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  • Sabriel

  • By: Garth Nix
  • Narrated by: Tim Curry
  • Length: 10 hrs and 43 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (1,467 ratings)

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Sabriel

By: Garth Nix
Narrated by: Tim Curry
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Summary

Ever since she was a tiny child, Sabriel has lived outside the walls of the Old Kingdom, away from the random power of Free Magic, and away from the Dead who won't stay dead. But now her father, the Mage Abhorsen, is missing, and to find him Sabriel must cross back into that world.

Though her journey begins alone, she soon finds companions: Mogget, whose seemingly harmless feline form hides a powerful and perhaps malevolent spirit; and Touchstone, a young Charter Mage long imprisoned by magic, now free in body but still trapped by painful memories.

With threats on all sides and only each other to trust, the three must travel deep into the Old Kingdom, toward a battle that will pit them against the true forces of life and death, and bring Sabriel face-to-face with her own hidden destiny.

A tale of dark secrets, deep love and dangerous magic, Sabriel introduces Garth Nix as an exceptional new talent.

Don't miss books two and three of this trilogy! Lirael and Abhorsen.
©1995 Garth Nix (P)2002 Random House, Inc., Listening Library, An Imprint Of The Random House Audio Publishing Group
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Critic reviews

"It's an epic journey in a world as richly realized as Middle-earth and much darker and bloodier than Harry's trials at Hogwarts...Tim Curry brings authority to the reading, grounding the fantastic elements with nuance of character and depth of emotion." ( AudioFile)
"Rich, complex, involving, hard to put down, this first novel...is excellent high fantasy." ( Publishers Weekly)
"A page-turner for sure." ( Booklist)

What listeners say about Sabriel

Average customer ratings
Overall
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Story
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

An excellent story for parent and child

My 13 year old son and I have recently discovered Garth Nix so I decided to add this story to my i-pod library.I was not disappointed. Nix creates an imaginary world that is both exciting and full of new ideas and notions. I have since bought the book for my son and he found it equally diverting and we have had lots of dicussions about this new world that has been opened up for us. Get through the first couple of chapters which can be a little confusing and you are in for a treat. My son has already moved on to the second book. What greater success could an author ask for?

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20 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Still a five star read

I read this for the first time as a young teenager and returned to it in a reading slump. This book is still everything you could want in a fantasy, though as an adult it could be more diverse.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great story and excellent narration

I loved reading this story in book form but the excellent narration and production of this version really added to it. One of Garth Nix best.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Everyone and everything has a time to die

For fans of Harry Potter and Lord of The Rings this is a young adult fantasy equal in it's own right. The first book in the Old Kingdom series it reads more like a film and the build to climax is tense. A visual treat with a lot of action along with a brilliant performance by Tim Curry who brings these characters to life. I was left wanting more, and more I shall take with the next book in the series.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Beautiful

This is the second time I've listened to this book and it is astounding and captivating.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Brilliant!

A wonderful story, made beautiful by Tim Curry’s melodic voice. One of my favourites; a delight to listen to. Perfect for older teens and up.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

An effort but worthwhile read

The first book’s theme was humanity and society. The second was individuality vs assimilation. This one’s theme was reality and sentience. Fascinating books that somehow require energy to read. Definitely worth the effort though.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Awesome start

I was 25 when this book was first published, so I was never in the target audience, but I really enjoyed it, so I went on to read the rest of this series and many other works by Garth Nix. I'm not going to pretend I loved all of them, I didn't.

When I saw that a fifth book had been published I went back to re-read the whole series, and being a big fan of audio books (and Tim Curry), I was keen to listen.

I am so pleased I did. He's such a good narrator for this series, you can instantly tell who is speaking. He brings the books to life in a whole new way.

I am slightly concerned that the narrators for four and five are as good.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

wonderfully written brilliantly read.

A fanatically written fully realised world. so immersive. Brilliantly read by Tim Curry. The best in audio book enjoyment

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent, although the 'voices' aren't great

Would you listen to Sabriel again? Why?

Yes. It's a fantastic story and the storytelling is gripping.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Sabriel - it's exciting to see her development as an Abhorsen through the story

What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?

I like the performance on the whole, but the narrator's version of a female voice is overly nasal and grating - unwelcome when the main character is female.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The reunion between Sabriel and her father is touching, coupled as it is with the frightening scene in the reservoir and the ringing of Astarael.

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