I love fantasy. It’s all I read, and I am constantly searching for new great authors. Well, I’ve found an outstanding one. His name is Garth Nix, and I first came across his works when I read The Seventh Tower series. I immediately fell in love with this overwhelmingly great story. So, naturally, I went and looked for more books written by Nix. When I found Sabriel, I knew from experience that it would be an excellent work of fantasy.
The first setting of Sabriel is Ancelstierre, a place somewhat like Britain in the 1920s. Normal, everyday life consists of technology and machine made products. But the closer one gets to the Wall, the harder it is to use these products. Buses break down, telephones stop working, and machine made paper crumbles.
Beyond the Wall, in the Old Kingdom, no technology from Ancelstierre works. Actually, life on this side of the wall is completely different, and is considered quite bizarre to those from Ancelstierre. In the Old Kingdom, a constant battle wages between the forces of good and evil. Charter Magic is on the downfall, and has been since the death of the royal family hundreds of years ago. The evil force of Free Magic is now taking over. Protective Charter Stones are being broken by the blood of Charter Mages, strange Free Magic creatures are roaming and terrorizing the land, and necromancers are forcing the dead to walk once again.
Meet Sabriel, a native of the Old Kingdom, attending an all girls school in Ancelstierre. Her father is Abhorsen, a good necromancer untainted by the evils of Free Magic. When he goes missing and his tools appear in Sabriel's bedroom, she is forced to return to the Old Kingdom and take over her father's work. Joined by some unusual companions: Mogget, a strange and dangerous Free Magic creature bound by the Charter and in the form of a cat, and Touchstone, a powerful, once imprisoned Charter Mage, Sabriel must work to defeat an ancient evil set on destroying the entire world.
One thing I loved about this book was how complex the storyline was. The way Nix creates two completely different worlds and sets them apart only by a simple wall is outstanding. I have never read anything quite like this unique story, which is one of the reasons I liked it so much. I get much more excited about different, complex stories that are unpredictable, than I do about tales that seem to be more like a copy of someone else’s work. And let me tell you, Nix’s work is no copy, it’s totally and completely original.
Also, Nix creates believable characters and places them in exciting and unpredictable situations. I feel that many young women will be able to relate to some of Sabriel’s experiences. Maybe not the magical, action sequences of the book, but her personal feelings are described in such a way that it seems that you’re not just reading about them, but that you are the one feeling that way.
There are many twists and turns in the plot that constantly keep you guessing. In some places, Nix’s direction is completely unpredictable, and even a psychic wouldn’t be able to guess what happens next. I assure you there is not a single boring paragraph in this book, and in many places, your heart will be pounding and you will be biting your nails off because the story gets so incredibly intense.
The two downsides to this novel are that it can be a little dark and suggestive. Some of the magic might seem a little too intense for young children, and there are a couple sexual scenes in various places of the book.
The bottom line: I absolutely loved this book and I couldn't put it down for anything. I’m sure I even missed a few meals, and a lot of sleep, because I couldn’t stop reading due to the fact that I wanted to know what happened so badly. I would definitely recommend Sabriel to fantasy lovers of any age.
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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