goes missing, and Sabriel knows she must enter the Old Kingdom to find him. She soon finds companions in Mogget, a cat whose aloof manner barely conceals its malevolent spirit, and Touchstone, a young Charter Mage long imprisoned by magic, now free in body but still trapped by painful memories.
As the three travel deep into the Old Kingdom, threats mount on all sides. And every step brings them closer to a battle that will pit them against the true forces of life and death-and bring Sabriel face-to-face with her own destiny.
"Sabriel is a winner, a fantasy that reads like realism. Here is a world with the same solidity and four-dimensional authority as our own, created with invention, clarity and intelligence." -Philip Pullman, author of His Dark Materials trilogy
Ratings (199)
Incredible (39) | |
Loved It (66) | |
Liked It (53) | |
It Was OK (28) | |
Did Not Like (13) |
Reader Stats (495):
Read It (198) | |
Currently Reading (5) | |
Want To Read (186) | |
Did Not Finish (10) | |
Not Interested (96) |
5 comment(s)
This was not very well done for me. I enjoyed the concept, and I do think that one star was given to the unique magic system, though I did not care for it personally. I felt that the characters were too much of a cartoon cutout of themselves, and the cat felt very Cheshire (which is not bad, except that he is written poorly) and the stoic guard who is the guard/info-dump of the novel. And the lead, who just felt unconvincing to me. And, the style is very travelogue, without any descriptions of the places. When you name a fictional place and do not describe it, why give it a name at all? Just call it, the city! So exciting, the City. Why is it exciting? I don't know, because we are now passing through, The Town! Sarcasm aside, this was a very bad read.
I thought this book was interesting but found the character development to be a bit lacking. By the end of the book, I only had a vague feeling of emotion for the characters, which seems a pity to me. The main character, Sabriel, seems like a character I would absolutely love reading about, and I' sure she could be, if only I felt more connected. Perhaps there is nothing wrong with the way the characters are written. Perhaps it's a flaw of my reading that I didn't become attached.
Not yet sure if I'll read the next book or not. This book did keep me interested enough to continue reading it, but I didn't feel any sadness when it ended. Maybe I'll like the second book better? I don't know.
The romance (if you can even call it that) was abrupt and unplanned. Overall the book was a boring slog to get through.
Excellent Worldbuilding
Similar dark and necromantic themes and the love and bond between parent and child. Sacrifice for loved ones and grief is a theme throughout.
What can you read after
Sabriel?
About the Author:
Garth Nix is the bestselling author of the Old Kingdom series, the Seventh Tower series, the Keys to the Kingdom series, and more. His books have been translated into more than forty languages. He lives in Sydney, Australia, with his…
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