Title: Magyk
Series: Septimus Heap
Author: Angie Sage
Genre: Fantasy
Rating:

As rumours began to fly of Septimus Heap being the new Harry Potter, I of course had to get my hands on the first book and read it. Now, let it be clear that to me, there will probably never be a new Harry Potter, although some might come close. Septimus Heap is no exception to this rule - or at least not so far.

Magyk revolves around the wizard family Heap, which consists of mother, father and six sons when we first meet them. The seventh son has been born, but has been declared dead. However, another child has been brought into the family - an infant girl found outside in the snow. As the years go by, it becomes clear that Jenna, as the girl is named, is in fact the princess and heir to the throne, after her mother was assassinated shortly after giving birth. Jenna was saved from certain death by the now ExtraOrdinary Wizard, Marcia, who whisked her away and hid her with the Heaps. Now there is a plot to kill Jenna, and Marcia again steps in to save her, this time bringing her to the Wizard Tower for safekeeping. On their way there, Marcia and Jenna rescue the Young Army soldier Boy 412, who they find under a great pile of snow, nearly frozen to death.

After the heap of Heaps, plus Marcia and Boy 412, have escaped to various locations in the woods, it becomes clear that the source of Jenna’s pursuers is none other than the Ex-ExtraOrdinary Wizard, DomDaniel, who is trying to return to power after being cast down by his Apprentice (to whom Marcia was later an Apprentice - are we confused yet?). DomDaniel has a secret weapon in his own Apprentice, an at first unnamed boy who later reveals himself as - tada! - Septimus Heap! However, Septimus being the seventh son of the seventh son, is supposed to possess enormous Magykal power, whereas the Apprentice-Septimus shows little aptitude for Magyk at all. The shame! As it turns out, there was a nifty little bit of unintentional babyswapping going on in the Young Army’s nursery way back, and the real Septimus Heap is actually Boy 412 (who by the time of this revelation HAS shown signs of remarkable Magykal power), whereas the Apprentice is actually just the lost son of the nursery’s matron and midwife.

Well, where to begin. First of all, I just have to make it clear that to me, this is not a new Harry Potter. It is a well written book, no doubt about it, and I imagine that children all over the world will hug this book close to their hearts and treasure it for years to come. For those of us a bit older, the story might be a little too obvious and childish at times to really make it stand out as something spectacular. HOWEVER: This was also the case with the first Harry Potter book, which was clearly more of a children’s book than the four-five last ones. As such, I’m not going to pass a final judgement on this aspect of Septimus Heap just yet, as there are still six books for me to read, wherein four of them have yet to be released.

The story itself is engaging, though not the must-read-book-in-one-sitting kind of engaging. I found it kind of hard to connect to any of the characters, but this might be for the simple fact that most of the main characters are children. I enjoyed Marcia’s character though. If I was an ExtraOrdinary Wizard, I’d be just like her - impatient with others and set in my own quirky ways. As THE main character of the series, the first book serves only as an introduction to Septimus himself. We don’t get to know much about him at all, but I suspect this will be rectified tenfold in the books to come.
The same can be said for the evil overlord of the book, DomDaniel. He gets an introduction, but not much more. We don’t really know what he’s capable of, why he’s evil, or why he lusts for power (although power in itself might be the reason, really). Again, a character that will no doubt be explored more in later books.

All in all a good book, but not the sensational story I thought it would be after what I’d read about it. Like I said earlier though, I won’t pass any final judgement on the series as a whole until I’ve read more of it.

Title: Lirael
Author: Garth Nix
Genre: Fantasy
Rating:

With Abhorsen the trilogy comes to an end, as everyone’s fates are tied together more closely and we follow them all to the bitter, or not so bitter end as they all join forces to battle the evil Orannis the Destroyer, who is currently inhabiting the body of Nicholas Sayre, Sameth’s school friend from Ancelstierre. Orannis is the Ninth Bright Shiner, destroyer of worlds. He has been bound before by the Seven Bright Shiners, Free Magic entities who together made the Charter. There is also the Eight Bright Shiner, Yrael, a Free Magic entity who was bound by the Seven for its refusal to join them in the making of the Charter.
The Seven bear the same names as the Necromancers’ bells, and the bells also contain some of the nature of their respectable namesakes.

We rejoin our heroes, Lirael and Sameth, at Abhorsen’s house, which is now besieged by Chlorr and her Dead Hands. It is now clear that Lirael is the Abhorsen-in-waiting, and that her mother had foreseen this future, and as such had come to see the Abhorsen (Sabriel’s father) to conceive a child - Lirael. Sameth, now relieved of his future Abhorsen duties, is revealed to be one of the Wallmakers. Their next step is now to save Nicholas, who is being used by Orannis to build a terrible tool that will make Orannis able to return to the world with his full power. To avoid Chlorr and the Dead, Lirael and Sameth decide to go by a more secret, hidden way - through the well in the garden. Mogget is clearly against this, and it is soon enough clear why - in the well they encounter Astarael, one of the Seven. Astarael claims Mogget, and Lirael, Sameth and the Dog are forced to go on without their catty companion for a while.

Meanwhile, Sabriel and Touchstone are in Ancelstierre, trying to talk some sense into the politicians there to avoid the refugee Southerlings to cross unprotected and unguided into the Old Kingdom, where they are being mass murdered and raised again to do the necromancer Hedge’s bidding. While in Ancelstierre, the two royalties are attacked in a plot to kill them, but manage to escape with their lives. After receiving word from Ellimere, they head back to the Old Kingdom.

As it turns out, Lirael and Sameth are too late to stop Orannis from reuniting the two hemispheres that will make him whole again. Instead, they have to find out how to rebind him. To do this, Lirael has to enter Death and use her skills as a Remembrancer to see how the Seven originally did it. While in Death, she and the Dog dispose of Hedge. She returns with a plan, a plan that requires the ancestors of the Seven (Sabriel, Touchstone, Lirael, Sameth, Ellimere, the Dog - who is revealed to be Kibeth, one of the original Seven, and the Clayr twins Sanar and Ryelle as one) to stand together, each with their bell, to bind Orannis anew in the sphere that can then be sliced in half again. During this seremony, Mogget is revealed to be the Eight Bright Shiner, Yrael, who was bound by the Seven for refusing to take part in the creation of the Charter. He is freed now to make his choice once more, and he chooses to stand by the Seven, thus making them more powerful than ever. They succeed in binding Orannis, and Lirael uses the sword Sameth has forged for her from Nehima and the panflutes, to separate Orannis once again. Doing this is supposed to take her life, but the Dog takes her place and lets Death take her.

This book successfully nests up all loose threads and shows us what happens to each of the central characters. As such, it is a very fulfilling book. Still, to me, it lacks some of the magic that both Sabriel and Lirael were overflowing with, hence the somewhat lower rating. It does however have few slow points - everything is important and engaging, hence the somewhat long summary above.
Abhorsen is the more dramatic of the three books, where you really do fear for the lives of Sabriel, Lirael and the rest, not to mention the fate of the world. It makes you really want to read on to see if everything ends well (because really, who likes an end-of-the-world ending?), and this aspect of the story is what draws you in more than anything else. With two books behind where you are introduced to the characters, Abhorsen does little in creating further bonds between the reader and the characters, something I found a little sad, as this was one of the major pros in the previous two books.
This time around, my favourite part of the book would have to be the binding, with the revelations around the Nine Bright Shiners, and Mogget’s redemption. I’m going to refrain from singing my love for Mogget once more.
All in all a great read, but not quite of the same stuff as Sabriel and Lirael - this might be more of a personal preference though. Either way, the series would not be complete without Abhorsen, which is a spectacular ending to a spectacular trilogy.

“Is this allowed?” asked Nick as he felt the current reluctantly release him, and he took the first step back.
“No,” said the Dog. “But then I am the Disreputable Dog”.

See also: Sabriel, Lirael

Title: Lirael
Author: Garth Nix
Genre: Fantasy
Rating:

The second book in the Abhorsen trilogy is called Lirael, and is not really a sequel to Sabriel, even though one might at first think so. It is set in the same world, with the same surroundings, but revolves around Lirael instead of Sabriel. Lirael is a daughter of the Clayr, the glacier-dwelling people who can see pieces of the future. Lirael, however, is not blessed with the Sight, and as such feels like an outsider. With time she comes to obtain a job as a librarian in the library of the Clayr, a place that holds many secrets, both great and terrible. To combat her loneliness, Lirael learns how to make a dog sending - not a real dog, but a dog woven of magic. During the making of the dog, Lirael is aided by a dog statue found in the depths of the library, and something happens during the weaving of the dog, something that makes the dog something more than simply a sending.
Eventually the Clayr with the Sight see Lirael on a mission, a mission that will make or break the world that they know. Intent on fulfilling her destiny, Lirael and the Disreputable Dog sets out to do their best to save the world. Along the way they encounter Sameth, son of Sabriel and a somewhat reluctant Abhorsen-in-waiting to boot, and good old still-as-snarky Mogget, whose mission crosses and overlaps that of Lirael. A new force of evil is rising, one greater than Kerrigor of Sabriel’s earlier adventure. An evil from the beginning of the Charter…

If I thought that Nix couldn’t possibly write a book better than or equal to Sabriel, he proved me wrong with Lirael. This book delves even deeper into the magic of the Old Kingdom, and not just Charter Magic, but Free Magic as well, and paints a rather detailed picture of how magic affects the Old Kingdom and those who are adept in magic themselves.
The main character, Lirael, is one you can easily identify with as well. Haven’t we all been through those awkward teenage years where we felt like we didn’t belong anywhere? Where we considered the option that maybe, just maybe I was adopted, or at least my little brother was? At first Lirael seems like your ordinary run of the mill emo teenager wanting to kill herself, but she really does grow on you as she herself grows in character. Now, I’m a sucker for stories like these - lonely girl who doesn’t fit in with her supposed family goes on quest and finds her true destiny, which opens up a whole new world to her. In Lirael’s case, this is the world of Death, as she takes up the panflute (similar to the bells, but lesser in power) and takes up her place as a Remembrancer.
As with Sabriel, my favourite part of Lirael is the animal companion. The Disreputable Dog provides many chuckles throughout the book, and sparks (and claws!) fly when the Dog and Mogget finally meet (again). Oh Mogget, I love you. Don’t let the Dog get you down, we all know you’re the best, even though the Dog’s bark holds powers untold.

Garth Nix, I embrace you. Your Abhorsen trilogy has gotten its rightful place way up on my list of beloved books, right up there with Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings.

See also: Sabriel, Abhorsen

Title: Sabriel
Author: Garth Nix
Genre: Fantasy
Rating:

Sabriel is the first book in a trilogy sometimes called the Abhorsen trilogy, other times referred to as the Old Kingdom series. It takes place in two countries that might as well have been two separate worlds - Ancelstierre and the Old Kingdom. Ancelstierre is the closest we can get to our world of today, but before the time of cellphones and the internet. The Old Kingdom is where magic still prevails. The two countries are separated by the Wall, which in turn is guarded by perimeter guards to ensure that no one crosses without permission.

In Ancelstierre we begin our story with Sabriel, who receives a message from her father that makes it clear that she has to save him from Death. Her father is the Abhorsen, one who is charged with keeping the Dead dead, and keeping necromancers and other evil forces at bay by transporting them to Death. When Sabriel enters Death to try and communicate with her father, she gets handed his tools - the Abhorsen’s sword and a bell bandoleer. The bells are used to control, subdue or banish the Dead.
Sabriel is charged with the task of not only saving her father, but also to banish an evil spirit returned to Life. With her she has Mogget, a dubious servant to the Abhorsen in the form of a cat, and later she also joins forces with Touchstone, who has connections to the now broken line of the royal blood of the Old Kingdom.

The story is infused with what we come to know as Charter Magic and Free Magic, and is a truly engaging read. When I had finished the seventh and last Harry Potter book, I felt sure that no book could ever compare. Then I bought the Abhorsen trilogy on a whim, and was proven wrong almost the instant I opened the first book. Drawn in and utterly mesmerized, I could hardly put the book down to go sleep.
As the book is aimed at an audience of 12+, the language is easy, which makes it a less time consuming read than The Lord of the Rings. Yet it is in no way childish, and it is rich in descriptions of people, surroundings and magic.

My favourite part of the whole book has to be Sabriel’s arrival at the Abhorsen’s house, where she has her first meeting with Mogget, the wonderfully snarky cat. This part is also where she first somewhat realises that she is the new Abhorsen, and this in many ways opens up a whole new world to her, it is without doubt life-altering.

So if you are a fan of Harry Potter, or of fantasy in general, I suggest you give Sabriel a go. Word of advice though: keep the other two books of the trilogy within close reach, because when you’ve turned the last page of Sabriel, you’ll be itching to get a start on Lirael, the second book. If you choose to read these books, then I envy you, because you have many hours of good reading ahead of you.

See also: Lirael, Abhorsen