Rating: 
Summary: Good, but definitely more emphasis on character
Review: This book was good, starting enough after Sabriel left off to be less of a continuance of that story. Unfortunately, this story ends right as the plot begins to take off. I really enjoyed the descriptions of the characters, though, and there is definitely a twist. Also, Nix brings charter magic more into the story than he did in Sabriel, so that was exciting. The book isn't boring, though it becomes frustrating at times because of the slowness or the fact that you want to read more about Lirael. I couldn't put it down, but I desperately wanted to start reading the sequel to it, so if you're one of those people who get into a story and won't rest until the story is done, wait until Nix writes the next one, because this story has no real ending, just a "Sorry folks, but that's all we have for today" type thing. And that was the most frustrating of all.
Rating:
Summary: Finally The Long Awatied Sequel Has Come
Review: While wandering through the local bookstore four years ago I came across Sabriel in the Young Adult section. Noticing the cover I picked it up and read the first chapter. I was hooked. I must have read the copy I bought that day at least 40 times. I became such a fan of Mr. Nix's writing that I named my cat Mogget!But I digress, as I understood it Mr. Nix was supposed to only write a sequel. Lirael turned out to be the second book in a trilogy, the third to be the forthcoming, Abhorsen. Well, after I finished Sabriel in a manner of hours I knew their would be a sequel so I set out looking for one. After manny publishing delays I finally got my copy of Lirael. All I can say is that Mr.Nix is a masterful and engrossing writer. Lirael is a intelligent, brave and a thoroughly colorful charecter. I admit in the beging I was warry with the prospect of suicide, but she shone for the remainder of the novel. Lirael shares the spotlight with Prince Sameth, the son of Sabriel and Touchstone(Yes, they did get married!). He shows flashes of bravery and cunning, but for the most part he acts spoilt and afraid. These two are surrounded by a stellar supporting cast. Touchstone, Sabriel, Mogget(yes!) Sanar and Ryelle(the Clayr twins) you will remeber from Sabriel. Ellimere; daughter of Sabriel, the Disreputable Dog; loyal companion to Lirael, Nick; school companion of Sameth and not to mention the evil Hedge and Chlor who work for a higher evil. The story goes into how Lirael does not fit in at the Clayr's glacier home and goes to seek a man the Clayr have Seen. Parallel to Lirael's life is that of Sameth's. They meet mid-adventure and team up to find Nick and put down the dead. But will Lirael ever find her place? This is a story of high fantasy, adventure, mystery and human emotions. I loved the plot and dialouge. They both flow with seemless grace. This is a masterful piece of fantasy literature and both Sabriel and Lirael will always be high on my list so I recomend Lirael even if you haven't read Sabriel. Enjoy!
Rating: 
Summary: Just give me cardboard and a pair of scissors...
Review: This book was a great disappointment, compared to its predecessor. While written in the beautiful style and environment of Nix's, the characters make the story. The characters did not make the story in this case.The poor, poor heroine who never felt at home, even with what she thought was with her own people. *deadpan* Oh, poor dear. So abused. And, as it turns out, she just so happens to be the next Abhorsen! How can this be, you ask. Well, she's Sabriel's sister! *gasp* If it had not been published under Garth Nix's name, I would have thought this to be written by a fangirl wanting to be a part of the story. I've seen hundreds of stories with this kind of girl. I'm sad it got published. Now onto the poor hero. I don't feel as much of a grudge against him. I can almost identify with him. Now if only he wasn't a spineless brat. "Whinewhinewhinewhine." I'm sad to say that the only redeeming features I found in this book were the animals and the plot/environment in it. The characters...Ugh. All in all, it's an interesting read if you ignore the characters. Sadly, like I said before, the characters make the story. I miss Sabriel. *sarcasm* Oh! And the evil necromancer bit was great! So original!
Rating: 
Summary: Entertaining epic fantasy
Review: In the Old Kingdom, Lirael feels like a freak as the only person among the Clayr sisterhood who cannot see into the future. Being "blind" shames the teenager making her wonder just who she. By her nineteenth birthday, Lirael knows she has no one to help her except her Disreputable Dog. However, her time of hiding in the library ends, when the Clayr foresees her involvement in a war against evil with a world at stake. She is sent forth to do great things despite her own fear of shortcomings. Feeling incompetent, Prince Sameth can no longer handle his role as the heir apparent to his mother Queen Sabriel. Rather then continue his education and preparation, Sameth decides he is no hero and will not be the key focus of the fight against the Dead. Sameth meets Lirael and her canine meets his acerbic cat Mogget as they journey together to save the world. LIRAEL, the sequel to the fabulous SABRIEL is as good as the first novel. The prime theme centers on the Good vs. Evil epic fantasy. However, the deep lead couple with their flaws, fears, and lack of confidence turns the story line into an exciting adventure where the malevolent forces seem ready to win. Though many threads remain loose for hopefully the next novel to tie up, fans of epic fantasy, especially the Potter crowd, will fully enjoy Garth Nix's fantastic spin. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: It makes an amazing world even more compelling
Review: When I read Sabriel, the first book in this series, I was floored. I had stumbled upon it in the "Young Adult" section and was pleasantly surprised that it is a fantasy novel of the highest caliber, equally suited to young teens and adults. But I was even more amazed to hear that Nix was writing a sequel to Sabriel, which stood well on its own. When I finally got a copy of Lirael I couldn't put it down. I LOVED it. After the success of Sabriel, Nix is free to explore a longer and more complex narrative, which will require two books to tell. Nix brings the character of Lirael and the world she inhabits to life so vividly that I almost wish the entire book centered upon her. Unfortunately, Sameth, the other lead character suffers in comparison to the treatment Lirael gets in the narrative and is harder to sympathize with until almost the end of the book. But in the end I was totally engaged and loving both of them. I will be on the edge of my seat until the next book is released.
Rating:
Summary: Lirael
Review: Lirael is one of the best books I've read in a while. However, I recommend that you read these books in order. I started out with Lirael and then read Sabriel. It was still good though. I was very sad when I read Abhorsen...I didn't want it to end. It would be a wise choice to buy this book, it will be a good investment. Lirael's story pulls you in and you sympathise and also speculate what it is she is meant for if not the Clayr's visionary world. You have to read it to find out....
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Sequel to Sabriel
Review: A while ago, I was browsing my city library's (woefully pathetic) fantasy section and stumbled across Sabriel. I read it and thought it was wonderful. A few days ago, I was in the library and picked up Lirael. I was certainly not dissapointed by Sabriel's sequel. If anything, I liked it even more. However, it had been a while since I had read Sabriel, and the plot of Sabriel was a little fuzzy. I recommend reading Sabriel and reading Lirael right after it--trust me, the money will be well spent. This is not your typical fantasy of sword-swinging heroes and mages muttering spells. Garth NIx has created a new and unique world of fantasy that has little in common with many other major fantasy series(Tolkien, Jordan, etc. and so forth) Here is the world of the Old Kingdom, with it's good, orderly Charter Magic pitted against the evil Free Magic of the Necromancers. Juxtaposed with the Old Kingdom is the land to it's south, past a wall, in which no one believes in the magic. Most of the story, however, takes place in the Old Kingdom. The story picks up years after Sabriel ends, and tells the story of Prince Sameth(Sabriel's son), an evil Necromancer named Hedge, and mostly, of Lirael, only daughter of the Clayr who is not gifted with the ability to see into the future. With the help of her only friend the Disreputable Dog, who I found to be one of the most amusing characters, Lirael has to come to terms with the fact she will never have the ability to See into the future, discover the secret of her parentage, and discover her own destiny, all in time to help Prince Sameth save the kingdom. This was a delightful read, and one I couldn't put down. I was quite dissapointed when I turned the last page and it said To be continued in Abhorsen. So, I hope Garth Nix hurries up and finishes Abhorsen, because I can't wait to read it and find out what happens!
Rating:
Summary: If you thought it ended with 'Sabriel'...
Review: ...then think again! Even though this book is somehow detached from 'Sabriel' it is still great. Sure it has the same caracters and new ones too but usually in a sequel the same antagonist is still being battled. But heck who needs another normal series! This was a fabulous book! The mystery that the disreputable dog and Mogget are harboring is still unrevealed at the end. Although I suspect it might have something to do with the begginning of the charter, I will say no more. The main focus of the story is Lirael,(obviously, otherwise the book probably wouldn't be called 'Lirael')a sightless Clayr but who is also a very powerful charter mage and, as we discover at the end of the book, something more. Sam is the prince of the old kingdom and since his sister, Ellimere is destined to follow in her father's footsteps and be ruler, he is destined to folloow in his mother's and become the Abhorsen. Only one problem he is terrified of death, as well he should be, after anencounter with Hedge, a necromancer, there. A must read for anyone who liked Sabriel or other books by Garth Nix.
Rating:
Summary: "Things Long Dormant are Stirring, or Being Woken..."
Review: "Lirael" is the sequel to Garth Nix's best selling book "Sabriel", and the second of his "Old Kingdom" trilogy. Set fourteen years after the events of "Sabriel", this book surrounds the actions of two main characters. Prince Sameth is the capable, but rather unexperienced son of Touchstone and Sabriel, overshadowed by his elder sister and disheartened by the fact that he is the next Abhorsen - the necromancer chosen to put to rest undead legions with the help of seven magical bells. Lirael is an orphan of the Clayr: clairvoyant allies of the Royal Family who live in a vast glacial community. Unlike all of her brethern, Lirael does not possess the Sight, and so spends her days as librarian, sometimes going for months on end without speaking to another human being. But of course, fate has other ideas for these two - evil is once more abroad in the Old Kingdom. A terrible necromancer named Hedge is causing trouble in the West, beginning the first steps of a plan that threatens both the Clayr and the Royal Family - not to mention the Old Kingdom and Ancelstierre, the non-magical country across the Wall. When Lirael unleashes and brings to life a mysterious magical dog known as the Disreputable Dog, and Sameth runs away from home in order to find his ignorant Ancelstierrean friend Nick who crosses the Wall, the two are thrown into the path of Hedge and so destined to stop his evil. And there is yet more going on, a secret bond between Sameth and Lirael that they are unaware of, but need to discover if they are to understand what is truly expected of them. Once more Garth Nix has written an amazing book: a rich, mysterious fantasy world, an intriguing, twisting plot, strong and realistic characterisation... Nix really is a master at all of these areas. The Old Kingdom has been added upon, especially in regards to the Clayr, who were just distant allies in "Sabriel". Now we get to see deep inside their home and customs, including the huge library that is surely every book-lovers dream: not just a place of endless levels of manuscripts but even deeper chambers of monsters, magic, artifacts, underground gardens, buriel chambers...I could have wandered in there with Lirael forever. Lirael and Sameth are very different from Sabriel as protagonists: where Sabriel was confident, strong and focused, Sameth and Lirael are more hesitant about their chosen paths. In doing so, Nix has made them more realistic, but readers may miss the Nancy Drew-like qualities of Sabriel that made her such a popular heroine. I must say I had quite a soft spot for Sameth - unfortunatly some readers have dismissed him as a bit of a wimp, but I completely understood his fear over the huge responsibility that was placed over him, and as another reviewer pointed out, he is one of the few fantasy characters that is not just reluctant about his duties, but downright terrified of them! Either way, I found his fear easier to grasp than Lirael's suicidal decision to chuck herself off the Clayr glacier. The Disreputable Dog and Mogget are the highlights of the story: their meeting was exactly what I expected it to be (throw a cat and a dog together in a boat and watch the fireworks!) and provide most of the comic relief in the story, whilst dropping a few clues that there is more to their identity than meets the eye. Mogget (my favourite) is introduced a little later than I would have liked, but is still the bad tempered, superior white cat that we all remember from "Sabriel". Of course Touchstone and Sabriel aren't forgotten, and I thought it was a nice touch that their eldest daughter Ellimere was named after one of Sabriel's school friends that died at the end of the first book. However, I did catch one continuity error - in "Sabriel" Mogget called Sabriel's father 'Emeritus', but here he is named as 'Terciel'. Given that "Lirael" was written six years after "Sabriel" was published, its hardly surprising that this tiny detail was missed, but still... Basically, "Lirael" is one of the best, most original fantasy books you can read, certainly up there with the likes of Rowling, Tolkien, Pullman and Lewis in terms of readablity and popularity. Be sure to read "Sabriel" first, and you'll definitely be reading for its sequel in a hurry.
Rating:
Summary: Awesome
Review: This is the exciting sequel to Sabriel all about her children and a daughter of the Clayr. A new evil is surfacing in Old Kingdom and the abhorsen in waiting is not prepared. Lirael a dejected daughter of the Clayr has left on an impossible mission to help the abhorsen but know one knows how. Her path meets with the unwilling abhorsen in waiting and from then on they must fight the evil alone.
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