With only a vision from the Clayr to guide her, and the rather mixed help of her companions, Lirael must search in both Life and Death for some means to defeat the Destroyer. A heavy, perhaps even impossible burden for a young woman who just days ago was merely a Second Assistant Librarian. Abhorsen-In-Waiting Lirael and Prince Sameth, a Wallmaker, must confront and bind the evil spirit Oranis before it can destroy all life. To make matters worse, Sam's best friend, Nick, is helping the Destroyer, as are the necromancer Hedge and the Greater Dead Chlorr, and there has been no word from the Abhorsen Sabriel or King Touchstone. For the Destroyer is the enemy of all Life, and it must be stopped, though Lirael does not know how. Yet Abhorsen Sabriel is lost, missing in Ancelstierre. As the Old Kingdom falls once more into a realm of darkness and terror, the people look desperately to the Abhorsen, the scourge of the Dead, to save them. She and her companions - Sam, the Disreputable Dog, and Mogget - have to take that chance. Beneath the earth, a malignant force lies waiting, greedy for freedom from its ancient prison. Only Lirael, newly come into her inheritance as the Abhorsen-in-Waiting, has any chance of stopping the Destroyer. It has been freed from its subterranean prison and now seeks to escape the silver hemispheres, the final barrier to the unleashing of its terrible powers. But Orannis, the Destroyer, is no longer buried under hill. The Ninth was strong and fought with might, But lone Orannis was put out of the light, Broken in two and buried under hill, Forever to lie there, wishing us ill.