Abhorsen (2003) (edit title/settings)

Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit see section history

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Characters/People edit see section history

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• Sabriel: Queen of the Old Kingdom, but more importantly, the Abhorsen.
• Lirael: The Abhorsen-in-Waiting, Sam's aunt (Sabriel's half-sister). Daughter of the Clayr and a Remembrancer
• Touchstone: King of the Old Kingdom. His true name is Torrigan
• Sameth (Sam): Prince of the Old Kingdom. Son of Sabriel and Touchstone, brother of Ellimere.
• Ellimere: Daughter of Sabriel and Touchstone. Planning to take over as regent after her parents.
• Mogget: A Free Magic being, masquerading as a cat. He is the servant of the Abhorsen, although an unwilling one and is only compelled to help because of the collar he wears. Very sarcastic and witty.
• Disreputable Dog: Lirael's companion and greatest friend. She is made from a mixture of Free Magic and Charter Magic and was present at the time of the creation of the Charter.
• Nicholas Sayre: Sam's Ancelstierran best friend who has become involved with the forces that threaten the safety of the Old Kingdom
• Hedge: A powerful necromancer who serves the Destroyer.
• Chlorr of the Mask: A necromancer, well known for her bronze mask.
• Lieutenant Francis Tindall: Soldier on the Perimeter who is also the son of General Tindall
• Major Greene: Major on the Perimeter
• Kerrick: Able Seaman at the Western Light
• Mareyn: Member of the Royal Guard
• Timothy Wallach (Tim): Nick's friend from the University of Corvere who sets up the Lightning Farm for him
• Orannis: the Destroyer, the ultimate enemy that threatens all life
• Nehima: Lirael's sword, created by the Wallmakers
• Kerrigor: One of the Greater Dead. An old nemesis of the Abhorsens, he was Prince of the Old Kingdom many, many years ago. He was also Touchstone's (legitimate) half-brother. He now sleeps bound by Ranna like Mogget, only more strongly
• Sergeant Evans: Sergeant on the Perimeter
• Damed: King Touchstone's principal bodyguard
• Sulyn: One of Sabriel's friends from Wyverley College who helps Sabriel and Touchstone with politics in Ancelstierre
• Kalliel: The twelfth Abhorsen who dug the well beneath the Abhorsen's house and subsequently disappeared
• Jerizael: The forty-eighth Abhorsen who demanded Mogget remain in the form of a cat in the presence of an Abhorsen unless given permission
• Barlest: The oldest of the king's guards
• Veran: A female royal guard
• Lance Corporal Horrocks: Soldier on the Perimeter
• Scazlo: Soldier on the Perimeter
• Colonel Dwyer: Commander of the Crossing Point Scouts
• General Tindall: Commander of the entire Perimeter Garrison
• Magistrix Coelle: The Magistrix at Wyverley College
• Felicity: A student at Wyverley College
• Corolini: Politician trying to gain power in Ancelstierre and send Southerlings across the Wall
• Colonel Jorbert: Retired Flying Corps colonel who gives piloting lessons at Wyverley College
• Lieutenant Drewe: Keeper of the Western Light, a naval officer
• Prindel: Worker at the Western Light
• Coxswain Berl: Most experienced petty officer at the Western Light
• Lathal the Abomination: A powerful Dead spirit

Setting & Locations edit see section history

• The Wall: separating Ancelsteirre from the Old Kingdom. The rules of magic around the wall are kind of strange. It was built by the Wallmakers many, many years ago to keep the Dead from invading Ancelstierre.
• Old Kingdom: The traditional kingdom with magic users.
• Ancelstierre: More or less a modern nation. Charter Magic doesn't work so well away from the Charter Stones of the Old Kingdom, but within a few miles of the Wall, Charter mages can use magic. When there's a lot of magic, technology fails.
• Forwin Mill: Mill in Ancelstierre.
• Barhedrin Hill (aka Cloven Crest): Location of a Charter Stone (a safepoint between the Wall and the Abhorsen's House).
• Corvere: city of Ancelstierre
• Long Cliffs: The cliffs on the banks of the Ratterlin near the Abhorsen's House
• Belisaere: Capital of the Old Kingdom.
• The Red Lake: The large lake in the southwest part of the Old Kingdom where a great deal of trouble is brewing
• Roble's Town: Town in the south of the Old Kingdom between the Ratterlin and Edge
• High Bridge: A town that lies on a natural bridge that spans the Ratterlin
• Edge: The town near the shores of the Red Lake
• Abhorsen's House: The residence of the Abhorsen that is stonily protected against possible enemies and lies on an island in the middle of the Ratterlin above a waterfall
• Wyverley College: School that Sabriel attended in Ancelstierre

Organizations edit see section history

• Southerlings: The refugees from a warring country to the south of Ancelstierre who are being sent into the Old Kingdom and then killed to serve the purposes of Hedge and his master.

First Sentence edit see section history

Table of Contents edit see section history

Glossary edit see section history

• Abhorsen: A necromancer who instead of bringing back the dead, binds them and sends them on
• Charter Magic: The pure, clean magic that protects from the Dead and Free Magic
• Free Magic: A more unpredictable, dangerous form of magic
• Dead Hand: The servant of a necromancer who has been brought back from death
• Greater Dead: A member of the Dead who has gained much power from feeding off of other Dead and taking advantage of them. They have managed to return from the deepest gates of Death.
• Paperwing: Given life and flight by the Charter, it is a small flying vehicle that looks much like a canoe with wings.
• Gethre: Ceramic made with Charter Magic used in the scales of the armor that the Abhorsens wear which is stronger and lighter than metal
• 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.
• Ferenk: Scavanger Free Magic elemental creatures of stone and mud
• Jerreq: A Free Magic creature similar to a Stilken or Hish
• Hish: A Free Magic elemental creature of human shape with skin like mist and bones of fire
• Stilken: A Free Magic creature that has deadly claws and is able to change its shape
• 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

Themes & Symbolism edit see section history

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• Necromancy: Describe this theme.
• Abhorsen's bells: Originally the tools of a necromancer, the Abhorsen's bells (with the Charter emblems) are used to "keep the Dead down".

Series & Lists edit see section history

Preceded by Lirael, and followed by Across the Wall.

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

1. Garth Nix (Author)

First Edition edit see section history

Awards edit see section history

• Aurealis Award (2003: best young-adult novel)
• ALA Best Book for Young Adults (2003, #3)

Classification edit see section history

• Library of Congress: PZ7.N647 Ab 2003
• Dewey: Add the Dewey Classification.

Notes for Parents edit see section history

Lots of death, some violence and hints of sexual tension. You may want to discuss with your child the effects of death, how to cope with death, and how to respond to death.

Subjects edit see section history

• Books › Teens › Science Fiction & Fantasy › Fantasy
• Books › Science Fiction & Fantasy › Fantasy › Epic