The Abhorsen Trilogy Box Set (Old Kingdom) Paperback – Box set, September 27, 2005

I was first introduced to Garth Nix a little before my 12th birthday-when re-reading the whole Anne of Green Gables series every month was part of my normal book rotation. I didn't know what a necromancer was, much less why anyone would want to write about a well educated young woman fighting them to save her father and a whole Kingdom that had never really been her home.Sabriel lives in a land divided by an old, crumbling wall. It's nothing special this wall, old and crumbling, nothing that would really keep out an invading force. Yet on the other side the Army of Ancelstierre waits with old fashioned weapons for something horrible to come over the wall. They wait in the dark because frequently the lights go out and any kind of technology fails them. They used swords instead of guns because the guns fall apart. All because of what is on the other side of that wall.But there comes a time in every young girl's life when she must embrace the inner rebel who lives inside, just screaming to get to out. Sabriel's moment comes just after she graduates a finishing school in Ancelstierre that also teaches charter magic and martial arts-when a sending appears from her father giving her the bells and sword of the Abhorsen. Interpreting this as a call for help- meaning her father is either dead or trapped too far in death to get out on his own-Sabriel heads for the old Kingdom, a land she may have been born in but has no practicle knowledge of-and no idea of the new dangers abounding within.Sabriel may be an Abhorsen-one of many in a long hereditary line-but this family of necromancers doesn't raise the dead to do their bidding, they lay them back down and send them back from whence they came.Sabriel knows almost nothing about this.Could she quell the tides of rising dead? Interpret her father's message, travel through a world she has no preparation for with only a servant bound by the most powerful magic to keep it from killing her? Free a mysterious man trapped in a spell and bound by guilt for an act committed over 200 years ago that still has ramifications today? Try to defeat an evil that has defied the Abhorsen for hundreds of years? And bring the old Kingdom into something back of the glory it once was?As the terrifying repository of knowledge on all things dead says on its very last page: does the walker chose the path-or the path chose the walker?I should mention that Sabriel can stand totally on its own and does so very nicely.*******Spoilers next about what happens after Sabriel. *******Next we have Lirael, the only member of the prophetic Clayr who can't see into the future and has dark hair instead of blond and sharp features instead of cherubic ones. Ostracized by her community after finally realizing she'll never gain the sight she becomes a Liberian in the Clayr's great library-which holds so much more than just books. Working there Lirael becomes an accomplished charter mage and even gains a mysterious friend-the disreputable dog- who grew out of a statue and gains her freedom when she discovers her true destiny and identity.It's been fourteen years since Sabriel became Queen/Abhorsen and in that time the old kingdom has become considerably safer-but there are still areas no one goes. Around red lake is one of them. And it just so happens that Prince Sammeth's friend from Ancelstierre, Nick (who happens to not believe anything about the old kingdom and that everything has a scientific explanation) is funding a dig at a site there that people avoid as much as possible and lighting strikes far more often than normal.On the other side of the wall in Ancelstierre the King and Queen of the old Kingdom are politicking with the government so they don't sent thousands of refugees over the wall with promises of free land-when really they'll be walking straight into a trap set by a necromancer Sabriel has yet to catch.And back in the Old Kingdom Sam is plotting an escape from his necromancy lessons-as he is certain he is not meant to be the next Abhorsen. But his older sister is so clearly meant to be queen that the burden falls upon him. So does what any noble prince would do in the situation- runs away.And lastly the whole Gangs here in Abhorsen to face the biggest evil of all- something so dangerous it was buried not only in the earth but in seven layers of warded materials guarded by the Abhorsen, sought by many a necromancer- none of whom knew what they were getting into. This is not just a fight to save a life or a kingdom, but the whole world and may more after that.These books are amazing fantasy novels that manage to straddle the age gap between young adult and adult very well. They are quite scary, but that's the only kind of content that might be upsetting to younger readers. And since it's not nearly often enough you come across a real strong fantasy heroine who doesn't need anyone's help, they're also a big girl power boost. And funny and full of mystery and legend. Recommended to anyone over 12 or very advanced young readers who don't scare easy. I'm not exaggerating on this point- these books are full of characters and beings out of the worst nightmares.Five stars. A trilogy to read over and over.

Before I begin, let me mention that Garth Nix is my single favorite author, and I have read all of his books, many of them multiple times. My personal favorite is Confusion of Princes, but that's another story.Garth Nix is such a strong writer partially due to his extremely detailed worlds, which feel interactive, even though you have no bearing on the events. Each world has a massive amount of mechanical complexity, and a large range of varied environments. A lot of people would compare his books to games, and I think it's an apt comparison. Most (but not all) of his books tend to start the same way, in a kind of coming-of-age method:A character who knows very little about the world, is now thrust inside it, learning as fast as possible to succeed in a do-or-die scenario.Abhorsen starts very much the same way. For posterity, I'll give you a short summary, enough to be spoiler-free, but give you an indication of what to expect in this series.Sabriel (the 1st book) focuses on a young girl attending an female boarding school in Ancelstierre, a technological zone in the south, somewhere between the industrial revolution and the modern age of technology (this is unclear). She is outside of class, and witnesses a small rabbit die, and raises it back from the grave, healing it's previously fatal wounds in the process. To do this, she must project herself into death itself, and use a mish mash of magic and energy to force it back into life. There's more to this later.She hasn't seen her father for a while, who is a master magician and necromancer otherwise known as the Abhorsen. In the event of an Abhorsen's death, their heir must take up their weapons and role, which is to make the sure the dead, stay dead. While Sabriel is sleeping soon after, an undead creature in the rough shape of a human crosses the border of her school, making plenty of noise, and disabling any high-tech objects in the close vicinity. Undead creatures are extremely dangerous, and must be controlled by charter magic, or a wind instrument to stop them from consuming all life that surrounds them.The entire school is woken up, and Sabriel confronts the creature, being the most powerful charter mage on the premises. The creature is carrying a satchel, and attempting to speak, a goal very difficult for the undead. However, the creature is not attacking, and Sabriel can feel a necromancer controlling it from deep in death.Therefore, Sabriel decides to meet the creature in death, make it speak, and determine it's purpose. She asks others to guard her body, and projects her mind into death (It's unclear how this works, but I think her spirit moves into death, while her body stays in life.). Death is a cold, hostile environment, covered with a muted gray fog, and under-laid by a never ending torrent of water, which saps the spirit of anything inside, and compels them to give up and drift with the water, to the next gate, which spells certain death. Sabriel emerges, and senses the creature. It has several long, black tendrils splintering off of it, reaching further into death. These tendrils signify that the creature is being controlled from deeper into death, and Sabriel can sense it's being controlled from as far back as the seventh gate, making it a very powerful foe indeed.She moves to the creature, and determines the creature is a messenger from her father, further in death. Her father has been defeated, and has sent her the tools and trade of the Abhorsen, enchanted armor, sword, and bells. It's goal fulfilled, the messenger dissipates and dies, cutting off communication with the previous Abhorsen, who is still alive, though incapacitated and in very dire straits.Thus, Sabriel's mission is clear:Go into the north, where technology no longer works, and save her father, killing all of the dead in the way.It's a very strong book, and Garth Nix has a way of weaving mechanics of the world, and the characters who live within it. These books will make your imagination go wild, with detailed scenarios, and intense environments with all the metal clangs, whispered spells, and harsh weather conditions that make medieval combat so very, very, interesting, all with the added benefits of increasingly complex undead and spell ramifications. There is no encounter that doesn't leave you wondering if Sabriel will live through the day.

I can read this story again and again, and my teenage son is currently reading and enjoying them. A delight to all ages, a rich detailed world to rival that of Tolkein, and a story at a pace that is irresistible. The characters are people that you want to follow and see succeed, the villains are frightening and the threat is compelling. Anyone who loves Fantasy fiction and hasn't read these needs to.

I'm a secondary English teacher, so I often 'check out' children's literature to make recommendations for my pupils who don't like to read. The first Garth Nix book I read was Mister Monday, which although thoroughly absorbing and enjoyable is clearly written for pre-teens. So, I was wonderfully surprised when a librarian recommended Sabriel to me as this novel is definitely meant for late teens and/or adults.The Abhorsen Chronicles is a trilogy of three novels. Sabriel is a dark, rites of passage masterpiece that rivals Lord of the Rings. It is a stand-alone novel, but as Nix created such a believable world, it is no surprise that he then created the sequels: Lirael and Abhorsen - these two books need to be read one after the other to truly appreciate the writer's craft. Not only is Nix blessed with a wonderful way with words, he is also very skilful in creating a complex web of intriguing storylines that have real meaning by the end.I would recommend this to young adults who enjoy Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings. I am sure you will also struggle to put the book down, fall in love with the characters and dream of the Old Kingdom existing somewhere out of sight in our world, just waiting to be discovered.

I am not reviewing the content of these books, which is good. I am on Book 2 and enjoying it even more than Book 1. I am reviewing the box set. The design is nice – attractive cover design. This must be what they mean when they say 'features the original art'. There is no artwork inside, apart from the obligatory map. However, although the typesetting is pretty, there was no effort to remove widows/orphans. Also, the covers seem thin, not the sort of quality you would expect from a presentation box set. By all means buy the books but perhaps not in this format.

I read these as a child, I read these as an adult and both times I was drawn into an immaculately crafted world with characters you are absorbed by and care for. A series of enjoyable tales from start to finish. I simply wish there were more set in this unique and involved fantasy world.

Knowing nothing about the book or author I delved into Sabriel, I found it different to my usual choice of book and a bit slow to start, but the book gets better as you move through it and get into the fantasy world of The Old Kingdom. By the end I wanted to get into the next book which with the stage already set by the first book was more enjoyable. Likewise after this I was keen to start with the third of the trilogy, Abhorsen. A good series if you are into or can get into the fantasy world.