Barnes & NobleTerciel & Elinor (Old Kingdom/Abhorsen Series #6) by Garth Nix

a welcome return

Eighteen-year-old Terciel has trained for years with his great-aunt Tizanael. As the last in a long line of Abhorsens it will one day fall to Terciel to use the bells and his knowledge of necromancy to make sure that the Dead are put properly to rest and, most importantly, stay daed both in his home in the Old Kingdom and across the wall in Ancelstierre. An orphan before his aunt found him ten years ago, Terciel knows this is the only path he can walk. But he also can't help but wonder if he's truly ready to become the next Abhorsen. Elinor's world in Ancelstierre has always felt very small. Most days the company of her old governess and the estate's groom who teaches Elinor all of his old tricks from his days as a circus performer. Dead creatures who will not stay dead seem like very distant concerns for Elinor who is more interested in one day performing herself. Until they become very immediate concerns and Elinor's quiet life is upended by tragedy. Drawn into a world of magic and danger, Elinor quickly realizes her own quiet life was one designed to obscure her own connections to the Old Kingdom. In trying to uncover the secrets of her past Elinor will have to charge headfirst into the Old Kingdom, into Terciel's path, and into the dangerous struggle between life and death in Terciel and Elinor (2021) by Garth Nix. Terciel and Elinor is a prequel novel set in the Old Kingdom focusing on Sabriel's parents. It serves as a good introduction to the world of the Old Kingdom and can be read on its own. Readers who want to read the series chronologically can proceed from here to the main series which begins with Sabriel or start at the very beginning with the earliest novel in the series Clariel. This story alternates chapters between Terciel and Elinor as the two begin to realize that their paths are inextricably linked. Main characters are cued as white (although Terciel had dark brown skin before he became paler from his time spent in Death) with more diversity among the supporting cast. Nix also makes a point to include characters of all genders in authority positions and offers readers a delightful reimagined version of Shakespeare in the form of beloved female playwright Breakespear whose works are a touchstone for Elinor throughout the novel. Longtime fans of the Old Kingdom series will appreciate Nix's focus on some of the less often frequented areas of the world including Ancelstierre, Wyverly College, and a different perspective on the Clayr and their glacier. The shorter length and narrow focus on protagonists just beginning to understand their roles in the Old Kingdom give Terciel and Elinor a different feel than some of the rest of the series with self-contained story that hints of adventures to come. Terciel and Elinor is a welcome return to a beloved series and an excellent introduction for new readers. Possible Pairings: The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh, Plain Kate by Erin Bow, Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken, The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan, Fire by Kristin Cashore, The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco, Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst, The Lost Sun by Tessa Gratton, Seraphina by Rachel Hartman, Magisterium by Jeff Hirsch, The Paper Magician by Charlie N. Holmberg, A Thousand Nights by E. K. Johnston, Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones, Dreamhunter by Elizabeth Knox, Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers, Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas, Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta, Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson, The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski, The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner, Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld, Illusions of Fate by Kiersten White