In some parts it's really freaky and quite scary, in other parts it's sad. I was actually on the edge of my seat throughout most of the book. The rising action, climax and VERY short denouement had me on the edge of my seat. The world is interesting and complex, filled with enough creepy things that go bump in the night to really freak me out. Touchstone was annoying at first but quickly won me over. The characters in Sabriel are all interesting and capturing in their way. She's smart, she's strong, she's a well-balanced and interesting character. Sabriel has a good, clear head on her shoulder. But it turns out it's about an eighteen year old woman with dark, deadly skills being chased and hunted by a terrible and deadly enemy. I thought this was going to be a story about a young girl on a magical adventure with a sword and a bad hair-do. It actually managed to have more romance in it than Darkfever did, and that bloody book has NAKED people on the front cover, for crying out loud! However yesterday I opened it up and thought I'd actually give it a try and I'm really glad it did. In the end, we brought it home and I sulked the whole way. 'It's for twelve-to-thirteen year olds! No sex! No swearing! Minimum violence! I don't fucking think so!' 'This book is acceptable to read for 12-13 year olds? Fuck me, can we turn around and go back to the library?' I asked my husband. I picked this book up from the library and noticed stickers on the book declaring that it was part of a reading challenge here in NSW for grades 7-8. He now lives in Sydney with his wife, two sons and lots of books. In January 2002 Garth went back to dedicated writer again, despite his belief that full-time writing explains the strange behaviour of many authors. He did that for a year before joining Curtis Brown Australia as a part-time literary agent in 1999. Garth left publishing to work as a public relations and marketing consultant from 1994-1997, till he became a full-time writer in 1998. Along the way he was also a part-time soldier in the Australian Army Reserve, serving in an Assault Pioneer platoon for four years. After finishing his degree in 1986 he worked in a bookshop, then as a book publicist, a publisher's sales representative, and editor. Garth left Melbourne at an early age for Canberra (the federal capital) and stayed there till he was nineteen, when he left to drive around the UK in a beat-up Austin with a boot full of books and a Silver-Reed typewriter.ĭespite a wheel literally falling off the Austin, Garth survived to return to Australia and study at the University of Canberra. Garth Nix was born in 1963 in Melbourne, Australia, to the sound of the Salvation Army band outside playing 'Hail the Conquering Hero Comes' or possibly 'Roll Out the Barrel'.

Sabriel novel