Amazon.com
You'd think there wouldn't be much left to say about a living icon like Muhammad Ali, yet David Remnick imbues King of the World with all the freshness and vitality this legendary fighter displayed in his prime. Beginning with the pre-Ali days of boxing and its two archetypes, Floyd Patterson (the good black heavyweight) and Sonny Liston (the bad black heavyweight), Remnick deftly sets the stage for the emergence of a heavyweight champion the likes of which the world had never seen: a three-dimensional, Technicolor showman, fighter and minister of Islam, a man who talked almost as well as he fought. But mostly Remnick's portrait is of a man who could not be confined to any existing stereotypes, inside the ring or out.
In extraordinary detail, Remnick depicts Ali as a creation of his own imagination as we follow the willful and mercurial young Cassius Clay from his boyhood and watch him hone and shape himself to a figure who would eventually command center stage in one of the most volatile decades in our history. To Remnick it seems clear that Ali's greatest accomplishment is to prove beyond a doubt that not only is it possible to challenge the implacable forces of the establishment (the noir-ish, gangster-ridden fight game and the ethos of a whole country) but, with the right combination of conviction and talent, to triumph over these forces. --Fred Haefele
Book Description
"Succeeds more than any previous book in bringing Ali into focus . . . as a starburst of energy, ego and ability whose like will never be seen again."--The Wall Street Journal
"Best Nonfiction Book of the Year"--Time
"Penetrating . . . reveal[s] details that even close followers of [Ali] might not have known. . . . An amazing story." --The New York Times
On the night in 1964 that Muhammad Ali (then known as Cassius Clay) stepped into the ring with Sonny Liston, he was widely regarded as an irritating freak who danced and talked way too much. Six rounds later Ali was not only the new world heavyweight boxing champion: He was "a new kind of black man" who would shortly transform America's racial politics, its popular culture, and its notions of heroism.
No one has captured Ali--and the era that he exhilarated and sometimes infuriated--with greater vibrancy, drama, and astuteness than David Remnick, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of
Lenin's Tomb (and editor of
The New Yorker). In charting Ali's rise from the gyms of Louisville, Kentucky, to his epochal fights against Liston and Floyd Patterson, Remnick creates a canvas of unparalleled richness. He gives us empathetic portraits of wisecracking sportswriters and bone-breaking mobsters; of the baleful Liston and the haunted Patterson; of an audacious Norman Mailer and an enigmatic Malcolm X. Most of all,
King of the World does justice to the speed, grace, courage, humor, and ebullience of one of the greatest athletes and irresistibly dynamic personalities of our time.
"Nearly pulse-pounding narrative power . . . an important account of a period in American social history." --Chicago Tribune
"A pleasure . . . haunting . . . so vivid that one can imagine Ali saying, 'How'd you get inside my head, boy?'" --Wilfrid Sheed, Time
Customer Reviews:
The King.......2005-11-17
Bertz / Randall
"Almighty god was with me! I want everybody to bear witness! I am the greatest! I shook up the world! I am the greatest thing that ever lived! I don't have a mark on my face, and I just upset Sonny Liston, and I just turned twenty-two years old. I must be the greatest! I showed the world! I
talk to god every day! I am the king of the world!" shouts Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali) to the sporting press, after defeating Sonny Liston in 1964. This statement enraged boxing fans all over the world. Here was a twenty-two year old nobody with a big mouth, and he just defeated Sonny Liston. At the time, Liston was viewed as invincible. Liston was an experienced fighter who was known for defeating his opponents in two rounds or less. Not only did he lose the heavyweight championship to Ali, but he quit without being knocked down once. This declared Ali the king of controversy. "King of the World" by David Remnick is the story of the rise and fall of Muhammad Ali. Remnick does a fantastic job of showing us the different sides of racism. He focuses greatly on Ali's devotion to the Nation of Islam. The book showed many similarities between the Nation of Islam and the Klu Klux Klan. Remnick explained that both the Nation and the Klan were for segregation and that they both use methods of violence and terror to enforce their beliefs. After reading this book, I realized that the similarities are uncanny. Remnick's numerous references to these similarities proved to me that Remnick is a non-violent integrationist. I believe that one of the main points of the book is that segregation is wrong. The book greatly describes how the Nation of Islam had interfered with Muhammad Ali's personal life. For example, Remnick noted Ali's marriage to Sonji. He went into great detail how strong Ali's love was for Sonji, but he couldn't accept her inability to conform to his
religion. This became a problem for them and they eventually got a divorce. Remnick also noted the emotional distance between Ali and his father being caused by his decision to join the Nation of Islam. Remnick goes even further in describing the way Ali turned his back on his best friend Malcolm X. He also wanted to let the reader know that religion should never get in the way of your personal life. The book said that the only thing in Ali's life that Ali regrets is "his cruel and hasty rejection of Malcolm." Now days, Ali looks back at Malcolm X with great respect. The main point Remnick was trying to communicate with his audience was that Ali stood up for what he believed in. Not only in the boxing ring but, also with his religious and political beliefs. In 1966, Muhammad Ali refused to be drafted to fight the war in Vietnam. The government threatened to take away his heavyweight championship and throw him into a federal prison for the next five years. Ali still refused. When they asked him why he refused to fight in the Vietnam war, he replied "I ain't got no quarrel with them Viet Cong." Eldridge Cleaver described Ali as a "genuine revolutionary" and the "first `free' black champion to confront white America." Writer, Jill Nelson, called Ali's refusal of the draft a "supreme act of defiance." However, not everyone supported Ali's refusal of the draft. Conservative boxing fans
called him an unpatriotic bum. They thought he was hiding behind his religion because he was lazy. Remnick took a much more liberal stance on the situation. The author seemed to support Ali's decision. For many years, Muhammad Ali would be both loved and hated by boxing fans of all races. Some people believe that Ali should not have been allowed to be exempt from the war because of his religion. Others looked at his exemption as an amazing defeat. The only thing anyone could agree on was his amazing abilities in the ring. In 1997, during the summer Olympics, Muhammad Ali was invited to light the Olympic torch. In my opinion, this proved Ali to be a very patriotic man. It proved that the world had never forgotten about Ali, and it
never will. Lighting the Olympic torch is one of the highest honors any athlete could be given. "King of the World" was published in 1998. Exactly one year after he lit the Olympic torch. I think that's why this book was written when it was.
The ignition of the 1997 Olympic torch was Ali's return to the public eye. And this book was written to honor him.
Ali is crazy good.......2005-10-07
King of the World by David Remnick was one of the best books I've ever read. It is the true story of a champion and how he got there. I recommend anyone who likes stories about winning and glory, to read this book. If you also like reading about dudes getting smoked by a champ. Read this book.
Death of One of My Heroes..........2005-02-25
For me, this book should have been titled "Death of One of My Heroes," which should become self-evident if you read this entire review. I believe the book is mostly accurate, and it is a well-written book.
Remnick (the author), in my opinion, devotes too much time to Floyd Patterson and Sonny Liston. I also wish he had given more details about Ali as Ali got older and continued to box.
Without question, Muhammad Ali, in his prime, was the greatest heavyweight fighter that has ever fought.
"DEATH OF ONE OF MY HEROES": I did not realize how much Ali allowed the Nation of Islam (NOI) to influence him. Because he let the NOI influence him--yes, Ali DID have a choice!!!--Muhammad Ali: (1)lied about throwing his Olympic medal over a fence, (2)divorced his first wife, (3)broke off a friendship with Malcolm X, and (4)claimed to be a "minister" to avoid the draft. If you think the above describes a "hero," your definition of "hero" differs from mine.
The book is good. Unfortunately, it killed one of my heroes.
Buy it and read it. It is well worth the $$$.
The Titans Reigned Supreme.......2004-04-26
The Titans Reigned Supreme
Fantastic book - more than just the Ali Story -
This is one of the best-written and thought out books of the happenings amongst a small circle of the greatest heavy weights.
You get a rare insight into the lives and minds of Floyd Patterson, Sonny Liston and Cassius Clay - and the awakening/becoming of Muhammad Ali
I went into this book wanting to feed my hunger for knowledge of Muhammad Ali and came out of with a craving for more Sonny Liston - I now want to know all I can about him.
Only a brief period in time is covered - but it's an in-depth look at that time and the people and the places that made up boxing and some of the world outside boxing.
This is a great book for anyone interested in these titans - for anyone interested in Patterson, Liston and Ali - for anyone interested in the history of legends.
One of the best books I've experienced - I truly felt like I was there at times - in that era - that energy of the people and the times
This is one of those books where you wish there was a part 2
muhammed ali discussed.......2003-10-13
the author is a very good writer and his style here makes this book a good read. impressive. the location of the photographs are well placed--not all in the center as in most books--but advantageously placed at the beginning of some chapters. a good read.
Book Description
The whole subject is brought up to date - Arthurian buffs will want this book. DAILY TELEGRAPHWho was the real Arthur? Why were his knights so famous? Was he buried at Glastonbury? Richard Barber takes the story from the anonymous 8th century chronicler who first listed his battles to the novelists of the 20th century. A clear and readable account of the development of the stories about Arthur and his court from the earliest times to the present day.
Customer Reviews:
another of Barber's excellent works.......2003-11-24
I do believe there is not an English monarch or a mover and shaker around them that Barber has not written a book about. I might be wrong, but not by much! His works are wonderfully researched and developed, making them a pleasure to read. While he has written biographies on many different people, he has a vast list of books on Arthur and Grail Lore.
I really like this one, because he looks past the valiant legend and searches out Arthur the man. Arthur - as far back as Longshanks - has been molded and used to their purposes - so it's hard to peel back all the layers and get back to original Arthur.
Barber takes on that chore of removing the many embellishments, in a work that is enjoyable for the average reader as well as the Grail Addicts. Loaded with medieval paintings and woodcuttings this book is a wealth of information.
A must for any Grail Lore Library.
Average customer rating:
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The King: Denis Law, Hero of the Stretford End
Brian Hughes
Manufacturer: Empire Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Soccer | Biographies | Sports | Subjects | Books
General | Football (American) | Sports | Subjects | Books
General | Soccer | Sports | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1901746356 |
Book Description
Denis Law was hero and villain all rolled into one. His high-octane performances for United and City often put him on a crash course with the football establishment, while jealous onlookers from Merseyside and London would question his temperament and character. Yet for fans of both Manchester clubs Denis was a Boys' Own hero - a player capable of incredible feats of skill and power - all carried off with the knowing smile and villainous touch of a Piccadilly pickpocket. To Mancunians, this son of an Aberdonian trawlerman became part of the fabric of the city; first as a dynamic frontman for the Blues and later as an all-action hero at Matt Busby's United. In the latest of his biographies of former United greats, Brian Hughes traces the Scot's transformation from unlikely looking teenage footballer to the world's pre-eminent striker.Law's progress up the football ladder was prolific. The bespectacled youth who joined Huddersfield in 1955 didn't look much like a future world star but Bill Shankly's first reaction to his performances on the pitch were telling - 'he's a terror', said the then Huddersfield boss.But if Denis' subsequent transfers to Manchester City and later Torino confirmed his status as football's rising star, his arrival at Old Trafford in 1962 confirmed him as a phenomenon. The Reds £115,000 swoop secured a player of huge influence both on and off the pitch. For 11 years his personality dominated the thoughts of United fans as Lawmania gripped the city until his shock transfer to the Blues in 1973. Thus the stage was set for the ironic denouement in April 1974 - Denis' backheel consigning United to Second Division football and the Law legend to immortality.
Customer Reviews:
Sensational Biography.......2003-07-22
Denis Law may be unknown to Americans, but his status in 1960s Britain was as high as Joe Namath's was stateside in the same period. Law was the schoolboy's pin-up in this period, transforming soccer with an aggresive, attacking instinct that thrilled crowds for his club Manchester United. That he later went on to effectively relegate his old club while playing for United's crosstown rivals Manchester City has only added to the Law legend. Brian Hughes book documents a career and a character with few rivals, and explains why a portly middle-aged man is still revered in Manchester as 'The King'.
Book Description
During the French-Indian War, Chief Escumbuit fought on the side of the French against the English. Having killed many English subjects, Escumbuit was summoned to Paris where he was knighted by the French king.
Customer Reviews:
Significant Contribution to Indian Historical Documentation.......2007-09-04
"French Hero! British Monster! Indian Patriot!" appears on the cover of Abenaki Warrior: The Life and Times of Chief Escumbuit, by Alfred E. Kayworth. It's still true! You learn something new everyday! In this historical narrative, fiction-based but full of documentation, Kayworth has presented us with a "one and only"! What a find!
Most of us have heard of Chiefs Geronomo and Cochise--Indians who participated in battles as western America was colonized. However, in the northeast part of the United States, during the late 1600s, an Abenaki Indian, Escumbuit, claimed early and easy fame as a young brave who grew to become a warrior chief and sachem of the Pigwacket Tribe. His life had never been explored and developed prior to Kayworth's work.
This book not only pulls together the facts from many historical documents, but, with further research and study, Kayworth developed a fictional life story that reads almost in novel form to explore the life of Chief Escumbuit. In fact, this book transformed Escumbuit from an "historical non-entity to Canadian celebrity," (p. 253) after which Dr. Sylvie Savoie was commissioned on behalf of several Amerindian groups to study his life further. Chief Escumbuit has since been designated A Personage of Historical Significance in Canadian History through the Canadian Heritage Program. (p. 254). He shares this honor with three other Indians, including Tecumseh.
A small island at Big Island Pond, Derry, New Hampshire, is named after Chief Escumbuit. The Abenaki Indians had claimed Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont as their home and near the end of Escumbuit's life (1665 to 1727) he lived on the Island later named in his honor.
Escumbuit was born to be a warrior. He was born into a tribe that was known for their cruelty. The child was known as Ottucke, the Indian name for deer, apparently due to his running ability. When another boy stole and broke his dagger, Ottucke attacked him with a blind fury. He was pulled off the boy before killing him and from that moment his reputation began to grow. Ottucke was ten years old.
During the wars between England and France to gain territory in America, Escumbuit was a member of those Indians who helped the French. He may well be the only Indian who traveled to Europe, was knighted by King Louis XIV at the Palace of Versailles and presented with a silver saber and a life-long pension by the King. At this time, he had been credited with the death and scalping of 150 English settlers. Escumbuit spent a year in France and was welcomed by all, including the ladies of the court!
An interesting side story for Escumbuit was that he discovered a silver mine in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Much of the silver was used for bullets! It is not quite clear whether the silver mine was ever actually mined--perhaps it is still there waiting for a new Escumbuit to have his manatou show him the way through his vision quest.
The proud warrior that appears on the Abenaki Warrior cover is illustrative of the life led by Chief Escumbuit. While the book itself does not read fluently as would a novel, this is easily forgiven by the presentation of facts and the writing style that tells Escumbuit's life as though it was being presented to readers by his now long-gone ancestors. This is a significant historical contribution in my opinion and hopefully will lead to further research of the history of those Indians who were there on the eastern coast as the United States was first being colonized. These were bloody times; many brave warriors lost their lives as their land was invaded. America should know of this history . . . and remember. America was the "ancestral home (of our Indian brothers and sisters) since pre-historic time." (p. 16).
Even if you are not "into" history, this book deserves your attention. It is easily understood and of value to all ages. It provides a major contribution to our understanding of early America! Highly Recommended!
Review on a fascinating piece of American Indian History.......2001-08-27
I am a really admirer of the American Indian History, and I am countinuosly searching for books and other material that can be useful at the purpose to find out any news on it; in this optic I have read with pleasure the Kayworth's book. Undoubtedly well documented from an historical point of view, the author does not limit himself to present the life of one of the most notable Indian War Chiefs, detailing with plenty of particulars the most salient aspects of it (i.e: his visit to the KING LOUIS XIV in France and his life as a ferocious Abenaki warrior), but, also, presenting him from a perspective dictated by his human being, his thoughts as an old man, as a banished by his tribe, and, above all a man near to his death having, at least, the consolation of his new family that love him. In add, I was struck by the real Escumbuit's friendship with the French official Marin,sincere and truthful; it is presented us also together with several imaginary dialogues that, nevertheless are trying to explain us two different worlds, two different thoughts that are doing their best at the purpose to perfectly understand each other. I absolutely recommend to read this book to all that are thinking like me that the Indians are the unique thing that they have to be: men with their emotions, lovers of their way to life and above all of their earth.
Cautionary review.......2000-04-15
Although Abenaki Warrior is filled with interesting information, I was appalled by the ignorant, racist comments that the author inserted throughout the book - comments obviously with no basis in fact. For example "...the Indian mind did not recogize such complex emotions as conscience and guilt." This and MANY other similar comments and insulting "conclusions" about "savages" etc. made it difficult to complete the book or lend any credibility to the factual information in it. A good, sensitive editor should have excised these remarks. The author should be ashamed.
a fascinating story about our early colonial history.......1998-12-06
England and France competed for control of the new world for more than 100 years. Caught in this mealstrom were the native americans who were destined to loose there land no matter which side they joined. Alfred Kayworth chronicles the life of Escumbuit an Abenaki Indian from the Pigwaset tribe living in Maine. Escumbuit, born in 1665, becomes active in the war as a French ally against the English settlers from 1688 through 1708 when he is wounded and retires among a group of displaced indians living on Big Island Pond in Southern New Hampshire. His adventures carry him from New Brunswick Canada down to Haverhill and Andover, Mass. His exploits and fame were such that the King of France , Louis XIV, brought Escumbuit to Paris, knighted him and gave him a silver sword and lifetime pension. He spent a year in Paris as a guest of the crown being wined and dined by the elite. He died in 1727. One of the islands in the pond is called Escumbuits Island.It is from this reference to the island that the author first encounters the name Escumbuit. His research resulted in a fascinating book, written in novel form, containing both fact and fiction. The Abenakis left no written record, but Escumbuits exploits as a French ally and an English enemy were such that there are documents written by contemporary individuals on both sides praising or vilifying him. The gaps in the historical record are filled in from the authors imagination, but are based on Abenaki culture as he came to know it through his research. He clearly delineates fact from fiction in foot notes and bibliography. He also peppers the book with facts not directly associated with the subject of the book, such as the aborted invasion of Boston and the east coast by a French fleet and army in 1697. The author does not preach or judge the charaters about whom he write. He tells his story letting events flow without coloring them with his 20th century cultural bias. I read the book in a couple of sittings, enjoying it from cover to cover. I wonder how many other stories like this are out there about this ignored part of our heritage.
A valiant warrior's quest to change the course of history.......1998-07-15
Being of Native American heritage, I was fascinated by the way Mr. Kayworth combined the personal and historical aspects of the life of Chief Escumbuit. It makes one feel that, if they walked on Escumbuit Island today, they would sense the presense of those long gone Abenaki warriors and their families. Sue Manic, Descendant Cherokee Indian Nation
Book Description
King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table have captured the world's imagination since medieval times. The tales of King Arthur are rooted in history, but over the years the facts have become shrouded in myth and mystery. In this beautifully illustrated book Arthurian expert John Matthews explores the legends that have grown around the king and uncovers the mysteries of Arthur's Britain. The numerous characters surrounding King Arthur are introduced and the facts behind the epic saga are revealed.
•Contains 120 color and black-and-white images
•Covers Merlin, Guenevere, Lancelot, the Holy Grail, and all the mythic search for characters
Customer Reviews:
Interesting and Fun!.......2006-06-21
I was expecting a very different book when I read this! Instead of long, boring text book, I found it fun to read as well as informative. I especially loved the pictures as I love art. The insight on not only King Arthur, but Merlin, Quenevere, and other legendary characters was very interesting. It was nice to read some new ideas about the orgin of King Arthur, however some of the opinions did seem a little recycled. Also included were examples of stories, and lots of citings from medival writers. If you are looking for a good read about King Arthur I highly recommend this. It is fun to read, and also very informing, as well as visually entertaining!
Question.......2005-07-01
Any Dragon related pics? used to dream of that, that was like Arthur, but the book was filled with dragon pics, so if you have any clue, please email me! (please)
A great book!.......2004-12-01
In this wonderful book, author John Matthews presents the reader with Britain's King Arthur in his many forms. Beginning with a history of the Dark Ages, and the early historical resources that mention King Arthur, the author moves through all of the Arthurian legends in their manifold forms. All of the characters you are familiar with are here, and some are presented in an entirely new light. For example, in Geoffrey of Monmouth's Vita Merlini, Merlin is presented as a prophet and wild man.
This is a great book! In a surprisingly small package, it contains a lot of information about King Arthur and the other characters of the stories, going well beyond the stories presented by Hollywood. Also, I must say that the many colorful pictures make this book a joy to read. So, if you are interested in King Arthur, then you really must get this book! I highly recommend it.
This is a REally Fun and Educational Read.......2004-10-08
If you like to read about Arthurian legend and want to see the facts behind the myths, then this is a good book to turn to. It is filled with many written information historians have found as well as famous places during that time (Ie: Glastonbury and the place where they believe Camelot existed) And it is wonderfully illistrated too. Beautiful pictures of archiological findings and buildings and such. IT's such an astounding read as well as fun pictures to look at. Get this if you like that sort of thing.
Average customer rating:
- Saladin: Hero of Islam is heavily researched yet accessible to lay readers
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SALADIN: Hero of Islam
Geoffrey Hindley
Manufacturer: Pen and Sword
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
General | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books
General | Middle East | History | Subjects | Books
General | World | History | Subjects | Books
Medieval | World | History | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:
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Saladin: All-Powerful Sultan and the Uniter of Islam
ASIN: 1844154998 |
Book Description
The extraordinary character and career of Saladin are the keys to understanding the Battle of Hattin, the fall of Jerusalem and the failure of the Third Crusade. He united warring Muslim lands, reconquered the bulk of Crusader states and faced the Richard the Lion Heart, king of England, in one of the most famous confrontations in medieval warfare. Geoffrey Hindley's sympathetic and highly readable study of the life and times of this remarkable, many-sided man, who dominated the Middle East in his day, gives a fascinating insight into his achievements and into the Muslim world of his contemporaries.
Customer Reviews:
Saladin: Hero of Islam is heavily researched yet accessible to lay readers.......2007-08-05
Medieval historian Geoffrey Hindley presents Saladin: Hero of Islam. Originally published in 1976, Saladin: Hero of Islam is now in a new edition, which takes into account the latest scholarship on Saladin's career and also features an updated introduction. Chapters tell how Saladin achieved a swift rise to power through conquest, intrigue, and opportunism; Saladin's tremendous gifts as a battlefield commander and military organizer stemming from his singleness of purpose and virtually unique political skill; and perhaps most unusual for military leaders of his era, Saladin's qualities and ethics that earned him a reputation for chivalry and mercy. Saladin: Hero of Islam does not idolize Saladin, yet actively seeks to understand just why his reputation in the Christian as well as the Muslim world has endured to the present day. Featuring black-and-white plates, Saladin: Hero of Islam is heavily researched yet accessible to lay readers, and highly recommended for library collections and biographical reading lists.
Average customer rating:
- Arthur, King of the Britons
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Arthur, King of Britons: From Celtic hero to cinema icon
Daniel Mersey
Manufacturer: Summersdale Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Folklore | Mythology | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
General | Mythology | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1840244038 |
Customer Reviews:
Arthur, King of the Britons.......2007-08-25
From the cover: King Arthur is probably the most popular king in British history, and a man whose name is synonymous with courage, chivalry and romanticism. But is he just a myth? Arthur, King of the Britons; Arthur, the medieval legend; Arthur, the Celtic warlord; Arthur of the Pre-Raphaelites and the Arthur of the movies . . . would the real King Arthur please stand up? Mersey explores the many theories and myths surrounding this famous icon in his compelling biography.
Book Description
Dale was stranded... and around him he gathered the flotsam and jetsam outcasts of a doomed world in deadly peril, becoming it's last desperate defender. The gathering of this group of defenders is the essence of this panoramic novel. It is a novel of the journey of a technologically advanced hero stranded on a world steeped in magic, and the people he gathers along the way-technology made to control reality and magic that would not be controlled. lt’s about people with strong personalities thrown into conflict and held together by the will of one man, a man with a cause, to save a world. WIZARD’S BANE – Book one of the Sojurn Chronicles, is a novel of boundless imagination, wonderful characters, and fast paced action that can be compared with the Shadow Trilogy by Chris Claremont and George Lucas and the daring days of “classic” fantasy. Ray McLester
Customer Reviews:
A unique, creative blend of science and technology with fantasy and magic!.......2007-09-06
Dale is a man in trouble, stranded, lost and seriously out of place - transported through a galactic space warp and marooned on Earth by means and enemies unknown! He is worried to discover that his sophisticated, technologically advanced tools and weaponry, normally capable of modifying and controlling the people and the environment around him are now undependable, inconsistent and frequently out of commission entirely. But the tools that he does have and his charismatic force of personality are sufficient to gather around him a ragtag collection of misfits that seem to have also lost their place in the world - a thief bent on reform and self-improvement, an "animal-whisperer" who dropped out of the local wizard's college, the spoiled son of a baron, a demon held in thrall by a sorcerer's spell who can't seem to stay out of trouble and the runaway pacifist son of a cutthroat murderer.
As Dale and his strange fellowship fight for their lives against Gorgs that, time and again, materialize out of nowhere to attack them, (think really mean, really ugly and really powerful ogres - big brutes with a serious attitude problem) they come to the realization that the entire world is under attack by a magical force that survived the Wizard's War thought to have ended over fifty thousand years earlier. The world's only hope for survival against an impending all-out attack rests with Dale's technological know-how reaching the city of Villenspell and enlisting the magical aid of the City of Wizards!
The obvious themes of "fellowship", "quest" and "world survival" beg for the reader to compare "Wizard's Bane" to Tolkien's classic "Lord of the Rings". I wouldn't presume to make such a grandiose comparison but it is clear that Crystalwizard has succeeded admirably in drawing on the work of the giants before her while still injecting a dose of originality that is at once charming, thrilling, humorous, moving and unique in its own right! As the first novel of a six-part epic, "Wizard's Bane" focuses primarily on the character development of the "fellowship" and the realization of the extent of the trouble the world is really in as it comes under attack from the Gorg army. In a manner reminiscent of Clifford Simak's warm pastoral style of writing, Crystalwizard's characters are realistic, personable, down-home and easy for any reader to identify with and care about. Her credible, completely natural dialogue flows easily and there are plenty of light moments that will cause a chuckle or a wry smile. That "Wizard's Bane" barely gets revved up on the plot can be forgiven on the understanding that there are five novels left for the now eager reader to enjoy.
Where "Wizard's Bane" creatively departs from the standard medieval based sword fantasy is Crystalwizard's unique marriage of sci-fi and creative technology with good old-fashioned wizardry and magic - the science even touches quite clearly on relativistic concepts of time dilation and space warping!
Highly recommended for lovers of both sci-fi and fantasy! In fact, I can't think of a better book to introduce devoted readers of one genre to the joys of the other! I think I'll head off to the bookstore to look up a copy of "Villenspell - City of Wizards".
Paul Weiss
Reviewed by Sarra Borne.......2007-07-13
A classical style fantasy novel that draws its influences from many recognizable sources, Wizard's Bane captures the reader's attention and draws them into the pages. In the opening paragraphs that are vaguely reminiscent of the start of Terminator: The Movie we meet Dale, a man from a technologically superior world who finds himself marooned in a land of magic. Dale has a penchant for attracting a rag-tag band of followers that, not surprisingly, ultimately end up matching the character profiles found in the role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons.
This group of misfits sets out on a multi-focal quest to restore Dale's missing powers, discover the truth about themselves, and what good fantasy novel would omit - save the world from sure destruction at the hand of otherworldly invaders. The pacing of the story takes a backseat to character development in this book, so not much progress is made towards the fulfillment of their quest, a good thing in this case as all of the characters possess strong but likeable personalities making it difficult to choose a favorite.
As this is book one in a series, the ending is very much a cliffhanger, since it ends rather abruptly right before they reach their first of many goals. Fortunately books two and three, Villenspell: City of Wizards (2005) and Wizards and Wanderers: Book Three of the Sojourn Chronicles (2006) are already available, and books four through six are written but not yet published according to the author's website.
A few minor flaws: the proof-reading isn't perfect, leaving behind a few errors that wouldn't be caught by a spell-checker. The layout style is a little odd and takes a little getting accustomed to as there are an abundance of new paragraphs, the majority of which are only one sentence long.
A 'must' for fans of fantasy.......2007-03-03
Crystalwizard is a storyteller of considerable ability. Some people aspire to be good writers; my own belief is that the art of weaving a good story is a prerequisite to the craft of putting that story onto paper (or computer screen). Others will doubtless disagree. But, if I aspire to anything as a writer, it is to become a good story teller. Crystalwizard is a good story teller.
Though I have only read the first book of the Sojourn Chronicles, it is clearly an epic tale of Tolkien proportions. The characters are believable, in a fantastic sort of way, and there is both a noble goal (that spans books) and immediate challenges and dangers for the hero, Dale, to overcome. Dale has a mission to accomplish, though he only slowly becomes aware of its scope while struggling to survive on the world into which he has been thrust. His survival is accompanied by his gathering a strange assortment of misfits on his journey to the "city of wizards".
There were some nice touches in the story. I was tickled by the idea of programming as 'magic' (a spell got stuck in a 'for ... next loop')which reminded me of Arthur C Clarke's quotation "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
In one sense, I was disappointed in the way that book one ended; there was less of a climax than I would have liked. But in another sense, this is part of the epic genre; how do you end a story that is a part of a much larger story? If you read Wizard's Bane, then be prepared to read book two (and book three, and ...)
Also be prepared to encounter the odd misplaced word on the way through. These things didn't bother me, but I did notice them. If you are pedantically inclined, then don't let this spoil an otherwise great read.
All in all, I consider this to be a read that shouldn't be missed, and I will be reading the second book very soon.
Wizard's Bane.......2006-04-02
Wizard's Bane is fantastic. I could not put it down and read it within 2 days. The main character takes the role of a leader dealing with the different personalities with each addition to his traveling troupe and must guide this mix matched group to a place, yet to be revealed. As a mystery reader I found it challenging. As a parent I am excited to be able to share it with my children. I look forward to the rest of the series.
Fantastic Reading!.......2006-03-29
Wizard's Bane is very hard to put down once you
read the first chapter. I showed the book to my
friends who couldn't wait for me to finish my copy
to barrow it! I read the book late into the night
and had it finished in 3 days!
I really like the main character and how he deals
with the situations he gets into! Some of the book
just makes me laugh so hard and other parts are scary.
The second book is a must and I'm anxious to get
the rest in the series!
MLM
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