Editorial Review

One morning Hen wakes up and finds a gigantic egg in her nest. Whose ege can it be? Here's a hint, Hen--it doesn't belong to that wily Fox!  


From the Trade Paperback edition. ... Read more

Editorial Review

When I was yet a very young woman I threw my heart away. Ever since then I have lived heartless, or almost heartless, the way Humans think all Fey live.

Among the towering trees of magical Avalon, where humans dare not tread, lives Niviene, daughter of the Lady of the Lake. Her people, the Fey, are folk of the wood and avoid the violence and greed of man. But the strife of King Arthur's realm threatens even the peace of Avalon. And while Merlin the mage has been training Niviene as his apprentice, he now needs her help to thwart the chaos devouring Camelot. Niviene's special talents must help save a kingdom and discover the treachery of men and the beauty of love...

"The story glows...a mythical tapestry that is at once completely recognizable yet utterly fresh..."
-Publishers Weekly

"Like The Mists of Avalon, the Arthurian legend from a woman's point of view."
-USA Today

"Readers will be enchanted...the characters and strands of the famous legend are skillfully woven together here."
-School Library Journal

"Take heed: the feminist possibilities of the Arthurian legendary cycle were not exhausted by Marion Zimmer Bradley's bestselling The Mists of Avalon... A riveting good read."
-Booklist

What readers are saying:

"A rather unique look at the legend of King Arthur."

"An exquisite addition to Arthurian literature."

"The writing is lyrical; the plot twists are original. Great!"

Reviews

Hypnotic
Reading Merlin's Harp, I realized something about novels that portray the interaction between the human world and Faerie. They usually don't tell the stories of fae folk in their own homeland. There are exceptions, of course, but authors tend to focus on faeries stuck in the human world, or humans encountering Faerie. I think I may know why that is. When writing about faeries living in Faerie, it's all too easy to have nothing happen.

Anne Eliot Crompton uses beautiful, if occasionally stilted, language to draw us into her take on Arthurian legend:

"When I was yet a young woman I threw my heart away.

I fashioned a wee coracle of leaf and willow twig and reed, a coracle that sat in the hollow of my two palms. In this I placed my wounded, wretched heart, and I set it adrift on the rain-misted wavelets of the Fey river, and I watched it bob and whirl, sail and sink. Ever since I have lived heartless, or almost heartless, cold as spring rain, the way Humans think all Fey live. Humans I have known would be astounded to learn that I ever had a heart that leapt, brightened, fainted, quickened, warmed, embraced, froze or rejected, like their own."

The narrator is Niviene, daughter of the Lady of the Lake. In the ensuing chapters, Niviene endeavors to tell us how she came to the point of throwing her heart away. This ornate, image-rich prose continues, and Niviene meanders and digresses in her tale. She'll mention an old family friend, then backtrack and tell us all about how she came to meet him before going back to the main thread of her narrative.

By combining the flowery style with a narrative that is ever looping back on itself, Crompton conveys a sense of what Faerie is said to be like. It's beautiful and hypnotic, and time doesn't flow in Faerie the way it does in the human realm. The trouble is, it's *too* hypnotic. Lulling. Dreamlike. Reading Merlin's Harp made me sleepy. While falling into an enchanted slumber and waking on the cold hillside is very much in keeping with Faerie tradition, it doesn't help propel one through a novel.

It also doesn't help that not much happens in the first hundred pages or so, which is as far as I got before giving up. Roughly the first ninety pages are taken up with an interpretation of the Lady of Shalott tale, and a rather uninteresting one. The main problem is Gwenevere, who spends this entire sequence drugged and being toddled around like a doll. Sure, she's gorgeous, but can physical beauty alone account for the trouble she unwittingly causes here? I've seen sympathetic Gweneveres and unsympathetic ones, but all the best portrayals afford her some charisma that helps explain why she is so loved.

This is followed by a four-page sequence (I counted) in which Niviene gets pregnant and gives birth to a son, the son grows to the age of five, and then the son goes missing. All in four pages. That was when I decided to give up. If it takes ninety pages for a young boy to break a young girl's heart in favor of a pretty woman in a stupor, and four pages for a fetus to become a five-year-old, the pacing is just a little too strange for me, Faerie or no.

Merlin's Harp contains some lovely language and an interesting perspective on the Matter of Britain, but finally the pacing and the hypnotic effect were too much for me. I recommend it to fans of lush prose who have plenty of coffee on hand.

The writing is lyrical; the plot twists are original. Great!
Merlin's Harp is an exquisite addition to Arthurian literature. Anne Crompton's writing is lyrical and beautiful. It leads you into the story and keeps you there. Her very original presentation of well known characters, well known story lines, and even objects such as the Grail is so very intriguing that you do not want to put the book down until you have finished it. Her central character Niviene is delightfully "odd" and fantastical. This is a Niviene no one has seen before. I cannot recommend this book highly enough. It is one of the few books that really does take you into another world. When you put it down, when you have read every page, you are left with a feeling of amazement and sheer delight in the experience.

Fresh perspective with new insights !
Merlin's Harp is a great short read (one day ), that will transport the reader back to Arthurian times through the eyes of an important, but not much talked about player. The book reminds me of 'Forest House' by Marion Zimmer Bradley. It is light reading, yet keeps your interest. Merlin's Harp will give the reader new insight on Lancelot and Melwas, with a new revelation on Merlin and the Holy Grail

Creative - Original - Excellent
If you liked Mists of Avalon, here is another book you will enjoy. The book is based on the perspective of a Fey woman. The first few chapters focus entirely on the life of the Fey and I found it a very interesting perspective. Merlin is introduced as is Guenevere and Arthur and Lancelot - though you don't know this at first. The introduction of characters is subtle and almost elusive. Not until later in the book does the plot twist and turn and bring you to the familiar aspects of the Arthurian legend we all recognize. It is a fast and intriguing read. I also liked her inclusion of Merlin's songs throughout the novel. They brought the poetic oral tradition of the legend into the book to show how the story evolved over time to the tale we know today. I highly recommend this book! ... Read more

Editorial Review

St. Vladimir’s Academy isn’t just any boarding school—it’s a hidden place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They’ve been on the run, but now they’re being dragged back to St. Vladimir’s—the very place where they’re most in danger. . . .

Rose and Lissa become enmeshed in forbidden romance, the Academy’s ruthless social scene, and unspeakable nighttime rituals. But they must be careful lest the Strigoi—the world’s fiercest and most dangerous vampires—make Lissa one of them forever. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Humans and half-bloods alike agree--Percy Jackson and the Olympians is a series fit for heroes! Re-live the adventure from the beginning with this boxed set of the first three books.

The Lightning ThiefPercy Jackson is a good kid, but he can't seem to focus on his schoolwork or control his temper. When his mom tells him the truth about where he came from, she takes him to the one place he'll be safe--Camp Half-Blood, a summer camp for demigods (on Long Island). There, Percy learns that the father he never knew is actually Poseidon, God of the Sea. Soon Percy finds himself caught up in a mystery that could lead to disastrous consequences. Together with his friends--a satyr and other the demigod daughter of Athena--Percy sets out on a quest to reach the gates of the Underworld (located in a recording studio in Hollywood) and prevent a catastrophic war between the gods.

The Sea of MonstersAfter a summer spent trying to prevent a catastrophic war among the Greek gods, Percy Jackson finds his seventh-grade school year unnervingly calm. But things don't stay quiet for long. Percy soon discovers there is trouble at Camp Half-Blood: the magical borders which protect Half-Blood Hill have been poisoned by a mysterious enemy, and the only safe haven for demigods is on the verge of being overrun by mythological monsters. To save the camp, Percy needs the help of his best friend, Grover, who has been taken prisoner by the Cyclops Polyphemus on an island somewhere in the Sea of Monsters--the dangerous waters Greek heroes have sailed for millennia--only today, the Sea of Monsters goes by a new nameL: the Bermuda Triangle. Now Percy and his friends must retrieve the Golden Fleece from the Island of the Cyclopes by the end of the summer or Camp Half-Blood will be destroyed. But first, Percy will learn a stunning new secret about his family--one that makes him question whether being claimed as Poseidon's son is an honor or simply a cruel joke...

The Titan's CurseWhen Percy Jackson receives a distress call from his friend Grover, he immediately prepares for battle. He knows he'll need his powerful demigod allies, Annabeth and Thalia, at his side; his trusty broze sword Riptide; and... a ride from his mom. The demigods race to the rescue, to find that Grover has made an important discovery: two new powerful half-bloods whose parentage is unknown. But that's not all that awaits them. The Titan lord, Kronos, has set up his most devious trap yet, and the young heroes have unwittingly fallen prey. Hilarious and action-packed, this third adventure in the series finds Percy faced with his most dangerous challenge so far: the chilling prophecy of the Titan's curse. ... Read more

Reviews

A true joy for children and adults, and the only other series that even comes close to Harry Potter
I am a 24 year old married woman, and like many Harry Potter fans I have been reading unfufilling series after unfufilling series for the last few years trying to find something to fill that void. Percy Jackson and the Olympians is fantastic. I have to say I did like the second and third books a little more than the first. They were more colorful and funny than the Lightning Thief. Everything that you loved about Harry Potter is in this book, but not in the haphazard, copycat, money-maker way that some other series have tried (*cough cough Charlie Bone and Septimus Heap to name a couple). This is totally original and you will find yourself with the same love of Camp Half-blood that you had for Hogwarts. While this book is for children it is meaty. It has substance, thoughtful characters, interesting plots, and an intricate world I cant get enough of. I had a hard time putting the books down. I cant wait for the next book to come in so I can start right back up again. My cousin recommended this to me and I just cannot thank her enough. Thanks again Debbie!

Excellent, even for reluctant readers
My 4th grade son who does not love to read absolutely loves this series. I can't get him to stop reading; he is reading instead of TV, video games, outside, etc. I read a few chapters of each of the 4 and they are well written, funny, and full of action/adventure. Great books!

Highly Entertaining for Both Kids & Adults
I bought this set for my daughter, who's a fan of Greek mythology, and ended up enjoying them myself as well. Like the "Harry Potter" and "Narnia" series, these books appeal to readers of all ages. I also appreciated the prominent featuring of strong female characters.

Some of the plot twists I did find a bit on the predictable side but I still thought the books were highly entertaining.

Series as a whole
I actually posted this on a discussion thread on books for fifth graders. But I decided it fit well in a review, so here it is. I feel (as a mom and as a teacher) that this series is great for everyone from strong fourth grade readers through eighth grade and beyond.

My now 14-year-old son introduced me to this series: relatively new, from Rick Riordan. The Olympians have apparently moved Olympus over the years, following the westward march of civilization - in fact, Olympus is now floating above the Empire State Building in New York City! The main character is Percy (Perseus) Jackson, who is a half-god (Demigod), introduced in the first book, "The Lightning Thief". This first book is not as engaging as the following ones, but this is mainly because it first introduces all of the characters and has to give a lot of background quickly.

Each subsequent book covers roughly one year (well, usually one summer) of Percy's adventures. They generally start out from Camp Half-Blood, the magically protected space on Long Island Sound set aside for Greek/Roman gods' half-human children. They need this special summer camp for protection from all the monsters and evils that we mere mortals can never see because of "the mist" that makes us interpret what we see only in ways that make sense to us. So, that evil substitute teacher might actually be a harpy, sent to weed out another half-blood. :-)

This creative and engaging series introduces or reinforces ancient myths from Greek and Roman mythology, and does a wonderful job of painlessly increasing cultural literacy for the "history of Western Civilization". In fact, it covers many legends beyond that as well, because the premise is that the Olympians have always existed, and they just keep moving their base every few hundred years, through major civilizations on several continents. Really an awesome series, especially for fairly competent, but possibly reluctant, readers in 8th grade and up.

good books
I've read all four books and I have found them pretty good. Not as good as the Harry Potter books in my opinion- they don't have quite the descriptive and immersing storyline- but the Percy Jackson novels are full of adventure throughout the entire book, which I found to be entertaining enough to make up for lack of detail. My only disappointments are that the books are really written for a younger audience (unlike many other YA books, which are written so teens can enjoy them and older adults can get even more out of them, i.e. HP), also that he either assumes you have a bad memory or that you haven't read the previous books.

My opinion is based from someone who is 25. If your the parent of a teenager or preteen, then my nags do not apply to them. They will likely love the books without any complaints! I'm more speaking to those closer to my age or older.
My 16 yr old brother loved the first book and is reading the second- and he hardly reads. He never finished the 3rd HP book, and hasn't read much of anything else except half of a zombie book. I thought he could use some new books, and I hoped to enjoy them as well. - Which I did.

Each book gets better. the story becomes much more developed with each book, but it always seemed like Riordan tried to keep them short. I personally like more immersion- which needs more detail. But don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to put down the books! I think their great books, and I would recommend them to anyone under 20, and many adults who enjoyed the HP books.

*Edit: My little brother is now finished with the fourth book and my family is excited that he is actually reading! He very much liked these PJ books and is telling his friends about them. I've already said he could lone the first one to a friend. I'm looking for other books now that he might like. Think I'll go with the Bartimaeus Trilogy next.

A great read to share with you and your child
I have been looking for an adventurous series for my almost 9 year old boy and finally found it. I read the first book first then gave to him to read. The author wrote with such wit and it is interesting to combine mythology in the story. Now I want to go back to look for some mythology books to read. It is truly enjoyable.. my son is not avid reader but yesterday he read this book 1 for 4 hours on our long road trip. He is ready to read book #2. I just finished book #2 so we can discuss... He couldn't put it down because he wanted to know how the story develops..

This book changed me
I am an 11-year-old girl who absolutely hated reading. I could never find a book I liked. If I actually found a good book, I would end up getting bored with it and not finishing it. Then, I happened to stumble upon "Percy." I opened up this book, and I never put it down. I read all day long, while eating dinner, while brushing my teeth, and even read it by flashlight in bed. I finished the series in less than two weeks. I cried so hard when I was finished with the last book. I was literally sick to my stomach and had a headache. I was bedstricken, okay???!! Then, I found out Rick Riordan would be writing a new "Percy" series, featuring some of the old characters. I have no reason to live until "The Lost Hero" comes out. (October 12th.) This is coming from a girl who, 2 weeks before "Percy", wouldn't even read a picture book. Rick Riordan, you are amazing. This author knows what his mythology-loving audience wants to read. And I will be reading Rick's work as long as I can possibly stand it!!!!!!!

Exciting Adventures and Likeable Hero
Percy Jackson is an ordinary 12-year-old except for dyslexia, ADHD, and his propensity for getting expelled from private schools. He is also being attacked by monsters out of Greek mythology. His mother brings him to Camp Half-Blood where he learns that he is the son of a god and a hero who has to go on a quest. Percy, along with his friends Annabeth (daughter of Athena) and Grover (satyr) must battle gods and mythological monsters as they try to bring Zeus his stolen lightning bolt before the solstice in order to stop the gods from going to war. Excellent adventure for middle grade readers. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Dimitri gave Rose the ultimate choice. But she chose wrong...

After a long and heartbreaking journey to Dimitri's birthplace in Siberia, Rose Hathaway has finally returned to St. Vladimir's-and to her best friend, Lissa. It is nearly graduation, and the girls can't wait for their real lives beyond the Academy's iron gates to begin. But Rose's heart still aches for Dimitri, and she knows he's out there, somewhere.

She failed to kill him when she had the chance. And now her worst fears are about to come true. Dimitri has tasted her blood, and now he is hunting her. And this time he won't rest until Rose joins him... forever.

... Read more

Editorial Review

As a tiny green caterpillar eats his way through the book, he is transformed into a beautiful butterfly, in a board book edition of the classic picture book. ... Read more

Reviews

Perfect spring reading!
This is one of my all-time favorite children's books. One sunny day, a caterpillar pops out of an egg. He is very hungry and begins searching for food. Now, many of Eric Carle's books have gimmicks--the tactile web in THE VERY BUSY SPIDER and the chirping in THE VERY QUIET CRICKET, for example. The gimmick in this book is that the caterpillar eats holes through all the food, holes that are actually punched into the pages of the book. It's a good gimmick, actually. Also, many of Carle's books teach conventions--telling time in THE VERY GROUCHY LADYBUG and animal sounds in THE VERY BUSY SPIDER, for example. This one teaches the days of the week. On Monday, the caterpillar eats this, on Tuesday he eats that, and so forth. Very cute. Eventually, he becomes a fat caterpillar. He then spins himself a cocoon, where he rests for two weeks. And when he emerges...well, you can guess the results. It's a wonderful story. Best of all, the text is very simple as are the illustrations, so the book will appeal to toddlers as well as the pre-K and kindergarten crowd. In fact, it may appeal more to toddlers, because the story is so very simple. I know I read it as a kindergartener. I loved the holes but found the story rather boring. I read it to my two-year-old this spring, however, and he went nuts over it. The days of the week were lost on him, but he was fascinated by the caterpillar turning into a butterfly--he had no idea! Can't tell you how many times we read it. We also re-enacted it, crawling on the floor and eating, spinning ourselves into cocoons, and popping out with fluttery wings. In fact, he was so taken with the caterpillar-to-butterfly phenomenon that I ordered some caterpillars (I used "Insect Lore"--they are on-line--but I'm sure there are lots of other places to get them). We read THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR at each stage of their development and then right before we released them as butterflies. It was the highlight of our spring.

A fun, witty, classic tale.
Story Synopsis:
- A caterpillar eats his way through different foods until he is full and weaves a cocoon transforming into a beautiful butterfly. Charming colorful illustrations of foods along with the fat caterpillar and catchy little holes in the foods where the caterpillar "had his snack" make this book a hit with young children.

Review:
- Eric Carle's classic, "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" has charmed millions over the years with it's simple memorable story, striking illustrations and the gimmicky holes on each of its' pages. To date, more than 12 million copies of this book have been sold in its original, full-sized edition, and mini editions. This beloved tale of science and gluttony has also been translated into 20 languages and counting. Die-cut pages (each page has a hole where the "caterpillar" ate through the food item) illustrate what the caterpillar ate on successive days. Strikingly bold, colorful pictures and a simple text in large, clear type tell the story of a hungry little caterpillar's culinary progress through an amazing variety and quantity of foods. Full at last, he weaves a cocoon around himself and goes to sleep, to emerge a few weeks later as a wonderfully transformed and beautiful butterfly! The final, double-page picture of the butterfly is a joyous explosion of color, a vibrant affirmation of the wonder and beauty of Nature. This story is a hit every time. Carle's bright colors and clever die-cut artwork never cease to entertain even the youngest child, and there is surely nothing in nature closer to magic than the emergence of a butterfly. This is a beautiful, educational and fun book.

Literary Features For Young Readers:
- Simple words appropriate to pre-readers, younger children and ELLs (English Language Learners).
- The predictability of the words and their tie-in with the illustrations makes the book easy for pre-readers to understand.
- The rhythm of the prose makes the book memorable and fun book to read for little people.
- Strikingly bold, colorful pictures tell the story of the hungry little caterpillar in complement with the simple words.
- Eric Carle's art gimmick (i.e. the die-cut holes through the food illustrations on each page) gives small children (and the occasional adult like me!) an extra bit of fun and enjoyment
- The moral lessons of the story are simple and universal: "Don't judge a person by the way they look" and "real beauty is more than skin-deep."

Teaching Tie-ins:
- Counting skills (Foods accumulate progressively)
- The days of the week.
- Nutrition (The best food for the caterpillar is the leaf, not the candy, cake, etc. or why we can't eat chocolate and candy all day long)
- Intro to science and biology:
It is a fun book with its' "holes" that have been eaten through the pages, and become a preschoolers introduction to science/biology when the little caterpillar turns into a beautiful butterfly.
- Shapes (foods)

Possible Projects:
- Food or nutrition mobiles and other related projects.
- Art collages in the style or Eric Carle using torn tissue and other media.
- Simple life cycle science projects (posters are life cycle mobiles)
- Caterpillar art activity: creating caterpillars out of an egg cartoons.
- As a preschool and kindergarten teacher, I had classes perform simple plays for young children based upon this book.
-----------------------------------------------

I highly recommend this charming little book for younger children and ELLs (English Language Learners).

Review by: Maximillian Ben Hanan

Lovely
For my grandson's first birthday, I wanted a gift that would please him visually and stimulate him mentally. A friend suggested this book because her son had enjoyed it many years ago. Feedback from my grandson, through his parents, is that he enjoys the book very much, and the toy is nice but not as captivating as listening to someone reading the book. Thanks for a very good purchase.

Excellent purchase
My grandchildren love this story! The larger format board book is very colorful and easy for little hands to manage. I found it a real bonus to hear the author, Eric Carle, read his own work and the kids can listen and read along.

Spanish version of a classic!
This Spanish version of "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" is just as cute as the English version. Children will love the pages of varying sizes with holes where the caterpillar has eaten up the food.

You can also practice counting up to five with your little one as the bug eats one apple on Monday, two pears on Tuesday, etc.

The vocabulary in this book DOES require a Spanish speaker in the home. My husband does not speak Spanish and this book is too hard for him to read to our babies, whereas he can read other Spanish board books. Additionally, as it is only in Spanish, my husband cannot compare the Spanish words to English.

Still, I think it's a great addition to your library if one adult speaks Spanish and you are trying to teach your children the language too.

... Read more

Editorial Review

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Jack and Annie are ready for their next fantasy adventure in the bestselling middle-grade series—the Magic Tree House!

Where did the tree house come from?

Before Jack and Annie can find out, the mysterious tree house whisks them to the prehistoric past. Now they have to figure out how to get home. Can they do it before dark . . . or will they become a dinosaur's dinner?

Visit the Magic Tree House website!
MagicTreeHouse.com


From the Trade Paperback edition. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Serious silliness for all ages. Artist Sandra Boynton is back and better than ever with completely redrawnversions of her multi-million selling board books. These whimsical and hilarious books, featuringnontraditional texts and her famous animal characters, have been printed on thick board pages,and are sure to educate and entertain children of all ages. ... Read more

Reviews

Calming Book for Bedtime, But Also Funny and Engaging!, November 17, 2000
Sandra Boynton's colorful board book is a bedtime treat! An assortment of expressive animals gets ready for bed aboard a giant boat. Boynton amusingly shows then bathing, dressing, brushing teeth ("With some on top and some beneath, they brush and brush and brush their teeth."), and exercising together.

It closes with the animals settling down for the night: "They rock and rock and rock to sleep." Graced by Boynton's well-known illustrations and rhythmic, lullabye-like poetry, this is a great book for infants and toddlers alike. It's one of those books you'll keep long after the kid(s) grow up.

A lovely MEMORY maker!, September 5, 2000
Tonight while surfing through amazon I stumbled upon Sandra Boynton. Remembering how fond my children were of her board books when they were toddlers, I read a few of the reviews. I laughed and cried thinking about how frequently "The Going To Bed Book" was read in our household and how IMPORTANT it became in our bedtime ritual. Out of curiosity I pulled the old book from our library shelves and went to my kids, now 15, 12 and 9 and began to recite a few lines. *NOTE - I didn't actually NEED the book in order to do this. To my delight each of them perked up, smiled and began to chant the lines right along with me. They remembered the characters, the words, the way we used to read the story. You see, for them the memories of this book are wonderful as well!

Sandra Boynton is gifted at coupling wonderful, readable verse with delightful illustration. Don't miss this book and don't hesitiate to purchase others from her collection. We have HUNDREDS of read aloud childrens books in this house. This ranks right up there with the absolute favorites and should be IMHO amongst the first books read to a cherished babe.

P.S. Don't miss "Doggies" either! If you read this one with FEELING they'll be begging for it time and again!

Excellent, December 6, 1999
After reading all of the positive reviews here, I decided to order this book for my two year old son, who loves to read. I must admit, I probably would never have picked it out, but my son absolutely loves it! Everytime we finish reading it, he says, "Mommy, read again." I recommend it to anyone who has a little reader at home.

This is a bedtime MUST!, August 23, 1998
My 17 month old daughter Diana absolutely adores this book, as does her 31 year old mother! It has a remarkably calming effect on her when she's all wound up at the end of the day, and fighting sleep as children her age are wont to do. The wonderful rhythm of the words is soothing, and easy for her to understand. She has begun "reading" along with me, and it's delightful to actually witness her learning. Thank you, Sandra Boynton, for putting your remarkable talent towards such a wonderful thing as children's books!!!

Bedtime with Boynton!, October 15, 2004
I only had one other Boynton book "Snuggle Puppy" which my daughter loves so I wanted to get her another Boynton book. "The Going to Bed" book is a hit!

This book is about several different animals in different shapes and sizes getting ready for bed on a boat. They brush their teeth, excersize and put on pajamas.

The illustrations are cute and her rythmic poetry is perfectly easy to read.

My daughter absolutely loves the pictures and she must like the sound of the words because she gets so excited by this book.

I personally like this book for reading at bedtime because of its length. Its short, sweet and to the point. And the very last page of the book "They rock and rock and rock to sleep" is perfect when read slowly to emphasize the end of the day.

Her books are precious and very inexpensive. This is not a book you will be donating or selling at a garage sale. Your baby/child will love it!

Younger kids, too, June 8, 2006
The other (positive) reviews are all spot on, except for the age ranges discussed. Like all of Boynton's books, this one's not just for toddlers, 2-6 year olds, etc. I've been reading (reciting, really, since I know it so well from our first child) this to our daughter since she was only 3 or 4 months old, and she knows and recognizes its cadence remarkably well even now at not quite 9 months. It's a great tool that I incorporate not only in reading as part of the bedtime routine, with the book in hand in a rocking chair, but also something I recite while dressing her - a great tool, that is, for shifting from the fun and frolic of the bath, to the placidity of the reading/rocking chair.

The Sun has Set not Long Ago, October 24, 2002
Great bed time book. The rhymes are fun, and it is a fantastically silly story. My husband and daughter and I have all had this book memorized since she was 6 months old ( she is two and 1/2 now). We love to recite it to one another, and have had to have two copies of the book (ah that teething stage was hard, she chewed right through everything.) We all love Sandra Boynton, she is a reliable read and a lot of fun.

Cute and fun!, June 10, 2006
Sandra Boynton is one of my favorite children's book authors. She makes even the mundane bedtime rituals fun, and has cute characters as well as fun reading. I have all of her books and have read them to all 3 of my children. My children love pointing to the characters and reading along with me (I have read them so many times, they have the books memorized!). Easy reading for young children, and short enough for the wee little ones. I highly recommend this book, as well as Sandra Boynton's other books!

Best Bedtime Book, December 31, 2003
I have been reading this book to my baby girl since she was 3 months old as part of her bedtime routine. It has a lovely, sing-song quality to the rhymes that she loves. We have read this book so many times that I have it memorized and I can recite it in a quiet voice even when she is too sleepy to sit through a bedtime book (or if we are away from home). The pictures are silly and cute, too.

I know it by heart!, May 1, 2000
Some children's books are just classics, this is certainly one.

I've read it so often to my little girl that I can say the whole thing by heart. By the way she has dozens of books, but picks this one out again and again.

Sandra Boynton seems to have a very special understanding of what children like. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Ten years ago, Jack and Annie found a Magic Tree House in the woods and the world of reading was changed forever. Millions of letters later (from children, parents, and teachers around the world!)the exciting and inspiring four books are available together in a keepsake-worthy boxed set. The perfect gift to encourage a struggling new reader or remind old fans of the way they first discovered the magic of books. ... Read more

Reviews

Great Chapter Books for First, Second & Third Graders
This is the first series of chapter books my son actually wanted to read by himself. While many of the reviewers complain about grammatical errors, etc., I feel these can be overlooked as these delightful stories keep a child's interest from start to finish. Each chapter is fairly short and has frequent pictures (a must for beginning chapter readers). The main characters have all sorts of adventures and the reader actually learns some historical facts. While the books are probably too easy for advanced readers, they should appeal to most beginning chapter readers. I think it is very important that children think reading is fun and the books from The Magic Tree House Series provide a wonderful introduction to chapter book reading!

Great for Homeschooling
My son loves reading these books. Contrary to previous reviews, I have found the reading to flow easily. The reader can finish the book with a sense of accomplishment. The book is a combination of fact and fiction. Not all, but some books, in the back, the author includes extra insight to the facts written in the story. The author invites the reader to visit a web site. The site provides curriculum and extra activities to go along with each book. The activities cover every subject from Language Arts, History, Science, Music and Arts. Great for homeschooling or extra mommy and child time.

wonderfully imaginative..........
The Magic Tree House books are wonderful for early elementary kids. My first and second graders love for me to read these books aloud. They are simple and uncomplicated with short chapters which could cause them to be a bit boring for older kids. Each book has Jack and Annie magically going to another time and place by wishing on a book left in the tree house. This series (I have #1-24) have really turned some of my non-readers onto reading.

Non-reader loves these books
My 7 1/2 year old son never likes to read at all. I wasn't sure about buying a set of books again for him that he would not read. They were offered through a book club via the school and we got books 11 - 22. I had to beg him to read the first one, then, I can't get him to stop! He said they are interesting. Since they are books from the Accelerated Reader list, I am very happy he is reading them. He can read one a day even though most have 10 (short) chapters. I am getting the entire set for him. These are a very good buy!

GREAT SERIES
When I found the Magic Tree House series, I was thrilled. Mary Pope Osbourne is writting books with non-fictional details in a fictional plot!! And I love that there are pictures on every other page--it keeps the early readers entertained. My older boys read early so it was hard to find books they could read that weren't "silly" and kept their interest (and had pictures). Even when my two older boys stepped into more difficult reading books, they still wanted to follow the series! Now my 7 year old is taking over!!

I understand that the writting is for younger kids, but last year I worked as a teacher's aide, and every day I would read a chapter to the 4th grade class, before dismissal, and they were sold--found Magic Tree House more fun than Harry Potter!! When we started a new book, we would all wait until the tree house stopped spinning and the whole class would say with me "everything was still; absolutely still" (a standard line in each book)! ... Read more

Editorial Review

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Experience the bestselling phenomenon of Brisingr, now in a deluxe edition!

This deluxe edition includes deleted scenes, never-before-seen art by the author, and a guide to dwarf runes.
 
Following the colossal battle against the Empire's warriors on the Burning Plains, Eragon and his dragon, Saphira, have narrowly escaped with their lives. Still, there is more at hand for the Rider and his dragon, as Eragon finds himself bound by a tangle of promises he may not be able to keep.
 
First is Eragon's oath to his cousin Roran: to help rescue Roran's beloved from King Galbatorix's clutches. But Eragon owes his loyalty to others, too. The Varden are in desperate need of his talents and strength—as are the elves and dwarves. When unrest claims the rebels and danger strikes from every corner, Eragon must make choices—choices that take him across the Empire and beyond, choices that may lead to unimagined sacrifice.
 
In Eragon lies the greatest hope for a better Alagaësia. Can this once simple farm boy rise to become the leader he must to unite the rebel forces and defeat the king?
 
A #1 New York Times Bestseller
A #1 USA Today Bestseller
A Wall Street Journal Bestseller
A Publishers Weekly Bestseller
An IndieBound Bestseller
... Read more

Reviews

"...events have been dark and bloody of late.", September 27, 2008
I'm not your typical Eragon basher. I find the professional Eragon detractors tiringly obsessive, and every time someone clogs up a message board with another hey-this-is kinda-like-Star Wars post he's SURE is pure unprecedented genius insight, I'm certain an angel loses his wings.

Unfortunately, the series is growing into the complaints. Paolini does have talent, but his sales figures and incredible life story have seemingly allowed his manuscripts to go unchecked, and his writing flaws are getting worse, not better.


Three major problems with "Brisingr":

1) It's way too violent. It opens on a group of fanatics who slice off their own limbs to prove their faith, whose rituals we observe in loving detail. (The head priest has lopped himself down to just a torso.) We soon continue to a torture victim whose eyes have been pecked - eaten - out of his face. "Gore" is Paolini's favorite word, particularly when it is "smeared" on something, and we get endless graphic depictions of Roran's hammer smashing an enemy soldier's skull/throat/arm/spine, its owner rejoicing in the carnage. I don't expect war to be bowlderized, but the book revels in charnel for its own sake and is too bloody for readers under thirteen.

2) Eragon has become a bit of a sociopath. A reunion with one of his childhood bullies - who's just been through horrific torture - becomes a control-and-humiliate fantasy that's disturbing. When the typically closed Arya touchingly recounts her love's recent death and how it stole all joy from her world, Eragon's heart is unmoved; he feels only irritation and jealousy, fuming that he will "not be discouraged in his suit". (Has he been reading "The Game"?) The book's ruminations on the morality of killing reach only the uninspired conclusion that it's unavoidable in war, and we're thus meant to take a certain satisfaction when Eragon joyfully dispatches even those ordinary men forced into service by Galbatorix. I guess the debate was meant only to free us from our nagging moral reservations.

As in "Eldest", Eragon's praised to high heaven by every single soul, given credit for every achievement. At points, the book seems to have other characters only so that they can sing of their inferiority to its shining star.

3) As nearly every other commenter has noted, it's too bloated, with deadly pacing. Galbatorix's nightmarish Ra'zac servants are dealt with early, leaving Eragon to dither with rebel leader Nasuada and go off on a few preparatory errands for about 600 pages. (A 200-page detour into dwarf politics is particularly deadening.) We keep waiting for the meat to arrive, for some crisis or confrontation, and (save for a quick and inconsequential early battle with Murtagh) it never comes. There is no real climax, save for the easily-accomplished sacking of one city and a death we all long saw coming, albeit not in such meaningless circumstances.

The lack of individual voices in the story makes things drag all the more; every character has an identical manner of speaking, all bloviation and overexplanation in high-fantasy Olde Englishe. Paolini too often substitutes scads of meaningless proper names for the little moments that make bring a fantasy world to life.

A few of those moments slip through, though, like the dotty old man who roosts in the majestic ruins of a half-toppled, tree-like tower, harvesting peas. Or when Arya, on a whim, braids a miniature ship from wild grasses and breathes into it magic that will allow it fly for perpetuity; Eragon wonders what stories people will tell of it in the years to come. I laugh at the self-important magicians' society Du Vrangr Gata, whose study of the ancient language is not as complete as they think and whose name therefore translates into the Alagaesian equivalent of Engrish. I like the atypically crusty elven smith, intolerant of how "too polite, too refined, too precious" her Tolkien-influenced race has become, or the touches of culture (family totems, bedtime stories) Paolini has given his orc race. For those who like dragons, Saphira's a sparkling specimen.

And there are *dwarf ninjas*. That's gotta count for something, with someone.

My point is that the books need less Gary Stu carnage and more gems like these. Show us why this world is worth fighting (and fighting and fighting) for.

And we need some actual change to come out of all these pages. Roran's love soothes his anxiety over his battlefield casualities by opining that he'd be evil only if he actually enjoyed killing. Later - whaddaya know - Roran DOES come to love killing, quite enthusiastically, but the book forgets to look at him any differently. Eragon makes a few crucial mistakes in dwarfland due to arrogance and petulance, but he is still lavishly praised from here to Valinor. Nasuada endures a (naturally) bloody duel for leadership of the rebel faction, yet she is viewed no differently by her people afterward. Murtagh's horrific tragedy, the king who hosts the rebel Varden yet resents being pushed to the sidelines in his own country, the new hot elf guardsman who's really a lion-type furry and whose musk gets all the females...er, in heat - nothing comes of any of it. (The waste of Murtagh, who now apparently exists only to be ruthlessly dispatched, is particularly criminal.) C'mon, Rowling introduced and destroyed seven whole Horcruxes in the same space! Pick a story and develop it!

Also, are we gonna SEE Galbatorix before this series ends? There is an evil EMPEROR in this evil empire, correct?

Enough sarcasm, though. Again, it's senseless to waste your life hating these books as some do, all anti-Shur'tugal; better simply to move on to other stories. Myself, I just wish someone would guide Paolini - edit him down, focus him - so the rest of us got more out of his talent.

A satisfying fantasy adventure tale, September 20, 2008
I enjoyed the first two books of this series, and was eager to read the third. I won't outline the plot, because you can find that elsewhere. I will just tell you what I think about this book.

It is an enjoyable read, and a worthy third installment to the series. I thought that Eragon was a very good story, and Eldest not quite as good, although Paolini's writing had improved. Brisingr is the best of the three. I fell back into the story right away, and I found myself caring about the characters, even worrying about their safety. This is what I look for in fiction: it made me want to pick up the book every chance I got. If it interferes with the rest of my life, it is a very good book. Brisingr is one of those books. I am thankful to my son that he recommended this series to me.

Some reviewers of Eldest were very critical of the fact that the plot is derivative of other epics, like The Lord Of The Rings or Star Wars. I didn't mind this in the least. It is the tale of a hero's journey, complete with absence, devestation and return. It is one of the oldest tales in storytelling. We already know the story, but it is the storytelling that makes it good or bad. Paolini is a good writer. Not as great as Tolkein or LeGuin, but good nevertheless. I was able to suspend my inner critic, and enjoy the read. I recommend that you do the same.

This should have been the final book., September 21, 2008
I was disappointed when I first heard some months ago that the Inheritance trilogy would, in fact, become longer. Part of me wonders if the 4th book wont also end up being too long, and needing to be split. Eragon certainly has more to do now than he did at the end of Eldest, and Paolini has made it clear that whenever Eragon swears an oath to someone, we're going to devote a whole lot of time to watching him do it. Given that Eragon swears a new oath every 50 pages or so (give or take), it may be a while before he gets caught up.

I have long since given up on the tiresome fantasy series of Robert Jordan, Terry Goodkind, and the like as I noticed that after about the 3rd or 4th book, nothing new happens. A series should be short, maintain our attention, and always keep in mind the primary conflict between hero and villian.

Books one and two of the Inheritance cycle did this. At the end of Eldest, Eragon has three things that need be done, fulfill his promise to Roran, return to Oromis, and defeat Galbatorix. The first of those is finished in the early pages of the book, but from there, we spiral away from the story and into tiresome cliche. Eragon spends pages moaning and groaning about how he has been forced to kill, but it never amounts to anything. Eragon and Roran spend pages pontificating at each other in conversations that make each of them sound as though they were raised in the hearts of academia, rather than on the farm.

As an aside, the characters talk way too much in this book. For pages. One wonders when they pause to take breath. Even other characters notice this "He certainly talks alot." says Saphira at one point. Yes, I suppose he does. But then, so do you, my dear blue dragon. So do you...

As for the plot, what is there to say? Of the three tasks Eragon had at the beginning, two are completed. But with much else along the way. Eragon visits and then leaves a mysterious hermit who'se only purpose in the book is so we wont be surprised again when he shows up next time, no doubt to give Eragon a crucial piece of information. We spend page after page waiting for the dwarves to elect the ruler we all know well in advance will be elected in a process that isn't the least bit interesting. One hopes that the elected leader is able to cut through the red tape.

We learn things about Eragon's father that don't suprise us in the least, and even dissapoint us, as they make Eragon a far less interesting character, and free him completely of the guilt that was the sole characteristic making him interesting. Galbatorix's and Murtagh's inexplicable strength is explained using a plot device that I'm sure Paolini developed only after making his two villians untouchably strong. And when Glaedr gives Eragon a gift towards the end, I knew it would mean only one thing.

This should have been the final book.

But instead of the planning and fighting against the forces of the empire, we get Eragon brooding whether or not he should eat meat or starve to death. (He eats the meat, but feels real bad about it.) Instead of studying new spells and magic, Eragon asks an Urgal for a bedtime story. And instead of a climactic battle between Eragon and Galbatorix, we get a deeper insight into the dwarven political arena than is needed or even wanted.

At this point, I'm invested in the series, however, and I await the fourth (but will it be the final?) book with the same anticipation as I await a trip to the dentist, or the DMV. It's just one of those things you don't really look forward to, except for the feeling of relief when it's all over.

Get Paolini a Better Editor, October 11, 2008
I read the author's notes at the back of the book before I started and that's where I learned that this book would have been much longer had not an editor worked with Paolini to trim it down.

Time to fire that editor and hire one who will actually do the job.

Paolini's writing and the attendant lack of a competent editor remind me of what happened with Tom Clancy's books: A halfway decent story gets buried in all sorts of bad writing. If it's not the minutiae of how a sword is made (reminded me of one of Clancy's little side-trips in how to make a submarine quiet), it's the endless repetition of information that has already been introduced and death-by-hackneyed-phrases. Really, a simple search and delete of the overused phrase "waking dream" and oft-repeated references to the trial of long blades will likely reduce this book by about 50 pages. Then cut out the gratuitous meandering into useless subplots (such as the cult execution scene at the beginning, dwarf politics, Roran's integration into the Varden warriers, three paragraphs of description every time Saphira needs to poke her head into something small) and Paolini could have hit the salient plot points *and* finished this epic all within 350 pages.

It's a ponderously long and winded tale that doesn't add significantly to what was already known, and then snatches away the payoff by needing another 700-page tome to finish the tale. None of this would be as bothersome if the writing were actually good.

When I first read Eragon and criticized it for these same failings, my friends said, "He's a young author and this is a great achievement for someone in his teens." OK, I'll buy that. But it's been six years since Eragon was published. One would think the boy wonder had actually learned better writing and story telling skills in the intervening years. If nothing else, some one at Knopf should have assigned a competent editor to rein in the ceaseless blather.

A huge disappointment, October 12, 2008
If I had realized when I picked up this book that it wasn't the final installment, I wouldn't have bought it. I loved Paolini's first book, his second was a bore (but had a brief bright spot of action and conflict at the end), and this third installment was just as bad as the second. When I finished the final page of book three only to find out I have to wait for a book four to discover how it ends, I was extremely annoyed.

In his acknowledgments, Paolini says he expanded the series to four books because Brisngr ended up being more complex than he expected. The truth is, he just needed a good editor. The story isn't as much complex as it is BORING. The author provides thousands of utterly useless facts, conversations, and actions. At one point in the book he points out that one of the characters is long winded. Unfortunately, it's true of the author himself.

This could easily have been the final book (and should have been). The story does have a few, brief bright spots when the action heats up. And the author has some creative ideas. But there are only about 150 pages of worthwhile reading and they do not make up for the other 600 pages of drivel. If the author had used the other 600 pages to actually tell the story, then this book could have wrapped up the series.

I feel like I've been cheated. I won't be buying the fourth book and I can't recommend this one.

All filler, no killer, December 21, 2009
Like a good number of people who've reviewed this book, I'm a writer who's hoping to get a fantasy novel published. Along the way, I've purchased and read my way through a lot of fiction to train myself; "Brisingr" is, by far, the most important book I've read since I first began my training.

When I bought this, I told myself, "I don't care if it's good or bad. I just want to learn something from it." At a gut level I knew it would be disappointing. I sensed it when I first picked up the book and held it in my hands. It's more than a year later, and it's taken me this long to read through the book twice, and I still don't remember most of what happened in the book.

But here's the truth: It was a purchase I'm proud of.

I've read hundreds of reviews of the book and at least a thousand of the entire Inheritance Cycle, and I've come across a lot of great advice. But nothing has helped me more than actually struggling through the book. By reading it word for word, I got to step into Paolini's shoes and understand his thought processes as he wrote the book. As a result, it's taught me some things to keep in mind as I write fiction. Here are a few that tie into my issues with "Brisingr":


1) Eragon is worsening as a character. I can't get around it. The more I read his dialogue, the more I can't stand him. There's nothing that I can relate to. There's nothing I can admire. There's nothing that makes me want to keep reading about him. Of course, he still has to defeat King Galbatorix, but there's nothing else in his life or personality that I can fall back on. Every word out of his mouth sounds forced: the more I read his dialogue, the more he sounds like Paolini instead of like a fresh, original character with a mind of his own.

This happens because Eragon was poorly developed right from the get-go. He's simply a stock superhero. Most of his plot's substance was spent on the first two books, and now he's trying to take care of loose ends in the third book. The seven promises don't have anything to do with killing King Galbatorix and the Ra'zac; they instead have to do with a massive trudge through dwarf gods, Alaga�sian politics, and people bowing in his presence. All this could have been interesting if Eragon were a stronger character. But he wasn't created to deal with all of that. He was created to defeat an evil king with the help of his dragon. As long as he's a stock superhero, he needs to stay a stock superhero, and the pros and cons of such a life need to be fleshed out in their entirety.

Paolini said that the book's main storyline featuring Eragon was too large to fit into the volume, so he split the book into two volumes so that Eragon (and the rest of the cast) could grow more. Aside from my disbelief, there's a problem with that logic: a published book should never be spent with an author trying to figure his characters out. Doing this brings the story to a dead-stop. What happens is that the author engineers a story instead of losing himself in it. It's always better to create good characters and storyworld elements before you write. The sooner it happens, the sooner the characters and world will take on lives of their own. What ends up happening is that the characters create events and conflict on their own. Characters should determine plot, not the other way around.

To me, Eragon has always been a case of being a product of the plot. He was created to be the one who takes down the evil king. But what if more time were spent crafting Eragon's history and personality? Perhaps he wouldn't have been an orphaned farmboy. He could have been nobility, the son of a soldier, or a scholar. Maybe he wouldn't have been born with magical abilities. He could have been compassionate, or funny, or a kid who never wants to grow up. But the plot that Paolini created doesn't allow room for possibilities like that. Plots never do. Eragon is so locked into his plot that he never had room to change. It would probably give the story a facelift if Eragon were to say, "I'm done going after Galbatorix. I want to do what I really want to do! The Varden can handle this." But because of how much Paolini crafted his plot first and foremost, that just won't happen.


2) The writing is weak. This has been debated long after the cows have come home, but here's my two cents' worth. After reading "Brisingr," I've realized that writing style ties directly into content and characters. If you have strong characters and a well-developed storyworld, then you've already saved yourself the trouble of figuring out what they are, and you can spend more time (and less effort) telling a story. In other words, the stronger your content and characters, the stronger the writing style is likely to be.

Like both books before it, "Brisingr" suffers from the same cast of weak characters and the same derivative, underdeveloped storyworld. As a result, Paolini has to word and re-word the smallest details to make something seem original. This makes the details more important than the story and the characters. Details shouldn't obscure what you're trying to say; otherwise, they take the clarity and power out of the sentences they fill. Too many details sacrifice clarity, emotion, and substance. If you don't have good characters and settings to use, details are all you can use.

Paolini knows that the picture you paint for your audience is all about the details, but it's the sheer number of them that makes the book so bloated. There are so many details that it's a struggle to find out what he's trying to say. The content that lies beneath the details is just not there. Details are important only as long as they're based on good content. They have to contribute directly to the story, the characters, and the picture that the audience is seeing painted. The level of details can mean the difference between enjoying a painting from a distance and looking at it through a magnifying glass. In other words, which is better: looking at the brush strokes or looking at the whole picture?


3) For all its length, it doesn't get to the point. It takes way too long to get to anything remotely important or interesting, and most of the time, those interesting points never come. "Brisingr" and its sequel could fit into the same 750-page book; you can cut out most of what happens in this book and not lose any important details. If anything, it would benefit the book. The faster that the characters go toward their goals, the faster you get to the heart of the story. The old clichďż˝ is the best: "Just cut to the chase."

Both "Eragon" and "Eldest" had their share of filler--a lot of traveling in "Eragon" and a lot of training in "Eldest"--but "Brisingr" was the worst. Eragon spent so much time trying to fulfill his list of promises that it kept him (and us) from seeing him fulfill his main goal: going after the people who killed his family and destroyed his home. That's what the story's supposed to be about, and every character and subplot should reinforce it.


I have to give the book at least one star because it's helped me understand some of the things to avoid when writing fiction. Still, I feel like a two-star rating is generous. "Brisingr" was a great training tool but a disappointing entertainment; it was a bore from start to finish. If this indicates how Book 4 will be, I won't buy it. There's only so much I can support a book series and feel rewarded by it.

It's tough for me to praise this book, especially since I had such a struggle reading it through twice. The few highlights of this book are a poor reward for more than seven hundred pages of filler. Paolini needs an editor who will show him the things that make a good story. There's no excuse for his age anymore. When you publish anything, it's not your age or your accomplishments that matter most. It's the story that matters most. I would rather read the seven pages that mean something than the seven hundred that don't.

Zip this book please Mr Paolini, October 10, 2008
This book is as slow as a tortoise with arthritis, and at the end of the painful slow-march you realize you haven't moved much, from where you stopped in Eldest. It is painfully obvious that Paolini was made to (?) prolong this series. The actual plot can be told in about 100 pages; the rest is either horribly drawn out descriptions or meaningless and repetitive conversations.

Some scenes go like this (not the actual words, but you will get the drift):

Eragon: Saphira, isn't it wrong to kill people?
Saphira: No young one, sometimes you have to do what you do, for the greater good.

Now, this is blown into a page-long dialogue where they repeat the same question and answer in passive voice, reported speech etc. I felt like stuffing Eragon into Saphira's mouth to shut them both up. When one thinks they have finally reached a consensus and the plot will move on, they move to another track:

Eragon: Saphira, I love you
Saphira: I love you too, young one.
Eragon: I can't bear to be separated from you Saphira, not even for a moment
Saphira: I can't either...
Eragon: Saphira.....
Saphira: young one....

I felt like shouting "Get a room!!!", before I remembered they were a dragon and rider, not star-crossed teenage lovers. Then, finally, the coddling was over and I started hoping again that something would happen.

Enter Arya...

Eragon: Arya, baby, how do you feel while killing someone?

I fervently wished she would show him instead of telling him :)

A children's book trying too hard to be a child/adult hybrid book, July 20, 2009
This is a difficult review to write - I basically agree with ALL of the criticism Paolini has received regarding his saga, and yet I'm compelled to continue reading it. I feel like a two-headed monster when reading the Eragon cycle - I'm simultaneously frustrated beyond belief at the writing "style," yet I continue reading in the hopes that the plot will redeem the writing. With Eragon, I think it did. Eldest, eh. Brisingr, it was just beyond all repair.

Part of me tries to pull back and say, "well, it's considered a young adult novel, it's supposed to be for kids, so I really shouldn't be expecting Shakespeare." That's basically the thought process that got me through the Twilight series, which, despite the not-so-wonderful writing, I enjoyed. However, I think the biggest difference is that when reading Twilight, you KNOW that you are reading a book meant for a 12 year old girl. Therein lies the difference between THAT sort of mediocre writing and Paolini's work: Paolini thinks he's the second coming of Tolkien. Between his own egomaniacal comments in interviews, his attempts at creating complex languages and political stirrings, and his pandering social commentaries, Paolini clearly "thinks" he's writing something more than a teen read. And, I think this is why he garners so much criticism - In the end, he simply wrote nothing more than a children's book.

His attempts to make that children's book "mature," I believe, are his downfall; in the end, he has created a book too long and boring for kids, but simply meaty enough for an adult. The characters are 2-dimensional, contrived, unsympathetic, and just unrelateable, the descriptions and gross overuse of figurative language make your eyes bleed, and the dialogue, Lord Almighty someone save the dialogue.

See example one, his description of the moment Roran fell in love with Katrina:
" `I saw Katrina stop by the side of Loring's house to pick a moss rose growing in the shade of the eaves. She smiled as she looked at the flower... It was such a tender smile, and so happy, I decided right then that I wanted to make her smile like that again and again and that I wanted to look at that smile until the day that I died.' Tears gleamed in Roran's eyes..."

From a best-selling author? Really? I'm going to assume that his inability to come even close to describing love perhaps stems from his own lack of experience with it. For more evidence, see the entire chapter dedicated to Roran and Katrina's goodbye ("Kiss Me Sweet"), which is chock full of clich�s that would drive an English teacher mad and any reader to groan.

Another big problem for me is the terribly awkward use of different stages of English in the dialogue. The "mine head," "mine friend," "mine people," etc. reminded me of broken German. The thus, thusly, thine, thy, aye's and even nay's were just plain WEIRD. You'd have a character use one of the pronouns, and then use the modern English equivalent in the same manner 2 lines later. There was no rhyme or reason, and it made the writer look precocious, and the characters stiff and unrealistic.

For another example of the highly romanticized writing, see page 69:
"Eragon was no longer capable of coherent thought, but somewhere in the back of his brain he was aware that he was about to die. It did not frighten him; to the contrary, the prospect comforted him, for he was tired beyond belief, and death would free him from the battered shell of his flesh and allow him to rest for all of eternity. From above and behind his head, there came a bumblebee as big as his thumb. It circled his ear, then hovered by the rock, probing the nodes of citrine, which were the same bright yellow as the fieldstars that bloomed among the hills. [...] The bumblebee was so vibrant, so alive, and so beautiful, its presence renewed Eragon's will to survive. A world that contained a creature as amazing as that bumblebee was a world he wanted to live in."

Really?

I believe that my review, while honest, is colored by my frustration that this is the third, and despite all of our expectations, penultimate book of the series. I never buy hardcovers, but purchased this one excited to see how the series ends. When I was about 100 pages in, I checked the Amazon site to read a review, and saw Paolini's video explaining the need for a 4th book. I was FURIOUS by the time I finished Brisingr. So many utterly pointless plotlines and political feuds, all of which were anticlimactic (spoiler - the guy or girl you "want" to win always inevitably does), so many unnecessarily loquacious descriptions, and just so much NOTHING. If you read the first 60 pages and the last 150, you honestly get everything you need from this book. So sad, but honestly, so true.

So to be completely honest, if you're like me and are irritated by the writing but enjoy the story, you truly DO NOT HAVE TO READ THIS BOOK. The 200 (generous) pages worth of valid plot can (and will) be summarized at the start of the yet to be named 4th book. Or, just find it on a website. Heck, email ME. Just don't punish your eyes and brain like so many of us did by reading this 750 page tragedy.

Will I read the 4th book? Yes. Will I buy it? Unfortunately, no. The reason why is simply this: I feel cheated. Had Paolini delivered a 3rd book that introduced some new meaty plot that warranted turning a trilogy to a cycle, I'd be okay with a fourth book, perhaps would be excited by it. Instead, I just feel cheated and that both Paolini and his publishers wanted to eek out some more money from the franchise. And that, well, just makes me mad.

Dismal at best, October 10, 2008
As written by another reviewer "If you liked the Lord of the Rings series, then you'll probably like the Inheritance cycle as well."

Actually, The Lord of the Rings trilogy was a wonderful, well-written trilogy. This fantasy series is in essence a great first showing (Eragon) with an okay sophomoric offering (Eldest) and a dismal current contender (Brisingr).

I hope that this was more the fault of the publishers than Paolini's own writing. In many places the writing actually made me cringe and want to break out my red editing pen of death, ex. "Pointing with her chin past a row of spits and cauldrons suspended over a bed of coals, past a clump of men butchering a hog, past three makeshift ovens built of mud and stone, and past a pile of kegs toward a line of planks set on stumps that six women were using as a counter."

Yes folks, that is one, very long and exhaustive run-on sentence. Why they couldn't be bothered with proper grammar and punctuation we will probably not know.

I see no use of dramatic suspense in bridging chapters, or even within each chapter. Most of the dramatic scenes seem forced, almost as if the characters are being coached by a high school drama teacher from behind the curtain, "Now in this scene Eragon, you feel ANGER. Show me your anger, be a tiger and let it all out!"

All in all, I wish I hadn't picked up this book, because now I feel obligated to read the (nearly assuredly) fourth book of the series.

Pretentious, Poorly Written, and incessant driveling, October 19, 2008
Essentially, in 748 pages, Eragon did 4 things, and yet Paolini somehow couldn't fit the end of the trilogy in one book. Thus, there will be a 4th book to finish the trilogy (now called a cycle). My biggest qualm with this series not ending in 3 books, is that this book was verbose with very little action.

Eragon's 4 actions:
1) Killed the Razac- this took about 60 pages
2) Visit Tronjiheim to hurry the dwarves in picking their king
3) Went to Ellesmera (for a 2 day conversation)
4) Flew to Feinster for a battle

Actions 3 and 4 occurred in the last 150 pages, and because Eragon agreed to support Orik, he spent most of action 2 wandering around the tunnels, gettng attacked once, and moaning about missing Saphira. The rest of the text usually involved a lot of transit...Eragon running (whoohoo), Eragon and Saphira flying against strong headwinds, and flying in good weather. Perhaps Paolini thinks this transit time is important and interesting due to the long travel sequences in "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy, but first, that was a series about a journey...therefore travel is necessary, this series is about war more than anything else, and second, Tolkien was a much much more gifted writer than Paolini.

Also, Paolini stated in is excuse for not finishing the series in 3 books, that this gave him an opportunity to explore the characters. However, Eragon's incessant moaning over the ethics of killing and the difference in his morals from those of elves, isn't what I would call an interesting expose into the minds of Eragon and the other characters. In fact, it only leads the reader to realize that Eragon is indeed a whiny child, given far too much authority because a dragon hatched to him...but that more than anything, the author expects us to believe Eragon to be an upstanding ethical person who we should all exalt as the best person to lead because he fears it.

I have always found Paolini's writing pretentious, but it seems to have only gotten worse with his success. The only reason for the success of his series is the more than fortunate timing of the "Lord of the Rings" films and "Harry Potter" series generating a boom in interest in fantasy...however this series cannot compare to either of those. Tolkien and "Harry Potter" fans will find The Inheritance Cycle superficial, unimaginitive, poorly written, and lacking in action.

The similarities, such as 3 young unknowing people thrown into the wars of previous generations, are not enough to make the Inheritance Cycle a satisfying read...which is only more frustrating because it doesn't end when it is supposed to- and unlike the other LOTR and HP series'- you very much want this one to end. ... Read more

Editorial Review

In the first book of The Chronicles of Narnia, C.S. Lewis shows us how it all began -- the glorious birth of Narnia at the hand of its unforgettable King. It is followed by six more books that collectively tell the history of a world that has become as real as our own.

Reviews

In the beginning...., July 31, 2004
Whether you read these books chronologically (Narnian time):

The Magicians Nephew
The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe
The Horse and His Boy
Prince Caspian
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
The Silver Chair
The Last Battle

or in the order they were published:

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (1950)
Prince Caspian (1951)
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (1952)
The Silver Chair (1953)
The Horse and His Boy (1954)
The Magicians Nephew (1955)
The Last Battle (1956)

is entirely up to you.

Beginning at the beginning has always sounded like a good approach to me, hence this first review of the Narnia series.

Though written in simple style to be appreciated by young scholars, this book seems to echo with subtle and not so subtle references to the bible. A background check on the late great C. S. Lewis will reveal that he became a theist in 1929, a Christian in 1931, and later was awarded an honorary Doctor of Divinity by the University of St. Andrews in 1946.

His belief in the existence of one God, viewed as the creative source of man and the world, who transcends yet is immanent in the world, provides the foundation for the series, especially in this book and the magnificent classic "The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe." (Note: definition courtesy of Merriam-Webster)

"The Magician's Nephew" tells of the creation of Narnia by the great and powerful Aslan, and the temptation of a son of Adam, by a deceiver, with an apple from a forbidden tree.

This is the story of Digory and Polly, two friends who, upon an accidental meeting with Magician wanna-be Uncle Andrew, find themselves in a head spinning adventure involving other worlds, magical rings, an evil sorceress, a cabby and his horse, talking animals, and a collection of fauns, satyrs, dwarves and naiads.

We learn about the first King and Queen of Narnia, a heroic quest, a miraculous cure, and the planting of a tree and a lamp post, both of which we will need to move on with the series.

Even though a slim volume, The Magician's Nephew is deceptively deep and compelling.

WARNING: Reading this book leads to the compulsive reading of at least six other books.

Amanda Richards August 1, 2004

How It All Began, October 21, 2003
Digory and Polly are exploring a passageway between their houses one summer morning when they stumble into Digory's uncle's study. Uncle Andrew dapples in magic, and tricks Polly into taking one of his magic rings. Digory goes after her, and they find themselves in a magic wood, a passageway to different worlds. Exploring further, they find evil as well as a land about to be created.

This is a different story in the Narnia tales. First, we don't arrive at Narnia until after half way through the book. Second, this is the only book where actions in the fantasy worlds have direct impact on events in our world. For these reasons, it's a fun change in the series. The story in Narnia is simpler then the others, but it makes watching a new world take shape no less thrilling. And there are some important lessons on doing the right thing at the right time and getting out of life exactly what you expect.

There is quite a debate about the order this book should be read in. While it was published sixth, the events place it first. When I read these books back in third grade, I read them in publication order, and I enjoyed that because there are some surprises in here that explain a couple scenes in the first book. Admittedly biased, I think that reading them in publication order would make for the most enjoyment. However, the issues involved are very minor and any of the books can really be read in any order without spoiling anything important.

No matter what order you choose to read the books in, make sure you do. These are classic children's fantasy for a reason; they are fun stories that can be enjoyed by kids of all ages.

The Beginning of the Adventure, February 17, 2000
The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis is a wonderful beginning to The Chronicles of Narnia. Two children, Digory and Polly, are given a great gift by Digory's uncle. He gives them rings which give them the power to travel to different worlds and travel home again. They travel to many different worlds and have many different adventures. I one of the worlds they find an evil queenwho follows them back home. Polly and Digory take the the queen to a different world where they meet a kion called Aslan and many different talking animals. Digory takes a silver apple back home to his dying mother. When Digory gives the apple to his mother and she is miraculously cured. Digory plants the apple core and magic rings in his backyard. You will have to read the rest of this magical adventure to find out where the magic appears next. This book is one of the most wonderful and magical books I have ever read. Lewis's imagination really keeps the books alive. It makes you feel you are sharing the adventures right along with the characters. I would recommend this book to anybody because it is so fascinating. This adventure-fantasy is for people of all ages. It makes you want to keep on reading to find out what happens to the characters. There is a lot of suspense and it is very absorbing. I love the way it leads into the next book of The Chronicles. It makes you want to read all the other books that follow.

NOT Book One, October 1, 2000
I am not going to dispute that this is a great book because it is, but it is NOT Book One of the Chronicles of Narnia. Reading this First SPOILS the mystery of the Wardrobe in "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe". If you want to read the books in the correct order it is as follows:

1.The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

2.Prince Caspian

3.The Voyage of the Dawn Dreader

4.The Silver Chair

5.The Horse and His Boy

6.The Magician's Nephew

7.The Last Battle

DO Read this book, just please read it at the right time.

Book 1  A guide to the unending secrets of Narnia, April 26, 2002
"The Magician's Nephew" was the second last of seven books that C.S. Lewis wrote in the Narnia Chronicles, but chronologically it relates events that occur first in the series: the creation of Narnia. Two children, Digory and Polly, enter a strange world through the help of magic obtained by Digory's Uncle Andrew. In this world they discover the evil witch Jadice. But then Digory makes his first mistake: he brings Jadice back to life, and worse, brings her evil presence from a world that is dying (Charn) to a world that is just beginning (Narnia). But Digory is not without redemptive qualities - he journeys with the winged horse Fledge to a magical garden reminiscent of Paradise, and resists further temptations from Jadice by faithfully taking an apple from a tree in the middle of the garden and planting it in Narnia. This fruits of this tree eventually prove to be a blessing to Digory and Polly as they return to the real world. In fact, it is this tree that later will be built into the magic wardrobe of book 2.

As with all the Narnia Chronicles, on the level of children the story functions as a perfectly comprehensible and exciting fantasy adventure, but on an adult level it imparts powerful spiritual truths about Christianity by means of numerous recognizable Biblical allusions. "The Magician's Nephew" very obviously reflects on the motifs of creation and fall, as evil enters a beautiful world where a man and his wife are king and queen (p.142). The notions of creation, the Paradise garden of Eden, Adam and Eve, the forbidden fruit, and the tempter Satan, are all present. Especially telling is Aslan's indictment of Digory for bringing evil into the newly created world: "You see, friends, that before the new, clean world I gave you is seven hours old, a force of evil has already entered it; waked and brought hither by this son of Adam." But there is immediately a hint of redemption and the suggestion that it will be accomplished by Aslan himself. "But do not be cast down. Evil will come of that evil, but it is still a long way off, and I will see to it that the worst falls upon myself ... Adam's race has done the harm, Adam's race shall help to heal it." (p.161-2). Digory's successful resisting of the temptation of Jadice in obtaining the magical silver apple is a subtle reversal of the account of the fall, and possible only because of Aslan.

As always, in all the upheavals and conflicts of Narnia, Aslan is the one constant, and it is his vital involvement that enables the children to complete their Narnian quest, just as it is Christ who inspires, comforts, guides, and saves in the real world. Narnia may exist only in Lewis imagination and ours, but these underlying truths about Christ ensure that a journey to Narnia is never without profit for the real world.

Put on the rings, May 25, 2005
Every good story has a backstory. So in "The Magician's Nephew," C.S. Lewis backpedalled to tell us the story of how Narnia began, the origin of the White Witch, and various other little questions that popped up over the course of his Narnia series. The result is a tense, slightly comic prequel that neatly ties up the various loose threads.

Two London schoolchildren, Polly and Digory, meet and befriend one another, despite Digory's misery over his mother's fatal illness. But they fall prey to Digory's arrogant uncle Andrew -- Andrew has created some magical rings that transport the wearer to another world, and he wants the two as guinea pigs. Polly and Digory only narrowly manage to return from a dying world.

But they had an unwelcome passenger -- Jadis, an imperious sorceress who plans to take over the world. Polly and Digory are appalled at what has happened, and try to find some way of transporting Jadis elsewhere, using the magical rings. But when they do, they find themselves encountering a world that is just being created, by a strange lion -- the world of Narnia.

The Narnia stories are getting more attention in the months before the movie is released. And though it's unknown whether "The Magician's Nephew" is going to be on the silver screen, it's a valuable read for movie-watchers and readers alike. Basically, if "The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe" raised any questions, then this can answer them.

"The Magician's Nephew" serves as a neat way of explaining some very weird occurrances -- where did that lamppost come from? Or the Narnian humans? Just where did the White Witch come from, since she doesn't seem to fit in Narnia's springtime utopia? This book pretty much tells it all, as well as providing a character -- Digory -- who is a quiet but important presence fifty years later.

But "The Magician's Nephew" isn't just a way of dealing with loose threads. It's also an entertaining story, full of strange magic and eerie dead worlds. But Lewis also includes some comedy, when Jadis is running amuck all over London, or when Narnian animals try to plant and water Uncle Andrew. Lewis does get a bit hamhanded with the allegory of Jadis and an apple, but the fast, tense storyline makes up for that.

"The Magician's Nephew" is not just a prequel to the rest of the Narnia series, but an entertaining fantasy novel in its own right. Definitely a must-read for fantasy fans.

And then there was light....., November 13, 2005
This is probably the one of the best books of the Chronicles of Narnia. Those of you who have a familiarity with the other books, such as The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, and the book of Genesis in the Bible will find yourself saying "Oh, I get it" through most of the story. The book explains how Narina came about, who Jadis really is, the childhood of the Professor, and how the Wardrobe became a portal to Narnia. It also details the creation of Narnia, and goes into events with the characters that are incredibly similar to the bible stories in the book of Genesis. As C.S. Lewis was a Christian writer, it is easy to see the evidence of it in this book. Even for an adult, this is an excellent book that keeps you reading just to see what happens next. I would recommend this to both people who are familar with the stories of Narnia and people who have not had any experience with the books at all. Before you go see the new movie of the second book, The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe which will be released on December 9, 2005, pick up this book and you will be able to enjoy the movie and the other books even more.

The Beginning of a Journey, May 1, 2002
"In the darkness something was happening at last. A voice had begun to sing. It was very far away and Digory found it hard to decide from what direction it was coming. Sometimes it seemed to come from all directions at once. Sometimes he almost thought that it was coming out of the earth beneath them. Its lower notes were deep enough to be the voice of the earth herself. There were no words. There was hardly even a tune. But it was, beyond comparison, the most beautiful noise he had ever heard." ~C.S. Lewis, The Magician's Nephew

When Digory Kirk comes to stay with his elderly aunt and uncle in London, he is prepared for what he expects to be the worst time of his life. With his father in India, his mother on the brink of death, and no one to turn to for comfort, Digory feels like he has no hope for a better life. Then one day, he meets his next-door neighbor, Polly Plummer, who turns out to be a sweet girl with a mind for imaginary adventures. Little did either child know that what would start out as an imaginary expedition, would end up being the greatest adventure of their lives.

Although not written first, The Magician's Nephew is the beginning of a series of seven books that tells the tale of children from our world who travel to another one and there learn about what it means to believe in those things which seem impossible. This particular book is about the creation of Narnia and how on the day it was born man brought evil into it. C.S. Lewis, a devout Christian, wove many of his Christian beliefs into the story. Written for the entertainment of children, these books are simple to read but full of many great things to think about in concordance with our own lives. Begin The Chronicles of Narnia with The Magician's Nephew so that you can see how and why Narnia was created in the first place.

A masterpiece., June 15, 1998
This is the most enjoyable book that I have read in months. The author has an outstanding sense of humor as well as an imagination unrivalled by any writer this century has produced. E. B. White said that the way to write a great children's book is to write a great book for adults, and then cut out three fourths of it. This is exsactly what Lewis has done, and this is why people of all ages can enjoy this book. Some people criticize Lewis for moralizing, but all great literature has a message, from the Bible to Dostoyevsky. It does not have a slow or uninteresting part, and is very well written. It is about a boy named Digory and a girl named Polly. Digory brings a witch out of Charn and into Narnia, a world that Aslan has just created. It explains many of the things in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe; how the lampost got there, who Professor Kirke was, why a wardrobe could get the children into Narnia and many other things I was wondering. Any one looking for a great read, or any writer that wants to know how to write the perfect children's book needs to read this one.

More than a children's book..., June 16, 2005
The Magician's Nephew is more than a children's book. It contains many parallels and content that every adult would do well taking note of. This book is even prophetic when Aslan the Lion talks about the world we live in (near the end of the book). I enjoyed every bit reading this, and the last third of the book just thrilled me that it made my heart beat as I read it.

It is well known that the Chronicles of Narnia parallels the Bible, and in this book, it talks about the creation of Narnia, the entry of evil to Narnia, the temptation of man, and it also helps us understand the origins of the wardrobe in The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. Though this book was not written first, but it brings context to the next book when read this first.

There are many interesting views that Lewis brings across in this book, like the Wood between the Worlds. It seem to give the perspective from God's point of view in relation to time and space, where the Wood becomes the view to different worlds, being able to travel from one to another. Lewis' analogy as a corridor that linked to different apartments in a block of houses was brilliant. This book also showed the creation of Narnia when they travelled into nothingness, and hearing the singing of the Lion, the world came into being. This parallels the creation as God spoke it into existence. This book also showed that Aslan is not just limited to Narnia, but transcend beyond that, and it was interesting when Aslan said to the Cabby, "Son, I have known you long, Do you know me?" This implied the existence of Aslan in the world that the Cabby came from.

This book is so full of ideas, thoughts and parallels that Lewis had weaved in it with masterful artistry. Read and be thrilled! ... Read more

Editorial Review

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Reviews

A 9 year olds review, February 26, 2006
Frederick Douglass's auto biography is about him as a kid and partially as an adult. I think it is a good book because it describes the harshness of slavery. I also think it is an interesting way to be informed.

It is an excellent source of information. It has a vivid description of the work fields and how it feels to see a family member being ruthlessly whipped. It also gives you a feeling you are talking to Frederick himself. It suddenly makes you aware of the relationship between you and him. Everybody probably has a relation with him ranging from skin tones to hardship. We all have at least one if not 2or3 similarities.

I think that this book is not for children younger than 9 because it has intense parts about naughty haywire masters. It is for the type of person who likes history . When you are reading this book, you may understand why people started the civil war. I think it made people start the civil war because they read this book and got very angry at slavery. Also I think it made the masters mad. That may have also started the civil war

Nathaniel age 9

Could this the most important American autobiography ever?, March 14, 2002
This fiery autobiography, written as anti-slavery propaganda, told of his struggle to gain freedom, identified his "owner", and became a 19th century national bestseller. Long before Uncle Tom's Cabin opened the eyes of sentimental Northerners to the evils of slavery, Douglass' chronicle inspired the small abolitionist movement and challenged the conscience of the United States to live up to the heroic ideals expressed in the Declaration of Independence... "all men are created equal."
The publication of this masterpiece also forced Douglass into exile in England for two years to avoid capture by slave traders. British supporters eventually "purchased" Douglass allowing this great American to return to the United States and live in freedom.
While the battle against slavery was won almost 150 years ago, this autobiography's remains a very powerful tool against racism, ignorance, and historical amnesia. Douglass links his quest for literacy with his need to be treated as a man - and become a free man. This book should be required reading, for all American schoolchildren, in the middle school and excerpts should be constantly used in high school and college courses. Adult literacy centers should find this story a powerful inspiration too.

Still a moving testimony, March 5, 2002
I often believe it is easy to criticize nineteenth century Americans for not stepping up to the plate regarding the issue of slavery and race in America. Jefferson may well have agonized over the issue he called the "death knell of the nation" and which he labeled a "neccessary evil." Certainly he benefitted by the ownership of nearly 300 slaves, but he grew up in a world in which slavery was the norm. It takes a revoutionary and remarkable man to truly stand against the only world he knows and move to create a different world, so I usually defend Jefferson and his political vision which clearly transcended that world.

Reading Frederick Douglass, however, makes me wonder how anyone with firsthand knowledge of the institution could not see the obvious pain and cruelty which existed right in front of his or her eyes. Douglass's narrative, and particularly his descriptions of the slave trade in Baltimore and the obvious place of the whip (whether used or not) as the principal vehicle of social control argues most eloquently that though the slave system may have been a social norm, the blinders had to be unbelievably thick not to see the horrors that the institution wrought. The relationship of slave and master perpetuated a most un-American (at least in terms of our professed values--cf. Douglass's later antislavery orations) tyranny and oppression. Douglass's narrative testifies that our ancestors could have seen much more and done much more and that 600,000 lives and a subsequent 120 years of racial schism and pain was too much a price to bear for the peculiar institution.

Essential, April 28, 2008
"I expose slavery in this country, because to expose it is to kill it. Slavery is one of those monsters of darkness to whom the light of truth is death." Frederic Douglass

Frederic Douglass tells us the REAL story about slavery in early America. From the first page to the last, I was totally transfixed. There are so many things to admire about this great American. On top of being brilliant and brave and benevolent and broad-minded, etc... what I truly admire about this amazing soul was the fact that he is able to tell us his story sans bitterness. For let me tell you, if the majority of us had to endure one iota of what this man went through... Let's just say that those saccharine sweet saga's like "Gone with the Wind" left a few pertinent things out!

This is one hell of a powerful story! The brutalities of slavery will disgust you, but to see this beautiful soul rise above it all is something special. He is the most important figure in nineteenth-century black American literature and a man that merits more attention than he gets. This is a magnificient achievement, an important work of art.

Very highly recommended!

Another GREAT book, February 19, 2006
"His articulate descriptions of the abuses perpetrated by his masters revealed horrors of slavery that previously were unimaginable to most Americans..." This book was written in 1845, but I find even today that though I knew the slaves were mistreated I couldn't imagine how horribly they were treated (not by all slaveowners) until I read this book. And Douglass wrote so well he had me riveted to the pages. It was interesting for me to compare Douglass' slave experiences with those of Booker T. The latter described so well the extreme poverty they lived in, while Douglass described how they were degraded by their treatment - I would say their souls were murdered. This was the main message which came across to me from reading this book; however, there were many interesting things I learned in addition. Such as, getting an idea of how important names and heritage can be to people, getting a feeling for the hunger to learn, finding out why so many slaveowners impregnated their female slaves (why didn't their wives clamor), and why mulattos (like Douglass) were particularly hated, and why disabled slaves were treated particularly horribly. Douglas mentioned a number of times the ever-puzzling relationship between religiosity and cruelty. How some people can believe themselves to be good Christians while at the same time treating their fellow creatures in such an un-Christike manner, to me is one of the great largely-unexplained questions of human behavior. Bottom line is: reading this book was a great experience for me.

A Review by a Student, November 15, 2007
I am a student at Parkview High School. I read the book The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass. This is an autobiography by Frederick Douglass who acts as both the narrator and the protagonist. He begins the book with his birth and shows how he progresses from an uneducated, oppressed slave to a worldly and articulate political commentator.
Douglass was born sometime between 1817 and 1818. His mother was Harriet Bailey, and his father was thought to be his master, Captain Anthony. Life on this plantation was not as hard as that of most of the other slaves. Being a child, he served in the household instead of in the fields. At the age of seven, he was given to Captain Anthony's soninlaw's brother, Hugh Auld, who lived in Baltimore. Douglass remarked on how kind his Mistress, Sophia Auld, was to him at first since she had not yet been corrupted by slavery. She actually started teaching him how to read until her husband forbade her, saying that education made slaves unmanageable. Thus two major themes of the book were introduced, ignorance as a tool of slavery and knowledge as a path to freedom. As Douglass continued learning, he became conscious of the evils of slavery and of the existence of the abolitionist movement. He resolved to escape to the North eventually.
After the deaths of Captain Anthony and his remaining heirs, Douglass was taken back to serve Thomas Auld, Captain Anthony's soninlaw. He was a mean man made harsher by his false religious piety. Auld considered Douglass unmanageable, so he rented him for one year to Edward Covey, a man known for "breaking" slaves. Covey managed, in the first six months, to work and whip all the spirit out of Douglass. The turning point came when Douglass resolved to fight back against Covey, after which Covey never touched Douglass again. Douglass is next rented to William Freeland for two years. Though Freeland was a milder, fairer man, his will to escape was nonetheless renewed. He attempted to escape with three of his fellow slaves, but someone betrayed their plans, and he was sent back to Baltimore to learn the trade of ship caulking to keep out of trouble.
Eventually, Douglass received permission from Hugh Auld to hire out his extra time. He saved money bit by bit and eventually made his escape to New York. He refrained from describing the details of his escape in order to protect the safety of future slaves who might attempt the journey. In New York, Douglass feared recapture and changed his name from Bailey to Douglass. Soon after, he married Anna Murray, a free woman he met while in Baltimore. They moved north to Massachusetts, where Douglass became deeply engaged with the abolitionist movement as both a writer and an orator.
The personal account by Douglass really opened my eyes to the horrors of slavery. The book showed the damaging effect of slavery on slaveholders and how it was a perversion of Christianity. I agree with Douglass on not revealing his escape route. I think it wise that he kept the most important part of his narrative a secret so that future runaways can have a better chance at escape. His vivid descriptions of the cruelty of slaveholders were sometimes unbearble. I knew that the masters were usually exceedingly cruel to their slaves, but his narrative made me cringe everytime he was taken to a cruel master. It made me want him to escape so that he will not be subjected to the whippings any longer. He made me feel like that I was there with him, witnessing the horrors of the system. Douglass also presented himself as a reasoned, rational figure. His tone was dry, and he did not exaggerate. He was capable of seeing both sides of an issue, even the issue of slavery. This gave his narrative an objective view that made it very valuable to the abolitionist movement. I thought the narrative was very powerful and touching and should be a good read for everyone.

Go get it. Read it. Learn., March 14, 2006
No matter where you are from, what color you are, or what you think is important - if you have not done so, do yourself a favor and read this brief story. If you are an American and do not know of the life of one of America's greatest heroes, then please pick up a copy and read his story. Remember his story-and remember why we hold freedom so dear. If you are from anywhere else, this is your chance to read a true story, like none other, of a man, who, by his own human nature detests the bonds of slavery, and through incredible daring, indefatigable strength and unrelenting intellect, secures his own freedom. It is an easy and quick read (I went through it in a couple hours) but it is also a must read. This is truly a unique and unvarnished look at the terrors, tortures and dehumanization of slavery in Maryland, the fortitude and zeal of the northern abolitionists who safeguarded Douglass and the ultimate triumph of the human spirit over the forces of ignorance and bondage. An eye-opener, emotionally gut wrenching and, finally, uplifting. (For parents and teachers: It is also The Perfect Book to encourage reading!)

An important, tragic, thought-provoking book., February 27, 1999
I must confess I first picked up this biography last year as part of an assignment for my AP United States History class because of its relatively short length. What I found was a profound, thought-provoking narrative about Douglass' life as a slave. The language is not verbose but rather clear and cogent. I find that the phrase "a must-read" has become somewhat of a clichďż˝ when used today but this book is truly that in every sense. It is "a must-read" because it gives an idea of the horror it was to be a slave from someone with first-hand experience. Yet Douglass writes to educate, not to shock. It isn't necessary to have a special interest in slavery to appreciate this book; rather one must have an interest in identity. Before you do anything else, read this book. It will change your perception of America's past and America's present.

A dramtic look into total darkness, February 8, 2005
When it comes to understanding what the slaves went through and the world from thier perspective, this book is totally enlightening. This is the voice of the slaves that went unheard. It is written in a manner easy to read and simple. Yet, the actual content is hard to read and not simple. It is a drak journey through the life of a slave who found freedom and lived to write about it. Despite the arguments concerning who wrote this book and about the possible censorship of it, it is still a worthy depiction and story to read.
It is hard to read this text without feeling angry and dissappointed at white people (I am one), angry at Christians (I am one), and sad for history. This text is an emotional rollercoaster. You gain apprecaition for men like Douglass and despair for human ignorance.
No matter what, this is a book that my own children shall be forced to read before they graduate from high school. After reading this book, and Victor Frankl's book, most normal people ought to interact in this world far different from the monster antagonists presented in each of the texts. As for me, I learned a lot and shall never recover.

A classic "narrative", April 24, 2000
This is one of the most lucid, absorbing autobiographies I've read; that it has much to say about American history, specifically the institution of slavery, only adds to its luster. It is remarkable that someone born into slavery could learn to write as well as virtually any "man of letters" in his era. Despite Douglass' unhappy lot (or maybe because of it), he managed to acquire a great deal of insight into the people, white and black, around him. Douglass convincingly depicts how the institution of slavery damages both oppressed and oppressor--it dehumanizes the former and brings out the cruelest qualities of the latter. (A hundred years later, Martin Luther King would say much the same about the practice of segregration.) There is much anger in the Narrative--but also a wise and noble spirit. Compulsively readable, this book is still very much "relevant" today, and I can hardly imagine a time in which people will no longer wish to read it. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

Spoilers Galore; My Review.
Half-Blood Prince is easily one of the better books in the Harry Potter series, though each is a masterpiece. But the 6th installment of a 7-part series is bound to be full of great moments in the story. There remains a great deal unanswered in this book, however, and the 7th will surely need to be no smaller than an average encyclopedia. Somehow as I was reading this book, I felt that I was learning more and at a quicker rate than in Order of the Phoenix, but so many of Harry's problems and questions took so long to reach any sort of answer or resolution that I still ended up not knowing many of the secrets I expected to be revealed in this book. It must be that Rowling, in her grand scheme, is saving much for the last book. One thing seems to be for certain, though, and that is that Rowling will never lose that special touch, that supreme and genuine interest in the story and its characters that makes the writing so engrossing. After completing this book, I was in a state of total shock and to this moment I wish only to read the seventh book.

Half-Blood Prince is dark; I mean far darker than the last. This is the time I have always known was inevitable in the Harry Potter world, at last we are seeing chaos and war and battles break out within the walls of Hogwarts itself. Several of the chapters are particularly well-written, with great suspense and imagery; an example would be the time Harry and Dumbledore spent in the cave. Relationships blossom in this book at last, including Harry suddenly falling in `love' with Ginny Weasley, Ron dating Lavender Brown, Pansy and Draco clearly going out, and some serious hinting at a possible romance between Ron and Hermione when he gets rid of Lavender. Some of the focus on their teenage jealousies and squabbles, and their newfound interest in dating and `snogging,' was a cute touch, but admittedly not what I was exactly looking for. After all, it was more fluff than anything else, and certainly none of it was real love. Then, the useless couple of Tonks and Lupin was introduced in the end; all well and good, I suppose, but again not something that overjoyed me. The end of the book is very sad indeed, yet, I was not crying--I was merely shocked, flabbergasted at the circumstances. A Snapeless, Dumbledoreless Hogwarts that Harry Potter is not intending to return to next year? Yes, you heard right. Harry wants to go off and find all of Voldemort's remaining Horcruxes and face the final battle on his own.

Much of the book is devoted to Harry witnessing important memories in the Pensieve with Dumbledore so that he can gain a greater understanding of his enemy, the Dark Lord. Now, I have long been a fan of Severus Snape. I admit I love him. Most of my reasons for loving Harry Potter center on him. And while much was learned about him in this book, much is still unknown, and what we do now know is shocking. To begin with, we learn the names of his parents, muggle Tobias Snape and witch Eileen Prince (yes, Snape is the Half-Blood Prince.) It is also known that Snape overheard the prophecy regarding Harry & Voldemort and told the Dark Lord about it; however, supposedly he showed enough remorse after Voldemort used the information to kill Harry's parents that Dumbledore forgave and entrusted him. Many are accusing Dumbledore of naivety for this, but I believe that they are only looking at what is plainly on the surface of this book and forgetting many things. I will explain later why, amazing as it may seem, my love for and faith in Snape remain unshaken despite the fact that this book, from its beginning, seems to be saying that he is still on Voldemort's side. I believe it's too simple for Rowling to be writing that he is, after all, evil. To me it seems a set-up. Additionally, I was expecting a surprising reason for Dumbledore to trust Snape, not a simple apology. There must still be more to this than meets the eye.

Before I explain my case about Snape, I'll mention some of the things that remain a mystery after this book. Sev's patronus and greatest fear don't come up (in fact, while Tonks' patronus is revealed, Boggarts don't receive any mention.) Some interesting information is supposedly going to be divulged regarding both Lily and Petunia, but neither of them played much of a role in book 6.

So on to my favorite character, who ends up being the Prince mentioned in the title. When I first finished this book, I was somewhat upset because while I still loved Snape, I was aware that what he'd just done was not steering in the direction of redemption, as I had hoped to see him going. I also knew that, at least until some point in Book 7, almost everyone (in the books and in real life) would turn against Snape and regard him as a treacherous dog. Yet, after composing myself and reviewing what I'd read, I realized that I just cannot accept him as truly evil, or Dumbledore as an old fool.

Now, before reading this book, if I had to make a list of impossible things that could never happen...Snape killing the Headmaster and fleeing the school with a bunch of Death Eaters, would have been right at the top of the list. But, I'd have been wrong. I had a very strong feeling that Dumbledore would be the one to die in this book. But I never saw the way it happened coming. In the beginning of the story, Snape came in rather quickly. Once Harry was at school, Snape finally got the Defense Against the Dark Arts post he'd longed for. I was cheering. (Yes, he is no longer Potions Master.) But it turned out not to matter. In the second chapter, Narcissa Malfoy and her sister, Bellatrix Lestrange, visit the home of Sev and he makes with Narcissa (possibly out of love) an Unbreakable Vow--that Snape will help her son Draco carry out a task ordered of him by Voldemort, and will complete it himself should Draco prove unable. The task, it seems in the end, was to kill Dumbledore. Draco does prove unable, and Snape carries it out. Yet, it cannot be this simple. Dumbledore may have been aware of the task, and the Vow. From the moment Dumbledore returns from the cave, weakened, having drunk an unknown potion set by Voldemort to guard a Horcrux, he says he needs Severus. He never says what for, never asks to be healed. When Snape arrives Dumbledore calls his name and says 'please' (pleading for his life, as everyone assumes, or something else?) before Snape aims the curse at him that kills him.

This seems twisted, monstrous, unforgivable, no? Exactly: No. Not in my opinion, at least. I do not think it was Snape's choice to kill Dumbledore, but that the Headmaster had at least one reason for telling him that he must do this horrible deed. Of course from Harry's perspective (Harry, who has inherited, as Lupin says, a prejudice against Sev) it was cold-blooded murder and betrayal and he now wants to destroy Snape as much as Voldemort. But this too is far too simple; clearly, as the book ends on this note, there are things Harry does not understand about what has happened.
He has forgotten, for instance, about the argument overheard by Hagrid, between Snape and Dumbledore. This point never was addressed again, yet amidst all the turmoil, who can blame it for being overlooked? Consider it. Dumbledore telling Snape he must do something that Snape does not wish to do. For several reasons I can think of (mainly involving the Death Eaters and the Malfoys), this argument connects directly to the death of Albus. And what of the mysterious order given Snape at the end of "Goblet of Fire," at which he turned pale? Clearly he is being asked to do things most difficult, to make great sacrifices; how can the most enigmatic person turn out to be clear-cut evil?
Read carefully and you'll see that Snape has hatred and revulsion etched into his face when he performs the fatal Avada Kedavra. I see these emotions not as directed at his target, which Harry naturally assumes, but stemming from the act he is about to commit. It never really occurs to Harry that Sev may have been feeling the same things he'd been feeling when he was bound by his promise to force-feed the convulsing Dumbledore, does it? Probably far worse.
Snape acts rather outrageously for the remainder of his time in the story, not shockingly, yet he refuses to allow any harm to come to Harry (clearly Dumbledore would've wanted that). He seems to be in pain and becomes furious at the mere suggestion that he is a coward--because he has just done the most difficult and least cowardly thing ever asked of him. Dumbledore has repeatedly stated that Harry's life is more important than his own, and that Harry understands less than he. And the facts remain that he has in the past done much good despite his suspicious nature, & that not everything he told Bellatrix about staying loyal to Voldemort can be true. My final point has to do with the words Dumbledore cried while drinking the potion in the cave. I don't know why, but I feel these words are important, and that after the escapade Dumbledore may have known the end was near.

Thus I rest my case. Avid Harry Potter readers will want to dive into this one, I'm certain, and those who haven't yet discovered it should do so. Only possible complaints? 1) Too short; 2) Not enough anticipated answers given, yet new questions raised, 3) Disturbing ending leaves you frustrated waiting for the next book.

Battled rain and cold weather to get hold of it :)
I'm one of those who couldn't wait until the morning to get hold of this book. I literally battled rain and cold weather with my sister to get our copies at 12.15 am, July 16, in a local bookstore in Argentina. According to my dad, I'm slightly nuts for doing that :)

In my opinion, though, this book was well-worth the extra effort. After picking it up, I returned to my house and started to read it. I just finished it, and I can sincerely say that it is simply outstandingly good. Yes, the other books were awesome too, specially the 4th and the 5th, but I think that Harry's world is becoming more defined with each book, and that makes for a thoroughly engaging reading experience.

What is new in this book?. Well, after having to come to face with the fact that Lord Voldemort is alive, the wizard community is in an uproar, and quite frightened. Cornelius Fudge has been sacked as Minister of Magic, and an Auror has been named in that position. Harry, Ron and Hermione get their O.W.Ls (Ordinary Wizardry Levels), and have to decide what courses to take for their N.E.W.Ts (Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests), something that will define their future careers. Plots abound, and danger is omnipresent throughout the book. There is a new teacher of Defense against the Dark Arts, and also an eccentric new Potions' teacher. Of course, there is much more, including a death that I bet will make you cry, and that hurts Harry enormously. I won't tell you who dies, only that the event involves the Half-Blood Prince, and that I think it was a sacrifice rather than a murder.

But what's the point of telling you all this if you can read the book, and enjoy it as much as I did?. Suffice it to say that this is a worthy addition to the Harry Potter series. There is adventure, some romance, and many more elements that add up to make the kind of book that you simply must read. And now, after staying up all night in order to read this book, I really need to catch up on my sleep. If you haven't guessed my opinion on "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" yet, I'll say that I highly recommend it. Run to get your copy, if you don't already have one, and share the magic :)

Belen Alcat

Harry Potter mirrors our own dark world
I've just finished reading the latest installment of the Harry Potter chronicles. My chest feels as though my heart has been torn out from the book's tragic ending as I sit here typing, hopelessly admiring the tactic Rowling used to achieve her greatest success to date in this much loved children's book series.

Children and adults who read this book alike will be left reeling in its aftermath. As an adult I was first attracted to the Harry Potter series quite inadvertently. I had adamantly refused to read any of the three Harry Potter books published at the time until I was required to in college in my children's literature class. Almost instantly I was spellbound by Rowling's nostalgic narrative. Children of course (and quite a few adults as well) delighted in the fantasy and Harry's and friends' magical misadventures. However, I think much more alluring to adults is how Rowling's writing somehow manages to transport us in time to a much simpler, secure, and magical era in our own lives.

But in her latest achievement Rowling departed from her usual safe, magical, nostalgic atmosphere, instead embracing all too real themes prominent in the world at large. The opening chapter in her book portrays the muggle world hopelessly searching for answers to inexplicable acts of terrorism. In doing so, she has effectively raised the stakes in this book. No longer is it just the wizarding community in danger, but ours as well. It seems the ever present daily fear that magical characters live with is a very familiar echo of own terrorist fueled anxiety in this perilous new world we live in.

Gone is mystery obscuring Voldermort, who until this book, moved quietly(with a few notable exceptions) in the shadows of uncertainty and doubt. Every witch and wizard alive now knows Voldermort is back and that they all are in "mortal peril". Potter and Dumbledore themselves take further steps to pierce the veil of mystery that has always opaqued this character. Acting very much like FBI profilers the two reconstruct recollections of Voldermort's past, uncovering the truth about how a modest muggle born Tom Riddle became the scourge of the wizarding world, with unimaginable consequences for both.

Perhaps the darkest (and most beautifully poignant) aspect of this novel is the way she strips Potter himself of callow illusions of safety. In the first book Potter's mother had imparted some magical shield to him through her death at Lord Voldermort's hands. Indeed all Potter had to do to vanquish the Voldermort specter was touch him. Even when Voldermert was resurrected in the flesh in later books, Potter still had layers of protection consisting of members of the Order of the Phoenix and Dumbledore himself. But in this book every ounce of protection once had, whether real or imagined, is stolen from him, in one fateful moment atop Hogwort's castle. The ultimate irony of this scene is that it is Dumbledore's trusting optimism, in which Potter found some sort of emotional respite in earlier books, which tragically leaves Potter very much alone. By the end of this emotional epic Potter has become a man, abandoning all desperate hopes of shirking his final confrontation with his arch nemesis and accepts his destiny with ironclad determination. For adults, Rowling has successfully tapped into our own memory of whatever tragedy or trauma caused us to cease to believe in magic and forget childish illusions of security in our own lives.

This is not to say that the book is completing lacking in humor or the lighthearted moments we have come to expect from Rowling's writing, this book seems to be an effective amalgam of both. From family squabbles over Christmas dinner to hormonal teenagers taking lusty refuge in each other's arms in darkened classrooms or abandoned hallways this book had more than enough comical highlights. Ron and Hermione in their mature(or lack of it) relationship provide a great deal of humor in this novel.

However great this story might be or how well it sets the stage for the final epic showdown, this book may not be for everyone. It seems that Rowling is writing for adults or at least the children (now teenagers) that read the first book in the series when it was originally published. The vocabulary that Rowling uses is quite extensive and one should be prepared to have a dictionary on hand to discern the full meaning out of certain passages. Furthermore, as the characters have grown up so too have the series themes matured. Our teenage protagonists are now involved with romantic rivalries, rebelliousness, and quite a bit of making out. As mentioned before the themes and mechanisms Rowling utilizes in her writing may be too mature for younger readers. While this book will surly present hours of enjoyable entertainment to adults, parents would be well advised to wait for the eager younger readers to be a bit older before presenting with this wonderfully written all too real fantasy masterpiece.

When's the next one coming out?
For me, the engine that has moved the plot through the entire series has been the question of whether Snape is evil or just hateful. This is the crux of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. All the evidence we have points to the former. But ... how much do you trust Dumbledore's judgement? If he was wrong about Snape, it throws into question his conviction that love is more powerful than evil. On the other hand, Dumbledore tells Harry that, as he is a lot smarter than the average wizard, his mistakes tend to be correspondingly huger. Can you swallow a mistake that huge?

In many ways I like this book the best of the series. It feels a lot leaner (and is a lot shorter) than the previous two because J.K. Rowling has dispensed with the subplots that were so entertaining/extraneous. The battle lines are clearly drawn, and the atmosphere in the wizarding world is post-9/11 Washington: shell-shocked, anxious, with many official attempts to appear to be managing a mostly invisible threat. Harry's personal life, however, has gotten a lot better. He's been largely freed from the familiar sources of persecution, and he's getting the respect he's earned from teachers, students, and even the press. He and his friends have the increased freedom and independence you would expect for sixteen-year-olds; many of the few lighter moments come during the wizarding equivalent of driver's ed.

If you're inclined toward the philosophical, you'll find grist for your mill in this book. If you're not, you'll just gulp it down as fast as you can and then wish for more.

Heartbreaking and fabulous
What an incredible book!

I don't know where to begin. Let's begin at the beginning, shall we? "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" opens with an amusing scene with the "Other Minister," who is actually the Prime Minister of England, being visited by the new Minister of Magic. I just pictured Tony Blair the entire time, especially when he was lamenting over an impending phone call from that "wretched" man who was the president of a powerful yet unnamed country...J.K. Rowling certainly has a sense of humor!

Let's get back to the main story. Lord Voldemort's followers are gaining power, and people everywhere (wizards and Muggles alike) are in danger. In order to help Harry learn as much as possible about the history of the Dark Lord, Professor Dumbledore enlists in the help of his pensieve to take Harry back in time to the days when Tom Riddle was just a young man. Harry eventually embarks on a journey to help his professor find four missing Horcruxes, which are magical objects in which He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has extracted parts of his soul in order to secure immortality.

There are many additional developments in this novel, too. The sixth-year students all receive the results of their O.W.L.S. over the summer, and they become more focused on the intensive classes that will prepare them for their N.E.W.T. exams the following year. Harry comes across a mysterious potions textbook that is marked as the property of the Half-Blood Prince. The book contains a bunch of shortcuts that make potion-making a breeze for Harry, but the identity of its previous owner remains a mystery, and Harry eventually gets more than he bargained for when one of the Prince's spells goes awry.

Hogwarts students receive a new Potions instructor when Professor Snape takes over as the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher...a move that has Harry and his best friends, Ron and Hermione, absolutely befuddled. Draco Malfoy, Harry's nemesis, has been acting very strange all year. Harry believes that Draco has joined legions with the Death Eaters and is planning some sort of attack on the school, but there's no real evidence to support that theory, and Harry has a hard time getting anyone to believe him. There is also romance in the air at Hogwarts...love potions become very popular, and new couples are formed, some of which are better pairings than others. Harry finally chooses the girl that he was meant to be with from day one, but Ron makes an arse out of himself for the majority of the book, which is painful but also quite humorous (I know he'll set things right in Book Seven!).

The novel becomes darker and more somber as it progresses. There are many more deaths in "Half-Blood Prince" than any of the previous Potter novels...and that's saying a lot! Someone is bewitching objects and launching attacks on Hogwarts students...one of the most popular characters becomes gravely ill as a result of drinking a poisoned beverage. When Dumbledore and Harry set off on their climactic quest at the end of the book, the horrors they encounter are too gruesome to put in words. Young readers will ultimately be disturbed by what they read. (I'm a 25-year-old reader, and I'll probably be having nightmares for weeks! Seriously, when it comes time for "Order of the Phoenix" and "Half-Blood Prince" to be made into movies, I don't see how Warner Brothers will manage to avoid "R" ratings.)

Ultimately, the end of this novel is the most tragic and heartbreaking of any book in the series so far. It was also the most shocking. Personally, I had a feeling that I knew which character was going to die...it made sense to me that Harry would need to go into Book Seven as utterly alone as possible, and Rowling set it up so that's exactly what will happen. However, I was absolutely stunned when the final death took place, and that's all because of the second chapter of the book, when Snape meets with Bellatrix and Narcissa and pledges an Unbreakable Vow. Now, I have always had a soft spot in my heart for Snape. (I think it's partially because I adore Alan Rickman, but I see now that my logic was incredibly stupid...this is a book, not a movie!) I always thought that there was something very important about Snape that readers were not privy to, and that the information would somehow redeem him. I also thought that since Dumbledore was such a great wizard, he was right in placing so much trust in Snape. I always thought that Snape really was a loyal member of the Order, and that he was putting himself at great risk by maintaining ties with the Death Eaters.

When Snape pledged the Unbreakable Vow to Narcissa, I had a feeling that he had majorly done himself in, and that he would be totally screwed over in the end, especially since it is revealed later in the book that people who break Unbreakable Vows die. Well...I don't want to spoil things by saying more than I already have, but things did not work out exactly as I had thought. Regardless of what I have ever thought about Snape, I never expected that he would behave the way he did at the end of the book. I was absolutely stunned. BUT...it will be interesting to see what happens in Book Seven. The reason Dumbledore finally gives for trusting Snape is incredibly flimsy...perhaps there's something more to it than meets the eye...maybe Snape actually proved himself to be the most loyal member of the Order by carrying out Dumbledore's orders at the end! I have no idea how that theory will play out, but it's just an idea...with J.K. Rowling, anything is possible. We will see!

The end of the book is unbelievably sad and depressing. It made me cry even though I saw the whole thing coming. I don't think I've been that sad since the spider died at the end of "Charlotte's Web".

"Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" is amazing. It is mature and moving and is by far the best book in the series so far. There are a lot of open-ended questions that are leading up to Book Seven...will Harry and his friends return to Hogwarts for their final year? Will there even be a Hogwarts to go back to? How on earth will Harry manage the impossible task that lies ahead of him? One thing's for certain...I can't wait to find out! ... Read more

Editorial Review

This deluxe edition of the runaway international bestseller includes:
·A sneak peek at Book III
·An exclusive, full-color foldout poster of Glaedr by award-winning artist John Jude Palencar
·A revealing excerpt of the history of Alagaësia
·Never-before-seen art by the author, including an image of Brom’s elf ring
·A complete and comprehensive list of people, places, things, and dwarf clans

Darkness falls. . . . Swords clash. . . . Evil reigns.

Eragon and his dragon, Saphira, have just saved the rebel state from destruction by the mighty forces of King Galbatorix, cruel ruler of the Empire. Now Eragon must travel to Ellesméra, land of the elves, for further training in magic and swordsmanship, the vital skills of the Dragon Rider. It is the journey of a lifetime, filled with awe-inspiring new places and people, each day a fresh adventure. But chaos and betrayal plague him at every turn, and Eragon isn’t sure whom he can trust.

Meanwhile, his cousin Roran must fight a new battle back home in Carvahall–one that puts Eragon in even graver danger.

Will the king's dark hand strangle all resistance? Eragon may not escape with even his life. . . .


From the Hardcover edition. ... Read more

Reviews

Solid, but easily forgettable..., September 25, 2005
This "Inheritance" trilogy has inspired more animosity then I have seen in a very long time. Their is litterally a great divide here, with many hailing Paolini as the next Tolkien, while others say that he will be the downfall of fantasy literature. Personally, I think BOTH sides are giving him way to much credit.
Let's start off with the pro-Paolini crew. I honestly have to wonder if you have actually read any other fantasy novels out there. If you have, you will notice that Eldest is saturated with cliches which Paolini attempts to hide by calling his work 'archetypal.' The attempt at portraying true love is laughable at best with the protagonist litterally calling a girl "as beautiful as a flower." That type of stuff makes me cringe. It seems to me that Paolini doesn't get his writing from real life experience, but instead from the many different authors that he has read before. Without experience, the emotions of Eldest come out as regurgetated garbage. I do not need to delve to deeply into the storyline itself for that has been mentioned numerous times before. I will say though that Paolini has got away with plagiarism. He copied names of places and towns, people, and plots by tweaking them only slightly so as to get away with it. For an avid reader, he fails at sneaking that theivery by us. It stuck out with each new page that I read. I must also say that I am dissapointed that Paolini failed to add anything original to the fantasy genre. Everything he wrote about HAS been used before; everything. That takes the excitement from the book.
Another problem I have is Paolini's arrogance. In reviewing himself, he said "I strive for a lyrical beauty somewhere between Tolkien at his best, and Seamus Henney's translation of Beowulf." That is ridiculous. Plagiraism doesn't put you on the same plane as the one you stole it from. HIs arrognace can also be seen with the agenda's that he peppers into the book, such as the assertion that eating meat is barbaric and that the human race is a collection of bumbling idiots. To top it all off, he feels the need to use obscure words to make himself feel smarter then he really is. I have no problem with a big vocabulary, IF the words fit in the context they are used and if they help get a certain point across. HIs words just feel awkward and take away from the flow of the reading. In conclusion, I find Paolini to be a literary thief who hides and sells his book with his age, rather then any particular merits.
At the same time, I think the anti-Paolini groups are taking thier opinions way overboard. Sure the story is horrible and contrived and rittled with cliches, but you are all giving him way to much credit. I have read some reviews that say he will be the ruin of children's literature. To me, that's a bit extreme. I see the Inheritance trilogy as a fad fueled by the vaccum created by the last Harry Potter book. When this seriies is over with, it will be forgotten and a new writer will emerge. For all of you vehement anti-Paolini people, you are feeding right into Pailoni's niche and are, by some degree, the reason why his book is so popular. Debate and conflict is one of the greatest marketing tools available. I also want to add that some of these negative reviews are a bit exxagerated. It's a mediocre book, (at best), but you must take it as it is. Although I am discusted at how much Paolini stole, I must reluctantly commend him for getting som many young kids to read. He succeeded in that regard and I can only hope that it will inspire people to read books of a higher quality.
I must say that all this attention is a bit baffling. It doesn't seem like it warrants it in any way, from any viewpoint. I will read the last installment of the trilogy for the sole purpose of a closure to what has been a strange ride. As a positve, I will say that Paolini has imroved since Eragon, although his style needs a lot of fine tuning and work. The Inheritance Trilogy is a rebound for Harry Potter. If you are going to buy it, know what it is you are reading and take it as it is. Don't expect any powerful revelations or philosophical intrigue, but maybe that was intended. Until the next book, I sign off. Thank you for reading my review.

Please don't Preach., September 27, 2006
Maybe you can chalk it up to second book let down, but this was far weaker than Eragon, slow moving and verbose like there was a word count to fulfill. The part that bothered me was the attempt to say that the lowest bug and man were in reality of the same value. This on it's face may be likened to the beliefs of Hinduism, but that too is crushed by the assertion that anyone that is really enlightened does not believe in God. The book also states that one who is enlightened will not eat the flesh of another living being. It then goes on to give plants a low level of awareness, I wonder why the enlightened are allowed to eat at all.

Very...dry, April 28, 2006
I found Paolini's books to be dry stories. They lack any real flavor. I know that calling Inheritance cliched is a cliche in itself, but it's true. You can have an "archetypal hero story" without it being a cliche. Look at Stephen King's Dark Tower, for instance. What makes a good epic fantasy writer is the ability to take an archetype and add something new to it or present it in a new and refreshing way.

Another dry part of the book is all the minor characters, like Elessari, Nari, and that dwarf named Svrrg-something. These characters have absolutely no personality (though the same could be said of the main characters), much like the minor characters in the later Wheel of Time books. They are easily forgettable. I guess these are the characters that are "born out of necessity" judging from their soulessness. Though what that necessity is, I'm not sure.

And to Blah Blah Kent concerning your rather absurd review:

"you'll be shocked to see that a LOT of them (around 80%!) have only reviewed the Inheritance books, and given them both only one star each." I have a question. What's wrong with that? They read the books and didn't like them. So what?

"Also, please do note the DATES at which the reviews have been sumbitted" What about the dates? Were you going somewhere with this, or did you hit the Submit button too early?

I don't know about you, but I only bother to review really bad books like Eragon and Eldest. It's no so bad if people think a good book is bad but it pains me to see so many people calling a bad book good.

I could say something on the level of "Shame on you, you pathetic little..." but I won't sink that low. I'll just remind you that the Eragon "haters" are entitled to their opinions and their points are, for the most part, very well supported.

Can we get some emotion here, please? Pretty, pretty please?, May 22, 2006
You know when you read a book and find out that some character in it reminds you of someone you know? That's a cool feeling, and every time you read that book, or its sequels, you'll think of that character as that person you know, and therefore it'll feel much more lifelike to you. That's one of the marks of a good book: real characters with real problems and real ways to cope.

Eldest, though, is sorely lacking in this department. Unless you're excellent friends with a ceral box, you won't find any characters in this book that remind you of anyone you know. They're lifeless little robots whose only job in these books is to parade around Middle Earth (oops, I meant Alegaia, or however you spell that) and say, 'Aye', every ten words or so, despite being the only hope against. . .sorry about the spelling. . .Galboratrix.
Also, I don't really think that it was important to make Sapheria drunk all the time. Was that supposed to be funny, or something? Well, it wasn't. And if the dragon wasn't drunk, it was Orik. I'm having a very hard time beliving that these weirdos will save their kingdom. It would be great if they realized that they had problems and had to overcome them, but CP takes the easy way out and just makes his characters move along like robots, not questioning anything and dating hot elf chicks.
Yes, I finished the book. I never leave a book unfinished, no matter how dull. The ending is the best part of the book by far. In fact, this whole series would be much, much better if CP stopped trying to make Eragon fall in love with Arya and just made it one conflict after another. His battle scenes are the best part of his books. That's not really saying much, though.
So, why do I give it two stars? The battle scenes and Roran saved this book from a one-star rating. I look forward to seeing Roran in the third book, amazingly! He's the character I'm rooting for. As for Eragon. . .get rid of him and have Roran and Murtaugh narate! I'd be a much better book without that loser in it!
Read it with caution. If you're expecting something like Harry Potter, you're going to be very dissapointed indeed. If you're expecting something like The Prophecy of the Stones, (another book by a young author that's just a little short of being fantastic)then this book might just be okay for you.

On a side note:
[...] I just hope that people don't lose their faith in teen authors because of CP's novels.

Unoriginal, at best..., June 5, 2006
I really did enjoy the first book as I read it, but upon reflection I realized it was completely hacked, or jacked, from a bunch of other authors. For fun, I started making predictions for the "twists" in the next book, "Eldest"
I guessed correctly about Arya, Murtagh, and a whole bunch of other things...Enough to make me think, h'm'm'm, Why don't I just write the next one??
But, besides the fact that the plot and its "twists" are unoriginal at best, downright obvious at worst, there is the issue of poor characterization.
Eragon has never been a very relatable character. He gets worse in this book, becoming gasseouly inflated with the "high and intellectually noble" world of the elves, learning "ancient truths" which are not, as in usual fantasy, relatable truths (think love, truth, honor) for the reader. It's just a bunch of high-ended blowhard that makes sense if you're about ten minutes away from dropping into a REM cycle.
Arya, the "token elf-princess" (gasp! who coulda guessed that she was the elf-princess Eragon was destined to fall in love with? WHO?) is a wholly unlikable and distant ice queen. Yes, we all know she's absolutely perfect(except for that "scar along her jawline to mar her beauty"), by now. Stop lauding her. Eragon seems to like her as a goddess, an ideal, instead of a real person. Whoopsy! She is a goddess! How could we forget?
Murtagh, the only character I felt for, is seriously underused, and is in very grave danger of becoming Darth Vader. "You do not understand the power of the dark side..." "But there is good in you! I can feel it!" "No, Eragon...I am trapped..." For Murtagh fans, I have to tell you: firstly, the thing you suspected about him is true, and secondly, he appears for about the ten last pages. That's all.
The addition of Roran as a character baffled me. There was no point. Sure, there are ways to convey that the war is becoming universal without dedicating half the book to a new, annoying character. But hey, at least Roran has motivation.
Of course the alternating chapters are irritating, but after a while, you don't care what's happening either way.
I believe reviewers have already mentioned the gruesome attention to the detailed customs of every culture mentioned in the book, their language, their rituals, their opinion on Eragon, their dress, and every other thing under their sun. My younger brother mentioned that this book was written "minute-to-minute". Practically every sequence of every day is recorded. No real glossing narrative over the boring parts, even when nothing happened except Eragon was still breathing. The journey to Du Weldevarn takes about fifty pages. Nothing happened along the way except that they traveled. Not an exciting read.
But the book has a pompous way of assuming every little thing Eragon considers is a gravitous, moral truth that everyone should consider.
And in conclusion, the last shortcoming of this book is it has no sense of humor. Eragon attempts to be wry once in a while, but he really should spare himself the effort. All in all, no laughs to contrast with the tone of impending doom that permeates the entire book. And not just for those stuck reading it...

Even worse than the first book, December 10, 2005
Most authors improve as time goes on, but Christopher Paolini has gotten worse since his lamentably poor first novel "Eragon." This book, the second in the Inheritance trilogy, shows all the flaws of the first book, with even more on top.

For starters, the parallels with "Star Wars" and "Lord of the Rings" are so blatant that it's almost funny. Oromis is a blatant Yoda clone, and Nasuda is an obvious rip-off of Eowyn. And of course, there's the "shocking" plot twist which we all saw coming from a mile off, in which it's revealed that Murtagh is Eragon's brother (identical to how Darth Vader turned out to be Luke's father...I suppose even Paolini realised that resorting to the "I am your father" clichďż˝ was one plagarism too far), followed by the phrase "Search your feelings, you know it to be true" which is taken straight from "Star Wars." Oh yes...and let's not forget Morgothar and Elessari, whose names are clear copies of Morgoth and Elessar from "Lord of the Rings." And those are just the rip-offs of two series! He's also stolen from the likes of Anne McCaffrey (the parallels with her "Dragonriders" books are so blatant that I'm surprised she doesn't sue him), Ursula K Le Guin, David Eddings, JK Rowling, and hundreds of other authors. He even steals from the James Bond films (the idea of Eragon becoming an elf sounds suspiciously similar to Bond becoming Japanese in "You Only Live Twice"). Note to Paolini...you seriously need to get some ideas of your own, or it'll reach a point where nobody will read your books as they'll just be rip-offs of others.

Paolini also inserts complicated words every few pages (his favourite one being "stymied"). Most of them are out of place, and none of them are likely to be familiar to the target audience. There are bucketloads of forced dialogue (such as the infamous "last words" exchange near the beginning), and the same long, boring description that plagued "Eragon" shows up here too. The subplot involving Roran and Katrina was dull and uninteresting, and will probably amount to nothing by the time the Inheritance trilogy is over. He uses the word "aye" over and over again, and endlessly violates the "show it, don't tell it" rule of writing. Oh yes...and there are his pathetic attempts at trying to sound wise and philosophical by sticking in blatant morals about vegetarianism every few minutes. All of these come to together to make "Eldest" one of the worst sequels ever written.

And sadly, Paolini is going to continue making these mistakes. He refuses to listen to advice from his reviewers, and goes around crowing about his ability to write with "lyrical beauty." The fact of the matter is, he isn't a writer, and probably never will be one. His attitude to writing is summed up perfectly in his now infamous quote "Characters are born out of necessity" (we could probably have guessed at that anyway, as he is totally incapable of creating a three-dimensional character). As any true writer will tell you, characters are living, breathing creatures almost with minds of their own. Unfortunately, Paolini doesn't seem to have grasped that yet, hence the reason why he clearly thinks he's God's gift to the world of books.

I'm not going to bother reading the third book, as I already know exactly what will happen in it. The whole thing will be a blatant rip-off of "Return of the Jedi" with even more "Lord of the Rings" clones thrown in. And I know precisely how the last scene will go. Eragon will give himself up to Murtagh, who will take him to Emperor Galbatorix. Murtagh and Eragon will duel, and Eragon will mortally wound Murtagh. Emperor Galbatorix will torture Eragon, but Murtagh, with the last of his strength, will kill him. Then he will die in the arms of Eragon, who will escape just in time to avoid death. Meanwhile, the Varden will destroy the Empire despite the Empire having phenemonally powerful weaponry at their disposal. Oh yes, and Arya will realise she loved Eragon all along, and the two of them will get married and settle down. Yawn, yawn, yawn. I certainly won't be reading it, and I advice people not to read this piece of garbage either.

And by the way, I also have a few words to say to fans of the Inheritance trilogy. I honestly don't think I've seen a more obsessive fanbase of any book or film series before. This pages are swamped with Eragon fanatics who cannot bear to hear a word against this supposedly wonderful piece of literature. They give low helpfulness ratings to poor reviews, and come up with increasingly silly reasons as to why its awfulness should be allowed. As others have done before me, I intend to refute the main arguments put forward by Eragon fans in defence of their favourite book series. Here goes...

- "He's only a child, leave him alone." For starters he isn't a child any more. And secondly, he's a published author, and therefore we have the right to criticise him despite his age.
- "It's a children's book, so it's alright for it to be poor." That is cruel and untrue. Children have as much right as adults to be given good books to read, and to say that its awfulness is okay because it's a children's book is just wrong.
- "I don't see you writing a book at his age." So what you're basically saying is that only published authors have the right to criticise books. Sorry, that's not true either. You don't need to be an author to recognise a bad book...you simply have to be a reader.
- "It's not plagarism, it's influence from other authors." There's a line between being influenced by your favourite authors and plagarising from them, and Paolini crossed that line almost from Page 1 of "Eragon." Many authors use ideas that others have used before them, but they will make the ideas their own, and take them in their own direction. Paolini has used hundreds of ideas from other authors, and not once has he added his own touches to them. And if you still think he hasn't plagarised from other authors, compare the names "Aragorn," "Arwen" and "Isengard" to "Eragon," "Arya," "Ardwen" and "Isenstar." The parallels are right there.
- "If you liked the authors Paolini stole from, you must like Paolini." No we mustn't. An earlier reviewer said it better than I could...we want to read an original, well-written book, not a flimsy rip-off.
- "You're just out to criticise it." No we're not. The majority of "Eldest" haters picked the book up with the intention of reading it, not with the intention of coming to Amazon and saying "Urgh, it stinks!"

And last but not least, my personal favourite...

- "You all suck." If you can't accept that other people have a right to an opinion, you're not going to get very far in life.

The Eragon fanatics need to accept that there are people out there who dislike Paolini's work (and justifiably so). But I don't know why I'm bothering saying this...the fanatics ignored all the previous reviewers who tried to put them straight, and I don't see why they'll pay any attention to me. But at least I can say I tried.

Teens can write. Paolini cannot., March 25, 2006
Paolini is a young man suffering from WUI. (Writing Under the Influence) He is under the influence Tolkien, Lucas and the tons of other writers he has taken plot-points and other things from. I could even say he is taking things from Poe (When Eragon wrote 'In the kingdom by the sea' in that poem, I dropped the book in shock as my mind sent an alarm of 'Annabel-Lee').

Now for those of you that say that there are no new ideas--
There are none. You're right. Ideas are common and everywhere and most unoriginal. What you yourself do with those ideas in a story make the STORY original.

Paolini's story is not original. You can see from skimming the lines that there are word for word quotes from other things. Angela saying that she will spare two eyes if she can-- a direct quote from Gandalf. Murtagh revealing who he is at the end can be compared to Star Wars without that much work. If only Paolini had spent another year or two playing with the story and changing things a little, it would be a good story. But it isn't.

And as for us being too harsh on him for being a young man and not an adult, he is twenty-two. He is an adult now. He is a published author in the real world and we cannot cut him slack as if he were still in school and this was a creative writing assigment that he 'tried really, really hard' on.

Not to mention that Mary Shelley was nineteen when she wrote her famed novel Frankenstein and S. E. Hinton was sixteen when she published The Outsiders. Those are books that are decades old (Almost a two centuries if you look at Frankenstein) and are still being read today. And never did Shelley or Hinton use their age as a marketing tool-- both of those books were published without anything about the author on them.

Teens can write. Paolini cannot.

I seriously feel like egging Paolini sometimes, January 10, 2006
Ok. First i have to talk about the author, Christopher Paolini. I would have respected him for his work, if not for the arrogant personality he displays all the time and the media on his work. What is with all this? The Inheritance novels are mediocre. There is really no genius about it. Just beacause he is nineteen is no reason to call him a teen Tolkien, or to call his books absolutely incredible. Say, pretty nice work for a teen. And that should be it. No need to proclaim him a genius, when he isnt. His writing has improved slightly, but it is still awkward and tedious and as the author himself, he is a sure arrogant guy, comparing his works with Tolkien and Seamus Heaney. The very nerve! I would have respected him if he had been a modest guy, but a self-proclaimed genius is far too much.

This and the fact that at every opportunity, he chimes in that he graduated at the age of fifteen. Excuse me, this does not mean that he is oustanding in academics. HE IS HOMESCHOOLED, He did not go to some public school. Not to insult homeschooled kids, but this means that he could have been a C student, for all we know. All his parents had to do was speed him through schoolwork and proclaim him finished when he wsa fifteen. If i was homeschooled, i could easily do the same thing. We do not have actual proof that he is a great scholar. I mean, if it was fact that he gotten a fifteen hundred on his SATs, or he has been accepted by an Ivy League, like Alicia Keys did when SHE was fifteen, then i would admire him. But we dont. And when i hear of people clamoring over his "graduating from the age of fifteeen" and his "genius works" i am highly irritated. Paolini likes to boast of it himself, calling himself "from a child who hated to read to a man who graduated from the age of fifteen" First, so what. I absolutely loathe math, but i excell at it. i hate science, but i earn A's in my bio class. And shouldnt he say "from a kid who hated to read to a guy who WROTE A NOVEL"? That would make a lot more sense. And the fact that he used to hate to read! That lowers my respect a lot.
Oh, and the fact that he says that he brings his story to life. Excuse me, Mr. Paolini but not really. The few cases in which i could imagine the scene was, for a strange reason, straight from the Lord of the Ring movies. Weird, huh?

oh, by the way, for the eragon lovers claim that all the bad reviewers are jealous. Excuse me, but when you say something like,"this was a bad movie", does that mean you're jealous of the producers or something? Puh-lease. And people claim that since all fanstasies are similar, paolini copying is not a crime. But there is a difference between similar and PURE PLAGIARIZING like paolini does from LOTR and Star Wars. And i dont even mind that as much as the writing style. i mean, some novels are about such boring subjects. what turns them ito great books is the style in which is is written. THAT IS WHAT THE INHERITANCE SERIES LACKS. A GOOD WRITING STYLE. I mean, if it was well-written, it would have brought up my rating a couple stars up, even. But as it isnt...

oh and i read some reviews in which some writer-wannabe said that people who critizised the books were jealous that paolini got the book published by his parents who own a publishing comp. Um, please. WE'RE NOT ALL WRITERS, JUST READERS! our priorities lie somewhere else! My god.

So lets get on with the book. As i said in my title, Eldest is an improvement after that utterly disgraceful novel called Eragon. SPOILERS COMING. Ajihad dies suddenly in like the first five pages. His death and the suddeness of the ambush on him is poorly written with awkward construction. Then his daughter Nasuada suceeds him as leader of the Varden, a small group of rebels, sworn enemies of the Empire.

Before we move on, i should warn the reader that the general frame is similar to Star Wars. There is an elite group of warriors, long gone, called the Riders, kinda like the Jedi, One of them, an unusually talented yet dangerous boy called Galbatorix (cough Vader) rises to power, destroys all the riders and takes control of the land called Alagaesia and makes it into an empire. Then a poor farm boy of no importance called Eragon (sounds like aragorn but is actually luke skywalker) finds a stone which is a dragon egg. The empire starts hunting for him and a wierd old guy in his village takes eragon on a journey. the guy himself knows a lot of magic and things about riders and then soon dies. seems that he used to b a powerful Rider. (aka obi-Wan Kenobi). And then the farm boy rescues the rebel princess in imprisonment, and then becomes a hero.

And blah blah blah. Of course Paolini has ripped off a lot from Lord of the Rings with his names and lands and creatures like the mining, underground dwarves, who are on shaky land with humans and the graceful, mysterious, powerful, immortal and beautiful elves, ruled by a beautiful, mysterious queen, and they hide in their enchanted forests and do nothing against the evil dude. Arwen is Arya, who helps Eragon and even matches Arwen's appearance. Eragon falls in love with her (aragorn and arwen love affair *cough*). In the first book, Paolini also ripped off LOTR the part when sauron is defeated and there's a sort of sonic boom (same thing happened when Eragon killed the evil shade Durza)

Well anyway, Murtagh has been killed and so has the twins, or at least it seems so. But by the blunt disposal of them by the author, it's pre-tty obvious that they are alive, since they are major characters and eragon expresses his grief for his companion in maybe two sentences for the entire book.

he goes off to Ellesmera to learn further magic from the elves, especially a crippled and retired rider called Oromis (obviously Yoda) and his handicapped dragon tutors Saphira.

Eragon flies into rages with an elf who is disgusted with eragon (i dont blame the elf) and pines and sobs about the cold arya, who is less than thrilled about his feelings for her. The author gives some political reasons why this is so, but in my frank opinion, who would go for Eragon, the loser and ugly guy that he is? Anyhow, Eragon learns what a vegetarian is, and has ridiculous philosiphical conversations with his mentor,

and meanwhile, his cousin rowan is having problems of his own.

Rowan comes back to the farm to find his father dead and his cousin eragon missing. He and his girlfriend Katrina are hesitant about marriage and the Ra-zac have come back and they want Rowan. After several skirmishes with the local villagers, Carvahall altogether declare war and after death and CANNIBALISM (squeamish ppl, beware) they escape across the sea for Surda and a better life. Katrina is captured and Rowan decides to kill people with a hammer.(WTF?!?!) Then after many tears and hammerblows they reach their destintaion. (one more ripoff is when there are these flying black creatures flying above them in the forest and screeching in this horrible, unnatural way that causes the villagers to moan)

Eragon, after another failed attempt at wooing Arya and just about transformed into an elf by them, he hurries back to the Varden just in time for the big battle with Surda this time fighting along them, and some Kull who resent Galbatorix. Of course they win, only to his horror,

SPOLIERS BEWARE:

"I...AM...YOUR...FATHER!!!". ok not quite. he finds out that murtagh is actually his brother and galbatorix's right-hand Rider, Morzan, slain by Brom years ago, (obi-wan and anakin skywalker duel in episode three) is his father. THis is pretty much obvious in the first book if you put the clues together. To make it worse, Murtagh is Galbatorix's slave and he is forced to obey him by ancient language-oaths, which mean that you cannot break it. If this werent enough, Murtagh, despite all of Eragon's training and longer experience, is far more powerful than his little brother. Because frankly, Murtagh has been trained by Galbotorix. And he is now a Rider. Yep the second egg has hatched for Murtagh and Thorn, the new dragon, bears a rider. Who is Murtagh.

so the battle of the burning plains or whatever is EXACTLY like the battle of minas tirith in lord of the rings. people are fighting on these desolate plains. all seems lost when ta-da, people show up and help them fight (here paolini substitutes the Rohan people for the dwarves) then ahhh! a big dragon swoops down from the sky and kills a king! the dragon's rider is dressed in steel, including these little steel-finger gloves, and when the dragon is brought down, the rider gets down from the dragon to fight by hand!! totally plagiarizing.

and let me guess. in the next book, ergaon will be brought face-to-face with Galbatorix. Ergaon will be losing, dying, when ta-da! Galbatorix's right hand man Murtagh will become good and help Ergaon kill Galbatorix. Yep. I bet you that will happen. MY GOD PAOLINI PLEASE STOP COPYING FROM STAR WARS AND LORD OF THE RINGS. JUST A SLIGHT EFFORT. Pretty please?

And i leave it to the readers to shake their heads exasperately at Eragon, who is as much as a jerk and awkwardly nobel as ever. here is an example.

Ergaon: "What is your name?"
Boy: "Jarsha,"
Ergaon: "That is a good name."
Boy: Umm, thanks.Here's a message from the council.
Eragon: "You have carried your message well. You should be proud of yourself.
Boy beams and hurries away.

see what i mean? my god, it wasn't like the boy travelled like ten miles or anything, he walked like maybe fifty steps. That line was so corny i nearly cried in disbelief that that had actually been put down on paper.

And you will grimace with disgust at the even more awkward poetry Paolini writes, after all, every genius fantasy writer puts good poetry; for example, Rowling's was entertaining, Tolkien's was powerful and beautiful; paolini's is pure amateur and feeble. i do hope the next book will improve.

oh, and why the heck is this called the "Inheritance" books? Nothing gets inherited in these books. Eragon didnt inherit anyhting. Murtagh inherited a sword from his father. big deal. lord of the rings i understand. harry potter i understand. why the heck would these series be called "inheritance"?

oh, and i was also annoyed at the fact that eragon, a farm boy with no education and illiterate, suddenly becomes an expert at reading and writing in not only in whatever his language is, but also in Elvish.
Being pretty much an adult, Eragon should find it more difficult than ever to learn, because it is proven that the older you get, the slower you learn things.
yet, only after a few weeks of learning, Eragon is suddenly reading and writing like its nothing. after a few months at Ellesmera, Eragon is suddenly speaking an entrirely different language, and writing and reading it as if he has been speaking it all his life. yes, he knows a lot of elvish words from his magic training, but i also mean adjectives and combining sentences and blah. seriously, paolini, get a life and please stop copying and writing terribly besides. sheesh.

Don't be taken in by the hype, January 28, 2006
I liked Eragon well enough and I was looking forward to this book coming out. As it turns out, it's a good thing I waited for the library copy and didn't buy it, because owning it would have been pointless. The prose is really rather tedious and immature, not to mention how unnecessarily LONG it is. I won't summarize; just know that the "influence" of other writers is starkly visible. There's little originality in the writing, and the text is ridden with mistakes that a good editor should have eliminated (e.g., the incorrect and completely arbitrary substitution of words like "mine" and "thy/thine" for "my" and "yours"). Overall, the dialogue is probably the most awkard part, with the next most irksome thing being the superfluous scenes. Side note: anyone interested in joining a rescue mission to free the author's thesaurus? The preachiness really got to me, too; the author seems to dream of a society full of vegetarian atheists who practice elf yoga daily and takes "mates" whenever they want to without any commitment. And yes, "aye" is used with obscene frequency.

However -
I did read the whole book, and I wanted to find out what happened to Eragon even after the stupid training period in Ellesmera that was probably supposed to be formative (actually it just ends with us having to accept that Eragon is amazingly powerful and talented). So, I must say -- with reluctance? -- that this book wasn't a total waste of time. No, it is not good, but I wanted to know what happened.

And then Eragon lightly bounded up the epicly proportionatly steps to his bed., July 17, 2006
Bored yet. Thats what most of the sentences are like. I found myself skipping pages and missing absolutely nothing except Mr. Paolinis wonderful descriptions. When I read Eragon I thought it was okay not great, I didn't like the fact that Paolini copied just about every fantasty book out there. In Eldest though it gets ridiculous. As I was reading I was imagining Gimli, Arwen, and Luke Skywalker strolling through the woods.

I have to agree with the others about the editor, this book could have gotten rid of 200 pgs. or so and we would have missed nothing except expandind our vocabulary. I found myself thinking of one of my old english teachers(shudder) I don't need to be reminded of that.

Overall Paolinis descriptions reminded me of the enigizer bunny, they kept going and going and going. I'll probably read the third book when it comes out, lets all hope that a new editor comes along. Please. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Rose loves Dimitri, Dimitri might love Tasha, and Mason would die to be with Rose…

It’s winter break at St. Vladimir’s, but Rose is feeling anything but festive. A massive Strigoi attack has put the school on high alert, and now the Academy’s crawling with Guardians—including Rose’s hard-hitting mother, Janine Hathaway. And if handto- hand combat with her mom wasn’t bad enough, Rose’s tutor Dimitri has his eye on someone else, her friend Mason’s got a huge crush on her, and Rose keeps getting stuck in Lissa’s head while she’s making out with her boyfriend, Christian! The Strigoi are closing in, and the Academy’s not taking any risks….This year, St. Vlad’s annual holiday ski trip is mandatory.

But the glittering winter landscape and the posh Idaho resort only create the illusion of safety. When three friends run away in an offensive move against the deadly Strigoi, Rose must join forces with Christian to rescue them. But heroism rarely comes without a price… ... Read more

Reviews

Series keeps getting better and better, May 15, 2008
Life is rough in high school--even for dhamphirs. Rose Hathaway is in her Senior year at St. Vladimir's. In six months, she'll be a full fledged guardian, protecting her lifelong best friend, Lissa, a Moroi Royal.

Rose is on her way to take her Qualifier. She's going to be tested by one of the guardian greats, Arthur Schoenberg. Since he cannot leave the Moroi royal house he is guarding, Rose and her teacher, Dimitri, are coming to them.

What they find instead is slaughter. All Moroi and Dhamphir members of the household are dead--apparently a plot by the Stigoi vampires and humans in conjunction.

St. Vladimir's reacts with alarm. The school won't be allowing the students to leave on Christmas break. Instead, a ski resort will host all the students together and attendance is mandatory.

Then--another Royal house is attacked and it becomes obvious the Stigoi are set to attack all the Moroi royalty and end the lines. While the Moroi are arguing defense, some of the factions are considering a more offensive approach--which, to this point, has been forbidden.

Did I mention that Rose is having man trouble? She's in love with Dimitri, her teacher, but she can have Mason, a fellow guardian-in-training.

And--since the guardians in training need even more defensive training, guess who's come to teach special classes? Janine Hathaway, Rose's mother, who'd given up raising her child for her career...

What impresses me most about "Frostbite" is Rose's character growth in one short novel. You really read how events shape Rose's thought processes and can see how this young heroine is being shaped for her future in service to the Moroi.

The intro to this book is one of the best I've ever read. In author parlance, it's a 'tell', but it's a great introduction to Rose's world and the three types of vampires inhabiting it.

"Frostbite" is the second book in Richelle Mead's 'Vampire Academy' series. It's written for young adults, but I promise you adult readers are going to enjoy every minute of the story. I'm definitely looking forward to the next book.

There aren't enough stars for this novel!, April 13, 2008
For the fourth time, Richelle Mead has shown just what a brilliant, talented writer she is. "Frostbite" is part 2 of an ongoing teen series that began with "Vampire Academy," and it is clearly the best so far.

"Vampire Academy" introduced us to our narrator--Rose--and about a dozen other important characters; namely her best friend, Lissa, and her mentor and love, Dimitri. Mead's new vampiric world was slowly revealed throughout the course of the story, outlining the importance of the academy, as well as the roles of Moroi (like Lissa), dhampir (Rose and Dimitri), and Strigoi. In the simplest of explanations: Moroi are akin to royalty who must be protected; dhampir are the guardians of the Moroi; Strigoi are vampires gone bad (yes, you read that right).

"Frostbite" is an astounding follow-up. The prologue has Rose re-introduce the basics of this developing series, as well as a couple key roles. It's a good refresher on the events of the previous novel, and brings long-awaiting readers back up to speed.

This time, Rose's life becomes even more exciting. For starters, Strigoi are attacking in coherent, organized groups, slaughtering royalty and their guardians with frightening ease. Then, Rose's previously-absent mother appears--unwantingly for Rose--at the academy while the Moroi in the northwest gather to strategize defense. As if that weren't enough, her feelings for Dimitri, while returned, are constantly being rejected and turned down, as they have a duty to protect Lissa, and the risk of emotion cannot get in the way of that.

But does it end there? Not for Rose. Her friend, Mason, begins to show interest in her just as an old friend of Dimitri's shows feelings for him, causing even more chaos in Rose's heart. And all the while, she's lacking the company she sorely misses from Lissa, AND she's unwittingly witnessing Lissa and her new boyfriend take their relationship to the next level!

It sounds like a lot of drama, and it is. But Mead narrates to us flawlessly in the voice of Rose, who is clearly growing up, albeit struggling. Older teenage girls and even young adult females are likely to find themselves empathizing with our heroine. Mead's style is fresh and exciting, making it hard to put down the book even for a moment. Some of the action gets a little hot and heavy, but Rose is 17, something parents should keep in mind when considering this for younger girls.

But for older teens, this series is exceedingly brilliant. Richelle Mead creates an exciting, brand new world of vampires with all the familiar modern notes of strong female leads, friendships, enemies, relationships, and drama. Interspersed is Rose's wit and sarcasm, often landing her in trouble with others, but keeping the spice of the story and holding the readers' mental palate.

"Frostbite," put simply, has surpassed its predecessor. I wish I could give it more stars, and I simply cannot recommend this series enough. It will be agonizing to wait 'til next fall for the sequel, "Shadow Kiss."

Mead Never Fails to Deliver, September 3, 2008
From the first page of Vampire Academy (Vampire Academy, Book 1) I was hooked. By inventing a fresh, original take on vampires with a believable biology and a detailed world layout explained by more than simply "magic" I saw the start of a great series. By weaving in the beginnings of a forbidden romance and a intensely interesting conflict I knew that I'd devour the book within a day. And I did. I ordered Frostbite from three different places right away: Borders, amazon and the library. Then I paced around for a week and jumped whenever the phone rang. When I walked to the end of the driveway and found it sitting innocently in the mailbox I ripped it open right there - talk about papercuts, but I didn't feel them, because I was hyped up on adrenaline! - I actually sat down right on the lawn and read. Mmmm. Richelle can do a sequel! Quite possibly the best vampire inspired novel I have ever read.
Read it. Devour it. Love it.

I'm Hooked, June 17, 2010
The second book in the Vampire Academy series does not disappoint! Rose and Lissa are at the Academy near Christmas when there is a major attack. All the royal vampire families are in danger so the Academy makes it mandatory for the students to retreat to an Idaho Ski Resort for Christmas. While there Rose meets Adrian, a vampire royal, who has the same abilities as Lissa. When Rose's friends go on the offensive to attack the bad vampires, she joins forces with Christian and Mia. Despite being able to survive the horrors of torture, the students learned their heroism had consequences. The characters are realistic and likable. I will be reading the next book.

Fascinatingly Different!, June 26, 2009
Another one, just as good or even better than the first book! Ms Mead is creating a completely real world revolving around a teenager growing up, with the added bonus of involving a dark vampiric setting.

Rose is now ready to take her Qualifier, and to accompany her is her true love and mentor, Dimitri, but as they arrive at their destination they discover that issues are array. Come to find bodies of moroi and dhamphir gardians spread about.

They realize that humans are now helping the gruesome and lurid stigois. St Valdmir in panic, they recognize the safest approach is to take the students to a ski resort, where it is easily guarded. Christmas, Rose conceives, is definitely not what she had expected. She is entirely confused with her forbidden love with Dimitri, her attraction to Mason, her mother returning after years without contact whatsoever, Lissa straying away to spend more and more time with Christian, and trying to find ways to cope and comprehend with what an actual life of a guardian is after seeing it first hand the grave risks and responsibilities.

I find the characters so intriguing especially the growing up process with Rose. I sympathize with the way she always tries to be the one with the level head. She is so strong and is so hard on herself when she feels she could have done more or acted a differently in certain situations, but that's part of growing up. I can relate, as other will too, to the novels authentic grasp of maturing in life that is both real and reality. My languid heart aches for more!

The Story Siren Reviews:, September 21, 2008
The story picks up right were Vampire Academy left us. Rose and Lissa are still at St. Vladimir's. Lissa and Christian are now together and Rose is still in love with her mentor/tutor, Dimitri. When a massive Strigoi attack halts everyone's plans to travel home, St. Vladimir sends its students to a posh Idaho ski resort, so families can come together in a safe place.

But there seems to be a lot more drama happening on the slopes than Rose was expecting. Her good friend Mason has a huge crush on her, Rose's mom pops unexpectedly back into her life, and Dimitri seems to have eyes for someone else. Not to mention the Strigoi continue to cause problems.

When Mason and two other fellow students go missing, Rose knows they went to find the Strigoi. Joining forces with Christian, they head off to find the trio and end up way over their heads......

Let me just start off by saying that I love Richelle! I started reading Frostbite and I completely devoured it in one sitting! Is it her writing, the characters, the plot? Maybe it is a combination of everything, but I get so captivated in the story that I don't even see the pages getting thinner and the book coming to an end! In all seriousness, I really enjoy this series. It has everything that I like, vampires, humor, satire, action, romance, and suspense. I feel like I know the characters. I could defiantly see Rose growing throughout this novel and I can't wait to see her grow even more. While the plot had many twists and turns, Meade kept it going at a fantastic pace! I may even like Frostbite better than Vampire Academy! This is a great vampire series and if you haven't read it yet, I suggest that you do! I am anxiously awaiting the release of the next book Shadow Kiss, which will be available Nov. 13!

Loved it !, August 2, 2008
Love this series and after the fallout from Breaking Dawn, I will anticipate the third book will be high on the best seller list.

Easy, good read.

Awesome!, July 27, 2008
Wow! This was a great follow-up to Vampire Academy (Book 1). Richelle Mead has a wonderful style of writing that keeps the pace moving quickly. It was hard for me to put this book down once I started reading. Once again, the plot and characters were unique and interesting. Mysteries kept unfolding and love triangles were building; there's always something intriguing going on to hold the reader's interest. Now I can't wait for the 3rd book of the series to come out!

Fantastic sequel is better than the first!, April 10, 2008
Vampire Academy book 1 is a wildly successful beginning to the series. Fans have been clamoring for more, and now we finally get our hands on Frostbite as book 2 of the VA series. Does it live up to our expectations? Absolutely! In fact, Frostbite is even better than book 1. If you enjoyed VA, you will love this book. Richelle Mead writes an immersive and highly entertaining story from the perspective of Rose, a teenage girl who dedicates her studies and her life to protect her best friend Lissa. Someone or something is murdering vampires, and the students and guardians of St. Vladimir's are totally freaking out. Meanwhile, she has to deal with the forbidden love for her instructor Dimitri. Oh, it just keeps getting better! The ending is fantastic, and leaves you clamoring for book 3.

More Enjoyable Than the First Book, July 23, 2010
A vampire attack confines the students at the vampire academy to the school, despite winter break. The students, faculty, and students' families end up spending Christmas together at a luxury ski resort. The adventure, romance, and teen high school confusion continues, but the ending is dramatic, and one of Rose's friends is killed. An absorbing read! ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

Please Read this:
I bought this product for the younger grandchild but found that the older one also enjoyed it.
... Read more

Editorial Review

The Dawn Treader will take you places you never dreamed existed.

Reviews

Voyaging, May 26, 2005
The second volume of the Narnia Chronicles closed with the possibility of Lucy and Edmund -- though not their older siblings -- returning to Narnia. "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" makes good on that story, with the intrepid pair (plus a whiny cousin) returning on a strange sea voyage.

After the events of "Prince Caspian," Lucy and Edmund are sent off to stay with their obnoxious cousin Eustace. But when they admire a picture of a strange ship, suddenly all three kids are sucked in -- and land in a Narnian sea. On board the ship is King Caspian, now fully grown, who is determined to find a bunch of knights exiled by his murderous uncle, even if he has to go to the edge of the world (literally).

Lucy and Edmund are thrilled to be back in Narnia again, but Eustance proceeds to make trouble any way he can, complaining and causing trouble among the crew. But there are problems more horrifying than any of them can guess, from dragons to sinister "gold water" to a region filled with their worst nightmares.

"The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" is one of Lewis's most original and tightly-written Narnian adventures. It's also a bit of a break from form. After two books of battles against evil tyrants, "Voyage" simply goes where no man/woman/mouse has gone before, and gives us a view of the Narnian world as more than one isolated little region.

And in some ways, it's also the darkest Chronicle. Lewis explores the theme of greed here -- greed for power, beauty, money and magic -- and has some scenes both chilling and majestic. But his archly humorous style peeks through in several places, whether it's pompous mouse Reepicheep or tea with a reclusive old wizard.

Edmund and Lucy are their usual plucky selves, albeit a bit more mature than before. But "Voyage" also introduces one of Lewis' most interesting characters in Eustace Clarence Scrubb. Like Edmund, Eustace is initially a peevish, lying boy who generally makes trouble, but slowly learns his errors. But unlike Edmund, Eustace doesn't have to ally himself to the baddie to learn that.

"Voyage of the Dawn Treader" was a turning point for the Narnia Chronicles, as well as the one that began venturing into darker territory. Engaging and tightly written.

questing after the Kingdom, November 8, 2001
I have put off reviewing "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" for a long time. There is no other book I have so longed to recommend to others, but I have felt (and still feel) totally inadequate when it comes to expressing what a wonderful story this is. I could go on for days about all the wonderful things contained here. That said, I will try and focus on only a few aspects of this book and then plead with you to read it.

First, I must note that I feel this story should be read in the context of the entire Narnian series. It stands on its own nicely enough, but the deep background of the previous tales adds richness and texture to the tale.

Secondly, I must note that this book is highly enjoyable because it works on two levels. The tale as a whole is the story of a journey into unknown lands. With each new place they visit, the whole is broken into wonderful episodes. My favorite episode (with the exception of the ending) is the island where dreams come true...its not what one would expect.

The character of Eustace is my favorite of all the humans in the Narnian books. This story is partly a tale of his transformation. This seems to be a universal human desire; but Eustace, like all who truly seek transformation must, finds impossible to reform himself. This is an especially timely lesson for our "self-help" culture at the beginning of the twenty-first century.

This brings me to what I like best of "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader." Let me preface what I say here by making it clear that no one hates heavy-handed use of allegory as much as I do. However, the allegory that is "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" is one of the greatest things of beauty I have ever encountered.

In one form or another we are all questing after an unseen kingdom. Be it the kingdom of God, Materialism, or simply of the Self--we are all, like Caspian and his pals, on a quest. I don't wish to give away any endings, but let me just say that the greatest truth Lewis expresses in his book is that no one can reach the True Kingdom on their own.

I urge you to read this book. If I could only have a handful of books, this one would definitely be among them. I give "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" my highest recommendation.

A beautiful quest story, July 6, 2000
Lucy and Edmund return to Narnia and find themselves on the Dawn Treader, a true sailing vessel for a magical children's story, traveling with Prince Caspian on a quest to find the end of the world. However, when the children are returned to their favorite land, they bring along their cousin, the sour and demanding Eustace Scrubb.

Through many adventures at sea and during ports of call, Eustace makes the rather predictable transformation into an alright chap, but don't mistake the predictability of this end for cheap or sloppy story telling on Lewis's part. Eustace's transformation can be interpreted as the transformation of the unbeliever to a Christian, and the symbolism of his physical change is rich and compelling for adults and engaging and magical for children.

Our dear, brave friend Reepacheep is back, too, and shows his continuing bravery in a heartwarming ending that causes readers to feel great admiration for the little mouse with big courage.

The richest part of the novel is the well described climax in which the story takes on a mythical nature and our friends come close to the line between heaven and earth.

It's a lovely book, and as usual for the series, can be enjoyed on theological levels, but it loses nothing if the reader picks it up as pure fantasy for someone looking for a great tale!

The best of the series, February 21, 2001
Our old friends Lucy and Edmund Pevensie join their nerdy cousin Eustace, in this book, in a journey through a portrait of a ship, to the seas off the coast of Narnia. There, they meet their old friend Prince Caspian, who is adventuring across the seas to explore the far reaches of his world. He is also searching for a group of lost nobility from Narnia, who apparently had been marooned on various Narnian islands years before. They all travel from island to island, and have many challenging adventures.

Of all the Narnia books, this is probably the one where C.S. Lewis gave himself the most freedom to just tell a story, without being "in-your-face" about the allegorical meanings of everything. There IS a lot of allegory, but he makes it part of a story here, rather then constructing a story just as an excuse to make up a context for an allegory. It's a terrific tale for children or adults. Absolutely two thumbs up.

I just want to recommend a few books, for anyone who may be curious about what sources C.S. Lewis drew upon for this story. I'll let you discover them for yourself, but the titles are: "Phantom Islands of the Atlantic," by Donald S. Johnson, and "New Worlds, Ancient Texts" by Anthony Grafton. Also -- if anyone's interested in learning about the cultural context of C.S. Lewis' personal problems with science education, which are pretty obvious in the way he talks about Eustace, then I recommend looking at "The Two Cultures" by C.P. Snow. You'll see what I mean.

The text Lewis did not prefer, December 17, 2005
I'd like to see an edition with both versions of Chapter Twelve, "The Dark Island". C.S. Lewis found himself dissatisfied with the ending of that chapter; he thought that having the island simply vanish denigrated children's feelings, implying as it does that children _should_ feel like "pretty good fools" for being afraid of things that don't frighten grownups.

So for the American edition, he revised that chapter to show the island growing "smaller and smaller astern" as the ship sailed away. And instead of having Lord Rhoop beg never to be sent back there, he had a strong bit of business in which Lord Rhoop's boon that he begs of King Caspian is "Never to ask me, or to let any other ask me, what I have seen during my years on the Dark Island."

Lewis thought, and I think, that this was more respectful of his child-readers: acknowledging that even if the fear-object is imaginary, the fear is real. The original edition _dismissed_ children's fears, tantamount to laughing at a child who's awakened in shuddering terror and telling him, "It was all just a dream! Now don't you feel silly?"

Lewis's revision -- the "Never to ask me" version of the text -- was featured in all American editions prior to 1994. At that time, the US publishers made the decision to return to the earlier text simply because it was the "original", ignoring Lewis's own preference for the revised text.

I'd like to see an edition of this book that includes both versions of Chapter 12, perhaps adding the revised text as an appendix at the book's end.

An "Odyssey" for Children, October 26, 2001
After reading the very first line, "There was a boy called Eustace Clarence Scrubb, and he almost deserved it," I realized that I had made a huge mistake beginning "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" half an hour before bedtime. More exciting and adventure-packed than the two preceeding books (in the original ordering, of course), "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" and "Prince Caspian", it is hard to put down.

The main characters that readers will recognize are King Caspian, Edmund, Lucy, and Reepicheep. Sadly, Peter and Susan have since become too old to reenter Narnia; but the story does amazingly well even without them. Here, Eustace, who will reappear in "The Silver Chair", is introduced for the first time. They are an interesting bunch, all providing something essential to the story, especially Reepicheep (whose character and personal history are developed further) and Eustace (who experiences a wonderful kind of redemption).

The Dawn Treader is a ship King Caspian built in order to fulfil an oath made on his coronation day to find the seven lords and friends of his father that his uncle Miraz had sent to explore the Eastern Seas. Every two chapters or so, the Dawn Treader stops at an island, where its crew and passengers have a small adventure-within-the-larger-adventure, discover the fate of each of the seven lords, and learn good moral lessons. For instance, one island, called the Dark Island, is a place where dreams come true. It may sound wonderful, until you realize that the dreams that come true are not the pleasant daydreams, but the nightmares. After the last island, the passengers even reach, or very nearly reach, the End of the World.

Though I compared this book to Homer's "Odyssey" in the title of this review, I must add that it can also be likened to John Bunyan's "The Pilgrim's Progress". This voyage is not guided by fate and devoid of reason, but is blessed by Aslan (who symbolizes Jesus) and is full of meaning and purpose. It does not merely represent the passage through life, but the passage through life _as a Christian_. That may be why one reviewer complained that this novel is overly preachy. Yet we readers are human, after all, and in need of being preached to now and then. Another thing that may surprise readers is the chivalry with which Lucy, the only girl on the ship, is treated by the men. Though it not "politically correct," as Eustace himself points out at the beginning, it has a certain rightness to it.

Remembering how the March girls in Louisa May Alcott's "Little Women" played at being good in imitation of the character Christian in "The Pilgrim's Progress", only to realize that their game was really a way of life, I can say that it would be wonderful if children today could apply the allegories in "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" in the same way. Parents, take note: it is easier to ask a child, "What would Edmund tell you about forgiving someone who has done wrong, like Eustace?" than to launch into a weary sermon about forgiveness that they may not remember anyway. There are more archetypes in this book, and in all stories about Narnia, than C.S. Lewis himself must have realized: and children can only benefit from knowing them as they grow up.

Plot Overcomes Allegory: Hurray!, September 3, 2000
This is the best of the Narnia series. C.S. Lewis allows the plot to get away occasionally from his strict form of Christian allegory. Moreover, the book is funny and episodic and exciting. And it's about getting to know yourself and changing what you don't like.

Unexplored waters and unknown lands create a magic of their own in which Lucy and Edmund and, especially, Eustace -- having magically found themselves on board the Dawn Treader --can come to terms with their weakness and strength. The Dark Island, where all dreams (not just good ones!) come true, Deathwater Island -- the place of greed, Dragon Island, where Eustace turns into a dragon (which, of course, he was on the inside all along), Ramandu's island, the sea people's land, the house of the Retired Star, and more, reveal what stuff these children are made on. What their mettle is may not always exemplary, but in this book at least, characters can change. Eustace can be un-dragoned and become a changed child (having dragon skin a foot deep ripped off by a lion would, I think, inevitably result in change). This is a book of deep, miraculous possibility. As a child, I read *The Voyage of the Dawn Treader* until it fell apart, and I've gone through another copy since.

My only criticism is this: C. S. Lewis, having loosened his strangle-hold on his constricting Christian allegory, occasionally seems to feel obliged to bring in something really ham-handed. It's most annoying. The most egregious intrusion occurs when the children encounter, in the middle of nowhere, a milky white lamb frying fish on the open grass. How the heck does a lamb fry fish? Where does he get fish? Where does he get the frying pan? Why do we *need* this for the plot? The Lamb of God (Christ), communion, fish. Cringe. It's all tossed into the pot and left somehow to be digested. There are fabulous Christian allegories; this is not one of them. I would to say that this is the only place in the entire series where C.S. Lewis' allegory truly and absolutely and utterly crashes and burns. But one Lamb doesn't stop this from being a great book. *The Voyage of the Dawn Treader* provides delight, wonder, and best of all, a promise of a second chance for every one of us.

What a Voyage!, January 17, 2005
C.S. Lewis' "Voyage of the Dawn Treader" was the third Narnian chronicle to be written and the fifth chronologically. Along with "The Last Battle", it's probably my favorite in the series.

Lucy and Edmund have to stay with their cousin Eustace Scrubb and his trendy parents Harold and Albert. Eustace is very serious, a bit of a know-all, cynical and just a little bit mean, . He keeps making fun of Lucy and Edmund's tales of Narnia, the world they have not only visited twice, but been kings and queens in. His mockery soons stops though when the three of them get sucked into a painting in an attic. They find themselves on board the Dawn Treader, King Caspian's exploration vessel, on the beginning of a voyage. The King and his men seek to discover new islands, to find his father's friends who were banished seven years ago, and to see Aslan's Country, rumoured to be at the most eastern end of the world, beyond the sun and the ocean. What a voyage it turns out to be!

When I first read the chronicles of Narnia (in fifth grade), this was the one that captured my imagination the most. It's a book that is constantly exciting, each destination reached more incredible than the last. Such amazing creatures and concepts. There scary places, funny places, places where friends are made and lessons are learned. The descriptions are truly inspired. The ending, even now, leaves me spellbound every time. I can picture it so clearly. Wow!

As with all the Narnian Chronicles, "Voyage of the Dawn Treader" has illustrations by Pauline Baynes, and these are just as evocative as Lewis' descriptions, enhancing them, making them more vivid. I particularly like the picture near the start of chapter ten, of the magician's hallway where Lucy is walking so timidly.

The characters are all great too. It's nice to see Caspian and Reepicheep again, as well as Edmund and Lucy. The chatacter Eustace is a fine invention. He's something of a brat and yet we like him, feel sorry for him when he gets in trouble, and like him better when he changes for the better later on.

C.S. Lewis was a devoted Christian, and all of his work relate back to his beliefs to some extent. Although there is a great deal more emphasis on adventure and fantasy here, there are still allegory and parallels to be drawn if you're looking for them. Eustace's adventures are particularly interesting. He finds fault in everything except himself, who has more obvious faults in his character. He means to be helpful, but he can't really be helpful until he gets rid of his own flaws first. This is rather reminiscent of Jesus' saying "take the plank out of your own eye so you can see clearly to see the speck in your brother's eye". There is a part where he's transformed into a dragon, and he realises the ugliness of his actions. Aslan the Lion helps him by showing him to a well in which to bathe (rather similar to baptism). Before he can bathe, Eustace must shed his ugly skin (his rotten ways), something that he can't do, no matter how he tries. It is only with Aslan's help that he becomes free of them. In christianity, it is through Christ that believers shed their old worldly ways, similar to this. A lot of the allegory, I noticed, had to do with the nature of God, the nature of Christ and being a believer rather than any particular specific event.

Although "Voyage of the Dawn Treader" is number 5 in the "official reading order", rather late in the series, the only books that are really essential to read are "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" and "Prince Caspian". "Prince Caspian" in particular, as several of the characters (Caspian, Reepicheep) and plot threads (the king's lost men) are in this.

Highly recommended for fantasy fans and lovers of the work of C.S. Lewis.

The Voyage, April 12, 2002
C.S. Lewis wrote the Chronicles of Narnia as a series for children, but it is clearly as imaginative and planned as any popular adult fiction. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is the fifth book of the series and tells the story of Lucy, Edmund, Prince Caspian and the irritable Eustace. These old friends sail on a rickety boat named the Dawn Treader. As they travel in search of the lost land of Aslan, they encounter many unforgettable situations. Aslan is a magical lion that helps the creatures of Narnia keep peace with the other wicked creatures. Lucy learns when to use her magical healing water, and Eustace learns tobe forgiving and generous. Eustace claims he was kidnapped because while journeying to the Narnian world, Edmund and Lucy brought him along by mistake. Throughout the trip Eustace keeps a journal that C.S. Lewis shares with the reader occaisonally. While keeping the journal Eustace realizes that he has been quite a bother along the voyage. From the beginning of the story, Caspian has been searching for distant relatives of his Father. As he finds them, he uncovers mysteries and facts of his past.
I really enjoyed The Voyage of the Dawn Treader because C.S. Lewis portrayed characters that I can relate to. The adventure in the story keeps you reading and thje humor makes you laugh.

"Thrilling", June 1, 2006
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is a stand out among the books in Lewis' excellent series. There are several elements in this book that distinguish it from the books that chronologically precede it. Old characters are put away and new characters (some humans, no less) emerge in importance, there is an absence of a monolithic evil antagonist, and no part of this story actually occurs in "Narnia." Lewis demonstrates a mastery for tension and suspense in this book that is not so apparent in the others, and when reading this one I noticed more moments when my kids' eyes were wide-open with anticipation (e.g., what will happen to Lucy at the end of that strange hallway, what are those threatening invisible thumpers, and will the Dawn Treader ever sail out of the nightmarish blackness?). At bottom, this is a classic and well-done journey story, in which pilgrims put their lives in a fragile boat and sail into the unknown, first to rescue seven loyal heroes and, eventually, to find the Thing greater than them all (that's Jesus, for the honest reader). Aslan makes his many usual appearances, with a strengthening of the concept that he is always present and always in control, no matter whether our human characters know it or take comfort in the knowledge. I don't think it's a spoiler to say that the reader gets to see the Lion revealed as the Lamb in a candid moment. If you tried The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and you are considering trying one more Narnia volume - try this one. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

My only complaint: I wanted more
If you love the Harry Potter series, then this is a must-have. It arrived in the mail yesterday, and I devoured it right away. And that's my only complaint: it's brevity. It's a short, quick read. But a fun one.
And it's not simply a handful of fairy tales from the wizarding world. The commentary by Albus Dumbledore on each story was a really nice touch, in some cases even more entertaining to me than the stories themselves.
If you were expecting a thick book that would absorb you for hours as the Harry Potter series did, I hope you're not disappointed in this book's brevity. It's still worth the price if you enjoy the series, and it supports a charitable cause.
If you've never read the Harry Potter books (or seen the movies, I suppose) then do NOT consider this a sample of the series. You will not glean any sense of the depth, quality and, as everyone else calls it, the magic of the Harry Potter world. This book is a tasty dessert to those who've feasted on the seven-course series.

In a word - STUNNING
Admittedly as the time neared and having ordered multiple copies I was having trepidation about what I might end up with. Let me just say, I no longer feel that way. The packing box itself is collectible, warning Muggles to not distribute this before Dec 4th. That was a nice beginning to the opening of this gem. As others have said, the packaging is phenomenal and when I slid the main box out of its protective cover I gave a gasp - it is a thing of beauty. Alone it is truly one of the all-time great book boxes (I collect them). I was worried it was going to be vinyl but not it looks like a real, old Hogwarts book. They did themselves proud with that. Then I opened the box which I found very well made and gave another gasp - there was a beautiful velvet interior with the pouch and the prints. I took out the pouch and brought out the tome and gave my 3rd gasp - it is a thing of terrifying beauty. All in all, a very high quality presentation and surely to end up a valued treasure in anyone's library, certainly mine. Bravo Amazon! Thank you for replicating your amazing purchase and thank you for making it truly legendary. Bravo!

Update: I will reinterate what other's have said - the collectible edition is a remarkable piece of work. I love that book, it is beautifully done - the cover, the metal decorations, the paper, the fontography are all gorgeous. But let me tell you a secret. You see, I am a collector of book boxes as well and let me tell you, the book box that the collector's book comes in has to be the prize of my book box collection. I was expecting something of lesser quality - a seamed vinyl covered cardboard thing like the other Potter materials. It is not that. It is a beautiful piece of work that looks and feels like engraved leather. I've shown this around to other collectors of magic and they were highly impressed. They, like me, felt the book box alone was worth it. Sorry, just had to share my fetish.

The Collectors Edition is a Must Have
A short while ago I opened my door to find a large package from Amazon: I could not believe it was actually my copy of The Collectors Edition of the Tales of Beedle the Bard! While I first ordered this a while ago, there was a problem with my credit card and I had to reorder, so I did not think I would get this book at all, much less on the relealse date! Thank you Amazon, I don't know how you do it!

The book is an absolutely must have for every Harry Potter fan. I had already read the tales themselves when I opened this volume, and they are truly delightful and full of wonderful messages for our children (and for all the magic lovers among us). The stories aside, this edition is truly beautiful and a pleasure to hold in one's hand. There are some wonderful and unique features to it -- the set of reprints is just beautiful; the small book inside the velvet bag inside the larger volume makes you feel like you are opening a treasure and indeed you are!

I bought this volume for my son for a Christmas present, but now I'm thinking, maybe I will need another one! It is well worth the money to own such a special item, and it makes it that much greater that a portion of the proceeds goes to Ms. Rowling's incredible charity. I know the holidays are going to be very special in my house. Thank you Ms. Rowling, for yet another gift to your legions of fans.

Physical Quality and Description of Collector's Edition
I was thrilled on Thursday to have received in the mail my copy of the collector's edition of JK Rowling's Tales of Beedle the Bard. It was shipped well in a doubled up cardboard box that fit it perfectly (actually had the name of the book on the box, so it was made specifically to ship this book. When you open it, it's in a thin white cardboard cover that says "this side up"

When you slip it out of that cover, you see a wonderful fake leather "book" that is about 10 1/4 x 12 1/4 x 2 3/4 inches. The binding has the name, author and small drawing in gold lettering; the front cover is the name, author and decorative drawn border pressed into the faux leather. The back cover has part of the same drawing pressed in.

When you open it up, you find that it's a case for the actual book that is imbedded into the middle, covered in a lovely red velvet bag with JK Rowling's signature embroidered in gold. The draw strings are also gold. On the left side there is a folder with Collector's Edition Prints. They are beautiful, and can either be framed, or kept tucked away in this case.

The actual book it's self is great quality. Dark brown, with silver decorative pieces on top each piece having emerald colored stones in them. This includes the side clasp. There is also an emerald colored ribbon bookmark.

The introduction is a straight copied from JK's original work that Amazon purchased. If you're not the best with handwriting, some words can be a little hard to read. After the intro, it switches to a very Harry potter/magic like font that works well with telling the stories. All together with the stories, Dumbledore's comments, and JK's comments, it took me about an hour to read straight through.

This edition was worth every penny for someone who really loves Harry Potter, and wants quality.

Very Lovely!
I think this is lovely. I bought it for myself, but if I was given it as a gift I would absolutely adore it.

I think the attention paid to detail is amazing and, for me, it is a great way to end a book series that I loved very much. And, most importantly, you are helping a charity.

If you just want to read The Tales of the Beedle Barb, then stick with the regular edition - the book is a short read. But if you want to hold something in your hands that will take you right back to reading those last few chapters of the Deathly Hallows, this is for you.

The Incomparable Tales of Beedle the Bard
Everything written with the pen of JK Rowling seems to be magical, and this volume is no exception. The very genesis of this book is so special: the tales in it, we are told, were left to Hogwarts by the great Professor Dumbledore. The style and sentiment of these five little fables will come as no surprise to anyone who is a Harry Potter fan -- in fact one of them should already be well known to all. "The Tale of the Three Brothers" was first told in Book 7 of the Harry Potter series. It is such a simple yet strong tale with such a forceful message (much like all of JK Rowling's tales) of the difficulty of making hard choices and being the master of one's own fate. I have read this fable to my sons who are still pondering its message.

No one less than Hermione Granger serves as the translator of these works, and Ms. Rowling has included with the text Dumbledore's commentary and some wonderful illustrations of her own. The simplicity of the tales only underscores the wonderful messages they bear in terms that are not at all preachy. In many ways, the stories remind me of many standard fairy tales, such as those written by Aesop or the Brothers Grimm, but in a context much more likely to appeal to young children as well as the magic lovers among us. It has always amazed me that anyone could find anything in Rowling's work that is somehow not wholesome. Her messages as always are clear, simple, direct and as important life lessons as children will ever learn: the use and abuse of power; the benefit of working together; being able to recognize and value what is special in each of us; the dangers of working with the dark arts (i.e., the abuse of power). It is no wonder that her work is so loved and so enduring. I will treasure this volume as I have treasured all of the Harry Potter books. Only one of the fables is a bit too dark for me (The Warlock's Hairy Heart); I'm not sure I will read it to my kids as it is a bit gruesome.

I have not yet received the Collector's Edition that I pre-ordered. I know that there is much speculation that this edition may have been over-subscribed. My order information indicates that I should receive it December 8th. I certainly hope I do, but if not, I notice that it is already for sale on ebay, and most sellers are not seeking to gouge people too badly. The real disappointment in ordering it on ebay would be losing out on the chance to make a contribution to Ms. Rowling's wonderful charity, The Children's Voice Campaign. But I think I might just make a separate contribution, as a small return for the many wonderful hours of reading and reflection she has given me!

Beedle is Brilliant, as expected
The Tales of Beedle the Bard was a wonderful read. Not only did we get four original tales from Beedle, aside from The Tale of the Three Brothers from Deathly Hallows, but there was insightful and entertaining commentary provided by none other than Albus Dumbledore himself which he wrote 18 months before his death. Jo was kind enough to provide additional info that Muggles may not be accustomed to as well.

We not only got some interesting insight about the background of the stories and Beedle's inspiration for writing them, but we got neat little tidbits about the Wizarding World as well, such as some background into Nearly Headless Nick's demise, Professor Kettleburn (the CoMC teacher before Hagrid), some of Malfoy's relatives, as well as several other awesome facts that JKR never got to include in the main series.

Out of all of the stories, I'd have to say that my favorite is The Fountain of Fair Fortune, although they're all amazing as I knew they would be.

All in all it was, as Jo Rowling always produces, a wonderfully imaginative, entertaining, brilliant read, with dashes of humor here and there that she has mastered so wonderfully. The Tales of Beedle the Bard, therefore, comes highly recommended!

P.S. Grumble the Grubby Goat FTW. ... Read more