Reading order · 6 books · 1995 to 2021 · Set in the Old Kingdom
Old Kingdom Books in Order
The Old Kingdom books are set in a magical land beside Ancelstierre, a country much like England between the wars. The Abhorsen uses seven bells and a sword to send the dead back into Death and to bind dangerous Free Magic.
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Series facts
- Books
- 6
- Published
- 1995 to 2021
- First book
- Sabriel
- Latest
- Terciel and Elinor (2021)
- Setting
- Set in the Old Kingdom
- Order
- Story order differs from publication order
The reading order
Every Old Kingdom book in publication order, with the story order a switch away. Choose a title for its cast and summary.
6 books · Set in the Old Kingdom
- 1Sabriel1995With SabrielSabriel, daughter of the Abhorsen, is at boarding school in Ancelstierre when a dead creature brings her her father’s sword and bells.Buy on Amazon
- 2Lirael2001With LiraelLirael is a daughter of the Clayr, a family of seers, but she has never received the Sight.Buy on Amazon
- 3Abhorsen2003With LiraelLirael and Prince Sameth race to stop an ancient, destructive power from being set free.Buy on Amazon
- 4Clariel2014With ClarielSix hundred years before Sabriel, Clariel, a young woman who longs to live free in the forest, is taken to the city of Belisaere, where she is caught up in a plot against the king and discovers dangerous magic.Buy on Amazon
- 5Goldenhand2016With LiraelLirael has a new hand and a new responsibility, while a young nomad, Ferin, crosses the Old Kingdom carrying a vital message.Buy on Amazon
- 6Terciel and Elinor2021With Terciel and Elinor HallettTerciel, the heir to the Abhorsen, crosses the Wall into Ancelstierre, where Elinor, a young woman who grew up loving the circus, is drawn into the world of Free Magic.Buy on Amazon
Do you need to read them in order?
Read Sabriel, Lirael, Abhorsen and Goldenhand in order. Clariel and Terciel and Elinor are prequels and can be read at any point after Sabriel.
Who appears in which book
The series’ main characters, book by book. Lead means the book is told around them; minor covers cameos.
| Book | Lirael | Sabriel | Clariel | Terciel | Elinor Hallett | Mogget | Touchstone | Nicholas Sayre |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Sabriel | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | |||||
| 2 Lirael | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | MMajor | |||
| 3 Abhorsen | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | MMajor | |||
| 4 Clariel | LLead | MMajor | ||||||
| 5 Goldenhand | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | |||||
| 6 Terciel and Elinor | LLead | LLead | MMajor |
Characters in the Old Kingdom books
10 characters from Garth Nix’s chart, with the number of Old Kingdom books each appears in.
| Character | Books | First in this series |
|---|---|---|
| LiraelDaughter of the Clayr without the Sight | 3 | Lirael 2001 |
| SabrielDaughter of the Abhorsen | 4 | Sabriel 1995 |
| ClarielDaughter of a goldsmith | 1 | Clariel 2014 |
| TercielAbhorsen-in-waiting | 1 | Terciel and Elinor 2021 |
| Elinor HallettAncelstierran heiress | 1 | Terciel and Elinor 2021 |
| MoggetBound Free Magic creature in cat form | 5 | Sabriel 1995 |
| TouchstonePrince freed from a spell | 3 | Sabriel 1995 |
| Nicholas SayreAncelstierran caught up in a plot | 3 | Lirael 2001 |
| SamethPrince who fears his inheritance | 2 | Lirael 2001 |
| The Disreputable DogLirael's magical companion | 2 | Lirael 2001 |