The Return of the King: Being the Third Part of The Lord of the Rings

Book Description

For over fifty years, J.R.R. Tolkien's peerless fantasy has accumulated
worldwide acclaim as the greatest adventure tale ever written.
No other writer has created a world as distinct as Middle-earth, complete
with its own geography, history, languages, and legends. And
no one has created characters as endearing as Tolkien's large-hearted,
hairy-footed hobbits. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings continues to
seize the imaginations of readers of all ages, and this new three-volume
paperback edition is designed to appeal to the youngest of them.

In ancient times the Rings of Power were crafted by the Elvensmiths,
and Sauron, the Dark Lord, forged the One Ring, filling it with
his own power so that he could rule all others. But the One Ring was
taken from him, and though he sought it throughout Middle-earth, still
it remained lost to him . . .

Customer Reviews:

Now all roads were leading to the coming of war, and the onset of the shadow.......2007-09-03

'The Return of The King', by JRR Tolkien is the continuing adventures of the remaining members of the Fellowship as they draw together to meet the coming of the War of the Ring. The power of Sauron, the Dark Lord is stretching out over the land, and the great city of Minas Tirith has fallen under siege. Yet even as those in Minas Tirith struggle to surviv, and Rohan musters for war, Frodo and Sam draw closer and closer to the end of the journey. Yet in the darkness of Mordor the ring grows stronger, and in the gathering darkness Frodo has begun to fall to its influence.

RD Williams, author of 'The Lost Gate'

100000 million stars.......2007-08-07

im sorry but there is nothing i can say about this that hasent been said in the 100000 reviews for this book on amazon! BEST BOOK EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU TOLKIEN !!!

The Dark Lord is Watching!.......2006-05-17

If you were trusted with a dangerous object, would you use it? A young hobbit did, and it nearly cost him his life. Frodo Baggins was given the One Ring and was told to travel to mount doom to destroy it. The theme is friendship and strength. An example of strength is when the armies of orcs attacked the last fortress of Rohan, Helm's Deep. you will have to read

It's better to READ the books first before watching the movies..........2006-04-04

Peter Jackson has created an OUTSTANDING masterpiece in it's own right with his interpretation of the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy... but Tolkiens books are some of the best literature of the 20th century.

Jackson takes several liberties with some key points of the story line, not the least of which is making Frodo a "Naive Young Hobbit" when in fact, Frodo and his companions didn't set out on their quest to Rivendell until AFTER his 50th birthday. Little inconsistencies like that between the movies and the books aboud, reason enough to pick up copies of the books to see Tolkiens original narrative.

The grand, bittersweet finale.......2004-11-11

"Return of the King" is the worthy climax to J.R.R. Tolkien's epic saga, the fantasy that created the genre as we know it today. Now, as the blockbuster movie adaptation is over, many readers are checking out the dramatic story that ends Tolkien's masterpiece and life's work.

The story opens where "Two Towers" left off. Gandalf has ridden to the city of Gondor with Pippin (partly to keep him out of trouble), where the forces of Mordor are attacking. There is upheaval in the city itself, as the steward of Gondor is going nuts. Merry pledges his service to King Theoden of Rohan, not knowing what is ahead for the king and his relatives. And Aragorn is seeking out allies to fight Sauron on a military scale, even if they can't defeat him unless the Ring is destroyed. His search will take him to tribes of forest-dwellers, to Gondor -- and even to summon an army of the dead.

In Mordor, the unconscious Frodo has been captured by Sauron's orcs, and taken to the fortress of Cirith Ungol. Sam is desperate to free his friend, but knows that he can't take on an army, and that Frodo would want him to finish the quest. Sam manages to free Frodo from captivity, but they must still brave more dangers before they can come to Mount Doom, the only place where the Ring can be destroyed. As they travel Sam sees Frodo slipping further and further into the Ring's grasp. Will Frodo be able to destroy the Ring?

Usually, the climax of an epic adventure is a disappointment. "Return of the King" succeeds in almost every way, wrapping up each individual storyline, one by one. The ending has a feeling of finality; this is one story that could never have a sequel; Tolkien shows that in a struggle against evil, there is no true "happy ending." Even if the good guys win, there will still be scarring, and death, and haunting memories of what once happened. And even if a person survives, he will never be the same.

This is the grimmest of the three books in this trilogy. Aside from Frodo's emotional deterioration, we also have Merry becoming almost catatonic after the battle with the Witch King, and Denethor's descent into suicidal madness. There is a lot less humor, though it is still there: Pippin and Merry both thinking about food, Gandalf's reaction when Pippin pledges his sword to Denethor, some choice witty comments of Frodo's in the last chapters, and Gimli's half-joking threats to axe Eomer if Eomer doesn't consider Galadriel the most beautiful woman in the world.

Though a section of the book near the end descends into near-biblical prose, which changes post-Gondor, Tolkien does not waver in his ability to evoke emotion. One of the most touching scenes in the book is when Sam finds Frodo naked, unconscious and being beaten by an orc. Others include Merry's farewell to Theoden, Eowyn's slaying of the Witch-King, and of course the bittersweet final scene.

Frodo is almost unrecognizable in parts of this book. The bright, naive young hobbit of the first book has been worn down by the pressure of the Ring, to the point where he seems to be only a pale shadow of himself. As he grows increasingly attached to the Ring, we even see him doing what seems unimaginable: threatening Sam with a dagger. Yet these actions make chilling sense, even when Frodo recovers his self-control only a moment later. It's a devastating demonstration of the hold the Ring has on him; he tries to resist it while knowing that he's falling too far into its grasp. When he lapses into depression and nihilism, readers will wonder if he can actually give it up.

Sam has come a long way from the shy young hobbit who couldn't say a word around the High Elves. This book has him chasing orcs with Sting, carrying Frodo physically through Mordor, fending off Gollum, and acting as the ultimate pillar of strength for his crumbling friend right to Mount Doom. Merry is exposed firsthand to the horrifying consequences of war, and Pippin moves past his initial flakiness in an effort to be a serious warrior. Aragorn breaks completely from the mold of rugged ranger and into the new status as a king, leading armies (both living and dead) without flinching.

As far as the supporting cast goes, Legolas and Gimli assist as well; their friendship grows deeper, even as Legolas falls completely in love with the sea. Gollum's degenerate journey remains intertwined with Frodo's, even though he betrayed the hobbits in the previous book; and the icily passionate war-maiden Eowyn affects the War of the Ring in a stunning way that nobody could have predicted.

The story doesn't really end on the last page; for more background, especially on Aragorn and Arwen, readers should also read the appendices at the end of the book. Another good addition is "The End of the Third Age," in which the unpublished epilogue of LOTR can be found. Though this is probably not canonical, it nicely concludes the story and is a heartwarming look at what happens in the years following LOTR.

It's difficult, once the story has finished, to accept that one has to say goodbye to Middle-Earth and its enchanting inhabitants. But as Gandalf says, "I will not say: do not weep; for not all tears are an evil."

The Golden Bough: A Study in Magic and Religion: A New Abridgement from the Second and Third Editions (Oxford World's Classics)

Average customer rating:

Golden Bough
An influential work on four 20th century seminal works
The real deal
Finally!
The Golden Bough by Sir James George Frazer

The Golden Bough: A Study in Magic and Religion: A New Abridgement from the Second and Third Editions (Oxford World's Classics)
James George Frazer
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0192835416

Book Description

A classic study of the beliefs and institutions of mankind, and the progress through magic and religion to scientific thought, The Golden Bough has a unique status in modern anthropology and literature. First published in 1890, The Golden Bough was eventually issued in a twelve-volume edition (1906-15) which was abridged in 1922 by the author and his wife. That abridgement has never been reconsidered for a modern audience. In it some of the more controversial passages were dropped, including Frazer's daring speculations on the Crucifixion of Christ. For the first time this one-volume edition restores Frazer's bolder theories and sets them within the framework of a valuable introduction and notes. A seminal work of modern anthropolgy, The Golden Bough also influenced many twentieth-century writers, including D H Lawrence, T S Eliot, and Wyndham Lewis. Its discussion of magical types, the sacrificial killing of kings, the dying god, and the scapegoat is given fresh pertinence in this new edition.

Customer Reviews:

Golden Bough.......2007-09-26

A approach of academic study to common reader interest. A excellent book for ritual understanding. The Frazer's Golden Bough is one of more sold around the world and is also one of more controversial within academic society because its author broken one of its dogmas - written without the academic language vicious.

An influential work on four 20th century seminal works.......2007-09-23

This book is a seminal work because it had a crucial influence on four important works of the twentieth century: T. S. Elliott's poem the Waste Land, Joseph Campbell's Hero with a Thousand Faces, Dan Brown's book The Da Vinci Code, and Francis Ford Coppolla's movie Apocalypse Now, screenplay by John Milius.

Sir James George Frazer's book written in 1922 was a groundbreaking work on ancient religion, paganism, and roots of early Christianity. Frazer does an in-depth examination of the sacrificial killing of god-kings to ensure bountiful harvests, which Frazer traces through several cultures, including in his elaborations the myths of Adonis, Osiris, and Balder.

Frazer spent his life writing fifteen volumes of history of myth and religion. This book sums up his theory of magic and its connections to paganism, as well as fusing ideas from Jessie L. Weston's book From Ritual To Romance and Gnostic texts that serve as a link to early Christianity's influence from ancient nature cults. His chapter titles say much about where his work goes and why it is so influential on iconic twentieth century works. The King of the Wood explains the original nature of the task imposed upon the hero, it undoubtedly influenced both Campbell's and Coppola's works. The Myths of Adonis, Attis, and Osiris looks to establish a chain of descent connecting early Aryan and Babylonian ritual with classic, Medieval and modern forms of nature worship. Our Debt to the Savage explains the role of the Medicine Man or doctor in fertility ritual. The Killing of the Devine King analyzes how this title is prevalent in so many of humankind's legends, and was a definite influence on Coppola's Colonel Kurtz character. Sacrifice of the King's Son regarded as an object of awe certainly influenced The Da Vinci Code.

Frazer's book is interesting and fun to read. I especially became interested in it from the movie Apocalypse Now. There is a scene in the movie that shows Colonel Kurtz's nightstand in his cave. Weston's book is one of three on the nightstand. The other two are Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness, which the film is based on. The other book is Jessie L. Weston's book From Ritual To Romance. Anyone wanting to understand the movie Apocalypse Now, especially the character of Colonel Kurtz, and what Milius and Copolla were trying to tell their audience need to read these three books!

As a graduate student reading in philosophy and history I recommend this book for anyone interested in literature, myth, history, philosophy, religion and fans of Apocalypse Now.

The real deal.......2007-07-04

I'll skip reviewing the content and speak to book's edition. This is the one that was abridged by the author from a multi-volume, earlier edition. In later years, the tome was watered down and censored due to authorial speculation on the nature of Jesus. All the controversial ideas are present in this particular edition, so it is safe to purchase it and not feel cheated.

Finally!.......2007-01-03

An "uncensored" abridged version,
full of speculation about Christ. Sure to get the evangelicals lighting their torches,
to storm this Castle of Prometheus.

The Golden Bough by Sir James George Frazer.......2006-06-29

This is a wonderful book on the origin of beliefs, culture and
classic ceremonies. For instance, the Native American Indians
regarded a person's name as a part of their personality.
In Bohemia, children carry a straw man out of the village to
cast out death. Aphrodite and Old Paphos constitute one of the
most celebrated shrines in the ancient world. In death and
resurrection, Egyptians celebrated life after death. At Lagos in
Guinea, young women were impaled by custom after spring equinox
in order to secure a good crop that year. Festivities were
prepared in order to coincide with the summer and winter solstices.

The work would be perfect for students of world culture,
fine arts, language and literature.

Fairy Realm #3: The Third Wish (Fairy Realm)

Average customer rating:

Mama loves Jessie too!
You will totaly LOVE this book!!!!!!!!!!!
My daughter's favorite series
Like syrup on a Twinkie
The Enchantment Continues . . .

Fairy Realm #3: The Third Wish (Fairy Realm)
Emily Rodda
Manufacturer: HarperCollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 006009589X
Release Date: 2003-05-27

Book Description

Enter the Realm of Adventure

Jessie's helped the magical people of the Realm to escape danger twice now -- she's a real hero to her friends there.

But now her own world is in danger. Forest fires threaten her beloved home, Blue Moon. And only the magic of the realm can help her.

Customer Reviews:

Mama loves Jessie too!.......2007-02-15

My daughter will be seven in 2 months, but I have to say this 31 year old loves Jessie too. If you want a books with action, fun, danger, and adventure for your daughter that won't put you to sleep these are it! The plot is tangled, yet Jessie and my daughter figure it out at about the same time. Last night my daughter sat up in the middle of the chapter and screamed, "Oh Oh OH the wish blah blah blah (I won't spoil the book for you)" These books inspire a love of fantasy without there ever really being a truly hateful evil person (the first book has a little evil). They focus a lot on suspense. I am not sure if it is the times we can't put the book down before find out what Jessie is going to do, or the extended bedtime that results; but she loves Fairy Realm! ...and Mama does too!

You will totaly LOVE this book!!!!!!!!!!!.......2006-11-09

The Third Wish is the best book I've ever read! I did a book report on it and the book was very adventurous and fun to read. This book is great hard covered and the pictures are amazing. There are lots of details which makes this book even better. If you buy this book you are going to LOVE it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BUY IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My daughter's favorite series.......2006-08-10

My 6 (almost 7) year old adores the Fairy Realm books. And I have to say, after having waded through some pretty awful, perfunctorily churned out "series books" with her in the past, I've been pleasantly surprised by the quality of these books. Compared with so much of what's out there, Emily Rodda's writing is a cut above. The stories in this series are gentle and familiar fantasy material -- but it's engagingly told, and suspenseful without being *too* scary for younger readers.

This book, "The Third Wish", I very much liked for the twist Rodda puts on a classic fairy tale/fantasy trope. It's nicely done, and my daughter had a blast untangling the threads of the story's resolution.

Like syrup on a Twinkie.......2005-01-21

OK, I'm a guy with 3 young daughters and so, but for Potter, story time is it's own kind of hell. Too sweet, too predictable. This makes Disney world look like Mordor. Give the character attention deficit and a queen who gives long boring lectures filled nevertheless with lifesaving facts, missed. Oh well, beats the heck out of Pony Pals at least - I was going nuts: "pony pony pony pony ...".

My 7 year old daughter loves the Realm however, and she's just at the level where I can foist it off on her to read. Give me instead something like Gene Wolfe's books of the New Sun where the narrator doesn't quite tell the truth of what happened and where the entire meaning of a scene can shift 3 or 4 times as you learn more. Where appointments are missed, connections lost, original dreams forgotten but new purposes found. If only this could be found in a kid's book.

Perhaps I'll try reading her Robert Penn Warren's "All the Kings's Men" and see if that sparks. But more realistically, I recommend the trilogy Juniper; Wise Child; Colman -- all by Monica Furlong. This is readable by adults and yet strikes the interests of little girls.

The Enchantment Continues . . ........2004-01-14

With every story Jessie adds to her charm bracelet a special gift from those whom she helps in the Fairy Realm and my five year old daughter and I can hardly wait to read what happens next! Emily Rodda's series of Fairy Realm books are a perfect gift to share. From the first book you become hooked on the charming characters from Granny Jessica the true Queen of the Failry Realm to the mischeivous elf Gif and Maybelle the talking miniature horse. What a delight of adventure as each tale unravels and Jessie finds that she is stronger than she thinks and so very much like Granny whom she loves and admires.

In book three, you learn more about Jessie's Grandfather, who stole the heart of the fairy Princess Jessica, and his adventures in the Undersea of the Fairy Realm where he endeared himself to the merpeople and where Jessie must go to save Blue Moon where she, Granny, and mother live and the entrance in the Secret Garden to the Fairy Realm.

Amazon.com

Don't take brilliant, shrewd Dairine Callahan for just any bratty younger sibling. Impatient for adventure, knowledge, and recognition, she finds her sister Nita's wizardry manual and reads the Oath aloud. Disappointingly, nothing happens. But when her family's new computer arrives, Dairene discovers more than the standard issue system software on it and launches herself on a reckless, universe-wide, high-voltage magical conflict with the Lone Power. Diane Duane's storytelling is skillfully mythic and wittily referential; Dairine's discovery and shaping of a new form of life is wondrous. For maximum enjoyment, read So You Want To Be A Wizard and Deep Wizardry first.

Book Description

Young wizards Nita and Kit face their most terrifying challenge yet: Nita's little sister, Dairine. Not only is Dairine far too smart for a ten-year-old, she also has recenlty become a wizard, and worse yet, a wizard with almost limitless power. When Dairine's computerized wizard's manual glibly sends her off on her novice adventure--her Ordeal--Kit and Nita end up chasing her across the galaxy, trying to catch up with Dairine before she gets into trouble so deep that not even her brains can resuce her.

Customer Reviews:

Another great read.......2007-08-29

Once I finished "Deep Wizardry", I was desperate to know what would happen with Dairine, Nita's little sister and Diane Duane didn't disappoint!

Older reader disappointed.......2007-08-14

I am an older reader who enjoyed the Harry Potter books and I thought this series might be fun to read. I was very disappointed.

On page 102 the author states, in third person narrative, that 1) the earth spins at 17,000 mph, 2) the earth travels in its orbital path at 175,000 mph and 3) that the sun travels at 115,000 mph. These are all grossly incorrect. 1) should be 1040 mph. 2) should be 67,000 mph, and 3) is 490,000 mph.

Some may consider this unimportant. But why should readers be exposed to 'facts' that seem to be just made up. Scientific facts are not trivia. On page 145 the author uses light-years as a unit of time. This is the mark of a true ignoramus.

Everything else about this book is at this level. The plot, the descriptions, the action sequences would barely get a C- in freshman English. How did this get in print?

great book.......2007-07-16

this series is reall good and great fun, rather on the lines of harry potter...I highly recomend, NOT just for kids.

Young Wizards Aloft.......2006-09-18

A character who has constantly been in the background of the first two books in this series, "So You Want to Be a Wizard" and "Deep Wizardry," has been Juanita (Nita) Callahan's younger sister Dairine. While Dairine has been a pest, as younger sisters (and brothers) often seem to be, Diane Duane was setting up Dairine for a special role. A role Dairine gets a chance to fill in this book.

We discover early in this book that Dairine is an incredibly power wizard; much more powerful than either Nita or her best friend Christopher (Kit) Rodriguez. Dairine's book of magic comes not in the traditional form of a book, but as a lap top computer, reflecting the improving state-of-the-art of computers in 1990 when Duane wrote this book. Of course any computer owned by a wizard would have to be strange, and Dairine's computer exhibits characteristics that are decidedly different from any computer we mere mortals have experienced.

Dairine's Ordeal matches her incredible power. She is tasked to bring an entire planet to self-realization and advancement to a higher state of consciousness and she takes on the Lone Power with the support of her newly created and found friends. I leave the details to the reader.

This book has a different flavor from the first two books in the series. While the first two books had technology, this book exhibits a stronger science fiction or science fantasy influence. Even with that influence the fate of the Lone Power remains strongly metaphysical and just a touch incongruous with the science fiction nature of the story. The ending of the story relates, as with the previous two books, to the fate of the Lone Power, and thus must be metaphysical, and the ending confuses much of the effort Diane put into developing the science fiction aspect of the story.

Excluding the ending, this book is a captivating read and further develops the characters in the series. While the second book stands acceptably well on its own, I recommend reading at least the first book in the series, "So You Want to Be a Wizard," prior to reading this book. Knowing the principal characters is helpful in coming up to speed with the storyline.

This book is another good entry in this series, but with a different flavor. A solid four stars.

Brother Lightbringer.......2005-12-01

It should come as no surprise that Dairine, Juanita Callahan's sister, was due to become a wizard herself. What no one expected though was that Dairine would peek into Nita's manual and take the Oath herself. Without even reading the small print. Suddenly an 11-year-old human is one of the most powerful wizards in the universe, and the powers that be have some surprising plans for her. In short order she turns her brand new computer into the perfect spell assistant and heads off. First, a trial spin to Mars, and then whoosh! - She's off to her own ordeal.

Dairine quickly discovers that she is being chased by the powers of darkness. In a mad run, she covers billions of light years until she finally comes to rest in what appears to be a dead planet composed of layer after layer of silicon. But appearances can be deceiving and Dairine discovers that the planet has become a giant computer chip, hovering on the edge of sentience. The young wizard and her trusty Apple III are the catalyst. Since Dairine is teaching the planet first to think, and then to create. Soon she is surrounded by silicon creatures, creatures to whom she has given the gift of magic, without considering the consequences.

To each culture comes the lone power, the one that created death. And to each he offers a choice to accept his gift or choose otherwise. Never before has it been rejected right from the start, and it has no intention of this being the first time. A great argument is begun. But nothing is certain, especially around Dairine, and she and the Lone Power are quickly locked in a battle of logic and heart. And coming up behind as fast as they can are Kit and Nita. Three wizards facing a battle that could determine the future of the universe - and kill them just as easily.

While none of Duane's Wizardry series are slow reading, High Wizardry goes by in a great flash, with a memorable ending. The book has much to say about behaving responsibly and accepting help, but it never preaches. Dairine may be a hero, but she still has much to learn, and that's the lesson she takes home with her. And Nita comes face to face with her own resentments towards a sister who is both younger than her and a better wizard. The book has a lesson for everyone it seems, even the Lone Power.

"Never think We were made to be less than equals in the One. Someday you will surpass Us, and still be our equals, and both you and We will rejoice at it."

Average customer rating:

Please find another writing partner
I actually liked some of it but...
It passed the time.
If you liked the first two... Don't Read This!
Pray this is the last book in this series

The Third Magic (Forever King Trilogy)
Molly Cochran
Manufacturer: Tor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0812545125
Release Date: 2004-06-01

Book Description

Eight years ago, a young red-haired boy discovered that he was the reincarnation of Arthur, once High King of Britain, master of the Round Table, wielder of Excalibur and the Holy Grail, fated to one day reclaim his throne and lead the world into a new golden age. Almost immediately, people started trying to kill him. Arthur has been on the run or in hiding since he was ten years old.Four years ago, after a climactic battle between the resurrected Knights of the Round Table and a dark magician determined to warp the powers of the Grail to his own evil purpose, Arthur Blessing spoke to television cameras, and therefore the world. He told them the time for hatred and fear was over and that a new time of peace was at hand.Pursued as a new messiah, Arthur disappeared to a small farm in the American Midwest, surrounded by his Knights, protected most of all by Hal, most recently an FBI agent, but, long ago, Sir Galahad.Now Arthur is eighteen, and Merlin has come to bring him to his destiny. There's just one small problem.Arthur. What is he going to do as High King? How can he unite and heal such a deeply wounded world? No one believes in all that chivalry stuff anymore, and besides, he's not sure mankind is worthy of the powers of the Sword and the Grail.Yet those powers are needed, now most of all. Now, with a master terrorist preparing to strike Cheyenne Mountain, to blow up the heart of America's nuclear arsenal and spread radioactive death across the planet. Now, with a psychopathic killer on the loose, a man determined to personally slaughter the Knights and Arthur himself. Now, with a chance to find Guinevere again, to put right their love that was spoiled and betrayed centuries ago.Arthur Blessing. The Once and Future King. Now he must choose his fate.

Customer Reviews:

Please find another writing partner.......2007-08-20

I would have to agree with the other reviews entirely, disjointed characters dropping into the nether land only to be glimpsed as a spirit out of the corner of your eye. I got the impression this was written in haste and it shows, (let's just get the third one out and be done!) the author owes her fans (now previous) more than this. I actually thought there must be a 4th book coming out as the characters just flat disintegrated, what a way to end what started as a good inovative new look at the age old problem of might vs right. Both the editor and author should be ashamed (actually I would fire the editor) to put this chaos into publication, at least put out a 4th book to clean up the mess.

I actually liked some of it but..........2007-01-06

like everyone's been saying, there were a lot of inconsistancies, and i wish they had had more on other characters from previous books, such as beatrice, and less of just the hal and emily thing. she didnt really mention anything of them at all. also, towards the end it just got, blah. the last few chapters just seemed so bad.

It passed the time........2006-01-15

I didn't actually realise that this book was the third in a series. Now that I have read other readers reviews, I am relived to know that I have a more interesting read ahead of me with The Forever King. Life is too short to read a really boring book, or drink bad wine. I finished this book so it couldn't have that boring. The author did portray the knights as complete heathens, I suppose it must been hard to fit in when you have been thrust into a different century altogether. I liked the modern day take on Arthur but wouldn't recommend it unless it was the only book on the shelf.

If you liked the first two... Don't Read This!.......2005-10-31

It's always kind of unsettling when you pick up a book from a series and after about five pages you're wondering if the dustjacket got switched with another book. As near as I can tell, the only things that are continued from the first books are the character's names. And even then...

Even barring the following issues with the content, the dialogue is choppy and unbelieveable, and the new flashback conventions were just bizzare and jilted, jumping in and out without any real sense of cohesion.

The story from the first two books is semi-continued, but only in name. It's sad to note that while the first two books were written by the team of Warren Murphy and Molly Cochran, this solo book by Cochran didn't have the pacing, the continuity or the compelling characters from the first two.

The new villains were two dimensional unlike Saladin and Thanatos from the first two books. The flashbacks, which really drew the story along previously came off more like the book that Cochran wanted to write. They contradicted the earlier books. Oh, and the contradictions! ARRRGH! Emily Blessing was supposed to see HAL at the restaurant before the fire from the second book, and never see him again. Now she's a major-ish player? Taliesin, one of my previously favorite characters in the books, went from being a character worthy of care and pity to a character that would apparently be happier in a polka-dot suit and a BIG SHINY NOSE! Did Cochran actually go back and re-read the first two to find out what happened? Was this the editor's first book?

Frankly, while I was towards the end, the only reason I didn't put it down was just to find out how horribly it ended. I wasn't dissappointed on that front. By the last page, I had forgotten most of the book and was trying out omelet recipes in my head.

I've read the previous authors' other books, including World Without End, and I was impressed with them... obviously, or I wouldn't have picked up this hamster cage fodder. I'm more likely to pick up Mr. Murphy's books, since he's apparently the one that was steering this ship.

On the upside, it's inspired me to dust off my keyboard and start writing again, I can't wait until next year's release of the third book from Peter David's superior Knight Life books, and the coffee table in my living room doesn't wobble any more.

Oh, and what happened to Beatrice? Sheesh...

Pray this is the last book in this series.......2004-07-06

Having read The Forever King and The Broken Sword, I would never have believed a book could be so bad, if for no other reason than the editors would refuse to publish it. Wrong.

Major characters from previous books, such as Beatrice in the second book, simply do not exist in the book or are completely marginalized, such as Zack. The knights who are at least knightly in the first book are reduced to glorifed Rednecks in this one.

I would complain about the plot line, but first there would have to be one. I would say the character development was shallow, but this makes "shallow" look deep. This book is to a good read as Velveeta is to fine cheese, as Spam is to prime rib as... well, I think the point is conveyed.

If you should get the "opportunity" to buy this book, don't. You will be incredibly disappointed.

By all means read the first book, The Forever King. And then stop, as the characters and plot degenerate rapidly afterwards.

Book Description

As this enthralling epic nears its climax, the young heroine’s brother discovers his own hidden gift — and the role he must play in battling the Dark.

Hem is a weary orphan whose struggle for survival ends when he is reunited with his lost sister, Maerad. But Maerad has a destiny to fulfill, and Hem is sent to the golden city of Turbansk, where he learns the ways of the Bards and befriends a mysterious white crow. When the forces of the Dark threaten, Hem flees with his protector, Saliman, and an orphan girl named Zelika to join the Light’s resistance forces. It is there that Hem has a vision and learns that he, too, has a part to play in Maerad’s quest to solve the Riddle of the Treesong. As THE CROW continues the epic tale begun with THE NAMING and THE RIDDLE, Alison Croggon creates a world of astounding beauty overshadowed by a terrifying darkness, a world where Maerad and Hem must prepare to wage their final battle for the Light.

Customer Reviews:

Yet Another Masterpiece!.......2007-09-23

I have to say that I was nervous about starting this book, knowing that it was written with a boys point of view. However, when I finally started it, I couldn't put it down. This is definately a book worth buying, and shows the strengthes and weaknesses of a young boy named Hem. Despite being an outcast he faces all odds and starts to discover himself, and also realizes that he starts to discover the true meaning of love and loss. He loves his sister, mentor, an untamed young girl, and an outcast white crow, much like himself. He feels many losses and the pains of the war surrounding him, but even with these sadnesses he can't hide who he truly is, which is a born hero, who is worth much more than he knows. To those of you who love the Pellinor series, this is a definite must buy, and those of you who already read this fantastic book, I know you are as anxious as me for the fourth book of Pellinor, The Singing, to come out.

Dragon and Slave: The Third Dragonback Adventure (Dragonback)

Average customer rating:

A Wild Ride
Brilliantly Worded Book
An Inside View of Slavery
Enjoyable light Young Adult SF novel, not particularly special or original
Zahn Fan

Dragon and Slave: The Third Dragonback Adventure (Dragonback)
Timothy Zahn
Manufacturer: Starscape
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0765340410
Release Date: 2006-05-30

Book Description

Fourteen-year-old Jack Morgan has gone through a lot since he met Draycos, a dragon-like K'da warrior he saved when everyone else in Draycos' scout fleet was killed in an ambush. Ever since, Jack and Draycos, who slips onto Jack's back like a living tattoo, have been trying to track down the people responsible for the massacre. On the planet Brum-a-dum Jack gets hired to work on a plantation owned by a Brummga whose family has ties to mercenary groups. One of those groups might have been involved in the ambush.Jack's a terrific thief, and managed to do a passable imitation of a mercenary, but those talents don't help him much on the plantation. Here, he's just one of many slaves, with little hope of finding the information he came for. But that's not his biggest problem now. The slavemaster knows Jack's no ordinary slave, and has his eye on him. Jack, who's been in tight spots before, knows that can only mean trouble.On the heavily fortified grounds of the alien plantation, there's no way to get out, and nobody to help him. Nobody, that is, except Draycos. Jack can only hope that's enough.

Customer Reviews:

A Wild Ride.......2007-07-12

In the effort to help Draycos find the mercenaries that attacked his advance team, Jack gets himself sold into slavery. In the process, he finds the information he's seeking, and frees some slaves in the bargain. The climax of this story has to be read to believed. Zahn is at his best in getting his characters in a tight spot and then getting them out again.

Brilliantly Worded Book.......2007-01-30

Have you ever wanted a tattoo of a dragon? What if it was alive? Well, fourteen year old thief Jack Morgan has to deal with one and it is extremely hard for him. Jack is a fourteen-year-old thief who's been through a military struggle for a mine and a political war between Cornelius Braxton and Aurther Neverlin for Braxton Corporation. He has Draycos, a K'da poet-warrior, as an ally and a friend. His main frame computer is programmed like his dead uncle, Virgil Morgan. Jack is now a slave on Brum-a-Dum and needs to find out about the organization that is trying to stop K'da and Shotine trips.
This is the third book in the dragonback series. Timothy Zhan is an awe inspiring writer. He makes it go at break neck pace and it nearly turns its pages itself. He makes you seem like you are with Jack and Draycos. I'd recommend this book to anyone who likes weird aliens and battles on the sky and ground. Also I'd recommend it to any one who likes Star Wars.

JJP

An Inside View of Slavery.......2006-07-13

Dragon and Slave (2005) is the third novel in the Dragonback Adventure series, following Dragon and Soldier. In the previous volume, Jack managed to con both sets of mercenaries who were fighting over the deep mine of the natives. He also obtained an information dump from a Shamsir computer system. Although it did not contain any useful data on Djinn-90 fighters, Uncle Virge did note that various Brummgas who were working for the mercenaries had come from the same place.

In this novel, Jack takes the Essenay to Brum-a-dum. All the Brummga mercenaries have come from the Chookoock slave compound on this planet. He sets up a scam that allows Uncle Virge to sell him to the Chookoock family estate so that he can rummage through their computers.

Everything goes according to plan until Gazen, the human slavemaster, sends Jack to the hotbox to correct his manners. Maerlynn, a Ysanhar slave, takes a chance and gives him a blanket; it protects Jack from the severe chill of the night. Of course, it helps to have a large, warm dragon sharing the hotbox with him. The blanket also protects his back from burning on the hot metal during the day.

As the slaves are escorting -- almost carrying -- him to the barracks, Jack returns to full consciousness. Although he declares that he can walk unassisted, Maerlynn suggests that he forget his pride and keeps on helping him to walk. She provides him with a hydrating drink and food and also takes away his clothes to wash as he changes into a sackshirt.

Draycos checks out the gaps in the hedgerow across the slave area and finds that the one they had enterred by is abundantly alarmed. So he locates another place hidden somewhat by brush and starts a tunnel through the hedge. Later, he finds his tunnel being watched by Brummga troops.

Jack comes up with Plan B: he displays his entertainment skills in front of a spoiled Brummga child and is chosen as her next toy. He is taken away to the Chookoock mansion, fed, bathed and clothed is a funny costume. Now he is charged with entertaining Her Thumbleness and her friends. Unfortunately today is her High Day and all her friends want to see her new toy perform. At the end of the second day, Jack is left to sleep at the foot of Her Thumbleness's bed.

Jack waits for all activity to cease. Her Thumbleness sleeps like the dead, but older Brummgas and their servants are still about. He falls asleep as he waits, but Draycos wakes him when all is quiet. Jack heads down the stairs and breaks into Gazen's office, only to find that the computer uses an old Brummga operating system. He sets up a tap on the security camera. takes a crystal paperweight, and returns to Her Thumbleness's rooms.

After a short nap, Brummgas wake him and carry his down to Gazen's office. Although Jack expects some reaction, he finds himself being out-maneuvered by the savvy slavemaster and is soon sent to the frying pan. This is a standard hotbox with modifications, including electric wires to shock him at random intervals.

This novel illustrates both Jack's smarts and his limitations. He reads Gazen very well, but doesn't expect the attitude of personal disinterest displayed by the slavemaster or members of the Chookoock family. They are all like Her Thumbleness, used to having their own way despite the desires of their toys.

Jack has had himself sold into slavery and doesn't like it at all. The slavers are just as self-centered, egotistical and arrogant as young spoiled children or maybe Jack's Uncle Virgil. On the other hand, most of the slaves are generous and protective of each other, at least while they are slaves; maybe they would become less devoted to each other if freed from the slavemasters.

Highly recommended for Zahn fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of high adventure and strange cultures.

-Arthur W. Jordin

Enjoyable light Young Adult SF novel, not particularly special or original.......2006-05-12

Dragon and Slave is the third in Timothy Zahn's ongoing YA series about a 14-year-old boy, Jack Morgan, and his dragonlike alien companion, Draycos. The neat SF twist is that Draycos can twist his body partly into another dimension, and become two-dimensional in our universe. In this form he is "hosted" on Jack's body, looking like a tattoo. His species, in fact, requires such a host. He is the only survivor of an advance guard of his species, fleeing from another galaxy where they are threatened with extermination. Alas, their enemies await them in this galaxy, and Draycos has enlisted Jack's help in finding which human group is helping the bad guys and in somehow neutralizing that threat before the main group of his people arrives. The third main character is Jack's Uncle Virge -- Virge stands for "Virgil" but also punningly for "Virtual" (perhaps), as Uncle Virge is an AI running Jack's starship, his personality based on Jack's now dead real Uncle.

All that was revealed in the first book, Dragon and Thief, which I enjoyed quite a bit. The second and third volumes are rather more routine. I was still entertained, but never surprise, never thrilled.

In Dragon and Slave Jack arranges to be bought as a slave by a family he believes may be connected to the bad guys who are conniving with the aliens who want to exterminate Draycos' people. This is indeed the case, but Jack finds that as a slave his access to the information he wants is severely restricted. Instead he is treated to an unpleasant course in just how nasty slavery is. All this is affecting enough, and I was appropriately full of outrage at the evil slavers. And of course Jack and Draycos, after some setbacks, do manage to get away, with at least some useful information, and doing at least some additional good. And the series plot is advanced just a smidgen.

It's an enjoyable light SF novel, but not particularly special or original. Still, I'll keep reading the series. I suppose I'm hooked. And if Zahn isn't doing anything special, he is at least doing the ordinary stuff -- keeping the reader interested in his characters, keeping the story moving. These aren't so far essential stories, but they are decent efforts.

Zahn Fan.......2006-03-11

I picked up the original Dragonback adventure while browsing in the library. These books are suitable for children because there is no harsh language. I like them because Mr. Zahn spends a great tale, and I want to see if Dracos gets back to his people.

Shrek the Third: The Movie Storybook (Shrek)

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Shrek the Third: The Movie Storybook (Shrek)
Alice Cameron
Manufacturer: HarperEntertainment
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0061228710
Release Date: 2007-04-03

Book Description

Faced with a big decision, Shrek turns to his friends Donkey and Puss for some help. After deciding not to take over the crown from Princess Fiona's father, Shrek must embark on a journey to find a new king. But the task is not an easy one, as the trio runs into trouble with a long list of characters in the forest.

Will they make it home before this difficult quest takes its toll on them?

Average customer rating:

Mustard Seed Magic: Keys to Reading

Manufacturer: The Economy Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0878924345

Keeper Of The Empire (The Third Book in the Keeper Series)

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Keeper Of The Empire (The Third Book in the Keeper Series)
HJ Ralles
Manufacturer: Top Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1929976259

Book Description

The Vorgs have landed! They're grotesque, they spit venom and Mattis is about to be their next victim. In the 3rd book of the Keepers series, Matt finds himself in a terrifying world. With the help of his friend Targon and a daring girl named Angel, Matt must locate the secret hideout of the Govan Resistance. There is no end to the action and excitement as Matt attempts to track down the Keeper, and wen the next level of his computer game.

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