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    Abhorsen: The Old Kingdom, Book 3
    Unavailable
    Abhorsen: The Old Kingdom, Book 3
    Unavailable
    Abhorsen: The Old Kingdom, Book 3
    Audiobook11 hours

    Abhorsen: The Old Kingdom, Book 3

    Written by Garth Nix

    Narrated by Tim Curry

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    Before she went to join Sam and Mogget downstairs, Lirael paused for a moment to look at herself in the tall silver mirror that hung on the wall of her room. The image that faced her bore little resemblance to the Second Assistant Librarian of the Clayr. She saw a warlike and grim young woman, dark hair bound back with a silver cord rather than hanging free to disguise her face. She no longer wore her librarian's waistcoat, and she had a long Nehima at her side rather than a library-issue dagger. but she had kept her library whistle, tucking it into the small pouch at her belt. Though she was many, many leagues from any help the whistle might summon, she felt the need to cling to some small part of her past and her identity.

    She had become an Abhorsen, Lirael thought, at least on the outside.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateApr 8, 2003
    ISBN9780807205655
    Unavailable
    Abhorsen: The Old Kingdom, Book 3
    Author

    Garth Nix

    Garth Nix is a New York Times bestselling novelist and has been a full-time writer since 2001 but has also worked as a literary agent, marketing consultant, book editor, book publicist, book sales representative, bookseller, and part-time soldier in the Australian Army Reserve. Garth’s many books include the Old Kingdom fantasy series, beginning with Sabriel and continuing to Goldenhand; the sci-fi novels Shade’s Children and A Confusion of Princes; the Regency romance with magic Newt’s Emerald; and novels for children including The Ragwitch, the Seventh Tower series, the Keys to the Kingdom series, and Frogkisser!, which is now in development as a feature film with Fox Animation/Blue Sky Studios. Garth has written numerous short stories, some of which are collected in Across the Wall and To Hold the Bridge. He has also cowritten several children’s book series with Sean Williams, including TroubleTwisters and Have Sword, Will Travel. More than six million copies of his books have been sold around the world and his work has been translated into forty-two languages.

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    Reviews for Abhorsen

    4/5

    1,865 ratings91 reviews

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    • 5/5
      "Wherever you walk, I will be there."
      *sobs*

      This third installment, the end of the main trilogy, was pretty darn good. There's something about Garth Nix's writing that just really does it for me. The subtle humor and wit, the syntax and sentence structure. It's all just so great. I love everything about it!

      The world is the best fantasy world ever, in my not so humble opinion. It isn't overbearing, but it's intricate and unique and dark without being grimdark. Death is probably the coolest setting in any book ever, and you can fight me on that.

      I loved the character arcs in this, especially Nick's. He didn't have much of a character in the previous book, but he really shone in this one, and his ending was just...*cries a little more* just perfect. I love how relatable all the characters are. I wish Sam had had a bit more to do in this, but as it is, I'm happy with how it all turned out.

      "So I'll do that, and I'll do my best and if my best isn't good enough, at least I will have done everything I could, everything that is in me. I don't have to try to be someone else, someone I could never be."
    • 4/5

      I really do love this series.

      And this may be my favorite book in it.

      The trip through death was fascinating and kind of terrifying. It was cool to see the parts we never did get to see in Sabriel.

      The well sequence is one of those things that has continued to haunt me since the first time I read it, which was just after the book first came out, which was unfortunately awfully close to the release date of The Ring, which I saw in theatres. Between the two of them, I now harbor a life-long and completely unshakeable fear of wells and the terrifying ladies that live in them. (I didn't find the sequence quite as scary this time around, but I am saying this in the safety of full daylight, so it should probably be taken with a grain of salt.)

      Touchstone and Sabriel's story was a bit more tightly written than I really wanted it to be. Since we know they are alive and get to see other parts of their journey, I would have liked to have seen a bit of them meeting up with the Clayr and Ellimere and hearing what was going on. Also, I was absolutely convinced they were dead on my first reading of the Prologue, and I was heartbroken.

      I loved the epic ending with the bells and the binding. It just felt awesome to watch it all play out, and I teared up a bit in places. Like here:

      "As I did then, so do I now," said the Disreputable Dog. "I am Kibeth, and I stand against you."

      I remember being surprised about this revelation the first time I read this, which suggests I was kind of dumb, since it seemed pretty clearly telegraphed early on this read-through. Don't know if I was more trusting of Dog, less careful a reader, or if hindsight is really lending that much perspective.

      Probably my favorite character from the entire series was Mogget. So the entire ending (even though even on my first read-through I definitely realized he had to be the eighth) felt amazing.

      "Be free, Mogget!" shouted Sam, as he held a red collar high. "Choose well!"

      "I am Yrael," it said, casting a hand out to throw a line of silver fire into the breaking spell-ring, its voice crackling with force. "I also stand against you."

      Behind her, she heard Yrael speak, and Sabriel, and the brief chime of Belgaer, so strange after the massed song of all the bells, its single voice freeing Mogget from his millennia of servitude.

      There was definite tearing through every portion of that. I am so happy to see him not only have a good ending, but to have it be one that was due to his own choices, and to watch him step up on several occasions and not be the coward he apparently was in the first battle.

      I would have liked a more expansive (and less Nick-focused, although I adored seeing the Dog) Epilogue, but there is space for future stories there, and all in all I am very pleased with this one.
    • 2/5
      Frankly, this book bored me. I can finish a modern fantasy book I moderately like in one night, so when I say it took me weeks to read this book, you can see that something really went wrong here.

      I liked Sabriel- it was fresh and fascinating, an entertaining read, though not a favourite. Plenty of action, great world building. Then along came Lirael. Also a good read, and different enough from the first to keep me interested. I liked reading about the Clayr, and the angstiness of the characters really drew me in and made me care more about them.

      Abhorsen just fell flat in comparison. There was absolutely nothing new or exciting. And it was too simplistic. Good vs. Evil. No moral dilemmas, no epiphanies, no character growth. And the plot lacked mystery and tension. Honestly, by the end of it, I was just begging for a giant meteor to come and destroy the world, just for a little excitement.

      If you're like me, you probably won't be able to resist reading this book to the end, because you can't just abandon a series mid-read. But I would lower your expectations before you pick it up,
    • 3/5
      in the third book of the trilogy, Abhorsen, Lirael finally gets out more, and is not the Abhorsen, but rather the Abhorsen in Waiting, which made me wonder if the trilogy had become too popular to leave alone, or at least wrap up definitively. the dog's still there, and hey there's a prince ... he's having a real hard time with this coming of age stuff... and guess what? he's got a cat. hey, innovation.then about a hundred pages from the end of the trilogy, things get a little more interesting. it's looking like the evil artifact thing is actually a thing of science, and maybe the world had been destroyed before in a nuclear disaster this was the remains of. not a whole lot comes of it. the childhood friend of the Prince gets less avoidy and more heroic, the dog and the cat turn out to be somebodies, possibly on the usual quest for redemption, people and non-people die, and often come back, and in the ending it looks like the whole sequence starts over again. ::eep::the most interesting character is the cat. no, really.
    • 4/5
      that was a great conclusion! really enjoyed this series!
    • 4/5
      I LOVED Lirael when I read it; Abhorsen is only the continuation of my love of this author's work and the series is spectacular. I particularly enjoyed the nod to librarians in Lirael, and that the Clayr continued their appearance in this novel is fantastic.I love Dog.
    • 5/5
      Whew, this trilogy! I honestly don't think I finished reading this book during my childhood. But dang, it was so good. I am so there for the relationship between Lirael and the Disreputable Dog!
    • 5/5
      This was soooooo good! I don't think I can really review it - I'm still so overwhelmed with the beautiful, tragic, perfect ending to this outstanding trilogy. I knew I'd enjoy it - I didn't expect to be this blown away. Go, right now, and read/listen to this! I've already returned my copy to the library :)
    • 5/5
      What a wonderful continuation from the second book! I loved every moment of this, though I will admit that through both books I missed Sabriel and Touchstone. They were there, but obviously since the book isn't about them specifically they weren't there as much. They did play important parts, and they were there enough, and at the right times, that I didn't feel too sad.This whole book was action packed! And there was no small amount of humor involved, as well, I'm happy to say. :) All just at the right times. Garth Nix has a kind of exciting way of letting his stories unfold and this was no exception.I loved all the frustrations and triumphs, and there were a few parts that made me cry. You really get to know the characters and feel everything they're going through right along with them. A lot of authors try to do that and fail, but Nix does a beautiful job of it.Touchstone is hilarious, as always, even if he doesn't mean to be. I just love him, and I love the relationship between Sabriel and Touchstone.I suppose this review is far too gushy, but I did literally just finish reading the book and I enjoyed it immensely so of course I'm feeling rather gushy about it. It's definitely an amazing, action-packed read, filled with heart and wonderful characters, as well as many twists, turns and outright surprises along the way right up until the last page.I'm looking forward to reading the 4th book, whenever I can manage to get my hands on it.
    • 5/5
      Lirael, the new Abhorsen-in-Waiting, and Prince Sameth of the Old Kingdom race to prevent the Destroyer from becoming unbound, a race that is tied to the fate of Sam's old school friend Nick, who is being used as the Destroyer's conduit. Helped by the Disreputable Dog and the bound Free Magic being Mogget (in the shape of a cat), but facing a terrifying necromancer, one of the Greater Dead and a multitude of the Lesser Dead, will Sameth and Lirael be on time to prevent the Destroyer from rising again?Picking up the narrative thread seamlessly from the end of the previous volume, Lirael, the entire book is a frantic chase across the landscape of the Old Kingdom and Ancelstierre, but the author still manages to fit in some character development and to make it believable. Titled Abhorsen, this is really Lirael Part II, as Lirael takes up the mantle she's been destined to wear. I felt very sorry for Nick, who is undergoing quite the ordeal but who really hasn't been given anything to do apart from increase the sense of urgency as his internal battle against the fragment of the Destroyer inside him looks more and more like one he can't win, and in which he will likely have to pay the ultimate price.The reader learns a lot more about the mythology of the Old Kingdom, the Charter, the Seven and the Nine, while all the information builds up to a satisfying, if slightly drawn-out, climax, and I had no idea how the novel was going to end as more than one character's life hung in the balance. While the novel's ending can be seen as an ending to the trilogy, I'm glad that Garth Nix has picked up the story again in Goldenhand, as I'm not quite ready to part with the characters just yet; I've become fond of them, having watched them grow up and grow into their individual personalities and choose their paths through life. Fortunately, it's already lined up.
    • 5/5
      Lirael and Sammeth have escaped from Hedge the Necromancer and his Dead hands by taking sanctuary in Abhorsen's house. The time for rest is fleeting. Constantly reminded of the vision the Clayr had for her, Lirael knows they must leave for the Red Lake to rescue Nick before it's too late. However, there is a greater evil afoot, one that has not been seen in ages: The Destroyer is coming.Abhorsen by Garth Nix is the third book in The Abhorsen trilogy. The story begins right where Lirael leaves off. Lirael and Sammeth are at Abhorsen's house, taking a short rest before setting out to rescue Nick, Sam's old friend from his school in Ancelstierre. Unknown to both Lerial and Sammeth, but quite well known to the reader, Nick has a shard of the Destroyer placed in him which allows him to be a "vessel" for the Destroyer. Nick finds himself forced to believe in the magic he considered to be pure fantasy and is leading a search for two great hemispheres buried deep in the earth as well as coming up with a means to rejoin them.The book has many reveals, some of which were quite surprising. We are finally able to understand the full nature of Free Magic, what it is and where it came from, as well as a history of the Beginning, how the Charter came to be, what went into it's creation and just who, or what, the Destroyer is. All the puzzle pieces come together and missing information filled in for one spectacular, epic finale. All the reasons why everyone involved is involved as they are answered. The stakes for the future of both Ancelstierre and the Old Kingdom have never been higher.Each character clearly has an important role to play. We are finally shown why Sammeth was so scared of entering Death and why his role as Abhorsen-in-waiting didn't seem right for him. He is given a new path that has a direct and meaningful impact on what is to come. Both the Disreputable Dog and Mogget are vital characters, transcending their roles of magical companions in previous books to be every bit as important as their two legged counterparts. They both retain their sly wit and fun banter through to the end, which continues to be a joy to read. Lirael's character arc is quite profound. Gone is the somewhat timid librarian as she fully embraces the fact that she'll never be a "true" daughter of the Clary and never see the future. She gives herself fully quest the Clayr have set her on and, as a result, realizes she has a much different role than any other Clayr in history, making her unique. Lirael finds herself prepared to meet any challenge, able to go toe to toe the most fearsome of the Dead. Again I listened to the audio book narrated by Tim Curry. Curry's voice acting is superb as always.This is one fast paced, action packed book! The plot is tightly focused and the ending delivers quite a punch. The final battle has a beautiful, cinematic quality to it, one I would love to see on the big screen. It was a wholly satisfying end to the series.I have greatly enjoyed The Abhorsen trilogy. This series is one I will reread in the future.
    • 3/5
      Nicely written fantasy and a good choice for the young fantasy reader
    • 5/5
      Abhorsen starts immediately following the events of the second novel. Consequently, there is a far deeper sense of finality to the narrative as the characters prepare to face the main antagonist. Sameth and Lirael are dual protagonists for the majority of the story, as their two plot threads coincide for an extended period of time.

      The return of familiar characters, as well as a more in-depth look into Nick, a minor character introduced in the second novel, provides a sense of comfort to the reader, which is welcome as the plot delves into much darker themes and more dangerous situations. In a way, the reader matures with the characters.
    • 3/5
      Solid fantasy, world ending threat, self-sacrifice very enjoyable page-turning read.
    • 4/5
      I thoroughly enjoyed this entire series, and give it 4.5 stars. It's a rare book that you can become completely lost in, but this is happily one of them. Highly recommended for teens and adults who enjoy a good fantasy read.
    • 4/5
      This is one of the most unrelentingly terrifying/suspenseful books I have ever read, and part of that is because it follows directly upon the ending of Lirael (they're really more like two volumes of the same novel), which while featuring horror and suspense elements, has a lot more pauses and exploration of the Old Kingdom world-building.Much of the horror in Abhorsen, at least for me, is the powerlessness of the characters in so many ways, and even the specific paralyzation of one character, whose will is over-ridden so that they are literally unable to even think for themself, much less move or talk as they wish. There's also quite a lot of zombie-analogues, which frankly just trigger more of those same terrors in me, as that other character's powerlessness does.The plot of Abhorsen involves Lirael and Sam finally reaching Red Lake and discovering exactly what lies there, then trying to do what they can to combat it. The thing is the Destroyer from the Beginning, and it threatens to annihilate the entire world, as its name suggests. It is very, very powerful and very, very old, and neither Lirael nor Sam are well-rested or very experienced. This makes for a very tense story.This being a story about at least one necromancer, it's perhaps unsurprising to say that people die, but they do. There are even deaths of people grown close to over the series, some temporary and others not so much so.Abhorsen is a very good book, though somewhat stressful to read - I suppose the depth of feeling I have for it, and the years of wariness I've had towards rereading it, is evidence for how richly written it is. It's probably going to be another few years before I attempt it again, if I do, because of how strongly I feel it.
    • 5/5
      Amazing! Must read for fantasy lovers!
    • 4/5
      ;_; I kind of wanted more out of the epilogue but still....
    • 3/5
      Less impressive and shorter than Lirael, but continues the story to a satisfying conclusion.
    • 5/5
      I cried my stupid eyes out. This series broke my heart. I loved it!
    • 5/5
      great book. i couldnt stop listening to it. i was so excited to hear what would happen next.
    • 5/5
      This series has been a favorite of family bedtime story, and while I know that there are now more than three books in the series, this was such a satisfying conclusion to the main "trilogy." All the beloved characters are here with essential parts to play, the stakes are high, and the sacrifices made are substantial.There are some prequels and sequels left after this and I'm hoping in particular to get a little more insight into Mogget, so I am sure we will read some if not all of those.
    • 3/5
      I've been enjoying this series because of its unique brand of magic. I think "Abhorsen" might have been better had the final battle not taken up so much of the story. Nevertheless, I'm moving on to Abhorsen #3.5.
    • 3/5
      Not too bad. The magic system was really well done and played a vital role in the plot. The world creation, likewise was well developed and unique. For me, the weakness was in character development and growth. Everyone was quite static. Still, an enjoyable read.
    • 4/5
      Lirael and the Disreputable Dog are back in the third installment of the Abhorsen trilogy! A great ending to the series. Is Chlorr of the Mask creepy or what?
    • 5/5
      This book continues the story set up in Lirael with the main characters racing to stop The Destroyer. I've read this series several times over the past couple of decades and though it's long, I always race through it. I'm excited that more books are coming out in this series!
    • 3/5
      A solid read but really failed to blow me away. Having heard a number of positive reviews, I expected more from Mr. Nix. It wasn't as fast-paced as I would have hoped and the pacing seemed inconsistent. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend to someone looking for a good stand-alone fantasy/paranormal read.
    • 4/5
      Thats a good doggie
    • 4/5
      Liked this well enough.
    • 3/5
      Always so hard to finish a trilogy like this. Some of it felt like it was overly kind to the characters, but I think it just makes for warm feelings toward the writer. It's too hard to stick it to a character one loves.