Terciel and Elinor

Garth Nix

2021 • 560 pages

Ratings13

Average rating4.2

Bestselling novelist Garth Nix returns to the Old Kingdom for the never-before-told love story of Sabriel's parents, Tericel and Elinor, and the charter magic that brought them together--and threatened to tear them apart. A long-awaited prequel to a classic fantasy series. In the Old Kingdom, a land of ancient and often terrible magics, eighteen year-old orphan Terciel learns the art of necromancy from his great-aunt Tizanael. But not to raise the Dead, rather to lay them to rest. He is the Abhorsen-in-Waiting, and Tizanael is the Abhorsen, the latest in a long line of people whose task it is to make sure the Dead do not return to Life. Across the Wall in Ancelstierre, a steam-age country where magic usually does not work, nineteen year-old Elinor lives a secluded life. Her only friends an old governess and an even older groom who was once a famous circus performer. Her mother is a tyrant, who is feared by all despite her sickness and impending death . . . but perhaps there is even more to fear from that. Elinor does not know she is deeply connected to the Old Kingdom, nor that magic can sometimes come across the Wall, until a plot by an ancient enemy of the Abhorsens brings Terciel and Tizanael to Ancelstierre. In a single day of fire and death and loss, Elinor finds herself set on a path which will take her into the Old Kingdom, into Terciel's life, and will embroil her in the struggle of the Abhorsens against the Dead who will not stay dead.

Genres

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Series

6 primary books9 released books

#6 in The Old Kingdom

The Old Kingdom is a 9-book series with 8 released primary works first released in 1995 with contributions by Garth Nix.

#3.5

Series

6 primary books9 released books

#6 in Abhorsen

Abhorsen is a 9-book series with 8 released primary works first released in 1995 with contributions by Garth Nix.

#3.5

The Creature in the Case

Popular Reviews

Reviews with the most likes.

writingpen

Thankfully for my enjoyment of this book, I did not know it was marketed as a romance. It's in there and certain parts of the story would weird if it was not, but that is not the driving force of this novel. It's about growing up and deciding what kind of life you want. It also a strong theme in regards to who raises you vs. who your biological parent is. ( Elinor's designated adults are better than Terciel's. Just saying.) I didn't do stats on this book or anything, but you will most likely end the book feeling like you know Elinor better than you Terciel. Her chapters feel more open and you can see her making choices more clearly. I should emphasize: I have complaints but overall I enjoyed this book in large part because I enjoy this series. I know it is prequel but I would advise new readers to at least read the original trilogy first.
What I liked:
I love the Abhorsen house every time it shows up.
I appreciate seeing Mogget through the ages and how the different Abhorsens treat him
There were fun easter eggs connected to other book, I noticed Clariel the most because I had read it recently.
All the references to literature/ plays
What I didn't like:
What romance there is, feels like its at 10% too fast because the book spends too much time doing other stuff. Which is weird, given the book title.
I always want them to spend more time in death or use the bells more. If I wrote fanfic the frustrations this book caused me would be a great jumping off point.
I really wish a different villian had been chosen. Between that and fact that this is a prequel, some of tension just wasn't there.