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Abhorsen #1-4
Garth Nix Old Kingdom Series 4 Books Collection Set
Game of Thrones fans will love the New York Times bestselling Abhorsen series. Sabriel, the first installment in the series, launched critically acclaimed author Garth Nix onto the fantasy scene as a rising star. This collection gathers all four titles in the popular series, including the long-awaited prequel, Clariel.
Sabriel: Since childhood, Sabriel has lived outside the walls of the Old Kingdom, away from the power of Free Magic, and away from the Dead who refuse to stay dead. But now her father, the Abhorsen, is missing, and Sabriel must cross into that world to find him. There she confronts an evil that threatens much more than her life and comes face-to-face with her own hidden destiny. . . .
Lirael: Lirael has never felt like a true daughter of the Clayr. She doesn't even have the Sight—the ability to see into possible futures—that is the very birthright of the Clayr. Nevertheless she must undertake a desperate mission under the growing shadow of an ancient evil—one that threatens to break the very boundary between Life and Death itself. With only her faithful companion, the Disreputable Dog, to help her, Lirael must find the courage to seek her own hidden destiny.
Abhorsen: The Abhorsen Sabriel and King Touchstone are missing, leaving only Lirael—newly come into her inheritance as the Abhorsen-in-Waiting—to stop the Destroyer. With only a vision from the Clayr to guide her, Lirael must search in both Life and Death for some means to defeat the evil destructor—before it is too late. . . .
Clariel: Clariel is the daughter of one of the most notable families in the Old Kingdom, with blood relations to the Abhorsen and, most important, to the King. She dreams of living a simple life but discovers this is hard to achieve when a dangerous creature is loose in the city and there is a plot brewing against the King. When Clariel is drawn into the efforts to find and capture the creature, she finds hidden sorcery within herself, yet it is magic that carries great dangers.
Paperback
First published October 14, 2014
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About the author
Garth Nix
236 books14.9k followersGarth Nix was born in 1963 in Melbourne, Australia, to the sound of the Salvation Army band outside playing 'Hail the Conquering Hero Comes' or possibly 'Roll Out the Barrel'. Garth left Melbourne at an early age for Canberra (the federal capital) and stayed there till he was nineteen, when he left to drive around the UK in a beat-up Austin with a boot full of books and a Silver-Reed typewriter.
Despite a wheel literally falling off the Austin, Garth survived to return to Australia and study at the University of Canberra. After finishing his degree in 1986 he worked in a bookshop, then as a book publicist, a publisher's sales representative, and editor. Along the way he was also a part-time soldier in the Australian Army Reserve, serving in an Assault Pioneer platoon for four years. Garth left publishing to work as a public relations and marketing consultant from 1994-1997, till he became a full-time writer in 1998. He did that for a year before joining Curtis Brown Australia as a part-time literary agent in 1999. In January 2002 Garth went back to dedicated writer again, despite his belief that full-time writing explains the strange behaviour of many authors.
He now lives in Sydney with his wife, two sons and lots of books.
Despite a wheel literally falling off the Austin, Garth survived to return to Australia and study at the University of Canberra. After finishing his degree in 1986 he worked in a bookshop, then as a book publicist, a publisher's sales representative, and editor. Along the way he was also a part-time soldier in the Australian Army Reserve, serving in an Assault Pioneer platoon for four years. Garth left publishing to work as a public relations and marketing consultant from 1994-1997, till he became a full-time writer in 1998. He did that for a year before joining Curtis Brown Australia as a part-time literary agent in 1999. In January 2002 Garth went back to dedicated writer again, despite his belief that full-time writing explains the strange behaviour of many authors.
He now lives in Sydney with his wife, two sons and lots of books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
March 25, 2020
This ebook included four novels:
Sabriel - 5 stars
Lirael - 5 stars
Abhorsen -5 stars
Clariel - 4 stars
The fictional Old Kingdom is one of the most amazing and complex fantasy landscapes I have ever come across! It took awhile for me to accept it. But as the author built to exciting conclusions in each book, I forgot how weird the world-building was and simply became completely immersed in the action. I must admit though, while Sabriel and Lirael were characters I admired very much as they changed from young awkward girls to confident magical heroes, taking on more than they ever imagined possible for them to do, I never did warm up to Clariel.
My favorite character? Mogget. Especially in Abhorsen, where when the path he thought he wanted was finally open, he instead decided on the one which chose him. But mostly he was my favorite because he made me laugh a lot.
Sabriel - 5 stars
Lirael - 5 stars
Abhorsen -5 stars
Clariel - 4 stars
The fictional Old Kingdom is one of the most amazing and complex fantasy landscapes I have ever come across! It took awhile for me to accept it. But as the author built to exciting conclusions in each book, I forgot how weird the world-building was and simply became completely immersed in the action. I must admit though, while Sabriel and Lirael were characters I admired very much as they changed from young awkward girls to confident magical heroes, taking on more than they ever imagined possible for them to do, I never did warm up to Clariel.
My favorite character? Mogget. Especially in Abhorsen, where when the path he thought he wanted was finally open, he instead decided on the one which chose him. But mostly he was my favorite because he made me laugh a lot.
June 30, 2017
Excellent collection of the Abhorsens stories
Very well written, nicely paced neither too fast or too slow. The first novel turns out to be my least favorite even though it is a good one. The characters are not as strong as the ones coming in the volumes 2, 3 & 4. It was a bit annoying to find out that volume 4 is set in the past when all I wanted was to know more about Lirael. It turned out to be an excellent telling about Chlorr of the Mask, extremely well written! I highly recommend these 4 volumes and can't wait to read the next one :-)
Very well written, nicely paced neither too fast or too slow. The first novel turns out to be my least favorite even though it is a good one. The characters are not as strong as the ones coming in the volumes 2, 3 & 4. It was a bit annoying to find out that volume 4 is set in the past when all I wanted was to know more about Lirael. It turned out to be an excellent telling about Chlorr of the Mask, extremely well written! I highly recommend these 4 volumes and can't wait to read the next one :-)
April 18, 2025
Sabriel - nelabai sudomino, atrodė kiek per daug sutapimų viename gyvenime. Nors sukurtas pasaulis pasirodė įdomus.
Lirael ir Abhorsen - patiko, tik pagrindiniai veikėjai buvo kiek per daug užstrigę savęs nesupratime.
Clariel - pradžioje nuvylė, nes ne tęsinys, o priešistorė, bet po to džiaugiausi sužinojusi, kaip pasaulis atrodė anksčiau.
Lirael ir Abhorsen - patiko, tik pagrindiniai veikėjai buvo kiek per daug užstrigę savęs nesupratime.
Clariel - pradžioje nuvylė, nes ne tęsinys, o priešistorė, bet po to džiaugiausi sužinojusi, kaip pasaulis atrodė anksčiau.
May 12, 2015
Sabriel practically never goes back on the shelf. It's such an amazing story that has some aspects of romance, but really focuses more on the story and the magic. Lirael is a little long, and definitely (for me) the weakest of the original three, if only because she and Sam are so wrapped up in self-pity. The Dog is the best part of that book. Abhorsen comes back swinging, though, and I can't wait to pick up Clariel.
January 20, 2016
I absolutely love Garth Nix and his books. The Old Kingdom Collection is an amazing series with a lot of characters that I have grown to love as I have read this series multiple times. I love the world he creates and how these characters are so strong and at the same time flawed.
I am sure nostalgia will bring me to read this series many more times.
I am sure nostalgia will bring me to read this series many more times.
January 27, 2015
These have been my favourite books for a long, long, long time and this will probably never change. Check them out!
June 17, 2015
I love these books. The characters are great, you get straight into the action and the use of magic is fantastic. I'm always looking for the next old kingdom book or short story.
March 22, 2017
This is my all time favorite series. Magic, action and a love story (minor but important). It is a very enjoyable read.
Read
October 14, 2016Thoughts on Sabriel:
I haven't read this one for at least 10 years, maybe longer, and I forgot just how GOOD it is! It has been long enough that although I remembered bits and pieces, the whole story eluded me. For example, I remembered that Sabriel and Touchstone end up together and that he was a prince, and something about a final battle back at her school, but I didn't recall the way her father sacrificed himself of the whole Mogget storyline. I only vaguely recalled Sabriel's journey across the Wall and who the Clayr were. This book can definitely be a stand alone, and I think it was when I first read it, but I'm looking forward to rediscovering the rest of the original trilogy as well as reading the prequel. And amazingly, it sounds like a new addition is coming in October! How convenient for me! This would make a really good movie and/or miniseries...especially with other similar series being popular right now.
Thoughts on Lirael:
I had almost zero recollection of what this one was about, apart from remembering that Lirael is actually Sabriel's half sister, so Sam's (brief) romantic interest in her was a bit cringeworthy. I had a difficult time feeling as much empathy for Sam as I did for Lirael and I don't know if it's because I was angry with him for being so dumb when his parents were not or if he was just to full of self pity, but to be fair he admits it to himself. Also, his sister is much more competent, albeit a bit pushy. I am hoping that he comes into his own a bit more now that he is no longer the Abhorsen-in-Waiting.
The only disappointment here is how the story ends on such a large cliffhanger - with Sam, Lirael, Mogget, and the Disreputable Dog about to head out to confront Hedge and save Nick. Otherwise, I loved getting some more insight into the Clayr and the beginning of the Charter.
**Thoughts about Abhorsen**
Sabriel and Touchstone died in the first five pages?!?!
Okay, phew, they aren't dead. Clearly I blocked out this whole book. I had no recollection of who the Disreputable Dog turned out to be (Kibeth, of course) or that Lirael's hand gets cut off while they are binding Orannis or that Sabriel, Touchstone, Sameth, Emmeline, Sanar and Ryelle, and Lirael, along with Kibeth/Disreputable Dog form the new Seven to bind Orannis and Mogget/Yrael jumps in at the end to lend a paw. I also had no recollection that Nick died and was resurrected - I was pretty sure he was gone for good till the Dog licked him.
I love the side characters, even the ones that only appear for a few pages. Like Felicity, the schoolgirl at Sabriel's alma mater who (after first holding them at crossbow point for their identities to be verified) volunteers to fly Sabriel and Touchstone in a one person airplane across the Wall where technology no longer works. I'd like to see more of her! Also, I'd like to see more of Ellimere - she seems pretty awesome. I mean, the whole time Lirael and Sameth are traversing the Kingdom, all she knows is her brother (the Abhorsen in Waiting) disappears, her parents are presumed assassinated, and she is left in charge of the whole Kingdom, which is currently under seige from an ancient evil that even the Clayr cannot see, at 18 or 19 years old. That's pretty badass. I mean, obviously, the bulk of this story isn't hers, but still.
I have to say, overall Garth Nix creates amazingly nuanced characters; I still haven't quite gotten over the death of Horyse from the first one. And his female protagonists are kickass and sensitive and authoritative all at once. Hell, the Clayr are a bunch of extremely powerful and respected (almost exclusively) women who procreate via affairs with travelers visiting the Glacier and this is considered normal and not shameful -- the only reason it's difficult for Lirael is that generally Clayr at least know who their fathers are and their mothers are involved in their lives.
Speaking of, I'm still curious as to what happened to Lirael's mom Arielle - I wonder if that gets addressed in Goldenhand? I'm so glad I decided to reread these before I realized there was a new one being released in a month! Also, I'm intrigued by the prequel. And the short stories - I think maybe Nick and Lirael will end up together, and I'm hoping Ellimere and Felicity both make appearances.
**Clariel***
As I started reading this I had a thought - does Clariel turn out to be Chlorr of the Mask?!? I'm intrigued. The more I read, the more I'm worried about it.
I feel for Clariel, although I'm a bit concerned about her propensity for Free Magic....Add that to her berserk nature and the results could be catastrophic.
I'm really upset at the way the king is acting like a spoiled child and about whatever has happened to his granddaughter- the city is devolving fast. I have to say, I'm a little surprised at how fast things have turned, though. Clariel and her family were just there for dinner and it turned into a bloodbath, starting with her father being shot by a crossbow and ending with her mother's decapitation. That's about where I am right now, so we'll see how I feel at the end.
*
Well, I was right - Clariel is Chlorr of the Mask. This one was kind of a bummer...I mean, things end up sort of kind of okay for Clariel, having been tricked by the Free Magic creatures (including Mogget) but the whole time I was screaming at her in my head, going "whyyyy are you so dumb! They are clearly evil!" but all the characters in her life who should have been teaching her important things, her parents, her Charter Magic teacher Kargrin who uses her as bait before even really teaching her anything, the captain of the guard Gullaine who tries halfheartedly to teach her to control her berserk-ness, the king who is like a petulant child waiting for his granddaughter to return to rule, his granddaughter for shirking her responsibility and hiding with the Clayr, the Clayr for not making Tathiel return sooner, Bel for not explaining that Mogget shouldn't be trusted, and the Abhorsen(s) who have been shirking their responsibility for generations. I was mad at literally everyone involved. I was also a bit mad that Clariel seemed like she was too lazy to learn Charter magic and that's why she liked Free Magic -all she had to do was will something to be.
I did like the way Clariel was an independent woman who eschewed romantic entanglements - that was a bit refreshing and I think it's nice to see representation of asexuality in literature, without making that the central conflict of the story. I was a little disappointed that Bel fell for Clariel so quickly and completely, but I suppose that was inevitable...I also like that it wouldn't have been a big deal if she'd been into women.
I didn't like how Tathiel came swooping out of nowhere and had been with the Clayr the whole time. It seems like the whole thing could have been entirely avoided if the Clayr had at least just told everyone where she was. It felt a bit deus ex machina-esque, but to be fair - this was Clariel's story and from her perspective, it would have been that way.
This was my least favorite installment in this series, but I think it's because there's no happy ending.
I haven't read this one for at least 10 years, maybe longer, and I forgot just how GOOD it is! It has been long enough that although I remembered bits and pieces, the whole story eluded me. For example, I remembered that Sabriel and Touchstone end up together and that he was a prince, and something about a final battle back at her school, but I didn't recall the way her father sacrificed himself of the whole Mogget storyline. I only vaguely recalled Sabriel's journey across the Wall and who the Clayr were. This book can definitely be a stand alone, and I think it was when I first read it, but I'm looking forward to rediscovering the rest of the original trilogy as well as reading the prequel. And amazingly, it sounds like a new addition is coming in October! How convenient for me! This would make a really good movie and/or miniseries...especially with other similar series being popular right now.
Thoughts on Lirael:
I had almost zero recollection of what this one was about, apart from remembering that Lirael is actually Sabriel's half sister, so Sam's (brief) romantic interest in her was a bit cringeworthy. I had a difficult time feeling as much empathy for Sam as I did for Lirael and I don't know if it's because I was angry with him for being so dumb when his parents were not or if he was just to full of self pity, but to be fair he admits it to himself. Also, his sister is much more competent, albeit a bit pushy. I am hoping that he comes into his own a bit more now that he is no longer the Abhorsen-in-Waiting.
The only disappointment here is how the story ends on such a large cliffhanger - with Sam, Lirael, Mogget, and the Disreputable Dog about to head out to confront Hedge and save Nick. Otherwise, I loved getting some more insight into the Clayr and the beginning of the Charter.
**Thoughts about Abhorsen**
Sabriel and Touchstone died in the first five pages?!?!
Okay, phew, they aren't dead. Clearly I blocked out this whole book. I had no recollection of who the Disreputable Dog turned out to be (Kibeth, of course) or that Lirael's hand gets cut off while they are binding Orannis or that Sabriel, Touchstone, Sameth, Emmeline, Sanar and Ryelle, and Lirael, along with Kibeth/Disreputable Dog form the new Seven to bind Orannis and Mogget/Yrael jumps in at the end to lend a paw. I also had no recollection that Nick died and was resurrected - I was pretty sure he was gone for good till the Dog licked him.
I love the side characters, even the ones that only appear for a few pages. Like Felicity, the schoolgirl at Sabriel's alma mater who (after first holding them at crossbow point for their identities to be verified) volunteers to fly Sabriel and Touchstone in a one person airplane across the Wall where technology no longer works. I'd like to see more of her! Also, I'd like to see more of Ellimere - she seems pretty awesome. I mean, the whole time Lirael and Sameth are traversing the Kingdom, all she knows is her brother (the Abhorsen in Waiting) disappears, her parents are presumed assassinated, and she is left in charge of the whole Kingdom, which is currently under seige from an ancient evil that even the Clayr cannot see, at 18 or 19 years old. That's pretty badass. I mean, obviously, the bulk of this story isn't hers, but still.
I have to say, overall Garth Nix creates amazingly nuanced characters; I still haven't quite gotten over the death of Horyse from the first one. And his female protagonists are kickass and sensitive and authoritative all at once. Hell, the Clayr are a bunch of extremely powerful and respected (almost exclusively) women who procreate via affairs with travelers visiting the Glacier and this is considered normal and not shameful -- the only reason it's difficult for Lirael is that generally Clayr at least know who their fathers are and their mothers are involved in their lives.
Speaking of, I'm still curious as to what happened to Lirael's mom Arielle - I wonder if that gets addressed in Goldenhand? I'm so glad I decided to reread these before I realized there was a new one being released in a month! Also, I'm intrigued by the prequel. And the short stories - I think maybe Nick and Lirael will end up together, and I'm hoping Ellimere and Felicity both make appearances.
**Clariel***
As I started reading this I had a thought - does Clariel turn out to be Chlorr of the Mask?!? I'm intrigued. The more I read, the more I'm worried about it.
I feel for Clariel, although I'm a bit concerned about her propensity for Free Magic....Add that to her berserk nature and the results could be catastrophic.
I'm really upset at the way the king is acting like a spoiled child and about whatever has happened to his granddaughter- the city is devolving fast. I have to say, I'm a little surprised at how fast things have turned, though. Clariel and her family were just there for dinner and it turned into a bloodbath, starting with her father being shot by a crossbow and ending with her mother's decapitation. That's about where I am right now, so we'll see how I feel at the end.
*
Well, I was right - Clariel is Chlorr of the Mask. This one was kind of a bummer...I mean, things end up sort of kind of okay for Clariel, having been tricked by the Free Magic creatures (including Mogget) but the whole time I was screaming at her in my head, going "whyyyy are you so dumb! They are clearly evil!" but all the characters in her life who should have been teaching her important things, her parents, her Charter Magic teacher Kargrin who uses her as bait before even really teaching her anything, the captain of the guard Gullaine who tries halfheartedly to teach her to control her berserk-ness, the king who is like a petulant child waiting for his granddaughter to return to rule, his granddaughter for shirking her responsibility and hiding with the Clayr, the Clayr for not making Tathiel return sooner, Bel for not explaining that Mogget shouldn't be trusted, and the Abhorsen(s) who have been shirking their responsibility for generations. I was mad at literally everyone involved. I was also a bit mad that Clariel seemed like she was too lazy to learn Charter magic and that's why she liked Free Magic -all she had to do was will something to be.
I did like the way Clariel was an independent woman who eschewed romantic entanglements - that was a bit refreshing and I think it's nice to see representation of asexuality in literature, without making that the central conflict of the story. I was a little disappointed that Bel fell for Clariel so quickly and completely, but I suppose that was inevitable...I also like that it wouldn't have been a big deal if she'd been into women.
I didn't like how Tathiel came swooping out of nowhere and had been with the Clayr the whole time. It seems like the whole thing could have been entirely avoided if the Clayr had at least just told everyone where she was. It felt a bit deus ex machina-esque, but to be fair - this was Clariel's story and from her perspective, it would have been that way.
This was my least favorite installment in this series, but I think it's because there's no happy ending.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 4, 2021
I love the series of the Old Kingdom. My personal favourite is Sabriel as she is a fierce warrior that meets many obstacles along the way in search of her father. It was beautiful and touching.
The rest of the series was good too. I did enjoy the journey of the old kingdom and the back story of Clariel. I felt a lot more details and the history of the old kingdom could have been added in the book, but nevertheless it was good to keep me going to reading the last book of the series. I couldn’t put the book down as I wanted to know how it would end and it was brilliant!
The rest of the series was good too. I did enjoy the journey of the old kingdom and the back story of Clariel. I felt a lot more details and the history of the old kingdom could have been added in the book, but nevertheless it was good to keep me going to reading the last book of the series. I couldn’t put the book down as I wanted to know how it would end and it was brilliant!
December 6, 2023
Amazing world of magic, great descriptive imagery, a world to fall in love with.
I'm on a reread, I read this originally as a teenager and then found clariel recently. It's great, I'm more of a saga reader, and this feels more of a series of stories threw a vast time in the old kingdom. Relationships feel fast but it's always almost the end of the world. I love the science and imagery of magic. I WANT to be in that world and weave spells. I'd be so jealous of the characters if it wasn't for it being such a dangerous world!
Love these books
I'm on a reread, I read this originally as a teenager and then found clariel recently. It's great, I'm more of a saga reader, and this feels more of a series of stories threw a vast time in the old kingdom. Relationships feel fast but it's always almost the end of the world. I love the science and imagery of magic. I WANT to be in that world and weave spells. I'd be so jealous of the characters if it wasn't for it being such a dangerous world!
Love these books
May 15, 2021
Well written and especially the flow of the story from book to book. I love how the story moves from one protagonist to the next and their interactions with the previous.
I wasn't completely blown away by the magical system, but I enjoyed reading the worldview.
I wasn't completely blown away by the magical system, but I enjoyed reading the worldview.
February 5, 2022
good reading that comes to a fast and tidy conclusion
The series was fun, but clearly meant for a younger audience. Great for a pre-teen or teenager. A little too fast and predictable for the mature reader.
The series was fun, but clearly meant for a younger audience. Great for a pre-teen or teenager. A little too fast and predictable for the mature reader.
February 28, 2023
Z této čtveřice jsem přečetla Sabriel a musím říct, že další díly si rozhodně pořídím.
Příběh mě bavil a napínal, takže jsem ocenila, že děj ubíhal rychle. Byla to skvělá fantasy, které zbývalo do pěti hvězdiček opravdu málo...
Příběh mě bavil a napínal, takže jsem ocenila, že děj ubíhal rychle. Byla to skvělá fantasy, které zbývalo do pěti hvězdiček opravdu málo...
May 10, 2025
One of my favorite series. Detailed world, intriguing magic system, tradition and ritual mixed with technology in a way that is full of mystique but feels familiar, like a weighty leather tome.
5/5
5/5
May 26, 2020
Loved escaping to the world of the Abhorsens... Rally want to read more from them.
September 24, 2020
Each book distinct with its own twist yet familiar with its setting and characters. Cant get enough of them and you never want their journey to end.
February 20, 2021
This was one of my favorite series of all time! If you like magic and a good versus evil story, this is for you!
May 29, 2022
Too slow...
January 12, 2023
This world 💚
February 27, 2023
Simple fantasy but good fantasy. Characters are interesting and have a nice growth, the story is nice and its interesting the time gaps between some of the books.
May 1, 2023
loved this series my dad suggested it and it now my favorite
September 6, 2023
Didn't read Clariel which isn't really part of the main story. Otherwise entertaining and easy to read. A touch predictable as usual.
September 15, 2023
Loved the whole series! Listened to it narrated by Tim Curry
November 24, 2023
I feel like I don't hear the old kingdom series mentioned very often?? which is CRIMINAL because I think the world and lore and magic system are so original and cool. highly highly recommend
June 10, 2024
Honestly it's my favourite series. It's interesting, there isn't a dull moment. Some romance, some drama. I hit the jackpot when I discovered Nix
October 13, 2024
I recommend Garth nix for world building that is immersive and being the only male author to write women characters I relate to.
Read
January 8, 2020a very immersive world and a page turner.
November 28, 2014
I've read this omnibus edition because I didn't have the trilogy as ebooks and because it included Clariel, a new part that I didn't know anything about, especially not how it fits into the framework of the trilogy. I deeply enjoyed Sabriel, Lirael and Abhorsen, so this is more or less about Clariel.
I gave four stars, and if it were not for Clariel, five wouldn't have been enough. Clariel is very much different from the rest of the Old Kingdom books. This is OK in that it does not interfere with the established history. The focus of the magic involved is also on a different aspect and that is OK as well. The problem is in the telling.
Clariel is in large parts a book that I wish had never been written. It is a taint. For at least two thirds it feels like badly written fan fiction. The characters are one-dimensional and predictable, the events drag along without any depth either, and I have considered leaving the book unfinished more than once. That is a shame.
Then finally something crucial happens and at least there's action - or so I thought. In the end there is a twist and while I had hoped the book would end dramatically with a name being croaked, I still found it quite satisfying. As it stands, I would even consider reading a second part :)
I gave four stars, and if it were not for Clariel, five wouldn't have been enough. Clariel is very much different from the rest of the Old Kingdom books. This is OK in that it does not interfere with the established history. The focus of the magic involved is also on a different aspect and that is OK as well. The problem is in the telling.
Clariel is in large parts a book that I wish had never been written. It is a taint. For at least two thirds it feels like badly written fan fiction. The characters are one-dimensional and predictable, the events drag along without any depth either, and I have considered leaving the book unfinished more than once. That is a shame.
Then finally something crucial happens and at least there's action - or so I thought. In the end there is a twist and while I had hoped the book would end dramatically with a name being croaked, I still found it quite satisfying. As it stands, I would even consider reading a second part :)
April 4, 2015
An entertaining read but for some reason I'm a little underwhelmed with the detail in fleshing out the world and magic mechanic. While coming off to me as a rather unique world, I don't remember being really intrigued with how it works like I was for the Wheel of Time series or even Eragon. Maybe I'm just getting old! These four books do, however, span three completely different protagonists, each with their own character flaws and motivations, which made each book stand out from the rest. However, this also means that each book starts off quite slow (excluding Abhorsen) so as to introduce a new main character or two from the ground up.
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