Product Description
"The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed." With those words, millions of readers were introduced to Stephen King's Roland -- an implacable gunslinger in search of the enigmatic Dark Tower, powering his way through a dangerous land filled with ancient technology and deadly magic. Now, in a comic book personally overseen by King himself, Roland's past is revealed! Sumptuously drawn by Jae Lee and Richard Isanove, adapted by long-time Stephen King expert Robin Furth (author of Stephen King's The Dark Tower: A Concordance) and scripted by New York Times Best-seller Peter David, this series delves deep into Roland's origins -- the perfect introduction to this incredibly realized world, while long-time fans will thrill to adventures merely hinted at in the novels. Be there for the very beginning of a modern classic of fantasy literature!
Customer Reviews:
The Dark Tower #1.......2007-09-15
I'm giving the same review to all the comics in this series. It's too bad that King's epoch is so monumental that this comic serialization represents only a miniscule slice but for an abridgement it is excellent and,in my opinion, they've chosen the best segment. The writing is good, the art work alone is worth the purchase of the series. The insightful essays following each segment were enlightening. The down side was the back-slapping, self-gratification-fest that ended each book. If I felt any need to know how talented each of the contributers felt the others in the group were I'd go on the internet and look it up. I'm paying for a book, not an awards dinner. bg
Ka is the wind.......2007-09-09
"The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed."
Those words opened the first book of Stephen King's "Dark Tower" series, and they open the chilling, richly-drawn "Dark Tower: The Gunslinger Born." This opening comic introduces a younger, less cynical Roland, and the harrowing tale of how he became a true gunslinger.
It opens with the gunslinger and the man in black, endlessly pursuing and pursued across the desert, and introduces us to their timeless natures.
Then the comic takes us back many years, to when Roland of Gilead was a teenage boy learning how to be a warrior. He and a bunch of other boys are being tutored by Cort, a bondsman who knows all the fighting tricks, and is supposed to teach them to be gunslingers -- or be exiled forever.
But during his training, he accidentally stumbles on his mother Gabrielle, naked in the wizard Marten's bed. Enraged, Roland goes to Cort and challenges him, taking the ultimate risk so he can become a gunslinger... but it's a lethal battle that will take a terrible sacrifice to win.
"Gunslinger Born" is basically adapted from the flashbacks from Stephen King's "Wizard and Glass," so fans of the book will probably already be acquainted with the tragic story of Roland's past. But it's almost as striking in comic form as in book form.
Part of that comes from Jae Lee and Richard Isanove. A lot of adaptations fall flat ("Anita Blake", anyone?), but their detailed artwork gives vibrant life to the story -- sun-dried fields, ruined buildings, ominously darkened chambers, and faces that seem to be riddled with shadows. There are moments of beauty (the last pages) and others of pure ugliness like Roland's fight with Cort.
But artwork alone doesn't make a comic book good. Robin Furth and Peter David recrafted King's prose for this -- the dialogue is spare and understated, while the narration has an ironic, regretful quality, as if Roland himself were telling the readers of his story. It's even peppered with the language of this postapocalyptic world ("... set your watch and warrant on it.")
And we get to see Roland back when he was a brash young teenager, very different from the grizzled gunslinger at the start. He's strong, brave and honorable, but also very young and impatient. And we get to see other characters from his past -- his careworn father, the malignant Marten, his childhood friends, and his junkieish mother.
The first part of the "Gunslinger Born" comic series is a dark, ominous experience, and a haunting look at this classic anti-hero's past.
amazing.......2007-08-28
the artwork in this comic is amazing. I am really impressed and plan to buy all of them for a collection.
Highly satisfying.......2007-08-23
Any fan of the DARK TOWER epic should add these wonderfully written and illustrated comics to their collection. I can't wait for the next release....
Wow.......2007-06-13
I collected comics as a teenager, and ten years later the reason I am back into it is because of this series! I read the Dark Tower books last year and LOVED it. If you haven't read the 7 novel series, do it! Now!
This comic is EXTREMELY well done. It's obvious those involved really care about this story. The artwork is beautiful. While I do appreciate the background and art sketches they give towards the end of each comic, I would definitely enjoy having more pages devoted to the actual story while keeping all the additional material. If you like the Dark Tower and comics, this is something you will love.
Product Description
Young Roland Deschain and friends have fled for the city of Hambry, as their home in Gilead is now too dangerous. But, once there, Roland learns to his horror that he is no safer. Hambry's leaders have switched allegiance and the assassins known as the Big Coffin Hunters have marked Roland and company for death! Plus articles and bonus features galore!
In this comic book series, personally overseen by King himself, Roland's past is revealed! Sumptuously drawn by Jae Lee and Richard Isanove, adapted by long-time Stephen King expert Robin Furth (author of Stephen King's The Dark Tower: A Concordance) and scripted by New York Times Best-seller Peter David, this series delves deep into Roland's origins -- the perfect introduction to this incredibly realized world, while long-time fans will thrill to adventures merely hinted at in the novels.
Customer Reviews:
King's Tower #3.......2007-09-15
I'm giving the same review to all the comics in this series. It's too bad that King's epoch is so monumental that this comic serialization represents only a miniscule slice but for an abridgement it is excellent and,in my opinion, they've chosen the best segment. The writing is good, the art work alone is worth the purchase of the series. The insightful essays following each segment were enlightening. The down side was the back-slapping, self-gratification-fest that ended each book. If I felt any need to know how talented each of the contributers felt the others in the group were I'd go on the internet and look it up. I'm paying for a book, not an awards dinner. bg
The Gunslinger Born 3.......2007-04-27
Great story
Great art work
Cool conversation with King at the end...get this one if you've got the others.
Book Description
"The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed." With those words, millions of readers were introduced to Stephen King's Roland - an implacable gunslinger in search of the enigmatic Dark Tower, powering his way through a dangerous land filled with ancient technology and deadly magic. Now, in a comic book personally overseen by King himself, Roland's past is revealed! Sumptuously drawn by Jae Lee and Richard Isanove, adapted by long-time Stephen King expert Robin Furth (author of Stephen King's The Dark Tower: A Concordance) and scripted by New York Times bestseller Peter David, this series delves in depth into Roland's origins - the perfect introduction to this incredibly realized world; while long-time fans will thrill to adventures merely hinted at in the novels. Be there for the very beginning of a modern classic of fantasy literature! Collects Dark Tower: The Gunslinger Born #1-7.
Book Description
With designers constantly working for clients and having a limited amount of freedom in much of their work, the chance to strike out on their own and do something truly original and personal is a real luxury. The cards included represent some of the most creative design available so are a wonderful source of inspiration for all types of projects. All designers and design firms, whether in-house or freelance, create their own greeting cards which serve not only as a greeting card, but as an opportunity to show off their work in a totally unique and uninhibited light. In addition, they are the perfect project because they are small enough so they are not incredibly time consuming nor are they very expensive to produce -- even with unique materials or treatments.
Customer Reviews:
A full color collection of thumbnail images - Umm... Yay?.......2007-08-04
I have a lot of problems with this book.
The first being that while the designs are split into categories such as "brand identity", "invitations" and "self branding" (among others) the individual pieces have virtually no information given on their purpose or use. It would be very helpful to know standard information like the target audience or main goals attributed to the selected works shown. It isn't enough to simply lump sum all this work into a category and offer no explanation on demographics or psychographics. A directory at the end of the book lists who designed the work, but that's really all you get.
The second thing that irked me is that the pictures are very small. Each page may have half a dozen or more pieces shown but no detail shots of any. This further adds to my first complaint. The viewer can't even deduce for themselves what most of the work was intended for since the images are so small. Some of the photography is very lovely and truly works to show off the best qualities of the selected pieces but without detailed shots or full page displays the viewer is left unsatisfied.
While all the designs shown are very good, many are based off of common ideas. Lots of Pseudo-Asian, lots of decomposed and grunge. While they're attractive, they're not particularly inspiring.
Over all I think this book would do more good in the hands of a craft minded individual and not a designer. I can see many of the invitations lending themselves well to home projects and offering some inspiration for personal correspondence stationery.
An acceptable coffee table book, but not a design tool.
Great Resource.......2007-03-09
Love this book. It's jam-packed with inspirational greetings that can be applied to all types of graphic design projects. I plan on buying their other 1000 series in the near future.
My favorite book ever.......2007-02-22
I bought this book and used it everyday until I lost it. I felt completely off base without it for several months until I couldn't take it anymore and purchased it AGAIN! I absolutely love 1000 greetings and recommend it to everyone.
Who is this for?.......2007-01-31
Not enough details for inspiration. They say a picture is worth 1,000 words, not in this case. Maybe if they would have given us a quick paragraph about the piece, (how, who, what, . . .etc). I'm sure the designers would've loved this. Were they even asked?
A lot of fluff, not a lot of detail.......2007-01-19
While this book is filled with 1000 different images, you don't get any details. What does the card look like when opened? What type of client was this project done for? Also, the images are incredibly small so you can't read any of the copy, which for some of the designs, is critical to their success. I wouldn't have bought this book had I been browsing in a store and been able to see it first.
Book Description
"Enthralling...As fascinating as any novel and more so than most!"
THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW
Against the monumental canvas of seventeenth- and eighteenth-century Europe and Russia, unfolds the magnificent story of Peter the Great. He brought Russia from the darkness of its own Middle Ages into the Enlightenment and transformed it into the power that has its legacy in the Russia of our own century.
Customer Reviews:
Detailed insights into the life of Peter the Great.......2007-09-22
This is a rich, detailed examination of the life of Peter the Great. One almost gets a sense that his was a life characterized by ADHD--but with enough ability and imagination and focus that the almost out of control energy worked to his homeland's benefit.
This book examines in considerable depth the arc of his life, from childhood and the dangers that he faced, to his play warrior simulations, to his journey abroad, to his desire to reshape Russia as a more modern nation. Well told is his zeal to create a Russian navy that would be a force. From his childhood on, he was fascinated with this thought. The book recalls how his childhood imaginings developed until, indeed, he had developed a navy that was able to project Russian power.
His learning to be a soldier is also told well. He had ups and downs as a military leader. Part III of the book details dreadful losses and an ultimate triumph over the Swedish forces at Poltava.
Then there is his desire to create a new capital city, a city to be the envy of the world. The book outlines the many struggles and challenges in the creation of St. Petersburg.
The reader will feel almost exhausted by the end, as a result of the great ambitions, the enormous energy, the prodigious accomplishments of Peter the Great. The book balances well his failures with his triumphs and provides a nuanced view of this important historical figure.
Very enjoyable biography.......2007-09-12
I've just finished reading this book in 2 weeks - mainly when i'm commuting to and from work. There's very little i can add to the positive reviews. This is one biography that reads like an action-packed novel. Here's what i enjoy most about this book:
1. It's written in a very engaging manner. I breezed through all 900pages of the story not wanting to stop. Having read some shorter historical biographies where my interest ran out less than halfway through the book, this really says a lot about this book and its author. Robert Massie had stucked to the facts and yet narrated them in a way that was never boring.
2. You not only learn about Peter the great as a person - warts and all, you also get to know many luminaries of early 18th century Europe. E.g. the warrior-like King Charles XII of Sweden (Peter's archrival of the Great Northern War), William of Orange, King George I just to name a few. The narratives on these person are threaded together as part of Peter's life story and are no less interesting than that about Peter himself.
3. One gets a feel of what life was like in Europe at that time because the author described in detail the various places that Peter lived in, e.g. his beloved St Petersburg, Paris which Peter visited during his second grand tour of Europe, London/Amsterdam which Peter visited in his first grand tour.
After finishing the book you feel that you've learnt a great deal about Peter (the Tsar and person) as well as the stage (Europe from late 1600s to 1720s) on which he performed. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in history.
An outstanding account of an astounding monarch.......2007-07-27
If it were a novel, Peter the Great's roller-coaster life would seem wildly implausible. As a small child he was seized and terrorized in a Kremlin revolt, with many trusted state councilors hunted down and murdered before his eyes. As the teenage Tsar of an almost landlocked country, he fell wildly in love with boats, rivers and the sea, and made it his adult policy to obtain a Baltic port and build a first class Russian navy. (His early tiny sail boat was later saluted by its "grandchildren", a magnificent Russian Baltic fleet.) Raised to be an isolated autocrat, he rejected pomp and enthusiastically toured Europe incognito, visiting and questioning people of all ranks, in all trades, and learning to be a shipyard worker. Leader of a backward, inward-looking country, he enthusiastically adopted change and almost single-handedly transformed Russia into an outward-looking European power. Seeking to build a navy, he endured a twenty year war with Sweden under its military genius Charles XII, culminating with the defeat of an invading Swedish army deep in the Ukraine. And there is much, much more...
Massie does not assume any prior knowledge of Peter's times and he carefully and skillfully introduces the rulers and the national policies of key powers such as France, Hanover and Turkey. Particular attention is paid to Peter's arch-rival Charles XII of Sweden, who was an astounding and enigmatic figure in his own right.
This is a lot of material to cover, even in 850 pages, but Massie moves along briskly and keeps it exceptionally lively and interesting throughout.
A True Enlightened Despot.......2007-03-26
This is a wonderfully written biography of Peter the Great. It goes deeply into the many challenges that Peter faced in his rise to power. It then looks at Peter's lifelong efforts to drag Russia from its political/economic/cultural slumber into the 18th century. No easy feat -not even for an autocrat who was never hesitant to break skulls to achieve what he wanted (as illustrated by the building of Peter's beloved "Window on the West"). Neverthless, Peter did transform Russia into a major European (and Central Asian) player and I think that Massie covers this nicely. Massie takes care to balance out Peter's ruthlessness with his devotion to modernize Russia. At the same time, he takes care not to judge Peter's brand of goverance with 21st century notions of human rights.
The best of the Romanovs.......2007-02-16
I read this book about a year ago, and in the year since i have read about 20 or so other historical biographies, and i can say without a doubt this is by far the best of the bunch. From the stories of the Peter's drunken debauches, to his trials as a dentist on his subjects, to the transformation of Russia from a backward backwater ready to be picked apart by the rest of Europe to a first class power. Whether Massie has one of the most fascinating figures in all history to work with or he's just an amazing writer, either way this book is one of the if not the best biography I have ever read, and certianly the most entertaining.
Book Description
For ages the fairy godmother has helped make young girls' dreams come true. Now, for the first time, she reveals her closely guarded secrets in one wondrous volume. Everything a girl needs to know about being a princess is presented in this facsimile of the fairy godmother's personal journal, from how to wear a sparkling tiara and choose a fancy gown to what to expect at a royal ball and how to recognize a true prince. In addition to her advice and tips, the fairy godmother offers stories and personal reminiscences, all illustrated with breathtaking paintings of rich landscapes, marvelous castle interiors, and princesses from around the world. This is an incomparable gift for girls who dream of having a little fairy godmother magic in their lives.
Customer Reviews:
For princesses young and old.......2007-07-30
Just for the record, I happen to be 24 years old. A coworker brought this book in to show the office, and all of the women adored it. I bought two copies - one for my little cousin and one for myself just for fun (at five years old, I was utterly convinced of my regal status).
I read all of the reviews posted prior to buying, and I think most are pretty accurate. The book itself is beautiful - loaded with inserts, envelopes with surprises and lovely illustrations (some more beautiful than others).
I was aware of the criticism of the books alleged "insensitivity" and pettiness. But for a children's book, it does a great job of interjecting some multiculturalism (has a Princesses of the World section) and a nice message at the end that "being a true princess is about treating all living creatures with kindness and generosity and about accepting people for who they are...."
As an adult, I was especially fond of the "How to Recognize a Fairy Godmother section" and the book's advice about good and bad princes. This is definitely a fun little book I'll treasure.
Cute Book.......2007-07-12
I bought this book for my granddaughter's 8th birthday. She just loved the activities and the pictures. Any one that likes princess stories will like this story book.
A Princess Prmer.......2007-05-07
Everyone has been so pleased with this book. Saturday it was actually being passed around the family with lots of ooos & ahhhs. Very worthwhile book.
princess 101.......2007-04-04
any girl who wants to be a princess will love this book. just like the ology books but for little girls. gave this book to a 7 yr old and she drags this book everywhere.
Great gift for a little girl.......2007-03-23
My almost-5-year-old niece adores everything princess, so I bought this along with "Fairyology" for her birthday, as well as "Fancy Nancy" and "Pinkalicious." This book is her favorite of all of them. She sits and makes up stories based on the things in the pictures, and tells them to her parents!
I have to agree to some extent with the other reviewer, regarding the "shallowness" of some of the things in the book. I would have loved to see more about learning how to be responsible and a good leader..but it's a bit difficult to work that sort of thing into this type of format. My niece adores the flip-dresses, and the different jewels and things, and let's face it, that's the appeal of the whole princess thing anyway! And at least there are some bits and pieces about manners and politeness.
If you're looking for something fun to entertain your little girl who likes princesses, then this is a great book that can really stimulate some creativity. If you're looking for something to teach life lessons, then you might want to look elsewhere.
Amazon.com
Popular classicist Peter Green (author of Alexander of Macedon, 356-323 B.C.) offers an engrossing narrative of the wars between the Greeks and the Persians. This is real David-and-Goliath material, with the scrappy, feuding city-states of ancient Greece fending off a much larger aggressor. The conflicts themselves are a kind of struggle for the soul of Western civilization: "On the one side, the towering, autocratic figure of the Great King; on the other, the voluntary and imperfect discipline of proudly independent citizens." The Greeks surprisingly fare better in these encounters, and make themselves legends on the plains of Marathon (192 Greek casualties versus 6,400 Persians), during the heroic last stand at Thermopylae, and elsewhere.
The Greco-Persian Wars is full of wonderful stories featuring bravery, cowardice, and treachery. Unlike so many of his fellow historians, Green understands the importance of a dramatic narrative, sometimes employing novelistic techniques to relate what happened. It's not an overstatement to say that the course of Western history might have taken a strikingly unfamiliar turn if these battles had had different outcomes. Green is a natural storyteller, and The Greco-Persian Wars is a delight to read, even for readers who have no background or special interest in the classical world. --John J. Miller
Book Description
This is a reissue, with a new introduction and an update to the bibliography, of the original edition, published in 1970 as The Year of Salamis in England and as Xerxes at Salamis in the U.S.
The long and bitter struggle between the great Persian Empire and the fledgling Greek states reached its high point with the extraordinary Greek victory at Salamis in 480 B.C. The astonishing sea battle banished forever the specter of Persian invasion and occupation. Peter Green brilliantly retells this historic moment, evoking the whole dramatic sweep of events that the Persian offensive set in motion. The massive Greek victory, despite the Greeks' inferior numbers, opened the way for the historic evolution of the Greek states in a climate of creativity, independence, and democracy, one that provided a model and an inspiration for centuries to come.
Green's accounts of both Persian and Greek strategies are clear and persuasive; equally convincing are his everyday details regarding the lives of soldiers, statesmen, and ordinary citizens. He has first-hand knowledge of the land and sea he describes, as well as full command of original sources and modern scholarship. With a new foreword, The Greco-Persian Wars is a book that lovers of fine historical writing will greet with pleasure.
Customer Reviews:
biased garbage!.......2007-08-09
Obviously mr. peter green has some hostility toward the the persian (iranian)culture. Right at the intro, he goes on about how achaemenid persia gave no contribution to the world at all! well, for one, the persian court was a frequent learning place for the greek scholars for at least 200 years.(according to herodotus himself), postal system,tolerating free practice of religon and culture, no use of slavery, intricate governmet system(which completely was a failure when greeks attempted after alexander's barbaric conquest),pioneering army technological advances( check out "persian army" by nick sekunda), building great roads connecting the empire(two third of the known world then)... not to mention that alexander and the rest of the greeks burned down and destroyed alot of persian literature, and scentific recordings, alot of persian achievements were destroyed. Therefor, what is left today is known to be the greek's acheivements to their credits without a solid proof for the most part. only the battles that the greeks had won are grossly portrayed which to the iranians was nothing but an insignificant setback, untill the barbaric advances of alexander ofcourse. Even the bible praises cyrus, darius, xerxes, and artaxerxes for the humane, and generous actions of the persian emperors especially to the jews. mr. peter green get a clue! there was a reason that the persians were always envied by the greeks, and there was a reason that the greeks call the persian emperors lord of asia!
History at its best.......2007-03-25
History books should be interesting and supported by facts. Peter Green's Greco-Persian Wars scores well on both counts. He combines the historical fact with a narrative that maintains the reader's interest.
Excellent historical book.......2007-03-21
The book writes like a story. It is beautifully written and well researched. Anyone who is wanting to know the clash of the Greeks and the Persians, the battle of Marathon, the Hot Gates (a.k.a., the famous battle for the West) and the aftermath that leads to rising power of the great Greek empire, this is a must book. Mr. Green truly knows his Greek history and is not shy in making the narrative alive and reader friendly. Five stars all the way!
Par excellence........2007-01-26
This is quite simply THE book to read to thoroughly understand the conflict between Classical Greece and Imperial Persia. It rivals Kagan's "The Peloponnesian War" in depth and detail. And while not quite the break neck read of Holland's "Persian Fire" it compensates with an eminently readable style and makes Cartledges's "Thermopylae" look anemic and cadaverous even given the significantly more limited scope of the latter's work.
Green does an exceptional job of comparing and contrasting the ancient sources of information on the period, Herodotus, Plutarch, Aeschylus etc. and weaves them together with the modern scholarship of Burn and Pritchett etc. while injecting his own theories to provide a narrative that brings both the players and their times vividly to life.
Green takes Herodotus to task for bias and obvious propagandistic nonsense early and often and with common sense and logic corrects many of the more egregious errors of the primary sources, in particular the size of Xerxes army, specifically the probable confusion between chiliarchs (commander of 1,000 men) and myriarchs (commander of 10,000 men). Using Munro and Maurice among others he corrects the likely decimal error in Herodotus's calculation of the size of Xerxes army. Reducing it from a phantasmagorical 1.7 million men to more credible 170,000 infantry with another 40,000 cavalry, quisling Greeks and miscellaneous others.
Add in no small amount of irreverent levity and you have the perfect tract on what Thomas Cahill (How the Irish Saved Civilization) refers to as a "hinge" of history.
In two words, BUY IT!
Excellent and Epic.......2006-12-14
I recently bought a copy of Prof. Green's book The Greco-Persian wars and I could not put it down. The book is amazing and well-worth every penny I spent on it. Just the account of Thermopylae had me on the edge of my seat and filled with excitment and pride in what these barve 300 Spartans and their allies did for Greece and western civilization. Green's love-affair with Heroditus is quite evident and was a great use to him in this book. I loved Green's Alexander to Actium and I greatly love the Greco-Persian Wars. Buy this book and you will not be disappointed. I highly recommend this book
Average customer rating:
- Excellent Book
- The Whipping Boy
- I remember reading this in school like 7 years ago or so.
- I llllooooovvvveeeeddd this book!
- 5B
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The Whipping Boy
Sid Fleischman
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From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
ASIN: 0060521228
Release Date: 2003-04-15 |
Amazon.com
For kids to get their dose of action and thrills, they need not always go to the local multiplex for the latest bang 'em up film. They could try such books as
The Whipping Boy, which relies not on exploding spaceships and demonic robots but mythic story, humorous characters and, ready or not, a moral. The plot involves the orphan Jemmy, who must take the whippings for the royal heir, Prince Brat. Jemmy plans to flee this arrangement until Prince Brat beats him to it, and takes Jemmy along. Jemmy then hears he's charged with the Prince's abduction as this Newbery Medal winning book turns toward a surprising close.
Book Description
A Prince
and a Pauper
Jemmy, once a poor boy living on the streets, now lives in a castle. As the whipping boy, he bears the punishment when Prince Brat misbehaves, for it is forbidden to spank, thrash, or whack the heir to the throne. The two boys have nothing in common and even less reason to like one another. But when they find themselves taken hostage after running away, they are left with no choice but to trust each other.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent Book.......2007-09-21
This was purchased for my son. He says that it is a great book, and he enjoys it alot!
The Whipping Boy.......2007-08-23
This title was on a Summer Reading List. It was a great, quick read for my son. He is in 6th grade. It kept his interest, he understood it, and he didn't get bored away from reading it. Boys his age were characters in the story.
I remember reading this in school like 7 years ago or so........2007-05-20
I remember reading this book in school and that it was really good. It's a very good children's book with such amazing imagery, and you really feel for the main character.
I sincerely recommend it.
thanks for your time,
Loran
I llllooooovvvveeeeddd this book!.......2007-04-16
There was a Prince named Prince Horace. His nickname was "Prince Brat" because he was always selfish and arrogant. Since he was a prince he couldn't get spanked. So he had a whipping boy to get spanked when he did something bad. His name was Jemmy or as the King called him "Jemmy-from-the-streets." This book is good because it's adventurous and you learn how Kings, Princes, or Homeless people live. I recommend this book because I thought it was really good and it makes you feel like you don't want to put the book down once you've gotten in to it. And thats why i rated it 4 stars.
5B.......2007-02-27
Prince Brat and Jemmy the Whipping Boy run away, and run into trouble. They are riding and they meet Cutwater and Hold-Your-Nose-Billy, some of the most wanted people. Cutwater and Billy kidnap them and hold them hostage. Finally they escape, but Cutwater and Billy are hot on their tail. They are walking and meet a girl who gives them food and shelter. If you want to know the rest, read The Whipping Boy.
I liked the Whipping Boy book becasue it tells you how mean we are to people and how we change. I would never run away becasue I would have no place to sleep or food to eat. The book is so good, you will like it.
Average customer rating:
- Read it 20 years ago... Still A Great Read
- Stephen King and Peter Straub make a very good team.
- The Adventures of Jack Sawyer--Horrifying and Wonderful!
- love it
- Memorable Novel
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The Talisman
Stephen King , and
Peter Straub
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Straub, Peter
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ASIN: 0345444884
Release Date: 2001-07-31 |
Book Description
On a brisk autumn day, a thirteen-year-old boy stands on the shores of the gray Atlantic, near a silent amusement park and a fading ocean resort called the Alhambra. The past has driven Jack Sawyer here: his father is gone, his mother is dying, and the world no longer makes sense. But for Jack everything is about to change. For he has been chosen to make a journey back across America–and into another realm.
One of the most influential and heralded works of fantasy ever written, The Talisman is an extraordinary novel of loyalty, awakening, terror, and mystery. Jack Sawyer, on a desperate quest to save his mother’s life, must search for a prize across an epic landscape of innocents and monsters, of incredible dangers and even more incredible truths. The prize is essential, but the journey means even more. Let the quest
begin. . . .
Download Description
In celebration of the publication of Stephen King and Peter Straub's extraordinary new thriller, Black House, we offer here the story that started it all -- The Talisman.
On a brisk autumn day, a twelve-year-old boy stands on the shores of thegray Atlantic, near a silent amusement park and a fading ocean resortcalled the Alhambra. The past has driven Jack Sawyer here: his father isgone, his mother is dying, and the world no longer makes sense. But forJack everything is about to change. For he has been chosen to make ajourney back across America -- and into another realm.
One of the most influential and heralded works of fantasy ever written,The Talisman is an extraordinary novel of loyalty, awakening,terror, and mystery. Jack Sawyer, on a desperate quest to save hismother's life, must search for a prize across an epic landscape ofinnocents and monsters, of incredible dangers and even more incredibletruths. The prize is essential, but the journey means even more.
Let the quest begin...
"Extraordinary.... Makes your hair stand on end."
THE WASHINGTON POST
"A classic... rare and dazzling."
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Customer Reviews:
Read it 20 years ago... Still A Great Read.......2007-09-08
I read this book when I was about 13 years old. I remember being bored through the first bit and then becoming more and more involved as the story picked up. As it happens I just finished re-reading it and it's still a really good book. My perspective has changed a bit now though.
For a book that has been reviewed by 337 people before me, it's probably not exactly vital to do a plot summary but I'll do one in 50 words or less. A kid named Jack Sawyer has a mother who is dying of cancer. He learns of a parallel world that he can travel back and forth to and which contains a magical artifact which has the power to heal her. That artifact is the eponymous Talisman. The catch is that Jack is in New England somewhere and the Talisman is in California. So an epic quest begins! Will he overcome the forces of evel? Will he find the Talisman?? Will he save his dying mother???
Well of course he will! Like all good quest tales it's not the destination that counts as much as the journey. And what a journey it is! Jack will travel the length of the United States and face violent fops, evil werewolves, malls, radioactive wastelands, fireballs, snipers and worst of all.. the most frightening of all... Televangelists.
The esthetic of the Quest epic usually involves a party of companions that travel with the hero and guide him and help him along. This book is actually different from them in that Jack usually is either alone or only has one companion at a time. This means that there is a lot of time spent inside Jack's head as he works things out.
One of the reasons I liked this book as a teenager was that the stories, either in printed or visual form, never seemed..hrm.. I don't know.. (You know.. this is print.. I didn't have to let you know I was searching for words here, I could have just edited this out once I thought of the right ones.. but oh well) The actions of evildoers never seemed to be handled appropriately, the writers always seemed to wuss out. I'll give a for instance: I was 13 at the time I read this book as I mentioned. At the time G.I. Joe, Masters of the Universe and The Transformers were in vogue (Robotech hadn't hit TV yet) and the villains on these shows, being recurring characters, never really suffered any realistic consequences, I mean if Cobra Commander was a real guy they would have put a bullet in his brainpan the first time they captured him. But they put him in jail instead - because an organization that can blow up cities and control the weather and such is probably incapable of breaking their leader out of Jail. Star Trek was popular in our family but it seemed that all those guys did was talk everything to death. EVEN Star Wars, the bastion of fanboy Fantasy violence was getting to a point where Luke and Vader were all lovey dovey. I didn't want to see Darth Vader redeemed (I mean I did.. and I liked that he was but come on) I wanted to see Luke slice that dude into 9 pieces Ice Pirates style.
I am making a point here (all evidence to the contrary) in that this book was so awesome to me at that particular moment because it was the first story I had heard where evil is punished (well thee was Lord of the Rings. but dropping a ring into a volcano didn't exactly strike me as evil being punished :)). There have been many stories since where I get that similar sense of closure (Robotech hit the air six months or so after I finished the Talisman and changed my outlook forever. Everyone got a slice in that show, good guys and bad) but this was the first.
That may have seemed like a very long digression there, but to me it was very important. It is especially important now that I see the Talisman as a small part of Stephen King's larger universe. That universe has The Dark Tower as it's axis and the Dark tower is the biggest let down in literary history in my not so humble opinion.
I should also say here that, as an adult rereading this book, I discovered that hidden away towards the end of this novel is the best description of a mystical experience I have ever read in fiction. Most people say that a mystical experience is impossible to describe (and it is) but I think he came the closest you can come while being hampered by the chains of the written word.
Finally, Peter Straub is credited as co-writer of this particular Stephen King book, but I think he must have just been the editor or something, maybe he wrote the table of contents. After reading this book I sought out a Peter Straub book and read it. It was hard to find and knew why long about page 20. This guy is bad.. very bad.. he's axiomatically bad. He makes C.J. Cherryh look like Chaucer. Yes that BAD! So I can't understand how this book got his name on it. IF you have read Straub and hated him, don't shy away from this book because King is the main voice here.
Stephen King and Peter Straub make a very good team........2007-08-29
I read this book in like, three days. It moves at a fast pace. Stephen King and Peter Straub work very well together. No, it is not one of my favorite novels by him, and I prefer most of his horror novels (and other stories) to this, but I really liked it. I recommend this to all fans of Stephen King and Peter Straub.
P.S. I am reading Black House now and I will review that when I am done.
The Adventures of Jack Sawyer--Horrifying and Wonderful!.......2007-07-28
In THE TALISMAN, Stephen King and Peter Straub have crafted a horror-fantasy-adventure story for the ages (one which they were proud enough to sequelize, years later). When I read this book, I had an idea that most of the ideas were Straub's (as they seemed very un-King like to me at the time, having not yet read THE GUNSLINGER or EYES OF THE DRAGON) and that most of the actual writing was King's (this based wholly on King's growing tendency to write in the vernacular, even when in third person omniscient point of view). I'm better read and, I hope, less presumptuous now, but I'd still be curious as to the division of labor on this incredible journey. THE TALISMAN should be listed among the greater works of either author, and that is saying something.
It's the archetypical quest story: a boy's mother is dying, and he must journey across the country (blipping back and forth between this world and its smaller, "twinner" fantasy equivalent). Along the way, out hero will face untold dangers, befriend magical creatures, suffer horrible betrayals--and, of course, he will triumph. These reliable stand-by devices for the epic quest story are augmented, empowered, and tweaked with a hearty helping of King-Straub horror, and by that style of writing that begins to make the reader feel not as though he is actually reading a story, but that someone is sitting next to him and telling the story. And the storyteller isn't a wizened old, professor, speaking in the archaic; he's probably a retired, slightly alcoholic rock star, rich and profane in expression, musical, and nostalgic for his own lost boyhood.
Grand, imaginative, and inexplicably sorrowful--the more so as it nears the end--THE TALISMAN is a must-read novel.
(This review has been posted by Marcus Damanda, author of the vampire book, "Teeth: a Horror Fantasy".)
love it.......2007-06-12
This book is awesome..I have read it 3 times..I love love love..This guy is a rock star
Memorable Novel.......2007-05-25
Two things stood in my mind after I finished this book. I'll let you make up your own mind on what this says for the novel. The truth 'the test of truly owning something is the ability to give it up.' The phrase 'goat penis.' It is uttered by one of the story's villains entirely too much.
A mix of the profound and the grotesque, like any good horror show.
Narrative drive and suspense are top standard. Characters and settings are amazing, except for our main hero, Traveling Jack. He is never really described, but that is a technique of King's where we insert our own ideal image into Jack's place. This would have served me better if I could have easily figured out if Jack was White, Mexican, Asian or African American. His ethnicity is a mystery that is not addressed.
And the end. Jack has such incredible adventures, it is easy to forget he is twelve. The end ends well, but reminds us many threads are left unexplored because this was a child's story. The authors allude this isn't the end of Jack's life, a life which has other magnificent stories, but as far as I can tell, no other novels have been written about Traveling Jack, the man of many worlds. That left me a little disappointed, as the Black House, the sort-of-sequel, sounds like Jack decided to just forget his entire adventure. I may read it in few years. Eventually.
This was a good book to read while sitting through a 20+ hour bus ride, which is where I read my copy. While good, the story doesn't even make my personal top twenty-five, but I can see how you can really fall in love with it if you haven't read thousands of books.
Amazon.com
It's easy now to indulge in nostalgia about the era of the Romanovs, and the sheer lushness of this gorgeous book is enough to encourage the indulgence. Even the text, highly readable and informative, is a little rose-tinted in places, but perhaps the authors can hardly be blamed when the gentlemanly cruelties of the old regime look so innocent next to the quintessentially totalitarian 20th-century hell that replaced them. (Nowhere was the true nature of the new "people's" dispensation revealed more vividly than in the lurid, incompetent savagery with which Nicholas II and his family were dispatched, a story reconstructed in considerable detail here.) In any case, despite a touch of sentimentality, this is a fine short history of how the Romanov dynasty ended, artfully disguised as a coffee-table book. If you merely flip through the pictures (Ekaterinburg, Tsarkoe Selo, the Cathedral of Peter and Paul at St. Petersburg, shining like a gold dagger in the snow), you will ache to travel to Russia. If you read the text, you will learn a surprising amount about the world of an almost comically ineffectual man with whom the Fates amused themselves by placing him at a key turning point in modern history. Heartless autocrat that he was, you may even end up feeling sorry for him: the cure was so much worse than the disease. --Richard Farr
Book Description
It's easy now to indulge in nostalgia about the era of the Romanovs, and the sheer lushness of this gorgeous book is enough to encourage the indulgence. Even the text, highly readable and informative, is a little rose-tinted in places, but perhaps the authors can hardly be blamed when the gentlemanly cruelties of the old regime look so innocent next to the quintessentially totalitarian 20th-century hell that replaced them. (Nowhere was the true nature of the new "people's" dispensation revealed more vividly than in the lurid, incompetent savagery with which Nicholas II and his family were dispatched, a story reconstructed in considerable detail here.)In any case, despite a touch of sentimentality, this is a fine short history of how the Romanov dynasty ended, artfully disguised as a coffee-table book. If you merely flip through the pictures (Ekaterinburg, Tsarkoe Selo, the Cathedral of Peter and Paul at St. Petersburg, shining like a gold dagger in the snow), you will ache to travel to Russia. If you read the text, you will learn a surprising amount about the world of an almost comically ineffectual man with whom the Fates amused themselves by placing him at a key turning point in modern history. Heartless autocrat that he was, you may even end up feeling sorry for him: the cure was so much worse than the disease. --Richard Farr
Customer Reviews:
Spectacular!.......2007-05-26
This book contains absolutely beautiful photographs of Tsar Nicholas and his family. Although it is not in hardcover, it makes a wonderful coffee table book. It is the best book I have found containing photographs of that era in Russian history. It makes a great gift.
An Intimate Family Portrait.......2007-05-12
Tsar: The Lost World of Nicholas and Alexandra is probably the only coffee table book that I have ever read cover to cover. It is so full of portraits depicting the the royal family in their most intimate moments, including a rare photo of the Tsars royal posterior while skinny dipping off of the royal yacht, that one can't help feeling that this is a look into one family's private scrapbook. Rich in detail, the text takes you from Nicholas and Alexandra's first meeting through their marriage, the raising of their five children, the influence of Rasputin and the spell he held over the Tsarina, the revolution, and ultimately thier horrid demise. This book is a richly detailed chronical of one family's way of life and sadly, their end.
A Glimps into a Lost World.......2006-11-10
Having just returned from St. Petersburg Russia I was looking for a book just like this one. This is a book which provides a lovely history of the family which ruled Russia for over 300 years and whose fall was as dramatic as that of the Bourbons in France. This book is well documented with many beautiful photos which will transport the reader to an age that is no more. You get a good idea for what life was once like for the Russian aristocrats, and their Czar. From Balls, to dinners, to Czar Nicholi's families' death you see the photographic evidence and a well written account within the pages of this book. Not only is it a well written book, but also a nice addition to your coffee table. I find myself thumbing through it constantly just to admire the photographs. I highly recommend it.
Lost world of the last Tzar.......2006-11-05
Sumptuously illustrated with absorbing and informative text. Highly recommended in all respects.
Beautiful and Haunting veiw of a lost family and their world.......2006-08-27
The story of the Nicholas and Alexandra and their family is told through photographs and text. Many of the photographs are from the personal photo albums that each of the family members kept themselves. These photo's, along with diary entries and letter excerpts, allows us a peek into what was apparently a very close and loving family. This book does a wonderful job of allowing us to see, not only this close, loving family, but the complex world they lived in. It clearly show us a ruling family who while worshiped, is kept isolated from the people they ruled, and how this, along with many other things, brought about their tragic end.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves history, especially personal histories.
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