Fantasy may not need dragons to be considered fantasy, but it does need a little magic. Contrary to popular belief, the presence of magic is not necessarily used to make things easier for the protagonist of a novel. Magic is simply an integrated set of complications that contradict predictable reality. Sabriel, by Garth Nix, is a spectacular indoctrination into the world and rules of fantasy and magic. Australian author Garth Nix, author of 34 books, modeled the magic that governs the fictional Old Kingdom with attention to language and music; arts carved in stone and yet open to innovation. A specialist (known in Sabriel as a Charter Mage) is someone who has learned magic from books and is able to think on their feet. There are no wands, fireworks, or wizard pranks in Sabriel, just clever, creative magic used in devious or constructive ways. Magic is a dangerous tool in this novel, capable of erasing a character's memory or making them remember anything. To know magic is to know the language of creation in the Old Kingdom. In addition to the intelligence of Nix's design, there is a de...