2025 Reading Challenge discussion

This thread is to discuss Sabriel, the first book in the The Old Kingdom Series by Garth Nix.

Pages: 491 pages

Length: 1 Month (October)

Participants: Marleen, Ashleigh.

Everyone reads at their own pace during a Buddy Read. Because participants can be at different parts of the book at different times, it is extremely important to mark spoilers so that the book is not ruined for someone who is not as far along as others!!!

Mark spoilers by placing {spoiler} before the text and {/spoiler} after the text but use the < and > instead of the { and }.


Happy Buddy Reading!

The earliest copy from my library was available on audio, and even then it isn't available until the 6th, so I'll be starting this on the 6th! Should be plenty of time for me to get it done. It's 10 hours and I'll be finishing a 25 hour one well within the month of September haha! So easy peasy!

Great! I’ll start around the same time then. Looking forward to it! I have read this book many years ago but I honestly don’t remember a thing except the fact that I loved it, and I want to reread this one and then continue with the rest of the series.

Oh awesome. This was rec'd to me, but the only other Garth Nix book I've read was a very rare DNF so I admit I'm a little hesitant lol (I was a lot younger then though). I'm glad to be reading along with someone!

Hello! The book became available super early to me haha. Someone must have finished early, so I have it now and as I only have 14 days and we are going on a long drive for the weekend I'm going to start now instead!

Okay, I can move my reading forward too, no problem!

I'm currently struggling to find the time to listen to any because I'm visiting family, so not even an hour in yet, but so far I'm finding it okay.

The style is reminding me of Neil Gaiman, who, no matter how hard I try, I can't get into, but just slightly more engaging.

I'm still on chapter 1 though so a long way to go!

I’ve read the first 5 chapters so far. I really didn’t remember anything from my first read years ago, I even could have sworn Sabriel was a boy hahaha. I’m liking it so far.
Funny you mention Neil Gaiman! Have you read Stardust or seen the movie based on that book? The setting in the beginning with the wall between a magical kingdom and the normal world reminded me very much of that.

Marleen wrote: "I’ve read the first 5 chapters so far. I really didn’t remember anything from my first read years ago, I even could have sworn Sabriel was a boy hahaha. I’m liking it so far.
Funny you mention Neil..."

Yes! That was also reminded me of it a bit haha, but also the general theme of the book and the writing style as well.

I wasn't a fan of Stardust so I cringed a little, but I'm not far enough in yet to determine!

Since you’re listening on audio, you probably don’t have the map of the Old Kingdom that’s at the start of the book. I always love maps in the beginning of books to help visualize the world. Here’s an online picture of the map that I found: http://oldkingdom.com.au/files/old_ki...

Oh thanks! I love maps too!

I'm... struggling with this book. It's just not engaging me at all :( I'll finish it, but I'm not finding it that interesting. I'm around chapter 11 I think.

Okay, so this actually picked up for me after chapter 11! I won't post anything as I'm on my phone so can't mark spoilers properly, but it's suddenly become more enjoyable, but it was admittedly a slog for the first bit for me

Oh good! I’m a bit slow reading this one because I accidentally committed to too many buddy reads at the same time (oops), but continuing tonight and glad to hear it’s picking up for you!

I read up to the start of chapter 12 today.
(view spoiler)[Much of Sabriel’s journey towards the house was slow going indeed. I liked the last bit through the tunnel, there was suddenly a clear urgency with the pursuing Mordicant. Mogget is a fun character, although I wonder what will happen now that she has undone his collar. Is he good or evil? Will he still help her or does he have a hidden agenda? And what is the ring for?
I prefer the parts in Life over the parts in Death so far, because the Death situation is still very vague to me. But I’m sure we will learn more about it. (hide spoiler)]

Mogget is certainly my favourite character. I'm somewhere in chapter 13 now I think (?) And it's definitely easier to follow, but I'm definitely having trouble keeping up with the life vs death thing.

I finished! I could only give it 3 stars unfortunately.

... but I also want to read the next one :P

I finally finished too! I’d give it 3 stars too this time around, but I’m keeping my old rating of 4, because I know I really enjoyed it the first time around when I was a lot younger and probably more the target audience.

The plot was interesting and I really wanted to know how it ended, I read the last few chapters very fast. But I didn’t feel a real connection to Sabriel. Also, the parts in death were still not my favorite and I would have liked more explanation about the Charter Magic system, it’s all so vague! I think I would have preferred it if Sabriel had to learn necromancy and Charter stuff along the journey so we could have learned about it with her (which wouldn’t have been a stretch, given that she grew up in Ancelstierre).
Mogget was for sure the best part of the book. And I totally want to ride a Paperwing.

I do want to continue the series as well, I’m curious to see if the characters get better, and maybe there’ll be more explanation/background about the world and the magic?

I've read that the next books do reveal a bit more about the magic system. So hopefully!

Yes, the parts in death really turned me off, truthfully. They were my least favourite parts! But I'm glad I read it in the end :D

Ashleigh wrote: "I've read that the next books do reveal a bit more about the magic system. So hopefully!"

Oh good! I hope so then :)
Do you want to continue the series next month?

Ashleigh, I’d be up for continuing with book 2 of the series in November, let me know if you would be too?