Editorial Review

Here are the confessions of a vampire. Hypnotic, shocking, and chillingly erotic, this is a novel of mesmerizing beauty and astonishing force–a story of danger and flight, of love and loss, of suspense and resolution, and of the extraordinary power of the senses. It is a novel only Anne Rice could write.


From the Paperback edition. ... Read more

Reviews

The exquisite classic that rejuvenated the vampire genre, July 24, 2003
With Interview With the Vampire, Anne Rice completely rejuvenated the genre which I feel to be horror's most important, primal, and soul-stirring, the legend of the vampire. I have described Richard Matheson's classic I Am Legend as the second greatest vampire novel, but I must retract that statement now. Only with a second reading have I recognized the unparalleled power, beauty, eroticism, and grace of Anne Rice's contribution to the subject. Unlike Matheson, Rice luxuriates in the Victorian appeal of Stoker's masterpiece, while taking the subject to planes far beyond those Stoker could have envisioned for his Count Dracula. The modern writer does not have to hide the vampire's erotic appeal behind convention, nor does she need to classify her subject as an evil in and of itself. The vampire nature of Rice's creation is a complex, unfathomable subject that transcends good and evil.

This first novel in The Vampire Chronicles centers around four very different yet almost equally fascinating vampires. The story is that of Louis, a wealthy eighteenth century Louisiana plantation owner who became a vampire in the depths of his despair over his brother's suicide. Lestat, the inscrutable force that hovers above every page of the tale, made Louis a vampire for basically economic reasons; he wanted the wealth that Louis possessed, but he also wanted a companion. Narcissistic and vain, the dapper Lestat does not teach his creation what it means to be a vampire, does not share the secrets he claims to know, does not even help Louis through the soul-shattering change that comes about when the body dies so that it may live eternally. Louis stays with Lestat only because, so far as he knows, there are no other vampires to whom he can turn for help and instruction. His distaste for Lestat grows over the years, however, and in order to keep Louis by his side, Lestat takes a young girl whom Louis had fed upon during a period of emotional turbulence and makes of her a vampire, knowing that Louis could never abandon the child. It is the story of Claudia, doomed to a most tragic life of immortality trapped inside the body of a little girl, that makes this book so powerful in my eyes. Lestat is of course fascinating, Louis is the epitome of tragedy and a fountain of knowledge by way of his questioning, eternally sad nature, but Claudia's story is an unbearably exquisite one. She accepts her vampire nature with some ease, being too young to really ever remember her human childhood, but the growth of Claudia the vampire woman inside the body of Claudia the child is a beautifully painful thing to watch. When she manages to separate Louis and herself from Lestat to go searching for other vampires in Central Europe and eventually Paris, giving dramatic voice to both her love for and hatred of Louis, the door to the dungeons of utter tragedy are thrown asunder. The introduction of the four hundred year old vampire Armand in the second half of the book gives us yet another unique vampire soul to ponder, but Armand at his most vivid pales in comparison to Claudia at her most unprepossessing.

In the end, we are left with Louis and his story, which is full of unanswerable questions. Even the meaning and lesson he tries to express about his miserable existence utterly fail in their influence it has upon the boy chosen to hear his extraordinary story. Literature really provides no better character study of the emotional meaning of vampirism than Louis, however. He became a creature of the night only out of despair, and his development as a new creature on earth proceeded without any instruction whatsoever from the cold Lestat. Thus, he questions everything about his new nature, desperately longing for a mentor. He does not relish the taking of human life, and the thought of creating another creature like himself is anathema to him. He sees vampirism as a curse, eternally wondering if he is indeed a child of Satan doomed to an immortal yet cursed life. The source of his moral suffering is his inability to really give up his human nature, and this causes him a long, long life of torment and pain. Never before had the moral, spiritual, and philosophical nature of the vampire been explored in such depth as that found in this exquisitely beautiful novel, and that is one of the primary reasons why it rivals Stoker in terms of its beauty and resonates with an emotionally hypnotic power that is unmatched in the long tradition of vampire literature.

The First and the Best, July 7, 2000
Readers who are only familiar with Anne Rice's later, more self-indulgent work are likely to be pleasantly surprised by Interview With the Vampire. I certainly was. After a disappointing introduction to the legendary New Orleans author through the weak Violin, I was only interested in reading Interview because of its role in promoting the vampire revival of the 90's. I thought that reading it would be an act of research and contrition. I was wrong.

This is a strong, lush, and original (at the time, though much-imitated today) piece of writing. The blend of the erotic and the horrific is true to the spirit of the original Dracula. The attention to detail that would become so over-the-top in Rice's later books is well-balanced and poetic here. The characters are at once individual and mythic (though admittedly some of them are a little given to navel-gazing.) The dilemma of the child-vampire is an excellent addition. If you are interested in horror, in vampires, or simply in a good read, you should try this book.

Fantastic Erotic Tale!, June 12, 2000
I first encounterd this book when I was 12 and in the library looking for something good to read. The title caught my eye and I checked it out and I'm glad I did! The story, as told from the point of view of the vampire Louis tells of the love/hate "family" relationship between Louis, his maker Lestat and their child Claudia. Louis is having a hard time dealing with the fact that he must kill in order to exsist (some call it whining, but I call it endearing). I read this book for the first time in a couple of days (it's that good) My favorite character in the entire vampire series is Louis. I know most people think that Lestat is the hero of this novel, but Interview is Louis' tale and I understand his point of view completely. He doesn't whine, Louis just wants a better understanding of what he is and how he should feel about that. I wish Ms. Rice would write novels featuring more of him because his character is so human and so beautifully written that I look for him FIRST in each new novel by her. Some have called it too homoerotic, but I happen to like this type of romance. It is obvious that Louis and Lestat both love and hate one another and it is this relationship that is the basis of the novel. If you have never read a book by Ms. Rice, let Interview With the Vampire be your first. But be warned, you'll get hooked!

Gothic, Scary, Heartfelt. A Brilliant Read..., September 9, 2004
I read the book with the sad idead that it would be similiar to the film. i was wrong.
The film is a LOT different than the book, which doesnt say that the film is bad - or the book- but it says that they made a good film out of a brilliant book,and changed it a lot.
Having said that, of course the book will resemble the film in parts, but not a hell of a lot. I thought that Louis would start off by narrating, and then we would be in the present timemjust reading the story. But again, i was wrong. He narrates the whole way through, and believe me it's very enjoyable.
The only problem i have, is i seen the film first. Everyone knows a book is better than the film, and a lot of the time you can enjoy the book after the film because it makes little of the film. The thing that bothers me is the characters. When i read this book i saw only Brad Pitt, Kirsten Dunst, Tom Cruise, Antonio Banderas etc and its annoying more than anything.
I like the way i can make the character in my own, mind. but after the film, the character is as you know him or her. and i saw the cast of the movie.
Despite that, its a brilliant read, and you wont want to put it down when you get to the last page. A book you can read again and again and enjoy more each time....... ;-)

the 12 year old bookworm opinion, August 1, 2006
i really enjoyed this book. Its a classic, you dont want to miss the chance to read this book. The characters were so real and lively for a group of undead vampires. It tells the story of the vampire Louis and the real hardship that he faces. Lifes not easy being a vampire,you feel sad for him but the adventure you feel as seeing him on his adventure with Claudia, a vampire stuck in the body of a little girl ,and the evil vampire Lestat is incredable. Many other treats and exitment await for Louis and Claudia on the quest to meet others like them but wisdom is only gained though hardships. So enjoy and dont miss the chance to read this classic novel.

Curse of the Vampires, May 26, 2004
I love vampires. Always have, onscreen and on the published page - from Bela Lugosi's Dracula (seen countless times on the old Saturday afternoon Shock Theater) to Stephanie Rothman's hip 1970 VELVET VAMPIRE.

So it was with great enthusiasm that I approached Anne Rice's work several years ago, and it was with slight disappointment that I exited it each time. I don't know why she doesn't appeal to me the way she does to so many others. "Read the first one, read the first one!" my friends all admonished. "It's the best." So I did. I have just finished INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE, and I'm no more an Anne Rice enthusiast than when I started. Maybe it's the book's lush overwriting, its constant purple prose, its almost endless striving to be elegant. Maybe it's the violence. Some of it does go "over the top", and I am usually not a prude about such things. I don't know. I'm just left as cold as one of the blood hunters Rice depicts.

Oh Rice has "skills", to coin a popular teenage phrase. She can create a memorable set piece that has the reader turning pages. And there are a number of memorable moments in this book. The initiation of Claudia. The "death" of Lestat. The fabulous Parisian Theater of Vampires. The concluding scene with the young reporter. Each is riveting, even enthralling. But in-between those scenes there is too much chatter, too much introspection, too much - huff and gruff.

I appreciate the book's classic status. And I'm going to continue reading Anne Rice, hoping the magic spell she has cast on millions of readers will soon ensare me.

A Real Page Turner!, September 20, 2004
I barely ever read. So if I am telling you I loved this book, you know it has to be good! I enjoyed "Queen of the Damned" the movie and, as a result, decided to read the Vampire Chronicles, starting from the beginning. I haven't been disappointed by my decision!

ADDICTIVE & SEDUCTIVE, December 2, 1999
After refraining from watching the movie for four years, I finally broke down and rented it. And to my pleasant surprise found it to be visually beautiful and tragic. Next, I became extremely curious about the book. I rushed out at midnight to purchase it and found myself totally captivated. The book is Mesmerizing, Passionate, Sensual and Tragic - or in a word - Wonderful. The story unfolds on a profoundly different level than the film. I couldn't put it down. I even read it at work. I must admit that Rice can stray and get winded at times - but she always returns to the souls of the characters - drawing the reader deeper into their experience. Also, the homo-eroticism and child seduction are present but that doesn't take anything away from the story. Instead, it adds more layers and depth to multi-dimensional characters. I will never look at vampires the same again. Next is The Vampire Lestat. I MUST find out how he got that way.

One of the best vampire books ever written, May 24, 2003
This book is wonderful. I am not usually a horror fan, because unless done right, horror can be lame and boring. I used to think only King could do horror, but Anne Rice really brings her vampires to life.

Louis is a depressed vampire. Being over 200, he has had a lot of hardships in life. He tells his life story to a an interviewer, who is only refer to as the boy, who he first planned to be his victim. Throughout the story, you meet many interesting characters. Such as, Lestat, Claudia, and Armand. Lestat is supposed to be mean and hated, but I can't help but love him. He's so evil and charming. You wish you could do half of the things he does.

The way this story unfolded is wonderful. Anne Rice is a wordful writer. The story is sad and yet beautiful. The only problem is at times she can be a bit too descritive. The story is exciting, detailed and never boring.

I rarely give books five stars, but I did for this one. Why? The books was near perfect and had little errors. I was going to give it four, but I decided on five because I know I will most likly never read a vampire book by another author that is better than this.

On a final note, I've also seen the movie. I saw the movie before reading the book. The book and movie are very similar, but there are many differences. The book verison will still surprise. There's a lot of juciey little tid bits the movie left out that are worth reading. The beginning, some of the middle, and the end of the book are different than the movie. In my opinion, the book verison is better. So, even if you've seen the movie give the book a read. The only problem is you may get addicted to Rice books like I am.

the language is so beautiful, but..., September 7, 2000
The first time I approached _Interview with the vampire_, it was in London, in 1981. I bought it because it was a bargain book and the cover was attractive. But as I began to read this novel, I found it charming and original, expecially because of the language. I cannot forget the description of Louis' smile.
At that time, my English was not adequate and I had to stop the reading. I forgot this book nearly completely. Seme years after, in 1994, I saw rhe movie. I was totally fascinated and a little confused by it. Yes, because my favourite character was Lestat, spite of Brad Pitt's beauty and charming smile.
I read the book again. In the meanwhile, I had improved my English and it was a page turner for me. Fascinating, capturing from the beginning to the end. I am a writer, and I became a little envious of Miss Rice's style!
But there is something in the characters which sounds to me not completely convincing. If you see the movie, you very easily find grief and anguish on Tom Cruise's face. But you can also find the same feelings in the book, if your reading is not superficial.
Lestat loves Louis so deeply that he gets to Paris just for bringing him back to New Orleans. He is very angry with Claudia, but in the final reel he cries for her. That's terrible. Lestat is ill and weak, but Louis refuses to help him.
Louis' misunderstandings are unbearable. So, reading _The Vampire Lestat_ was a strong relief for me.And seeing the two heroes reconciliating was a true joy.
Of course, al of this wuold not have happened to me if Miss Rice's were not a splendid writer, as she definitely is. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Supernatural fantasy has a new antihero

Life sucks, and then you die. Or, if you're James Stark, you spend eleven years in Hell as a hitman before finally escaping, only to land back in the hell-on-earth that is Los Angeles.

Now Stark's back, and ready for revenge. And absolution, and maybe even love. But when his first stop saddles him with an abusive talking head, Stark discovers that the road to absolution and revenge is much longer than you'd expect, and both Heaven and Hell have their own ideas for his future.

Resurrection sucks. Saving the world is worse.

Darkly twisted, irreverent, and completely hilarious, Sandman Slim is the breakthrough novel by an acclaimed author.

Editorial Review

In Dragon Magic, Book #4 of the Haven Series, the Kindred call upon Brand for help. Things are not right in their kingdom beneath Snowdon. Modi has led a treasure-hunting expedition deep into the Everdark, a place where spine-terrors, blind croaking things and great wurms reside. But it’s been weeks, Modi is overdue, and the Gudrin fears the worst. Brand journeys into the magnesium bowels and beyond, and discovers things buried there that he wishes he had never disturbed. ... Read more

Editorial Review

The culmination of a lifetime of scholarship, The Annotated Alice is a landmark event in the rich history of Lewis Carroll and cause to celebrate the remarkable career of Martin Gardner. For over half a century, Martin Gardner has established himself as one of the world's leading authorities on Lewis Carroll. His Annotated Alice, first published in 1960, has over half a million copies in print around the world and is highly sought after by families and scholars alike--for it was Gardner who first decoded the wordplay and the many mathematical riddles that lie embedded in Carroll's two classic stories: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. Forty years after this groundbreaking publication, Norton is proud to publish the Definitive Edition of The Annotated Alice, a work that combines the notes of Gardner's 1960 edition with his 1990 update, More Annotated Alice, as well as additional new discoveries and updates drawn from Gardner's encyclopedic knowledge of the texts. Illustrated with John Tenniel's classic and beloved art--along with many recently discovered Tenniel pencil sketches--The Annotated Alice will be Gardner's most beautiful and enduring tribute to Carroll's masterpieces yet. Celebrating his eighty-fifth birthday in the fall of 1999, the redoubtable Gardner has been called by Douglas Hofstadter "one of the great intellects produced in this country in this century." With The Annotated Alice: The Definitive Edition, we have this remarkable scholar's crowning achievement. ... Read more

Editorial Review

From the earth's depthscrawls a figure with skin like granite, flames for eyes,and the face of Grant Borrows.

Oblivion has arrived.

Every clock around the world has stopped. Time has frozen.

The Secretum have fulfilled the prophecy, unleashing on earth the most powerful being to walk the earth in thousands of years. His name is Oblivion and his touch is death.

He can't be slowed He can't be stopped. And he can't be killed.

But as long as any live who trust in hope and love and freedom, the fight is not over.

They have only one chance before he brings forth the Darkworld.

Oblivion is:Merciless ... Read more

Editorial Review

The Visual Dictionary is an essential guide to Star Wars. DK's renowned Eyewitness style brings the characters, costumes, droids, and gadgetry of the Star Wars universe to life in astonishing visual detail. Highly defined, annotated photography shows and explains the culture, background, and technology of the Star Wars trilogy. Fans of all ages will enjoy detailed revelations of Star Wars secrets like how a Stormtrooper's equipment works, what the insides of a light saber look like, and what Sand People keep in their bandoliers. A visual glossary explains all the technical terms used in the trilogy. Together with Star Wars: Incredible Cross-Sections, these books comprise a definitive classic Star Wars reference library. ... Read more

Reviews

You'll pick it up again and again, September 11, 2000
My son the nine-year-old spendthrift actually saved up for this book, and I must say it's worth every penny. It's filled with beat-up, blaster-lased equipment, cool musical instruments, weird details you've wondered about but thought you were too old to ask. When my son first got it, we fought over it!

It's also worth the money because it quickly becomes clear to the careful observer that much of the gear herein is reconditioned everyday stuff from the banal 20th Century. A musical instrument in the Cantina band, for instance, contains brass garden sprinkler nozzles! Spotting these details is what makes this book fun for us adults as well as the second generation of Jedi masters. Unreservedly recommended!

Pretty cool book chalk full of the props, August 10, 2001
This book shows just about every prop that they could have or did use in the Star Wars film. While parts of it are cheesy, it is a pretty solid book on those who want to know a little more information behind the scenes of Star Wars. The dictionary offers both fictional references and also references to how the movies were made. I recommend this to all Star Wars fans and maybe even to fans of movies in general.

The Visual Dictionary of Star Wars, Episodes IV, V & VI, October 26, 2005
Great pictures and information about characters.

A great book, September 16, 2005
Is really a great book for fans who want to know ore about the star wars universe. The only down is that is very short, there's a lot more that can be shown, but anyway the information provided is worth!!!

A long time ago in a galaxy far far away...., June 22, 2005
STAR WARS the Visual Dictionary! This great book features some amazing facts about Star Wars Episodes IV, V, and VI and I love it! It has details about all of the major characters and a lot of minor characters ranging form Luke Skywalker, to Princess Leia Organa, to the Rancor, to the slave girl in Jabba's Palace. This book has info on the Stormtroopers, C-3PO, Yoda, and many more. YOU WILL LOVE IT!

A very awesome book!, July 9, 1999
This book was so amazing! It had everything u didnt know about starwars, things from cut scenes, backgrounds of many insignificant characters, such as chewey's age and family members. If you've always wondered how in the hell a lightsaber could work then now u can find out.... or how a droid like R2-D2 could fit all those gizmo's inside of him, that's in there too. David West Reynold's put so much thought into writing this book. It's amazing how there could be so much information about the insides of something that doesn't even exist, it was just completely thought up by a bunch of people...a definate must buy for any starwars fans... i also recommend buying INCREDIBLE CROSS-SECTIONS, which was a very similar, terrific info filled book...to the fullest!

Very nice job, December 25, 2003
It is an amazing book related to Lucas' trilogy. It depicts all hardware used in the films. I have only a missing point: the starships are not all in the book and it would be better have them, but it is not a problem for a very nice illustrated book.

A Must for Fans of the Original Star Wars Trilogy, September 24, 2003
This is an excellent guide for anyone who has seen and liked the trilogy set in a galaxy far, far away. The book is written like a non fiction dictionary as if the Star Wars planets and creatures were actually real. This is a must for die hard Star Wars fans and even those who are not huge fans will still get something out of this book. This book was also written before the terrible prequel movies so it only covers the three classics.

A visual dictionary with engaging layout and information, September 9, 1998
Star Wars the Visual Dictionary is actually more than just a dictionary. It has excellent photos from the Lucasfilm Archives including a few from scenes that were cut. In a way, this book is similar to From Star Wars to Indiana Jones: the Best of the Lucasfilm Archives, but instead of being production notes, it treats the technical objects as if they were real. Arrows point to various parts of things like Boba Fett's armour. I wonder if some of the props were enhanced for this book because there are photos of the inside mechanics of a lightsaber and a stormtrooper helmet, which wouldn't have been neccessary for the movies. The layout of the book is much like the Eyewitness series with very clear individual photos of objects instead of just a rectangular, stale layout. A lot of information is packed into theh 64 pages and as far as I can tell, nothing was left uncovered. I've got to hand it to the research team who worked on this book. I deffinitely recommend it for kids or adults.

Very informative!, February 7, 2007
This was one of my very first Star Wars books and I half credit it with my burgeoning interest in the expanded Star Wars universe.
Includes great pictures and information such as what those little knobs on Darth Vader's chestplate are for to what exactly Salacious Crumb (that little Kowakian monkey lizard that works for Jabba the Hutt) does! If you have no idea what I'm talking about, then read this book!
Great for the enthusiast, beginner/amateur/expert and all!
... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

A thoughtful story by a talented writer., June 16, 2010
The use of the interaction of humans with humanoid robots as a means to explore what it is to be human is not a new theme, but Zwirsky uses it skillfully in this tightly woven short story to take a poignant look at humanity and human needs. I got this and another of her stories as free downloads on Kindle. I'm now a fan. (Unfortunately, Kindle doesn't seem to have any other of her works.)

Interesting loose ends, July 24, 2010
I enjoyed it. There's so much more that could be fleshed out in a longer story but sometimes it is thought provoking to wonder about the loose ends.

decent read, July 7, 2010
The story in this book wasn't to bad. The ending left a lot to be desired. It just kinda stops with no explanation about what comes next in the characters lives. Its rather a depressing story really about a woman so lonley she goes to extreme measures to find someone she can relate to only to be hurt worse then she was before. I like my stories to have a somewhat happy ending and this one fell far from that

I Sing The Body Electric Re-Imagined . . . ., June 10, 2010
If you re-imagined I Sing The Body Electric, by Ray Bradbury, as an Oprah Book of the Month story, this is what you would get. I struggled to finish it, and it's a short story (literally, it's maybe 20 or 30 pages).

Took a bit to get into, but good by the end, August 14, 2010
I had a tough time with this short story. At it's core it is a coming of age story about a robot that leaves his wife and daughter to find himself. Most of the story is actually backstory leading you back to the moment when he leaves.

We were not told he was a robot until later in the story, which really had me confused for a while. The story introduced the robot then didn't talk about him for a long time. Consequently I had to flip back and forth to the beginning a couple times to make sure the story was talking about the same character, which is not easy on the Kindle.

By the end I really liked the story, and if you are big into relationships, particularly sci-fi related, I'd recommend it, but for me it had a rough start and soured my opinion through to the end. Subsequent reading might improve my rating. That being said, it's free on Amazon, so get it and enjoy, you have nothing to lose but about an hour of your time.

One of the Best Science Fiction Short Stories I've Read, June 25, 2010
Moving, thought-provoking and elegantly written. Recommended to all readers who have both a heart and a brain.

Beautifully told, June 22, 2010
I am not usually a fan of short stories. I enjoy a lot of character and world development and don't normally find that this is possible in a short story. This one proved me wrong. It's an extremely introverted tale and the points brought up are very poignant and though provoking. I'm very glad I took a chance on this short story and because of it have read a few more since then. None of them have been as amazing as this one, but some have been veyr good. In short, this story renewed my interest in short stories as a whole.

Short but sweet, June 16, 2010
I think the author took what could have been a heavy handed allegory and treated it with a delicate touch. I've seen the idea before, but I thought it unfolded with precision and beauty. ... Read more

Editorial Review

The first book in C. S. Lewis's acclaimed Space Trilogy, which continues with Perelandra and That Hideous Strength, Out of the Silent Planet begins the adventures of the remarkable Dr. Ransom. Here, that estimable man is abducted by a megalomaniacal physicist and his accomplice and taken via spaceship to the red planet of Malacandra. The two men are in need of a human sacrifice, and Dr. Ransom would seem to fit the bill. Once on the planet, however, Ransom eludes his captors, risking his life and his chances of returning to Earth, becoming a stranger in a land that is enchanting in its difference from Earth and instructive in its similarity. First published in 1943, Out of the Silent Planet remains a mysterious and suspenseful tour de force. ... Read more

Reviews

Very good read!, July 21, 2003
STORY: Dr. Ransom is kidnapped by two other scientists and wisked away to the world of Malacandra. His wouldbe kidnappers think they are brining him to be a sacrafice to the beings of that planet. What happens is an adventure of discovery and facing the truth about human nature, which forever changes Ransom.

MY FEEDBACK:

1) SETTING - C.S. Lewis just shines in his descriptions of new, exotic places and the beings that live there. His vivid details allow the reader to create a wonderful mental image of a world totally different from our own. Very, very nicely done.

2) CHARACTERS - The cast of characters consists of Dr. Ransom, Dr. Weston, Dr. Devine and the various beings found on Malacandra (sorns, hross, pfifltrigg and Oyarsa). Every character has a purpose and is allogoric of something greater, which is sometimes clearly demonstrated and at other times left to the reader to interpret. At no point was I bored or upset at stereotypes when reading about these characters. Even if you don't see the allogories they represent they are still intriguing and unpredictable.

3) STORY - I read somewhere that this story is a retelling of the Christ story from the Bible. I didn't see that. Yes, there were some similarities such as the Bent One could be Satan and his fall from heaven. Otherwise, just reading the first book I didn't feel like I was bring preached out or given a Bible Study of any type. It was an intriguing sci-fi story of discovery.
Also, like many secular sci-fi books written prior to 1950, this book makes clear commentary on human society. In other words if someone puts this book down because of the social commentary then that reader is unfamiliar with such literary trends as mentioned. I did prefer this author's handling of social commentary more than other authors of the time that I've read.
Lastly, the book is written very well. Many times I felt like I was reading poetry instead of a sci-fi novel. C.S. Lewis' professional handling of the written prose is very, very enjoyable and appreciated.

OVERALL - I can't think of anything wrong with this story. It had action, a mystery, suspense, discovery, aliens, space-flight, characters true to their nature, social commentary, allogory AND all this squeezed into less than 160 pages. In many ways this books ends with most of the story resolved so there doesn't seem to be an immediate need to read the rest of the trilogy. BUT...if you like this first book like I did then you'll find very little reason not to rush out and continue reading right away. A very enjoyable sci-fi read.

Why put this book down?, September 20, 1999
The C.S Lewis Space Trilogy (of which Out of the Silent Planet is first) was recommended by a friend, and I found myslef immediately inthralled by the book itself, as well as Lewis's style of writing. The book is told in such a way that tries to convince the reader that this actually happened, or at least could, and it was able to convince me. As the character Ransom walked across England I felt I was there beside him. When he visited Mars, even with the bizzare scenery it seemed so real in my mind. Lewis also has a gift for making strong points in his novel (about Christianity in particular) without making the reader feel guilty, because he uses such human characters that are filled with normal and relatable flaws. Even with the protagonist's name he sends a message, becuase as you read this book, you will see how his name comes to play. Despite the strong Christian undertones, I feel that a wide variety of readers will enjoy this book. The story is catchy, the imagery is incredible, and the characters are fully round and fully enjoyable. I recommmend it to all! But I warn, even though this book is good on its own, after reading the first you will innevitably want to read the rest of the trilogy!

Growing older with Lewis, January 1, 2000
I grew up reading about Narnia, and as I grew older I wanted more. How pleased I was when I discovered the Sapce Trilogy! CS Lewis does not disappoint the reader, as he continues to use his excellent writing style to tell the story of the battle between Good and Evil from a science fiction perspective. Out of the Silent Planet tells the story of how evil falls upon a planet which has existed in harmony for many years. Ironically, it is the earthlings who bring the evil and pain to the planet, and another earthling who must guide himself and fight the evil to try to undo the Great Harm. The book takes off a bit slow in the first chapter, but captures the reader into the space fantasy after the first few chapters. This book is the first book of the trilogy which becomes very intense and thought provoking in the last book: That Hideous Strength. You will find many interesting parallels between this story and the story of our own history in fighting evil and realizing our faith and mission.

Top SF with Christian Spin, October 27, 2005
Lewis said that he wrote this book to "exorcise" science fiction. He devoured H. G. Wells when he was younger, and Lewis obviously shows a Wells style in the first few chapters. Dry though the beginning is, don't stop! Keep reading, because once Lewis finds his own voice, this novel takes off.

Lewis presents Christian themes in ways that most theologians can't dream of. How does a pure and innocent being understand evil? It can't, but it can understand the nature of being "bent." And, of course, the whole concept of the "Silent Planet" is pure brilliance.

Once you reach the middle of the novel, you won't be able to stop because Lewis creates one of his best good vs. evil battles. If you're looking for a simple Narnia tale, you won't find it here. Instead you'll find an insightful and entertaining adventure that looks into the true nature of humanity. Highly recommended.

Excellent sci-fi by Lewis, December 28, 2005
While I do not think that this series is anywhere near as good as the Narnian Chronicles (with the exception of Perelandra, which is perhaps my second favorite Lewis book behind only Till We Have Faces), it is still incredibly good.

I noticed that a previous reviewer said that "His major defect is that he can never quite succeed in suppressing his didactic Christianity." Why on earth would you think that he had even been trying to suppress his Christianity? I think what you mean is that he does not repress his Christianity as you wish he would have. A piece of advice: if you read something by C. S. Lewis, expect it to be Christian. It is absurd to excpect him to write non-Christian novel; that would be like expecting a blue pen to suddenly let loose a flood of red ink. Lewis meant for his books to be Christian. Parts of this book are obviously alligorical (i.e. "the Bent One", etc.), and I do not think that Lewis had any intention of hiding this. For my part, I am very happy that he did this, as it not only provides good, fun reading, but also provides valuable truths to be gleaned from it.

I was going to give this book 4 stars, but then I couldn't think of anything bad about it (other than perhaps a bit of misinformation about outer-space, but we can hardly fault Lewis for that, since he wrote this long before any man-made thing had ever been to space), so I changed my rating to 5 stars.

I highly reccomend this book, if for no other reason that to get to the second in the series, Perelandra, which is amazing.

Compelling mixture of Sci- Fi and Theology, May 24, 1999
This, the first of the Space Trilogy books by C.S. Lewis is a compelling tale that weaves the greatest of all conflicts - that between good and evil - into an entertaining and thought provoking web. To sum it up in a few words, it is a meld of Science Fiction and Philosphy with a decidedly Christian bent. Like many good yarns, it takes an unbelievable situation (The main character is abducted while on a cross country hike, and taken to another planet) and then provides us with believable reactions and motivations.

As in almost all Science Fiction, this book has a light, escapist side. It is set in surreal surroundings and peopled by fantastic characters, with philosophies that are somewhat - but not exactly- human. At the same time it challenges readers to examine themselves and to look at things in a different light.

In a compelling way, startling for its clarity and insight, many topics including athiesm, pride, greed, and the desire for immortality flesh out the story. In keeping with his deserved reputation as one of the greatest Christian apologists (read "explainers") Lewis sets forth the Christian Ideal against believable and determined adversaries who embraces the attractive and desirable nature of evil - not only without realizing it, but while rationalizing their actions to be just and full of honor.

I would highly recommend this book to the reader who would like delve into philosophy, but is hesitant because it is dull,dry, too complicated or too difficult to read. The book is very nutritious, and fairly easy to digest. It should be enjoyable to both the novice to philosophy, as well as for someone more advanced. While it is some work to read, it is not heavy lifting.

After reading "Out of the Silent Planet", you will doubtless want to read the other two books in the series "Perelandra" and "That Hideous Strength". Like the first book, they are entertaining,riveting and thought provoking. For the non-believer, the books will provide insights which will cause you to re-examine your doubts. At the conclusion, the trilogy comes to a climax that makes the hair stand up on my neck even now.

A thoroughly enjoyable read, a You won't regret the time you spent with this book in your hand.

Out of this world., September 6, 2001
Out of the Silent Planet is science fiction in the sense that, in order to create a fantasy for adults, Lewis had to send his hero and villains to a world far enough for a re-imagining, but near enough that they could plausibly go there from here. Lewis not being a scientist, and this book being sixty years old, the plausibility of Lewis' idea of space travel wears quite thin by now, though of course he didn't mean to be taken seriously on that count even then. A more serious problem Lewis set himself to solve was, "What might an unfallen world look like?" And also, "What might a society in harmony with God and nature look like?" or "What is the nature of rationality and soulishness?" I find some of Lewis' ideas unsatisfying. (Paradise and survival of the fittest are difficult concepts to reconcile; if the Malacandrians are all at peace, how did they evolve, as Lewis apparently thinks they did? And how does the ecosystem avoid being overrun with critters?) Still, this book is a great fantasy with many insights, and a lot of fun to read. No one I know combines so fertile an imagination with such philosophical depth and psychological acuity as C. S. Lewis. All these are in evidence here.

The planet is a beauty. Among Malacandra's cauliflower highlands and tourquoise canyons, its philosopher bird-spectres and tribal seals, Lewis enacts an exciting story. His readers will find some familiar images and themes: island paradise, the cultural dynamics of tribes and Greek philosophers living side by side (see Till We Have Faces for more), the wind-bag philosopher posing as scientist posing as philosopher. (The passage in which Ransom translates Weston's defense of planetary imperialism and genocide into "Malacandrian" then, for our benefit, simple English, is a classic blend of linguistics and philosophy. See George Orwell, Politics and the English Language, for an essay from that period that, in effect, explains what Lewis is doing with that deceptively simple passage, and why it desperately needs to be done. See also Abolition of Man.)

This is the tightest and shortest of Lewis' three "sci-fi" novels. You can read it in a few hours. Lewis was probably wise to shift to frankly supernatural means of locating his heroes to other worlds, in later fantasies. Still, don't miss this wonderful tour of Mars for the world.

author, Jesus and the Religions of Man

Excellent Book, September 11, 2006
This is the first book in C.S. Lewis's amazing Space Trilogy. These books are far less known than Lewis's Narnia series or even his Mere Christianity or The Screwtape Letters, yet it is just as good as any of those writings and goes to show the versatility of Lewis as an author.

This first book begins with our hero, Dr. Ransom, out for a walking tour in the countryside, dressed in that shabby way for which professors are renowned. His foes are his former schoolmates Devine and Weston. These men believe they need a human sacrifice, and by capturing Ransom they have their victim, for they have made a spaceship and are taking Ransom to Malacandra the red planet.

Once on Mars, Ransom escapes his captors, meets many species, and finds out that on Mars there has been no `Fall' and Ransom from Earth or the Silent Planet is a bit of an oddity. People from earth are considered to be `bent' in nature, from the original sin of the fall.

Follow Ransom as he treks across a strange world, and must find the courage to risk it all to save not only an alien race, but also, possibly his own soul.

This is a first book in an amazing series. Try it - you won't be disappointed.

Great Christian Allegory, September 22, 2002
This book is a marvel for Christian readers. The power of fiction and fantasy worlds is in the idealistic viewpoint they provide. As Christians, we know from Scripture how the world is governed, and how we are to walk in it, but at times our vision gets clouded by constantly looking at our surroundings, and the depravity we see all around. But when we read novels with idealized settings such as in C.S. Lewis's space trilogy, we can more readily understand the fundamentals of joy, wonder, and awe at the world, under the governance of reverence for the creator.

Out of the Silent Planet takes readers on a tour of what life would be like without the curse of the fall. The Malacandrian world is immensely beautiful and orderly, under the governance of Oyarsa, who submits to the Old One, God. The hnau, or inhabitants of the world, are so peaceful and innocent, and they offer abundant insights into proper conduct in life. I constantly found myself smiling as I saw the parallels between the various components of the book and Christian doctrine.

Non-Christians will enjoy this book as well, of course. It is a fascinating story regardless of what you believe, although C.S. Lewis surely wrote it from a Christian worldview, and I appreciate on a deeper level since I'm a Christian.

Really four and a half--see below, December 22, 1999
This first book in Lewis's space trilogy is also the only one that is really sci-fi. Much of the book consists of descriptions of Malacandra, as it is known to those who live there--our name for it is Mars. Bigger things are afoot, it is clear, but what won't be shown until 'Perelandra' and especially 'That Hideous Strength.' The book has a chapter tacked on the end, supplying some more details, supposedly written by Ransom to Lewis--a clever touch; Lewis comes off as the colossal bungler, romanticising a straightforward intellectual narrative, to Ransom's clear-headed scientific observational approach--a spoof within a spoof, well and quietly done. The scenes with Weston and the Oyarsa, Ransom translating, are priceless; Lewis works in some sharp satirical comments against war and greed and pride. Those scenes alone would make the book well worth reading. Add in the strange and fascinating--other worlds and creatures and the memorable descriptions of space itself--and you've got a book with double appeal. True, the science is inaccurate--Mars has no 'hnau's and space is not filled with light. Lewis is not to blame, however, especially for the last--space _ought_ to be filled with light; no one knows why it isn't; whole books (e.g., 'Why the Sky is Dark at Night') have been written on the subject. Science aside, the book really has no flaws except that it doesn't ever soar above its consistent level of quality. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Beloved by generations for more than 50 years, this classic children's series is now available in a special adult edition. ... Read more

Reviews

Great book but many illustrations missing, June 9, 2005
I bought this particular compilation for my 7 year son, and went along with the chronological order of the books. There's already enough said about that in other reviews. What surprised me the most however was how few of the original illustrations were included, only one per chapter in fact. Given how much the Amazon review touted the illustrations, I was very disappointed.

An amazing collection of stories, but the book itself leaves a bit to be desired, May 7, 2008
Sadly, the "Chronicles of Narnia" boxed set that I treasured as a child is out of print, so I decided to replace it with this collectible edition that contains all seven books in the series. I can't find any fault with the books themselves: These stories about four children who travel repeatedly to the world of Narnia are treasured classics. In this edition, the books are presented in the order that author C.S. Lewis preferred, which sucks. The correct order that I recommend is: 1.) "The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe," 2.) "Prince Caspian", 3.) "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader," 4.) "The Silver Chair," 5.) "The Horse and His Boy," 6.) "The Magician's Nephew," and 7.) "The Last Battle." If you are new to Narnia, I highly suggest that you read the books in the order I listed here. If you read the books in the sequence they are arranged in the book, you will be very disappointed because everything will happen out of order. Also, I was a little disappointed with the quality of the book itself...the binding cracked almost as soon as I opened the book. Still, for $14.95, this edition is a steal, and the Narnia books are just as enjoyable to me now as they were when I was a young girl.

Brilliant fantasy series, February 4, 2010
Seven tales of which 5 stand out in their popularity: The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, The Magician's Nephew, Prince Caspian, The voyage of the Dawn Treader & The Last Battle.

Beautifully written with vivid imagination. If I were to narrow down my choice of the best of Narnia still further I would mostlikely opt for the famous 'The Lion,the Witch and the Wardrobe' as well as 'The Voyage of the Dawn Treader'. Hopefully the new Dawn Treader movie will be as good as the book.

Fans of Narnia would also probably enjoy 'Godstone' which is a fantasy set between two Christmases and 100 Cupboards.

Godstone - The Kairos Boxes

The Chronicles of Narnia!, December 27, 2005
The Chronicles of Narnia is one of the best books in the world, and this one-volume set truly shows it. From the lettering, to the artwork, it's all-around perfect.
The paperback version is better; the hardback cracks when you open it, and you can't leave it sitting open because it'll just pop back together. Plus, the slipcover is not well-made: it bends and rips from the slightest bump.
Even though this is set with The Magician's Nephew first, I still recommend you read Lion/Witch/Wardrobe first. I've read them both ways, and the release order is a lot better.

The books, by the way, are amazing. The only complaint is that he doesn't describe things much, and sometimes I wish that there weren't so many letters to a page, and that they weren't so squished together: it makes it a little overbearing sometimes.

Still the best children's stories ever, September 12, 2004
Everything about these stories is amazing. The richness of C.S. Lewis' descriptions makes this book have a life of it's own. The characters are fully three dimensional, from courageous Lucy , the evil White Witch, and wise Aslan.
The book has Judeo-Christian overtones, but they are subtly woven in to the stories. I mention this only because I do not like to be beaten over the head with good vs. evil and thought other readers might be concerned.
The book is a fantasy, but not in a Dungeons & Dragon's sense. It is instead one of the loveliest sets of fairie tales written.
Ostensibly for children it can be read and enjoyed by adults as well. Five stars does not begin to approach it's excellence.

Great for Kids and Adults Alike, March 31, 2007
Not much to say except I just finished reading the series for the first time yesterday, and I've found the whole thing truly enthralling. One other comment I'd like to make is that there seems to be a big to-do about how to read Narnia. I read them in chronological order. Maybe I was fine with it because I didn't read the whole series either way when I was younger. But to me the entire thing is enjoyable so I say read it any way it strikes you: chronological, original publishing order (which is 2,4,5,6,3,1,7 if you've got everything listed in chronological), backwards, or just a mix of this one and that one. (Although maybe I shouldn't recommend those last two?)

All I'm trying to say is that all the books are good, regardless of order. Read and enjoy them. That's my advice.

Before there was Harry..., May 5, 2008
I picked up the complete Chronicles of Narnia having run out of Harry Potter books to enjoy, and curious to see the similarities and differences between these fantasy series written for children. Prior to reading them I had heard they were very simplistic, to the point of being almost condescending to the reader. Upon reading the series, I felt that given the time difference between when these books were written, they actually will provide a sufficient challenge for young readers (language use and historical contexts alone will provide learning opportunities), while also remaining relatively interesting for adult readers. The books are quite simplistic in the sense that they all focus on one key element per book - all subplots and meanderings only contribute to the final showdown per book.

The pros to the Narnia series is they feel like they are the originators of many of the elements of fantasy novels we see today - although this might make the books feel a bit tired to people who have read lots of books in the fantasy genre, it's interesting to see them from the point of view of a mid-20th-century children's author. The books are rarely controversial in their content in terms of violence or content (save for one case outlined below), although there are plenty of obvious religious allegories sprinkled throughout. The books teach good morals, are evenly paced, and will capture the imagination of younger readers. Perhaps the most brilliant piece of all that will entice older readers is picking up the threads - sometimes very subtle ones - between each story that tie them together.

In terms of negatives, parents should be aware of the religious implications of these stories - whether or not that affects the enjoyment of these stories is to be determined. The Chronicles of Narnia are *not* the Harry Potter series - they are much less character-based and much more focused on plot elements and how they build up to the major morals of each tale. As a result, most of the characters are very flat and two-dimensional, and also limited by the time period in which they were written. As a result the female characters are often given stereotypical treatment as 'Damsels in Distress' or the 'Nurturing Mother Figure'. Most of the characters in "The Horse & His Boy" are also relatively offensively written as the story is set in a Middle Eastern land, which might explain why this particular story is often overlooked (it also barely figures into the entire Narnia landscape).

The neatest thing about this series is comparing what order the books were written versus what order they are presented in the story - the preferred author's sequence - and the chronological order of the events which happen. "The Magician's Nephew" actually starts off the books yet was written second last - it's basically a prequel to the famed "The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe" that details the birth of Narnia and many of the familiar elements that crop up in TLTWATW such as the lantern and the White Witch.

"The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe" is perhaps the most famous Narnia book, not just because it was recently made into a film but because it is truly one of the most enjoyable books in the series. It follows four war-torn siblings as they venture into Narnia, unaware of the prophecies that surround them and the destruction the White Witch has wreaked on this magical world. The third book is "The Horse & His Boy", a forgettable tale that rarely focuses on Narnia but moreso the journey of a young peasant boy trying to get there.

"Prince Caspian" will likely be the next big Narnia book based on the movie release, which sees the four Pensevie children return to Narnia yet again only to find they've actually missed over 1000 years of Narnian history, and the land is once again under threat when the next ruler is exiled from his own kingdom. "The Voyage of Dawn Treader" was a surprising favourite of mine that let Lucy & Edmund, and their cousin Eustace, return to Narnia a year after their last visit to go on a seaworthy journey to the ends of the earth, while "The Silver Chair" read more like filler with Eustace and his classmate Jill Pole returning to Narnia yet again (although the underground scenes were entertaining).

The final chapter in the series "The Last Battle" provided a somewhat satisfying and mostly surprising end to the books - although perhaps not so much when the religious overtones are considered. The most enjoyable aspect of this particular book was the sweeping nature of bringing together nearly all of the characters (or at least their stories), although the story itself seemed a bit too single-handed in focusing on the aforementioned last battle.

Overall this is a good series to try out if you're craving some fantasy books. They're different from what's out there today, it's just up to you to interpret whether this is a good or bad thing.

Welcome to a wonderful imagination that will capture yours!, June 26, 2007
It's hard to know where to start in the explanation of this classic work by one of the greatest Christian authors C.S. Lewis. The Chronicles of Narnia is a fictional work, a tale of fantasy and exploration of four youths into the land of Narnia. Lewis and Tolkien were contemporaries and friends - and many people are now familiar with Tolkien's work The Lord of the Rings. Hollywood is about to introduce America to the most famous of the 7 books in the Narnia collection - The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (which is actually the second book in the series) with a movie by the same name to be released in December 2005.

Since the books read like a fairy tale, they are perfect for a young reader - I read them for the first time probably in sixth or seventh grade - and then reread them later in high school. I look forward to reading them to my own children sometime in elementary school. The spiritual concepts are profound and deep, but even young children will be fascinated by the story of heroes and witches and four young children lost in this fantasy land.

Be careful when purchasing The Chronicles of Narnia - the books are sold both individually and as a boxed set...you might think you're ordering the entire set, but only end up with one book. The entire set is seven books - Book 1: The Magician's Nephew; Book 2: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe; Book 3: The Horse and His Boy; Book 4: Prince Caspian; Book 5: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader; Book 6: The Silver Chair; Book 7: The Last Battle. I have a boxed set published by HarperTrophy and it is excellent. [...].

Excellent stories; book feels great in your hands, July 6, 2006
We began reading this book on a road trip across Tennessee. The stories are excellent but if how a book feels in your hands - in terms of ink color, paper quality, ease of keeping it opened to the page you're reading -- this edition is outstanding.

Timeless collection of classics!, June 7, 2007
What can I say about these books? The Chronicles of Narnia is such a classic collection. I loved the books as a child and I still love them all.
C.S. Lewis is an amazing author and The Chronicles of Narnia is truly a magnificent work of art and imagination. He has made a timeless story that children and adults alike will enjoy forever.
When I read the stories again as an adult I was especially impressed by the ending in The Last Battle. I would definately recommend that you make sure you read all the books as every one is a masterpiece in itself.

If you love these books then I would also recommend Candara's Gift (Accounts of Candara) by the new author Jasper Cooper. It has much of the same original qualities of fantasy and imagination.

For adults or young adults I would strongly recommend reading The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis. An amazingly interesting and imaginative short story. This again shows off Lewis' talent for capturing the readers interest and delving into Christianity in the captivating way that only Lewis can. ... Read more

Editorial Review

The wizards at Ankh-Morpork's Unseen University are renowned for many things—wisdom, magic, their love of teatime—but athletics is most assuredly not on the list. So when Lord Vetinari, the city's benevolent tyrant, strongly suggests to Archchancellor Mustrum Ridcully that the university put forth a football team composed of faculty, students, and staff—or lose the funding that pays for their nine daily meals—the more-than-usually-at-sea UU wizards find themselves in a quandary. To begin with, they have to figure out just what it is that makes this sport of foot-the-ball so popular with Ankh-Morporkians of all ages and social strata. Then they have to learn how to play it. Oh, and on top of that, they must somehow win a football match without using magic.

And the thing about football—the most important thing about football—is that it is never just about football.

Reviews

are some people misreading this book?, November 13, 2009
Before I purchased this book I read some of the reviews here and some of them distressed me a little.

After actually reading the book I am a bit puzzled at some of the charges that Alzheimer's is at the heart of a poor book. WTF? This was one of the more complex Discworld books to date, perhaps not as light and fluffy as some would hope, but very dense and meaningful. Yes, football seems to be what the book is about, but that is, excuse me, a very facile interpretation of the story, which IS about prejudice, finding meaning in life, love, friendship, the interaction of social classes, and so much more, football is merely the foil upon which part of the book plays out against. This is a discworld book that follows several narratives until they reduce down to one. It is one of the more challenging discworld books in it story telling, and rewards faithful reading of the series with all manners of small insights into formerly minor (and major) characters.

Those that blame Alzheimer's for a book they don't like are on the wrong track, it is fine to not like the book, it took me longer to engage with this book than many other discworld books, but the not liking is a personal preference and not the result of the disease.

Once I adjusted to the flow and style of the book I was pulled further and further in and by the end it ranks near the top of discworld books ever for me.

It is good, nay.. it is great.

Pratchett scores again, October 6, 2009
Mr Pratchett has used many of his novels to give a comic fantasy twist to many subjects ranging from Banking, movie making to newspapers. Here he turns his hand to blending football into the Discworld. And the football here is the British Soccer, not football as understood by you chaps in the US.

I have been with the Discworld novels since the very beginning, way before the author turned into a phenomenon and then an official National British Treasure. Recently his much discussed illness has perhaps made us appreciate his genius even more. Now, a slight confession, although I was there from the start, I kind of lost my way about Hogfather - maybe it was my age or my tastes changed, but suddenly the books weren't doing it for me and since Hogfather I have only been dipping in and out of the occasional one.

But I love football and was keen to see how Terry Pratchett would morph our beautiful game into a Discworld version! And would the classic humour and clever writing be there as I remembered it from the days of avid reading. In short, yes.

In essence, the wizards of the Unseen University have to win a football match. And they are not allowed to use magic. So they resort to bringing in some players many of whom, in typical Pratchett fashion, are not quite what they seem. But although there are many amusing digs at the football culture, football and the challenge match are just the framework in which the author places interesting characters and very funny interplay. And there comes a point where you realise that actually this book might be about something that is nothing to do with football as we also get a gentle love story and comments on such maters as diverse as discrimination and fashion!
Knowledge of 'soccer' is not required to appreciate this, but there are two elements of British culture that may be worth explaining. Firstly British football is very tribal and who you support and intense rivalries that can border on hate, are part of the culture. Also part of the culture are the stadium pies. These are no culinary delights but are a stadium tradition, you eat them without asking too many questions - nobody expects decent quality food at a football ground in the UK. These are running themes in the book so worth mentioning for background.
Also towards the end the chapters have titles such as "They think it's all over" and "It is now"...this is from a famous TV commentary from 1966 when England won the World Cup.
It's astonishing that an author who is suffering with a serious illness can still produce such high quality stuff. The word genius was never more appropriate.

In which the Unseen University embraces its athletics department, October 6, 2009
Lord Vetinari decides it is time to treat football (soccer to Americans) like crime; if you are going to have it, it should be organized. Ponder Stibbons learns the power of managing the agenda and mastering tradition. Ankh-Morpork finds the Disc's first super-model, and tries to figure out exactly why this should matter to anyone. The power of pie is explored. More insinuations, inuendo, and hints as to the relationship between Lord Vetinari and a mature lady from Überwald. And Mr. Nutt is introduced and acquires worth. Along with the usual cultural literacy exam.

Again, Terry Pratchett has outdone himself. "Unseen Academicals" is a brilliant and complex story with many threads beautifully woven together. The lives of the most powerful people in Ankh-Morpork intersect with the lives of the most humble on the Disc.

Cooks, candlemakers, and the fans and players of foot-the-ball of the neighborhoods of Ankh-Morpork find their lives turned upside down when the Wizards of U.U. find they must play soccer, or limit themselves to only three meals a day. And behind this, a humble and hard working... man, Nutt is trying to gain worth, earn respect, and make friends, none of which come naturally to him. Old characters return, one having substituted 'x' for 'cks', new characters abound. References to Shakespeare and pop culture (for lack of a better word) collide.

I loved it. I read it in a day, and am re-reading it to pick up on the magnificent detail and hints that will only make sense as the story draws to a close. My biggest regret is that "Unseen Academicals" arrived to quickly ending the anticipation, and it will be too long before the next Pratchett book.

E. M. Van Court

This Book Has Worth!, October 25, 2009
As Discworld novels go, some are good, and some are great. But this one is Worthy! It is the best Pratchett has ever done, and that is saying a lot! For the first time he actually uses some Forbidden Words, and delves further into adult territory than he has ever done before. The odd thing is that it works masterfully. It is a bit grittier than previous books, and that surprise alone made me laugh out loud. The book is about Foot The Ball (Soccer), Glenda, Juliet, and Mr. Nutt. And Pies. Mr Nutt has got to be one of his best characters ever, and watching this little goblin grow and find his worth is fascinating. Not since Sam Vimes has there been so great a potential for a character. The Dean's treachery makes a great little side plot, and Lord V. is as Machiavellian as ever. Glenda the night cook cooks up more than just pies, and her best friend Juliet stumbles into becoming the Discworld's very first super model. Trevor won't play 'cause his dad got dead in a game' and 'he promised his old mum'. Of course our favorite orangutan is there, and even Rincewind shows up to play. The subtitles are there in all their glorious lunacy. Arch chancellor Ridcully has a larger part in this book than is usual, and proves to be as likable and devious a lunatic as any we have ever met on the disc. All in all, the biggest problem with this book is that it is far too short, and over far too quickly. If you love Pratchett and his motley crew of .....ahem.....people, then you just gotta read this one.

Kudos to you Mr Pratchett. You are a true genius. May you write forever!

Not Pratchett's Normal Fantastic, November 9, 2009
Now I know a lot of die hard Pratchett fans are going to disagree with me in this review. I respect that. But I feel honesty is best. Also, I myself am a huge fan of everything Pratchett has written (and yes, I've read nearly everything I could find). I'll always hold him in high esteem.

So saying...this book, while amusing...while good, is not up to Pratchett's usual excellence. It doesn't even really FEEL like Pratchett. Oh, there are accents of him all over it, but it...feels...like it was written by another. It definitely feels ghostwritten. It doesn't have Pratchett's usual sharp wit and style. Is it worth reading? Definitely. It's a good book, but it's merely ok, instead of the Pratchett norm. I realize I'm completely spoiled by his previous books but there it is.

It pains me to say this but I suspect Mr. Pratchett's recent announcement of poor health has something to do with it. So, buy it. Read it. Enjoy yet another Discworld novel with a good idea behind it, full of many new and old characters...but take it also with a large grain of salt.

Terry Pratchett Foots the Ball, December 27, 2009
I'm a huge fan of Terry Pratchett's Discworld series. The tongue-in-cheek parodies are guaranteed entertainment. This time, in Unseen Academicals, Pratchett takes on football. This is, of course, British football, although the antics of players and spectators are little different to those of their American counterparts. But, as Pratchett says, football is never just about football.

When the overweight, overindulgent wizards of Unseen University discover a clause in an endowment that states they must play football or lose a tidy sum of money--that means they would have to pare back spending on food, and worse, reduce the size of the cheese plate--they have no choice. They must form a team and take part in Ankh-Morpork's popular sport of Foot the Ball, and being Unseen University, they must win. Without using magic.

We find many old friends in Unseen Academicals: successful tyrant Lord Ventinari, Archancellor Mustrum Ridcully, the Librarian, and more. As per Pratchett's m.o.d., we also meet new characters we hope to see in future Discworld novels. Trev Likely, son of Ankh-Morpork's most famous footballer, who died on the field. Trev promised his old mum he wouldn't play the game, but he's a whiz with a shiny tin can. Sensible, intelligent Glenda, pie-maker supreme in UU's night kitchen. Glenda's friend and total opposite, the stunning Juliet; beautiful, romantic, illiterate and dimmer than a 25-watt light bulb. And then there is Mr. Nutt. Everyone thinks Nutt is a goblin, but Pratchett lets us into the secret of what Nutt really is early on. Thugs, dwarf couturiers, rivals from another university, all make their appearance; not to forget Mr. Cut-Me-Own-Throat Dibbler, who always manages to weasel his way into a scene, albeit briefly.

As UU tries to research the game of Foot the Ball, a gold-colored urn mysteriously comes to light. This urn conveniently lists the original, goddess-given rules of football. And just in time, too, before the UU team has to participate in the current knock-em-down-and-stomp-on-em street version. This new game of football will be civilized, and with Mr. Nutt to tutor them in strategy and technique, how can they lose?

But, as said before, football is never just about football.

One of Prachett's Last and Best, November 16, 2009
I've read the entire Discworld series as well as several of Prachett's other books, and I must say that Unseen Academicals is his one of his very best Ankh-Morpork books if not the best, period. Without giving anything away, the main theme is very appealing and satisfying one about how people choose to live, whether as a mob or as individuals, and how important it is to direct that potential in ways that bring out our best traits, manage and direct our worst traits, and make us happy. As usual, though the thought-provoking aspects are easily set aside if you just want to enjoy some good, sometimes raunchy fun. The book isn't remotely preachy which is why it works. Well, that and outstanding craftsmanship.

Unseen Academicals also has the largest ensemble cast of Prachett's books, but with many of the Ankh Morpork regulars we know and love (the Watch, Lord Vetinari, the Press, the Unseen University Staff (ook!), and even the original Discworld lead Rincewind). However, they play entirely supporting roles to some fresh but appealing characters. As a result, you don't need to know a thing about Discworld to enjoy Unseen Academicals, but if you know anything about the series, you'll be delighted by your previous reading efforts paying off again and again. By reading this, I feel like I have new insights into his own perspectives and affection for his characters and settings.

In short, I loved the book.

I suppose I especially loved it especially both because it is so well done and knowing that we won't see many more from Prachett because of his early onset Alzheimer's disease (though I hope I am wrong -- though not nearly as much as Prachett himself, I suspect). I hope he gives us another similar book in the Lancre setting.

Here's to hoping he stays ridiculously healthy.

Footnotes and British Football, October 9, 2009
The Terry Pratchett trademark footnotes are back. One takes up almost half the first page and true to form the footnote is itself footnoted. The blithering idiocy of the footnotes which sprinkle the pages of the book fails to disguise the grace and depth of the superb fantasy novel that floats above them. The plot moves faster than a kicked soccer ball and the humor has edges that cut right down to the heart.

This is a book about Glenda, the young lady who runs the Night Kitchen at the Unseen University. She's got a way with pastry and a kind heart for anyone in trouble. It's also about Mr. Nutt, a little goblin who makes candles in the basement--the wizards like them to be properly dribbled and deformed because the magic doesn't go right if the candle is straight. It's about Trevor Likely who promised his old mum he wouldn't play football since his dad died in a scrimmage. It's about the lovely Juliet--her family cheers for a rival football team so although she and Trevor are in love they can't be seen together. It's a book about teamwork, about finding worth in oneself and about taking chances.

Most of our old Ankh-Morpork friends turn up in the melee--Archchancellor Ridcully and his faculty are delightfully in evidence as the university decides that what they need is a football rivalry with a team from the town. Lord Vetinari manipulates everything in a way that makes Machiavelli look like an amateur. Rincewind runs; Sam Vines threatens to throw the lot of them into jail. And yet things at old UU have changed (but no spoilers--I shall say nothing more about the treachery of the Dean!)

Terry Pratchett manages to enchant us with his new characters and keep us laughing at his old ones. Mr. Nutt with his philosophical discourses, his desperate desire to become worthy and the dark mystery that surrounds him might just be Pratchett's finest creation to date. Good satire has an edge; great satire wields a scalpel; only Pratchett can write the kind of satire that can give the patient a complete heart transplant and a new chance at life.

View From the Peanut Gallery, October 14, 2010
In the "Star Trek: The Next Generation" series there was an episode called "Lower Decks" that focused on a group of young people serving in minor positions on the Enterprise instead of the usual group of head honchos. That is essentially what happens in "Unseen Academicals" which focuses on the people who work in the Night Kitchen and the candle vats of Unseen University, the school for wizards in the city of Ankh-Morpork.

Ostensibly though the book is about the game of foot-the-ball or football (or soccer as we call it across the Pond). In Ankh-Morpork, the game of foot-the-ball is actually more like rugby, with a lot of tackling and fighting and very little scoring. Young Trevor Likely's father was a legend because he scored 4 goals.

Trevor works in the candle vats of Unseesn University with Nutt, a very learned goblin who talks like a shelf of self-help books. Nutt has a Mysterious Past that not even he remembers. Eventually though Trev and Nutt go up to the Night Kitchen, where they meet the plain, fat Glenda and the beautiful, ditzy Juliet.

As it happens Juliet is from the Stoops family, who are sworn enemies of Trev's family because of their foot-the-ball allegiances. Trev & Juliet doesn't play out like Romeo & Juliet because tragedy is not ever really on the menu in the Discworld. Nutt does a little Cyrano in writing a poem to help woo Juliet, which would work better if Juliet could read words of more than one syllable.

Oh yes, there is a football game in there too. The wizards of Unseen University discover that they have to play a game of football in order to keep a bequest that keeps their Night Kitchen stocked. (If there's one thing wizards really like it's their kitchen.) When some new old rules are "discovered" from a museum, a new brand of foot-the-ball is born with Nutt taking the lead as coach.

This book utilizes two recurring theme-like items in the Discworld series. One is equal rights/tolerance, which is embodied by Nutt. Goblins (or what Nutt really is) being the latest in a line that includes dwarfs, trolls, werewolves, vampires, and golems who break the racial barrier in Ankh-Morpork. The other theme-like substance is modernizing the city. The police force, post office, bank, and Unseen University itself have all been dramatically remodeled since the earliest Discworld novels. As well football joins other modern things like newspapers, movies, the Internet, and rock music to become part of the fabric of Disc society. So really while the book is entertaining (as most Discworld books are) it's not anything fans of the series haven't really seen before.

What bugged me about the previous book "Making Money" was that there was no money made in it; the actual printing of money seemed like it would be taking place off the pages. I feared that Pratchett was going to do the same here and have the football game take place off the page, but he does at least manage to get it in, even if it is a bit underwhelming. While it was nice to see Rincewind (with a cameo by The Luggage) and the Librarian again, I wish they could have been used more.

That the book doesn't focus on any of the major characters in the end means that this can be filed away as "Minor Discworld" along with one-offs like "Pyramids," "Small Gods," "The Truth," and "Monstrous Regiment." Since football (soccer) hooliganism isn't a big thing here in the States, I'm sure some of the jokes in this one went over my head; British readers would then probably enjoy this more.

Still, it's not a bad entry in the series, but not an overly important one either. You could do a lot worse.

That is all.

Definitely not 'all over' yet, April 13, 2010
As I found the reviews somewhat mixed I held off buying this book for a long, long time. Previously I had taken every masterful Discworld book on pre-order. However, with Mr Pratchett becoming a victim of Alzheimer's I feared the worst for his writing. I did not want to be disappointed, I did not want the last 'new' Discworld book I read to be a disappointment. Really, I should have paid more attention because this book is about soccer. I eat, drink and sleep soccer. I love this book, it is truly both brilliant and hilarious. I would venture to suggest that any failure to enjoy this book is not the fault of the author but the fault of the reader. The book is funny in a smart way. All Discworld books are funny in a smart way. If a reader does not know the topic being satirized then it is really just too bad for them. Anyone not enjoying this book should look at themselves first and the book second when wondering what went wrong. ... Read more

Editorial Review

One of the most famous Batman stories of all time is offered for the first time in hardcover in this special twentieth-anniversary edition.

This is the unforgettable that forever changed Batman's world, adding a new element of darkness with its unflinching portrayal ofThe Joker's twisted psyche.

Writer Alan Moore, acclaimed author of WATCHMEN and V FOR VENDETTA, offers his take on the disturbing relationship between The Dark Knight and his greatest foe.The Clown Prince of Crime has never been more ruthless than in this brutal tale.

This special new edition also includes a story written and exquisitely illustrated by Brian Bolland. ... Read more

Reviews

One REALLY bad day., July 14, 2008
"The Killing Joke" is widely considered to be the be-all-end-all of Joker stories, so what better way to pay homage to the greatest comic book villain of all time near the eve of his re-unveiling in The Dark Knight than by reviewing his definitive story? This is the comic that (sort of) revealed the origin of The Clown Prince of Crime, humanizing him to an extent never before, and truly examined -with pictures rather than words- the antagonistic symbiosis that exists between Joker and his arch nemesis, The Batman. A beloved Gotham regular will never be the same and another will be put through hell before this story is done. Oh, and there are creepy little henchmidgets as well. Gotta love the henchmidgets.

The art is outstanding, the storytelling superb, and the character examinations are vital to understanding both combatants. The "one bad day" premise highlights the "two sides of the same coin" argument that Batman and Joker are in fact more alike than dissimilar. As if Bruce Wayne took a right when his arch-nemesis took a left. The controversial ending leaves little doubt as to Alan Moore's take on the debate, and I like it like that. While many critics have strongly resisted both the comparison and the somewhat sympathetic look at The Joker's past, the truth is that every great character -villain or hero- needs that sort of intricacy to their story to remain relevant in the world of modern fiction. Comics are no longer for children and adults realize that the world is seldom black and white, that all monsters were once men, and that unspeakable darkness and insanity resides deep inside each human mind. It can take years of suffering to bring them out or it can take one bad day. One bad day could ruin your very existence and everything you were; it's a frightening reality that cannot be overlooked while reading this comic. The more the reader is willing to ponder the ideas put forth by this story, the more you are likely to appreciate "The Killing Joke". An outstanding achievement in storytelling any way you look at it.

I was tempted to knock this down to four stars because with this book you are buying a single issue of a comic for what you could easily pay for a full trade paperback or graphic novel of equal quality like, say, Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns, which is so good it may very well cure cancer (can you prove it doesn't?). But the fact is no Batman fan should be without "The Killing Joke" and I would rather stick to reviewing based on quality rather than haggling over price. The bonus story at the end (written and illustrated by TKJ artist Brian Bolland) is a killer little mini-comic that serves as a perfect companion piece to the main story and definitely sweetens the pot for those wondering if they should get this hardcover edition. "The Killing Joke" is an absolute mindless must-have for fans of the comic book medium and even more so if you claim to be a follower of The Caped Crusader or his twisted nemesis. End of story.

Batman: The Killing Joke defines Batman's and Joker's bond!, March 3, 1999
Batman: The Killing Joke is the greatest story ever told about the origin of The Joker. What make this story so brilliant is how Batman, by accident, created his greatest foe. The art in this story is perhaps Brian Bolland's greatest achievement. (No one can draw The Joker better than Bolland. ex: The cover of the Greatest Joker Stories Ever Told). Alan Moore delivers a dark story about Batman and his relationship with the Joker. From the first page when Batman visits The Joker at Arkham Asylum on a dark stormy night, to exactly 24 hours later when Batman confronts The Joker at an abandon carnival is brillantly told by Moore in the format of The Dark Knight tradition. I thought it was brillant to begin and end this story with the same panel (rain falling on the ground) which shows no matter what fates happen to everyone else, Batman and The Joker will always end up where they started..."There were once Two men in a lunatic asylum..." This one-shot format for mature readers is also exceptional how it can merge two stories (Joker's origin and Batman's hunt for him) together. For example, When the Joker's hand is outstreched toward's the clown in fortune teller machine, the panel before shows The Joker reaching for his wife, with the same expression on her face...while his expression is reflected in the backround. It is almost as if he were having a flashback to his orgin. It is also interesting to see Batman confront The Joker and offer to help him, despite all The Joker has done. On the panel where The Joker glances at Batman before he says no to Batman's help is very scary in the fact that The Joker is actually considering to accept help from Batman. I guess the best example of Batman's and The Joker's relationship is on the back cover, with both of them on the same playing card...Forever together and forever apart...like different sides of the same coin...

Has its good and bad points., July 21, 2004
I liked this story, generally speaking, but not unreservedly. Despite what others have written, saying the Joker needs no backstory, I actually liked it that we now have some idea where he came from. He is shown here as a failed comic, who is trying to eke out a living doing stand up comedy, but nobody laughs at his routines, and he can't support his wife. The scene where he momentarily snaps at his wife, and then is instantly regretful is very human and very believable, as is her trying to comfort him, and assure him that it doesn't matter and she loves him anyway. This makes it very understandable why he agreed to take part in the criminal venture that went awry and turned him into the Joker. He was desperate to be a husband and provider. There is also a moment where the Joker remembers his past life, and what he has lost, and you can see that there is a part of him that regrets it profoundly. This scene is done without words, and it is the artwork of Brian Bolland that makes it work.

But sympathetic though this treatment is, the Joker is too far gone in his insanity, and Moore shows this as well. Elsewhere in the story, the Joker commits some terribly brutal acts of wanton cruelty, which show why is such a feared villian in Batmans' rogue's gallery. He may have started out as a tragic, ordinary guy, but he has become a true monster.

That's the good. The bad is an out of character treatment of the Batman himself. The Joker is shown as SO brutal, dangerous, and slippery, that it is simply not believable that the Batman would not kill him, whatever his ordinary qualms about taking human life. Given the Joker's homicidal history, and his ability to esacpe confinement over and over again, Batman would simply have to ask himself how many innocents he would condemn to future death if he allows the Joker to live. His willingness to to laugh with the Joker at the end of the story is also out of character, and frankly inexplicable, given that the Joker just kidnapped and cruelly abused Commissioner Gordon, and permanently crippled Gordon's daughter Barbara, the former Batgirl.

Still, it's an effective story overall.

Killing Joke finally out in Hahahard cover, April 3, 2008
Blurbs on a cover always tell you that whatever book you're holding in your hands is better than the best, that you'd probably die if you'd put it back to where it came from, and more of that kind of nonsense.
In this case (in 1988) they had Tim Burton saying it's his favorite and that it's the first comic he ever loved. The poor fellow. Don't get me wrong: I adore Tim Burton. I love everything he did (after Batman), but there definitely are other great comic books out there.
But still, he is right in saying that this one counts among the best. That is, now it does. Now that Brian Bolland himself has redone the original coloring (by John Higgins). I love Brian Bolland. He is one of my all time favorite artists, a genius in black and white (which best brings out his fine and detailed pencils). And he did a great coloring job here, too. The colors are more pastel and thus bring back a balance to the book I missed in the 1988 paperback.
The original coloring looked as if Mr. Higgins had just bought himself a new set of colors and went for it. There was so much yellow, green and red dripping off the pages that it stopped me from entering the storyline. It looked seventies cheap. Also, to my taste it almost destroyed Brian's genius penciling.
Which is a shame, cause it's a masterpiece (yes, another one) written by Alan Moore. Not for kiddies. The Joker is too brutal for that here. A dark tale about insanity, true insanity, the ways of getting there and what it can lead to. The Joker is meaner and deeper than ever. Batman isn't weak, after all he's Batman, right?! But then, why is it so hard for him this time to deal with the creep? That is, can he?
As a small extra there is a bonus story of a few pages, a few sketches and instead of the tpb's first page with the splattering raindrops, you get a set of bloody eyes staring at you out of the dark.
Highly recommended. Buy this new version and enjoy Mr. Bolland's genius artwork and Mr. Moore's timeless tale.

The greatest Joker story ever., March 1, 2002
I remember first reading this astonishing book about ten or so years ago around when I first got into comic books. Up until that point I had just read typical mainstream super-hero fare with stories where a bad guy is introduced, commits his crime, and the good guy takes him out. status quo remains in place and everybody goes home happy.

Then I chanced upon this book, not even yet knowing who Alan Moore or Brian Bolland were and was completely blown away! This was a story that mattered. The event's of this book changed the character's in ways that they could never go back, and that's a very rare and good thing in comics. Never has a comic book so brilliantly dug so deep into the nasty bowels of the Joker's mind like this. You see the events that lead up to him going over the top and becoming the criminal who would one day be Batman's arch foe. Then we have Joker's confrontation with Batgirl which would forever change the character's in the Bat books and go on to really show just how insane and demented the Joker actually is. Personally, every time I read it, I can't wait to get to the end of the story when Batman get's his hands on the clown for one of my favorite fight sequences ever! You know a man can write when he get's you feel that much hate for a fictonal character!

A first rate story, from a first rate creative team. This story is only second to The Dark Knight Returns.

More than just a comic - True Literature, March 13, 2002
This is the most in-depth Batman comic I have ever read, and has become my favourite Batman story of all time. The story deals with Joker escaping, paralyzing Barbara Gordon, kidnapping Commissoner Gordon, and trying to prove that any man can go crazy in a single, bad day. As Batman hunts the Joker, the reader is treated to the Joker's origin story, and sees how thin the line is that seperates Batman from the Joker.

I won't try to get into the psychological aspects of this story -suffice it to say that other reviews have covered it throughly and any attempt on my part would only make me look foolish. However, I will say that the most chilling part about this book is how, if you replace Batman and the Joker with two everyday people, the events still feel horribly real. This is not escapist reading as all comic books have been labeled, in fact, this is the book to show people who don't believe that powerful stories can be told in this medium. Both Batman and the Joker had a single bad day - so why didn't Batman go insane like the Joker did? The reader wants to know the fine line that seperates these two characters, partly so they can realize how close to crossing that line they are in their own lives. The art is truly amazing -detailed, moody, and brilliantly inked - the scenes in the Joker's funhouse scare the reader as much as they scare Gordon. The flashbacks are also impressively tied into the present, with similiar situations bookending each scene. The story begins and ends on the same note, like a vicious, never-ending cycle. Plus, you know you have something special when, after all the vicious, sadistic things the Joker has done, you still feel sorry for him.

"The Killing Joke" is a true masterpiece, and earns its place as one of the best comics of all time, and a true work of fiction.

Sympathy for the Devil, April 11, 2002
The Killing Joke is one of the few Batman stories where you actually feel for the Joker as a character. In most stories he either comes off as a charicature of a killer or a sinister and dispicable murderer who you can't have any sympathy for. One of Alan Moore's masterpieces, it even has a song that you can sing. Its funny, but the tune just comes to your head. You automatically know how you should be singing it. The pacing is very cinematic and it is not overburdened with words. Wordless captions make the story more fast paced.
Bolland (why doesn't he do more interiors these days?) is the best Joker (and Batman) artist of all time. The expressions of dispair that he draws on the faces of Barbara Gordon, the Joker, Commissioner Gordon and others are among the most realistic I have ever seen.

Not Just Another Comic Book., April 10, 2002
Comic books are often dismissed by many people as having no real value. They are usually looked upon as a hobby for boys and nostalgiac entertainment for men who have never really grown up. However, comic books can be and are often much more. At their best, comics can become a moving work of art and a powerful piece of literature all in one piece. Such is the case with BATMAN: THE KILLING JOKE.

THE KILLING JOKE has become a comic classic for a variety of reasons. The book's illustrations have influenced a generation of Batman artists. The book offered insight into the Joker's personality. It changed the Batman universe (by what the Joker does to Barbara Gordon). It illustrated the strong bond between Batman and Joker and displayed the differences in world view that make the men who they are. It helped inspire a major motion picture.

However, the comic is much more than a story about the possible origins of the Joker and how he and Batman are so strongly bonded together. The story is a reflection of two very distinct views of life: the tragic and the comic. The Joker, ironically, views life tragically believing that all it takes is "one bad day" to transform the most normal person in the world into a psychotic maniac. His is the world of chaos and injustice. He holds onto this belief even though he knows (as the last pages of the comic show) it is false. On the other hand, there is the world view of Batman. Batman's life was changed too, by "one bad day". However, Batman's view is comic. He had one bad day, too, but it turned him into a hero. His is the world of order and justice. In the end, good triumphs over evil and the tragedians are forced to laugh at all the comedy. Life truly is beautiful. I bet you believed a comic could never be so thought-provoking.

Moody and Tragic story of the Joker and Batman, October 3, 1999
A comic nearing perfection in both its graphic and story construction. The art, empasising sickly greens, oranges and reds (especially during Gordon's torture sequence) works brilliantly at evoking a sense of the deranged and desperate mind of the Joker. That this tale is only one brutal cycle in the continuing, and perhaps endless, Joker/Batman confrontation is made all-too clear by the same, full-page panel of rain falling in muddy water being shown at both the beginning and the end. The story itself is also spectacular, from Batman's initial attampt to reason with his archnemesis ("There once were two guys in a lunatic asylum...")Joker's merciless attack and humiliation of Barbara Gordon, to Joker's hideous claim that the only difference between him and the rest of the world is "one bad day." One of the most bizarre and horrifying moments in Batman history must be achieved in the two foes final confrontation...that one brief moment when the Joker turns-halfway to Batman...is he considering accepting the Dark Night's help?...to the final scene when both men laugh uncontollably in the killing rain; a single moment when the both the Batman and Joker get the same Joke: that they are together, forever, until they destroy each other. Perhaps this is the "Killing Joke" of the title?

Into the eye of madness........, December 9, 2005
The first time I read the Killing Joke I sat and thought, "Finally someone has given the Joker the treatment he so richly deserves." Alan Moore's writing draws us into the Joker's twisted, sick view of reality. The Joker now, is beyond redemption, a sick, giggling, sociopath. His sadistic torture of Jim Gordon, and his cold-blooded shooting of Barbara Gordon leaves us in no doubt that he is a pyschopath with no remorse, only a sick sense of humour. However his back story, told in flashback brings a once human face to the Batman's arch-nemesis and gives us an insight into Moore's seminal interpretation of the Joker's origin.

Whilst staying faithful to the sketchy outlines given in previous stories, the bad choices from good intentions and tragedy that lead up to the events that created the Joker make us more sympathic to who he was, whilst still giving us the Joker at his most dark and evil. His descent from decent loser to twisted evil murderous clown is all the more powerful for these details, whilst still leaving things open for others to interpret, "Sometimes I remember it one way, sometimes another....."

The story itself is simple, The Joker shoots and cripples Barbara Gordon, kidnaps Jim Gordon himself and tries to drive him insane whilst Batman tracks him downs and saves the day isn't exactly full of twists and turns. What makes this one of the definitive Batman stories is Moore's delving into the pyschological motivations of Batman and the Joker. They are Two-Face's coin. One face fair, the other scarred, twin faces. As the Joker proclaims in the graphic novel, "All it takes is a bad day. Just one bad day."

And this is the place where Moore begins his exploration of the pysches of these two intertwined characters. One the one hand, Batman, whose reaction to his "one bad day" is to be driven by his inner demons to go out into the night dressed as "a flying rodent" to try to fight a war that he cannot win. This is what gives Batman such pathos. The Joker's reaction to his "one bad day" is to descend into insanity. He justifies his actions to himself by trying to convince himself that everyone else would be like him, if only they had suffered what he has suffered. At the end he recognises that this belief is false, but he clings to it nevertheless, trapped in the insanity that now consumes him. This is just the Joker pathos too, and in my opinion the best villians and heros have pathos.

Both were transformed by their "one bad day", one into a man trying impose order and justice to chaos, and the other into becoming the embodiment of that chaos.

Brian Bolland's outstanding artwork should not be overlooked either. His visual characterisation of the Joker has become iconic, and his detailed style brings the Joker to life in a way that no one else had done before. In combination with Alan Moore's writing, they combine to provide a piece of work that transcends the negative connotations that labelling it a comic would give it.

The final scenes of the book, where Batman confronts the Joker, and tries to reason with him, appealing to him in the knowledge that their continued war will only bring about the death or either or both of them is truly touching, and the Joker's final rejection only forbodes further evil from the Clown Prince of Crime.

I know I am hyping this, but there are some Batman graphic novels that any self respecting Bats fan needs to own. The Dark Knight Returns, Batman : Year One, Batman : The Long Halloween, Arkham Asylum, Hush vol I and Vol II, Batman : Dark Victory and of course The Killing Joke. There are some graphic novels that any self-respecting comic book fan ought to own, V for Vendetta and From Hell to choose a couple from Alan Moore's work.

And there are some that everyone should own, just to remind people that sometimes, just sometimes, a comic or graphic novel will come along that shocks you and astounds your expectations. The Killing Joke, along with Dark Knight Returns and The Watchmen is one of those.

In the forthcoming sequel to Batman Begins, I only hope that it is this interpretation of the Joker that Nolan brings to the screen, because it is this Joker which is the truly the arch-nemesis that Batman deserves. I can't recommend this one highly enough. ... Read more

Editorial Review

When Batman sees the Bat-Signal up in the sky, it means that danger is near! He'll need his Batsuit and Bat-Pod to help keep Gotham City safe from its newest enemy—the Joker!

Reviews

GREAT INTRO FOR PRESCHOOLER, February 16, 2009
Just bought this book for my 3.5 year old son who is currently fascinated by SuperHeros and super powers. This book was a nice introduction to who Batman is (Bruce Wayne) and how he manages to be Batman and stop the Joker from getting away with crime. No real violence or spooky graffic pictures. Very basic and easily digested. We also purchased I am Spiderman... which was also excellent for the same reasons.

Simple and fun to read, December 13, 2009
My son (3.5 yrs) loves batman and this book is great for a young boy because it is without violence or complicated story lines. I read the words to him (he's too young to read) and we discuss the pictures (what the characters are doing for encouraging creativity).

Great book, May 26, 2010
Book arrived in excelent condition. Fast shipping and great price. My son loves his Batman book. I am very pleased with this purchase!

BATS, April 9, 2010
my son has read more with these books than any other. They continue to grab his interest and challenge his reading skills without the frustration..

awesome!, February 5, 2010
my child loves this book! He got it once from the library and couldn't find it in any store to purchase so I am glad I found it here online!

The Dark Knight: I am Batman (I Can Read Book 2), January 26, 2010
Via Amazon - Excellent service, prompt delivery, excellent condition
as described, packaged well.
Would use again.

got this for my 2yo, January 3, 2010
my 2yo and 4yo boys really like this book, they are already starting to learn it ... Read more

Editorial Review

A phenomenal worldwide bestseller for over thirty years, Richard Adams's Watership Down is a timeless classic and one of the most beloved novels of all time. Set in England's Downs, a once idyllic rural landscape, this stirring tale of adventure, courage and survival follows a band of very special creatures on their flight from the intrusion of man and the certain destruction of their home. Led by a stouthearted pair of brothers, they journey forth from their native Sandleford Warren through the harrowing trials posed by predators and adversaries, to a mysterious promised land and a more perfect society. ... 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

Prophetic Examination of Scientific Ethics, May 31, 2006
As one of Wells lesser known novels "The Food of the Gods" is often out of print and difficult to find. Despite its obscure status, it represents an early examination of scientific ethics that helped define an important genre in science fiction.

As a result of research into the growth curves of living matter, two scientists invent a seemingly miraculous substance called Herakleophorbia IV, nicknamed "The Food of the Gods."

Its consumption causes accelerated uninterrupted growth in all forms of life. Its creators' lack of forethought and ineptitude results in terrifying consequences when the substance escapes the bounds of the experiment and is ingested by unintended creatures.

This early masterpiece was a groundbreaking conjecture of many of the real issues now confronting scientists about genetically engineered foods and ethical considerations in scientific experimentation.

Artificial Growth, March 4, 2010
As I read "The Food of the Gods", my thoughts turned to current events that mirror the problems in the novel including steroids and human growth hormones. Like in his other novels, Wells seemed to have a keen eye for things that would occur in the future. While the questions of scientific ethics in this novel are haunting, the plot is clumsy and moves ploddingly slow.

The novel can be divided into two plot lines. First, the "food of the gods" is developed. While readers get to know the very unassuming scientists that construct the formula, the means by which it is developed is never revealed. Skinner, who serves as the caretaker of their satellite facility, has difficulty with his speech articulation which is cumbersome to read. Readers may find themselves hoping he will be eliminated from the story.

The second plot line involves the "giants" and their relationships with normal sized people. Fed the "foods of the gods" as infants, the child grow to be ostracized from the community. An apparent colony of giants develops as tolerance for the giants wanes. With a unique wrinkle, the plot mirrors virtually any story of the lack of acceptance of people who are different.

"The Food of the Gods" is among the lesser known novels of Wells because it is not a true peer to his great works. The plot moves slow at times, while Wells tries to pull the story full circle. There are some very likeable aspects to the story. But in the scope of Wells' work, the lack of quality is evident.

The Book of the Gods, April 7, 2005
Ok, probably not, but its very close. Personally, I am a very big fan of H.G. Wells. Although lesser known, this is Wells at his finest. It is a fast story that changes points of view almost every chapter, and takes place over the course of 23 years. It is a story about the changeing of the tide and alteration of our reality. You get to expierience changes as small as the transition from horse and buggy to moter car to changes as large as the change from big to small through the eyes of a convict to a farmer to a scientist, and various people in bettween. I feel the need to relate this to the show 24. It has a simmilar feeling of some unknown threat drawing apon you gradually. This is not a book, its an expieriance. Too bad its out of print though. If you still want to read it after everybodys ran out, then it can still be found in a few, best novels by HG Wells books (thats were I read it), and dont forget to check the library. In addition I would like to recomend any Wells book, they are all fantastic, and I consider him the most brilliant author of the 19th or 20th centuries.

Boom food forever, September 14, 2009
"Bigger isn't necessarily better." Dr Ruth Westheimer

This is one of HG's more popular books. This was made into a movie "The Food of the Gods" (1976) and closer to the book "Night of the Lepus" (1972) which was an early form of Rabbit Transit.

As with all of HG's work this is more of a social commentary than it is a sci-fi story.

A scientist finds a way or a food to keep growth from being inhibited. It gets out of hand in several stories each tied together with the single theme. The first part of the story is simple how you deal with big chickens. However it gets a little more complex when it's "how do you deal" with big people. HG shows how England is a stagnant society in the least changes upset the status quo and need to be squelched.

As you can see he is split this up into several books each book being a stand-alone story yet counts on the story before it. As you read this story you must think how I react if I had to deal with giants, how I react if I was the giant. Hopefully we come away from the story with a better understanding of how society works and /or can work.

"He was no more than a great black outline against the starry sky a great black outline the threatened with one mighty gesture the firmament of heaven and all its multitude of stars."

Was Dr. Ruth and her assumption?

The Food of the Gods

Night of the Lepus ~ Stuart Whitman
... Read more

Editorial Review

I used to be your average, everyday girl but all that changed one night in Dublin when I saw my first Fae, and got dragged into a world of deadly immortals and ancient secrets. . . .
 
In her fight to stay alive, MacKayla must find the Sinsar Dubh—a million-year-old book of the blackest magic imaginable, which holds the key to power over the worlds of both the Fae and Man. Pursued by assassins, surrounded by mysterious figures she knows she can’t trust, Mac finds herself torn between two deadly and powerful men: V’lane, the immortal Fae Prince, and Jericho Barrons, a man as irresistible as he is dangerous.

For centuries the shadowy realm of the Fae has coexisted with that of humans. Now the walls between the two are coming down, and Mac is the only thing that stands between them. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Based on the Emmy Award-winning web series Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, this collection of stories written by Zack Whedon (Deadwood, Fringe) chronicles some of the earliest adventures in the lives of archenemies Captain Hammer and Dr. Horrible. This anthology solves many unanswered questions left over from the show. For instance: What event inspired Dr. Horrible to become the world's greatest criminal mastermind? Why is Penny, the beautiful girl from the Laundromat, still single? How can you, the reader, be like blustering do-gooder Captain Hammer? And why is Horrible's sidekick, Moist, so... um... well, you'll find out! ... Read more

Reviews

continuation of dr. horrible, October 1, 2010
If you liked Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog you will love this collection. They are stories of the characters before they met. I hope they come out with another volume.

A great book, November 23, 2010
I love the art work as well as the story telling and found this to be a great read. It made me want to go back and finish watching the movie.

Good, but not what I expected., November 16, 2010
Shame on me for not looking more carefully. I thought this was a short novel. Imagine my disappointment when I received a comic book...okay, graphic novel...in the mail.
It was a good read, giving some interesting back-story, and the forward is hilarious. Pure Whedon.

So Joss, if you ever read these, I *am* interested in a novel. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

Delightful and Charming, July 27, 2000
"Wait a minute, wait a minute....Is this a kissing book?" Well, yes and no...you'll just have to read it to find out for yourself.

William Goldman is a legend in the world of screenwriting, known for his clever, crisp dialogue and engrossing narrative, so why should his novels be any different?

Utterly charming, 'The Princess Bride' combines action, adventure, plenty of swordplay, and yes, some kissing....Those of you who only saw the movie (also writen by Goldman -- see my DVD review) are missing out on many of the delights of the book, notably on the developed backstory of the characters and the clean, wry prose.

Here's a bit of trivia: First, there is NO S. Morgenstern -- he is made up, fictitious, a red herring...accept it and move on. Second, Mr. Goldman will send you a lost section if you write to his address and request it (the one of mentions in the book)! When I first read that 10 years ago, I wrote to the company mentioned in the book and was delighted to receive my bonus section! (Hey, Mr Goldman if you are reading this, I lost my copy 3 years ago when I moved to LA! Could you please send me another one? ) :)

Cherish this book and keep it to share with your children.

Loverley book and this is not an abridgement, June 10, 2001
I have loved this book for years (I think it may be my favorite) William Goldman is a talented author especially with dialogue. This is a wonderful spoof/homage to old fashioned swashbuckling romance.

I noticed that a lot of people believe this book is an abridged version of the "original" S. Morgenstern book. Actually, Morgenstern does not exist, just try looking him up on the library of congress. He was just made up as part of the joke. Think about it, isn't a bit ironic that Morgenstern and William Goldman write EXACTLY the same way. This is supposed to be abridged, not rewritten. Plus, if Morgenstern existed, then Florin must too. Actually, Florin and Guilder were coins, the names were just borrowed. You'll never find the countries in your history book.

This is the Spinal Tap thing, the joke is done with a totally straight face so that there are always people who aren't exactly sure if it's the real deal. That was the reason Rob Reiner was chosen to direct the movie version.

Read this book, enjoy it, it is one of the best you will ever experience. The diaglogue is unforgetable (every sylabub!)

INCONCEIVABLE!!, February 28, 2002
The greatness of this book is truly, in the word's of Vizzini "INCONCEIVABLE!" What's this book about? Fencing, fighting, true love, strong hate, harsh revenge, a few giants, lots of bad men, lots of good men, pain, death, brave men, coward men, escapes, lies, truth, passion, miracles. It's hilarious, heart breaking, and terrifying all at the same time. If none of that sounds good to you, or if you've seen the movie and didn't like it, don't read the book. If you liked the movie, the book is twice as good!

Who's the genius behind this incredible book? The answer is simple, William Goldman (which is another whole story in its self). If you look at the book you'll read: "S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure. The "good parts version" abriged by William Goldman." In Goldman's introduction he explains how when he was a ten years old and was home sick with pneumonia, his father read him the book. (Sound farmiliar? If you're remembering the scene between the grandfather and the boy in the book you're right.) His father was a poor, English struggling immigrant from Florin, the setting of the Princess Bride. His father explains how Morgenstern was a great writer in his country and that there it is a very famous book. Goldman obviously loves the book.

As a man, Goldman decides to give the book to his son, Jason for his tenth birthday. After putting in an enormous amount of time and money to track down the book, to his shock the son hates it. In turn, he decides to re-read the book for himself. What he discovers is that his father didn't actually read him the whole book, he only read him the good parts. The book in fact was not even really focussing on the story he heard, it's actually all about the history of Florin. Goldman decides to abridge the book with only the "good parts."

Everything I have just told you is a lie and it will drive you crazy the whole book! William Goldman did not in fact "abridge" the book he wrote the book. He invents Florin, he invents Jason, he invents everything! Why such a brilliant writer would completely give all the credit to another writer who never existed I will never understand. The book is filled with clever and hilarious "abridgement notes" from Goldman. Not only are they funny to read, they keep you on top of things so you never are confused or find yourself searching back for explanations. If you don't like this sort of thing, don't worry they're written in a way that can be easily skipped.

You can read about all of the plot in any other review, but in a couple of sentences: Buttercup falls in love with the gorgeous Farm Boy. He goes off to America to seek their fortune. Buttercup learns that he dies. She is forced to marry the awful Prince even though she vows never to love again. Buttercup gets kidnapped... this is just the beginning! If I go any farther I'll give it away! If this sounds like a stupid fairy tale to you TRUST ME its not! Sure, it's about love, but in between revenge, poison, a man obsessed with human pain, death, duels, well I think you get the idea.

As if all of this isn't enough! There is something special about this addition you can't find anywhere else.

If you want to read a great story about true love, victory, defeat, pain and if you want a book that will make you laugh out loud, cry, or tremble with fear this is THE book. I truly think I can honestly say there is no other book like it. I would would put it against any of the great fantasty story writer, Tolkien, C.S. Lewis anyday! It goes ten times faster than any of the Lord of the Rings and is in my opinion just as exciting if not more. One tip, if you haven't watched the movie READ THE BOOK FIRST! It's got so many exciting turns and such an incredible ending, don't ruin it for yourself like I did.

One of the Greatest, January 3, 2002
Fencing. Fighting. Torture. Poison. True love. Hate. Revenge. Giants. Hunters. Bad men. Good men. Beautifulest ladies. Snakes. Spiders. Beasts of all natures and descriptions. Pain. Death. Brave men. Coward men. Strongest men. Chases. Escapes. Lies. Truths. Passion. Miracles. GREAT LITERATURE.

There's not a whole lot that's not in this novel. It succeeds at being maybe the funniest, most exciting, and satisfying stories yet written. Plus, the novel contains startling depth.

The writing of the novel is so superb. The prose is smooth and light. It is really conversational, and word-play abounds. The novel also (as the Amazon review pointed out) serves as a satire of adventure and fantasy novels of the past and comments on the differences between fantasy and reality. The structure of the novel (with the hilarious first chapter, the flashbacks, and the author-commentary) serves to frame those bits of insight Goldman is trying to get across. Consider the line "Life isn't fair, it's just fairer than death, that's all." There's a lot in those words, and throughout the story, Goldman hammers home real truths about the nature of pain, death, and grief. And yet paradoxically, out of those truths The Princess Bride emerges as a story to give its reader reaffirmation in the greatness of life.

As you may can tell, The Princess Bride is my favorite novel. I've read it numerous times, and each time I read it, the book is better. I know that everybody watches the movie, and yes, the movie is great. Even a masterpiece. But the novel goes far beyond that. Read it.

Oh, man..., July 14, 1999
OK, I really liked this book. There's really nothing I can say that hasn't been mentioned already, but having scrolled through the one- and two-star reviews, I'd like to throw my 2 cents in:A) There IS NO original PRINCESS BRIDE. There is no "pre-Goldman" version. Goldman made the whole shebang up. B) Therefore, there is no S. Morgenstern. Did you think it was coincedence that their writing styles were exactly the same?C) There is no Florin & Guilder--that's what makes it a fantasy novel. Didn't you notice that the historical quips all contradicted each other?D) For those of you who were upset by the first 30 pages where Goldman rips his family--they too are made up. The author has no overweight son; I believe he has two daughters. He has a wife, but I assume (for Goldman's sake) that she isn't as bad as the novel suggests.Naysayers--read this novel for all its different levels...The fairy tale...And the larger theme of a Romantic coming to terms with a world where happy endings don't always happen.

Unconventional look at the conventional romantic adventure., February 20, 2001
This 1973 book is fast becoming a classic, and the movie version has done much to popularize it. Goldman takes the conventional tale of romantic adventure featuring a kidnapped princess who is rescued by a gallant knight. However, Goldman departs from the stereotypical mould of the romantic adventure by exaggerating the conventional roles to the point where the story evolves from a serious tale of adventure into a farcical spoof. It is not so much a contemporary version of the Sir Walter Scott type adventure as it is an exaggerated version. The delicious and distorted blend of the lofty and the mundane that Goldman serves up results in a comical buffoonery. After all, who ever heard of a princess called "Buttercup", a prince called "Humperdinck" and a hero (appropriately just a farm boy) called "Westley"? And who ever heard of countries that go by the names of currencies like "Florin" and "Guilder"? And who ever heard of pirates who retire?

Goldman heightens the farcical effect by writing under the guise of an editor who is merely abridging the supposed longer work by the early 20th century writer S. Morgenstern (an approach similar to that later used by Michael Crichton in "Eaters of the Dead"). Of course Morgenstern is entirely a figment of Goldman's imagination and a fictional creation, as is evident from the numerous contemporary jokes found throughout which clearly originate from Goldman, and not an older Morgenstern. This is in fact an ingenious literary device that successfully enables Goldman to get outside the story and give his own pithy commentary about the action. The fact that it has fooled some readers to unsuccessfully endeavour to discover more about the mysterious Morgenstern can only serve as a tribute to the effectiveness of this literary device!

The story itself features an evil villain (Humperdinck), a beautiful princess (Buttercup), and the humble hero (Westley). Westley needs to overcome the legendary Cliffs of Insanity and the dreaded Fire Swamp with its renowned R.O.U.S.s (Rodents of Unusual Size). In what appears to be a farcical version of the three musketeers, he must also master the hired hands of his adversary, the infamous "Sicilian Crowd", composed of the Turk Fezzik (a huge idiot whose contribution is his strength), the Spaniard Inigo (a tall athlete whose contribution is his sword), and the Sicilian Vizzini (a thin leader whose contribution is his brains). Just so you can picture this farcical trio accurately, imagine Fezzik as a bulk who started shaving in Grade 1, Inigo as a madman who has devoted only 72,000 hours to prepare for a single fencing battle with his father's murderer, and Vizzini as a criminal mastermind who defies anything that doesn't fit with his logic as "inconceivable."

Of course the mixture of strength, sword and brains doesn't faze our hero, and after he successfully overcomes the skill tests of strength, swordmanship, and brains, some of the Sicilian Crowd become his personal allies in the quest against Humperdinck. Ultimately, they are the ones who rescue him from death by forcing a resurrection pill (you haven't heard of those either, have you?) down his throat, and help him rescue Buttercup and ride off into the sunset with her on four white horses. But this isn't a typical adventure-romance, remember, so of course Goldman presents an alternative ending where there is no sunset, and the hapless hero is forever chased by the villains.

The movie version sticks very close to the book, and fans of the movie will especially enjoy this book. It is marred by a few instances of blasphemy, and the glorification of Inigo's obsession with revenge. But as a farce on the traditional romantic adventure, this book can be enjoyed by anyone with a sense of humor, and a vague awareness of the literary conventions that Goldman is mocking. As Goldman describes it: "Fencing. Fighting. Torture. Poison. True love. Hate. Revenge. Giants. Hunters. Bad men. Good men. Beautifulest ladies. Snakes. Spiders. Beasts of all natures and descriptions. Pain. Death. Brave men. Coward men. Strongest men. Chases. Escapes. Lies. Truths. Passion. Miracles." Take these ingredients, mix well with a grain of salt, a sense of humor, and a strong measure of exaggeration and farce, and you have "The Princess Bride." It's the recipe for success, and this book proves it.

A True Classic and Life-Affirming, June 3, 1998
I first read this book when I was fifteen. I've gone through four copies (mostly due to unreturned loans), and I've practically memorized it over the past fifteen years. The book has a great premise of being written by Morgenstern and read to the author as a child, and a wonderful message for anyone who wonders what happened to the fairy-tale endings they never found when they grew up.

Goldman's conversational style gives the book an intimacy. The reader really feels like they *know* him. I've read almost all of his other books, and this seems, to me, to be the most polished and sensitive. It's very subtle and charming, and then--wham!--a line like "Life isn't fair; it's just fairer than death, that's all." That's one of my all-time favourite quotes.

The movie did a good job of giving a cartoon-like, fun feeling to the story, but I thought the author's interjections and his cynical observations were quite moving, especially when contrasted with the happily-ever-after flavour of Westley & Buttercup's romance.

The movie caught the basic "good parts" storyline, but the book has more to offer. I recommend it for anyone who's wondering "Hey...is this all there is??" Somehow, Goldman's book, The Princess Bride, makes you feel better about the answer.

(P.S. - I've got the "alternative reunion scene" if anyone wants to read it...)

The classic story of true love vs evil, September 10, 2001
This book was gifted to me by my girlfriend, and at first I was skeptical about it. I had not seen the movie, and being an avid science fiction reader and writer, the fairy tale concept seemed like a bit of a "girl thing". However, once I delved into its pages, I discovered I couldn't have been more wrong. This is a fantastic novel for everyone, people of all ages. The delightful charm of the story, the epic saga it unfolds to tell, and the spontaneous hilarity covers a plethora of genres; Which guarantees a fast-paced, exciting and truly amazing book that will satisy all-comers.

The Princess Bride tells the story of a common girl, who falls in love with an even commoner boy, but marries an exceptionally cruel Prince, without any choice. The boy, now grown into a dashing hero, comes to claim back his true love - but not without a vast adventure before him.

This 25th Anniversary Collectors Edition in hard back is the best version to buy, and saves it as a story that you will read to your children, and them to theirs, as Goldman describes himself doing in the introduction. A timeless classic, and one that will remain as one of the greatest tales for generations to come.

Definitely deserves its status as a classic!, June 6, 2004
A lot of people have seen the film The Princess Bride and would know of the book from the film. The movie has for long possessed a cult-like status, being seen as funny, warm, irreverent and full of classic "love and adventure". All these things are true about the book, only more so. Like the film, the story follows the strife of the love between Westle and Buttercup, as Buttercup is set to marry the prince of Florin and all the circumstances in the world seem to be set against the true lovers from being reunited. The book has all the adventure elements of the movie such as the Cliffs of Insanity and the Rodents Of Unusual Size. It has more detail though and adds much more to the story, sepcially in the Zoo section of which the movie only took bits from as well as the backstories of the characters. The other major difference is that the wrapper story, instead of a grandfather reading to a sick grandson, is that the book is Goldman's abridgement of a classic Florinese work.

The Princess Bride can be looked at from some kind of post-modern tribute to adventure stories, full of deliberate and often humorous anachronisms. But I think it's so much more than that. It seems to be the only book I've read that's both a great member of a genre (the cloack and dagger, adventure-filled, swashbuckling romance) as well as a parody of the same genre. It's amazing how it's pulled off - on the one hand it's cynical about happy endings and the classic elements of adventure stories and sends them up in an amazingly funny way and yet reading it, you still feel a part of you yearning for those classic elements and finding them marvelously present in the book.

And of course, the characters are truly larger than life, from Inigo the Spanish swordsman who has dedicated his life to finding the man who killed his father to Fezzik, the slightly-slow-witted giant with a brand heart, sense of humour and love of rhymes.

Many readers in the reviews were annoyed by Goldman's whole wrapper of the book being written by Morgenstern as well as the 30 page intros and digressions into his fictional struggles to get the book published. An unbelievably high number of people fell for the whole thing and are currently hunting for the "unabridged" Princess Bride by Morgenstern! Personally, I enjoyed the digressions very much. I think without them it might have just ended up as a more conventional adventure story and not the cult classic it is. There's something about the whole appeal to an older/"greater" writer as well as some mockery of the world of publishing and manuscripts (and Morgenstern's digressions!) that adds to the cynical-yet-not-cynical nature of the book. I think the reason is that the book is a story and it's also about stories and storytelling and because it has so many layers, all of them warm and filled with Goldman's quirky visions, that everyone can get a lot out of it. So don't expect a regular, uninterrupted narrative!

Finally, this edition has Goldman's recent and brief return to the book, the first chapter of Buttercup's Baby (as Goldman was only allowed to do one chapter due to legal reasons, read the book!). In it, he picks up (sort of...) where the story left off and presents some fragmented visions of the characters from both past and present. I guess it's understandable that some fans wouldn't be happy as they might feel emotionally attached to the classic, which also feels like a complete-in-itself work. However, I read the whole thing for the first time (including Buttercup's Baby) over two days recently and it was actually quite good to get that little bit extra about the characters. I think if people saw the book as the classic but the supplement as quite a meaningful addition to our knowledge of the characters (especially Inigo) then it wouldn't seem so "sacriligeous".

This is the favourite book of many people and while it's not my absolute favourite, I think it's beyond superficial rank claims - just a really special novel.

"True Love is... the greatest thing... in the world...", May 29, 2002
One would have to have been born inside a desk drawer and lived their whole life on paper and pencil shavings to not have seen the classic movie, "The Princess Bride." However, very few of the people on this earth who don't live in desk drawers have read the classic book. And reading this book, even looking at the name on the front cover, clues you into the true genius of this fairy tale. What the move does not fully get across is that there is no actual "S. Morgenstern." (Sure, if you read the credits, you'll figure that out, but you know how many people read the credits? Look in a desk drawer.) Anyway, William Goldman, the true author has not only concocted the great story, but the author, the book, the father reading the book to the child, and even the child. In seamless cutaways, we go from the exciting details of Wesley's latest escape or Buttercup's stunning beauty to the Fred Savage-ish boy sitting in bed talking to his father.

And then, there is the story. The verbal cinematic masterpiece that sweeps across the hills of Florin and Guilder, that navigates the choppy sea, that climbs the precarious Cliffs of Insanity, that sinks into the flaming depths of the Fire Swamp, and rises to the highest turrets of Lotharon's Castle. You won't find better character development either; Goldman spends at least 30 pages on each main character, but somehow it never gets the slightest bit boring. Every page is both enrapturing and hilarious. (The childhood of Fezzik the Giant is especially amusing.) Goldman spins the tale perfectly as the father reading only the "good parts" to his son. The plot does far more than just plod, the climax is quite possibly the most climactic piece of writing I've read since the great Finnish climax of 1858, and the denouement is simply existential. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll dance around the room with an umbrella and call it a sword, and in the end, you'll utter the famous line, "Man, the book IS better than the movie." But hey, in another famous line, William Goldman's in fact, "Life isn't fair, it's just fairer than death, that's all." ... Read more

Editorial Review

Only once in a great while does a writer come along who defies comparison--a writer so original he redefines the way we look at the world. Neal Stephenson is such a writer and Snow Crash is such a novel, weaving virtual reality, Sumerian myth, and just about everything in between with a cool, hip cybersensibility to bring us the gigathriller of the information age.

In reality, Hiro Protagonist delivers pizza for Uncle Enzo's CosaNostra Pizza Inc., but in the Metaverse he's a warrior prince. Plunging headlong into the enigma of a new computer virus that's striking down hackers everywhere, he races along the neon-lit streets on a search-and-destroy mission for the shadowy virtual villain threatening to bring about Infocalypse. Snow Crash is a mind-altering romp through a future America so bizarre, so outrageous...you'll recognize it immediately.
... Read more

Reviews

4 1/2 stars, really, April 29, 2001
I came to _Snow Crash_ on the recommendation of a few people who had read it (they called it "great!" and "hilarious!," and knowing that Neal Stephenson is sometimes listed as a "cyberpunk" writer along with William Gibson et al.

I had liked William Gibson's books, so I gave _Snow Crash_ a try.

_Snow Crash_ is primarily about Hiro, a young man who delivers pizzas and collects information for the Central Intelligence Corporation (freelance), for a living. He lives in a storage unit with a cult-hero rockstar named Vitaly Chernobyl. He owns a futon, two awesome Japanese swords, and a laptop computer, where he stays "jacked in" to the "Metaverse" a lot of the time, where he is the world's greatest swordfighter.

Hiro witnesses a crime while interacting with others in the Metaverse. One of his friends is deliberately exposed to a dangerous block of text, which fries his brain (in the real world), and renders him a vegetable. Hiro and his friend Y.T. (15-year old skateboarding female, and knee-slappingly funny smartaleck) set off to find out why, and save the world in the process.

From the getgo this is a funny book. Sure, the vision of the near-future is dark, a little alarming, and at times depressing (there are NO general laws in _Snow Crash_, for example, and private corporations run everything, even the police, just as an example). That's what cyberpunk is like. But the HUMOR is one thing that sets Neal Stephenson aside. Hiro Protagonist? Come on, that's FUNNY, PEOPLE! One reviewer called it an 'odd' name. Yes, it's odd, and it's absurd, and it's funny! Did this author mean it is an unusual choice for a character name? I don't know. I hope not. It would be an odd choice for a character's name in a Jane Austen novel, sure. But this is cyberpunk, or something like it. Among this genre's leading inspirations are the works of Thomas Pynchon, and "Hiro Protagonist," as a character name, would fit in perfectly among his merry bands of misfits, especially in _V._ or _Gravity's Rainbow_.

Repeatedly reviewers are slamming Stephenson for his use of Sumerian myth, exploration of Sumerian culture, etc. in the book... calling it inaccurate, poorly connected to the rest of the story, and, (my personal least favorite), BORING. I tell you, besides the great sense of humor, the Sumerian-myth link is what sets this novel heads above so much other cyberpunk. I don't care if it's inaccurate (this is FICTION, see?). Stephenson "traces" computer/textual viruses and biological viruses quite nicely back to Sumerian times, and he links them to one another, biological virus to digital/informational virus (a debt to another pre-cyberpunk luminary, William Burroughs, who said "Word is Virus?")-- it's all very well connected to the metaverse/here-and-now portion of _Snow Crash_'s plot.

This is a funny, riproaring tale. I raced through this nearly 500-page paperback in half the time I read most books of this length. I enjoyed it beginning-to-end. My only complaint with the book was that, at times, it too much resembled a Hollywood action movie, what with all sorts of incredible stunts being performed, by boat drivers, skateboarders, swordsmen, etc.

I say, if you like William Gibson or Thomas Pynchon, or if any of this review makes _Snow Crash_ seem a bit appealing to you, give it a chance. I enjoyed it 10 times as much as I thought I would.

ken32

Control Alt Delete Restart, July 17, 2001
To the extent that a book can be described as original, "Snow Crash", by Neal Stephenson is deserving of the moniker. About the only common ground that his work shares with others is that ink is applied to paper using the same letters, and then pages are bound to create a book. Much beyond that and you are in the midst of this Author's view of a given world he has modified and created. He is not only incredibly unique; his wit passes the cutting edge to the bleeding edge of razor sharp sarcasm, and irony. And when he uses words he assembles them in arrangements you have never listened to before. An important aspect that sets his work apart in this genre is that while delivering enormous amounts of information, he keeps the reader informed, he does not lose you, he ensures you stay with his wickedly fast pace by keeping you educated. Other Authors of Science Fiction are weak on this point, and it weakens their books.

One date to remember when reading this work is that it was first released in June of 1992 after three years in the making. This is critical, as so much of what was absolute fiction then, may now be found within the pages of Wired Magazine. There are even words he originated that are common to most people who use a computer, especially if you have ever tried what he calls the Metaverse, touring it as an Avatar.

One of the reasons his work is so authentic and exceptionally good is that he knows his material. If he talks about code he's qualified, as he has written it. When he is speaking of Sumerian Mythology an Author who spent years researching his material is again relating it. And when he just lets go with dialogue or descriptive prose it is mind binding for being clever, unique, and hilarious. He also has raised sardonic prose to an art form. If he were any less a craftsman, a main character named Hiro Protagonist that at one point delivers pizza for Uncle Enzo's Cosa Nostra Pizzeria, would be moronic.

Technology, a version of what today's society might look like one day, viruses that share traits whether attacking a human or a silicon life form, the origins of language based on Biblical text, it just never stops. He is an extraordinary artist who chooses to express his art through words. It is a unique ride if you have yet to take it, and one that you will never forget.

I'm a victim..., April 16, 2001
...of someone who took a previous reviewer's advice to have another buy the book, then lend it and be forced to buy another copy when it doesn't return!

From the opening description of Hiro Protagonist (the main character--couldn't you tell?), I was caught by the irony, sarcasm, wit, and sheer fun with the English language that Neal Stephenson has in his repertoire. Snow Crash is gutsy, innovative, witty, and fun. It rewards anyone who churn out code for a living. Anyone who wonders what happens to our brains with all the advertising thrown at us. Anyone who is tired of the same old science fiction. Anyone who has wondered if the Tower of Babel story, combined with Sumerian mythos, would make a good computer-age read... the answer is yes.

It's almost impossible to review a cyberpunk book without comparing it to uberauthor William Gibson's works. I find Gibson to be cooly intellectual, reserved, methodical--a great read for a day when I'm ready to think hard. Stephenson is white-hot, down and dirty, in the trenches, while not losing touch with the thoughtfulness and underlying structure that makes Gibson satisfying.

Mixed bag., June 25, 2001
Snow Crash: The idea of a virus being both biological and technological. Intriguing concept - but its explanation, rooted in Sumerian myth, comes off as if the author knows way too much about the subject and couldn't make it accessible to his audience (but read the novel's acknowledgments to find out the truth). For the most part, explanations involving the application of Sumerian myth to the novel's conflict take part in long, involved passages, which equate to Hiro Protagonist having long, involved conversations with a computer program. This literary set-up smacks of Stephenson researching Sumerian mythology, and rehashing conversations that he might have had with experts on the subject. It is rather clumsy: The reader will cruise along Stephenson's action-packed, cyberpunky adventure, then suddenly hit a chapter that explains why it is all happening. Kind of like the bad guy telling you his plan before he executes you: It's not subtle. An essay on the possibility of verbal viruses - condensed from explanations in the novel - would be an enjoyable read.

On the other hand, Stephenson is at his best when he dabbles in cyberpunk pursuits rather than scholarly ones. The idea of 'franchulates', corporate ownership, and religious fanaticism tying together in the near-future is a common one (suggest reading Palahniuk's "Survivor") but pizza delivery and courier service are envisioned especially well [Stephenson takes skateboarding to an entirely new level]. Snow Crash is full of puns, and bits of irony and wit, which shouldn't be overlooked.

Although Hiro renders avatars with the greatest of ease in the Metaverse, Stephenson's main characters are a bit flimsy - on the whole, they give off the impression there was a labored attempt to make them three-dimensional. Or: Characters may be introduced once, serve a purpose, then simply fade away or are very conveniently disposed of. The characters are loosely tied together - or just ridiculously (read: the protagonist and his nemesis share a rather unlikely connection). Characters - especially secondary characters, which there are (in my opinion) far too many of them - also tend to come off as stereotypes: hero, nemesis, love interest, boss, fiesty girl, brooding sniper.

The novel's structure is a bit disjointed and unbalanced. There are many loose ends. The first few chapters are unique; the ending is contrived.

(Alternative title that involves harpooning - since Snow Crash seeks to tackle many varied subjects, including references to Moby Dick: Ahab's Wife.)

Buy this book, September 25, 2000
Have your friends buy this book, then steal it and make them buy it again!

Seriously. Stephenson is great at illuminating the world of the hacker. This book does so, but not the overly self-aware coolness associated with Cryptonomicon or Heavy Weather (by Bruce Sterling).

It's fun, it's never serious - even when someone is trying to destroy the world - and it makes you turn the pages.

I read a lot of science fiction, and am a rabid Gibson fan, and when I read this book, all I could say was 'cool'. The world, and the cyberworld. The arcane references to the Sumerians. Da5id. My personal favorite, Sushi K.

And of course, Hiro Protagonist - freelance coder, swordmaster, information seller and pizza deliverydude.

Remember, Americans do 4 things better than anyone else: music, movies, microcode and pizza delivery.

And the position of baddest mother is taken.

Piques your interest? You'll like Snow Crash. Think the attitude is childish? Pass this book up. Read Zodiac instead. Or Diamond Age.

Great book, terrible Kindle version, June 2, 2010
This is a great book, and I was excited about making it my first Kindle purchase for the iPhone/iPad app.

What a disappointment!

The layout is poor; lots of text that should appear different from the body text is badly presented, but the real killer is the number of typos - simply atrocious. Literally (or so it seems) there is an error on every page - missing punctuation but also basic spelling errors. The name of the main character, Hiro often appears as 'Hire' and so on. It reads like it was fed through a cheap OCR system and then not actually checked by anyone at the publishing house or Amazon (or whoever digitised it for Kindle).

If I was Neal Stephenson, I'd be pretty angry about by work being presented this badly. The Kindle app is good, and Whispersync, enabling me to carry on reading from where I left off on one device, on another, is a really nice feature, but if the other titles on the Kindle store are like this, I won't be making any more purchases (and I'd like my money back for this one).

Kindle Edition Flawed, August 10, 2009
I enjoyed the book, I won't go in depth about its plot as plenty of other people have already done that. I liked the story and thought it was a fun weekend read.

The Kindle version has a ton of formatting errors that make me feel like my $10 wasn't well spent. There are typos galore as if it were scanned and quickly OCRed (words like "chaos" appear as "chacs"), and words that were hyphenated due to the end of a line in print remain hyphenated... in the middle of sen-tences. It's distracting and very annoying for a $10 product.

At the end of the book it appears Snow Crash was created as an eBook in 2003. This Kindle store version is a quick cash grab and it would be nice if Amazon would convince the publisher to fix it.

This is not about the book, but about the Kindle edition, November 20, 2010
I give the book 5 stars, as I love the style & the humour. What I give 1 star is the Kindle edition compared to the printed book. Did this book not exist as an electronic file prior to the Kindle version? I find that hard to belive, but nevertheless, Amazon must have thought so because the Kindle edition has very obviously been scanned & OCR'd from the printed page, and the OCR software they used must have come from the same year when Stephenson wrote the book longhand on paper, apparently.

There are many, many OCR errors in the text, particularly misinterpretation of rn as m, which often makes non-words, or, worse, makes actual words which make no sense, or, even worse, makes actual words that change the meaning of a sentence and bring your reading to a grinding halt.

Amazon; if you must OCR books to Kindle, spare a few hours to proof-read them. This is my first bad Kindle experience. Very amateur electronic publishing job.

Umberto Eco meets Joe Quirk, November 23, 1999
Absolutely loved it! This book is for people who like intelligent fiction. Stephenson manages to capture pop-reality without being cheesey. It's a very well-researched and well-written book: silly and sardonic, futuristic and tangible. Potential readers shouldn't be turned off by the cover. The book is much better and more intricate than that silly illustration. Totally five stars.

Worthy Sci-Fi read, January 27, 2000
I must admit that Stephenson has a vivid imagination even if his general vision of the future seems to be consistently bleak in his novels about them. "Snow Crash" is another book in the tradition of "The Diamond Age" that imagines what the next era will be like. "Diamond" looks farther down the line, into the next century, while "Show Crash" looks at how things will be just decades from now. It sees a world in which the US has collapsed under its own weight, in which the Mafia controls pizza delivery, and the FBI has its own city-state. Electronic guard dogs patrol the Asian community and skating is now even more firmly rooted as its own sub-culture.

The main character, the not-so-subtly named Hiro Protagonist, is a sword-wielding freelance programmer who stumbles upon a shadowy conspiracy by powers unknown that threatens hackers worldwide with a virus that seems to leave them in a vegetative state. He takes on the challenge of finding out who is behind it and how to stop them mostly through a series of accidents. He is joined by a plucky young skater who has drawn attention from the local Mafia king. Lurking in the shadows is a dangerous Eskimo who goes by the name of Raven and rides a motorcycle powered with a nuclear bomb in its frame.

Like I said, Stephenson has an active imagination. His characters are colorful but not really that broadly drawn. We get a sense of what they are like from what they do, but we only get snippets of background information about them. It was hard to really root for the characters because I did not feel I really knew or identified with them. Still, I really enjoyed his descriptions of the strange places they travel to, including the Mafia and FBI states, and an aircraft character that houses its own nation of people from every culture.

As far as the conspiracy goes, it was unclear to me what the motivations of the people behind it were supposed to be. The technical aspects were also pretty hard to follow; it gets heavy in the nature of languages and programming. Even as someone who has dabbled in programming languages I had trouble understanding it. Other than Raven, who as a villain is fleshed out pretty well and is the most interesting character, I got the sense that the threat was really a clothesline on which to hang Stephenson's world vision and weird characters. I felt unsatisfied when the conclusion rolled around, since it is so abrupt and had little to do with the nature of the people involved.

Still, I had fun reading this book. It has a wild and strange vision of the future that may prove eirily accurate if things continue to move in the direction they are in. I liked the characters even if I didn't completely identify them. And the story is gripping even if you can't follow the plot. It is the mark of a good writer that he can bite off more than he can chew and yet make it palateable. ... Read more

Editorial Review

It’s the mid-21st century when Sergeant First Class Grant Justice is killed during an ambush on an enemy tank column.

Six hundred years later, his body is retrieved from the frozen, arctic lake where he perished.Re-animated by a team of scientists, Grant awakens to a civilization that has abolished war.A civilization that has outlawed violence and cherishes Peace above all else.A civilization that has been enslaved by an alien race called the Minith.

Grant is humankind’s final hope against the alien menace.He must be…the Peace Warrior. ... Read more

Reviews

An excellent read, August 9, 2010
From the moment I started reading this book, the author reeled me in. You are immediately thrown inside the mind of Sgt. First Class Grant Justice while he is leading his men on a combat operation. Unfortunately Sgt. Justice is savagely killed on the mission and his mangled body ends up in the frigid waters of a lake. This scene sets up the premise for the rest of the story.

Flash forward 600 years and the reader is propelled into a time when all the inhabitants on Earth are peaceful. There are no wars, no fighting or even any bickering. This utopian world is the perfect place for the savage and military race, the Minith, to invade and conquer. The Minith rule with an iron fist and the humans are easily enslaved because aggression and violent tendencies have been bred out of them.

I found the chapters dealing with the Earth Peace Council dragged a bit. Their names were complicated and dialogue was stilted, but as soon as Senior Scientist Tane Roland was introduced, I was eagerly turning the pages again. I would have liked it if the author had let us see more into Tane's inner thoughts. He is an anomaly among the humans and it would have been great if his character had been fleshed out more. I would have also liked more back story for the major prison characters. A few fell flat for me.

Tane receives permission from the Council to awaken the newly improved bioengineered Grant Justice and from the moment Grant opens his eyes I was back under his spell. Grant was given an impossible task, but relying on his 600 year old military experience might just save the planet. The author kept Grant true to his ideals and morals throughout the book and it clearly reflected the author's military experience.

Without giving the climax away, I can say that I couldn't stop reading. Page after page flew by during the final chapters. This is an impressive debut novel for this author and I look forward to reading more by him.

Like Demolition Man but better., July 27, 2010
The plot sounds a little like Demolition Man, but this book takes it to another level. It gets inside the mind of a soldier and his desire to save man kind. I agree it does stall in a few places, but still well worth the read.
A strong start from the author who draws on his experience in the military. Its good to see former soldiers using their experience to expand the minds of future generations. Good work.

Interesting Plot, Stunted delivery, September 14, 2010
For thousands of years, humanity has stood on the brink on annihilation as nations warred against each other for supremacy. Finally, when it seemed that all of the human race would be destroyed, the surviving cultures found a way to suppress their violent tendencies and achieve a lasting peace. But just as the human race had settled into the idea of a future without war, the empire-building Minith attacked and enslaved the Earth. Now, humanity is faced with a choice. Maintain the peace it sought for so long even if it means remaining enslaved to an alien species, or unleash its ancient warlike nature once more to liberate the planet.


This is the premise behind Peace Warrior. Steven L. Hawk presents a bleak future where humanity has lost both the ability and will to defend itself from an oppressive, alien regime. Unable to actually fight for themselves, however, humanity needs to find a hero. That hero is Grant Justice, a war hero frozen in time during the last great war who, through the science of cryogenics, is brought back to life to teach humanity how to defend itself.


At times, Peace Warrior is an exciting and thought provoking story that asks a lot of important questions about what it means to be human. But much of the story gets bogged down by the author's tendency to reduce everything to a stereotype. The Minith are rather one-dimensional bad guys, never really developing into anything other that an evil race that needs to be defeated. In truth, they aren't even really interesting bad guys. More like greedy intergalactic capitalists with a license to kill workers.


The human race has been reduced to six major remaining "cultures": S'mercan, Urop'n, As'n, Musl'n, Afc'n, and N'mercan. The weird naming conventions serve no purpose but to trip up a reader, as the different cultures are never actually defined beyond the most vague of cosmetic descriptions. The As'n representative to the leadership council, for example, is describes as being diminutive and exotic. Her actions, however, never seem exotic or all that much different from anyone else. Hawk seems so insistent on keeping everything sterile to avoid offending someone that the "Musl'in" doesn't even pray to Allah, but to "the culture's God."


The only character with any real personality, and the one worth reading the book for, is Grant Justice. Cheesy name aside, Grant is the only person who seems to develop a full blown personality over the course of the book as he comes to terms with his second chance on life and what has happened to the human race over the last three centuries. His reactions to the strange world he has found himself in are authentic.


Peace Warrior is well plotted, and when Hawk does stop worrying about offending someone he does an amazing job at storytelling. Unfortunately, the author seems to equate "peace" with "conformity and complacency" when it comes to character development, preventing the novel from delivering the epic adventure it could have offered.

Reviewer note: Review copy provided to the reviewer by the author.

Peace Warrior by Steven L. Hawk, August 25, 2010
I really enjoyed this book. This is an excellent read, especially as a first book from this author. The story line is intriguing and quite believable. Great if you are a sci-fi or military fan. You can feel the heart and mind of a true soldier. The character development is terrific; you know and can relate to the individuals-from Tane to Mr. Blue.

As I do not have a lot of time to read (not as important to some readers), having shorter chapters and reading breaks makes it much easier for me to enjoy a book. I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone

A great first effort..., November 4, 2010
This is a great read from a new breed of self-published talent. By definition, these authors write with a passion you don't often see in more conventionally published works.
I'm a sucker for Us vs. Them stories, and the Peace Warrior didn't disappoint. It has the aggressive aliens and the subjugated humans, but he throws in a number of unconventional twists.
Actually, the story begins with a twist...it artfully sets the scene and mood with a present day soldier and the generally associated violent behavior we expect. Then bam.. He's killed. Flash forward some hundred years...we as a race are at peace, violence is abhorred...humans are living in the long sought great society. There's one wrinkle...we are also slaves. Another twist this book throws is that we aren't the stereotypical slaves serving grapes and being whipped, but the hands off, just produce for us and all's well sort. We don't rebel or show any backbone, so we are sort of the big cosmic joke.
So how do you earn your freedom when the thought of fighting makes you physically ill? You revive a 600 hundred year dead soldier and ask him to do it.
I also appreciate that the author doesn't focus on technical widgets...as a matter of fact, he doesn't use the same old story line that humans have been returned to the stone age or forced to give up all sciences. We're advanced enough along that we surprise everyone by being able to revive someone dead and I might add, dismembered, after half a millennia.
A good book buy a new talent. And it's left open for a sequel. Keep writing.

Reminded me of the Kurt Russell movie, "SOLDIER", July 22, 2010
This is the story of a trained and experienced soldier who is placed in a society of very peaceful humans. These people have been taught from birth to avoid anger, harsh language and fighting. When they are confronted by an alien race that seeks to enslave them, they have no idea how to resist.This is where the "Peace Warrior" comes in.

The story line is believable and overall I felt the book well written. The dialog is stilted in a couple of places, but does not throw you out of the book. A very good first offering from the author, and I would recommend it to fans of military sci-fi. or even just sci-fi.

I'm with Team Human, December 16, 2010
I'll get right to the point: Peace Warrior is a flawlessly-written science fiction adventure with sympathetic characters and a fast-paced plot. Though billed as military science fiction, Peace Warrior cuts across genres and subgenres by incorporating cultural issues of nature and nurture, war and peace. Complex heroes like Grant Justice and complex issues like these hit the page with the force of an alien mothership biting the dust. Any description I write won't do it justice (get it? get it?); Steven L. Hawk's novel is something like War of the Worlds meets cryogenics and hippies on steroids. All I can say is that it's impossible not to get invested in the outcome of the story and the personalities of our protagonists. No way around it--I'm with Team Human.

Reading Time: 6 hours on a flight from Birmingham to Los Angeles plus one lazy weekend. But that's just me.

Recommendation: SF subgenres like cyberpunk, steampunk, or the mysterious New Weird can sometimes be an acquired taste (not Christmas present material for the lay science fiction reader). Peace Warrior outstrips niche readership for a general audience. Steven L. Hawk absolutely blows away the common stigma that indie authors create lower-quality work.

Enjoyable, December 7, 2010
I enjoyed this novel from start to finish. The action was well paced, and kept me glued to the book. The end of the book is open enough to suggest a sequel, which I will certainly look forward to.

Beyond that, I'd like to offer some (hopefully) constructive criticism, but even so, it did not diminish my enjoyment of the book. Perhaps the author will stumble upon this and consider these opinions.

The prologue is a little disconcerting and with very little context. It does serve the purpose of introducing Grant, but does little beyond that. To me, the opening conflict is interesting enough where I would have liked to learn a little more about the world where Grant came from. Since Grant is transported from a world where war is raging, into a world where war simply does not exist, it would be rather natural to work this background into Grant's interactions with the rest of the characters, over the length of the novel.

The aliens are rather one-dimensional and stereotypical. Near the end of the novel, there is a promising conflict between two of the aliens, but it was short lived and one-sided. We barely get inside their heads.

The language change kind of bothers me. Over a 600 year course of history, it's accepted that there would be language change, but the naming conventions (i.e., N'mercan) don't really fit a natural process of change.

A Good Read, December 3, 2010
The only real "complaint" is that I would have liked to learn more about the Minith. Other that that it was a very enjoyable read. Looking forward to his next book.

This was a great Sci-Fi novel, November 18, 2010
Peace Warrior centers around Grant Justice. A celebrated Sergeant in a non descript division of the armed forces who dies during a military operation in a near future war. His accidentally preserved body is reanimated some 600 years later to help humanity free itself from the shackles of a ruthless alien race, the Minith.

In the future humanity has become a shadow of its former self. While embracing peace, mankind has lost all ability to defend itself. Grant finds himself out of time and place, but with a skill set that his descendants desperately need.

The story pulls you in early and never lets go. The pacing of the narrative is terrific. The author does an excellent job of explaining how mankind has changed and is now a helpless slave race to the Minith. The ruthlessness of the Minith and the desperation of humanity are clearly portrayed. While there is plenty of detail the narrative never gets bogged down with too much as to slow the pacing of a great story. it is a perfect balance that make this a joy to read. ... Read more

Editorial Review

A gorgeously written fantasy about the friendship between a princess and her Pegasus.

Because of a thousand-year-old alliance between humans and pagasi, Princess Sylviianel is ceremonially bound to Ebon, her own Pegasus, on her twelfth birthday. The two species coexist peacefully, despite the language barriers separating them. Humans and pegasi both rely on specially-trained Speaker magicians as the only means of real communication.

But its different for Sylvi and Ebon. They can understand each other. They quickly grow close-so close that their bond becomes a threat to the status quo-and possibly to the future safety of their two nations.

New York Times bestselling Robin McKinley weaves an unforgettable tale of unbreakable friendship, mythical creatures and courtly drama destined to become a classic. ... Read more

Reviews

Intricate worldbuilding, not much action, lots of flashbacks, November 2, 2010
Sylvi is a princess in a world where pegasi and humans maintain a thousand-year-old alliance. Humans are allowed to live in the beautiful green countryside that originally belonged to the pegasi in return for keeping all sorts of beastly creatures away from the delicate, unwarlike pegasi. The two races can scarcely communicate, since their languages are miles apart, but the human magicians try to bridge the gap between the two. But when Sylvi turns twelve and undergoes the binding ceremony that ties her in friendship to Ebon, a son of the pegasus king, she discovers that she and Ebon can communicate perfectly on a telepathic channel. But a simple thing like perfect clarity between a girl and a pegasus may end up being more of a curse than a blessing and may change life in her kingdom forever.

I did like how very intricate the worldbuilding was. The history of the human interactions with the pegasi is incredibly complex, and every last detail of courtly life is thought out and explained. There are very specific rules about the treatment of pegasi, for example, the fact that humans can never touch the pegasi and can never, ever, ever ride on them. And though the pegasi are perceived as vain creatures, most of their supposed vanity is based on the human presumption that any creatures so beautiful must be vain and consider themselves superior the the grubby, crude humans they keep as allies. These pegasi aren't just horses with wings added, either--they're fragile hollow-boned creatures that have as much in common with deer as horses. They have have rudimentary hands sprouting from the bend of their wings, and they can make a variety of stunningly lovely crafts, though they long for strong human hands in the exact same way that humans secretly long to fly. I'm really in awe of how well the author presented the pegasi and how fantasy-realistic they seemed, with reasonable physiology and intriguing social customs.

However, the structure of the narrative posed a problem for me. The scenes aren't really chronological because Sylvi has so many flashbacks to things that happened years, weeks, or days ago. I usually like a more straightforward approach to storytelling. When Sylvi recalls something important, she'll stay in that memory for several pages and every once in a while I lost track of what was currently happening and what was just a long, but recent, memory. The novel is still beautiful, but reading it often felt like wandering through an art gallery shaped into a labyrinth--you get caught up in the beauty, but every once in a while you stop and think, "Wait, where am I? Where is this path going? Oh, look how pretty..."

The two big dangers in the novel seem to be the nightmarish monsters that are returning to the wild lands around the kingdom of Balsinland, and the pompous court magicians who aren't exactly pleased with Sylvi's ability to talk to Ebon, as it breaks up the Speaker-magicians' monopoly on human-to-pegasus communication, eliminating the magical middlemen as it were. There's plenty of action and peril, but at it's heart, this is a story about the love between a girl and her winged friend.

There were several characters I appreciated. Sylvi's dad is a good, tired king who is an excellent leader and a sympathetic father, her mom is a warrior who taught her riding, hawking, fighting, etc, and Ebon's got a great bold personality and telepathically says whatever's on his mind. But the exposition-heavy writing, the many flashbacks, and the disappointing ending made this beautiful story hard for me to read.

Classic Robin McKinely style; a girl and her pegasus, November 2, 2010
I have been a fan of Robin McKinley books for a number of years...or maybe that should be decades. Anyway, The Hero and the Crown was one of the first fantasy books I read on my own and is still one of my favorites. When I heard that Pegasus was done in a style similar to The Hero and the Crown I was really excited. I got a copy of this book through the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Pegasus is the first book in a two book series; according to McKinely's blog it was supposed to be one book and just got too long so it is being released as two books instead. This was a wonderful fantasy book; there is just so much here to love.

Sylvi is about to be bound to her Pegasus. Her kingdom has an ages old alliance with the Pegasi and as part of this alliance everyone in the royal family is bound to a Pegasus. In many cases the binding is nothing but show. In Sylvi's case it is different. When her and Ebon (her pegasus) are bound they can talk to each other mind to mind; something unheard of. This special ability is both good and bad; it makes Sylvi and Ebon outcasts but also promises hope to forge new and stronger bonds with the Pegasi. Leaders of both the Pegasi and the humans are hoping Sylvi and Ebon will make things better. Of course they have their enemies, an evil magician is set on proving that Sylvi and Ebon's ability is a curse. Then there is the increased activity of the monsters in the region; these attacks are getting more and more frequent. Will Sylvi and Ebon help the situation or will there unusual ability only make things worse?

This was a wonderful book with wonderful characters. It is definitely not the fastest read and the first chapter is a bit miserable (for some reason McKinley starts off dictating the ancient treaty in horribly stilted language) but bear through that first chapter and things get much much better.

Sylvi and Ebon are wonderfully likable, funny, and sweet characters. Most of the characters in this book are inherently good and they all have good senses of humor. It is hard to hate anyone in this book; except for the evil magician whom you are supposed to loathe. This book is filled with beautiful descriptions, lots of wonder, and intricate details of interactions between the human and pegasi.

McKinely pays a ton of attention to detail in the human and pegasi interactions. It was very impressive. Sometimes the detail got a bit rambling and overbearing, but mostly it was fascinating how much thought was put into the interaction between the two races. McKinley weaves a ton of suspense throughout the story as attacks keep happening closer and closer to the castle. This book does not have a lot of action; but it does have intrigue, court politics, and adventure in spades. I get a feeling that as things build to a head we will see a lot of action in book 2 of this duo.

The world is incredibly well thought out and the story almost epic in proportions; still it remains very personable at the same time and follows Sylvie and Ebon closely throughout. There is a bit of a love interest hinted at, but not much romance in the story in general. The writing is very readable and had a good balance of description and action; it does ramble on a bit at times but most of it was interesting.

I just fell in love with this world, the Pegasi, and the royal family. The book leaves readers at a pretty bad spot; totally a cliffhanger. So you've been warned. I knew going into the book that it ended in a cliffhanger, but the ending still almost left me in tears. On hindsight it was a good place to leave the story and will definitely get readers back for more.

Overall I loved this book, loved the world, loved the characters, and was impressed with how well thought out and detailed the human/Pegasi interactions were. I highly recommend this is you are a fantasy fan; it is reminiscent of McKinely's earlier books like The Hero and the Crown and The Blue Sword. If you enjoyed those you will enjoy this. It also reminds some of Tamora Pierce's books or Sherwood Smith's books; if you are a fan of these writers than you will like this book too.

Pegaus (Part 1), November 8, 2010
I will preface this with the acknowledgment that this book is:
1) Part One of a Two-Part Pair
2) A Cliffhanger book.

The trouble with Pegasus, compared to other McKinley books is that it is not a one-shot volume. This is shocking, because she never writes sequels. Every McKinley book ever has been a one-volume novel, even when related to other novels. That this has changed so suddenly has left many fans bewildered.

Does this make Pegasus less brilliant? No.

The world-building is intricate, perhaps because it is so very different from our own. The geography, culture, customs, history, it's all there, making this world believable, and real enough to step into. The characters, also, are fascinating. Sylvi and Ebon most especially, but also their families and enemies. There does not seem to be even a single superfluous character in the entire volume.

The narrative is a little different from normal-- because the world is so different, and there is so *much* to fit into each volume, some of it must be explained with flashbacks. Several reviews have mentioned disliking flashbacks, or finding it to be distracting, but I feel like they all served their purpose.

I really did love this book, and I felt like despite the lack of sword-waving and adventure, it was still suspenseful and fascinating. I look forward to seeing what comes next.

Half a book ALERT!, November 16, 2010
This is only a half of the book!!!

I thought I would get this out of the way first. Truly, there was not even an attempt to wrap up anything in this novel, not even temporarily. "Pegasus" ended mid-scene, mid-conflict, almost mid-sentence. It will be quite a laugh if McKinley never finishes this sequel.

Now onto the story itself. I was glad to be back to the old-school princess-fairy-tale McKinley, after the genre detour "Sunshine" was. If you ever read fantasy written by the author, you already know the key elements of her stories: meticulous, imaginative world building, a young, strong heroine who has to come to terms with her own powers and grow into her responsibilities and attain self-confidence, friendships with animals, magic, all accompanied by the most gorgeous writing. All of this was in "Pegasus."

The moment I opened the book, I was completely enchanted by the world McKinley had created and by the words she used to describe it. The centuries-old alliance between humans and pegasi, their complicated communications, binding rituals - all of it was so new, so unique, so detailed and well thought-through. And then the moment Ebon, the main character's Sylvi's bond-mate, entered the picture, I totally fell in love with this naughty, outspoken, mischievous pegasus. And the way MckKinley described Ebon tumbling into Sylvi's window, or spread his wings, or a tiny pegasus playing with Sylvi, it made me grin in delight. McKinley just has such a genius way with words, I can't explain it.

But (of course there is a but), as much as I loved the world building and gorgeous writing, it just wasn't enough for me. It wasn't that the book was light on plot, but like in all McKinley books, the plot was driven by the main character's internal struggles and growth. And again, it's fine by me, generally. I loved Harry's personal journey in "The Blue Sword," but that book was only 270 pages and "Pegasus" - 400 and only half of the story. I don't know about other readers, but I can enjoy luscious, descriptive and reflective writing for only so long, at about page 200 I want some action, and so happened here. By the middle of the book my attention started to waver and I began skimming a bit, trying to get to the end or at least some excitement faster. Basically, it seemed the narration got a little too indulgent. For what the plot was, the book was way too long. I could literally summarize the entire novel in one paragraph. I would have enjoyed it much more if the whole story only took one 300-page volume to tell.

I can see how "Pegasus"'s reviews can be all over the place. Fans of McKinley's writing and those who enjoy leisurely, slow paced quality of it, will love the novel, and rightfully so. Those who prefer books with more action and despise being left with no resolutions, will hate it. I am somewhere in the middle. At this point I am moderately interested to know how it all works out, but will I still be in 2012, when the sequel comes out?

Only HALF a book!, November 13, 2010
This isn't book one in a series, or a whole book on its own. Pegasus is half a book. It ends, just as the conflict begins. I'm sure there is a second part coming. Robin McKinley is too much of an expert to just end the book there, but as a reader, I feel abandoned mid-story.

A recent Connie Willis book was split in two also. I hope that we can make publishers realize this is unacceptable. If a book is written with the intention of splitting it, then it can have a smaller arc within the series arc. Just chopping it in two, however, kills any momentum the story gained.

If I had known this was half a book, I would not have paid for it. Robin Mckinley or not, I don't buy half books. That is ridiculous.

Only Part One of a Two Part Book....?, November 25, 2010
My husband recently got me "Pegasus", and I read it while recently sick in bed. It was a treat to have a book by the author of "Deerskin", and I read it avidly at first. But then,noticing that I was more than halfway through the book, and it was moving at an unusually slow pace, I began to wonder what was going on. When it came to the last chapter, I was totally bewildered and upset, feeling extremely cheated, and more than a little angry at Ms.McKinley to have written a book that ended with no ending. There is no notice anywhere in the book that it is supposed to be a two part book...normally when this is done, the author puts a snippet of the first chapter of the second book in after the last chapter, to show readers that the book is not intended to be a standalone. But for most buyers of this book, I bet they dont know this- I found out only by reading the reviews here.

A note to the publisher-*PLEASE* drag a few pages of the second book out of Ms McKinley, and add them to future printings, or you are going to lose buyers of both this and the second book. This one appears to the unwary reader to be a standalone, and it is *extremely* disappointing, taking away much of the joy the reader felt in following the tale of the princess and her bondbrother pegasus. It is a good book, but greatly flawed by this omission, and the incredible lag till the publication of the second one. In my opinion, she rushed this onto the shelves long before she should have...1012 is too distant a date for the next book from this one.

No cohesion, no logic, no ENDING, November 8, 2010
Every review here is quite accurate, only individual perceptions differ. I suggest you read all the reviews before purchasing this novel.

Beautiful landscape, good people, a wondrous Pegasus species, a sneaky villain, horrible monsters, political intrigue, an interesting world you might want to visit. All the elements are there.

Put it all together well and you should have a brilliant story.

Sadly, this was not put together well. Not only is the reader constantly confused, so are the characters. There seem to be some rules that should never be broken, but only some magicians seem to understand these rules. Even the good magicians are confused, apparently some of their history books are missing or hidden.

The story I read (which is obviously a story the 5 star reviewers read differently) ...

Sylvi (human) is bonded in a ritual ceremony with Ebon (Pegasus) because it is what a princess does at the age of twelve. Why is it the custom? No idea , but it seems to correspond to a convoluted history that is part of a treaty between Pegasus and humans.

Sylvi and Ebon bond incredibly well during the ceremony, creating a strong telepathic and very sweet friendship, but this is somehow bad. Why is it bad? No idea, but the court magicians feel threatened because they believe only they should be able to translate speech between a bonded pair with a whacked out sign language that is less than understandable. Why shouldn't the Pegasus and humans understand each other through unfettered telepathy? Because true understanding is somehow bad.

Ebon takes Sylvi flying, (sounds like fun to me) but this is also supposed to be wrong, so they have to do it in secret. If they get caught flying together, disaster will strike. Why? Don't know.

Ebon and Sylvi travel through the kingdom to outlying towns and cities, earning the love and respect from the people. Good? No, bad somehow.

In the last chapter, some hidden and previously unread book is found by the evil magician. The treaty between the allies is broken. Weeping and suspicions, lack of trust between Pegasus and humans ensues. The bonding between Sylvi and Ebon must be broken for the good of the kingdom. Why? No clue.

The cryptic reading of the passages from the hidden book by the evil magician make absolutely no sense. The story read is about a love and sacrifice between a bonded pair of a human prince and Pegasus. In fact, (in my opinion) the translation points in the opposite direction than how it's perceived by the magician.

And so it ends without end... Everyone sadly goes their separate ways even though the monsters are coming and they desperately need each other as allies to face the threat.

Wait for the sequel that is supposed to come out sometime in 2012. Maybe the questions will be answered and explained. (Assuming you remember the questions and still give a tinker's damn.)

Personally, I don't care what happens to these folks. Re-reading this mishmash to get back into the loop is too painful to contemplate.

A good idea but . . ., December 4, 2010
I have read and reread McKinley's books since "Beauty" first came out. I doubt that I'll reread "Pegasus" or bother with the sequel--which I knew nothing about. Count me among those shocked and disappointed at the ending. As the pages thinned at the end I wondered how she could possibly wrap up the story, to find she didn't bother--or maybe doesn't know how. Clearly the relationship between Prncess Silvi and the pegasus Ebon is more than brotherly or best friends; apart from the telepathic attunement, she loves being near him physically--where does McKinley think she's going with that? There's no clue in the book that magic can turn her into a pegasus also, but her longing to stay in the pegasus land and increasing dislike of her human body suggest perhaps in part 2 she will become one--so much for her learning to deal with the world. The other problem with the book is McKinley's increasingly didactic style; other reviewers mention her world-building, and I'm getting the impression, from "Sunshine" and "Chalice" also, that she would rather create the world, imagine all the details--and tell us every one of them--than tell the story. She doesn't weave the details in, she lays them out in sometimes repetitive lengths of exposition. "Pegasus" is 400 pages long; there should have been room for the story. At least "Sunshine" ended with a battle won, even though the war wasn't over and the relationships between Sunshine, Mel, and Con were unresolved; McKinley didn't do a sequel to that book and it makes me wonder if she will bother this time either.

To Be Continued, December 1, 2010
Shocked and appalled by the abrupt ending, not at all the author's usual style. There IS a sequal due out in 2 years (2012). If I'd known that, I would have just waited and bought the pair, because this book's 'ending' was a HORRIBLE way to pause the narrative. I don't know what the writer and her editing/publishing team were thinking. Boo.

Otherwise, an intricate coming-of-age story with bits of culture shock/adaptation and political intrigue thrown in for good measure. The heroine is a sympathetic character for readers who are young, shy, and/or a younger sibling. Slow story development and sudden shifts in chronological narration may bother some readers, but everything is braided together in an interesting way. The cliffhanger will probably make you throw the book across the room. Good luck with that.

Half a book, November 19, 2010
I feel completely cheated. Towards the end of the book I started feeling uneasy about how the plot would be resolved...it was not.The book ended on a cliffhanger.I paid for a complete story, this is only a half. ... Read more