Average Rating: 
Rating: - A riverine Underworld
As in "Sabriel" and "Lirael," Death is a riverine chasm from which the dead can be called back to the living by powerful necromancers. Only the Abhorsen (Sabriel) or the Abhorsen-in-waiting (Lirael) can pass from life into the river of Death, through the eight Gates of fog, whirlpools, waterfalls, and shadow, and do magical combat with the necromancers in their own dark realm...Well, the Disreputable Dog can splash into Death, too and in "Abhorsen" you'll find out who she really is, along with Mogget the bad-tempered cat (who reminds me of some of the grouchier Jack Lemon characters). "Abhorsen" is a worthy conclusion to Nix's Old Kingdom trilogy. Read "Sabriel" and "Lirael" before undertaking "Abhorsen," so that you can familiarize yourself with the Philosophy and Geography of Death. Nix isn't into summarization or repetition. He plunges his reader right into a whirlpool of death, animated corpses, and Charter magic. If you don't already know such characters as the Disreputable Dog, the necromancer Hedge, or his bone-headed companion, Nick, you might never figure out what's going on. This book is a direct continuation of "Lirael," with the ex-assistant librarian and her companion, Prince Sameth carrying on the battle against Hedge and the evil he is digging up at Red Lake. Although Prince Sameth was meant to be the Abhorsen-in-Waiting, heir to the powers of 'The Book of the Dead' and the seven bells, Lirael now takes up that role, and Sam seeks his destiny as a descendant of the mysterious Wallmakers, who built the barrier between the magical Old Kingdom and the mundane kingdom of Ancelstierre. The two will need all of the magic they can conjure up against an enemy that threatens not only the Charter, but all living beings. The swirl and cross-currents of life gradually ebb as the dead pass through gate after gate on Garth Nix's nameless river--a river like Styx or Lethe that runs through each of our subconscious underworlds as a legacy of our water-bound gestation. It is an eerie experience to remember that journey of birth--only this time in the wake of the dead--in this marvelous fantasy trilogy.
Rating: - A worthy sequel to Sabriel and Lirael
This book is everybit as good as SABRIEL and even better than LIRAEL. Almost everything that you learn in the first two books comes into play in this book, so if you are new to the series, I'd recommend that you start at the beginning with SABRIEL.
The story begins with a nearly successful assassination attempt on Sabriel and Touchstone (whose real name you learn later on in the story). This event sets the pace for the rest of the book: fast paced and incredibly intense.
You learn more about the characters throughout the story. The relationship (if you can call it that) between Dog and Mogget is extremely interesting, and you find out about their past histories. I had already guessed what Mogget was in the beginning, but Dog's past came as a suprise to me.
For the most part Nix has tied up all the loose ends, but he leaves room for another sequel. I sort of hope he doesn't write it though. I've seen series drag out for too long and I wouldn't want that to happen to this series.
Rating: - A Great Book!
"Sabriel" and "Lirael" are my two favorite books of all time. Now, "Abhorsen" joins them right at the top. Abhorsen continues the story written in Lirael, following Sam and Lirael, the new Abhorsen-in-Waiting, on adventures throughout the Old Kingdom and Anclessteire. This is no adventure though. They are on a mission to stop a most powerful being from being unleashed upon the world. The return of many chracters are brought here, including Sabriel, Touchstone, Ellimere, The Clayr, the hideously funny Disreputable Dog and Mogget, among others. I applaud Garth Nix on this excellent piece of work. It ties the series together nicely, but we would all still be very gracious for another one. Scratch that- we NEED another one!!!
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