Product Description

The long-buried secrets of the Old Kingdom and the Ninth Gate are revealed in the sequel to Sabriel and Lirael. Orannis, the Destroyer, has been freed from its subterranean prison and now seeks to unleash its terrible powers. Only Lirael, Abhorsen-in-Waiting, has any chance of stopping this enemy of all Life. As she and her companions -- Sameth, the Disreputable Dog and Mogget -- set out on their fated journey, Lirael has no idea of what lies ahead. Only days earlier, Lirael was merely a Second Assistant Librarian. Now, with only a vision from the Clayr to guide her and without the experience of Abhorsen Sabriel and King Touchstone, she must search both Life and Death for some means to defeat the Destroyer. Before it is too late...

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #351497 in Books
• Published on: 2004-04-05
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 400 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
The third book in Garth Nix's Abhorsen trilogy is everything it promised to be and everything it could ever have been, coming as it did after Sabriel and Lirael--two of the most riveting fantasy novels in recent years. More a continuation of Lirael than Sabriel, which was set 20 years before it's sequel, Abhorsen nevertheless completes this outstanding sequence of books with considerable style and a consistent quality of prose that is enviable and to be admired.

The book opens in the Abhorsen's house in the Old Kingdom where Lirael, the Abhorsen-in-waiting and Prince Sameth, Sabriel's heir, are contemplating their next manoeuvre. They are surrounded on all sides by the dead, marshalled into action by Chlorr of the Mask--a Greater Dead in league with the necromancer Hedge. He in turn is working towards the resurrection of Orannis, the Destroyer. With no word from Sabriel or King Touchstone, the situation is perilous. The Old Kingdom and its neighbouring Ancelstierre are in political turmoil, unaware of the menace that is about to be unleashed from it's subterranean prison.

With the expert company of the Disreputable Dog and mysterious cat Mogget, both wielders of powerful free magic, Lirael and Sam must escape in order to save all Life from doom. Their subsequent trek across these magical lands is perilous and spectacular… and not without a high cost.

Volumes one and two of this altogether thrilling saga are essential reading before attempting to grapple with Abhorsen. Nix's worlds are complex and rich and his characters many and multi-dimensional. From the unexpectedly devastating prologue, through to the nail-biting dénouement, the author demonstrates just how at home he is in this genre. His imagination is raw and exciting, and his novels don't get much better than this. (Age 10 and over) --John McLay

Review
"At once an allegory regarding war and peace and a testament to friendship, this thought-provoking fantasy also resolves the true identities of the popular Dog and Mogget characters-and suggests that Nix may still have more tricks up his sleeve." Publishers Weekly"Fans will be overjoyed." School Library JournalPraise for Sabriel... "Sabriel is a winner, a fantasy that reads like realism. I congratulate Garth Nix." Philip Pullman"Fast pace, drama, vivid descriptions, excitement and humour... What more could you want?" The Guardian"Every publisher thinks they have the next great children's fantasy writer. Harper Collins know they have." --Nick Holt, AML

The Guardian
"Fast pace, drama, vivid descriptions, excitement and humour… What more could you want?"

Customer Reviews

A thoroughly enjoyable ending to Lirael
It is misleading to call this a sequel to Lirael when in fact it is actually the second half of the story - I would not recommend reading this book without having read Lirael first (in fact I would suggest strongly that you purchase both together!) Neither does this second book (Lirael + Abhorsen) do more than touch tangentially on the characters in Sabriel. However, for me the characters are almost secondary to the world Nix has created and I have high hopes that he will continue to explore this complex and clever setting in further books.

The only reservation I have, is Nix's tendency to continually pit his young and inexperienced central characters against overwhelmingly powerful adversaries, and then use some kind of "deus ex machina" to have them succeed. This repeated pattern throughout the three books so far begins to feel formulaic at times.

That said, the prologue will have your heart in your mouth, and the pace rarely lets up from then on (I read the book in a single evening, simply unable to put it down). The characters are well drawn - Sabriel and Sameth continue to struggle with their respective identities, whilst Mogget is ever enigmatic (or perhaps merely capricious) in word and deed. The disreputable dog remains a ludicrously invulnerable, but faithful servant (but at least we get to understand why come the final denouement).

Finally, most convincing of all, is Nix's depiction of his world - this interface between a pre-electronic (1950's?) Britain and a world of magic where the dead walk and machinery fails is convincingly drawn. The magic is internally consistent and lucidly described, and the detailed and well thought out 'Nine Precincts of Death' add a tangible sense of realism that is often lacking in this genre.

In the end Nix skilfully places his characters in reach of further books, tidying up most of the important questions, whilst leaving just enough unanswered so the reader is left with a satisfying sense of completion but not closure.

More please!

A trilogy that will not die
The third in the Garth Nix Trilogy about the supernatural adventures of Sabriel, Lirael, Touchstone, Mogget, The Disreputable Dog, Sanar, Ryelle, Ellimere and Sameth. They are the only ones who can re-establish what the seven strove to do long before.
This is a book about magic, supernatural creatures, the fight to overcome destruction by an evil force and cameraderie.
I loved this book because all the characters are colourfully described and the story was well structured, well written and compulsive.
This trilogy was the best read I have read for a long time. It is suitable for the ages of 11-17 years old. Start with Sabriel and read them in the correct order or you will be confused.
If you have read the first two books of the trilogy: Sabriel and Lirael then you will love Abhorsen. In fact if you read the first two, you won't be wondering whether to buy Abhorsen, but how quickly you can get your hands on it. If you haven't started this trilogy yet then you should.... you will not be dissappointed if you like supernatural fictional adventure.

Stunning Read.....Stunning Sequel to Lirael
The final book in the trilogy keeps up the level of writing and the pace of the previous two (Sabriel and Lirael). Abhorsen ends the trilogy very well and the ending (and the rest of the book too, mind you) is written stunningly.

The entire series is about old magic, the charter, powerful necromancers, and the Clayr, the royal family, and the Abhorsen.

Abhorsen is mostly about Lirael, Sam, The Disreputable dog and Mogget's adventures rather than Touchstone's and Sabriel's adventures.

Abhorsen has a strong beginning and ending. The beginning is somehow shocking, but that shock is smoothened out later in the book. The ending is sad and touching.

Note: If you have read Sabriel but not Lirael, read Lirael first. Since this book is mostly about her and her companions, not reading Lirael will make you a little confused.

I recommend this book to anyone who liked Sabriel and Lirael. Anyone who is starting the series should undoubtedly start from the beginning of the series.
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