x dismiss this message
Did you know you can edit this page?
-
Sign Into Shelfari
-
Choose something to edit
-
Save your contributions
see page history
Description edit
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 Mage Abhorson, is missing, and Sabriel must cross into that world to find him.
With Mogget, whose feline... read more
Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit
Summary edit
Sent to a boarding school in Ancelstierre as a young child, Sabriel has had little experience with the random power of Free Magic or the Dead who refuse to stay dead in the Old Kingdom. But during her final semester, her father, the Abhorsen, goes missing, and Sabriel knows she must enter the... read more (warning: may contain spoilers)
Characters edit
- Sabriel: An eighteen year old girl who is daughter of the Abhorsen. She embarks on a journey to save her father and the Kingdom. Is unclear in the beginning of what her father does and how important it is.
- Abhorsen: Sabriel's father, he is responsible for keeping the Dead in line and protecting the Kingdom. Revealed in the following book to have the name Terciel.
- Mr. Touchstone: Sabriel's companion in saving the Kingdom.
- Mogget: A small white cat in the service of the Abhorsen. He is much more than he appears. He likes to make snarky comments.
- Kerrigor: One of the Greater Dead, and the greatest enemy of the Abhorsen for two hundred years.
- Colonel Horyse: A member of the Ancelstierran detachment posted to the Wall.
- Rogir: Once the Crown Prince of the Old Kingdom.
- Magistrix Greenwood: Teacher of Charter Magic at Sabriel's school.
- Jacinth: A younger girl at Sabriel's college who has a pet white rabbit.
- Mrs. Umbrade: Head Mistress at Wyverley College.
- Ryelle: Member of the Clayr, Sanar's twin sister
- Sanar: Member of the Clayr, Ryelle's twin sister
- Mr. Jorbert: Lieutenant stationed at the perimeter
- Riemer: Add a description of this character.
- Ellimere
- Patar
- Miss Prionte
- Thralk
- Aline
- Olwyn
Quotes edit
-
“I'm not rude; I'm accurate.”
Mogget -
“Does the walker choose the path, or the path the walker?’”
Sabriel -
“Fear and realization of ignorance were strong medicines against stupid pride.”
- Popular Highlights from Kindle Customers
-
“Saraneth.” The deepest, lowest bell. The sound of strength. Saraneth was the binder, the bell that shackled the Dead to the wielder’s will.
Highlighted by 60 Kindle customers -
“Astarael, the Sorrowful,” whispered Sabriel. Astarael was the banisher, the final bell. Properly rung, it cast everyone who heard it far into Death. Everyone, including the ringer.
Highlighted by 59 Kindle customers -
“Ranna,” she said aloud, touching the first, the smallest bell. Ranna the sleepbringer, the sweet, low sound that brought silence in its wake.
Highlighted by 57 Kindle customers -
Five Great Charters knit the land together linked, hand in hand One in the people who wear the crown Two in the folk who keep the Dead down Three and Five became stone and mortar Four sees all in frozen water.
Highlighted by 55 Kindle customers -
“ ’Does the walker choose the path, or the path the walker?’
Highlighted by 50 Kindle customers -
Fear and realization of ignorance were strong medicines against stupid pride.
Highlighted by 37 Kindle customers -
“I love you,” he whispered. “I hope you don’t mind.”
Highlighted by 32 Kindle customers -
“The Clayr saw me, the Wallmaker made me, the King quenched me, Abhorsen wields me.”
Highlighted by 32 Kindle customers -
“The Clayr saw me, the Wallmaker made me, the King quenched me, the Abhorsen wields me so that no Dead shall walk in Life. For this is not their path.”
Highlighted by 29 Kindle customers -
‘Traveler, embrace the morning light, but do not take the hand of night.’
Highlighted by 21 Kindle customers
Setting & Locations edit
- Wall: The wall between the Old Kingdom and Ancelstierre. It separates the magic of the Old Kingdom from the other side
- Old Kingdom: The magical country on the northern side of the wall.
- Ancelstierre: The county on the other side of the wall from the Old Kingdom.
- Wyverley College: The college that Sabriel attends. Established in 1652
- Bain: Closest town to the Wall on the Ancelstierre side
- The Perimeter: The area just south of the wall patrolled and guarded by Ancelstierre soldiers
- Cloven Crest/Barhedrin Ridge: The first marker on a map leading her to her father's home.
- The Long Cliffs: Second marker on a map leading her to her father's home.
- The Ratterlin: Third marker on a map leading to her father's home. The river that runs across the Old Kingdom
- Edge: Small town of the Old Kingdom
- Abhorsen's House: Her father's home. Kept up by Shadow hands, magic creatures created by the Abhorsen to serve in any way possible. Though some of the older ones have developed their own personalities.
- High Bridge: Town that lies over the River Ratterlin
- Belisaere: Capital of the Old Kingdom
- The Borderlands: The area just north of the Wall that has become a place to be avoided by the people of the Old Kindgom
- Holehallow: The burial ground of the Kings and Queens of the Old Kingdom
- Nestowe: A small village on the east coast of the Old Kingdom
Organizations edit
- The Clayr: A group made up of almost entirely women who dwell in the glacier located in the northernmost regions of the Old Kingdom. They almost all share a common appearance--blonde hair, pale green or blue eyes, dark skin, and beautiful physical appearances. They are gifted with the Sight, a birthright that enables them to see into the future, albeit the future is shown in mere glimpses.
- Abhorsen: Those who carry the bells of the necromancer but use them and Charter Magic to send the Dead to the final Death and do not permit them to return to Life.
- Perimeter Guard: The soldiers on the Ancelstierran side of the Wall that assure that nothing passes from either side to the other that shouldn't do so.
- Wallmakers: The creators of the Wall and the Charter Stones, who have all but disappeared.
First Sentence edit
It was little more than three miles from the Wall into the Old Kingdom, but that was enough.
Table of Contents edit
Chapters 1-29.
Epilogue
Glossary edit
- Abhorsen: A necromancer who instead of bringing back the dead, binds them and sends them on
- Clayr: A group of mostly women who live in their Glacier and have the ability to see into the future. Their symbol is a gold star
- Charter Magic: The pure, clean magic that protects from the Dead and Free Magic
- Charter Stone: A stone imbued with the powers of the Charter that lends its strength and protection to the people around it
- Free Magic: A more unpredictable, dangerous form of magic
- Wallmaker: One of the Five Great Charters that has all but disappeared and was responsible for the making of various magical items, such as the Wall. Their symbol is that of the trowel
- Hand: The servant of a necromancer who has been brought back from death
- Shadow Hand: The servant of a necromancer who has only had its spirit returned and not its body
- Mordicant: A creature made of bog-clay and human blood that has been molded by Free Magic by a necromancer who has also placed a Dead spirit inside. It can travel freely between Death and Life
- The Book of the Dead: A grimoire that tells the secrets of the necromancer
- The Nine Gates: The gates of death. Upon passing each gate the spirit becomes less like it was in life and it is also more difficult to come back through each gate. Passing through the Ninth Gate means the final death
- Ranna: The first of the necromancer's bells, the sleepbringer. Its sound is sweet and low.
- Mosrael: The second bell, the waker, who brings the listener into Life while sending the ringer further into Death. Its sound is harsh and rowdy
- Kibeth: The third bell, the walker, who can give free movement to the Dead or force them to walk where the ringer wishes. A dangerous bell that can also make the ringer to walk where they wouldn't want if not wielded correctly. Its sound is if several tones and it is a difficult and contrary bell
- Dyrim: The fourth bell, the speaker, who can give back the power of speech to the Dead or still a that speaks too freely. It has a musical tone that is clear and pretty
- Belgaer: The fifth bell, the thinker, scorned by most necromancers because it can restore independent thought and memories or even erase them. It is a tricksome bell that tries to ring of its own accord
- Saraneth: The sixth bell, the binder, who forces the Dead to the will of the ringer. The deepest and lowest bell with the sound of strength
- Astarael: The seventh bell, the Sorrowful, the banisher, whose sound sends all who hear it into death, including the ringer
- Mordaut: A parasitical spirit that uses the body of a living person
- Paperwing: Given life and flight by the Charter, it is a small flying vehicle that looks much like a canoe with wings.
- Gore Crows: Multiple dead crows infused with the fragments of one spirit by a necromancer. When one is destroyed, the others will fail as well.
Series & Lists edit
This is book 1 of 5 in The Abhorsen Chronicles. (standard series)
Followed by Lirael.
This is book 101 of 11 in SCcomb nix. (community list)
First Edition edit
Original Language: English
Publisher: HarperCollins
Country: Australia
Publication Date: 1995
ISBN: 0060273224
Page Count: 304
Publisher: HarperCollins
Country: Australia
Publication Date: 1995
ISBN: 0060273224
Page Count: 304
Awards edit
- Aurealis Award (1995: for best young-adult novel and best fantasy novel)
- ALA Notable Book
- Ditmar Award (Finalist, 1996: Best Long Fiction)
Classification edit
- Library of Congress: PZ7.N647 Sab 1996
- Dewey: Add the Dewey Classification.
Subjects edit
Popular Tags
See all 50 tags
More Books Like This edit
Amazon Customers Who Bought This Book Also Bought
We’re hiding the themes, errata, links to supplemental material, movie connections, books that influenced this book, books influenced by this book, books that cite this book and books cited by this book sections. If you would like to add content to them, you must first make them visible.
