History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Average customer rating:

A gorgeous book, from presentation to content.
too esoteric to feed my apocalypse-hungry soul
These Zombies Are Not A Metaphor

The Apocalypse Reader

Manufacturer: Thunder's Mouth Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1560259590

Book Description

These are the ways the world ends.
Thirty-four new and selected Doomsday scenarios: an enthralling collection of work by canonical literary figures, contemporary masters, and a few rising stars, all of whom have looked into the future and found it missing. Across boundaries of place and time, these writers celebrate the variety and vitality of the short story as a form by writing their own conclusions to the story of the world. Obliteration has never hurt so good.
Contributors include Grace Aguilar, Steve Aylett, Robert Bradley, Dennis Cooper, Lucy Corin, Elliott David, Matthew Derby, Carol Emshwiller, Brian Evenson, Neil Gaiman, Jeff Goldberg, Theodora Goss, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Jared Hohl, Shelley Jackson, Ursula K. Le Guin, Stacey Levine, Tao Lin, Kelly Link, H.P. Lovecraft, Gary Lutz, Rick Moody, Michael Moorcock, Adam Nemett, Josip Novakovich, Joyce Carol Oates, Colette Phair, Edgar Allan Poe, Terese Svoboda, Justin Taylor, Lynne Tillman, Deb Olin, Unferth, H.G. Wells, Allison Whittenberg, and Diane Williams.

Customer Reviews:

A gorgeous book, from presentation to content........2007-09-19

"THESE ARE THE WAYS THE WORLD ENDS--THIRTY-FOUR NEW AND SELECTED DOOMSDAY SCENARIOS"

This is a gorgeous book, from presentation to content. The selections are humorous, serious, simple, complex, and much more--thirty-four stories, some short, some long, make for a wide spectrum of apocalypses. Taylor, in the foreword, expounds on his conception of an apocalypse:

"It's worth pointing out that the word Apocalypse comes from the Greek, and literally means "a revelation" or "an unveiling." It can be used to describe cataclysmic changes of any sort. Revolution, for example, or social upheaval. [...] There are micro-Apocalypses that mark moments in our lives: childhood's end, a relationship's sudden implosion, Death."

The selections do span the gamut--some were written so long ago as to be in the public domain, and some were freshly minted in the late 2000's; some focus on religious upheavals, some macro, some micro; there are personal upheavals, student rantings, surreal recountings of madmen; and of course many take the reader through more conventional "end of the world" scenarios. And even with all that diversity, perhaps guided by the introduction, the theme of the anthology runs strong.

If there were a criticism I could make of this volume, that, ironically, would be it. I consider myself a bit of an Apocalypse afficionado--I particularly enjoy reading such stories, along with dystopias--and I would have thought that I could never grow tired of reading well-wrought incarnations of such--and these stories were all well-wrought and well-edited, there is no doubt about that--but this volume overwhelmed me. I was tired, even weary, by the time I had wended my way through the collection (and that in the course of several "sittings")..

The lead story, a piece of flash fiction by H. P. Lovecraft, starts the anthology out elegantly, and slowly. It warns you, implicitly, that you're in for some heavy reading, even if you're a fan of Mr. Lovecraft's writing (and not just his mythos, which more people are familiar with, and is much easier to get into third hand). On that end of the scale, there's also a piece from Edgar Allan Poe that is ponderous but worth an examination, entitled "The Conversation of Eiros and Charmion".

Some of my favorites included:

"The Apocalypse Commentery of Bob Paisner" by Rick Moody -- This is an essay detailing the allegorical depths of the Book of Revelation with regard to Bob Paisner's life. The tone is both erudite and a bit delirious, and the piece as a whole is both informative and immersive--I found myself eagerly wondering where Moody was going to take us next, what dark or clinical humor would next be presented.

"Fraise, Menthe, et Poivre 1978" by Jared Hohl -- Another piece of meta-fiction, this follows a group of people through the more traditional trope of being the last survivors in a ruined post-apocalyptic city. What makes this piece stand out is the manic bent of the narrator and the push for the show to go on--the story weaves the primary narrative with a small handful of abbreviated stageplays that emphasize much about human nature, hope, and despair, while retaining a very human humor.

"An Accounting" by Brian Evenson -- An "honest" accounting of how one explorer fell into becoming a reborn Jesus and how he helps his flock survive. I don't want to say too much about this, but the voice is clear, the narrative is well woven and unrolls at a compelling pace, and other than, perhaps, the initial fanaticism he encounters, it is all quite believable.

"Some Approaches to the Problem of the Shortage of Time" by Ursula K. Le Guin -- This is a clever set of abstracts that are ever timely and consider a novel scenario for the end of the modern-day universe. The shortage of time is pervasive, and this story is brief to give you a maximum pleasure for what it takes.

"Think Warm Thoughts" by Allison Whittenberg -- A bite-sized slice of apocalypse that is poetically poignant; every word counts.

"When We Went to See the End of the World by Dawnie Morningside, age 11 1/4" by Neil Gaiman -- This is the end of the world, everyone and everything together, through the playful, somewhat naiive eyes of an eleven year old. It's told in the vein of "What I did over Summer vacation", and is very evocative, sweet, and strange.

"The Escape--a Tale of 1755" by Grace Aguilar -- This is an elegant tale of a woman's love for her husband, religious persecution, and a prison escape. It is written with a very modern feel despite its age (originally published in 1844).

That's not to say I disliked the other stories; and on another day I would have different favorites, though there were some pieces that didn't work for me. But I hope this selection will help give you a feel for the collection as a whole, beyond my simple regard for it. In all, it's a beautiful collection, and I recommend it strongly, with the caveat that you may want to take it in small doses.

too esoteric to feed my apocalypse-hungry soul.......2007-09-12

I was initially excited to discover the collection and didn't see how such a broad-based compilation could go wrong. I'm an avid reader of post-apocalyptic fiction, science fiction and futurism, so I'm no slouch, but this turned out to be quite different from what I was hoping for.

While a few of the pieces are good reads, so many of them are abstract, esoteric, or even reminiscent of the scribblings from slightly disturbed angst-ridden teenage diaries. There's no good "meat" here, no concrete scenarios, suspense or drama to drive fear into your heart and make your mind race. The circumstances under which "apocalypse" occurs are rarely even revealed. Even the subject matter is open to interpretation - "apocalypse" is made to mean many things, not simply the end of the world. Which it does, of course, but that's not what I was hungry for when I picked up this book. The book description should have done a better job of managing those expectations.

Perhaps if you are looking for a broad literary "treatment" of the subject, that kind of interpretation will appeal to you (or if you enjoy the just plain bizarre) then this collection is for you. It was not for me.

These Zombies Are Not A Metaphor.......2007-05-16

This is a fun collection of stories from some well known and serious talent (Gaiman, Lovecraft, Poe) and some newly minted authors. I found myself particularly amused by "These Zombies Are Not A Metaphor," the work of one of the new authors named Jeff Goldberg. I'll be keeping an eye peeled for future work from him.

The Well at the World's End (Wildside Fantasy)

Average customer rating:

Great Book

The Well at the World's End (Wildside Fantasy)
William Morris
Manufacturer: Wildside Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1587150891

Customer Reviews:

Great Book.......2001-09-05

This is the second volume of William Morris's fantasy masterpiece. One of the very first, and still one of the best imaginary world fantasy novels.

The Well at the World's End: Volume I (Well at the World's End)

Average customer rating:

The building of a genra
Rewarding, yet left me wanting more...
Seminal heroic fantasy
Great Story - Not-So-Great Edition
Will Wonders Never Cease?

The Well at the World's End: Volume I (Well at the World's End)
William Morris
Manufacturer: Borgo Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1587150883

Customer Reviews:

The building of a genra.......2006-07-30

I, like many others, came to read this through the influence of C. S. Lewis. Lewis said, and rightly so, that no book could match the titles which William Morris gave to his books, but that he came closer than anyone else could have. This and The Wood Beyond the World are both spectacular, and I look forward to reading his other literature when I get the chance.

This particular book weaves the story of Ralph of Upmeads, the youngest son of the king of a small nation, who runs away from home to seek adventure. He hears of the fabled Well at the World's End, and decides to seek this Well. On the way he encounters numerous smaller adventures, built into what became the first truly epic fantasy book. Morris was the first to ever create a new world as his setting. Sure, there had been fictional books written before his, but he was the first to leave behind conventional countries and lands as his setting and create new lands and new countries in which to place his story. Tolkien, Lewis, etc. all simply went farther down the path that Morris had begun to blaze before them.

As far as the actual writing goes, I find it superb (for the most part). Many dislike his archaic English, but I very much enjoy it. I actually prefer to read books written like that, as I find that it adds greatly to the general feel of the story. The archaic English makes it really feel old, as if it really did take place ages ago. Morris does not use it quite so skillfully as someone like Howard Pyle, but it is very good, and does not fall flat like it tends to do when many less skilled modern authors try to use it. The only part of his writing style that I disliked is his odd manor of switching back and forth between past and present language. For example, he will be going along writing things like "Ralph looked around and knew not where he was" and then suddenly go a few pages writing things like "Ralph looks around and knows not where he is" for no reason at all. It simply makes no sense to me, and I found it rather annoying. This happened in only a few places, so it is not a major issue or anything. For the most part, Morris' writing is superb.

In all, I highly recommend reading this, as it is one of the most important fictional books ever written. Make sure you get Volume 1 and 2, as it was originally one volume but simply had to be split up when they re-printed it so as not to be so bulky. It is long, but well worth the time. If you like it, I recommend checking out The Wood Beyond the World, as well as Howard Pyle's material.

Overall grade: A+

Rewarding, yet left me wanting more..........2004-12-23

As C.S. Lewis claimed, a story cannot match the wonder and expectation that comes from a title "The Well at the World's End." Indeed, my expectations of a spiritual grail-type quest, the joy of finding another George MacDonald, got in my way of enjoying a fascinating recreation of the medieval romance, an experiment in archaic English, and a materialistic examination of the relativity of culture structure.

Like reading the "Faerie Queene," the characters are shadowy forms whose presence goes beyond simple characterization. Do not look for deep psychosis. Ralph, the hero of this romance, is just that, a hero. Like Ivanhoe or Galahad, Ralph is a luck child and is less interesting than his supporting cast. For example, "the Lady", his first romantic encounter, is a mysterious character, existing beyond good and evil, almost half goddess, a combination of Faerie Queene and Le Belle Dame Sans Merci. Unfortunately, she does not inhabit the whole quest, and her replacement, Ursula, who is confused with "the Lady," is lifeless mirror image her.

The difference between the Well quest and a Grail quest is that the Well quest is attainable. While the Grail lies outside of reach, a spiritual mystery to be claimed at the end of life, more spirit than body, the Well is a material mystery connected to life not death, body as well as somewhat spirit. Being a material possession "The Well at the World's End" is less concerned with spiritual transformation as it is cultural transformation. Therefore, the climax is not the drinking of the well, but the in the life that follows. The relativity of the divergent cultures that Ralph eludes aligning himself with, becomes more black and white after the well. Morris's Marxist optimism shows himself as Ralph retraces his steps and like a revolutionary transform what was a cultural mixed bag into wholly good.

I think my disappointment was a mater of preference and personal expectation. Perhaps my desire for a climax at the end of life reveals my lack of living.

Quick note: this is only part 1. Part 2 is in orange.

Seminal heroic fantasy.......2002-12-06

Morris is the early master of "modern" heroic fantasy.
At the same time, Morris was a socialist and there are many political overtones to his last prose romances. These subthemes are subtle but elevate him above most others in genre. Tolkien and his one-dimensional, and somewhat puerile characters are a far cry from Morris, his literary grandfather.

Check out his other prose romances if you can find them esp. "The Water of the Wondrous Isles"

Great Story - Not-So-Great Edition.......2002-08-26

I first ran into this book by accident in 1975 - it still remains one of my absolute favorites and I encourage anyone interested even remotely in fantasy or heroic romanticism to read it.

However, some caveats should be observed. The ORIGINAL story was published by Kelmscott Press which used "gothic" fonts and unconventional design. Ballentine used this as the source for the 1970 edition and a lot of textual errors crept in - not all of which have been corrected in this new version. (For example "A garth of pound" should read "A garth OR pound.")

But this does not excuse the omission of several paragraphs which are dropped from the bottom of page 308. It looks almost as though a whole page is missing.

I still highly recommend this book regardless. But if a better edition makes its way into the market I would buy that one instead.

Will Wonders Never Cease?.......2002-01-26

I read this book when I was 15, in 1975. I still have the 1st paperback edition from Ballantine Books. It was a bit of a daunting read when I was a teenager. After reading this book I was hooked. I have never looked back, and have been reading this type of literature ever since. I remember spending hours in the forbidden alcove in the back of the local bookstore perusing all of Ballantine's Adult Fantasy series: E.R.Eddison, Lord Dunsany, James Branch Cabell, Tolkien, H.P.Lovecraft. My mother cut off my allowance because I spent too much money on these types of books. So I got a job. As a teenage artist I spent many days and nights depicting scenes from this gorgeous work of imaginative fiction. I even started writing my own fantasy. This is a work of the highest order and tradition. This is not for everyone being as how this book was penned in the 19th Century. But for those who are patient readers looking for romantic fantasy, I highly recommend this book and other books by authors I have mentioned in this article. BE WARNED: This is not your usual swords and sorcery fare. THIS IS LITERATURE. I'm ordering a copy as soon as possible because I'm still reading my dog-eared 1st Edition. I can't believe these marvels are being reprinted again! Thank The Gods someone is reviving this seemingly dying genre. THERE IS STILL A LIGHT IN THE WORLD!

Average customer rating:

A book I will buy without hesitation
LOVE THIS BOOK!
Stunning illustrations
Fabulous Story

The Well at the End of the World
Robet D. San Souci
Manufacturer: Chronicle Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1587172127

Book Description

Princess Rosamond isn't your typical princess. She prefers good books to good looks and keeps both the royal accounts and the castle drawbridge in working order. When her greedy stepmother and stepsister scheme to spend the royal treasury and her father, the king, falls ill, Rosamond must set out in search of the one thing that can cure him -- the healing waters found in the magical well at the end of the world.
In the spirit of The Talking Eggs, award-winning author Robert San Souci has once again created a feisty heroine whose generosity and courage save the day combined with Rebecca Walsh's vibrant paintings. This is an adventure story that readers will turn to again and again.

Customer Reviews:

A book I will buy without hesitation.......2007-10-09

This book is fabulous! It is a great story about being beautiful on the inside and respecting and loving yourself. What a great self-confident heroine!

My daughter (almost age 6) picked it up at the library along with other princess books and I enjoyed reading every page of this book. It has justice in it and a very happy ending: "People would often say what a handsome couple she and Egbert made, but they found their true joy reading good books to each other by the fire every evening, sharing a good laugh, and simply enjoying the pleasure of each other's company." THAT is a fairytale to emulate.

It was published in 2004, and I am greatly surprised not to see it plastered with awards. The illustrations are magnificent in and of themselves.

LOVE THIS BOOK!.......2005-08-24

This is such a wonderful book. Not only are the illustrations gorgeous, but the heroine of the story is friggin' awesome! I love her tenacity, her love for her father, her brains, and her warm heart. Great story! I wish I'd written it myself!

Stunning illustrations.......2004-12-22

Apart from the entertaining story, the thing that really sets this book apart from the rest is its stunning and meticulous illustration. It is hard to believe that this is Rebecca Walsh's first childrens book! Can't wait to see the rest!

Fabulous Story.......2004-11-20

I can't believe that this book hasn't recieved more attention. My daughter chose it at the library and it is fabulous. The illustrations are beautiful and the story is fabulous. The message is that beauty comes from within.

On the Lines of Morris' Romances: Two Books That Inspired J. R. R. Tolkien-The Wood Beyond the World and the Well at the World's End

Average customer rating:

Excellent bargain

On the Lines of Morris' Romances: Two Books That Inspired J. R. R. Tolkien-The Wood Beyond the World and the Well at the World's End
William Morris
Manufacturer: Inkling Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1587420244

Book Description

Tolkien fans who long for more of the same delight that they get from The Lord of the Rings will find it in the writings of William Morris, for it was he who created the literary style that J. R. R. Tolkien brought to such perfection in his tales. As a young man writing to his future wife, Tolkien mentioned the inspiration he was receiving from Morris:

"Amongst other work I am trying to turn one of the short stories [of the Finnish Kalevala] . . . into a short story somewhat on the lines of Morris' romances with chunks of poetry in between."

Forty-six years later, Tolkien still remembered what he had learned from Morris:

"The Lord of the Rings was actually begun, as a separate thing, about 1937, and had reached the inn at Bree, before the shadow of the second war. . . . The Dead Marshes and the approaches to the Morannon owe something to Northern France after the Battle of the Somme. They owe more to William Morris and his Huns and Romans, as in The House of the Wolfings or The Roots of the Mountains."

As The Lord of the Rings was being written, Tolkien's close friend, C. S. Lewis, wrote that Morris provides his readers with a "pleasure so inexhaustible that after twenty or fifty years of reading they find it worked so deeply into all their emotions as to defy analysis." In words that could apply equally well to Tolkien, he said:

It is indeed, this matter-of-factness . . . which lends to all of Morris's stories their somber air of conviction. Other stories have only scenery; his have geography. He is not concerned with 'painting' landscapes; he tells you the lie of the land, and then you paint the landscapes for yourself. To a reader long fed on the almost botanical and entomological niceties of much modern fiction . . . the effect is at first very pale and cold, but also fresh and spacious. No mountains in literature are as far away as distant mountains in Morris. The world of his imagining is as windy, as tangible, as resonant and three dimensional, as that of Scott and Homer.

If you enjoy what Tolkien wrote about Aragorn, if you admire the bravery of the Riders of Rohan, if you long for more tales of adventure in a vast and unspoiled wilderness, and if you wish that Tolkien had more to say about the courage of women or about romances between men and women, then you will be delighted by these two marvelous tales from the pen of the gifted William Morris.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent bargain.......2005-11-13

This book is a fantastic buy! The Well Beyond The World's End is usually published in 2 volumes, so this edition includes the text of 3 books that would normally cost you about $42 if purchased separately.

The text is printed in two columns, as in a magazine. It's very readable and aesthetically pleasing (don't judge by the unfortunate cover). The only downside is that Morris originally published his books in an elaborate illuminated manuscript style (like http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Kelmscott_Press_-_The_Nature_of_Gothic_by_John_Ruskin_%28first_page%29.jpg). Unfortunately no modern printing of Morris seems to include his gorgeous original format. On the plus side, this edition is definitely more readable.

As for the stories themselves, I think it's fair to say Tolkien (and to a degree C.S. Lewis) retained every innovation Morris made, more or less replacing him. It's likely that only hardcore Tolkien/Lewis fans will find these books worth reading. This and the companion volume are the closest thing to the LOTR prequel.

The text is widely available free online (though it's not fun to read on a screen), so you might test a few pages before committing to a purchase:
http://www.gutenberg.org/browse/authors/m#a107

All's Well that Ends Well (Oxford World's Classics)

Average customer rating:

Excellent Rendition of a Mediocre Play (Arkangel Shakespeare)
Shakespeare's black comedy
Very good but..
Uncle Isaac Asimov Tells It As It Is.
Very good edition

All's Well that Ends Well (Oxford World's Classics)
William Shakespeare
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Classics | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0192836048

Book Description

Usually classifed as a 'problem comedy', All's Well that Ends Well invites a fresh assessment. Its psychologically disturbing presentation of an agressive, designing woman and a reluctant husband wooed by trickery won it little favour in earlier centuries, and both directors and critics have frequently tried to avoid or simplify its uncomfortable elements. More recently, several distinguished productions have revealed it as an exceptionally penetrating study of both personal and social issues. In her introduction Susan Snyder makes the play's clashing ideologies of class and gender newly accessible. She explains how the very discords of style can be seen as a source of theatrical power and complexity, and offers a fully reconsidered, helpfully annotated text for both readers and actors.

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French E. Good My Lord, The Reasons Of Our State I Cannot Yeelde, But Like A Common And An Outward Man, That The Great Figure Of A Counsaile Frames, By Selfe Vnable Motion, Therefore Dare Not.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Rendition of a Mediocre Play (Arkangel Shakespeare).......2007-06-15

Try as you might, you will have a hard time finding any redeeming social merit to the "hero" of this play. In an era of arranged marriages, "our hero" abandons his bride and runs off to the wars because she is not good enough for him. This opinion makes him a majority of one, since everyone else thinks she is too good for him. Before he leaves, however, he sets her an impossible task which will win his devotion, if not his love. The heroine then undertakes to fulfill the terms of the task. In order to accomplish the task she devises a plan which will wound everyone who loves her and take advantage of his unworthiness of her.

It's hard to see what she sees in him, but as the saying goes, love is not only blind, it is also deaf and dumb. The plot moves snappily along toward its foreordained happy conclusion, with the hero's aide-de-camp, a sort of cross between Iago and Falstaff, providing "comic" relief.

Arkangel Shakespeare has put on a five star production of a three star play. Many recordings of Shakespeare plays add poor sound quality to poor diction, resulting in a product that is difficult, if not impossible, to follow. The sound is good, the lines are well-spoken, and the dialog is easily followed.

Shakespeare's black comedy.......2007-05-24

This play is probably not as great as others of Shakespeare's comedies, but it is still worth the effort. The play is quite ribald. It is a short play. The plot is a familiar one - a woman is set an almost impossible task, and if she succeeds in completing it, she will get her dearest wish. Worth a read.

Very good but.........2007-03-23

This version is truley unabridged and the diction is very good. Every word is spoken and enounciated. However, if either you are trying to read along, or listen in the car, the speed of delivery is very fast. Almost too fast to follow reading and when listening, so fast bits get lost to the listener.

Never the less, with one exception, the two Dumain brothers, each voice is deserable form the others which is required.

Uncle Isaac Asimov Tells It As It Is. .......2006-07-17

After the 1700s, this play fell into obscurity. It was later revived in the mid 1900s. Its period of obscurity does not surprise me. Believe me, I am a champion for Shakespeare's underrated "Timon of Athens" and "Coriolanus." I honestly TRIED to like this play, but I was forced to concur with the great Isaac Asimov who said: "Though it ends happily and is therefore technically a comedy, it lacks a carefree fun and happiness of the previous comedies. it is, indeed, rather an unpleasant play..." Well, onto the play. We meet the widowed Countess, her son Bertram, and the elder Lafew. We learn that the king is ill and quite possibly terminal. Possibly, Helena's father could have cured the king, but alas, he is dead. The Countess gives Bertram some advice that is not so far from the advice Polonius gave Ophelia. (Though the bumbling Polonius ends up being easier to like!) Helena loves Bertram, but feels beneath him and contemplates virginity. One comical moment is when Parolles reveals that in a way, virginity is a form of vain self love. Later, Helena cures the king, and Helena asks for Bertram as a husband. Now this is where I have a problem. Bertram is made out to be a villain. But how can we possibly not sympathize with him? Maybe Helena deserves something for saving the king, but does she really have the right to impose marriage on someone who doesn't like her? Well, Bertram is forced to go through with the marriage, but he quickly decides to help Florence against Siena. Poor Parolles who knows this forced marriage was unethical is constantly made a subject of ridicule in this play. This is where I have another problem. Rather than the clever misunderstandings of "The Comedy of Errors," the clever marital confrontations and errors in "Midsummer Night's Dream," or the comical and clever passages from Jaques in "As You Like It," the comedy in "All's Well That Ends Well" is reduced to the lowest possible form. (Flat out ridicule! It is interesting that in the word ridicule, we have the letters for cruel, but I am digressing.) In one decent elemenet of comedy, Bertram makes it clear that he would rather go to war than lie with his wife. (And perhaps in time, Bertram can appeal to the king to release him from this marriage. It wouldn't be unheard of.) One interesting thing is that Bertram remains honorable in the sense that he does not 'ravish' Helena. He doesn't love her, and therefore will not engage in sex. It is rather repulsive on his mother's part how she fails to understand the situation. Even if she was on Helena's side, she might AT LEAST understand Bertram's frustration in that he did not consent to the marriage. (And possibly try to at least talk things over in hopes of coming to a peaceful solution.) But no. She just rants and raves. Later the Countess reads a letter from Helena stating that she will leave so Bertram can come home from the war. This throws Bertram's mother into yet another rage on Helena's behalf, and perhaps moves the reader into sympathy with Helena. THAT IS, UNTIL OUR GOOD OLD UNCLE ISAAC ASIMOV points out the hypocrisy of Helena: "Helena is not quite as unselfish as she is presenting herself to be. She does not go to the shrine at all but sneaks off to Florence in disguise as a pilgrim hoping that she may yet return her reluctant husband." Well, onward. In Florence, Helena meets with Diana (whom Bertram loves). And Helena thinks she can trick Bertram into making her pregnant. We then have the cruel practical joke on Parolles where he is blindfolded and threatened to reveal military secrets (to friendly forces of course) or else. Perhaps even Shakespeare felt bad over this scene as he has Parolles say: "Who can not be crushed with a plot?" (4.3.340). We also see Bertram try to win the affections of Diana. Diana of course feels nothing for Bertram. But again, the hypocrisy of the play is prevalent. If we accept the fact that Bertram should respect Diana's wishes that she doesn't love him, how do we account for the fact that Helena imposed an unwanted marriage on Bertram? But of course Diana consents to meet Bertram and of course it will really be Helena who meets him. But even tricking Bertram into getting her pregnant is not enough. Helena decides to throw a sympathy party for herself by spreading the word of her death back home. Now in "Much Ado About Nothing," Hero had a valid excuse for staging her death. She was humiliated and disgraced in front of several people for something she was totally innocent of. But Helena was the one who imposed an unwanted marriage on Bertram, and she still wants a sympathy party. One redeeming element of the play is that Lafew shows some sympathy for the disgraced Parolles and offers him a job. And of course, in the end Bertram feels bad over Helena's staged death and is happy to see her alive again. Helena may very well be the Britney Spears of Shakespeare's characters.

Very good edition.......2006-02-25

As you would expect from Oxford, this is a very well done edition of the play, with a comprehensive introduction (though I wished for a little more theatre history myself) that covers the major issues in this "problem" comedy (though it is not nearly so much a problem play as, say, Troilus and Cressida, in fact being much closer in many ways to Measure for Measure), several textual appendices, an index, useful textual- and foot-notes (there seem to be a great many phrasings in this play that need explanation--a result of revision?), and two of Shakespeare's direct sources in Erasmus and Painter. There were a few points when I disagreed with the interpreations offered in the footnotes, but overall, the apparatus is excellent.

As for the play itself, the main action concerns the efforts of Helen to recapture her husband Bertram, who is given to her by the King as a reward for curing his fistula. He does not think she, as a physician's daughter, is worthy of his station and flees to the wars in Italy without consumating the marriage. The comic subplot involves the exposure of the cowardice of his companion, Paroles. Helen evnetually fulfills the requirements Bertram sets out in a letter--to obtain his ring and bear a child by him--through a bed trick, and the play ends where it began, with the King (echoes of Lear?) offering Diana, who helped in the trick, her choice of husband.

Overall, a very good edition of a less popular play.

$The Well at the World\'s End$
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The Well at the World\'s End
William Morris
Manufacturer: Classic Books Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1600968589

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The Well at the World\'s End was among the very first of its kind--it is an epic romance of duplicity, machination, passion, and wizardry, and is, in short, a vast odyssey into the weird. It is a beautifully rich fantasy, a vibrant fairy tale without fairies. It is the most entrancing of William Morris\'s late romances--part futuristic fantasy novel, part old-fashioned fairy tale. Morris writes his magic love story with a sense of color and pattern, and the sheer imaginative fervor of one of the most brilliant decorative artists that has ever lived. Newly designed and typeset in a modern 6-by-9-inch format by Waking Lion Press.

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THE WELL AT THE WORLD'S END
WILLIAM MORRIS
Manufacturer: BALLANTINE
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Well at the World's End
William Morris
Manufacturer: IndyPublish.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1404338861

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