Original trilogy collection
The Original Abhorsen Trilogy by Garth Nix
Read Garth Nix's original Abhorsen trilogy in order: Sabriel, Lirael, and Abhorsen, without mixing in the later Old Kingdom novels.
Updated August 2026
The original Abhorsen trilogy is the opening arc of Garth Nix's larger Old Kingdom series. This page deliberately contains only Sabriel, Lirael, and Abhorsen.
Later novels expand the Old Kingdom in different periods and directions, but the three books below form the classic opening sequence and should be read in publication order.
How to choose: Read Sabriel first, then Lirael, and finish with Abhorsen. Lirael and Abhorsen are especially closely connected and should not be reversed.
The original three Abhorsen books in order
Questions about this reading guide
What order should I read the Abhorsen trilogy?
Read Sabriel, Lirael, and Abhorsen in that order.
Is Abhorsen only a trilogy?
The original story was published as a trilogy, but the broader Old Kingdom series was later expanded. This guide intentionally preserves the original three-book set.
Can Lirael and Abhorsen be read separately?
They are separate volumes, but Abhorsen continues the central conflict of Lirael directly, so they work best back to back.
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