Abhorson Trilogy and Across the Wall by Garth Nix

The trilogy includes Sabriel, Lirael, and Abhorsen all of which take place in a universe where the Old Kingdom borders the country of Ancelstierre. In the Old Kingdom, the Charter allows all people to use magic, although some (mostly necromancers) also attempt to use dangerous Free Magic to accomplish what regular magic cannot. On the other side of a spelled wall, the people of Ancelstierre are people of science, much like today's world of technology, and do not believe in the magic of the Old Kingdom.

Sabriel is just finishing school in Ancelstierre where she has lived for years, while her father, Abhorsen, travels around the Old Kingdom, using the skills of a necromancer and the magic of the Charter to undo the damage of actual necromancers and put souls back to rest. Now, however, Sabriel discovers that her father is missing and that strange and terrible things roam the Old Kingdom in his absence. As she sets out to find him, she gathers companions along the way - a cat named Mogget who is not at all what he seems, and Touchstone, a man who has been ensorceled for two hundred years. Together they must help Sabriel find her father, learn to use her powers, and stop the evil before the entire kingdom is lost.

The other two books take place back-to-back, more than a decade after the end of Sabriel. Lirael is a daughter of the Clayr who are distant cousins of the royal line and who all come into their peculiar power of seeing the future. But Lirael is different - she does not look like the other Clayr and does not know who her father was since her mother died when she was young; worst of all, Lirael is quickly becoming the oldest Clayr who has not yet come into the Sight. In desperation, Lirael finally gains permission to work in the library and devotes herself to learning and the use of complicated Charter magic. Along with the companion she creates, the Disreputable Dog, she stumbles upon her fate, different from all of the other Clayr.

Meanwhile, Sam, the prince, encounters terrible magic on the other side of the wall where he has been sent to school. Although he escapes, he has been wounded both physically and emotionally. He is sent home to recuperate, but he cannot seem to bring himself to do what his parents expect of him. Even worse, his friend (Nick) came out of the experience even more damaged although no one realized it. Now, Sam has decided to sneak out on his own and find Nick, not understanding the depth of the problem awaiting him. When his path crosses Lirael's, they must join forces (along with Mogget and the Dog) and race to save the kingdom from the evil threatening to destroy them all.

I really enjoyed this trilogy (and not only because Lirael was a librarian, although that was a fun part of the story); the characters are all very well developed and easy to relate to. There were a few parts of the world-building that were confusing when they were first introduce (for example, the Clayr are mentioned in the first book, but there is no real explanation of who they are until the second book), but I did not feel as though they really detracted significantly from the story. Although Nix's style can be a little tedious, I did not feel that these books were as slow as the Keys to the Kingdom series that I reviewed previously. Aside from all of that, these books are rather unique although they are a bit darker than some fantasy - particularly since the central plot revolves around necromancy and Raised Dead. I would definitely recommend these books to fantasy readers who are looking for something a little different or a little more serious than some of the lighter books.


Also, Across the Wall: A Tale of the Abhorsen and Other Stories includes a story about what happens to Nick following the end of the trilogy, although the other short stories are not related in any way. The story about Nick was a nice 'postscript' to the books although I was a little disappointed by the ending (I would have liked to know more about what happened and what had happened to all of the other characters who are not mentioned). I did not read all of the other stories in the book, although several of them were very interesting and readers who are looking for short stories that are a little different may want to pick this book up for some quick reads.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: The Last Apprentice, The Protector of the Small series, or Annals of the Western Shore

"Minds" Series by Carol Matas and Perry Nodelman

The first book, Of Two Minds, describes a world in which extraordinary things happen. Princess Lenora lives in Gepeth, where all of the people have the ability to make whatever they imagine come true; they choose not to imagine things, however, because of the Balance that has been decided upon. Her father has decided that it is time she married and has chosen Prince Coren of neighboring Andilla. In Andilla, the people have a different ability: they can all read one another's minds and have decided to live within their imaginations, seeing the world in their heads rather than the world that surrounds them. Lenora is so upset when she discovers that their parents want them to wed that she ends up jumping into another world - to realize that Coren has somehow tagged along. But it will take both of them to set things to rights and get back home, if they can ever learn to work together.

In More Minds, a giant is attacking the countryside in Gepeth. Lenora decides that she can best solve the problem and rushes off to find him, leaving a double of herself to take her place and then accidentally creating a double of Coren when she finds that the giant may be more than she can handle. Meanwhile, Coren realizes what Lenora has done and goes to find her; together they discover that the problem is bigger than anyone realized and that the Balance itself is falling apart. (Not to mention that the doubles Lenora created are making their own decisions and causing headaches for the real Lenora and Coren.) They're going to have to find a way to fix things - fast.

By the third book, Out of Their Minds, Lenora and Coren are finally getting married, but when they reach Andilla for the ceremony, they discover that none of the Andillans' powers are working. The wedding has to be put on hold while Lenora and Coren try to discover what has gone wrong and restore the Balance yet again. At the same time, Lenora is haunted by dreams about Hevak, the tyrant she faced in the first book, and Coren worries that it might be changing her. The two of them have their hands full with this newest challenge.

Note: There is also a fourth book, A Meeting of Minds, but I have not read it.


These books are a lot of fun. They're a little fluffy but there's enough plot that they have some substance. To some extent, all of the books feel about the same, but the characters are amusing and well developed and the universe created for the story is certainly intriguing. These are definitely great books for some light reading and I would recommend them to fantasy fans who are looking for something a little different.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Princess Nevermore, Resenting the Hero, or The Two Princesses of Bamarre