Random thoughts on re-reading Sabriel by Garth Nix
A bronze doorknocker in the shape of a lion’s head holding a ring in its mouth gleamed in counterpoint to the white cat that lay coiled on the rush mat before the door. Sabriel lay on the bricks and smiled up at the cat, blinking back tears. The cat twitched and turned its head ever so slightly to look at her, revealing bright, green eyes.
“Hello, puss,” croaked Sabriel, coughing as she staggered once more to her feet and walked forward, groaning and creaking with every step. She reached down to pat the cat, and froze-for, as the cat thrust its head up, she saw the collar around its neck and the tiny bell that hung there. The collar was only red leather, but the Charterspell on it was the strongest, most enduring, binding that Sabriel had ever seen or felt-and the bell was a miniature Saraneth. The cat was no cat, but a Free Magic creature of ancient power.
“Abhorsen,” mewed the cat, its little pink tongue darting. “About time you got here.”
It's interesting, I'm a dog person. I like large dogs. Not a huge fan of cats (also allergic to them) although Papa Koala is a cat person, but one of my favourite characters in Sabriel is Mogget, a Free Magic creature who has been trapped in the form of a cat and he's so cat-like in his mannerisms that you can almost see him leaping off the page.
I've had a nice and peaceful run at work of late - not busy, able to escape at a decent hour to see movies. I've become spoilt and indolent. I received 24 documents today so it looks as though my time of leisure may be at an end quite quickly. So I'm going to quickly scribble while I can. I have 'Bleak House' and 'Digital Fortress' (blush) hear to be read, but I'm on a re-reading thing right now. amaliestar is re-reading the wonderful Blue Castle and julielu is about to start re-reading Georgette Heyer. I'm re-reading the Old Kingdom books. I just finished re-reading Sabriel.
I'm now re-reading Lirael which is actually my least favourite of the three simply because the Clayr with their mysterious seer ways don't really interest me.
The geography: Old Kingdom, Ancelstierre, the Perimeter
Garth Nix's Old Kingdom series establishes two neighbouring countries. There is Ancelstierre, which is largely 'our world', although an early twentieth century version given the level of early industrialisation. In the North, is the Old Kingdom which is rife with magic and dangerous forces. The capital of the Old Kingdom is Belisaere which until the time of Sabriel was without a ruling royal family.
What is interesting is that although the existence of such magic is officially denied by the government of Ancelstierre and the majority of Ancelstierre is sceptical of magic, not only do those who live near the border believe, there is actually an official perimeter set up, that is guarded by soldiers of Ancelstierre. The juxtaposition of a 'scientific' industrialised society lying beside a mystical country like the Old Kingdom is one of the more fascinating elements of this series.
The Charter, Charter Mages, Charter Marks
An important feature of the Old Kingdom series is 'the Charter'. It seems to be the Old Kingdom equivalent of 'the Force' from the Star Wars galaxy as it contains and joins all things and acts as a source of benevolent magic. Its opposing force is known as Free Magic which is a chaotic form of magic, uncontrolled and largely malevolent from what I can tell. I have no idea how it came to be that there are two forms of magic and why Charter Magic is constrained and 'proper' magic but Free Magic is wild, unchannelled and dangerous.
Charter Mages are able to use magic to do their will and such Charter Mages bear what is known as a Charter Mark on their foreheads that is given to them at baptism. They bear this mark throughout their lives.
One thing I am still not certain of is whether all persons born in the Old Kingdom bear a Charter Mark or whether it is only the Charter Mages. Also, presumably who becomes a Charter Mage is presumably dictated by whether they are born with magical ability or not, so presumably the Charter Mark designates that they have magical ability and it is not the Charter Mark itself that gives such ability. In the book Sabriel, the baby Sabriel has her mark appear on her brow during a ceremony. Adults can receive the Charter Mark, for instance there are Charter Mages among the Crossing Point Scouts of the Perimeter. The Charter Marks are also used as a verification process of sorts, as a person with the the Charter Mark can "test" the Mark of another person to see if he or she is a corrupted necromancer, Dead being, or sending. I've kind of discussed this topic to death a while back without reaching any conclusions.
The Charter manifests itself in Charter Stones and Charter Marks. The Charter Stones appear to contain Charter Magic and a Charter Mage is able to enhance his or her magic when close to such stones. Ordinarily Charter Stones are located throughout the Old Kingdom, usually around cities, towns or villages. The Charter flows through them and you wonder whether they are some form of power source or whether they merely form a power conduit. In addition to the 'ordinary' Charter Stones, there are also six Great Charter Stones'. These are located in a reservoir beneath Belisaere and are more powerful than the ordinary Charter Stones.
Regular Charter Stones are 'broken' by way of a Free Magic rite which requires the blood of a Charter Mage. To break a Great Charter stone, only the blood of certain types of persons can be used, being an Abhorsen, a Clayr or a member of the Royal Family. More about them later :) A Charter Stone can only be repaired by the blood of a member of the Royal Family. To go back to the issue of Charter Marks on people's brows, the fact that the blood of a Charter Mage indicates to me that not everyone in the Old Kingdom is a Charter Mage although this doesn't tell me if they have Charter Marks or whether the existence of a Charter Mark indicates magical ability or Charter Mage status.
Magic in the Old Kingdom is cast by the use of Charter Marks, being symbols that the spellcaster expresses through speaking, drawing, whistling or other means. Charter spells vary in form and can be shields, diamonds of protection, constructs, enchantment of weapons, and wind control.
Bloodlines
There are 3 bloodlines in the Old Kingdom. The Clayr are primarily comprised of women who are blonde, tanned and presumably beautiful. They have the gift of Sight.
The next bloodline is the Royal family who as mentioned are the only ones who are able to make and bind Charter stones.
The final bloodline are the Abhorsen. Abhorsen is a title and not a name. It appears that there can only ever be one Abhorsen at a time. His or her heir is known as the Abhorsen-In-Waiting. An Abhorsen's task is to walk into death and prevent the Dead spirits returning to Life, and interestingly, an Abhorsen uses both Free Magic and Charter Magic. They are able to sense Death, identify undead creatures and can cross over into Death to fight the undead. Naturally it is an extremely dangerous task and it is not uncommon for Abhorsen to die young.
Sabriel is the first book in the series and Sabriel and her father are members of the Abhorsen family. Their tools of trade are necromantic bells, used to control, summon and repel the Dead. There are also pipes which are less powerful and are usually used by the Abhorsen-in-Waiting. That's in a later book though :) In total, there are seven bells and each one is named after one of the seven Free Magic beings who created the Charter. The bells are as follows:
Ranna: "Sleepbringer" or "Sleeper" is the smallest of the bells and has the highest tone. The sound of Ranna induces sleep or relaxation in humans and the Dead.
Mosrael: the "Waker" bell is used to bring the Dead into Life but also throws the necromancer further into Death.
Kibeth: the "Walker" bell gives movement to the dead and thus can force them to walk back into Death. The problem is it can also send the user into death as well.
Dyrim: the "Speaker" bell is used by necromancers to grant the ability of speech, or to 'silence uneasy tongues'. It can also reveal secrets or allow the reading of minds.
Belgaer: the "Thinker" bell can heal memories that have been lost by long immersion in Death but conversely can also be used to erase thought and memory.
Saraneth: or the "Binder" or "Master" bell is the deepest bell and is used by necromancers to bind the Dead to one's will. It can be used to command spirits back to death, and beyond the Ninth Gate (the deepest Gate in Death).
Astarael: is "the Sorrowful" or "Weeper". It is the most powerful and largest bell and it throws everyone who hears it, including the person ringing it, deep into Death.
I don't want to talk too much about the bells at this stage as it's more appropriate to discuss them in Abhorsen.
Things that happen in Sabriel
Sabriel is our introduction to the Old Kingom series and at its start, Sabriel is an 18 year old studying at a school in Ancelstierre. When her father sends her his necromantic bells, she knows that something has happened to him and she returns to the Kingdom of her birth to save her father.
Along the way she meets friends, foes and those like the creature Mogget that are both but also neither. Nix has craeated a very fascinating world which is filled with menace and Sabriel is one of my favourite heroines, being down to earth, courageous and not precious at all. For the shipper in me, there's also a lovely romance .... *sigh*
The only problem is that I have many questions and Nix hasn't written enough to satisfy me :) Anyway, I shall be continuing with Lirael .... can't wait to meet up with the lovable Disreputable Dog again ....