It was such a joy to return to Ancelstierre, the Old Kingdom... and even the nine gates of death! It has been a number of years since I read the original books in this series, but it was just so easy to sink back into this world.

For those who have the read the original books, this will feel wonderfully familiar, like revisiting an old friend. But it's also easily accessible for those who haven't in a long time, or even ever been to the Old Kingdom! The world building is wonderful and manages to both re-establish the basics and at the same time expand on what we already knew. I adored getting to explore more of the Abhorsen's house and its history. Prequel to the prequel anyone? The characters are varied and quirky as ever, and the story, whilst a standard 'defeat the baddy' plot, is intriguing.

Definitely recommended for fans of the Old Kingdom books, but also recommended for fantasty fans in general.

I never read the "Old Kingdom" series but I wanted to read this book as I love whatever Garth Nix writes.
I had high expectations and wasn't disappointed: Terciel&Elinor is a fast paced, action packed story with some "horror" moments and a lot of fun.
It’s a gripping, highly entertaining and well plotted story that I couldn’t put down. Garth Nix is a master storyteller and he can keep me hooked whatever he writes
It's also a good introduction to the series as it slowly explains the world, the magic and what is going on.
Terciel and Elinor are two lovely characters, they're both clever and their character arc is interesting.
I also love Tizanel and I would like to read her story.
The world building is impressive and I love the complexity and the magic system.
I'm always happy when I have to read a new series and this one is full of promises.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to Bonnier Books UK and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

As suggested by the title there are two characters and the narrative is divided between them. Although you could start the Old Kingdom series here, I would recommend starting with Sabriel.

The Prologue starts with Terciel who has been adopted from a workhouse by the Abhorsen (whose job it is to send the dead to their final rest) and he is getting used to the training of Abhorsen in Waiting. This isn't easy and requires learning from the Book of The Dead, physical courage and little praise or recognition of success from the Abhorsen.

On the other side of the Wall in Ancelstierre (a non magic land) we meet Elinor. She has a sick mother and is being brought up by faithful circus performer, Ham and her old governess, Mrs Watkins. She loves plays, knife throwing , juggling and other circus skills. A frightening "force" crosses the Wall from The Old Kingdom and Elinor finds herself confronted by that and the knowledge that she has roots in The Old Kingdom. Enter Terciel and a link is formed between them.

Elinor spends some time at Wyverly College in Ancelstierre in preparation for going to The Old Kingdom to discover more about her links to it. Then the plot speeds up...

If you are a fan already of The Old Kingdom books there will be many familiar elements and the following comments will be relevant to you. Old Kingdom readers tend to enjoy certain aspects of this series. Some reviewers enjoy the Ancelstierre parts but I am not one. I have always been more interested in the Old Kingdom, although not so much the "battle scenes"

In this book I enjoyed finding out more about the Abhorsen's Island (map provided) and its different features, including the Sendings which seemed to have more "personality". New to me were the different "layers" - subterranean passages/rooms etc. I love the parts of the books that are in the more "domestic" setting of the House, although has the Abhorsen got a cat ? The descriptions of how Charter Magic work (about page 200) are intriguing. There are the sentient Paperwings and the Clayr are there too (in an offstage way) Plenty more references to Sabriel etc apart from the obvious one of the two lead characters being her parents.

Was I the only reader to smile when we meet Moregrim on page 3? See P 316 for a sly joke from Nix.

The characters are may be not given enough "space" to be developed fully. A longer book might have done this. Other reviewers haven't liked the Abhorsen, Tizanael. I took her to be one of those characters who is driven by a sense of duty and dedication so strong, that they don't have "time" for emotion. There is also a time factor impelling her. Terciel and Elinor are both more open in expressing their anxieties and have the self doubt that often occurs to us in our early adult years.

My overall impression is that I wish there had been more. Yes there are hints dropped that will be developed in the "later" books. Does the Abhorsen keep a cat? The Red Lake being hidden from the Clayr's view etc.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC

I was so excited when I heard about a new book in the Old Kingdom series - it is my all time favourite series and Garth is one of my favourite authors too, so I will always read his books. My expectations of how great this book would be were not nearly great enough, this was a spectacular addition to the series, and it definitely did not disappoint me.

I loved the characters of Elinor and Terciel, especially as you do not previously hear very much at all about Sabriel's mother in the original series, and seeing their relationship develop and learn more about both of them was amazing, and really helps give you a better backstory to Sabriel.

I also loved that we got to learn a bit more about Charter marks and how they are learnt by students in this book, as I love to learn about magic in different series.

I would suggest reading the original 3 books first because you would see some people you might recognise from the other books, however if you wanted to read this first instead it would easily fit in as a first book.

It has been a year or so since I last picked up an Old Kingdom book and dipping back into this world again feels oddly like coming home.
Did I need to keep the internet open to look up all the names and details I had forgotten? Yes. Did I care? Not so much.
I have a slight problem with the idea of prequels more generally since I think it's hard to write something exciting when you as a reader already know how it ends, and in a lot of ways I think this book did still have that problem. No matter how big and bad the big bad may be we know it is either dealt with or not dealt with because we've seen how the story ends.
Having said that, I think this book does work for a couple of reasons. Firstly, I think Garth Nix's world is so interesting and complete that it is always going to be enjoyable to read a story set in the world regardless of plot. Secondly, I think the focus on this particular relationship between Terciel and Elinor, Sabriel's parents, makes the book feel more like a companion to the main series as opposed to feeling like a prequel in the traditional sense.
The biggest feeling I had finishing this book was that I really want to do a full chronological read through of the entire Old Kingdom series because I just love this world so much and I'd like to fully immerse myself in it once again.
I think this is a great addition for those who are already fans of the series, I wouldn't recommend starting with this book if you are planning on picking it up, as I think a lot of the enjoyment comes from already knowing some of the mechanics and indeed some of the characters. It is nonetheless well written and a nice companion to the pre existing books.

This is the latest book in the Old Kingdom series by Garth Nix. The original trilogy is one of my all time favourite trilogies and I will always love these characters and world. I really enjoyed this latest instalment - I loved finding out about Sabriel's parents. I definitely recommend checking it out.

Having grown up in isolation in her family’s slowly failing manor house Elinor does not have much experience of the world; until an undead tragedy thrusts her out into it and she finds that she may be destined to be one of the world’s key players after all. Plucked from the workhouse by an unknown and distant relative, Terciel is bought up in the thick of luxury and danger. His destiny is to be the Abhorsen, the one who makes sure the dead stay dead, but he is determined that there is still more to life than the bells and the dead and the Abhorsen’s house. When their paths cross, Elinor begins to see the truth of their destinies as visions in water. Will she embrace her destiny or run from it?

Elinor is the perfect combination of fun and serious which you can clearly see as having been influenced by her two main childhood supporters, Ham and Mrs Watkins. The evidence of this influence adds a touch of realism and heart to her character. In comparison Terciel, influenced by his hard childhood and kind but aloof guardian, combines experience and youth in an unexpected but effective way. The depth that this creates in their characters allows them to stand out beyond the already spectacularly rendered accompanying cast that surrounds them.

The extensively and expertly crafted magical elements in this books are described in just enough detail to provide an understanding of the scene without weighing the text down with too much exposition. Although I had already read the other books in the series and so cannot comment with infallible certainty that the world and magic could be fully understood if you were reading it as a stand-alone book. In any case I would recommend reading the others first as the foreknowledge of later events really adds an extra element of intrigue throughout the narrative. For those who have read the rest of the series I will mention Hedge, Kerrigor and Sabriel’s mother as enticing nuggets to draw you in.

It is nearly 20 years since I read Garth Nix's original 'Abhorsen' trilogy. Since then he's produced a couple more novels in the same series, and this is the sixth. In terms of chronology, it is set earlier than the original three novels (the first of which was 'Sabriel'). In fact, Terciel and Elinor are the parents of Sabriel. Whilst some of the books need to be read in order, I don't think it is essential to read this one before some of the others. In fact, although it's a long time since I read the original three, the concepts came back to me surprisingly strongly. It might even have been a benefit to have read the others first as some of the concepts weren't explained in great detail.

The story is told from two viewpoints. Terciel is the Abhorsen-in-waiting - the heir and assistant to the Abhorsen, a powerful sorcerer whose role is to protect the world from evil necromancers. Elinor is a young woman who has led a very sheltered life, and is about to discover the outside world when it arrives in a dramatic fashion. The two ultimately join together in a battle to stop the necromancer Hedge.

I find Nix can be a hit-and-miss author, but this is a hit. It is exciting, well paced, with great world building and likeable, interesting characters. I enjoyed returning to the world of the Old Kingdom even after such a long break - the concept is really good one and very well executed. The world is conjured up so clearly it feels like a real place, and I can visualise the settings as though I'd seen a film rather than read a book. In fact I'm surprised no one has made these into a TV series or movie yet - there is definitely something cinematic about them and the plots would work well, with plenty of dramatic set pieces throughout.

Having enjoyed this, I will be going on to read the other two 'Old Kingdom' novels that I've missed out on. Although the book is marketed as 'new adult' (aimed at people in their 20s) I'm older than that and still enjoyed it, and I was younger than that when I read the originals. These should appeal to anyone who likes fantasy adventure novels, from teenagers through to adults of all ages.

It's been a while since I've been so excited for a book's release, and I think it was probably the last Old Kingdom book😅 Next to 'The Lord of the Rings' and 'Harry Potter' this is my favourite book series!!!! Massive thanks to Netgalley and Bonnier Books for the digital ARC.

Eighteen year old Terciel is the Abhorsen-in-waiting to his imposing Abhorsen great aunt, Tizanael. In contrast, nineteen year old Elinor, was raised in Ancelstierre across the Wall from the Old Kingdom. She knows nothing of magic and lives in a mansion with her mother, and loves acting plays and learning circus skills from the families groom. That is until the Dead come and burn the mansion to the ground, killing all the family bar Elinor. Now she must learn magic and go to the Old Kingdom to help Terciel and Tizanael face a Greater Dead creature 🧟‍♂️

5⭐- this is the long anticipated back story of Sabriel's parents and it is wonderful! Garth Nix has a rare gift for knowing how to write strong, capable female lead characters 💪 I won't spoil anything here, but many familiar characters from the series pop up! If you're a fan of the Old Kingdom, get your copy from 2nd November, and if you've no idea what this is all about, do yourself a huge favour and get a copy of 'Sabriel' to start your journey into the Old Kingdom 😁

Il s'agit d'une contribution pauvre et pas particulièrement utile à la série Ancien Royaume. Cela se lit comme si un éditeur disait : « Donnez-moi une histoire sur les parents de Sabriel, mais je me fiche de savoir à quel point elle est liée à tout le reste. Assurez-vous simplement qu'il contient X pages et qu'il est terminé à la date Y. » Une sortie vraiment décevante de l'auteur.

I really enjoyed this book. I have never read the earlier Old Kingdom books but remembered that my daughter used to love them so I was interested to read this prequel and I am now definitely hooked and can’t wait to read the earlier books.
We begin by meeting Terciel who is an orphan in the old kingdom when he is claimed by a distant relative and taken to live with her to learn about Charter Magic. The story then switches to Elinor who knows nothing about magic and is living with her sick mother, her governess and the groom who is an ex circus performer. The book is far more Elinor’s story than Terciel’s and she is a lovely character and totally believable. Her journey from her home to the school and then to the Old Kingdom is enthralling. There is romance between her and Terciel but it is not a major feature of the book until the very end. I loved both the worlds of Ancelstierre and the Old Kingdom. Garth Nix does a great job of providing enough detail to make the worlds real but not so much that it slows the story down.
I don’t know how this compares to the previous books but this works perfectly well as a stand alone as I didn’t feel that I was missing anything as I read it.
This was a brilliant read and I am very grateful to Net Galley and the publishers, Hot Key Books, for providing me with this ARC in return for my honest review.

Garth Nix’s Abhorsen books have been a favourite autumnal read for me since I was a teenager, and although none of the later titles in the series ever reached the heights of Sabriel or Lirael, I still always enjoy returning to the Old Kingdom. This latest instalment, Terciel and Elinor, jumps back in time to focus on Sabriel’s parents, moving between their stories and ultimately interweaving them. Terciel is the Abhorsen-in-Waiting, charged by the current Abhorsen to help her bind the Greater Dead creature Kerrigor, who we know will become significant later on in the history of this world. Elinor has grown up in Ancelstierre knowing nothing of the Old Kingdom, convinced that the Charter Mark she bears on her forehead is a disfiguring scar – until she is forced to come face to face with her heritage. I always get most out of the parts of the Old Kingdom books that are set in one of Nix’s marvellous set-piece locations (my favourite sequence in any of the novels is the part of Lirael where Lirael is still living with the Clayr) and so I was delighted to find that some of them feature here: Wyverley College and Abhorsen’s House (though sadly, we don’t see much of the Clayr’s Glacier). Like its predecessors Abhorsen and Goldenhand, Terciel and Elinor is fun and immersive, but doesn’t imaginatively introduce or expand this world in the ways that Sabriel and Lirael did; therefore, I can’t rank it as highly as the first two books, which were truly magical. Nevertheless, fans of the Old Kingdom series should like this.