If there is one thing I take seriously it is naming my cats. Which is why, when a beautiful orange cat with big green eyes crawled into my lap after trying to disguise himself with some shrubbery for over an hour, I knew I had to find a name for him. Under my new cat-naming criteria I had to name him after a character in a book and it had to be a book I loved. His name is now Sameth from Garth Nix’s Lirael the second in the Abhorsen series. But since it is a series we must begin at the beginning with magical and beautifully crafted novel Sabriel.
A Glimpse into the Plot
Born into the world of the Old Kingdom where Free Magic causes havoc and the dead occasionally rise, and educated on the opposite side of the wall in Ancelstierre at Wyverley College for young ladies, Sabriel has always felt torn between these opposing worlds. Her father is Abhorsen, a necromancer who harnesses the power of seven bells in order to control the dead. When these bells arrive at Wyverley College just three weeks before Sabriel’s graduation she knows something is wrong. She has to venture back into the Old Kingdom to find what has happened to her father. Sabriel does not travel alone, she is aided (or is it hindered?) by a sleepy white cat named Mogget and a magically imprisoned mage named Touchstone.
A Few Reasons to Read
I once debated with a friend who said that there are so many well-written fantasy novels that it is a shame adults are picking up young adult or children’s fantasy instead. I said there’s a reason some books just resonate with adults as well as children. They are so well-written and enthralling that you can connect with the story at age 10 or at age 40. Of course each age group will get something out of it, but my point is that Sabriel is one of those books. The story is well told and the language is rich enough to challenge children and not seem childish to adults.
The story is fast paced with barely a lag at any point in the novel. It is definitely one that will keep you reading. Despite the fast paced action Nix stops to set up scenes. Although not heavily packed with dense descriptive passages Nix uses details to establish the feelings associated with each setting. In this way you’ll understand and feel the eerie disquiet of the Old Kingdom and the frigid chill of the water pouring through the underworld.
The characters themselves are wonderfully lovable. Even the disgruntled Mogget who spends most of the book snoozing away is strangely endearing. Also for your reading enjoyment, or rather to facilitate your reading enjoyment, Nix includes a detailed map at the beginning of the book so you can find exactly where the characters are adventuring to.
Some Issues
The ending leaves you hanging. Okay yes this isn’t a bad ploy when you’re reading a series since it makes you rush on to the next. I have not been described as the most patient person in the world, or rather patient at all, and since Sabriel came out in 1995 and Lirael did not come out until 2001, it was quite the wait. Now however all three in the series are out and I’m hoping Nix will expand this beyond a trilogy.
I have been told that Nix is semi-dependent on Tolkien. Since I haven’t exactly read any Tolkien I can’t really say if this is a negative or not since obviously Nix’s use of Tolkien-like aspects couldn’t bother me. I find myself mentioning this because some people might be annoyed by this. Yes there is walking dead and perhaps many other uses of Tolkien inspired plot twists. And no I don’t foresee Nix being remembered in quite the same light as Tolkien but his story is wonderful nonetheless. So if writers using Tolkien bother you, you might want to avoid this or something.
Overall this is a great book if you want to recommend it to a kid you know or pick it up yourself. There’s plenty of action, adventure, mystery, and romance to make this a enchanting and fun read.
Nix s spellbinding Abhosen Trilogy takes readers on a brilliant voyage into a land of dark secrets, stupendous magic, and unimaginable danger. These c...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
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