Series Books

I love the Harry Potter series, but the first book in the series is a favorite. The characters are rich and fully developed. The substance of Rowling's world is well thought out and detailed. Rowling's writing is wonderful and great for all ages.

We had this on cassette tape, and just purchased it on CD. Jim Dale is outstanding! Very entertaining on long car rides.

I started reading Harry Potter a few years ago so that I could find out if they were suitable for my kids. Guess, what? I'm a well-educated adult, and I love Harry Potter! I can't believe that I can be so entertained by something that every kid on the block is reading (usually I don't go for children's fantasy).

Sophisticated adults will complain that this is derivative and "light." Yes, it is. It's children's literature, and that's what kids like. But, this is superior children's literature. The writing is exceptional, the characters are deep, the humor is subtle enough for adults to enjoy. It's very well done. I wish that all of the stuff my kids were reading was done this well.

I'm thrilled that, because of Harry Potter, children are reading large novels again. I know several kids who've been inspired to read, and to not be intimidated by big books, because of J.K. Rowling. If you have only seen the movies and haven't read the books, you are really missing out. --FanLit.net

I have to admit that I came upon the whole Harry Potter phenomenon pretty late, even though I've been aware of the franchise for about 10 years. I had always observed and respected Rowling's incredible success but I couldn't finish watching the first movie and always put off reading the books. But then last Christmas, magic happened. Well, sorta. My brother bought me the movie version of Harry Potter and Order of the Phoenix. The problem was that I had never watched any of the four movies that came before it! And only in the last 2 months or so did I go back and watch the movies in order, and I found I really enjoyed them once I gave them a chance. So when summer vacation started I sat down to read the first book and really liked it.

Harry Potter has led a hard life all of his short 10 years and is on the brink of starting an equally dismal eleventh. His parents died in a car wreck when he was an infant and he was reluctantly taken in by his aunt and uncle Dursley. They treat him like dirt, relegating him to a small crawlspace underneath the stairs in lieu of a real room, that just gives him space enough to lay down and sleep. The Dursley's son, Dudley, is equally vicious to Harry. While Dudley gets every toy and luxury the Dursleys can afford, Harry never gets anything nice. His aunt and uncle think Harry is weird and has strange abilities that they cannot explain. Things change on Harry's eleventh birthday when he recieves a letter inviting him to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Even though the Dursleys want Harry to be a normal kid and quit being so strange, Harry soon learns the truth about his parents. Namely, that they were powerful wizards that were murdered by an even more powerful sorcerer named Valdemort. This same Valdemort is the entity that left a scar on Harry's forehead the night he killed his parents. Harry is famous among magic users for being the only person to survive a face to face encounter with Valdemort, a man whose very name inspires fear. Now, Harry must set out on his own journey to become a great wizard, and along the way, make new friends and be accepted as a human being worthy of respect and kindness.

Who doesn't want to escape the crazy existence that is life on Earth in the 21st century, to get away from war and and the paranoia of religion and terrorism? To live in a world where magic allows incredible miracles...but also incredible evils. That's the cool thing about Rowling's story. Things are not all hunky dory in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. There aren't a lot of kid heroes whose parents were murdered in cold blood and then have a scar burned into their flesh. And let's not get into the cruelty that Harry has to endure for almost eleven long years by relatives who should have been turned over to the cops for child cruelty. Some of the things in this book are very dark. This isn't a world of magic where everything is covered in fairy dust and everybody smiles all the time and gets along with each other. It has a strong vein of realism, at least in the spiritual trials the characters face and their relationships with each other. Friendship and the importance of it is one of recurring themes, as illustrated by the bonds that form between Harry, Ron, and Hermione. I was also impressed by Rowling's ability to take a formula, (a magic school) and make it seem fresh and original. This book could have easily turned into a hack job. But the author's imagination sweeps aside any such notions and whisks you away for a couple hours of your life. A great read.

One fine day while I was at work, I went into our café and came across a coworker reading Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.
Like a lot of adults I started laughing and said, "Aren't those for kids?"
My former coworker said, "Don't laugh until you've actually read them."
I took her advice and picked up the same book.
And I have to admit, she was right!
The Sorcerer's Stone was, like many of you, my introduction to the Harry Potter Empire.
I loved it, from start to finish, a pleasure to read.
These books are not just for kids, but anyone who has an imagination.
I've since read all the Potter books and I loved every one of them and the movies also.
How many books end up getting made into worthwhile movies?
Not very many, but I'll be darned if Hollywood isn't making every Potter book into a stellar movie.
I give this book and all the Potter books my highest recommendation.

I adored reading the Harry Potter books, but I always wished I could hear them read in the appropriate British accent. Jim Dale is not only an excellent reader of the books, he creates remarkable voices for each character. His readings have given me new insight into the books. I recommend purchasing any of the audio CDs of the Harry Potter books, as read by Jim Dale.

Title: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Author: J.K. Rowling
Date: July 8, 2000
Publisher: Scholastic press
Reading Level: Ages 9-12
# of Pages: 734
Genre: Fiction

In this fourth edition the main character Harry Potter is now 14 years old. Of course, Harry is still that same boy from book one with the lightning bolt scar, only now he is slightly older and he begins to understand the challenges that face him ahead. It seems like just another year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry until the Tri-Wizard Tournament is announced and Harry is mysteriously entered into the tournament as a contestant. The Tri-Wizard Tournament is a magical competition that tests the contestant's bravery, knowledge, and magical skill. Along with the tournament readers are introduced to two other magical schools (Durmstrang and Beauxbatons) and get a rare glimpse of the wizarding world during the Quidditch World Cup. Again, Rowling combines her vivid details of the wizarding world to paint an amazing picture that allows the reader to revel in even the smallest details that make Harry Potter so special. Along with the death-defying Tri-Wizard Tournament, Harry must now focus on the return of Lord Voldamort and his death eaters. Once again, Rowling also introduces a few new characters into the story, both good and evil. A new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor arrives at Hogwarts and some problems are created by house-elves throughout the story. The positive about this book is that they first third of the book spent reviewing the previous three Harry Potter books, so even if you have not read them you can start at book four and have a good idea of what is happening. Also, many points of the plot are left open leaving room for book five.
There really is not a negative to this book. Honestly, after reading the first three books I was leery that Rowling was not going to be able to continue writing such engaging stories, but once again she proves that she is able to keep the magic alive. Rowling does an excellent job of reintroducing the main characters and keeping her faithful readers engaged.
Personally, this is my favorite book from the popular series. Rowling is able to take this story to a new level by creating a slightly darker version of the popular series and allowing the main characters to experience challenges unseen in the previous books. Goblet of Fire is the first time that a main character actually dies at the hands of Lord Voldamort, the main villain within the series. This is also when Harry Potter, the main character, begins to develop into a young adult and begin to take on the responsibility as the main rival of Voldamort. Overall, this story marks a turn in the Harry Potter books that expresses a more "adult" tone to the story.

I've been reading the "Harry Potter" series sense Gr. 2. The first was ok, the second was mildly intertaining and the third took a giant step in making the series understanding. But the forth is far by the funniest and most clever of the series. I like it how the author (J. K. Rowling) squeezes more information from book to book. It's very understandable and fast to read. If your a fast reader you can probably get to Chapter 3 in about 2hrs. This book is "AR" (Acellarated Reading) and is fun to read. It is worth 32 Points (Awesome). As other books you search for big points this series can take you up far. My friends and I read the "Harry Potter" series and love the films. I heard the other books like books 5-7 have more than fifty Points (I almost threw up it was so high!). I reccomend these books for people who like long stories that make some sense in each book.

After the brilliant Prisoner of Azkaban expectations were running very high.
Fortunately, Rowling delivers yet again.
Another book that was almost impossible to put down.
Azkaban was shorter, but this one is really long.
Its length didn't deter anyone from reading through it in record time, including me.
Adding even more drama and action and a story line that was simply amazing, Goblet of Fire succeeds on every level.
Goblet adds a more mature theme to the series as the characters get older, which adds even further depth to the series.
Another winner from Rowling and another must have/must read.
Recommended!!!

Triwizard Tournment ,Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasly.

Harry potter has a horrible life under the commands of the Dursleys. He wants to get to Hogwarts, a wizard and witchcraft school, one of the three, Beaxubutions and Durmstrang. This year the Triwizard Tournment is happening at Hogwarts it hasn't happened in over one-hundred years.

The champions are Viktor Krum, one of the worlds greatest seekers, Cedric Diggory, a fellow hogwarts, Fluer Delacour, a Beaxbutions student, and Harry Potter, himself! The problem is Harry did not put his name into the goblet of fire. He is too young. Who put his name in the goblet of fire?

Draco Malfoy and his gang of Slytherins have badges that say "Vote For Cedric Diggory, The Real Hogwarts Champion". If you press it into your stomach, it says "POTTER STINKS".

The first task is easy for Harry it gets harder and harder until the final task.

I would recommend this book to readers who like fantasy and magic. By Zoe

My family has enjoyed listening to the Harry Potter audio books for several years. Jim Dale's readings include a host of characters with remarkably distinctive voices that carry over from the first book, the Sorcerer's Stone, to the last. He reads with fabulous energy and makes these great stories come to life like nothing I've ever heard before.
The Prisoner of Azkaban is no exception. This audiobook is a fabulous way to enjoy several afternoon in the car or in your favorite chair at home.

A fellow Potter fan pointed out that this book was longer than "Chamber"
My bad.
I must have been confusing the movies. DOH!!!
I blame it on age. :)
As for the book, ahem....
In short, it's brilliant.
All the action and drama of the first two with twists and turns that made it almost impossible to put down.
The Prisoner of Azkaban further advanced the series with slightly more mature themes and an absolutely haunting atmosphere.
This book solidified the series as a force to be reckoned with.
Same as the previous two, highly recommended.

Like the first two Harry Potter books this book is great, it is in this book that parents should beware; it starts to have a few more moments that might scare the younger reader, it takes on a darker side as Harry ages and Voldemort begins to gain his power back, Definately makes you want to continue to read the complete set, this is my second time thru the books and I never tire of reading them. Great Reading for all ages

I liked, is in good condition,parece nuevo, a mi sobrina le encanto thank you !!!! por tener todos estos tipos de libros.

It's a great story, with much more detail and interest than the movie that was based on it. Jim Dale's performance is excellent and really brings life to the characters.

I took off one star because one of the disks was scratched & Amazon cowered behind their policy that they would not allow an exchange of an audio product that was opened.

Given the depth of the 1k+ reviews on this wonderful novel, I'll keep mine short. This is a book that touches you; regardless of your personal feelings towards this area of the world or individuals who put everything into making a difference. This is a story that will leave you with a feeling of not only wanting to make a difference in this world, but also a feeling that you can that, yes, you can do anything if you put your heart into it. This is a story that allows you to see how one man can overcome the challenges that none of us have experienced but seem all to familiar, and that you, too, can overcome similar challenges. This is a story that will remain with you forever.

Education is needed to replace the errors of custom, habit
and bad judgement with new behaviors based on understanding. In this book we see how life is being changed for remote villages iin Central Asia as a result of one man taking responsibility for building schools. But education is not safe and does not stay without us fighting for it. Extremists of every kind have destroyed learning. Taliban destroyed schools as is reported in this book. But the library at Alexandria was burned by a christian mob egged on by St. Cyril. And the ignorance visible to us in the book of Job was apparent to greek culture yet that was driven out of Israel/Palestine by the Macabees. Nor is it religion alone that does this. The Soviet empire tried to extinguish the understanding of evolution. The Chinese cultural revolution replaced those who knew by those who did not. For humans to progress it is essential that time and time again individuals must stand up, speak for it and build for it.
This is the story of one persaon doing just that.

Nick Woolf, astrobiologist, professor

If you have a heart that has some waking up to do; this book is one that'll get it going. Without a doubt, one of my favorite books ever.

I've noticed in the reviews that not every likes the writer's style. Personally there were a few slow moving sections but overall I didn't mind it all and I feel the greatness of the story being told far outweighs the mild shortcomings of how it is told. Don't miss this book!!

To understand the real world of the rural people of Pakistan and Afghanistan you must read this book. You will be inspired by the sacrifice and determination of one man (now a foundation) to make a difference. You may even be inspired to help him continue this important mission that shows a more effective way to fight terrorism than missiles and bombs. I was.

I can't recall the number of non-fiction books that I've read. Little matter, this is the most incredible true story that I've read!!
Laura Hillenbrand has captured a time in American History. She is a true storyteller who has done impeccable research. It must have been the time she spent in Gambier, Ohio at Kenyon College that inspired her to such great in depth writing.
For those of you who have not read this book or have not seen the excellent movie, you're in for an incredible treat. Trust Me!!
If I were writing fiction, this true story would not have been told. Charles Howard, Red Pollard and Tom Smith are indeed the Holy Trinity. Remember these names, after reading this book, you will never forget them.
One little horse, so much history!!! Incredible!!!!

I have recently read Seabiscuit and watched the film and found both to be very compelling. We dont think much anymore about the dark days of the Depression but Laura Hillenbrand puts us right back in the middle of it. The important lesson was to look to the future as Charles Howard implored, the sun will come up tomorrow.

Three incredible characters intersect with this horse of unknown promise. Howard is the wealthy owner, despondent over the death of his son and unsure how to live the life of leisure; Red Pollard is a jockey not able to break into the big-time, due to his attitude, blindness, and injuries; Tom Smith is a taciturn man who belongs in the 19th century of his youth, not the modern world. Together they develop and promote Seabiscuit, a horse of incredible bloodlines, yet given up on by better trainers due to his work habits, attitude, injuries, and size.

Eventually the Biscuit wins all the stakes in the state of California and gets a shot at a match race with the great Eastern horse and Triple Crown winner, War Admiral. Both horses are descendants of the great Man'o'war, but the eastern elites dont want to give the western upstart his chance. After a few cancellations due to injuries and prickly owners, the match race goes off in Baltimore and the smaller horse brings it home.

The book is more enlighting with respect to the fuller stories of the characters, especially the relationship between the jockeys and Pollard's romance and marriage to a Boston nurse. The movie brings the times to life. Howard and Pollard were the raconteurs who made Seabiscuit the hero of the little guys during those lean years. Dont forget, tough times dont last but tough guys do.

Ms. Hillenbrand is an equally interesting story. She suffers from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and is only able to work at a fraction of the typical writer. Here she focused her energy on this story and these times. Seabiscuit has been the story many times in film and books but Ms. Hillenbrand brings it to life for us.

This book is a true American legend at its best. "Seabiscuit" was written by Laura Hillenbrand based on a true story of one horse and jockey's incredible life. This biography is set in the 1930's and 1940's and takes you on a journey with someone and something that no one believed in until they were given a chance to prove themselves. The perseverance of these two characters is admirable; they never give up, no matter what. The jockey, John Pollard, was struggling in life until given the shot to show he was more than just an average jockey. Seabiscuit, on the other hand, is my favorite character; he never accepts the possibility of losing. Pollard and Seabiscuit's relationship started when trainer Tom Smith paired them together out on the racetrack. I love that they were given a chance to prove everyone wrong by winning race after race with odds stacked against them; both had been injured numerous times. Read about how they smashed people's disbelief and made history, performing one of the greatest comebacks in all of sports. The theme of "never giving up no matter what" would most likely interest people who enjoy sports novels. "Seabiscuit" is truly the greatest sports story of all time.

This narrative leaps out of the first paragraph in the same way Seabiscuit learns to bolt from the starting gate. From the start, Laura Hillenbrand draws the reader into the story with colorful, taut writing. There are no meaningless side stories in this book - each detail weaves itself back into the tale of a horse who beat the odds to become one of the greatest athletes of the 20th century.
This story is gripping even if you have no interest in horseracing.

Seabiscuit is a great story, book, and movie. If you have not read it, buy it today and start reading. You will not be disappointed.

A tale of growing up and acceptance with a strong female lead who shows, without being ultra feminist, that girls can accomplish anything that boys can.

Admittedly a huge fan of the "women-warrior, disguised as a man" characters, I have been disappointed time and again by peoples take on them, but not this time. The take on magic, the involvement of the gods, and the world, which holds different morals, gave to a very interesting atmosphere for the books to be set in. Alanna is a character that I couldn't help cheering for, and identifying with.

Granted as others point out, this is very obviously a first novel that will kick-off a series. And while I did enjoy it, I do prefer to have series of novels have the ability to be stand-alones.

A terrific kick-off, to what I hope to be a wonderful series.

I did not realize when I bought these books that they were for young adults, I still thoroughly enjoyed reading about Alanna's adventures, friends and family. Alanna proved to the men again and again that "anything you can do I can do better". A great message to put out there for young girls. And even though it took me 1 day to read each book I just couldn't stop until I was done!

When I first picked up this book, I was the typical bookworm. I knew every corner of my middle school's library. Most often, I'd find myself in the mythology section or classic plays. However, one day, I took a fateful journey into the fantasy section.
I was 12 years old, timid and accepting of even the worst opinions of me.
When I read it, I was enlightened. A whole five foot one, (four foot eleven at the time), I was keenly aware of her height issues and the jokes her friends made.
The way she shaped her own life made me feel as if I could do the same. And I have. I took control -- or as Alanna would say "rode the tiger" and I've made my own way in the world and I don't think anyone would call me timid now.
I'm in college now, and I know if I start to feel down or like I'm losing confidence in myself, I can just pick up my old worn out copy of Alanna (or any of the subsequent sequels) and feel better, feel like a stronger woman because of it. Tamora Pierce was a saint for writing this book. Sometimes I even feel like she wrote it just for me!

Is no one bothered by the essential lack of values in this book? Getting what you want is more important than honesty or respect for others. The main character threatens others with horrible, supernatural punishment, tricks her father, lies outrightly, and that's just in the first chapter.
What about integrity, justice, truth as foundations of doing right?
Compare this heroine with Jonas in The Giver, Frodo in The Lord of the Rings, Andy in Wolf Rider, or Karana in The Island of the Blue Dolphins.

Was purchased due to a requirement by my childs school. He has informed me it is a good book.

... "On June 4, 1960, the Big Creek Missile Agency, fresh from its medal winning performance at the National Science Fair, is sponsoring a day of rocket launches at its Cape Coalwood range. Everyone reading these words is invited..." This quote can be found on page 356-357 of a book called Rocket Boys; this statement showed me that the success of the main characters was a result of personal hard work and teamwork.

"Rocket Boys" by Homer H. Hickam, Jr. is a nonfiction account of a group of friends from Coalwood, West Virginia in the early 1960's who have a fetish for making rockets. Homer and his friends have a dream to shoot a rocket up into the clouds. This story gives the reader a message that dreams really can come true.

Rocket Boys is one of the strongest books I have ever read. The author accomplished his goals to tell people that team work is one of the most important things to know in your life. This book is recommended for people that like space and rockets and who want a hopeful book to read. Reading Rocket Boys really gets you thinking about team work and how far you can get with it.

I was a little disappointed by the ending and the fact that Homer Hickam gave John Kennedy the idea to go to the Moon but other than that I couldn't help but root for the band of misfits.

I bought this book and the audio tapes and my son and I listened and read this amazing book together. Our plan was to read for 30 minutes a night...however it was sooooooo good we listened and read for 5 hours!

We are now going to rent the movie that was made from the film! All systems go....we enjoyed the adventure!

Homer Hickam grew up in a rural isolated mountain town but went on to win the National Science Fair.

This book is his story and how he was successful.

I bought 24 copies of this book to inspire my advanced 6th grade Reading class. They loved the book. In our discussions they mentioned never giving up. Homer and his friends kept trying until they had success.

Thank you for sharing your life with us, Mr. Hickam.

After reading this book, I recomend that all the ladies and friends I know to read it. It's like a story you don't want to end. This book should also be a mini series. Everyone should know the love of God like Angel does.

I have loaned this book to every woman that I care about. I think it is an essential read. This book literally changed ny life. It is not only a wonderful romance novel, but a fantastic book about God's NEVER-ENDING love for us.

This book had been favorably recommended to me by a number of people so I thought I would see what the reviewers of Amazon had to say. I was amazed to see that over 550 reviews were available and stunned to see that less than 30 of those reviewers gave it 4 stars or less. So I bought the book and am now one of the 500+ people to agree to the 5 stars.

Rivers has a beautiful interpretation of the Biblical book of Hosea. I believe this to be a tastefully written work handling such a delicate subject as redeeming the life of a prostitute through the committed love of a Godly husband. Rivers is sensual without being too explicit and gives a raw look into the depleted heart of a lifetime harlot.

Need encouragement in the choices of your own life? Read this book as I did and find new hope in what God wants for you.

Francine Rivers is a fantastic writer. I couldn't put this book down! It's one of my all time favorite books and I've recommended it to numbers of friends...all agreeing that it opened their eyes to the extent of God's love and graciousness. Read with an open heart and prepare to have your life changed!

I first read this book when i was 15.and i absolutely loved it.
It showed me how truly graceful God is. living in the society that we do, Christian people don't show much forgiveness and grace. therefore, this was a breath of fresh air.
As for the 'explicit'ness, it really isn't as bad as it probably was back then. think of Rahab, Tamar, Bathsheba, and other girls that did sexual things. You can not possibly get the full effect of how difficult their lives were UNLESS you were standing right by them way back then. Therefore, Redeeming Love is ONLY a minor glimpse of the sadness and horror of the life of a prostitute. as for young readers, let the parents be the judge of that, my sister first read it when she was 13. She loved it too.

Anyways, this book Shows just how amazing god's grace is.
I first read the mark of the lion trilogy and fell in love with francine river's books. they are so amazing and cause peopl to think.
And for a christian book, yes this is different, but in such a way that it's real. unlike other christian novels in which the guy or girl always end up living happily ever after.
this book shows the strife involved.

i recommend this to all readers of ALL ages.
i say this earns a 9.

I bought this book for one of my children for a summer reading project. I needed a specific version and was glad I could search Amazon by ISBN. The book arrived quickly and the price was reasonable. I'm sure other family members will enjoy the book when the projcet is complete.

except for the Bible, this is the best.
It is the full and undiluted version from the first english translation.
read it, learn it,live it.
j

Although the story is well known to me, the editing of this audio book was so confusing. I absolutely could not follow it. Too much is cut out.

Story has good twists, but there are too many French places and people which makes the audio confusing.

The book is excelent reading but please get a different version.
This version only has 580 or so pages where as other versions have over 1,300 pages. That means that this version is only half the story.
So much gets lost in translation already don't cheat yourself even more.

My library carries this book on Playaway and it was recommended to me by the librarian as "an entertaining, well-written fantasy story for all ages." I found out the book was also highly recommended by Voya and is something of a pop phenom as it is also mentioned in "Complete Idiots Guide to Elves and Fairies" and "Ancient Art of Fairy Magick".

I enjoyed listening to the story so much I decided to buy the book. The audio was wonderful and I loved how the characters came to life and the reading was excellent. Like the audio, the book is of exceptional quality with its dozens of full-page illustrations and illustrated end notes.

The story revolves around three central characters: Adrina, Vilmos, and Seth. It tells their story as the story of their imperiled worlds unfolds. Adrina is a young princess who has everything and nothing. Vilmos is a mischievous village boy. Seth is a powerful warrior elf.

Stanek has a strong command of language and his prose flows well. I liked that he doesn't bog the story down with unnecessary detail. Because of this wonderful book and its sequels, Stanek is now my favorite author. I highly recommend The Kingdoms and the Elves of the Reaches (Reader's Choice Edition, Keeper Martin's Tales Book 1) (Keeper Martin's Tales) and the sequels

The Kingdoms and the Elves of the Reaches II (Reader's Choice Edition, Keeper Martin's Tales Book 2) (Keeper Martin's Tales)

The Kingdoms and the Elves of the Reaches III (Reader's Choice Edition, Keeper Martin's Tales Book 3) (Keeper Martin's Tales)

The Kingdoms and the Elves of the Reaches IV (Reader's Choice Edition, Keeper Martin's Tales Book 4) (Keeper Martin's Tales)

Over all an excellent series and like C. S. Lewis's Narnia this is one story everyone should read at least once in their life. If you are looking for a good read or listen, I don't see how you can go wrong with this one.

I first read The Kingdoms and the Elves of the Reaches as a ninth grader and remember loving it. I then continued on to books 2, 3, and 4, which were excellent. I decided to re-read The Kingdoms and the Elves of the Reaches books this summer since I found I had forgotten the majority of the story. After re-reading it now as a college freshman, I enjoyed it even more.

Clearly it's a remarkable story. Though it lacks the nonstop action of Stanek's In the Service of Dragons books, the story is full of wonder and adventure. There are mysteries and thrills around every corner.

I maintain The Kingdoms and the Elves of the Reaches #1 is an effective introduction to Stanek's writing style and works well as an entryway for the original books to build upon. I recommend Kingdoms and the Elves of the Reaches #1, but I strongly also suggest continuing on to read the books in order to appreciate the full value of Kingdoms and the Elves of the Reaches #1 as it works with the rest of the series. When you finish the kingdoms books don't forget the best is yet to come with the In the Service of Dragons books.

My boys have read all the books by this author and they love this book! As a mother I was happy to find the story is well written and does not have sex or violence. Bravo Mr. Stanek on a job well done!

I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for not only an adventure but also an extremely well written story of life. I loved reading it. Every page either had me surprised or blown away. It feels like your actually there. This book sucks you in from the first couple words, and drops you off when you wish it hadn't! If you haven't read this book yet you are missing out. This book tells the story of a village boy, a princess and an elf and how they are called into adventures that will forever change their lives.

After reading this you can't stop as this is only the beginning of a much larger story and the second book brings closure for the early storyline. To get the optimal experience, I recommend these editions

The Kingdoms and the Elves of the Reaches (Signature Illustrated Edition, Keeper Martin's Tales Book 1) (Keeper Martin's Tales)

The Kingdoms and the Elves of the Reaches II (Signature Illustrated Edition, Keeper Martin's Tales Book 2) (Keeper Martin's Tales)

The Kingdoms and the Elves of the Reaches III (Signature Illustrated Edition, Keeper Martin's Tales Book 3) (Keeper Martin's Tales)

The Kingdoms and the Elves of the Reaches IV (Signature Illustrated Edition, Keeper Martin's Tales Book 4) (Keeper Martin's Tales)

You may also like these editions

The Kingdoms and the Elves of the Reaches (Reader's Choice Edition, Keeper Martin's Tales Book 1) (Keeper Martin's Tales)

The Kingdoms and the Elves of the Reaches II (Reader's Choice Edition, Keeper Martin's Tales Book 2) (Keeper Martin's Tales)

The Kingdoms and the Elves of the Reaches III (Reader's Choice Edition, Keeper Martin's Tales Book 3) (Keeper Martin's Tales)

The Kingdoms and the Elves of the Reaches IV (Reader's Choice Edition, Keeper Martin's Tales Book 4) (Keeper Martin's Tales)

Although the main themes may emerge slowly, patient readers will find the rewards enormously worthwhile, especially as everything becomes clear in subsequent books. This is not quite the land of Faerie, although there is considerable backstory and mythology to the peoples and lands. Stanek brings his expertise as a military educated man to the intrigue, sword play and warfare.

The author mixes cultures, religions, institutions and languages with exceptional skill. His excellent world building skills are applied with a dark, powerful touch that should convince fans of Berg, Brooks, Eddings, Feist, and others to become Stanek fans, too.

I read the first chapter and immediately knew that it was a great book. After I finished reading, I knew it was an extaordinary book. It is perfect for teen and adult Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings fans. It is very realistic and emmotional. Robert Stanek is a wonderful author who can write exactly what a reader likes.