Abhorsen

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

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Superb fantasy trilogy - Rated
I read this trilogy, Sabriel, Lirael and Abhorsehen, in order and thank goodness! Lirael could be read as a 'one off' but so much better with Sabriel as a backgound. Lirael was a gripping book; I thoroughly enjoyed it; though I do have reservations about the recommended age. Any young teen of a nervous disposition could find it a bit much and I certainly wouldn't recommend it to anyone under 14. Serious death and destruction amongst the magic & fantasy.My teens are long gone but there's no age limit on a good book!Interesting the teenage personality 'types'that feature in these books. We all know someone like the main characters. To understand and get the best from Abhorsen, you really need to have read Lirael. Hope there's a follow up and we find out what happens next. I too loved the direputable dog.Great reads and so glad I discovered these via Amazon when looking for a good read.Now what's next?!LiraelAbhorsenSabriel

Courtesy of Teens Read Too - Rated
If LIRAEL lacked in action compared to its predecessor, SABRIEL, ABHORSEN makes up for that by functioning as an extended climax of events from the previous book, focused around the need to find and defeat the necromancer Hedge to stop him from reawakening an old and malevolent power known simply as the Destroyer. The story picks up directly after the end of the previous book, with Lirael, Sameth, Mogget, and the Disreputable Dog in a race against time to stop Sam's school friend, Nicholas Sayre, from going through with his plans to reconnect two large metal hemispheres, which when connected will release the Destroyer. This power, also known as Orannis, was first bound when the Charter was created and is inimical to all forms of life.

ABHORSEN really feels like it ought to have been part of the end of LIRAEL, not only because the latter book is a continuation of the former in terms of plot. It might be possible for a reader to understand LIRAEL having not read SABRIEL, but ABHORSEN does not stand alone in this way. Rather, the characters, plot, and worldbuilding knowledge from the prior book is assumed by the author in this book. This isn't much of a problem, though, because Nix's writing still takes the reader on marvelous adventures. I just wouldn't advise trying to read this trilogy out of order. In fact, even reading this review without knowing the background of the series is probably difficult.

I also felt that some portions of the story moved along too quickly; I would have liked to see a mix of action and introspection, with more character development. However, in comparison to LIRAEL, whose action took place over a period of four years, the major events in ABHORSEN take place over less than a month of time. I recommend reading ABHORSEN directly after finishing LIRAEL for maximum effectiveness.

My biggest problem with this book was that it ended! While the primary concerns of the trilogy were nicely concluded, there were many new storylines and new questions posed that might have been nonessential, but that I still wanted answered--mostly because I don't think Nix is done with these characters, and I want to see more of them! I've got my fingers crossed that Nix will decide to write more short stories in this universe (the short story collection ACROSS THE WALL contains one story set in Ancelstierre), if not more novels. I'd be willing to read anything he'll write!

Reviewed by: Candace Cunard

We need another volume! - Rated
This book, the continuation of the more thoughtful and slower paced Lirael, is a superb action packed story that brings the trilogy to a dramatic close.

Much has been written in other critiques in praise of it so I will content myself with the following :- there are enough loose ends, and enough potential for another full length volume of Old Kingdom adventures, (we had a brief glimpse of this in The Creature in the Case short story) and I can't be alone in longing for another book, another story, more about What Happens Next......

Not enough stars to rate this book!!! - Rated
Within minutes of finishing Lirael, I had picked up Abhorsen and started reading, eager to find out how things carried on in the story. I was not disappointed!! An amazing end to an amazing story!! I couldn't put this book down and although I was looking forward to finding out how the story would end, I was so sad when it did. It's one of those books you wish could just keep on going!! 100 stars for Garth Nix and this brilliant trilogy!!!

Perfectly enjoyable, but no Pullman - Rated
Garth Nix's strengths are fast-paced action, excellent characterisations, and, in the popular tradition; snappy dialogue. However, by this third book, he is attempting the odd snippet of lyrical prose, and in this he is so awful he nearly derails the whole book. Certainly, there was one truly toe-curlingly horrible piece of metaphorical ick that I tumbled straight out of the world he was successfully conjouring for me, and I never really got back in. Which is a shame, because the story was well-cenceived and becomming admirably dark, although this ending was still not as gut-wrenching and affecting as the end of his first in the trilogy. So, all in all, I'd say not bad, and on a reasonable par to Rowling, who also has her fine moments, and her bad bits, too. But certainly no Pullman!