This is an amazing book. I’m starting by saying that because this book grabbed and pulled me right in from page one.
Terciel and Elinor is the prequel to Garth Nix’s ‘Old Kingdom’ series, uncovering the origin story of Sabriel’s parents, who are only mentioned fleetingly in the first book.
Terciel comes from the powerful line of Abhorsens, who are a line of necromancers who put the dead to rest. But the dead don’t always stay dead and some of them are quite powerful. More powerful than the Abhorsen.
Elinor is a 19-year-old young woman who lives sheltered away from the Old Kingdom, and away from the charter magic that comes from there.
After Terciel and Elinor’s first, rather unfortunately timed, meeting, they both diverge onto different paths. Elinor is eager to learn about the charter magic she can call upon and her ancestors, whereas Terciel and his aunt are searching to keep an enemy dead. Quickly their lives and fate become entwined and, before either of them realises it, they are falling in love.
This really is a fantastic book, one that I was immediately able to dive straight into, with its terrific worldbuilding of the Old Kingdom. I was drawn close to the hearts of Terciel and Elinor. This book even made me cry.
For any fantasy lovers, and even if you don’t usually read fantasy, I highly recommend this book.
Reviewed by Lillian, Year 11
Cerdon College, Merrylands NSW
Age Guide 14+
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Garth Nix has been a full-time writer since 2001, but has also worked as a literary agent, marketing consultant, book editor, book publicist, book sales representative, bookseller, and as a part-time soldier in the Australian Army Reserve.
Garth’s books include the Old Kingdom fantasy series: Sabriel, Lirael, Abhorsen, Clariel, Goldenhand and Terciel and Elinor; SF novels Shade’s Children and A Confusion of Princes; fantasy novels Angel Mage and The Left-Handed Booksellers of London; and a Regency romance with magic, Newt’s Emerald. His novels for children include The Ragwitch; the six books of The Seventh Tower sequence; The Keys to the Kingdom series and Frogkisser! His short fiction includes more than 60 published stories, some of them collected in Across the Wall and To Hold the Bridge.
He has co-written several books with Sean Williams, including the Troubletwisters series; Spirit Animals Book Three: Blood Ties; Have Sword, Will Travel; and Let Sleeping Dragons Lie.
More than six million copies of Garth’s books have been sold around the world, they have appeared on the bestseller lists of The New York Times, Publishers Weekly, The Bookseller and others, and his work has been translated into 42 languages. He has won multiple Aurealis Awards, the Ditmar Award, the Mythopoeic Award, CBCA Honour Book, and has been shortlisted for the Locus Awards, the Shirley Jackson Award and others.
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