Fables and Fairy Tales Books

This Kindle edition by LeClue has hard line breaks making the entire text jaggy, no table of contents, etc....

Reading these other reviews - with the notable exception of a couple well-penned and balanced spotlight reviews, it seems I have indeed entered another world - the world of crank reviewers. Says one, "It shouldn't even be necessary to point out that Eddison's works are the high point of Twentieth Century literature." ----Really? ---- It seems to me that it shouldn't even be necessary to point out the absurdity and boorishness of this remark.

And what did I think of it? I rather liked it overall. The language, which I found delightful rather than difficult, is truly the main draw. It much resembles the novels of Sir Walter Scott in this regard. Most of the archaisms can sussed out by context. And, as for the words that can't, there's nothing wrong with running to your unabridged OED from time to time. Another source of enjoyment, for me, was coming upon words, phrases and, above all, scenes that reminded me of sections of Tolkien's Lord of The Rings. It is clear that Tolkien's imagination was deeply influenced by this work, though, as pointed out by other reviewers, Tolkien's ethos is quite different. But I'll come to that.

Tolkien's most noble and admirable warriors are those who love peace above all else and are only forced into battle by hard necessity. Eddison's book, au contraire, is filled not only with the warrior ethos, but also detailed descriptions of the combatants split through the middle, disembowelments, decapitations and meads imbrued with the blood of both sides. Also, there are rapes and depredations and all sorts of things you won't find in the, comparatively, whitewashed LOTR. Given this ethos, and the overarching theme inherent in the title of the book, eternal recurrence, it is not too far a stretch to say that Eddison was influenced, as other reviewers have remarked, by Nietzsche, given especially the ending of the book where the Demons, having conquered Witchland and the dark arts of King Gorice are sad and dispirited until....well, I shan't give away the ending.

The mentality of all the main characters herein, save the enigmatic, world-weary Lord Gro, my favourite character in the tale, remind me of Ezra Pound's poem "Sestina Altaforte" where he "brings back to life", so to speak, Bertran de Born, who was condemned by Dante to his Inferno as "a stirrer up of strife." Readers enamoured of this mindset might want to read Pound, if, indeed, they desire to expand their horizons to Twentieth-Century poetry that does not fit into the "Fantasy" genre.

That said, all this metaphysical hocus-pocus upon which some other reviewers elaborate is just so much eyewash. As Eddison writes in the dedication in my copy of the book (dated 9th January 1922): "It is neither allegory nor fable but a Story (capitalisation Eddison's) to be read for its own sake."

And a jolly good read it is too, if one doesn't take it so, ahem, bloody seriously.

I have refrained from writing this review for a long time, owing to the number of excellent reviews below, but I can no longer be silent.

By any standard, the Worm Ouroboros is a classic of the fantasy genre, to be included on anyone's top three list, with the Hobbit and LOTR filling the other two spots, of course.(Differences in personal taste can account for individual orderings!) Why this book isn't in more prominent circulation is a riddle to me. Others have complained that its Elizabethan diction is a barrier, but I have trouble relating to this. A high style is a necessary costume of the genre, and WO is much easier to read than, for example, Shakespeare without notes. Here's just another symptom of the decrement of our Western educational system.

In addition to being a riveting, plot-driven adventure yarn told in sonorous, beautiful prose, WO is a book of vast literary merit, weaving a complex tapestry of allusion to the Elizabethan dramatists, classical epics, and Norse sagas. No other writer, except the major poets, shows a defter hand at expression with an ever-ready, seemingly endless well of tropes from which to draw. Eddison possessed a first-rate imagination, depicting scenes of magnificent beauty and power. Just take for example the opening scene in the presence chamber of Lord Juss, the unearthly symphony when Sophonisba first appears, or the death-defying flight to Zora Rach Nam Psarrion. These scenes will stay with you in your hallowed moments!

WO is also a book that will edify! I have often marveled at the ability of the great fantasy writers like Tolkien and Eddison to convey more truth about life through an utterly unrealistic medium than most authors of realistic fiction are able. And I marvel at Eddison's fundamental honesty. WO wrestles with Shakespearian themes of principle and character versus base economic interest, and yet extends these themes to group dynamics and politics between nations. Learn from the Red Foliot how to bend and not break under the threats of a tyrant.

And to top all this off, WO closes with a suprise ending that would make M. Night Shyamalan jealous!

As a final word about the editions, I recommend the Ballantine edition for its superior cover art and the introductions by James Stephens and Orvil Prescot. I went through pains to get the vaunted Dell edition, but did not find it all that revealing.

"The Worm Ouroboros" is one of the main, if generally unread, underpinnings of the modern fantasy genre. It was written early in the Twentieth Century by a man profoundly out of sympathy with that century and with ours.

By profession, he was a bureaucrat. By inclination, he was a mighty-thewed hero. He was an outstanding success at neither.

This is a book of soaring ambition and grievous faults. Its language is spiky, ornate Jacobean, with its every word intentionally high-flown. Its structure is shockingly inept. The clumsiness and, indeed, pointlessness of the opening chapter--the "induction"--is almost guranteed to turn away most potential readers. Eddison's use of such names as Imps and Demons and Witches to designate his warring states is simply childish.

And yet ... there is true power here, even majesty. Was ever there so admirable, brave and noble a blackhearted villain as King Gorice XII? Was ever a band of virtuous heroes so obnoxious a gang of self-centered, overdressed, stuffed shirts as the Lords Juss, Goldry Blusco, Spitfire and Brandoch Daha? Is there a grander image in all the literature of fantasy than that of three armies perpetually doomed to pursue each other across the forbidding desert? And the ending of the book, utterly preposterous and yet wonderful at the same time: "Lord, it is an Ambassador from Witchland and his train. He craveth present audience"!

This is a book for a reader who seeks a challenge. I speak words of high praise for it when I assure you that "The Worm Ouroboros" is neither easy nor a fast read. For those who accept its challenges, though, it will serve as a base mark against which to measure all that is fantastical.

Five stars as bright as those "escarbuncles, great as pumpkins, hung down the length of [Lord Juss' presence chamber], and nine fair moonstones standing in order on silver pedestals between the pillars and the dais."

This work of Eddison is brilliant. I happen to like English at it's most difficult, like when the author simply makes up words for the heck of it. Or else he talked like this everyday, which is not impossible.

But before you think "this book is for nerds" I must say that the description of the magical spell cast by King Gorice the XII with Lord Gro is the coolest one I have ever read.

"...furnace glowing in the big hearth threw fitful gleams into recesses of the chamber, lighting up strange earthenware flasks and retorts, balances, hour-glasses, crucibles and astrolabes, a monstrous three necked alembic of phosphorescent glass supported on a bain-marie, and other instruments of doubtful and unlawful aspect."

So Eddison may not have liked chemistry.

I would have given this book five stars but for some problems I have with the writer. Firstly, the protagonist is left unnamed, for no apparent reason. She's an amazing young girl, and the book is essentially her coming of age story. To leave the main character unnamed requires a compelling reason. There wasn't one. Secondly, the author's poetic descriptions are repetitive. How interesting is it to hear someone described as looking like the moon, sun or stars? And to hear it repeatedly? That said, I loved this book.
The protagonist and her mother were struck with tragedy in their contented lives and had to leave their southern Persian village to live with distant relatives in Isfahan. Despite their wealth, Gostaham (the protagonist's half uncle) and Gordiyeh, his wife, treat their relatives like servants and begrudge the costs of keeping them. Desperate, and penniless, there are few ways for two lone woman to provide for themselves. But the protagonist has a talent for knotting rugs and an unquenchable desire to excel at it. Her uncle, who is the head of the Shah's rug workshop, teaches her, and marvels at her abilities, and bemoans the fact that she's a she. Despite her skills, she is also head-strong, and ultimately gets herself and mother banished from their relatives' home.
Ultimately, it's her desire to excel at rug making that makes her examine her life, requiring the same standards for her personal expectations that she requires for her work. Getting there is painful, but like learning a craft, worth it.
This is a wonderful first novel. I look forward to her next book.

This is a beautifully written debut novel. Just read it! I love reading about different cultures and was mesmerized by this book. I'm always looking for books to compare with my all-time favorite "The Kite Runner" and this one did just that from a womans perspective.

Anyone who enjoyed Memoirs of a Geisha, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, or A Thousand Splendid Suns will love this book. I highly recommend you read this book if you are thinking about whether or not you should!

Great tale that weaves rug making history with fiction. It is a "knotted" story of family, honesty, work ethics and friendship.
Can't wait for her next book.

The Blood of Flowers is the story of a young girl (never named) in 17C Persia whose father dies unexpectedly and left destitute. She and her mother are forced to seek shelter from her uncle, a wealthy rug maker in the city of Isfahan. Despite their status in the household as nothing better than servants the girl shows a talent for rug making and design and with no male heir of his own to succeed in his craft her uncle takes the girl under his tutelage. Enough of the reviews recap the story sufficiently that I don't need to rehash it again, but suffice it to say that a series of bad choices made by the girl lead her and her mother into extreme poverty and to the brink of making the most difficult choice of all.

Apparently the author spent nine years researching and writing this book and those details do show throughout the book, and it's always nice to get an inside look at a lesser known country and it's culture and customs, and most especially the art of rug-making. I really did enjoy this book and had a hard time putting it down whilst reading it, but I have the same issues the other three star reviewers had. The ending was too rushed; another 50-100 pages carrying it to a more successful conclusion would have really rounded it out much better. I also didn't care for the little "short stories" that the author inserted to shed additional light on her story. Frankly, I ended up skipping them and I don't feel I missed anything in doing so. And last, but not least, the behavior of the main character and the selfish choices she made really didn't endear her to me, nor did any other character in the book - I just flat out didn't like anyone but the mother. I'm glad I read it, but it's not a book and characters that are going to stick with me long after I've finished it. Three stars.

I will say it again: kids these days do not get nearly enough exposure to all the great older stories and legends from centuries gone by. Fine by me, I guess, for adults will probably best appreciate this true masterpiece of storytelling and illustration. Yes, it's an ancient story that is sometimes flooded with too much religious implications, but hey, the guy is literally a saint and that is how it goes. But for me, the best part is the simple dragon slaying. It's violent, it's intense, and you can't help but love a story that takes you there. The illustrations are delightfully reminiscent of medieval times and are a feast to watch. The writing flows like an epic poem. Awesome.

If your like me and wish your kids grew up a little fast so you could expose them to knights this is a great place to star. My wife thought my two year old wouldn't get it but he brings it to me nearly every time I ask his what he wants me to read him. He may not get the bigger ideas yet but he likes to point out the characeters he has learned the names of and he growls at the dragon when it comes after his favorite hero " St. George."

Great book. We read it with the folkmanis puppets (knight and dragon) and that is a big hit at our house. Wonderful way to introduce small children to Saint George.

I am extremely picky when it comes to illustrations and this book makes it to my top ten list. To give you an idea of my taste -- others in the top ten include "In the Night Kitchen" and "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs". I think detailed illustrations really capture a child's imagination and wow, does this book have detail! You will find something new with each reading. So, for illustration aficionados this book is a must have!

Now, for the content...I'll admit it seems a bit dense for a children's book, but when you consider the source (Edmund Spencer's "The Faerie Queen") it's not really surprising. In the end I think I would have been disappointed with a watered down version to go along with the superb illustrations. Even very young children will be enchanted by the illustrations. I have read it often to my three year old daughter and she remains silently captivated for the entire reading.

I bought this book for my 9 year old homeschooled son as a fun addition to his medieval history studies. He loved this book!

My son would like to add, "Great pictures! I understood everything as if it were a movie. I recommend it to everybody who likes medieval stuff!!!!!"

This is one of the books that JRR Tolkien used to read to his children. It was published around 1872 and it has a very Victorian vibe to it. The good guys are too good to be true. I kept waiting for the great great grandmother to turn out to be some sort of evil witch who first gained Irene's trust, and then kidnapped her. Nope, the great great grandmother was good and pure to the very end. Also, having 12 year old children (like Curdie) working in the mines at all hours with no adult supervision seemed to be A-OK with the Victorians.

It is a nice story, but it's very 19th century. If you'd like to buy this, please consider this version:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1881084140

This is a hardcover reproduction of a 19th century version of the book, and has color plates and black and white drawings, both.

To be honest, the other book that JRR Tolkien read to his children is "The Wonderful Land of Snergs." This is the one where he got his idea for the hobbits. It's a much better story, but maybe that's because it was published in 1928, and so has a more modern writing technique.

See it here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0486452557

When I was 8, the same age as the girl in the story (a princess-of course!)I read this book time and time again. I couldn't get enough of it. My mom had died when I was a baby, so I never knew her, and longed for a silver haired granny in a tower who would wash my face with water from a silver basin and have stars on the ceiling of my bedroom. Anyhow, I just read it again after many long years....almost 50! and it's just as good a story now as then...very sweet and nicely written. Excellent!

So it's written for children but I could hardly tell the difference. The simplicity of the storytelling made it all the more appealing and the veins of courage, humilty, and human frailty running through it were impressive and awe inspiring. Like I said it's simple but don't let that word fool you. It's brilliantly written and encourages the reader to look at his or her own character. "As water reflects a face, so a man's heart reflects the man." Proverbs 27:19 It's a lesson we could all learn if not relearn...

The Princess and the Goblin is a truly delightful tale that is beautifully told by George MacDonald and deserves five stars. But, I will not attempt to review the story itself, for there are such wonderful descriptions and testimonies from other reviewers on this page concerning the content of MacDonald's work. However, I would like to describe the Puffin Classics edition in a little more detail. Please be aware that the Puffin's paperback cover is very soft and not as durable as other paperback covers. As well, the paper quality is rather grainy, which may not hold up well in the years to come. Thus, I have allotted this product four stars. On a positive note, I am pleased that the publishers kept the nostalgic illustrations by Arthur Hughes. Also, this copy has been edited well for typos and simple mistakes. With these particular points in mind, I would like to encourage the potential buyer to consider other editions of the text as well. Everyman's Childrens Library (The Princess and the Goblin (Everyman's Library Children's Classics Series)) has produced a hardback copy, which may be a better choice if the copy is to be given to a child. Also, for the MacDonald researcher or literary student, I would highly recommend the Johannesen edition(The Princess and the Goblin (George Macdonald Original Works)) since it is an authoritative edition. However, when it comes to the price, the Puffin Classics edition can not help but to be rather tempting. I hope these few notes have been helpful - Happy shopping.

Macdonald inspired C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien and Lewis Carroll. He is the father of modern fantasy. This is one of his best. Directed more for kids, but like all of his tales, sophisticated enough for adults.

This is a good book of a few rhyming couplets featuring fairy tale and nursery rhyme characters, perfect length to catch the attention of a young child - and enough detail in the pictures to keep the attention of an older one!

For those people who are concerned about this sort of thing, there are some references to "the Wicked Witch" (she's not shown being any more wicked than anybody else, and she eats pie with her neighbors at the end. Wicked is just her name, I guess) in the book, and there are also a few images of the three bears being very careless with guns while hunting. I don't find that this hampers our enjoyment of this book, but if these are sensitive topics for your family, you may want to check the book out of the library before committing to a purchase.

Memorized this book reading it to our four children as they grew up and am now giving copies to them for their children.
It's a classic.

This is an Ispy HIT in my house! Ever since I brought out my old copy of this book my daughter has to have it! She loves to find everyone from the witch to robin hood to the three bears! The Ahlberg's really did an excellent job of weaving in all the classic characters.

I read this book to my own children, and I just bought it for my grandchild.
We would read this book every night and they loved it!

What a wonderful, and exciting way to get a child involved in problem solving, and reading experience

This book is perfect for anyone that has been reading the Disney Fairy series of books. Ties together where mother dove came from and why she is important to the fairies, etc. Great for reading with 5-7 year olds. A little "scary" or "intense" for younger than 4 or 5. We own all of the disney fairy books, and my daughter loves them! Would buy this again in a heartbeat!

Gail Carson Levine, author of the insanely awesome novel "Ella Enchanted," always thought that Wendy was crazy for going home when she could have stayed with Peter Pan in Neverland. At least that's what her mini-bio on the dust jacket of her new novel says. Levine also dedicates the book to her first boyfriend, Peter Pan.

One of Disney's newest marketing ventures is Disney Fairies, which is promoting Tinker Bell and the other characters found in Levine's novel among other fairies. (There's also a series of Fairy books for younger readers and a CGI film, not directly related to the events relayed in "Fairy Dust and the Quest for the Egg," which is due out this fall on Disney DVD. If you want to learn more, the Disney Fairies have their own website--but be advised it might take a bit to load on slower computers.) When I first heard about this new project, I was intrigued since I am a fan of fairies. At the same time, I was a bit worried. There's something very commercial, and even counterintuitive, about a writer creating a story with characters that have already been dealt with by other authors (and a lot of movies!). Still, I decided to give it a try.

Before even getting into the story, though, I have to say that this novel is quite beautiful. The actual book is made of high quality paper to accommodate the illustrations that often feature as tw-page spreads throughout the novel. These pictures, watercolors painted by David Christiana, are stunning. The colors are subtle and really the skill is just so obvious in all of the drawings that viewing them is a joy. Christiana manages to stay true to the original Disney vision for Tinker Bell while making her "look" slightly new and different to better fit in with the other fairies.

Unfortunately, it takes more than great illustrations to sustain a good book. The basic plot stays pretty true to some of the elements found in the original story of Peter Pan. The book starts when a baby laughs (every time a baby laughs for the first time, a fairy is born). This fairy, named Prilla, is special. Not only is she going to be a Never Fairy in Neverland, she is also unlike any fairy the island has seen before. Prilla says "please" and "thank you" like humans (called "Clumsies" by fairies). She even curtsies and apologizes. Stranger still, Prilla is able to move between Neverland and the dreams of Clumsy children.

Every Fairy in Neverland has a special talent (water, baking, pots and pans, etc.)--every fairy except for Prilla. However, when a storm strikes the island injuring Mother Dove (the source of the Fairy Dust that allows Never Fairies to work their magic) Prilla doesn't have much time to worry about not having a talent as she and two other fairies are sent out to try and find a way to heal Mother Dove.

I had several problems with the story. The idea of each fairy having a talent, while superficially cute, has deeper problems upon further investigation. It just feels too much like each fairy having a clique and, even worse, the story spends a lot of time focusing on Prilla being special in a bad way for not having a talent. This issue is resolved by the end of the story, but it just seems like a bad message to send to children. (And what's up with the name Prilla? Seriously.)

The narrative of the story also started to grate very near the beginning of the book. I haven't read J. M. Barrie's "Peter Pan" so I don't know if Levine was trying emulate his style or not--I think she was but need to investigate further--but it just didn't work. Frankly, it sounded like Levine was writing in a style that was not her own and with which she was not entirely comfortable.

"Fairy Dust and the Quest for the Egg" also seemed to be having an identity crisis. The book looks like a novel for older children. The print is small and there is a lot of it. But the story sometimes sounds like it was written for much younger children with prose that lacks the dimension and depth of books for an older audience. At the same time, though, the events of the novel (a fairy cutting off her own wings, a dying dove, among other problematic events) suggest that it's more appropriate for an older audience.

The best parts of this novel were when Levine was looking at the characters originally found in "Peter Pan." Her descriptions of the mermaids, and of Tinker Bell's relationship with Peter were really enjoyable. Captain Hook also features in the plot and was awesome. Unfortunately all of these events take only about ten pages combined(the book is 208).

This book has a lot going for it and I wanted to like it more than I did, but all of the great pieces never come together (with the mediocre ones) to create a solid, enjoyable whole.

My daughter is six, and she loves this book. She is a big fan of J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan. Gail Carson Levine has written a book about Neverland that is in the spirit of Barrie's Peter Pan. She even dedicates the book to Barrie. I especially like the idea of talents among the fairies. Every fairy has a talent, and every talent is valued and necessary for the well-being of the Home Tree and Fairy Haven. Here is my daughter's review of the book:

I think the book is really great! I really like Prilla! She is funny and silly! She is really good at blinking to the mainland. Prilla is sad when she thinks that she doesn't have a talent, but at the end it turns out that she does have a talent, and that talent saves Mother Dove.
I know you are going to like this book! Grace

While fairies are common fodder for girl's entertainment, the Disney Fairies series is something that stands out. Starring Tinkerbell and a host of individual characters, these books do not employ the trite character formula of "Brainy Girl", "Fashion Girl", "Sporty Girl" and "Shy Girl" that so many books and movies fall back on.

There are real, personal issues addressed within these fantasy adventures and pixie dust or not, there are no easy fixes or straw men challenges here. The characterization is solid throughout and while the characters do grow and discover things about themselves, there are no pat changes of heart; no last-chapter redemptions from evil to sweetness and light.

I highly recommend these books to any parent who wants a little bit more from their daughter's entertainment.

A story about the newest fairy in Never Land and her affinity for Clumsy (read Human) children. Prilla has no idea what her talent is, unlike other fairies, who know what their special gift is from the moment they arrive in Never Land . When a storm hits the island and cripples its inhabitants, Prilla and two other fairies are chosen for a dangerous quest that will pit them against sea people, Captain Hook, and a dragon! Engaging, with gorgeous color illustrations. This author is known for spinning out fairy tales in award-winning fashion.

WOW! I am a huge Arthurian legend fan and know a good deal about it. This is my favorite book!
However, I would not recommend this book for anyone who is into the whole 'King Arthur's so great' and/or 'Mordred was born evil.' No one was born evil, and if your father tried to kill you because HE screwed up, you'd be ticked off, too!
I am a fantasy writer myself, and I found this book absolutely amazing! Springer showed that Mordred was NOT born evil, and that he tried to fight his fate. I like to think that if Mordred had lived, he would of been like this.
The whole book is amazing- and the end is so sad! I'm not a sentimental person and I cried (in school I was reading, so that was just great :-)
People, you need 2 read this book!

I Am Mordred is a fascinating and exciting book. It begins with a young boy, about nine years old. He lives with his adopted family who found him in a small boat at sea. He lives his life happily until Lady Nyneve comes and takes him to his true mother, Queen Moragause. On the way to his mother and step-father's castle however, he learns who his real father is and, what his fate is. Foretold by the magician Merlin, it was said that Mordred will kill his father in battle. Not only is it a heinous crime to kill but Mordred's father is none other than King Arthur. The book continues to show how Mordred tries many times to save himself from the scornful eyes of the entire country and also save his father from this fate. Mordred gets very little help on his journey. He only has Lady Nyneve, his faithful dog Gull, his brothers Gawain and Garret, and lastly the king himself. However, they all help him at some point. For instance, Nyneve helps him escape from Morgan Le Fay's castle, Gawain and Garret train Mordred to be a knight, and Gull helps him to face his fears and accompanies him through out his journey. Lastly King Arthur helps him to relieve the pain of his life.
The book is full of revenge, such as Gawain and Garret killing their father's murderer. The book also has several points of betrayal, an example being Mordred's aunt. Morgan Le Fay trapping him in her castle.
Mordred is the main character in the story. He only wants people to not judge him and to be able to settle down and live his life peacefully. Nyneve wants almost the exact same thing only with one crucial change; instead of people not judging her, she wants to be an equal to the men of the court. Gawain and Garret just want to serve King Arthur and King Arthur wants to please everyone. By putting all of these characters together, Nancy Springer has achieved a high place on my respected authors list.
Historically, the book itself is only semi-accurate. It shows fighting with swords as illustrated on page 83 "Gawain swung his sword". It shows what the main form of transportation at the time was horses as shown on page 78 "Pellinore sent his charger into the courtyard". It shows many of the beliefs that were common at the time such as the king being able to heal the sick. But it introduces magic at a very early point. By magic, I don't mean pulling a rabbit out of a hat, but more like shooting lightning out of your hand and killing someone. Fairly early on in the book, Mordred learns to scry. Scrying is a form of magic in which you can see what other people are doing and where they are. Later on in the book someone turns in to a bird then disappears. Someone also has their soul stolen.
I feel that this book is aimed at more sophisticated readers who are prepared for anything. The book requires some endurance to read because often there is lots of boredom followed by lots of excitement in a repeated pattern. The book can also be very emotional, especially during the final chapters. Also the book gets quite violent, so young readers beware.
I truly enjoyed reading "I Am Mordred" and I think that you will too.

Interesting to have a story of just Mordred and why he became what he became...

Nancy Springer's novel presents Mordred in a more sympathetic light,
delving into why he is who he is, and did what he did. In a similar
manner to Mary Stewart's Crystal Cave, it starts with him as a
teenager, after having survived a purge meant to kill him as a baby.

A bit of a geeky boy, he returns to Camelot to try and come to an
understanding with his father, and a reverse Lex Luthor/Superman type
of problem continues to get in the way.

Very well done.

It had seemed like a good book when I had started reading it, but, no, it wasn't, and for a lot of different reasons. The first (and probably the most annoying) is the way the author sets this character up: in a good story, you'd want to make your audience sad when they die. When Mordred died, I was very happy. When Arthur lived, I was disappointed. When Mordred didn't die, I wondered what the point of the story was. To make everyone hate Mordred? Um, that's already happened, Miss Springer. The second, is its details, which were not only boring, but pointless. The third, is that I couldn't stop reading it. Really, I wanted to rush this over to the nearest recycling center, but the book won't relieve you of its awfulness. If ever you concider this book, DON'T READ IT! I'd never read a bad book until I read I AM MORDRED.

I was sure that I wouldn't like this story at all after reading The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley, but this tale by Nancy Springer is indeed captivating and does a good job in drawing the reader in.

This book is geared to the young audiences of twelve and above but adults would enjoy this telling as well. The author writes with a light hand and fluidity that makes the reader completely forget their surroundings. This is only the second Arthurian story that I have read, also being from the viewpoint of the women, but I am not left wanting for more of the story to put all of the peices of the puzzle together. It is a complete tale.

The story starts out with Morgan as a child witnessing the horror and the trickery of her mother, and how her mother came to be with child from a man who was not her husband. We watch as Morgan comes into her powers and at first the use of them literally knocks her silly, but then she is summoned to Avalon to learn how to use them and to accept that she is the fate she that she fears. Others dwelling in Avalon try to teach her to embrace the dark side of herself before it overtakes her, but that is a lesson she does not learn or cannot learn. Events unravel and we see at each unfolding how she became to be the fearsome enemy of the King that she is known as to this day. She was delt many hardships and has tried to overcome them, but some shadows still stay with her and encourages her position as Arthur's rival.

If one never had sympathy nor empathy for Morgan le Fay, one will by the end of this story. It is beautiful. I am not aware if there is a sequel to this tale, but there definately should be. The story ends just short of seeing Morgan in her role as the dark side of Morgan le Fay. Instead this story focuses on her life and the reason behind her chosen role as King Arthur's arch enemy.

An enchanted retelling of the life of Morgan Le Fay. Nancy Springer did such a great job in writing this book. I felt all Morgan was feeling and you can no longer view her as a villian after reading this book. Her [the author] view on Avalon was refreshing and original as well. Overall, a bloody fantastic read!

In the medieval ages kings and queens ruled the land. Morgan was the daughter of the Duke of Cornwall and Igraine the beautiful. Morgan lived in a castle with her mother, sister, and her nurse. Her father was often at war. Morgan loves her family, but one day when she is sitting in a wheel shaped rock at the top of a hill all of a sudden she finds an extraordinary blue stone in her palm. She realizes that she had been digging into the ground. She hears a voice calling for her, a boy named Thomas. The boy claims that her mother needs to speak with her, but Morgan just wants to be left alone so se is uncooperative. Soon Morgan finds out that her father has died and her mother is to marry Uther Penndragon a rich but evil king. Her mother is devastated and as of now Morgan is in line for the throne, but many cruel and greedy people are out to steal the throne from her. So her, her sister, and her nurse who is not who Morgan thought she was move into the nurse's home. After meeting a few times Morgan has grown to enjoy Thomas' company and he is in some trouble so he stays with them too until he has to go off and fight. Morgan and her sister are called to Uther Penndragon's court for the naming of their new half brother Aurther. Morgan despises Aurther not only because he stole the crown from her but for stealing her mother's love and attention. But several years later when Aurther is kidnapped and Igraine disappears Morgan is drawn to an unknown land and is sent on a quest. On the way Morgan has many surprises thrust upon her that are strange and unexpected, but still she is being summoned to the unknown. Once Morgan gets there she is reunited with someone she hasn't seen in years. I strongly recommend this story because of its unexpected plot and because it is one of the most intriguing books I have ever read and putting it down is nearly impossible once you have started reading it.

Seriously, I have no idea where to begin. I've read this book about four times now, and each time, I ended up getting so caught up in the book, that I felt I was the character. I felt Morgan's love for Thomas and Ongwynn. I felt her hatred for her half brother, Arthur. I felt all of her confusion, sadness, happiness, and wonder.

It's a very well written book. If you don't love fantasy and the legends of Camelot, this may not be your book. But if you absolutly love Camelot and fantasy, this is an amazing read.

Ok, so the things Morgan was able to do were a little inhuman, but she was still a really awesome woman. She reminds me of myself, very independent. The story of Morgan le Fay is a dark tale about a girl who becomes fate herself. After her father, the king, is killed, her mother is the most sought after woman in the country. The country is driven into war over the throne and many wish to get Morgan out of the way. With a powerful druid stone she is able to perform magic. She falls in love with Sir Thomas only to see him die a terrible death. Morgan goes through some excruciatingly painful times in this book. The road she must travel in live is very rocky indeed. Perhaps the tragedy of this tale is what attracts me to it. It does not have a happy ending at all, but sometimes that is how life goes. It is extremely well written by author Nancy Springer. I Am Morgan le Fay actually won the Edgar Allen Poe Award. I have to say that this is one of my favorite, if not me FAVORITE book of all time. I am almost addicted to it. I plan on reading it again as soon as I get a chance. I recommend this book to a teen, females audience simply because the main character is female and young. But I wouldn't limit it to females, I think there are some males out there who would enjoy it to. If you're looking for a good read, this is your book.

This book focuses on Menolly's young friend, the irrepressible Piemur and what happens to him when his voice starts to break. It is a don't miss for fans of McCaffrey and for Harper Hall as it does extend the understanding of the "other tunes" a harper can play in Pern's society.

I would not recommend this book as the first one to read for someone not familiar with the series. The plot suffers structural flaws and loses steam. Some themes and concepts are repeated here without the force they had when originally presented in other Pern books. The ending seems a little contrived as if the author is starting to write to a formula.

I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN AN AVID BOOK READER AND HAVE COLLECTED MY FAVORITES OVER THE YEARS, BUT WHEN I READ DREAGONS DAWN WHICH LEAD ME TO THE OTHER ANN MCCAFFERY BOOKS LIKE DRAGONDRUMS, I WAS HOOKED. I HAVE NOW COLLECTED ALL OF THE PERN BOOKS THAT BOTH MOTHER AND SON MCCAFFERY HAVE WRITTEN AND IT'S ONLY TAKEN ME SIX MONTHS TO COLLECT THEM ALL. DRAGONDRUMS AND THE OTHER HARPER HALL BOOKS ARE WONDERFUL IN THE FACT THAT WE GET TO SEE HOW THE BACKGROUND SUPPORT PEOPLE IN THESE BOOKS COME TO PLAY A ROLE IN THE DRAGONRIDERS LIVES. FOR PEOPLE LIKE ME WHO ASK WHY ABOUT EVERY LITTLE THING, THESE BOOKS ARE WONDERFUL. THANKS, MCCAFFERY'S.

The harper Hall Trilogy is my favorite set by McCaffrey and interestingly the first books I read by her. I love dragons and there for dragon stories, particularly ones were dragons are not mindless monsters of destruction, so it would be odd for me not to like these books. The story is very original and the characters well written. If your not sure of getting into the Pern books, this is the series to read! Dragondrums is the last in this set and it does not disappoint, well maybe the fact that its such a short book.

Dragondrums is a similar sort of story to Dragonsong/Dragonsing. A young man with musical talent has the puberty thing hit. He ain't singing soprano anymore.

So, off he goes wandering on adventures, gets into trouble, and makes friends with a fire lizard, and takes up drumming, eventually settling down.

My admiration for Anne McCaffrey knows no bounds. I think she has created some wonderful fiction. I credit her Harper Hall series with fostering a great love of reading and music in me at a very young age. I found the first book DragonSong at the library when I was about eleven or twelve and proceeded to devour everything I could find that she had put out. I eagerly awaited each new book. I became interesting in vocal music after reading these books and decided to try out for our choir in high school, choral music is still an important part of my life.

I feel badly for the people who came to this book expecting something that they did not find, namely it looks like folks thought it was going to be about Menolly and were disappointed to find it was about Piemur.

In this book as with all of her Pernese novels McCaffrey has constructed a wholly believeable world (Dragons and fire lizards? Sure! I'm down with that!) inhabited with wonderful characters who live interesting lives. They are by no means perfect. Most of the major characters evolve or transform at some point, so I have never found the world stale or boring.

A favorite wrinkle of mine is that there is no smoking on Pern. I always thought that was funny when it was compared to Tolkien's world and those of other Sci-Fi authors. No one is lighting up a pipe, no one is smoking anything. It is funny how much time can be spent padding a novel with smoking business. No smoking on Pern. At least I couldn't find any. Which was a wonder for me since when I was a kid my Mom smoked and I hated it.

I think these books are a perfect intro to Sci-Fi/Fantasy for young readers.

When I happened across this book on Amazon, I was so pleased. It was a childhood favorite. Any cat lover would be happy with this book, and the little poems have not lost their charm. It has been beautifully reillustrated and I certainly recommend the book. I wish I had looked for it in hardcover, though.

This is one of the best children's books I've ever read. I came across it at my school's library many, many years ago and must have read it 10 times before returning it. I haven't seen it for 20 years, but I think of it often... maybe its time to pick up a copy again!

I read this story when I was in Fourth Grade that was many, many, many years ago. But I have always held a deep place in my heart for this wonderful story of the Budda and his heavenly affection for the Feline community. From the first time I read this book in 1960 to the present it still captures my heart. It is a story that never grows old. And both old and young would enjoy this wonderful fable....

My daughter absolutely loves this book and had to have it. Says it's her favorite book. She read this at school and wanted it for her own personal library.

I LOVE this story. Several times, I have given it to friends who had lost a loved one and all of them have loved it, too. It may a little slow for children, but good as a bedtime story! I love her writing: it's simple and not cluttered with loud colors and exciting events. Coatsworth has done some timeless children's stories and everything I've seen has been terrific.
After reading the children's reviews, it occurred to me that this is a book for adults and children to read TOGETHER. The concepts involved (prejudice, loyalty, plus the messages in the stories of the individual animals) are pretty advanced for young children. These two reviewers obviously missed the good stuff entirely!