Michelle Posted August 28, 2006 Share Posted August 28, 2006 This is a new author I've come across.. I picked up Sabriel in a bookshop on holiday, and it wasn't until I started reading that I realised it was classed as a children's book. I have started it, but didn't get too far before I chose my library book instead, but I do plan on going back to it. It does, however, appear to include quite scary content for a child? Any other fans of this author? What are his other books like? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kell Posted August 28, 2006 Share Posted August 28, 2006 I tried reading Sabriel, but didn't get too far into it before jacking it in, maybe about a third of the way in. It just didn't grab me at all. I've not read any other Garth Nix books as a direct result - it put me right off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lilywhite Posted August 29, 2006 Share Posted August 29, 2006 I read Sabriel but decided I didn't want to read the others. I didn't care enough, I thought his book quite bland in comparison with other childrens books around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted August 29, 2006 Author Share Posted August 29, 2006 Not sounding too good so far then! LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kell Posted August 29, 2006 Share Posted August 29, 2006 I know a few friends who have read it & raved about it, which is why I got hold of it myself. Perhaps it was just too built-up in my mind & I expected something different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sugar Posted August 31, 2006 Share Posted August 31, 2006 I read the second in the days series - Grim Tuesday I think it is called. It was ok, but it took me to about half way through before I worked out what I had missed by not read the Monday one! I thought I would love Sabriel so when I saw it in a 3 for 2 a few years ago I grabbed it. I read it all the way through, and while I thought it was good, it didn't grab me either. I did buy Lirael (I needed another 3 for my 2), but when I started it read about 25 pages and then put it to one side. That would have been at lease 2 years ago and I have never gone back to it. Maybe one day.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sassenach Posted September 10, 2006 Share Posted September 10, 2006 Well, I liked them! I've read Sabriel/Lirael/Abhorsen and Shade's Children. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted September 10, 2006 Author Share Posted September 10, 2006 Well, I liked them! I've read Sabriel/Lirael/Abhorsen and Shade's Children. That's good to hear. I certainly intend to go back to Sabriel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mia Posted September 16, 2006 Share Posted September 16, 2006 The Abhorsen trilogy has a huge following. I've read all three, and preferred the middle book, Lirael, but I wasn't blown away by them. I think Nix has a problem with characterisation. I never felt I got to know Sabriel very well. I've also read up to Sir Thursday in the Keys to the Kingdom series. Nix has a huge imagination, but sometimes I feel too much confusing detail is included for a children's story. Not that I'm underestimating children, it's just that it sometimes gets rather confusing. I recently read Nix's new book, Shade's Children, and enjoyed that much more. It had more of a young adult feel to it, with some quite gory detail and concepts. I would recommend this one above the others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted September 17, 2006 Author Share Posted September 17, 2006 Thanks Mia.. I'll keep that in mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheResearcher Posted December 22, 2008 Share Posted December 22, 2008 (edited) For me, Sabriel/Lirael/Abhorsen are definitely on my top list of books. Right now I have a stack of about 110 fantasy genre books, and these I would say, are in the top 20 for sure. It was quite a long time ago I read them but I found them captivating at the time. Shade's Children also had a good story line, and I found it was a good book on the whole. Although I think the aforementioned series was better. Edited December 22, 2008 by Michelle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christie Posted June 2, 2009 Share Posted June 2, 2009 Hi, what are these books about? I've never heard of them but they sound very interesting! Would you recommend them? I'm looking for something new to read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mazer Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 Sabriel is set on a divided continent - one side resembles 1900 (or so) England, while the other is ruled by dark magic. Good world, plot, ideas, etc - however, as Mia mentioned, characterisation is slightly lacking (improved in the next book, though). Recommended, along with the two sequels. The Keys to the Kingdom series is aimed for younger readers, with a slightly... wacky world, carried perhaps a bit too far and for too long. Shade's Children is good post-apocalyptic sci-fi; it's been a while since I read it, though. All good books, none fantastic though. Overall, Sabriel (and sequels) are probably the best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mia Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 The Keys to the Kingdom series is aimed for younger readers, with a slightly... wacky world, carried perhaps a bit too far and for too long. I totally agree that it's gone on for too long. It's not like me to leave a series unfinished, but I plodded on with the first five books and then had to give in. The were all too samey, too confusing and were just boring me rigid. Still, I'm hardly the target audience, so maybe children think they're great. I just don't have the patience to read the last two! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mazer Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 Nix didn't really have a choice: from the very beginning he simply had to write seven books or the series' whole concept wouldn't work. There was never really enough material for him to work with, though. Also, there wasn't really an ideal audience for the books: too complex and confusing for children, too whimsical and weird for adults. I, personally, would have been fine with the complexity of the House if it hadn't seemed so arbitrary; completely new ideas and concepts introduced in each book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladymacbeth Posted July 11, 2009 Share Posted July 11, 2009 Agree with Mazer. The Keys to the Kingdom felt like a nonsense story to me. I loved Sabriel and Lirael though. I have passed them on to others to read which I only do with books I really like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atticjnr Posted July 29, 2009 Share Posted July 29, 2009 I recently bought Sabriel as it was only Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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