Fantasy Buddy Reads discussion

This is a Buddy Read for Sabriel by Garth Nix starting on June 5, 2024.


Happy Reading!

Thank you!

Proposed Schedule:
1. Sabriel (June 1)
2. Lirael (July 1) [link]
3. Abhorsen (Aug 1) [link]

Only threads for the first three books have been requested so far.
Short 3.5: The Creature in the Case in the anthology Across the Wall: A Tale of the Abhorsen and Other Stories
4. Clariel (prequel)
5. Goldenhand
6. Terciel and Elinor (Prequel)
short: To Hold the Bridge in To Hold the Bridge: Tales from the Old Kingdom and Beyond

Nix's two short story collections: Across the Wall: A Tale of the Abhorsen and Other Stories and To Hold the Bridge: Tales from the Old Kingdom and Beyond each have one short story set in the Old Kingdom and a bunch of shorts that showcase Nix's insane world-building skills. These are some of my favorite short story collections--I'd be down for BR-ing them whole for in their own thread, or just picking the Old Kingdom Stories out and reading them in the main series thread--whatever folks want to do.

This is a ways away, but so much love for the first necromancer of my heart. <3

LOL. Is Harrow the second? Definitely wondering who the second is. And third?

Ditto though... I love this series so much... Nix does such a great job of creating a world out of a scrap of paper...

I read once that he mostly writes by hand--has notebooks filled with his first drafts...

I read the initial trilogy so long ago, and I have been planning to re-read it and finish the whole series for a long time. Maybe a buddy read will give me the right push.

Join us!!!

I put it on my schedule! I just remembered I bought used copy of Sabriel because it was the no dust jacket glossy hardcover one.

Tagging this too.

I love Mogget! (view spoiler)[ when he’s teasing Sabriel about the wooden naked man she wakes up and says he can go get a blanket for him if she’d like to ‘keep staring.’ Ha ha. Little snot. I love him so much. (hide spoiler)]

The audio is read by Tim Curry and it’s perfection. Highly recommend.

Felina wrote: "I love Mogget! [spoilers removed]

The audio is read by Tim Curry and it’s perfection. Highly recommend."

I just started today. I’m actually enjoying it so far. It’s not at all what I expected (based solely on the cover. I didn’t read the blurb). I totally didn’t recognize that Tim Curry was reading it. I love him so much and now I love the book even more lol.

Is it your first time?

I read it a while ago but so far I remember nothing. Except Mogget. I never forget a smart ass cat.

Felina wrote: "Is it your first time?

I read it a while ago but so far I remember nothing. Except Mogget. I never forget a smart ass cat."

Yup. First time. Never heard of it before. But it got good ratings and was available in Libby. This is basically how I decide what to read 😅

That’s not a bad way to decide.

I cant even tell you how many times ive listened to this trilogy... seriously a comfort read for me and i think one of my first audiobooks. Curious to see what everyone thinks!

I wanted to do physical book re-read as I read it very long ago in Czech translation but rn with my TBR full the audio is tempting.

I'll be starting this once I finish my current audio book. I love this trilogy :)

I'll be starting today--there's a line waiting for the library copy. I've read this... hm... maybe six times? This will be my first listen though... this remains a favorite reread from childhood...

Nix is also such a talented short story writer... every one of his shorts I've read I wish had a full series behind them... he always leaves me wanting more.

I just finished this and really enjoyed it. I guess the last time I read it was back in 2009 and that’s when I was doing reviews. I wrote a review. I’m quite impressed with myself.

Anyway, I really enjoyed it. I remembered nothing about it except for Mogget. I am looking forward to the trilogy.

Zoomed through this yesterday also. For such a short book (comparatively--been reading some 600-800 chonkers lately) so much happens. I love how the atmosphere and world is established so quickly in the Prologue, with (view spoiler)[Charter Marks written in ash on a baptism, the River of Death, talk of the walking dead and using bells to control them... (hide spoiler)]

Then in the first few chapters, we meet Sabriel, (view spoiler)[at a finishing school for young girls of all places, in a culture that reeks of upper-crust England, WWI or earlier. But Sabriel is almost done with the school, and there's trouble back home... except she doesn't really know her home.

The opening scene with the rabbit for some reason makes me think of how Nix is an Australian author. I find it interesting to think of how geography shapes worldview--and sometimes it leaks out in books. There are times when reading that I've felt an author is American or British, but I've rarely thought "ah, this author is Australian!" Maybe I just don't know Australian culture well enough, or maybe they're better chameleons. But the image of a rabbit running across a field and getting hit by a car makes me think of how rabbits are rampant pests in Australia... (hide spoiler)]

After crossing the Wall (view spoiler)[I love how the story unfolds with so much we don't know--even a binding to keep people from talking about the Charter's origins. And even when we do learn about it, there's still a feeling that there's so much more to the world to be explored... that's my favorite kind of book.

I'm having an internal debate with myself on whether Charter magic is a hard or soft system. Hard because it has actual specific things which cause specific reactions, but soft because those specific things tend to be "draw a charter mark" and we don't get any more specifics than that. The bells are more specific, and get specific uses.

The world is so dark and almost hopeless--how can people survive among so many dead preying upon them? Sabriel & Co come across so many small groups of humanity and it seems like they're on the verge of being wiped out--or have already been wiped out. I think of one scene, where Sabriel sees scavengers herding children--children they've bought to be bait for the dead while they scavenge. Sabriel wants to attack and free them, but Mogget holds her back--it's the dead that are the real problem, and the dead are the responsibility of the Abhorsen, not the living who make bad choices. Solve the dead, and the children will be safe from all scavengers, not just this group now. Such a harsh decision.

I love that the story comes back across the Wall and that the final stand is in the very school Sabriel grew up in. Such a high death toll though... and even though none of the characters we loose are ones we've spent much time with, we feel each one. Nix does such a great job with penning so much into such little phrases.

I haven't touched on the White Cat in the room. But I also love Mogget... my favorite scene with him is yet to come though, in the third book... (hide spoiler)]

Just finished. Unfortunately this book was just ok for me. I really really wanted to like it, and it had a great beginning with the rabbit, but I just couldn’t connect with it and found myself zoning and having to relisten all the time.

I'll be starting tonight or tomorrow morning. Sadly I caught up on chores yesterday listening to my last audio book lol

The last time I read this was in 2019. I'm definitely due a reread. Or relisten :)

Marie wrote: "I wanted to do physical book re-read as I read it very long ago in Czech translation but rn with my TBR full the audio is tempting."

Tim Curry's narration is my favorite!

Nirkatze wrote: "Then in the first few chapters, we meet Sabriel,..."

I'm through Ch 4 and had forgotten (view spoiler)[that old world feel of Ancelstier. WWI Europe seems about right.

As much as I love Tim Curry's narration, he's rubbish at very young girls lol I'm glad that Sabriel's over the wall already. (hide spoiler)]

LOL I was thinking similar things on the narration--love Tim Curry but Sabriel sounds kind of like an angry old lady...

Love reading everyone's comments so far. I'm also in the reread multiple times camp, as this is definitely a piece of formative fiction for me.

Nirkatze, I'm with you 100% on how it feels like there is so much there to be explored. I love that feeling of a world being fully realized, and having the sense that we're only getting the barest glimpse. Like with the border guard, pointing to a long history between the two Kingdoms, yet we are only passing through.

Also, although we technically start in a school. This is like the anti-magical school stereotype. There is no shocking, "Yer a necromancer, Sabriel," revelation. She is already familiar with necromancy, but she doesn't have a bevy of teachers guiding her into the Old Kingdom. She has to walk in alone, and face challenges thrust into her lap.

Partly it's the fact that they came out around the same time, but the other series I always associate with this one is Philip Pullman's Dark Materials and Lyra. Different worlds and magic systems, but there are similarities there. The immersive world. Raised in a school with an absent father figure. Setting out north on a rescue mission, even.

Lol yeah.. Perhaps not the best choice for this, but I don't even care because I love Tim Curry xD
And the narrator for Goldenhand was the first time I couldn't finish a book because of narration so I'd rather have him than an awful female younger narrator ><

It would be weird if Tim Curry did a good teenage girl. Ha ha.

Luckily the narration doesn't bother me after that :)

There's something odd with my audio book. The chapter it shows me on isn't the chapter in the book. Does that mean I should download it again after finishing to fix that? First time I've noticed that happening with Audible.

I just got to (view spoiler)[Abhorsen's house and we've met Mogget :D This story doesn't have many slow spots! (hide spoiler)]

Started too and its my first time reading it so I am intrigued. I know nothing about the book except it has necromancy and thats always fun to read

until chapter 13
(view spoiler)[ I did not expect a talking animal companion and i am all for it. I was dissapointed when he transformed into his alter ego but i am glad Sabriel bound him to his cat form again.

The flying papel bird was also a cool idea.

What i am not entirely understanding is the Chart. Thats the name of the magic system here? At first i thought it was a group of magical people...

I also thought Sabriel would be younger since in the blurb it said child and maybe i was remembering Harry potter or His dark materials and how their protagonist started when they were round 12 years (hide spoiler)]

Nirkatze wrote: "Zoomed through this yesterday also. For such a short book (comparatively--been reading some 600-800 chonkers lately) so much happens. I love how the atmosphere and world is established so quickly i..."

(view spoiler)[ I did not catch up that the author was australian from the first chapter and i usally dont either when i am reading an american or british fantasy book. Interesting bit about the rabbits, didnt know there were so many in asutralia

From what i have read so far, charter magic is soft since its not very explained. The bells have more rules so i do think its a hard system (hide spoiler)]

Paula wrote: "Started too and its my first time reading it so I am intrigued. I know nothing about the book except it has necromancy and thats always fun to read

until chapter 13..."

(view spoiler)[Charter magic is a little more explained in books 2/3. (hide spoiler)]

Narilka wrote: "Paula wrote: "Started too and its my first time reading it so I am intrigued. I know nothing about the book except it has necromancy and thats always fun to read

until chapter 13..."

[spoilers re..."

cool, cant wait then

Glad y'all are enjoying! Agree on soft/hard systems... though like Narilka said, Charter magic gets more solid in the next few books... there's still a lot of mystery to the world, even with more explanations... one of the things I love about this series.

Nirkatze wrote: "Glad y'all are enjoying! Agree on soft/hard systems... though like Narilka said, Charter magic gets more solid in the next few books... there's still a lot of mystery to the world, even with more e..."

That's true. It's never fully explained Sanderson style but I found it satisfying.

I'm up to Ch 20 (view spoiler)[We've rescued Touchstone and learned more about what's going on. Hopefully it's off to the rescue of Dad next :D (hide spoiler)]

I finished. That was just as enjoyable as last time :) I'm moving straight on to Lirael.

I will say--Nix is a genius at never giving us straight out explanations--just the tip of the iceberg--but in a way that leaves readers always wanting more... the world feels fully formed, like we just don't get to see all of it, instead of things feeling thin or shaky...

Be joining you in Lirael in a few weeks. ^_^

Definitely also joining for Lirael.

I still plan to re-read the whole trilogy and read the newer stuff but I am going to be late as usual. I banned myself from picking up any new series for now besides this re-read one. Until I am more caught up with my eye reading...

I hear you... I'm constantly behind but not giving up! I have notes from a week ago I still need to comment on too...

Nirkatze wrote: "Glad y'all are enjoying! Agree on soft/hard systems... though like Narilka said, Charter magic gets more solid in the next few books... there's still a lot of mystery to the world, even with more e..."

Definitely agree with that. I want more in this world... I'm happy theres a book set here I still haven't read yet...

Ditto that...

So unfortunately this wasn't as much fun on re-read. I still really love the world-building and the magic, but the characters and the story itself felt a bit lacking. I am still giving it 4 stars, partially out of nostalgia. Like it's still a very good book but since it has been a 5-star favorite of my childhood, I can't avoid feeling a tad disappointed.

I decided to not continue for now as I am clearing out my eye-read TBR a bit before starting my Cosmere reading. I do have hopes that I will enjoy Lirael and Abhorsen more.

It is a sad moment, reading an old favorite and discovering you've outgrown it... I have a very visceral memory of rereading a book I used to love, and recognizing that it would be the last time...

I do think Lirael/Abhorsen hold up better though...

Oh man, that’s The Catcher in the Rye for me. Read it in highschool and it changes my life. Then I read it in my late 20’s and was like, what a fucking brat!

Nirkatze wrote: "It is a sad moment, reading an old favorite and discovering you've outgrown it... I have a very visceral memory of rereading a book I used to love, and recognizing that it would be the last time......"

Definitely. There are also books I loved that I'm afraid to reread because they might not hold up.

We all have those books... old friends we drifted away from...