Sabriel

By: Garth Nix

Narrated by: Tim Curry

Length: 10 hrs and 43 mins

Publisher's 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: Daughter of the Clayr and Abhorsen.

©1995 Garth Nix (P)2002 Random House, Inc., Listening Library, An Imprint Of The Random House Audio Publishing Group

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)

Brilliant

I'll be listening to this again soon because of how fast I burned through it. I was a little hesitant to read a story line with a heroin with Tim Curry as the narrator. I wasn't sure if I could suspend my disbelief from his voice to imagine it coming from someone of female origins. but he did a brilliant job with all the distinguished voices.

a childhood favorite revisited

First read this novel ages ago and the worldbuilding is so unique and memorable. Tim Curry's narration is the cherry on top of this old favorite.

One of the best things I've ever heard.

I first read Sabriel around 20 years ago and fell madly in love with it and Garth Nix. I have everything written by him I can get my hands on and I didn't think it could get any better until this. Tim Curry brings a life to this story like I couldn't have imagined. His character voices are impeccable, his delivery is flawless and he provides an incredible listening experience like no other.

A dark tale of death and magic.

Sabriel is one of the few YA novels that attempt to take itself, and its readers intelligence, seriously. It's a tried and true coming-of-age story about death's natural place in life, good versus evil, and the importance of passing the torch. The prose is eloquent, and the world building is rich without being cumbersome.
While it's slightly darker than your average teen fantasy drama the likeable and well rounded cast of characters add some life and humor to the overall somberness. Especially Mogget. The main villain, however, left something to be desired. He had a good foundation but I felt he he was a bit too cartoonish for this kind of story.

I regret to say the narration was somewhat of a weak spot. Though his overall performance was wonderful, Tim curry's unique voice made some of the characters sound unintentionally funny. The women and children were particularly bad. However i never knew how much I needed Tim curry as a talking cat.

Wonderful story

I could listen a thousand times or more and never grow weary of this book. Creative, original in concept, rich characters, compelling.

Awesome find!

Never heard of this book or even the author. I crossed my fingers in hopes that Tim Curry would not lead me astray. Well surpassed expectations.

Excellent book. narration is a bit off.

my favorite book series from my childhood. excellent books. but the narration didn't feel like a good fit to me. I love Tim curry as an actor, and he does a good job with most of the reading especially dialogue for Mogget. but the voice he puts on to do the dialogue for women felt consistently off-putting to me.

Fantastic!

Sabriel is my favorite book and I've greatly enjoyed listening to the audiobook. This coming-of-age story features a heroine who tackles her challenges head-on, even when she is afraid. Sabriel knows very little about her homeland due to growing up across the border, and is quickly plunged into danger when she goes back to look for her missing father. Despite this, she refuses to turn her back on her father and the duty she has inherited. Set in a world of ancient magic and a crumbling country struggling in anarchy, the Old Kingdom has an unique sense of atmosphere and mystique I haven't found in many other series. Definitely a book worth checking out and doubly so if you enjoy finding original fantasy built upon unique magic systems.

loved the whole thing

I picked this title because Tim Curry is the narrator. I enjoyed the story very much as well.

a captivating adventure

I fell in love with the grasping fantasy worlds of death and modern when I was a teen, I my self struggling through the loss of my mom and little brother, Nix captivated me in a vulnerable state withmagic, love, mystery, suspense and sense appealing details, you can taste and smell the things he describes vivid with imagination. I just finished listening to this some 18 years after reading the book originally, and its no more thrilling today as it was back then.