Review of Clariel: The Lost Abhorsen by Garth Nix

Clariel: The Lost Abhorsen

Old Kingdom (Prequel to Sabriel)

By Garth Nix

Star Rating: 

Date/Time Started: 5/10/2015
Date/Time Finished: 5/11/2015

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Number of Pages: 400

Synopsis:(From Amazon)
Clariel is the daughter of one of the most notable families in the Old Kingdom, with blood relations to the Abhorsen, and most important, to the King.  She dreams of living a simple life but discovers that this is hard to achieve when a dangerous Free Magic creature is loose in the city, her parents want to marry her off to a killer, and there is a plot brewing against the old and withdrawn King Orrikan.  When Clariel is drawn into the efforts to find and capture the creature, she finds hidden sorcery within herself, yet it is magic that carries great dangers.  Can she rise above the temptation of power, escape the unwanted marriage, and save the King?

Review:
I remember, when I was younger, that Garth Nix's Abhorsen series was one of my absolute favourites.  This hasn't changed.  In fact, Clariel also is on the book shelf of my favourite novels.  While Clariel may not be quite as dramatic or empathetic as Sabriel, one cannot help but feel for the girl, who wants something simple, and who is always told no.  When someone is given a good reason for their desires being squashed, it often helps sooth the ache, but what if your only available options become things you never, ever want to become?

What romance is within the novel isn't really that of the main protagonist, but the typical old view of strengthening ties through matrimony.  Clariel won't let anyone stand in her way, especially when she has nothing to lose, though she realizes that perhaps she has more allies than she originally thought.


Author Information:

Garth Nix has worked as a bookseller, book sales representative, publicist, editor, marketing consultant, and literary agent.  He spent five years in the Australian Army Reserve.  He became a full time writer in 2001, and more than five million copies of his books have been sold around the world.  His works have been translated into 40 languages.  His books have appeared on the bestseller lists of The New York Times, Publishers Weekly, The Bookseller, The Australian, and The Sunday Times.  He lives in Sydney, Australia with his wife and two children.

To fine more of Garth Nix' books, please feel free to go to his amazon page.




It's hard to go from a book you love so very much, to anything else.  Which is why it took me until now, almost a full month later, to write this review.  And it took me until last week, to finally start something new.  While I did start another book soon after Clariel, which I will finish at some point, it is written for a slightly younger audience than I generally read for.  



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Review of Jim Butcher's Dead Beat

Dead Beat

The Dresden Files: Book 7

By Jim Butcher

Star Rating: 

Genre: Adult Fantasy
Number of Pages: 528

Synopsis:(From Amazon)
When a killer vampire threatens to destroy head of Special Investigations Karrin Murphy's reputation unless Harry delivers the powerful Word of Kemmler to her, he has no choice.  Now Harry is in a race against time to find the Word before Chicago experiences a Halloween night to wake the dead.

Review:

How can Harry involve Murphy in a case that might be protecting her career?  He can't.  While he may hope and pray that a knight of the cross comes in to save him, he has to rely on his own abilities, the power and loyalty of his dog Mouse, and polka loving Butters to save the day.

Book 7 in The Dresden Files does not disappoint!  Go forth and read the rest!

Author Information: 

The Dresden Files are the first books that Jim Butcher managed to get published.  He is also the author of the Codex Alera, and a new steampunk series, Cinder spires.  He is a gamer, including tabletop, video games, as well as LARP.  He still lives in his hometown, Independence, Missouri.

For a more detailed biography of Jim Butcher, as well as a way to purchase his books, see his Amazon page.

If you like this review, and the writing style of this quirky reviewer, please consider visiting and liking my Facebook author page: Lizzy March.