While trying to make a canine sending, she accidentally summons the immortal 'Disreputable Dog', thereafter her constant companion. The protagonist, Lirael, is raised among the Clayr but having coal-black hair, a pale complexion, and brown eyes, differs physically from her chestnut-skinned, white-blonde, blue or green-eyed peers, and additionally lacks their native precognition. Sabriel then dies, but is resurrected by her ancestors to succeed her father as the Old Kingdom's protector. This creates two cats: a black Kerrigor and white Mogget, which are then bound by Ranna. Kerrigor consumes Mogget and throws Sabriel onto her sword whereupon she throws Mogget's binding ring over Kerrigor. Kerrigor and his undead followers besiege the college, killing many students and guardsmen whereupon Mogget, in his true form, fights Kerrigor for the right to kill Sabriel. Sabriel and Touchstone then travel to Ancelstierre to destroy Kerrigor's body, which the local soldiery (at their behest) convey to Wyverly College, Sabriel's school. In a sacred site under the city, Sabriel briefly frees her father, who diverts the antagonist Kerrigor while the others escape. Accompanied by her father's assistant Mogget, she discovers Touchstone and with him continues to Belisaere (the capital of the Old Kingdom). Travelling into the Old Kingdom, while being hunted, Sabriel makes her way to the ancestral house of the Abhorsens to get clues, equipment, and help. The protagonist, Sabriel, is in her final few days at her school in Ancelstierre (an alternate history of 1910s England), when she is visited by a spirit summoned by her father (the Abhorsen), who is trapped in Death, and departs to rescue him. ISFDB catalogues the entire continuing series as 'The Old Kingdom / Abhorsen'. have been titled The Abhorsen Trilogy (2003) and The Abhorsen Chronicles (2009).

In Australia an omnibus edition comprising three novels and one novella was titled The Old Kingdom Chronicles. The Old Kingdom also consists of the novella The Creature in the Case (2005) and other short fiction. The series has continued with the prequel novel Clariel (2014) and the latest installment of the series, Terciel & Elinor, was released in November 2021. It originated in 1995 with the novel Sabriel and has continued in the novels Lirael (2001), Abhorsen (2003) and Goldenhand (2016). The Old Kingdom, or Abhorsen in North America, is a fantasy series written by Australian author Garth Nix.

Sabriel book