Once Upon a Spring Morn

Average customer rating:

Quest for a Stolen Sister

A magical book

Same old, same old

The plot evolution is anything but predictable

magical fairytale
Once Upon a Spring Morn
Dennis L. McKiernan
Manufacturer: Roc Hardcover
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Once Upon an Autumn Eve (Faery)

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Once Upon A Dreadful Time

Red Slippers: More Tales of Mithgar (Mithgar)

ASIN: 0451461126

Book Description

The gallant knight Roél rides into the Springwood and finds his true heart's desire in Céleste, princess of that domain. But before their love can blossom, Roél must rescue his sister from a dreadful lord who steals the souls of those he bears away. Céleste joins her champion on a desperate odyssey across shadow-lit borders to save Roél's soul-reft sister before the dark of the moon.

Customer Reviews:

Quest for a Stolen Sister.......2007-08-21

Once Upon a Spring Morn (2006) is the fourth Fantasy novel in the Faery series, following Once Upon An Autumn Eve. In the previous volume, Liaze enterred the Chateau Bleu with forged documents and informed the comtessa of Luc's return. The next day, the guards selected by the comtessa admitted Luc onto the grounds and he issued a challenge to Guillaume for trial by combat. Afterwards, Luc gave the survivors a day to flee the domain.

In this novel, Princess Celeste of Springwood rests in a fork among the huge branches of her Companion of Quietness, a massive oak tree. Here she comes whenever she feels uneasy and today she is here to brood over the absence of her sister Liaze. When she hears the sound of a horn, she frowns, for she has not sanctioned a hunt that day.

When the hunters appear below her, she confronts them and finds that they are hunting for HER. As they move on the tree to pull her down, she lets fly an arrow into the leader's breast. Just then a lone knight rides up and attacks her wouldbe kidnappers and she picks off the ones attacking from his rear.

The armed men are led by a raven, who flees into the forest crying "Revenge". Celeste's own guardsmen ride up just as the few surviving outlaws are fleeing and they gallop after them. The knight defender introduces himself as Sieur Roel and declares that he is questing for his missing sister and his two brothers, who had gone looking for her.

After his wounds are tended, Sieur Roel tells the full story of how his sister Avelaine was taken by the Lord of Changelings. Then he tells how his brother Laurent left to consult with the sage Geron before continuing onward in search for Avelaine. After Laurent had failed to return in three years, the second brother Blaise had ridden off to consult with Geron and then search for Avelaine.

Blaise had also failed to return for three years. Since Roel has now earned his spurs, he too went to consult with Geron and received Couer d'Acier to take with him on his quest. The older brothers had not wanted to wait for the sword to be fabricated, but it was ready when Roel came for advice.

The Heart of Steel had a steel core flashed over with silver and constructed with runes to suppress its steel aura. After Roel left Geron, he had to exchange all his steel weapons and appurtenances for bronze equivalents before he could enter Faery, but he was allowed to take the sword with him. It was this weapon that he used against the outlaws.

Roel had a long and difficult recovery, for the worst cut was also poisoned. While he rested in Celeste's chateau, Roel came to know the princess and gradually fell in love with her. Before he leaves, Celeste announces their betrothal to her retainers. By this time, Roel is well liked by all.

Although Roel objects, Celeste accompanies him on his quest. For the journey to Mizon, the first part of their travels, Celeste's warband escorts them. As they approach the port town, the group is attacked by Goblins, Ogres and Trolls and both Roel and Celeste flee through the twilight wall to the next land. When they cannot be found on either side of the wall, the warband returns to her chateau thinking that the couple are dead.

In this story, Roel and Celeste meet King's Captain Chevell of Mizon after they fall onto his ship, the Sea Eagle. The King's ship is pursuing corsairs who have stolen a rare map. When Roel and Celeste realize that this map is the one that they were going to Mizon to use in his quest, they join forces with Chevell and sail across the sea after the remaining freebooter ship.

Roel and Celeste have many other adventures as they travel toward the land of the Changelings. Along the way Celeste encounters the three Fates. After Roel complains that he hasn't meet any of them, Lady Doom appears to them both. As in the other Faery tales, Celeste acquires gifts from each of the Fates and uses them to complete the quest.

This Faery tale is based on two ancient stories: Le Bel Inconnu and Childe Rowland. The first is Arthurian and the second is a later English tale. As usual, the author adds embellishments that were surely in the original tales.

Highly recommended for McKiernan fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of the Faery lands, loyal knights and true love.

-Arthur W. Jordin

A magical book.......2007-07-12

When Celeste, Princess of the Springwood, is saved by a handsome young knight with a magic sword, she determines to help him on his quest. But, it is more than gratitude that propels Celeste along. She and the knight, Roel, have fallen madly in love. Are their combined strengths enough to see them through on Roel's quest to rescue his sister from the Lord of the Changlings? Perhaps, if their love is strong enough!

Overall, I found this to be a magical book, and I don't just mean that the storyline involved magic. The author does an excellent job of taking the feel of the old heroic tales of knights and damsels and love and battle, and bringing it forward into a modern story. I loved the interesting setting of Faery, combined with the knight right out of medieval literature. This is a very good book, one that is sure steal your heart.

Same old, same old.......2007-04-03

It really hurts me to give a Dennis L. McKiernan book so low a rating; he is one of my favorite writers and one the few authors I have read everything of.

My reason for rating it so low is that it is very VERY similar to the other books in this series, especially "Once Upon an Autumn Evening." Scenario: Unwed and lonely princess comes across a wounded handsome stranger who is being pursued by evil forces. She nurses him to health and falls madly in love with him. Together, they must go on an incredible journey to complete his quest, of course separated from their war party, and encounter haunted mansions, various monsters and the Fates in predictable disguises with riddles. In the meantime, they frequently make sweet sweet love. Sound familiar? If you've read the other Faery books it should. Perhaps, as McKiernan hints, this repetition on a pattern is endemic to the nature of the fairy tales he is retelling. I expected a writer of McKiernan's calibur to put a more imaginative spin on the story rather than just fill in the blanks from a previous book.

The book gets very good about 3/4 of the way in and is much better from that point on.

The plot evolution is anything but predictable.......2006-12-14

Fantasy readers will find ONCE UPON A SPRING MORN begins light-heartedly, telling of romance, a knight, and a princess - but evolves into a story of rescue, politics, a mysterious city, and a quest. All the elements of a fine read are here, and while the protagonists and their journey may sound like formula writing, the plot evolution is anything but predictable, imparting mystery and intrigue into an odyssey powered by strong characterization.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

magical fairytale.......2006-10-04

Once upon a time in the Kingdom Of Springwood, Princess Celeste sits in her favorite tree thinking thoughts when a group of bandits try to kidnap her. Unwilling to be a damsel in distress, Celeste tries to fight them off and when the chevalier knight Roel enters the battle on her side, the thugs are killed. Roel is in danger of dying due to a poisoned arrow but he has excellent care and soon recovers. While he recuperates he and Celeste fall in love but he can't stay with her because he is on a quest.

His sister was taken by the Changeling Lord and his two elder brothers went after her but never returned. Roel intends to rescue all his siblings; Celeste, who doesn't want to depart from her love, joins him. The road they travel is hard and they must pass through different kingdoms in faery using a map recovered from the pirates to guide them. The Three Fates, at different times, assist them during their perilous journey by give her cryptic instructions and gifts that they will need if they reach the Changeling Lord's kingdom. Along the way various villains of faery attack them; it takes all their cunning and guile as well as their perseverance and strength to continue on a quest that seems likely will kill them both.

Dennis L. McKiernan is a wonderful worldbuilder who reminds readers of the magic that can be found in fairy tales. Celeste is an independent woman who believes she is the equal of any man and Roel is happy to have her as a partner instead of a subordinate. They battle trolls, goblins, sirens, ogres and a host of other creatures working together as a team. This is an enchanting tale that will have readers spellbound.

Harriet Klausner

Average customer rating:

It must have been the shoe bill...
Poke me in the eye! It would be less painful than reading this book!
Wonderful concept, poor execution
liked it
Two worlds entwined...

The Night Dance (Once Upon a Time)
Suzanne Weyn
Manufacturer: Simon Pulse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 1416905790

Book Description

Under the stars, in a secret world...

Rowena, the youngest of twelve sisters, loves to slip out of the castle at night and dance in a magical forest. Soon she convinces her sisters to join her. When Sir Ethan notices that his daughters' slippers look tattered every morning, he is certain they've been sneaking out. So he posts a challenge to all the suitors in the kingdom: The first man to discover where his daughters have been is free to marry the one he chooses.

Meanwhile a handsome young knight named Bedivere is involved in a challenge of his own: to return the powerful sword, Excalibur, to a mysterious lake. While looking for the lake, Bedivere meets the beautiful Rowena and falls for her. Bedivere knows that accepting Sir Ethan's challenge is the only opportunity for him to be with Rowena forever. But this puts both Bedivere and Rowena in a dangerous situation...one in which they risk their lives for a chance at love.

Customer Reviews:

It must have been the shoe bill..........2007-03-11

Lately, I've been exploring the world of rewritten and revised children's stories, most of which are the fairy tales that most of us grew up with. One of my favorites is by Hans Christian Anderson, about the twelve princesses who drove their father mad by appearing every morning with their slippers in tatters -- after being locked in their bedroom every night.

Sir Ethan finds himself chasing a boar in the middle of a dense forest when the boar rolls on the ground, creating a lake and transforming into a beautiful woman. She is Vivienne, a sorceress from Avalon, and both she and Sir Ethan fall in love with one another. Sir Ethan settles down with her, and builds a home of peace, while Vivienne quickly drops a litter of twins every year, each one a girl, until six years have passed, and there are twelve little girls about the place, that she calls her 'princesses.'

But when the youngest pair are toddlers, Vivienne is wandering in the woods near her home, when she is attacked by her sister, the wicked Morgan La Fay. Morgan imprisons Vivienne in the lake, creating a barrier that prevents her from either returning to the mortal world, or going on to Avalon. And heartbroken Sir Ethan finds himself with twelve motherless daughters to raise.

Thinking that Vivienne has willingly abandoned him and his daughters, he decides to imprison his children in his manor house, by enclosing them in high walls, and never letting them enter the outside world. And the youngest, Rowena, grows up filled with a hunger to break out of the walls that surround her.

When she finds a crack in the wall, she steathily chips away at it until she can escape into the woods. There she meets the one survivor of King Arthur's Round Table -- Bedivere, wounded in mind and spirit, and seeking to return the sword Excalibur to the Lady of the Lake.

How it all ties into the twelve princesses who slip away at night to dance their slippers to shreds is the second half of this short novel. There's not a lot of humor -- save for some antics by Morgan trying to disguise herself as a mouse to discover how to imprison Vivienne and her daughters for good -- and due to the fact that the novel is under two hundred pages in length does not leave a lot of room for character development.

That's one of the major flaws of the novel. While it does have a strong start to the story, by the end, it has all fallen apart. The imagry isn't that vivid, and the entire narrative is forced. The princesses are little more than cyphers, with only the eldest, Eleanore, and the youngest, Rowena, having any sort of things to do besides looking pretty and being rather simple. Even Morgan and Vivienne are rather lifeless, and Bedivere isn't much more than a handsome stud for Rowena to fall instantly in love with, but there isn't any underlaying passion to explain why they fall for one another.

Marketed for young adults in a series called "Once Upon a Time...," I found this one to be a grave disappointment. There's some magic, and the bare bones of the story, but author Suzanne Weyn seems to be having a hard time deciding if she is writing a novel set in the Arthurian mythos, or reworking a classic fairy tale. Robin McKinley in her anthology The Door in the Hedge did a far finer retelling of the story, with far more mystery and magic to it, and in far fewer pages as well.

Summing up, I would only recommend this if you have a teenage reader who is entertained by fairy tales, but otherwise, stay with the original story. It's far more entertaining.

Poke me in the eye! It would be less painful than reading this book!.......2007-03-03

I had high hopes for this book, I really enjoyed the books written by Dokey, so I figured I would like this book as well. I was wrong...sadly...The first paragraph of the book killed me...usually I don't even pick up books that I would even suspect would annoying me from the beginning like that. Could you get anymore....I don't know...the whole thing stunk of cheap romance novels...was I expecting too much in the first place? The author tries to stuff each paragraph with so many adjectives etc...it's frustrating. I felt like screaming "I CAN WRITE BETTER THAN THIS!" to the book....
Plus the whole bit about the main girl liking the armored guy before she knew/saw what he looked like...it's a bit much...I'm not being shallow...but how can you fall instantly in love with someone you don't know/can't see...and then they start going at it the second they meet for real...geez...
I couldn't bring myself to read the rest...It is a poorly written book, that I would not reccomend...
However, if you like fairy tales (complete obsession would probably be the only way to get through it), and if you like romance novels, and you do not mind bad writing...go for it...I suggest you check it out through the library...(Thank goodness that's what I did...)
-Good Luck!

Wonderful concept, poor execution.......2006-10-03

The concept of this book is brilliant: a melding of the fairy tale `The twelve dancing princesses' with some of the legends about the death of King Arthur. Unfortunately, Ms. Weyn's writing skills were not up to the task she set herself. Her prose is consistently stilted and overly ornate with such sentences as: "Rowena still sympathized with the trapped restlessness she knew her sister felt." and "There was a murmur of approval as this seemed like a fun enterprise."

Once I started reading, the story was compelling enough to pull me through. So, if you are willing to endure less than perfect writing for a good story, by all means read this book. If, however, you are like me and would be pained every time you read a sentence like the above, I advise you to skip this one and read `The twelve dancing princesses' by Robin McKinley.

liked it.......2006-07-09

This book was a pleasant, light read. However, I was dismayed that the author left the plot slightly undeveloped. Also, it seems as if the antagonist is thwarted too easily.
None-the-less, i enjoyed it and it is quite a satisfying read.

Two worlds entwined..........2006-06-03

Almost magically, Sir Ethan of Colchester finds himself pulled to Vivienne and is shortly living in a small cottage with his wife and six pairs of daughters beside an enchanting lake. Dismissing claims of his wife being a witch, he cannot altogether ignore her disappearances into the night, until one evening she does not return.

Sir Ethan eventually searches his wife's bearings, finding jewels of all kinds, and sells them to make the beginnings of his fortune. The house is renovated and a wall is built to prevent anything from entering or exiting. But no one can forget the lake, or what was until Vivienne's sudden leaving causes the strange lake to disappear.

As the story unravels itself, the role of Camelot becomes clear. Not only is this a retelling of the Twelve Dancing Princesses, but is a tale of Morgan le Fey, Mordred, Merlin, Arthur, Bedivere, and the Lady of the Lake. It is told in the points of Sir Ethan of Colchester (the father), Lady Vivienne of the Lake (the mother), Sir Bedivere (gorgeous Knight of the Round Table), Eleanore (the oldest), Rowena (the youngest), and Morgan le Fey (the wicked witch). They each tie in their own part to the story, and make it interesting to read. As your learning grows of the dealings in Avalon and the fate of Vivienne, so does your intrigue for the characters and the adventures of Excalibur. And what would a classic fairy tale be without a little romance?

The problem I found is that the culture portrayed was nothing like that in the Arthurian era. The people seemed to hold no respect for someone so great as Bedivere, nor did they seem to care about Arthur and his endeavors. But, nonetheless, it was an appealing story, and my favorite in the Once Upon a Time Series...

Beauty Sleep: A Retelling of "Sleeping Beauty" (Once Upon a Time)

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Amazing retelling of Sleeping Beauty
An Original Take on "Sleeping Beauty"
Good but some unnecesary rambling

Beauty Sleep: A Retelling of "Sleeping Beauty" (Once Upon a Time)
Cameron Dokey
Manufacturer: Simon Pulse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 1416940146

Book Description

"ONCE UPON A TIME"

IS TIMELESS

The Princess Aurore has had an unusual childhood. Cursed at birth, Aurore is fated to prick her finger at the age of sixteen and sleep for one hundred years -- until a prince awakens her with a kiss. So, to protect her, Aurore's loving parents forbid any task requiring a needle.

Unable to sew or embroider like most little princesses, Aurore instead explores the castle grounds and beyond, where her warmth and generosity soon endear her to the townspeople. their devotion to the spirited princess grows as she does.

On her sixteenth birthday, Aurore learns that the impending curse will harm not only her, but the entire kingdom as well. Unwilling to cause suffering, she will embark on a quest to end the evil magic. The princess's bravery will be rewarded as she finds adventure, enchantment, a handsome prince, and ultimately her destiny

Customer Reviews:

Amazing retelling of Sleeping Beauty.......2007-09-19

This book is an amazing and fresh new telling of Sleeping Beauty. I bought this book before the Once Upon A Time series started and then there was only Beauty Sleep, Storytellers Daughter and Snow. It made me sad when I went to buy the book, again since I lost my first copy, that it was out of print. I stumbled upon it on this website just to find out that they had taken it out of print to put into the Once Upon a Time Series.

This book gives us a great view of Aurora's family and how she grew up. I love how this book is in first person, it gives it a sort of personal feel, like all of Cameron Dokey's Once Upon A time books. This one is probably my favorite, if not my all time favorite, so far in the series. It's the first one I have read and the one I have treasured most. Snow comes in a close second. This book is just amazing, and I have my 23 year old friend addicted to them now so it is not just a book for teenagers, it is a book for everyone.

An Original Take on "Sleeping Beauty".......2007-07-08

Retellings of fairy tales are in fashion now, and a lot are mediocre. But "Beauty Sleep" is a surprisingly fresh interpretation of "Sleeping Beauty". The story is original, with very little of the it devoted to Aurore's hundred year nap. Instead it focuses on the events that preceeded it- the princess's childhood and her family, and her worries about the spells that will eventually affect her. When Aurore realizes that her kingdom will suffer if she doesn't fall under the spell, she takes matters into her own hands, and this part is just as interesting. This is short book, which is good because none of it seems to drag. The story is interesting and moves at a good pace, which is one thing I like about the "Once Upon a Time" series in general.

I liked the characters fine, and the romance is good. I also liked the writing, though it can be a little hard to follow at times. It's a little overwrought in places, and at times I had to go back over a sentence to get what it was saying, but the tone is fitting for a fairy tale. The themes the book had were interesting, and I loved Aurore's explantion of the magic in her world.

Overall, this is a quick read, but it has some depth too. The fairy tale ending left me feeling happy and was unexpected at the same time. I enjoyed it very much.

Good but some unnecesary rambling.......2007-06-06

You may like the tone of the book, sometimes it got on my nerves-got a bit rambly

Once Upon a Curse (Tales of the Frog Princess)

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Excellent children's story
Romance at Heart
super book
Engaging read
Once upon a curse

Once Upon a Curse (Tales of the Frog Princess)
E. D. Baker
Manufacturer: Bloomsbury USA Children's Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1582349118
Release Date: 2006-08-22

Book Description

Many years ago a slighted fairy placed a curse on a beautiful young princess--a curse that caused her and all her female descendants to turn into mean, ugly witches if they ever touched a flower after turning sixteen. Now, Princess Emma, who is about to turn sixteen herself, is determined to break the spell once and for all. Emma travels back in time to the day the curse was placed on her ancestor in the hope of preventing the curse from being cast. Unfortunately she isn't successful in her efforts, but she does learn how to break it. Armed with this knowledge, Emma returns to her own time full of hope. But disaster ensues and Emma is about to give up completely--until true love shows itself in the most unexpected place of all.

With a bit of courage, a pinch of luck, and of course, a healthy dose of magic, Princess Emma charms her way through the third hilarious adventure in the Tales of the Frog Princess series.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent children's story.......2007-08-09

We bought the Frog Princess from a school bookfair. I've been reading it to my 8 year old daughter. We both enjoyed the book so much, I bought the next two in the series on Amazon. These are wonderfully funny, engaging stories. This is a children's auther I would highly recommend.

Romance at Heart.......2007-06-05

Ilove the romance in this book.Emma and Eadric
are very funny characters.I love the magic in this book.
I hope to keep reading the series!

super book.......2007-05-14

This book is just one of the wonderful books in this series. An absolute family treasure and fun for the whole family.

Engaging read.......2007-05-06

This was a fun book that has been passed around in family. I read it first and then passed it to my 13 yr. old daughter who then passed it to my 10 yr. old daughter. We've all laughed with delight at some of the exploits our "heroes" manage to involve themselves in. A must read! Grab the whole series while you're at it!

Once upon a curse.......2007-04-08

After an adventure of being a frog with Prince Eadric in the "Frog Princess" and finding a cure for turning Haywood back into human form in "Dragon's Breath", Princess Emma must now travel back in time to try and stop the family curse from being placed; or at least find out how to end it. Emma knows she must end the curse before she turns 16 and marries Eadric because it's ruining her family member's lives and will shadow her and Eadric when they get married. The curse has already taken its toll on her grandma and beloved Aunt Grassina, turning them into ugly old hags because they were in contact with a flower.
Emma manages to travel back in time with Eadric and survive up until the party, which is where and when the curse is placed. She fails to stop the curse from being placed, but manages to find out how to break it. When she goes back to the future in her own time, she's certain she knows the surest way of breaking the spell, but disaster strikes that discourages her. But finally love conquers evil unsuspectedly...

I loved this charming book because it shows courage, love, and determination in the inner self.

Average customer rating:

Not Free SF Reader
Don't buy into the hype.
A reading assignment I actually enjoyed.
A Good Novel But Not Great
A retelling of the Arthurian legend, NOT !

The Once and Future King
Terence Hanbury White
Manufacturer: Ace Trade
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0441003834

Customer Reviews:

Not Free SF Reader.......2007-09-03

Wart, a young boy, initially has no idea who he really is. This is
Merlin's doing, as he travels backwards in time, having left the young
lad with a kindly keeper to ensure his safety and responsible
upbringing. In other words, to make sure he is a decent kid, not a
spoiled brat, so he will become a sympathetic ruler. The rest of the
Arthurian legend evolves from there.

Don't buy into the hype........2007-08-17

Coming into reading this book I was under the false impression that it was going to be an enjoyable read. That went out the window rather quickly. I might have liked this book, had I been born in England 60 years ago and had an intricate knowledge of obscure old English references concerning their medieval period and items contained within. However, I have to say that I read through a few chapters of White's novel where I was left with no sense of what had just happened.
He goes into intricate explanations of scenery, events, and items that last for pages. This in itself is not bad, however, White seems to have been going through the Old English Book of archaic terms while he was doing this. Not a fun read, you might as well break out your dictionary and thesaurus because that's the only way you're going to understand what White is describing.

A reading assignment I actually enjoyed........2007-06-14

My class in school was assigned to read this book. I am a particularly slow reader, so I was discouraged when I saw how long it was and the hard to understand language they used, but the more i read, the more interested I got. Although it is not one of my favorites, i really enjoyed reading this and i love the author's style of writing. You get to know the characters so much and the plot never gets too boring. New "mini stories" pop up in every chapter and it's always a pleasant suprise.

A Good Novel But Not Great.......2007-04-24

King Arthur and his famous Knights of the Round Table are among the most famous characters of any mythology. This novel, entitled "The Once And Future King, is the re-telling of the legend published some four decades ago and written by a man who was fascinated by the medieval time period. This novel is a good novel, but it lacks greatness and is at times lacking.

The novel's plot is well known. It starts with a young boy called Wart who pulls the sword from the stone and becomes the King of England. He marries Guinevere, sets up the famous Round Table, and creates an ideal society in the form of Camelot. But in the end this perfect could not last forever and eventually Camelot falls. Pretty much the basics of the Arthurian legend are retold here.

The main problem of the novel is in its characterization. King Arthur is the protagonist of the novel, but yet he seems to be lacking in the wisdom we have come to associate with the legendary king. But he is a three-decisional character and he does suffers one tragic flaw: he is too trusting and this will lead to the fall of Camelot. The same lacking of characterization can be found in the other two characters of the novel: Guinevere and the brave knight Lancelot. White doesn't seem to be able to handle their characterization very well. This is especially true of the romance between them. The highlights in terms of characters are the bumbling knight King Pellinore and, of course, the sorcerer Merlyn. It is through Merlyn that Arthur learns many of the lessons and also that we get the social commentary of the novel. Yet the weak characterization of the main characters hurts the overall effect of the novel.

White is at his best doing the descriptions rather then dialogue and it is this that makes the novel worth reading. There is an area where White doesn't keep this together as well. The novel's ending seems to be too awkwardly written and White seems to rush past many of the novels' revelations. It would have been nice if some of these had been closed since they do leave a few too many loose threads hanging at the end.

In the final analysis, "The Once And Future King" is a novel of great intentions done written with mixed results. White managed to take the classic legend of old and infuse it with some freshness. Despite its lack of proper characterization and some loose threads at the end, the novel is still a good re-telling of the King Arthur story. If you are interested in the King Arthur legend this is a good choice to read.

A retelling of the Arthurian legend, NOT !.......2007-04-18

A retelling of the Arthurian legend,based largely on Sir Thomas Malory's Le Morte D'Arthur. NOT ! Certainly not in the simple sense of retelling a story you've heard. White bit off all of it, chewed up all of it and digested all of it. He added, only the good Lord knows what, and cooked up an un-imaginable work of art. The book is full of passages of un-common beauty, full of poetry and pathos. He paints portraits of his characters, so full of color and detail and life that they are sitting right there next to you. You love or hate them, right there and then.
This is written on the occasion of my 30th reading of this book. I read it about twice a year. It goes on cruises with me. I have bought about 15 copies as gifts to family and friends. All of my grandchildren have copies. The book is quirky. You have not ever read anything like it. I love the use of the anachronistic (?) language he uses. You must feel with his characters, or to be honest, I question the quality of your soul. And this is the most remarkable thing about the book - you need to read it with your soul. It is not a history book.It is more than a romance It is a book about real people, Arthur, Guinevere, Merlin and Lancelot, lots of others, their loves, their hurts, their victories and losses and finally, how in spite of all good intentions and undertakings and magic, it all falls apart. How the promises of a better and smarter world never get fufilled.

Average customer rating:

This book is GREAT!!!!!!!!!!
Very good book!
Page Thriller - Reviewed by Kholoud of High Point
A very fun story
Once Upon a Marigold by Jean Farris

Once Upon a Marigold
Jean Ferris
Manufacturer: Harcourt Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0152050841

Book Description

Christian is gaga for Princess Marigold. But he's just a commoner, and no match for royalty. Heck, he lives in a cave with a troll! And now he's discovered another reason to put his love-soggy heart on ice: Queen Olympia is scheming to take over the kingdom--and she'll bump off her own daughter to do it. Can Christian foil her diabolical plans?

Customer Reviews:

This book is GREAT!!!!!!!!!!.......2007-07-05

I love this book because it is an adventurous fairy tale. It is a funny/love story type of book. This book is age appropriate for nine and older (if you like love storys). I reccomend that you should read this book.Jean Ferris is a GREAT author.

Very good book!.......2007-06-05

This book was absolutely WONDERFUL!! I think that anyone who reads this book (of ANY age) would LOVE it because it is funny, charming, EVERYTHING!! What it says on the front is completely right: "Part love story, part comedy, part everything-but-the-kitchen-sink."

Jean Ferris really knows how to write a good book, and I am anxious to read her other books. This is truly a book worth 5 stars and a Newberry Medal, although it did not win one!

Page Thriller - Reviewed by Kholoud of High Point.......2007-04-20

Once upon a Marigold is a great book. If you like funny-romance books, this book is for you. A six year old boy runs away from home and lives with a troll in his cave. The boy calls the troll his "foster father". The boy is a pretty good inventor so he builds a telescope. He spies on a certain princess quite often. The boy likes the princess, so he writes to her using p-mail. P-mail is mail being delivered by trained pigeons. They become great friends, writing to each other.

The boy never tells her his name. When the boy is about 16, he takes a job in the castle of the princess he likes. One day, while he was working he overheard the queen say her evil plot to take over the kingdom and kill the king. Meanwhile Marigold is being forced to marry someone she doesn't like and wear ugly dresses for the wedding.

What will happen next?

Can the boy save the kingdom and Marigold from unhappiness? Will they unearth a wonderful secret? Will it be a happy ending or an unhappy? Will it be happily ever after or sadly ever after? In order to find out read this book!!!

A very fun story.......2007-03-15

Edric's trouble began the day he was out in the forest and a six-year-old boy named Christian popped out of the bushes. Christian has run away from his family and even though Edric searched, he never could find Christian's parents.

Eleven years goes by while Edric parents Christian. They live in a cave in the forest. Now Christian is in love with a princess, but she'll never notice him--a mere forest dweller who lives with a troll in a cave. Still, that doesn't stop Christian from corresponding with Princess Marigold.

The princess' mother, Queen Olympia, is scheming to take over the kingdom--and since she can't seem to marry Marigold off, she's planning to bump her off. Can Christian stop the Queen's evil plans and save Princess Marigold?

Once Upon a Marigold is a totally cute book guaranteed to appeal to girls ages ten and up. It might even appeal to some boys. It has lame jokes, an interesting plot, and fantastical creatures in a magical forest--complete with an incompetent tooth fairy.

The writing is probably not the best in the world, and it starts out slow, but once I got past the first twenty-two pages or so the writing picked up and I couldn't put the book down.

The cover says "Part comedy, part love story, part everything-but-the-kitchen-sink." How fun is that? The book matches its blurb.

Armchair Interviews says: It is a fun read.

Once Upon a Marigold by Jean Farris.......2007-03-12

By Emily Cornell
Once Upon a Marigold takes place in a fairytale forest where King Swithbert rules. This story starts when Ed, a troll, is walking through the woods and finds a boy named Christian who is six. Christian ran away from home because he didn't like all their rules. So, Ed takes Christian back to his cave that he and his two dogs, Beezlebub and Hecate, live in. The cave is made of all different colors of crystals. Eleven years pass and Christian is still living with Ed in the crystal cave. During this time, Christian is very interested in inventions and uses Ed's telescope to look at the royal family who live across the river. One day Christian spots Princess Marigold and falls madly in love with her. Christian sends Princess Marigold a letter through P-Mail (pigeon mail). The two start to send eachother p-mail all the time and they become in love. Ed said that Christian needs to explore more of the world so he gets a job at castle as a servant. He finds out that Princess Marigold has to marry Prince Mangus who is very snobby and she doesn't want to marry. Then Christian is thrown into the dungeon for giving Princess Marigold a hug. Christian goes through many obstacles to stop Princess Marigold's wedding to the snobby Prince Mangus. Christian finally escapes and then stops Marigold getting married to Mangus. Christian and Marigold end up getting married and they lived happily ever after. As the cover of the book says, this book is part comedy, part love story, part everything-but-the-kitchen-sink. I would highly recommend this book to kids of all ages. I think that this fairy-tale romance will appeal to both boys an girls.

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Once a Knight
Cold as ice...brrr!!!
great character's
Lukewarm story
This Knight's Shining Armor is a Little Rusty

Once a Knight
Christina Dodd
Manufacturer: Avon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0061083984
Release Date: 2007-09-25

Book Description

A Lady's ChoiceOnly desperation can make strong-willed Lady Alisoun hire Sir David of Radcliffe to protect her castle. He had once been a hero renowned for his brave daring and knightly skills. But few know what he has been doing these past years.

A Hero AgainAt George's Cross estate, Sir David does indeed discover danger afoot. But the danger that surprises him most is how quickly his own well-protected heart is falling to a fiery damsel who brings him to his knees. When put to the test, he must make a sacrifice. But will he lose his heart...or his life?

Customer Reviews:

Once a Knight.......2007-08-15

This book upholds the wonderful writing style of author, Christina Dodd. Her characters are 'larger than life,' and you become so engrossed in the story you feel you know them well.

Cold as ice...brrr!!!.......2007-05-21

I've read some bad books but this one ranked right up there with my top 5 worst. It's such a shame too cause the hero of the story David, was really a great guy.

It was Lady Alisoun and her cold nature that made the book unbearable at times. She didn't even seem human with her lack of emotions. I truly felt sorry for David and the way she acted towards him. Why the hell he would want to be with a woman who clearly didn't give him the respect he deserved is beyond me. And the reviewer below me couldn't have said it better. The sex was very pathetic. David had to do all the work everytime, Lady Alisoun would just lay there. She barely would respond to anything he would do for her. Very sad.

Even at the end of the book when I'm thinking...okay any minute now that frozen heart of hers is going to thaw. But even at the very end she disappointed me. The rest of the story was all right. I found myself getting bored very easily! My hubby had to nudge me awake at certain points when I had fallen asleep.

I wouldn't buy this book if I were you. If your still curious and want to read it, then try getting it used. I know the book could have been better if only Dodd had written a female heroine with some feeling to her.

great character's.......2007-03-18

I REALLY enjoyed reading this book! It is a laugh out loud story with great character development. Well written for an intelligent reader.

Lukewarm story.......2005-08-22

A slow and often difficult read. But don't mistake that to mean I didn't enjoy this book. It had all the elements of a great medieval epic; descriptive setting, action, a hero who works his way into your heart, and interesting minor characters such as Edlyn, Phillipa, Eudo and Sir Walter whom you grow to care about too. It was the heroine I couldn't warm up to, quite frankly because she was so icy and never seemed to truly thaw out, not even in the passioante scenes with the hero.

This Knight's Shining Armor is a Little Rusty.......2004-05-04

Lady Alisoun is the cool, levelheaded, and all too proper mistress of the castle at Georges Cross. A recent attempt has been made on her life, and she continues to be stalked by the assailant. She decides to hire the legendary mercenary, Sir David of Radcliffe, the king's own champion, for protection. But when she locates him, he's not quite what she's expecting. He's obviously in a drunken stupor, one resulting from his recent humiliating defeat, by a knight who challenged his status as the king's champion.

Alisoun decides to hire him anyway, since just his mere presence could keep further danger at bay. She soon discovers David's knightly skills are a little on the rusty side. And David makes a discovery of his own. Alisoun knows who her assailant is, and the motive behind the attacks, but she refuses to divulge this information.

They have another problem as well, for David desires the straight-laced Alisoun, and begins pursuing her, and using every opportunity to seduce her into marriage. Alisoun, who is rumored to be the oldest living widowed virgin in the kingdom, tries to resist his advances, but it's becoming increasingly difficult to do so. Will David be able to do what so many others before him have tried and failed to accomplish, by melting the icy wall around Alisoun's well-fortified heart?

This is the first installment in a two-book medieval series by Ms. Dodd. A delightfully humorous, and rather unique story of two less than perfect people who succumb to love. David is no longer the highly skilled, invincible knight of the legend. He's older now, his skills are rusty, and even with practice, will never be what they were. I found this very realistic. Isn't this what happens to everyone eventually as we age?

In some ways Alisoun is like other Dodd heroines, sensible, pragmatic, and intelligent. But she's far from the perfect romantic heroine. She's much too prim, proper, and devoid of a sense of humor and fun. This extreme in personality is what sets her apart from the typical Dodd female lead. While I basically liked Alisoun, I was disappointed she didn't seem to thaw out too much as the book progressed. However, I especially liked the hero, David, and the supporting characters all added quite a lot to the story as well. Definitely a worthwhile read. The sequel to this book is A KNIGHT TO REMEMBER.

Average customer rating:

Not My Cup of Tea, but Many Young Girls Will Love It!
Disney Princess: Once Upon a Princess - Volume One (Disney Princess)
tk
Manufacturer: Disney Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 078683465X

Book Description

Featuring the absolutely delightful Disney princesses, these two beautifully illustrated collections present each princess in her very own book-length story, retold with new details that every little princess will love to read. Volume One stars Ariel (The Little Mermaid), Jasmine (Aladdin), and Esmeralda (The Hunchback of Notre Dame). Volume Two features Cinderella, Belle (Beauty and the Beast), and Pocahontas.

Customer Reviews:

Not My Cup of Tea, but Many Young Girls Will Love It!.......2005-03-07

This book follows the movie versions very closely and are great reading practice for young fans. The 2nd - 4th grade girls will truely love it and will be very happy to have this book.

Average customer rating:

Once a Knight
Christina Dodd
Manufacturer: HarperTorch
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OB0NO8

FIFTEEN (15) SHORT SHORT SURPRISE STORIES: Man to Man; The Haunted Wall; Once is Too Often; Killer; Hooray for the Yanks; Proof of Murder; Pillars of Gaza; Ending with Honor; A Fellow Could Tell; The Drum of Justice; Sale to Friend; Messenger from Berlin

Average customer rating:

FIFTEEN (15) SHORT SHORT SURPRISE STORIES: Man to Man; The Haunted Wall; Once is Too Often; Killer; Hooray for the Yanks; Proof of Murder; Pillars of Gaza; Ending with Honor; A Fellow Could Tell; The Drum of Justice; Sale to Friend; Messenger from Berlin
Anonymous (editor) (Hugh Pentecost; Georges Surdez; Eddy Orcutt; R. H. Newman; Joe Alex Morris; Margaret Mochrie; Lyon Mearson; Will F. Jenkins; Alwyn W. Knight; Walter C. Brown; Charles Molyneux Brown; Maurice Beam; L. L. Foreman; Paul Thielen)
Manufacturer: Royce Publishers - Quick Reader
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000GW00MU

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