Abhorsen by Garth Nix

[meganbmoore]

I found Sameth much less annoying here than I did in Lirael, but then, he didn’t have time to whine. I still would have rather been reading about Lirael and Ellimere.

I didn’t like this as much as I did Lirael, mostly because it didn’t have the Library, and because Lirael had already done most of her character growth in Lirael, and mostly just needed to get it all tied together. But I really liked the revelation about Mogget and Disreputable Dog’s identities, and I wish there had been more of Sabriel and Touchstone. (And wasn’t this the first time we learned Touchstone’s real name? Or did I just forget it?) I liked Sabriel and was ok with but not interested in Touchstone in Sabriel, but really like their older versions.

I feel like, since this is a continuation of Lirael, instead of a new story, I said everything I had to say when I posted on Lirael. But now people don’t have to bite their tongues when commenting on it!

I know that Across the Wall is a collection of short stories, at least one of which is set in the same world, but has anyone read Nix’s other series, or know if he plans to write anymore in this world? (Preferably about Ellimere or set later in Lirael’s life, but I accept that writers don’t get paid just to cater to me.)

Comments

[mymorphine.livejournal.com]

Sabriel is still my favourite. I don't know, she grabbed my heart more than Lirael did.

Only one story in Across the Wall is set in that world, and I don't think he intends to write more of that world, but he's been rather prolific about publishing nonetheless. The Keys to the Kingdom series come with a whole new set of phenomenal ideas, and while it's directed at perhaps a slightly younger audience, I had no shame in reading them religiously. :D

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

I think Sabriel is easier to like, but Lirael more interesting. The thing about Sabriel is that she doesn't have character growth because she doesn't need it. As a person, she's already where she needs to be at the start of the book. And while that's nice to read about, it isn't as compelling for me as a character who needs to grow and change.

[mymorphine.livejournal.com]

I know where you're coming from. At the same time, I suppose, her growth was mostly her love, and as a reader I found that if you could root for them the way Twilight readers root for Edward/Bella they were very definitely interesting, indeed.

Besides, Sabriel's sassiness was endearing. ^^

[smillaraaq.livejournal.com]

This is something I discussed back on Red's journal back when I first read it, but in a nutshell I liked and admired Sabriel the character, and enjoyed her first book immensely, but she didn't really grab my heart. (But she is exactly the sort of competent, ass-kicking heroine I was DESPERATE for back when I was at the target age, and I suspect if this book had only been out back when I was in my tweens or a little younger, I would have been head-over-heels in love with it.) Lirael, OTOH, on an intellectual/critical front I found the book a little more interesting because of the subversion of genre tropes, and emotionally I was just hopelessly identified with Lirael due to lots of similar Issues in my own background. So her books just wound up squeezing at my heart in a way Sabriel, deeply enjoyable as it was, did not. (Not to mention that the Disreputable Dog and the Library were of course utterly irresistible to me.)

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

Aside from identifying with her issues (to a degree...I don't identify with characters a lot, but I come pretty close there) that's pretty much my feeling on the subject.

Really, in a lot of ways, it's the library that makes that my favorite of the trilogy.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

Same. I love Sabriel to bits.

[mymorphine.livejournal.com]

Hurray! We should make t-shirts or something.

I RPed her once. Had a fantastic time. ^^

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

I bet!