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Eldest (Inheritance, Book 2)
Christopher Paolini Manufacturer: Knopf Books for Young Readers ProductGroup: Book Binding: Paperback Similar Items:
ASIN: 0375840400 Release Date: 2007-03-13 |
Amazon.com
Surpassing its popular prequel Eragon, this second volume in the Inheritance trilogy shows growing maturity and skill on the part of its very young author, who was only seventeen when the first volume was published in 2003. The story is solidly in the tradition (some might say derivative) of the classic heroic quest fantasy, with the predictable cast of dwarves, elves, and dragons--but also including some imaginatively creepy creatures of evil.The land of Alagaesia is suffering under the Empire of the wicked Galbatorix, and Eragon and his dragon Saphira, last of the Riders, are the only hope. But Eragon is young and has much to learn, and so he is sent off to the elven forest city of Ellesmera, where he and Saphira are tutored in magic, battle skills, and the ancient language by the wise former Rider Oromis and his elderly dragon Glaedr. Meanwhile, back at Carvahall, Eragon's home, his cousin Roran is the target of a siege by the hideous Ra'zac, and he must lead the villagers on a desperate escape over the mountains. The two narratives move toward a massive battle with the forces of Galbatorix, where Eragon learns a shocking secret about his parentage and commits himself to saving his people.
The sheer size of the novel, as well as its many characters, places with difficult names, and its use of imaginary languages make this a challenging read, even for experienced fantasy readers. It is essential to have the plot threads of the first volume well in mind before beginning--the publisher has provided not only a map, but a helpful synopsis of the first book and a much-needed Language Guide. But no obstacles will deter the many fans of Eragon from diving headfirst into this highly-awaited fantasy. (Ages 12 and up) --Patty Campbell
Meet Author Christopher Paolini
Paolini talks more about the series, and about what inspires him in this video clip.
The Eragon/Eldest Boxed Set
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Amazon.com Eragon, a young farm boy, finds a marvelous blue stone in a mystical mountain place. Before he can trade it for food to get his family through the hard winter, it hatches a beautiful sapphire-blue dragon, a race thought to be extinct. Eragon bonds with the dragon, and when his family is killed by the marauding Ra'zac, he discovers that he is the last of the Dragon Riders, fated to play a decisive part in the coming war between the human but hidden Varden, dwarves, elves, the diabolical Shades and their neanderthal Urgalls, all pitted against and allied with each other and the evil King Galbatorix. Eragon and his dragon Saphira set out to find their role, growing in magic power and understanding of the complex political situation as they endure perilous travels and sudden battles, dire wounds, capture and escape.
In spite of the engrossing action, this is not a book for the casual fantasy reader. There are 65 names of people, horses, and dragons to be remembered and lots of pseudo-Celtic places, magic words, and phrases in the Ancient Language as well as the speech of the dwarfs and the Urgalls. But the maps and glossaries help, and by the end, readers will be utterly dedicated and eager for the next book, Eldest. (Ages 10 to 14) --Patty Campbell
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Download Description A New York Times Bestseller
One boy... one dragon... A world of adventure When Eragon finds a polished blue stone in the forest, he thinks it is the lucky discovery of a poor farm boy; perhaps it will buy his family meat for the winter. But when the stone brings a dragon hatchling, Eragon realizes he has stumbled upon a legacy nearly as old as the Empire itself. Overnight his simple life is shattered, and he is thrust into a perilous new world of destiny, magic, and power. With only an ancient sword and the advice of an old storyteller for guidance, Eragon and the fledgling dragon must navigate the dangerous terrain and dark enemies of an Empire ruled by a king whose evil knows no bounds. Can Eragon take up the mantle of the legendary Dragon Riders? The fate of the Empire may rest in his hands. Visit
Alagaesia.com to find out more about Eragon and the Inheritance Trilogy. "Unusual, powerful, fresh, and fluid.... An impressive start to a writing career that's sure to flourish."
"[A] solid, sweeping epic fantasy..."
"An auspicious beginning to both career and series."
"An authentic work of great talent."
"Christopher Paolini make[s] literary magic with his precocious debut."
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Amazon.com Martin's Seven Kingdoms resemble England during the Wars of the Roses, with the Stark and Lannister families standing in for the Yorks and Lancasters. The story of these two families and their struggle to control the Iron Throne dominates the foreground; in the background is a huge, ancient wall marking the northern border, beyond which barbarians, ice vampires, and direwolves menace the south as years-long winter advances. Abroad, a dragon princess lives among horse nomads and dreams of fiery reconquest.
There is much bloodshed, cruelty, and death, but A Game of Thrones is nevertheless compelling; it garnered a Nebula nomination and won the 1996 Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel. So, on to A Clash of Kings! --Nona Vero
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Download Description A Game of Thrones is a contemporary masterpiece of fantasy. The cold is returning to Winterfell, where summers can last decades and winters a lifetime. A time of conflict has arisen in the Stark family, as they are pulled from the safety of their home into a whirlpool of tragedy, betrayal, assassination, plots and counterplots. Each decision and action carries with it the potential for conflict as several prominent families, comprised of lords, ladies, soldiers, sorcerers, assassins and bastards, are pulled together in the most deadly game of all -- the game of thrones. "George Martin is assuredly a new master craftsman in the guild of heroic fantasy."
"The keen and complex human characters and the convincing force of their surroundings operate as magic...setting George R. R. Martin's first fantasy epic well above the norms of the genre."
"Offers the rich tapestry that the very best fantasy demands...few created worlds are as imaginative and diverse."
"A vast, rich saga, with splendid characters and an intricate plot flawlessly articulated against a backdrop of real depth and texture."
"A dazzling fantasy adventure... with a great cast of characters that weave a tapestry of court intrigue, skullduggery, vicious betrayal and greathearted sacrifice."
"A colorful, majestic tapestry of characters, action and plot that deserves a spot on any reader's wall."
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Book Description The Princess Elizabeth is slated to marry Prince Ronald when a dragon attacks the castle and kidnaps Ronald. In resourceful and humorous fashion, Elizabeth finds the dragon, outsmarts him, and rescues Ronald --- who is less than pleased at her un-princess-like appearance. Full color throughout.
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Christopher Paolini's abiding love of fantasy and science fiction inspired him to begin writing his debut novel, Eragon, when he graduated from high school at age 15.
"Writing is the heart and soul of my being. It is the means through which I bring my stories to life. There is nothing like putting words on a page and knowing that they will summon certain emotions and reactions from the reader. In my writing, I strive for a lyrical beauty somewhere between Tolkien at his best and Seamus Heaney's translation of Beowulf." --Christopher Paolini
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Watch the video (low bandwith)
Want to learn more about the series? Check out our review of Eragon: Here's a great big fantasy that you can pull over your head like a comfy old sweater and disappear into for a whole weekend. Christopher Paolini began Eragon when he was just 15, and the book shows the influence of Tolkien, of course, but also Terry Brooks, Anne McCaffrey, and perhaps even Wagner in its traditional quest structure and the generally agreed-upon nature of dwarves, elves, dragons, and heroic warfare with magic swords. Read more
Order your copy of the boxed set today
Our quickie pronunciation guide will help you get to know some of the names and places in the Inheritance series.
Ajihad
AH-zhi-hod
The Leader of the Varden
Argetlam
ARE-jet-lahm
Elven word to describe Dragon Riders meaning "silver hand"
Arya
AR-ee-uh
A powerful elf who is both beautiful and a master swordswoman
Eragon
EHR-uh-gahn
A Dragon Rider from Carvahall
Ra-zac
RAA-zack
Evil creatures
Saphira
suh-FEAR-uh
Eragon's dragon
*Art copyright © 2004 John Jude Palencar
Eragon and his dragon, Saphira, have just saved the rebel state from destruction by the mighty forces of King Galbatorix, cruel ruler of the Empire. Now Eragon must travel to Ellesmera, land of the elves, for further training in the skills of the Dragon Rider: magic and swordsmanship. Soon he is on the journey of a lifetime, his eyes open to awe-inspring new places and people, his days filled with fresh adventure. But chaos and betrayal plague him at every turn, and nothing is what it seems. Before long, Eragon doesn’t know whom he can trust.
Meanwhile, his cousin Roran must fight a new battle–one that might put Eragon in even graver danger.
Will the king’s dark hand strangle all resistance? Eragon may not escape with even his life. . . .
Praise for Eragon:
“Unusual, powerful . . . fresh and fluid. An impressive start to a writing career that’s sure to flourish.” –Booklist, Starred
“Christopher Paolini make[s] literary magic with his precocious debut.” –People
“The new ‘It’ book of children’s lit.” –U.S. News & World Report
“An auspicious beginning to both career and series.” –Publishers Weekly
A #1 New York Times Bestseller
A #1 Publishers Weekly Bestseller
A USA Today Bestseller
A Wall Street Journal Bestseller
A Book Sense Book of the Year
A #1 Book Sense Selection
From the Hardcover edition.
Eragon and his dragon, Saphira, have just saved the rebel state from destruction by the mighty forces of King Galbatorix, cruel ruler of the Empire. Now Eragon must travel to Ellesmera, land of the elves, for further training in the skills of the Dragon Rider: magic and swordsmanship. Soon he is on the journey of a lifetime, his eyes open to awe-inspring new places and people, his days filled with fresh adventure. But chaos and betrayal plague him at every turn, and nothing is what it seems. Before long, Eragon doesn’t know whom he can trust.
Meanwhile, his cousin Roran must fight a new battle–one that might put Eragon in even graver danger.
Will the king’s dark hand strangle all resistance? Eragon may not escape with even his life. . . .
Praise for Eragon:
“Unusual, powerful . . . fresh and fluid. An impressive start to a writing career that’s sure to flourish.” –Booklist, Starred
“Christopher Paolini make[s] literary magic with his precocious debut.” –People
“The new ‘It’ book of children’s lit.” –U.S. News & World Report
“An auspicious beginning to both career and series.” –Publishers Weekly
A #1 New York Times Bestseller
A #1 Publishers Weekly Bestseller
A USA Today Bestseller
A Wall Street Journal Bestseller
A Book Sense Book of the Year
A #1 Book Sense Selection
From the Hardcover edition.
Dull, Derivative, Didactic.......2007-09-27
In addition to these flaws, Paolini has added in another literary no-no. Preachiness. Though we saw hints of his amateur philosophy in Eragon, it's ten times worse in Eldest. He uses Oromis as a soapbox to inject random sermons on atheism and vegetarianism into his story. I have no problem with sermons in fiction if they are relevant to themes well-woven into the plot. Yet atheism, religion, and vegetarianism seem irrelevant to Eragon's fight with Galbatorix. So why are they there?
The worst part is that Eldest's religious debates are frightfully immature. Neither side is well articulated. Oromis is a superficial question-dodger (which embarrasses me as an atheist). The religious characters are stereotypical screaming, spitting, straw men (that last alliterative bit surpasses all Paolini's poetic ability by the way). I can only pray (pun intended) that Paolini will give up this sad adolescent attempt at depth.
Awesome Continuation of an Incredible Book.......2007-09-17
I had read some reviews which complained about the training which Eragon and Saphira go through - how it takes up so much time and how its so boring and all that. I'll admit I'm a bit of a nerd, but I thought Paolini did an excellent job keeping things moving through the training phase. He actually left me wanting more. He also utilizes that period in the book to explore a little more the history of the world he's created. You can see a very strong Tolkien emphasis there (not to mention with many of the names he's chosen for characters and places!).
And I think this book turns the tale more into a multi-character tale, with the return of Roran and the adventure he undertakes which eventually links him back to Eragon.
Overall, very well done. I pretty much inhaled the book - it definitely moved and kept the story rolling on. I had a really hard time putting it down every night. It's also neat to see Paolini's maturation as an author. And I just can't wait for the third book!
Amazing book!!!!.......2007-09-10
A Derivitave Cluster (Insert Expletive).......2007-09-05
1. Because Obi-Wan Kenobi/Brom's died before completing Luke/Eragon's training, he travels to Dagobah/Elven Lands, to complete his training with Master Yoda/Deebag Lord of Elves.
2. Hero trains for awhile in secluded location by last jedi master/dragonrider left.
3. Luke/Eragon gets a vison of his friends in trouble and travels to Cloud City/Battlefield where he meets a dark figure who he battles and loses his lightsabre/dragonsword in the process. The critical all shocking moment is when Darth Vader/Red Dragon Knight reveals that Luke/Eragon I am your father/brother. Of course if you could be blind as a bat reading the book in braile and seen that Murtag was the red dragon rider about a million miles away...so it wasn't much of a revelation.
4. This book is bad, not in the mildly gosh that's several hours of my life I'll never get back but in a jaw dropping, utterly shocked, the world is now dumber for having read this book way. I read a review that mentioned that the editor of this book did a dismal job. He was certainly accurate in that assessment. Abysmally written, unoriginal to a point of plot plagarism, and editing to shock the conscience.
5. I know that Amazon requires you be over the age of 13 to post a review but I have to sincerely believe that no one over the age of 12 could honestly get mild entertainment out of such a sloppy mess as Eldest. It makes me worry to see so many positive reviews of such utter tripe.
6. I have a Bachelor's Degree in English Literature which I earned departmental Honor's in as well as Juris Doctor degree. Not that it makes my point anymore valid or the book any worse. But I would recommend avoiding this book like a leper with a bad case of herpes.
Nice derivation for uses of magic and when it comes from.......2007-08-29
Looking forward to Book 3.
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Dungeons & Dragons Core Rulebook Set (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying, Three Book Slipcased Set)
Jonathan Tweet ,
Skip Williams , and
Monte Cook
Manufacturer: Wizards of the Coast
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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Dungeon Master's Guide II (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying Supplement)
Complete Arcane: A Player's Guide to Arcane Magic for all Classes (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying)
ASIN: 0786934107
Release Date: 2003-09-01
In the 30-year history of the
Dungeons & Dragons game, this type of boxed set has never been available -- until now. Enjoy the foundation of the
Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game in one product that is a great gift for someone you want to introduce to the hobby or as a gift to yourself.
With these three books in one case, the entire world of
Dungeons & Dragons is yours to explore and share with others.
Unbelievable deal!.......2007-10-08
Good Stuff.......2007-09-29
The books are colorful and the paper highquality. These books last through years and years of reference and play. They are must have for all gamers.
Dungeons & Dragons.......2007-09-28
The book came on time and in good condidtion.
My son was thrilled with the books and could not wait for them to come. The minute they showed up he disappeared into his room and didn't come out for hours.
Fantastic game for a fantastic price.......2007-08-24
D&D Core Rulebook Review.......2007-08-24
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Dragon of the Red Dawn (A Stepping Stone Book(TM))
Mary Pope Osborne
Manufacturer: Random House Books for Young Readers
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Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0375837272
Release Date: 2007-02-27
for help: young Jack and Annie of Frog Creek, Pennsylvania! The brother-and-sister team quickly head off in the magic tree house on another magical and historical adventure.
Their mission: discover one of the four secrets of happiness.
Their journey: to a land of fierce samurai and great beauty, the capital city of Edo (now the city of Tokyo), in ancient Japan in the 1600s.
Their tools: a research book to guide them and a magic wand with three special rules.
In Dragon of the Red Dawn, Mary Pope Osborne transports readers back to the splendor, rich culture, and magic of traditional Japan.
Dragon Of The Red Dawn.......2007-10-09
like I'm in the book.Also
it captures my attention.This book is about Jack and Annie going to
Japan and to doing something.
Magic Tree House 37 Merlin Misson Dragon of the Red Dawn.......2007-10-09
great book!.......2007-09-01
Mary Pope Osborne: Never A Disappointment........2007-07-23
I recommend this book.......2007-06-10
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Eragon / Eldest (Inheritance, Books 1 & 2)
Christopher Paolini
Manufacturer: Knopf Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0375836586
Release Date: 2005-08-23
Barely stands out in the crowd........2007-10-07
Unfortunately, it has a lot of competition. With so many other great fantasy books out there, it's really hard to stand out in the crowd. Consequently, they've slowly faded from my mind. True, when the third book finally does come out, odds are I will be at these books again with the same ferocity as I had with the Harry Potter books, but for now, they simply sit on the book shelf collecting dust.
On a happier note, I've read both of the Inheritance books at least three times each, and you simply can't help but get excited during some great moments, and the art work for the covers is simply fantastic.
Still, there are so many other stories out there just like this one...
Tell you what. Get these books, because Paolini is a truly talented writer and destined to go places, and you decide whether you like them or not. And who knows, maybe soon in the future, he will come out with an even more exciting, more original story.
Eragon.......2007-09-02
This kid can write!.......2007-09-01
Great...dont judge the books by the movie.......2007-07-10
Great!.......2007-06-08
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Eragon (Inheritance, Book 1)
Christopher Paolini
Manufacturer: Knopf Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
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A New York Times Bestseller
A USA Today Bestseller
A Wall Street Journal Bestseller
A Book Sense Bestseller
A USA Today Bestseller
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A Book Sense Bestseller
BOOKLIST, STARRED REVIEW
KIRKUS REVIEWS
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW
PEOPLE
Adults and Kids!.......2007-10-06
What utter drek........2007-10-03
If you want to read an adolescent fantasy novel, go read The Golden Compass, or a Wrinkle in Time. Don't even bother touching trash like this.
Eragon.......2007-09-27
Eragon is a classic coming of age story, with fresh writing, and new perspective. Yes, there is magic and dragons, and a young hero coming to terms with responsibility and adulthood, and an evil, corrupt king to trust his growing powers. All classic elements of the fantasy genre, but the story and the characters drive the tale, giving solid footing to well-worn foundations.
Eragon is a solid first novel, and there's great promise in Christopher Paolini. He was only sixteen when he penned this novel. If you are a reader of fantasy, you'll see influence from masters of the genre-such as Tolkien, and Ann McCaffrey, and even elements of the Star Wars saga. But I like to think good story telling transcends the boundaries of genre, and this is a book with sound plot, good character development, and an epic tale to lose yourself. I found Eragon to be one of those rare books I never wanted to end, but luckily the next book in the trilogy, Eldest, has been released. So, you know what I'm reading next!
Author "Hobo Finds A Home" and editor of "Of A Predatory Heart"
Eragon.......2007-09-25
Eragon Inheritance Book 1.......2007-09-22
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Eragon/Eldest Trade Paperback Boxed Set
Christopher Paolini
Manufacturer: Knopf Books for Young Readers
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Release Date: 2007-03-13
Great Book!.......2007-08-06
Better than the movie..........2007-08-04
Not too shabby.......2007-08-01
Too predictable........2007-06-22
I found the tale predictable as the author adheres far too ridgedly to the classic hero's journey. Unlike with Tolkien's epic, which Paolini is obviously attempting to imitate, or the Star Wars Trilogy (Episodes IV-VI), there is no real sense of tension troughout these works. I was never surprised by anything that happened in the story, nor have I any real doubt about the ultimate outcome. Furthermore, though Paolini's world, Alagaesia, comes with it's own distinct races, cultures and liguistics, it lacks the profound sense of history that is one of the wonderful hallmarks of Tolkien's Middle Earth, leaving one with a gnawing impression of deficiency. Moreover, I found the characters rather two-dementional: lacking in depth and generally uninteresting upon the whole.
All this is understadable. Unlike Tolkien, who was a professor of ancient languages and mythology, as well as WWI combat veteran, when he wrote The Lord of the Rings, Paolini was still an adolescent at the time these books were written and his novels evidence inexperience throughout their length. Having yet to embark upon his own life's quest, Paolini's insights into the causes of human behavior and its effects on others are more theoretical than precise. Consequently, I have real doubts about his ability to develop Eragon into a grown man by the end of the third book, as he himself has yet to fully mature.
One might feel that my comparison of the Inheritance Trilogy to the Lord of the Rings is unfair, but since Paolini clearly set out to mimic Tolkien, I believe such treatment to be fully justified. That said, Paolini admittedly possesses raw literary talent, but reminds me of a minor league ball player who has advanced to the majors too soon. Wisdom would have waited another thirty or forty years before attempting to tackle the grand master of fantasy.
Rip off of JRR Tolkien.......2007-05-17
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Compilers: Principles, Techniques, and Tools
Alfred V. Aho ,
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ASIN: 0201100886
The best for getting the theoretical foundation of compilers.......2007-06-13
Warmed over ghost of past excellence.......2007-05-19
The book presents parser generation in layers of increasing complexity, from SLR to LR to LALR, where LALR is presented as the penultimate algorithm, though LALR parsers can only handle a subset of the grammars that LR can handle. The justification for this is that the original Knuth LR algorithm is intractable for large grammars. However, an efficient, fully correct, approach for LR parser generation was published in 1977, and on top of that it appears easier to implement than efficient LALR parser generation! The red dragon book's original authors simply cannot have been unaware of this research result, but I suspect that they elected to warm over the "green dragon book" (published in 1977) rather than incorporate the state of the art as of 1986 into the "red dragon book". Now here we are another 20 years later, and as near as I can tell from reading through available online information, the "purple dragon book" is perpetuating this omission. The result of the red dragon book is that we have an entire generation of computer scientists who have been mislead to think that LALR is somehow superior to LR, and the purple dragon book is setting things up for yet another generation to be mislead.
The new cover is awesome! Long live the Purple Dragon!.......2007-05-04
Useful book.......2007-02-20
Great book but...........2007-02-15
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A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 1)
George R.R. Martin
Manufacturer: Spectra
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Binding: Mass Market Paperback
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( M ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books | McCaffrey, Anne
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ASIN: 0553573403
Release Date: 1997-08-04
A Game of Thrones
Long ago, in a time forgotten, a preternatural event threw the seasons out of balance. In a land where summers can last decades and winters a lifetime, trouble is brewing. The cold is returning, and in the frozen wastes to the north of Winterfell, sinister and supernatural forces are massing beyond the kingdom’s protective Wall. At the center of the conflict lie the Starks of Winterfell, a family as harsh and unyielding as the land they were born to. Sweeping from a land of brutal cold to a distant summertime kingdom of epicurean plenty, here is a tale of lords and ladies, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and bastards, who come together in a time of grim omens.
Here an enigmatic band of warriors bear swords of no human metal; a tribe of fierce wildlings carry men off into madness; a cruel young dragon prince barters his sister to win back his throne; and a determined woman undertakes the most treacherous of journeys. Amid plots and counterplots, tragedy and betrayal, victory and terror, the fate of the Starks, their allies, and their enemies hangs perilously in the balance, as each endeavors to win that deadliest of conflicts: the game of thrones.
KATHERINE KERR
LOCUS
JANNY WURTS
KIRKUS REVIEWS
JULIAN MAY
ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL
Great Book.......2007-10-11
Strong Language. Extreme violence and gore. Sexual situations.
Not for kids.
Previous Reading Required - None
This is the start of an epic series of 7 books.
Reading Level - Average
Very easy to keep up with. Not surprising since GRRM used to screenwrite. The book basically reads like a movie.
Rate of Development - Average
It takes a while to get a good character backgrounds. And there are A LOT of characters. But once you get halfway through, you come to know the characters very intimately. The story develops into intrigue and mystery fairly quick. By halfway through the book, it becomes a "page-turner".
The Story - The King's Hand (the king's right hand man) has died. Some think he was murdered. King Robert Baratheon then appoints Eddard Stark, a lifelong friend to succeed the position. Reluctantly, Eddard accepts. Anything after all this, is a spoiler so you MUST read the book.
My Suggestion - Highly Recommended
Like I said in the story section, anything I try to tell you after Eddard agrees to be the Hand IS a spoiler. GRRM has a way of getting you to like, love, and hate all his characters in the book. All the characters have their own personality and seem like real genuine people. Every chapter is a person's perspective and not a number. So when you read the chapter entitled "BRAN", you are reading what is going on through HIS eyes and his eyes only. It's a very immersive way of writing and I come to like it a lot. I said before that development is a bit slow for characters but the mystery and intrigue happens rather quickly. Some mysteries actually carry on into the next few books. Some of you with quick minds may uncover some mysteries before the characters actually do and that is part of the fun. If you want a good epic fantasy that is down to earth with war, intrigue, and suspense, then this is your book. Just be ready to buy all the other books that follow, because the get even better.
Where do you go after Martin?.......2007-09-28
I also love that his characters are fully grey. The ones that are truly honorable heroes are also unyieldingly cold and the cruelest villians are at least human and understandable. But man! Martin doesn't mind killing anybody.
Which brings me to my title. One of the hardest things is picking up the next book that isn't from this series. You can always go back to some of the classics, but it's really hit and miss on picking up a new book, and Martin really raised the bar for me.
Great Read that Leaves You Feeling Icky.......2007-09-26
That said I only gave this book 3 stars because it left me feeling, well, kind of disturbed. Multiple times, during the course of reading this book, I told whoever was around that I felt like I was being emotionally abused by the author. I usually like disturbing/dark stories but something about this one troubled me. For starters the sex and sexual violence in this book was a bit much for me. Almost all the sex scenes are about a thirteen year old child. The sexual acts that happen to Dany in this novel constitute at least a dozen felonies in any civilized society. Not only could I not discern a reason the author had to make Dany SO young (especially if he wanted her character to be highly sexualized) but the aspects of sex he chose to discribe and the manner in which he discribed them were random, weird and came across as nothing more than a perverted indulgence. I would read something and simultaneously roll my eyes while feeling an icky shudder up and down my spine. I have no problems with sex in books I read, but the manner in which the sex scenes were written in this book are not reflective of real life and left me feeling grossed out. They felt exploitive I guess because they were so gratutious and strange.
Also, as a women, the constant rape and violence towards women was hard to read. I realize rape and misogyny are part of the world, particularly in times of war, but the amount and detail was hard to stomach. While the male characters (good and bad) generally die or get injured bravely in battle the women must be systemically humiliated before dying unceremoniously. Not only is raping them bad enough, they must be gang raped. And just in case gang rape wasn't degrading enough they have to be gang raped from behind. This combined with the constant womanizing of the main characters, the constant put downs related to the worth of women relative to men and after a while it makes you start to wonder; has Martin created a world filled with systemic female degradation because he is laying the foundation for an ultimate commentary on oppression, violence and human dignity? Or has he created a world filled with female degradation because that is what he likes writing about? I have 6 more books to read before I can answer that question but I have a suspicion it is the latter which is where the icky feeling I have towards this book comes from. Hopefully, it turns out I am wrong.
Even though this book left a bad taste in my mouth in some respects, I will continue to read the series because it is wildly entertaining. I've already started the second book.
Excellent work..........2007-09-04
Regarding complexity: this first book is EASY to follow. Each chapter is titled with the name of the character from whose point of view the story will be narrated. There are only eight such characters. If you have trouble keeping everything in your head, just go back to to the previous chapter with the same character name and re-read the last few paragraphs...it's that simple folks. I like this style because at several points, as you might find on TV or in the movies, the author leaves you hanging with some suspense at the end of the chapter until he "cuts" back to that (possibly concurrent) point in the story.
Anyway, my opinion is no more valid than that of anyone else on Amazon. If you like historical fiction, then I think there's a good chance you will like low fantasy. This series is as good a place to start as anywhere. Use some common sense: first, take it out of the library if possible. Second, read as many chapters as it takes for you to get a sense of the style and characterizations. Third, if you don't like it, STOP READING...it will NOT get better. I hereby deliver a VIRTUAL SLAP to reviewers who claim that they read the glowing reviews, read all 806 pages of the novel, and then felt debased or felt like they wasted their time or money...this is the United States, a playground of choices. If you don't like something, change the channel or turn off the device!
Author doesn't care if series is ever finished.......2007-09-04
Think twice before investing your time and money with this egotistical jerk. He obviously has no idea what to do with his story. I have serious doubts as to his ability to finish this series as he seems to be more interested in other projects than finishing what he started.
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Road of the Patriarch (Forgotten Realms: The Sellswords, Book 3)
R.A. Salvatore
Manufacturer: Wizards of the Coast
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Salvatore, R.A. | ( S ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:
Promise of the Witch-King (Forgotten Realms: The Sellswords, Book 2)
Servant of the Shard (Forgotten Realms: The Sellswords, Book 1)
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Swords of Eveningstar (Forgotten Realms: The Knights of Myth Drannor, Book 1)
Sacrifice of the Widow (Forgotten Realms: The Lady Penitent, Book 1)
ASIN: 0786940751
Release Date: 2006-10-24
THE ASSASSIN
A cold and emotionless killer for whom every soul has a price, even his own, embarks on a path to find out just how high that price can be.
THE MERCENARY
A dark elf of limitless guile dares to challenge a king, and carve for himself a place in the inhospitable World Above.
ILNEZHARA and TAZMIKELLA are ancient dragons of great power, accustomed to easily manipulating the humans around them. But not all humans are so easily led. When they pushed Entreri and Jarlaxle into the heart of the Bloodstone Lands, not even they could have imagined the strength of the human assassin’s resolve, or the limitless expanse of the drow mercenary’s ambition.
With all due respect..........2007-09-22
In the first two books of the series we encounter the unlikely duet of Jarlaxle and Artemis Entreri who embark upon exciting, suspenseful, and often humorous adventures. There is the appealing dynamic of two lone mercenary souls who slowly come to terms with their need to find something greater than themselves. RA Salvatore weaves kindness and compassion into their dark hearts like only he can.
Jarlaxle and Entreri journey to better themselves in their own unique way. For Jarlaxle, he must pit his insurmountable desire to build his own empire against the safety of his companions and the good of the surface realm. Entreri's personal journey leads him to discover that we all need friends despite our past dark deeds and solitude.
The success of this literary formula is the contrast of each protagonist's dark past with their increasingly compassionate nature. They are often presented with the difficult choices of selfish versus selfless opportunity, to be gained in solitude or companionship.
While it was difficult to wait six months for this final book's release, I would have happily waited an extra year for Salvatore to find the right ingredients to conclude the "Sellswords" trilogy. Unfortunately, he chose to create a simple and typical fantasy scenario that invoked little of the narrative or character subtlety and finesse that he is so renowned for. Too many times, he simply overlayed the more established character of Drizzt on the quite different characters of Jarlaxle and Artemis, portraying them as do-gooders escaping unkind forces and struggling to help others, rather than the more accurate portrayal of selfish and ruthless mercenaries who grow weary of their own ways and seek something different and novel i.e. compassion and good (which in my mind drove the success of the first two "Sellswords" books)
My Verdict: Forget this book and make up your own ending for the fun pair of Jarlaxle and Artemis. Salvatore rushes it and disappoints with his half-hearted attempt to conclude a really good series with mediocre characterization and adventure.
Three stars only because it's Salvatore. Even when disappointing, he's still better than most fantasy authors.
TMW
wasn't his best.......2007-09-20
Excellent Book.......2007-08-08
I enjoyed this book immensely. It picks up right where Promise of the Witch-King left off, with them in the Bloodstone Lands. Without giving away spoilers, this storyline ends and takes another turn, but this time it's one of Artemis' choosing... at the end we learn about Artemis' past and how/why he became the man he is.
There was a strong cliff-hanger in this book, which was resolved, and a couple of the subplots were very strong. This book has intrigue, character development, some action, but what it lacks in raw fight scenes (which get repetitive after awhile) it makes up for in other areas.
Highly recommended.
A little deeper into the past of Artemis..........2007-07-21
Still, Salvatore is a great writer, and newcomers to his writings would want to start with the Icewind Dale series in order to understand everything better(although the Icewind Dale Series isn't as good as my personal favorite:The Legacy of the Drow).
best one of new trilogy.......2007-05-30
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The Paper Bag Princess (Classic Munsch)
Robert N. Munsch
Manufacturer: Annick Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Martchenko, Michael | ( M ) | Authors & Illustrators, A-Z | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
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Martchenko, Michael | ( M ) | Authors & Illustrators, A-Z | Children's Books | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Action & Adventure | Literature | Children's Books | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
General | Literature | Children's Books | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Humorous | Literature | Children's Books | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Royalty | People & Places | Children's Books | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
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ASIN: 0920236162
read it before you buy it.......2007-09-12
Great For All Girls.......2007-05-26
The most AWESOME GIRL POWER fairy tale ever!!!.......2007-05-19
Since then, I've read and recommended this story to countless Girl Scout leaders and parents...it's the ultimate "Have confidence in yourself" fairy tale, and every 5 year old girl should memorize it!!! No more damsels in distress waiting to be rescued!
Buy this book and pass it on to future generation!
Corny, but cute.......2007-05-14
Princess Power!.......2007-05-06