Reviews (10)

Despite being panned; this is a great rendition
I think it is worth buying. Your personal preference will affect how you like this version as opposed to the newer one done by the BBC. This is the first rendition I ever heard of the Lord of the Rings. I own both copies and I don't regret owning either one because each Version is good for different reasons.
The voices are different in this version. BBC sounded more like grown men. The voices sounded more elfish in this version. I think that it reminded me of the Ralph Bashki version of the Hobbit. I did feel that this was more concise and less was edited out. Gollum seemed less psycho and scary in this version. There was less music in this version and less of a romantic sideline. I liked that it didn't edit out the part of Tom Bombadil; as BBC's version did. I felt like more was cut out on the BBC version even though it was four cds longer. It was disappointing.
I know that one person found this edition hard to follow. I find all the audio I listen to has to be listened to repeatedly to understand the plot. I will admit that this is the kind of story that one has to listen to to understand all that was going on. With repeated listenings; one hears new things or notices new things. I actually found the narration and actors voices sounded clearer in this version than the later one.

Not wort your time.
As I fan of Lord of the Rings (the books and the movies) I was quite excited to recieve this for CHristmas. My excitement died within minutes of placing it in my CD player. The voices, aside from the narrator, do not seem to fit the characters. Espoecially disturbing were when the high elfs had voices that sounded like Alvin, Theodore and Simon, rather than the noble creatures they should sound like, and Tom Bombadil sounding like a tripped out leprechaun. It also bothers me that almost every actor seems to be reading, so much so that you can hear the pause as they come to the end of a line or page, even if it is mid-sentance. And perhaps the worst thing is the way they mispronounce names and places. Tolkien gives a pronunciation guide in the books, they should have used it.

Get the right one
While this is a very sincere effort at reducing LOTR into digestible audio episodes, it simply cannot compete with the BBC's version. It might be slightly more appropriate for younger listeners, and features more direct quoting from the novel's descriptive passages, but essentially every voice actor is inferior to the BBC counterpart, and the breaks every half hour (at least on the cassette version) leave the story feeling choppy. Look into this if you're a completist, but if you only want one, go with the BBC.

Fine adaptation...but
...I've had this version since before 1987, when it was on cassette tape. I loved the story, music and actors portrayals of the characters. My only quam was when it was transferred to CD. The sounds were 100% better, I heard things I never heard on the tapes, however, quite a bit of dialog was cut out when it was transfered to CD, and some parts of the narration sounded rushed, due to cutting and pasting excerpts together to make it fit. I stil enjoy the story and listen over and over, but I still miss the parts that were removed, and I have to add them back in my mind. I'd give it all five stars if it wasn't cut down. Still worth the money.

Mediocre, historically important Mind's Eye radio drama.
This full-cast abridgement of THE LORD OF THE RINGS is The Mind's Eye version produced for American radio in 1979, several years before the infinitely superior BBC version with Ian Holm. The eleven-hour-plus dramatization deserves recognition as a sincere, pioneering attempt to bring J. R. R. Tolkien's epic fantasy to imaginative life for an American audience in a way that the animated films of the period could not. The production was very well-received at the time and appreciated as a folk-culture event. Radio drama has been a rarity in the United States since the early 1950's whereas it has always thrived in the United Kingdom. (There had been an early British radio broadcast of LotR of which Tolkien, who disliked dramatic forms in general, disapproved.) While the subsequent 1981 BBC masterwork is a lavish, technically dazzling production sporting internationally acclaimed actors, the humble Mind's Eye version, utilizing a small cast of local-theatre players, is a low-budget, no-frills affair reputed to have been recorded in a bathroom in Pittsburgh with the microphone taped to a rubber duck. Most of the voices are wrong and pronunciation awkward, but everyone makes an enthusiastic effort, which is the main reason that the marathon show remains so endearing despite its uneven quality. Scriptwriter Bernard Mayes had his task cut out for him, considering that it no doubt was a labor of love which had to be done quickly for little or no money. According to the conventions of the radio drama format, the adaptation emphasizes dialogue over description, and while the merest sketch of the novel, Mayes' script is generally an effective condensation, highlighted by the inclusion of the beloved Tom Bombadil episode. Scripter Mayes also plays Gandalf quite splendidly and his fine, robust performance make this version worth a listen for all but the most cringing of purists. Gale Chugg (a notable cartoon voice) gives a spirited and straightforward account of the narration and doubles as a delightfully creepy Gollum. Other voices do not fare so well, but weaknesses among the supporting cast would mean little if the protagonists were not so drastically miscast. Samwise (Lou Bliss) is energetic and cheeky but sounds like a contemporary Noo Yawk street kid; while Frodo (James Arrington) starts out with an appropriate clear-speaking earnestness, only to become a monotonous, whining drone when crushed by the terrible burden of the evil One Ring. This means that THE RETURN OF THE KING, which places an inordinate burden of its own on these young actors, is rendered a painfully draggy conclusion to the epic narrative. The overall result would not seem such a travesty if so much better had not since come from Ian Holm, Martin Shaw, Rob Inglis and of course the Peter Jackson films. For all its gross imperfection, The Mind's Eye LORD OF THE RINGS maintains a nostalgic charm for listeners who can be forgiving of the primitive circumstances of the little production and focus on its historocity and ambitious, well-meaning intent. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Call it fate, call it intuition, or just call it common sense, butsomehow young Alanna knows she isn't meant to become some proper lady cloisteredin a convent. Instead, she wants to be a great warrior maiden--a female knight.But in the land of Tortall, women aren't allowed to train as warriors. So Alannafinds a way to switch places with her twin, Thom, and take his place as a knightin training at the palace of King Roald. Disguising herself as a boy, Alannabegins her training as a page in the royal court. Soon, she is garnering theadmiration of all around her, including the crown prince, with her strong workethic and her thirst for knowledge. But all the while, she is haunted by therecurring vision of a black stone city that emanates evil... somehow she knowsit is her fate to purge that place of its wickedness. But how will she find it?And can she fulfill her destiny while keeping her gender a secret?

With Alanna: The First Adventure, veteran fantasy author Tamora Piercehas created a lively, engaging heroine who will charm middle-school readers withher tomboyish bravado and have them eagerly searching for the next book in theSong of the Lioness series. Like Brian Jacques's tales of Redwall, this popularquartet is an entertaining fantasy series for younger teens. (Ages 10 to 13)--Jennifer Hubert ... Read more

Reviews (497)

One of my favorite Fantasy books
The first Tamora Pierce book that I ever read, this book grabs you and pulls you in. Alanna is a young girl of noble birth, who doesn't want to become a lady. What she wants is to be a knight of the realm, so she switches places with her twin brother Thom, and goes to the Corus, the capital of Tortall. She must dress, talk and act like a boy to avoid being found out. She must overcome many obstacles, her lacking swordmanship, her fear of her gift, and her changing body. She makes friends and enemies, saves lives and does many amazing things. Alanna is a wonderful heroine because she is so human, she has her flaws and her strengths, a temper, but she is fiery and determined all the way. This is a definite MUST READ!

A HELPFUL review!
Ambitious, brave, and bold. That is a pretty good description of Alanna of Trebond. Alanna, the heroine of Alanna, The First Adventure,is a ten year old girl with one huge goal: to become a knight of Tortall. There is also one huge problem: girls are not allowed to become knights. Alanna, however, has a plan. Since she is old enough, she is going to be sent to the convent to learn how to be a lady. Her twin brother, Thom, is going to be sent to the palace to be trained as a knight. Thom hates fighting and wants to be a sorcerer. Alanna loves fighting and is scared of magic. So the twins decide to switch places.

Alanna, The First Adventure is a very well written book. The characters are believable, and the book keeps your attention. One of the especially good things about Tamora Pierce's style is that she gives Alanna her weaknesses and fears like the rest of us. She doesn't just have to concentrate on becoming a knight, she also has to face (unlike some other authors' heros) all of the problems that "tweens" and teens have. Setting the scene is another one of Pierce's talents. I can easily picture the kingdom of Tortall ( the land where most of the book takes place). Pierce has created a whole different world that not many writers could create. The only exceptions I can think of are Patricia C. Wrede, Brian Jaques, C. S. Lewis, and J.K. Rowling. Alanna, The First Adventure is not too long or short, (though I find The Realms of the Gods, another of Pierce's books in which Alanna appears, a bit tedious). Of all of Pierce's books that I have read, Alanna, The First Adventure is by far the best.

Pierce's book teaches us a lot of things. It really shows that you can accomplish almost anything if you put your mind to it, but that does not mean it's going to be easy. Actually achieving your goal will usually include hard work and challenges. Alanna is a good role model for pre-teen and teenage girls because of her bravery, ambition, and her "I can do it and I won't depend on others" attitude. Alanna, The First Adventure also makes a few good points, such as the fact that there is such thing as an "honorable thief". It shows that sometimes a few friendships can be better than many, most of the time those few people will be by your side no matter what secrets you posses.

My only complaint about Alanna, The First Adventure is that it seems a bit unlikely that Alanna could manage to keep her sex secret while she is a teen. But other then that, Alanna, The First Adventure is a wonderful fantasy book that I believe many people would benefit from reading.

3 reivews by three 5th grade girls
AC says: "Ok book. Too slow, too much detail. I like the story of the book but don't like how the author wrote it"

AM says: "great book. I like the details, they lead up to the excitement. Good story"

TG says: "very good book. Lots of action. Lots of drama and excitement."

Easy to read for a fifth graders. Might be inapporpriate for younger than a fifth grader.

Has magic, adventure, fighting, immortals, friendship, knights, and lots more.

Perfection
The Lioness Quartet is one of the best series of books I have ever read. It goes on my "special bookshelf" with Harry Potter, Gone With the Wind, and Pride and Prejudice. When I first got these books, I bought them in a series from Amazon, I was about eight or nine and I did not put them down until I was done. Since then I have read and re-read them what seems like a hundred times, and they have the marks to show for it (the second in the series is swollen from being dumped in the tub). For any young girl who loves fantasy this is simply a must-have.

The story follows Alanna of Trebond, a twin, and very much opposed to the sort of life a young noblewoman should have. When the story opens, she and her brother, Thom, are eleven and are being sent off to school by their indifferent father so that they may become a lady and a knight respectively. After a few moments of disgruntled reluctance, the two decide that they will switch places, allowing Alanna to disguise herself as a boy and become a knight in her brother's place, while Thom will head to the convent and train to be a sorcerer.

Thus, Alanna becomes Alan, and aided by an old family friend, the manservant Coram, she embarks upon a completely new journey at the palace in Tortall. At first bullied, or hazed, she soon becomes fast friends with the crown prince, Jonathan, and his close friends. While struggling to maintain her classes, which are made more for pushing the pages and squires to their breaking point, she also has to hide her secret from anyone. Fairly soon on in the book, she makes friends with the King of Thieves, George. As she grows up little by little she also meets the Duke Roger, Jonathan's older cousin and second in line for the throne, after Jon, for whom she has no pleasant feelings and distrusts heartily.

The books is filled with magic and intrigue, romance and history. It has good friends and bad ones, it develops every character beautifully and leaves noq uestions unanswered. And the best of it is that there are three more to read after this one, all as beautiful and clever as the first.

This book was so beautiful and good that simply writing about it makes me want to re-read it. Alanna's friends were so well portrayed they came to be my friends. I can see and smell the castle and fell her pain and understand her struggles. This book should be mandatory for any young girl reader.

Impressive at any age!
I first read this book when I was in 6th grade, and I re-read it several months ago, and it's just as good now as it was then! I'm still impressed with how well written it was. The plot was impressive, and the characters were great! The only thing I didn't like about it was the fact that Alanna jumped right into bed with the prince. I understand why it was in the story, but it was a tad cliche. Although in the end, it did add to the story, and make it even better! So all in all, I loved this book, and recommend it to anyone and everyone! ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

Getting to know the tribes of Redwall is essential to any avid Redwall Abbey fan. In this, the second guide in the series, readers can learn about and celebrate the hidden worlds of the otter clan.

Just like the popular Tribes of Redwall: Badgers, this packet will feature a detailed 16-page booklet with history, puzzles, and a quiz about these favorite Redwall creatures. There is also a stunning full-color pull-out poster featuring the otter heroes and heroines featured in the booklet.

Complete with an introduction from Brian Jacques himself, Tribes of Redwall is a must for any Redwall enthusiast!

Illustrated by Jonathan Walker. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

You otter know otters!
In this short booklet, one will get to know all the who's who and what's where of the otter tribes of Mossflower country! The beautiful poster that accompanies the booklet has full-color illustrations of all the most important otters in the Redwall saga. Inside the booklet, short histories of the otter VIPs, along with explainations of what a "holt" is, and why "hullabaloos" are so important to the otters, will make you an otter expert!
Oh, and the recipe for "shrimp and hootroot" soup is well worth the price!! ... Read more

Book Description

How fast can some dolphins swim? What is the biggest shark? Why do sharks attack? Find out the answers to these questions and more in this Magic Tree House Research Guide! Includes an illustrated gallery of dolphins and sharks, information on the ocean, dolphin communication, how sharks hunt for food, ocean exploration, and lots more! A Stepping Stone Book™ ... Read more

Book Description

An orphaned boy and a kidnapped horse gallop for Narnia … and freedom. ... Read more

Reviews (71)

An Amazing book
C.S. Lewis is a genius, and this is one of the best out of the chronicles. I love this book, because it gives you a better understanding of how horrible Calormen was. In this story a young boy who was adopted by a Calormene fishermen escapes to Narnia with a talking horse Bree. On their dangerous journey, they meet a Tarkheena named Aravis and her horse Hwin. They are on an amazing adventure and have to face the challenges of getting through the busy city of Tashbaan and crossing the desert. Their most difficult challenge is to get to Archenland before the Calormen army to warn the king about their surprise attack. This book introduces new characters and has the lovable old ones. I recommend this book to anyone who can read!

Take the journey
Ok, before you even bother reading my review, buy the book (I'll wait here).

I hope you bought it. If you haven't, let me tell you why you should: The Horse And His Boy is an outstanding story. And that's not all-you can read it without having read any of the other Narnia books; not that you'd want to do that. All the Narnia books are wonderful.

The Horse And His Boy follows the adventures of Bree (a talking horse) and Shasta (a slave boy) who run away from their masters and journey to the magical land of Narnia. Along the way they meet a nobleman's daughter, another talking horse, a king and a queen, and a very special Lion (he's not a tame lion you know).

I love this book. I love all the Narnia books. C.S. Lewis is a great writer (now in glory). However, heed this warning: this book is only for children and those adults who are old enough to love fairy tales again. I hope that means you.

A Narnia side adventure that works
"The Horse And His Boy" is one of CS Lewis' classic Narnia books, one of the later published but the third if taken chronologically. The tale takes place during the time period just before the end of "The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe," (roughly during the start of "Wardrobe's" last chapter) and is largely independent of the other six Narnia books. All of the Narnia books can be read independently, but "Horse" in particular has little link to the others.

The tale is a classic "young person escapes a bad life" story, and in the end becomes a classic "downtrodden young person saves the day" and a "young person of meager background is" - well, that would be giving something away. Time-tested clichés of the genre, to be sure, but not clichés in a bad way. In Lewis' tale, this is a Good Thing. Because it works.

The story concerns Shasta, a young boy, and a talking horse, Bree, who flee their evil masters in an attempt to reach the free land of Narnia to the north. In their flight they meet up with Aravis, a young girl also fleeing with a talking horse, Hwin. They adventure their way through the country of Calormen, a thinly-veiled substitute for the Middle Eastern countries of the real world.

Like the best of children's literature, the pacing is brisk and the obstacles to be overcome are introduced quickly and almost without pause.

As in all the Narnia books, we are introduced to Aslan. This time Aslan's role initially seems minor, but is revealed to have retroactively been a major role. It is among the worst uses of the lion in the series. Much of what the lions tells Shasta feel dreadfully like the famous poem "Footsteps," in which Jesus explains to a walker looking at his life traced in footsteps on the beach that those moments when there were but one set of footsteps, not two for the walker and Jesus, were moments when Jesus carried the walker through life, not the walker walking through his troubles alone. In "Horse," it slaps the reader from the story. Worse still is the fact that the entire meeting with Aslan is written in a gratingly worshipful tone that is horribly jarring; it does the story a great disservice. The scene, however, is mercifully short.

Because "The Horse and His Boy" is a side adventure in Narnia more than anything else, it does not have as strong a connection, and therefore sentimental tug, as the rest of the books. Still, heavy-handed Aslan scene aside, "Horse" is a delightfully simple adventure about young people escaping a bad situation. Escapism is almost never a bad thing, especially for younger people who prefer to read over playing video games, and Lewis does it very well. Most readers will thoroughly enjoy this, even if it isn't essential Narnia.

Good Book!
The Horse and His Boy
C.S. Lewis
C. Cho
P.5

This book is about a young boy named Shasta and a horse from Narnia named Bree. Shasta and Bree have one thing in common, they both want feedom! Shasta mannages to escape from his master, Arsheesh. Bree and Shasta encounter many adventurous perils on the way to Narnia. Some people in a kingdom even mistake young Shasta as a prince. Shasta has his moments of fame and luxury until the real prince arrives...

I enjoyed reading this book because of the great relationship Bree had with Shasta. I also had fun reading this book because when I read about all the mysterious animals such as the lions, I wanted to read more about it. It was fun reading about the part when Shasta was mistaken as Prince Corin. Here is a quote from the book that I enjoyed,"Shasta had so enjoyed his dinner and all the things Tumnus had been telling him that when he was left alone, his thoughts took a different turn. I couldn't believe that they couldn't tell the difference. There were many exciting parts in the book but to me, these were my favorite parts.

As much as I enjoyed this book, I did have some parts that I did not feel was very exciting. When Shasta and Bree met Aravis there was a lot of talking involved. I enjoy stories with diolouge but I dont enjoy it if there is eight full pages of it. Another reason why I disliked this book is because they talked in a different way that we Americans do. Arsheesh was a character in this story that I didn't like."My price is seventy."

My favorite part of this book was when the people of Tashban mistook Shasta as Price Corin. This chapter made me feel happy for Shasta because he got food and rest that he deserved. I did not like it when Aravis showed up. She was the daughter of a high nobleman and she was a little stuck up to me. Although Aravis was not my favorite character, I still enjoyed this book.

The Horse and His Boy
I thought this was definitely one of the best books in the Narnia series. Unlike all of the other books, this one could stand alone as an independent story. This book does not follow the same order of the other chronicles and would probably fit somewhere between The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe and Prince Caspian. It includes some of the main characters from the other books such as Susan and Edmund but it is based on a boy named Shasta, a girl named Aravis, and their horses Bree and Hwin. It tells of how a boy comes to find his true identity while making friends and saving Archenland in the process. I highly recommend this book if you are looking for adventure, heroism, surprise, and fun. ... Read more

Book Description

What was it like to wear armor? What was the food like in castles? This book explores what life was really like in medieval times. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Wonderful book for kids of all ages
This is a wonderful book for kids of all ages. The reference works in back to museums, internet sites and other books is well done. I recommend this book for any one who has children interested in Knights and Castles!

Terrific Reference for Middle Ages * Art * Theme!
I'm an artist and art teacher, and after discovering this book, I ordered copies for my middle school ART students! While it's an easy read for students of this age (5th through 7th grade), it's packed with understandable text and pictures. It's a great reference for the various art projects that my students are doing as part of our study of the Middle Ages, and the kids have really enjoyed it....

Knights and Castles
Mary Pope Osborne does it again!

Our Family loves the Magic Tree House series. They hit us on many levels. Our youngest loves to be read to, our next just hit chapter books, our oldest is beyond this intro. level chapter books - but loves this series & reads the books over and over.

I am delighted to introduce reasearch ideas in such a non-threatening, inviting manner to my children. Learning and reading is so fun; and this concept sheds new light for a young audience. Not only will this help after reading the MTH series, it will add a new dimension when going on field trips, museums, the library, the internet, etc. I am going to share this book with our elementary school.

Ms. Osborne and her husband take the opportunity to be thorough, while simplifying for young minds - and the illustrations keep a young reader's attention.

Bravo! Keep 'em coming.

Great for fans of the magic tree house!
My 4-year-old son and I have been reading the Magic Tree House series for nearly half his life; they are among his favorite books (in fact, when given an opportunity at a book sale at day camp this summer, he opted to buy the next book in the series rather than the Pokemon cards that all his friends were buying!). When I showed him the Knights and Castles Research Guide, he was thrilled! We started reading it right away, and he found it fascinating. Especially appealing are the illustrations, much more numerous and detailed than those in the regular series. My only (very minor) disappointment is that it would have been even more wonderful if these books in this Research Guide series had been presented as if they were the actual books that Jack and Annie found in the treehouse (complete with the quotations that appear in the Tree House books), rather than ones they put together from "research" after their visits. ... Read more

Book Description

The last battle is the greatest of all battles

Narnia ... where lies breed fear ... where loyalty is tested ... where all hope seems lost.

During the last days of Narnia, the land faces its fiercest challenge -- not an invader from without but an enemy from within. Lies and treachery have taken root, and only the king and a small band of loyal followers can prevent the destruction of all they hold dear in this, the magnificent ending to The Chronicles of Narnia.

Reviews (62)

The Chronicles Of Narnia-The last battle
The Chronicles of Narnia is"a saga that began with The Magicians Nephew." That followed up with The lion The Witch and The Wardrobe, The Horse and his Boy, Prince Caspain, The Voyage of the Dawn Treaader, The Silver chair,And Finally the book i read. The last Battle. All these chronicles were written by C.S. Lewis. In all his stories he writes of another world. One place in paticular being Narnia. All of his stories in clude kids from our world and talking animals. these animals are a little bit larger than the ones we are used of seeing today and have personalities much like our own. The Last Battle was about a greedy ape named Shift who wants to secretly take over the country of Narnia. He wants to accomplish this by using his 'friend', a helpless donkey named Puzzle in the process. You see one day a lion skin floats down stream to where Puzzle and Shift live. Shift totally takes advantage of his 'brainless' buddy and tells him to slip the lion skin on. This makes him look like their great Aslan. Aslan has great power over people and anything he says usually goes. Shift thinks up a plot that will enable him to get everything he's always wanted.So with the help of a few other fantasy people he gets his wish for a while and scares all the narnians into waiting on all the Apes every need. Some of them were even going to be sold to the Cholermenes as slaves. In the end Shifts einsteinic plan falls in smoke because King Tirian, Poggie, Jewel the Unicorn, Jill, Eustace, and a few other good fellers come to the rescue to find that all this time they have been in a 'mirror image'of Narnia. soat the end of the story all the good animals and heros follow Aslan through 'magic doors' and find that the real Narnia is more of a magical place then anywhere they had ever been. the fruit was better too!
Over all i would have to say i liked the book.I would give the bok 4 out of 5 stars. i like the fantasy side of it. it really made me want to not stop reading because it always had something going on . Like "oh another battle(400) scene is coming up."It just really kept my excitement goin more then anything else! I also like the is was a part of a set of books. i have only read in either in back in fourth grade but i can remember liking that one too. That was The Lion the Witch and The Wardrobe.i would definetly reccomend this book for other kids. But i must warn you your in store for some pretty crazy aeventrues especially if you read the whole set. Overall i woulde willing to bet you wouldn't beable to put the book down for a long time

A Wonderful Spiritual Experience
The Last Battle is the last in the series of Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis, and my personal favorite. Most people think this book is for children, but I think many people can enjoy it, as it can be understood on many levels. For example, a child may appreciate this story as a group of kids on a fun adventure. I, however, really got a lot of spiritual meaning out of this book, as I found a lot of biblical parallels. In this book, the children are battling the greatest evil to exist in Narnia since the White Witch. A cunning ape and his lackey Puzzle (a donkey) find a lion skin in the river. The greedy ape convinces Puzzle to dress up in it and convince the Narnians that he is great Aslan the Lion, king of Narnia. Through Puzzle, Shift the ape exploits the Narnians devotion to Aslan by giving cruel orders that will only profit Shift. Out of fear, the animals follow his orders. "Aslan" invites the enemy Calormene army into the land to help him rule the country. The animals at this point turn to the real Aslan, and the people he sent (all the humans from the previous books in the series) to save them, but there wasn't much they could do Aslan came just in time however, bringing with him the final Judgment Day. The good creatures left Narnia through a lone standing door frame and entered into a magnificent place of which I haven't space to describe the magnitude of its beauty. The evil were rejected, and Narnia began to fold in on itself, much the way it had formed in The Magician's Nephew. Once in this paradise, the children are told that they were here after having been pulled by Aslan into Narnia after their Earthly deaths. The children grappled with this, as it must be a very difficult thing to be told you are dead, but accepted it happily in the end, seeing as everything they loved on Earth and more was there. This was the most spiritually enlightening aspect of the book, and it really left me in awe. Aslan accepted all the good into this "heaven." Not caring whether they had worshipped the Calormene God Tash, Him, or any other deities, he simply accepted them on their goodness. This to me is very interesting because on Earth, it seems, all the various religions are in some sort of competition with each other. Wars are fought over religion often, but as this shows, none of these specifics really matter.

Aslan's Glorious Appearing
I thought it timely, in light of the controversy surrounding another "End Times" story, to remark on this most remarkable of C.S. Lewis' Narnia Chronicles. This satisfying series conclusion illustrates Lewis' brilliant analysis of Biblical prophesy in a touching story children of God can all look to with anticipation ("...Amen. Come, Lord Jesus." Rev. 22:20b).

This is the story of Armaggedon; the conflict between anti-Christ (anti-Aslan) and the great masses of inhabitants of lost Narnia deceived by him and doomed for eternity versus the ultimate salvation of the few true followers of Aslan to eternal life in His Country, the True Narnia. The allegory to Scriptural truth is remarkable as illustrated by this most insightful, genius mind of modern-day Christian apologists.

The high point of the story occurs after the destruction of the old world and the lost souls who rejected Aslan, who are dispatched allegorically in Revelations 20, "lake of fire" fashion. The heroes of the story, including all the key players from the earlier Chronicles, are seen trying out their new "resurrection" bodies exploring the most beautiful place ever imagined, thrilled to have Aslan with them. They find after a while that the beautiful country is actually Narnia, the REAL Narnia. Though the Narnia they knew and loved was perceived most wonderful, it was a mere shadow of the perfect New Narnia, the one that would last forever, always with Him present and providing all the light in the never-ending Day.

For believers in Christ, Lewis has projected a clear picture mortal minds can comprehend of how it might be on that Day. It is shown through a children's story because that is how we must come to Him; like a child. "You must become just like a child to enter the Kingdom of God". Jesus said "let all the little children come to Me". In Narnia, those child-like believers were never lost once they found Him, by His grace. Those who perished were the lovers of the old, decaying, temporary Narnia and were deceived by what their own wills commanded, rejecting and hating Aslan and worshipping the god of their chosing, their own selves. This is a definitive picture of our fallen world and our fallen culture. Lewis' work is prescient in describing the condition of the world of today, one in which Jesus could return to at any time, as our prayer pleads from Revelation cited above (but if He tarries, one and all can be sure that He is coming soon; "soon" defined as the lifespan of the individual).

One last point on a most poignant scene from the story. It involves the fierce young Tarkaan warrior Emeth, devoted follower of the vulture-like god of the Calormens, Tash. As our heroes are exploring the Real Narnia, following Aslan "further in and further up", they discover this unlikely believer sitting perplexed under a tree, "surprised by joy". Emeth's story is one that demonstrates man's frequent inability to match his rational and correct thoughts with his often erroneous mental images of said correct thought. In this case this child of the Light lived bravely demonstrating the fruits of the Spirit in humility, submission and obedience to the true God of everything, the Self-Existant Great I AM. But his human error was in his vision of what God looked like and not knowing His correct name. Emeth is somewhat like Helen Keller, who, when "told" about Jesus by Anne Sullivan in the eternal darkness, quiet and aloneness of her disability, said "so that's His name; I know Him".

The story of Emeth's salvation by grace is much akin to the salvation of the thief on the cross, or like mine. It doesn't say that "being good" gets one into Heaven, as one mistaken reviewer opined. It does show that a totally surrendered heart turned toward the One true living God in obedience and love will not be turned away, no matter how mistaken one's mental images may be about God. It is a beautiful picture of salvation by faith through His grace and not by works. God does all the saving; the Holy Spirit teaches us about the true nature of God by His perfect, inerrant Word. Lewis' picture of Emeth is one all believers should take heart in, realizing it is not our purview to know who God has saved by His sovereign will. Of course, Emeth's works demonstrated his salvation, even though he was not recognized as a believer.

Emeth's conviction, humility and devotion in this passage continues to bring me to tears. As Aslan seeks him out in the New Narnia, Emeth is convinced he is about to die. He has seen Aslan in His Glorious Appearing and is convicted of his sins. He falls at His feet thinking "Surely this is the hour of death, for the Lion (who is worthy of all honor) will know that I have served Tash all my days and not him. Nevertheless, it is better to see the Lion and die than to be Tisroc of the world and live and not to have seen Him." Read the book to see a most beautiful prosaic illustration of Christ's mercy and grace.

This is an ideal book to read either before or after reading the last of the Left Behind series, Glorious Appearing. The stories are very similar with the same outcome and the same great Hope. The self-possessed "intellectuals" of the world may guffaw at those who believe in "Whom" Lewis and other Christians have assurance. Most of these "intellectuals" are ignorant of Scripture, though some are over-studied yet deluded by their self-enlightenment, hard hearts or pride (see 2 Corinthians 4:4, 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 for the bottom line, or if you can't get translation from that source, try reading Lewis' definitive study Miracles).

The Chronicles of Narnia are reading for a lifetime. They should be read by believers as a reminder of how we are to come into His presence. In Narnia we see the joys of serving Him in the trials and in the triumphs of this life. In The Last Battle we see the Genius of Revelation as given to Lewis on a plain that even great intellects can embrace if they are willing to "not harden their hearts" (Hebrews 3:12-15). If they are not willing they will get a clear picture of the consequences.

A fine end to a classic series
As the title implies, "The Last Battle" is the final book of C.S. Lewis' acclaimed Narnia Chronicles. It is also, for all intents and purposes, the end of Narnia itself, culminating in a sequence that bookends with the creation chapters and final coda of "The Magician's Nephew."

Unlike the other Narnia books, "Battle" begins not in the real world with the children who have been at the core of the series, but in Narnia itself. There, an ape called Shift and a donkey named Puzzle find a lion skin which washed down a waterfall. Seeing an opportunity to makes others do what he wants, Shift forces Puzzle to wear the lion skin and pretend he is Aslan. The ape's deception is central to both the conflict that drives the story and the questions of faith and belief that act as this book's moral center.

That conflict and the events which follow lend the story a tension not found in the previous six books, largely because the ape's deceptions just feels *wrong* in every way. The populace of Narnia believes the false Aslan is the real thing, even when he begins to sell them into slavery. Narnia's last king, King Tirian, tries to convince the Narnians that this Aslan is not real, but most are either too scared to not believe or are losing their faith in Aslan altogether. Enter Eustace in his third Narnia appearance and Jill in her second.

The tale moves along at a good pace, driven sometimes by action and other times by a pressing need to know what will happen next. After six Narnia book, the effect of Narnians turning away from Aslan is compelling. What little hope there is for the Good Guys falters again and again, which only adds to the steadily growing tension of the book's first two-thirds. It's effectively done and reads well; it is also has a more serious tone than previous Narnia books, similar to the difference in tone from Lloyd Alexander's first Prydain book and the last.

It is roughly two-thirds of the way through that the story takes a left turn in much the same way "The Magician's Nephew" shifts its focus. Here, however, the effect is not as jarring as it was in "Magician." It works largely because the sense of wonder and discovery present in much of Lewis' work is here in spades.

The final chapters of the book may be overly spiritual for some readers, but by and large that spirituality is of the same sort present at the end of "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader," a wondrous, timeless sort of revelation that fits within the framework of a fairy tale. Those readers who want to see Christian elements in the tale's finish surely will see them, but one can easily enough read it as the magical end to an equally magical saga told in the tradition of ancient storytelling.

Themes of faith, belief and trust drive "The Last Battle" forward.
All time-tested themes, and Lewis weaves them into a good enough story that they rarely feel heavy-handed. Because the story ends as it does, "Battle" offers true closure to the series, a rarity in lengthy works of fiction where "one more installment" is always a possibility.

"The Last Battle" is a well written and superbly fitting end to C.S.
Lewis' Narnia Chronicles, granting readers a compelling conflict before delivering on a finish that satisfies in spite of the near deux ex machina end to it all. The book manages to tie the elements of the six previous volumes together to close out one of the most beloved children's series of all time. "The Last Battle" is fine piece of work all but the most demanding reader will enjoy.

The Last Battle
The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis is the last book of a seven book series entitled The Chronicles of Narnia. I enjoyed reading this book very much. It was full of adventure and it kept the reader in suspense throughout the whole book. This book also has great imagery. It takes the reader feel as if he or she is actually with the characters in the book.

This book would be a fantastic choice for a few different people. Anyone who enjoys reading adventure stories will enjoy this book. It is also great for kids because it has a lot of life lessons in it. This book would also appeal to anybody who enjoys a few fictional elements. ... Read more

Book Description

Jack and Annie travel back in time to a South American rain forest in search

of the elusive magician Morgan le Fay.Will they find a new clue to her

whereabouts before they are trampled by stampeding killer ants?




... Read more

Reviews (12)

It was very good!
The book was exciting and fun to read [I read it over lunch at Tatnuck Booksellers].
Jack and Annie travel to lots of cool places but this was the best because of all of the bugs. Jack and Annie are very lucky to have found the magic tree house.
This is the tenth Magic Tree House book I have read and I can hardly wait to read the next one.

It was wonderful, delightful and delicious
I read this book for summer reading and it was one of my favorites. I love the Magic Tree House series, and I have read every one of them. In this book Morgan Le Fay was turned into a mouse by the wicked Merlin. Jack and Annie had to get four M words to rescue her. In the Amazon they got a mangoe.

I love afternoon on the Amazon
This book is a great book! Annie and Jack think things are different than they really are in the Amazon. There was a monkey that threw red fruits at them and Annie and Jack didn't know that that was what they needed. They thought the monkey was being mean.

Exciting book about the Amazon
This is a teriffic Magic Tree House book about the Amazon. It had a lot of scary parts, such as the army ants and the vampire bats. This also had some really interesting and exemplary information on the Amazon. I definitely think that any Magic Tree House fan shouldn't miss this one. Happy reading!!!

An exciting adventure
I like this book because it is an adventure book. I believe it is a good book for kids that like adventure. The book is about two kids named Jack and Annie. They go on a trip to the amazon rain forest. When they get to the tree house they find a mouse. The mouse helps them through the rain forest. So they find a canoe on the river side and get in it. When they get down the river a monkey starts throwing red fruits at them. After it stops doing that piranhas started to eat the boat. Then after that Jack grabs a snake. So after that they back on the river side. When they get on the side, a army of ants come after them. When they get away from the army of ants they can not find the tree house , so they put the mouse on the ground and it finds the tree house. But the jaguar finds them and starts running after them. Now you need to read the book to see if they find what they are looking for. ... Read more

Book Description

Presented here in hardcover with a beautiful jacket chosen through a global fan poll, J.R.R. Tolkien"s epic masterpiece, The Lord of the Rings, has been hailed throughout the world as one of the greatest adventure stories ever written. Millions of readers have celebrated this exciting tale of hobbits, wizards, men, dwarves, and elves in a land called Middle-earth. Now millions of filmgoers have embraced the blockbuster motion picture trilogy that has fired the imaginations of a new generation.
Returning to Hobbiton after an absence of many years, the wizard Gandalf quickly sought out Bag End, the home of his old and dear friend the hobbit Bilbo Baggins. It was the morning of Bilbo"s one hundred and eleventh birthday, and a party of special magnificence was planned for that night. The old hobbit had been plagued by the incessant attentions of unwanted visitors, well-wishers, and distant relations, prompting him to hang out a sign on his front gate warning "No admittance except on party business." It was in this grumpy state of mind that Bilbo, completely unprepared for the joyous reunion that awaited him, stomped to the door to answer Gandalf"s knock.
These unique, limited-edition bookend sculptures have been hand-cast in heavyweight polystone and hand-painted to the highest standards by the artists of Sideshow/Weta, a unique partnership between museum-quality collectibles manufacturer Sideshow, Inc. and Weta Workshop of New Zealand, the artisans responsible for the conceptualization, prosthetics, makeup effects, weapons, armor, and miniatures for Peter Jackson"s Lord of the Rings film trilogy. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

This is a great deal!
I just got this today and I'm thrilled with it! The book ends are very cute, and the figures do indeed look like Ian McKellan and Ian Holm. The book looks great between the 2 bookends...it's a great set at a great price (and MUCH more reasonably priced than much of the other LOTR memorabilia from the movies!). I'm not crazy about the cover of the book (it's a distant shot of Rivendell or perhaps even the White City...it's hard to tell)---it's not awful or anything but I would have liked some abstract image (such as the One ring, the White tree of Gondor, Elvish script, etc.) better. But in all, a great deal. I recommend it highly.

The right bookends for the right book
Fans of J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Ring" trilogy wholeheartedly embraced the film adaptation when it premiered almost three years ago. Now Weta Workshops (who did all the special effects, prosthetics, armor and makeup for the films) have produced a gorgeous bookend set along with the hardcover book.

Chosen by a special poll, the special hardcover edition is pretty nice to look at, but let's face it, the bookends are the best part. They're handpainted and very detailed, capturing the moment when Gandalf waits to be let in, only to be rebuffed by "We don't want any more visitors, well-wishers, or distant relations!"

One bookend has Bilbo moving to the door, and the other has Gandalf knocking with his staff on Bilbo's round green door. Fans of the movie will be pleased to know that they really do look like Ian Holm and Ian McKellen. Collectors of Tolkien merchandise will be delighted to put "The Hobbit," "Silmarillion," and other Middle-Earth books beside the trilogy, between these bookends.

Wonderful Quality!
I bought it, and fell in love with the quality so much that I ended up buying two more for my sons as gifts when they get older. Hopefully they will love the book as much as I do!

Great Purchase & Lifetime Treasure for Me (and family)!
I ordered this set for my own birthday present to myself and finally got it in the mail during Christmas (way before my birthday). I am in love with it and loved it seeing it still in the box. It was totally worth getting and fragile due to its properties of composition. Meaning, I am taking good care of it and it is sitting on my bedroom dresser right now holding up stuff. Worth getting for any "rings fan." They'd love it! Get it before they stop making it or something. I own this and many LOTR merchandise. Hope this helped you in some way.

Superlative
I bought this item as a Xmas present for myself. It was in Pre-order since the very same day it was published on Amazon.
I received it a couple of days after Christmas and it was amazing.

So amazing that my mother-in-law wanted one for herself! Too bad there are no more packages at the store. I've tried to buy it from other retailers and the cost is twice the one in Amazon.

If you were able to buy one at Amazon, you were smart. If you wanna buy one of this with other retailer, you're a harcore fan! ... Read more

Reviews (22)

Book 10 of the Jedi Apprentice Series!
Obi-Wan Kenobi and his master Qui-Gon Jinn are sent to keep the peace between the planets Rutan and Senali. But they have more than enough on their hands when conflict arises between the two rulers. For many years, the firstborn children of the rulers of the planets are exchanged at a certain age. Instead of promoting peace this time, the planets are on the brink of war. Leed, the firstborn heir to the throne of Rutan, does not want to go back to his home planet and his father will stop at nothing to get him back. Will Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan be able to bring peace and keep the situation from turning to war and bloodshed?

For a children's series, each and every Jedi Apprentice book is jam-packed with excitement and suspense, at the same time giving you time to think. I love how the author makes it so even older people can read the books! "The Shattered Peace" has a flowing plot, not giving in to meaningless subplots or too much action. The ending is quite unexpected and more satisfying that I had at first thought it would be.

This series explains a lot about how Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan first meet. Their beginning is far from simple and all smooth-sailings, which would be pretty monotonous if it was. Though the books are said for ages 9-12, like many other reviewers I agree that the Jedi Apprentice Series are for anybody. Extremely well-written, the emotions, thoughts, and feelings of the main characters are very well put down into words. I also like the different array of humans and aliens which are portrayed, both good and bad.

Plust check out the new Jedi Quest series, dealing with the master and apprentice duo of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker. Another Star Wars Series I recommend and like a lot are the Young Jedi Knights series. The stories are about Jacen and Jaina Solo (twins of Han and Leia Solo), and their friends as they journey on the road to becoming Jedi Knights. More on the teenager level of reading. For adult readings, a few selections I enjoy reading are "The Thrawn Trilogy", "Rogue Planet", "The Jedi Academy Trilogy", "The Corellian Trilogy", and "The Truce at Bakura".

The Shattered Peace
Four words: Not enough lightsaber battles! True, that sounds rather pathetic from a book reviewer, but consider this, 'The Shattered Peace' is all about Jedi and their peace-keeping abilities, not their magnetism to break-neck action. (Not to say that this book doesn't have action...) Now, if you're wanting to have the end spoiled for you, you've come to the wrong place! I'm going to limit myself to saying that Qui-Gon Jinn is able to salvage the situation with some help from his Padawan, Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Jude writes masterfully, getting the book to build tension early, not allowing you a reading break for fear of missing something important. Twists and turns along the way, shock you as they shock Obi-Wan. Not surprisingly, Qui-Gon Jinn expected a few of them. Older Jedi take away all the fun...

Compared to the other books of the Jedi Apprentice Series, this one has much less raw emotion on the parts of Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan, leaving older readers wondering if that was the end of the emotional trip for the two.

Not to worry, though. This book holds a preview of the next chapter in the series, No. 11, 'The Deadly Hunter', and I must say, it looks like a thrill ride compared to this one!

So! If you're wanting a fantastic, unbelievable read... Wait for the next book. If you're just wanting a fun and entertaining read, get this one. And that's all she wrote.

Shattered Expectations
The Shattered Peace is a dip in the road that is the Jedi Apprentice series. It is hardly as good as most of its predecessors, suffering from a mostly predictable story, and, in fact, a story that feels like one we've read a dozen (or at least nine) times before. And what there is of a plot is seriously flawed. Rutan and Senali have been exchanging crown princes for generations, we're told, yet the reigning rulers behave as if each has never left his planet! Perhaps a ten year old will not be troubled by this giant oversight, but this thirty three year old couldn't get past it.

It would be impossible to reach a constant level of excellence over ten books, so the relative mediocrity of The Shattered Peace should not dissuade one from continuing on with the series.

One person's anger could be the start of a terrible war.
In The Shattered Peace, Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon must travel to the planets Rutan and Senali in order to help them avoid war. For years the firstborn children of the royal families were exchanged in order to promote peace, they thought that the kings would not attack the other planet if their children were there. But Leed, the prince of Rutan, wishes to remain on Senali. His father, King Frane, insists that he is being brainwashed and sends Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, and Taroon, his second son, to Senali to find him. They arrive on Senali and Leed tells them that he is not being brainwashed and that he truly loves it there. After Leed agrees to face his father, he is kidnapped by a mysterious group of Senalians with clay smeared all over their bodies. Qui-Gon is forced to tell King Frane, who immediately threatens to declare war if Leed is not found and brought home. Now Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan must figure out who is behind this in order to prevent war between the two planets. This book wasn't the best but it was still really good. But the only thing Obi-Wan did was think about how much he was reminded of the incident on Melida/Daan.

Not too good , but O.K
This book wasn't as good as the others, but it just goes to show what different writers imaginations are like. I'm not going to tell you what happens in this book, but if your a jedi apprentice fan I guess your going to read it anyway and find out for yourself what happens.Anyway, if you are first readers of these series, I recommend that you start reading from book one. ... Read more

Book Description

Now joined by their unruly new companion Jasmine, Lief and Barda set off on a treacherous journey through the territory ruled by the monster sorceress Thaegan. But that is only the beginning. To recover the second gem, they must face the hideous guardian of the Lake of Tears! ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Deltora Quest The Lake of Tears
Delota Quest
The Lake of Tears
Rewiew

The book Delora Quest The Lake of Tears was great. It is the second instalment from the seven very descriptive, interesting, adventureous, and action packed books that Emily Rodda has written. The book is about Leif, Barda and Jasmine and their very important mission to find the jewels scattered and stolen from the Belt of Deltora. In this book they look for the Ruby, which takes them through The Lake of Tears where dangerous monsters are as common as mice are, one of the monsters is the extreamly hideous Soldeen, it is a fish that can move out of water and also in water. I thought that the book was overall good it had the right amount of action great adventure it also had some puzzles that you could solve with the characters.Her descriptions make the characters, monsters, and lands come to life to the smallest detail, from shapes and sizes to color and texture.

The Journey Continues
The three continued to the dangerous Lake of Tears, in the land ruled by the evil sorceress Thaegan. They need to get through her territory and to the Lake of Tears. On their way, they discover a troop of Grey Guards with a prisoner; a tiny Ralad builder named Manus. They rescue him, and move off the road to avoid capture by the angry Grey Guards. Then they see a broken sign: Ring and Enter. They see a nice cottage, and a bell. They oblige, and run to the cottage. But instead of a nice, flat lawn, is quicksand. The two inhabitants, Nij and Doj, pull them out and treat them well. But they do not speak English. Instead, they say things like "Noos taem hserf!" Which later, they discover is "Fresh meat soon!" and their names are Jin and Jod - Two of Thaegan's evil children. Can they make it to the Lake of Tears? They do, and find a beast, Soldeen. They have to get the gem from Soldeen, and when Kree, Jasmine's crow, kills Thaegan by trying to protect Jasmine, all of her evil work comes undone, including the trasfomation of the city D'Or.

Best of the series!!!!!
You have to read this book! Almost better than Harry Potter. This is a great series and I could not put the books down. I read for at least an hour every night. This is a mind twisting adventure and the best one in the series.

It's a real awsome book
It's really fun to read. The story was very exciting, and I would definitely recommend this book to my friends.

TOOO COOOL!!!!
I loved this book! I just couldn't put it down!UH!I'm a complete Fantasy-Action freak! Lord of the Rings,Sign of the Dove,Unicorn Chronicles, Narnia Chronicles,Midnight Magic,blah! See what I mean?
This book had everything I needed and was to good to finish. Please!!!!!! I need to get the third book!!!!!!!!!! ... Read more

Book Description

Fantasy lovers of all ages will rejoice at this chance to travel once again to the marvelous land of Oz!

A California earthquake sends Dorothy Gale and her new friends--Zeb the farm boy, Jim the cab-horse, and Eureka the mischievous kitten--tumbling through a crack in the ground. Deep beneath the earth, Dorothy is reunited with her old friend the Wizard of Oz and his troupe of nine tiny piglets.

Together, Dorothy, the Wizard, and their friends travel through many fantastic lands, where they encounter the Mangaboos, people growing like vegetables in the ground; cross the Valley of Voe, where dama-fruit has turned everyone invisible; and are captured by mysterious flying Gargoyles. At last, the intrepid travelers reach Oz, where they have many unforgettable encounters with such favorites as the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman, the Cowardly Lion and the Hungry Tiger, Princess Ozma and the wooden Sawhorse.

Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz was the fourth Oz adventure. First published in 1908, it has captured the imaginations of young readers and listeners for four generations. Now a new generation can discover these superb adventures for themselves. This deluxe gift edition faithfully reproduces the rare first edition, including all sixteen color plates and all fifty black-and-white illustrations by John R. Neill, as well as the original colorful endpapers.

Reviews (10)

I think it's a great book!
I think Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz is a exciteing book which is funny and intresting in a lot of ways.I read all the Oz books but I think this one is one of his best!I definetly rate this a 5 star book! From Hallie McPherson

Dorothy and the Wizard In Oz
NOTE: This is not the edition of the book I would have liked to review. I just didn't see it anywhere. This review is based on the Del Rey edition.

Dorothy and the Wizard In Oz is the 4th book in The Wizard of Oz series.

In this story, Dorothy and Zebediah (Zeb), her second cousin, fell into the middle of the earth though a crack. When they landed, they were in a city. The rest of the story is the trying to get out of the middle of the earth.

There is one really neat thing that happens in this book. As many of you remember, whether you read the book or saw the movie, the Wizard of Oz floated away in a hot-air balloon. Well, in this book, the Wizard lands in the city where Dorothy and Zeb are. He must have been floating for a really long time!

As I have for all of the books in this series, I suggest this book for those who like to read for fun and don't mind a little major fantasy. (Like when Dorothy and Zeb fall through the earthquake to the center of the earth, they could've never survived!)

The best in the series
While all of Baum's books are great, overall I think this was the one that I enjoyed the most. Like the very first book, the plot is simple. Dorothy gets pulled into a magical world against her will, and she wants to get home. She then goes through a series of adventures trying to achieve her goal. Although the book has "In Oz" in the title, Dorothy and the Wizard spend very little time actually in Oz. But don't let this put you off. The underground lands that they pass through are every bit as exciting and magical as the different lands actually in Oz. The ending (how they escape the underground world) is a bit weak, but the imaginative countries that they pass through and the adventures they have in each more than make up for this. Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz is a book that you will want to start reading again as soon as you finish, but don't. Go on to the next Oz book and then the next. While I believe that this was the best of the 14 original books in the series, they are all wonderful and I would recommend that everyone read the entire series from beginning to end. And then try the books written by some of the other authors. While none are as inspired as those written by Baum, many of them are very good.

And if you've read all the Oz books and are looking for other titles that are just as magical and just as inspired, try the Chronicles of Narnia, King Fortis the Brave or Abarat. All will introduce you to other magical worlds that are every bit as fun to visit as Oz.

This book is "Super, thanks for asking".
The book "Dorothy and the Wizard of OZ," is a great book,and should be recommended for anyone who likes to read. It starts out when Dorothy and Zeb are riding in a buggy, and then this huge earthquake comes, causing a big crack in the earth to form. they fall inside the earth, and end up landing in what we know as "munchkin City", but in the book it is called "The Glass City". They meet the munchkins, and then take off for the wizard. They get there, and then this sorcerer comes out, and starts talking them, as he turns into a funny looking thorny man. the wizard finds the sorcerer and cuts him in half. They take the cut in half sorcerer, and barry him in the vegetable garden. The prince of the vegetable kingdom, tells Dorothy to go and find him a princess. So she does. One night while the wizard and Dorothy are sleeping, they get a visit from the evil Mangaboos. They wernt goin to let them go, but then they did. They then went through a mountain, and came put on the other side, which was the Mangaboos's kingdom. While they were there, they ran into a man they called The Braided Man of Pyramid Mountain. The man then lead them to the Wooden gargoyles. They then made a great escape from them. After a few more stunts took place, all the old friends reunited. The wizard then did another trick, and then Zeb went back to the ranch, and after Dorothy gave them a kiss, and said goodbye, she was gone in a madder of seconds.

In this book the three main characters are, Dorothy, the wizard, adn Zeb. Dorothy was a little girl, who liked to take risk, and liked to have fun, but be careful about it at the same time. In this book, she was about eleven years old, she had blonde hair, and wore a shirt little white dress. instead of a dog, she onwned a cat named Eureka. The cat isn't mentioned very much, until the very end. Zeb is Dorothy's cousin, and he is pretty quite during the book. He is mentioned, and helps take care od buisness, and helps them get out of situations when they are in danger, or are trapped by somebody bad. In this book he is about thirteen, or so and does not talk very much. The wizard is very very talkitive. He likes to help people through times, and he likes to be in charge over everything. He knows alot about the land, and what is there, and what can happen. He is about in his fortys, but still is a great wizard, he helped out Dorothy from the funny looking thorney sorcerer by cutting him in half. In my opinion I think this book is really good, but can get a little confussing. So you have to pay atention to all of it, and read it when your not buissy, other wise it wont make any since.

The wonderful Wizard of Oz
The book Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz by Frank Baum was a great book! I would rate it five stars. It was more interesting than the movie because the book describes the munchkins a lot better. I would recommend this book to anyone that likes fairy tales and adventures. ... Read more

Book Description

Millions of children, even Christian children, are reading the mega-selling Harry Potter book series and are exposed to the Harry Potter movies. John Granger, a devout Christian, teacher of classic literature, and father of seven children, first read the Harry Potter books so he could explain to his children why they weren't allowed to read them. After intense study, however, he became convinced that the books are underestimated as literature--and reflect important Christian truths. In Looking for God in Harry Potter, Granger gives parents and teachers a roadmap for using the Harry Potter books to teach Christian truth to children. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Looking for God
I bought John Granger's book immediately after reading the introduction! As an 8th Grade English teacher, I believe this book is a must read for teachers and parents alike whose children or students are Harry Potter fans. In addition to unpacking the Christian themes and influences (which as a Christian myself, I whole heartedly support), this book is also useful for the individual with no religious persuasion whatsoever, as it unpacks discussion topics on themes and every day issues with which everyone deals on a daily basis. I couldn't put it down (or at least did so reluctantly...). Granger also details the ways to discuss the different themes resident in each book with your child/student as well as gives guidelines for general discussions with your child about Harry Potter (or, a myraid of other topics, I would argue). I highly recommend reading it!

Very interesting...
In the old days, Christians might hide their pack of playing cards or a cigarrette from the pastor. Now, both young and old stash Harry Potter videos and books. However, after reading this book, you might want to proudly display them instead.

**** John Granger (no relation to Hermione), takes apart all five volumes of the demonized books to miniscule detail and finds vast amounts of Christian allegory inside them. Going beyond the obvious, he brings to light enough material to keep a Sunday School class going for six months, at least, in a style almost as entertaining as the books themselves. In fact, by the end of Finding God in Harry Potter, you will be convinced that we can learn as much at Hogwarts as in Narnia or Middle Earth. Maybe more. ****

Amanda Killgore for Huntress Reviews.

Granger is a Genius!
John Granger gives us an authoritative, honest, thought-provoking book, and I recomend it to anyone who's heard of Harry Potter. It's easy to read, but provides a wealth of important informaiton for Potterholics, like myself, and the Harry Haters. Everyone ought to read this book; we have a great deal to learn from Granger, and, as he says, the Potter books themselves. So what are y'all waiting for??? Buy it, Read it, Love it.

Tickling sleeping dragons
Don't let the fact that this book is called 'Looking for God in Harry Potter' put you off.

Admittedly it is the best book I have seen for any Christians who are looking for an intelligent alternative to set against the less than totally convincing and intellectually sound argument that, as Stan Shunpike might have said, (had he been a fundamentalist) "Course 'Arry's evil, 'cos 'e's a wizard, inee?'

But this book is not just for Christians, its much too good for that. Its for anyone who has read the Harry Potter books, anyone whose children have read them, and for anyone who is intrigued by the phenomenal success of the books, whether they've read them or not.

Even if you decide that the analysis in terms of specifically Christian symbolism, themes, and answers to questions about the meaning of life, love and death are a stretch, this book still provides an intriguing analysis, and one worth considering. It is by no means a Christian tract or an attempt to bend fiction to the cause of evangelism. It takes the books on their own terms as part of the English literary tradition, a tradition that has frequently made use of Christian symbolism, imagery and themes, even while using the metaphor of magic as a means of making the transcendent tangible.

Of course if John Granger is right and the Harry Potter books are an attempt to smuggle a message past the watchful (C.S.Lewis) or sleeping (J.K.Rowling) dragons that guard us against such things, then maybe this book risks letting the kneazle out of the bag and putting the pixie among the pigeons, even before the complete series is written and published.

Looking for a sample chapter from the book?
I agree with the other reviewers, that Granger's book is probably the BEST commentary available on the Potter books. But reading is believing - so if you don't want to take someone else's word for it you can find two sample chapters on the internet. One chapter is on book #5 "Order of the Phoenix" and the other is on dopplegangers. These online chapters may vary slightly from the final edited version found in Granger's book.

(...)

Whether you think Granger's book is brilliant or merely excellent, there is one other thing worth saying. On a topic that has become divisive in the Christian community, Granger's writing is the soul of civility and good humor. There are no cheap shots toward those who are concerned about the potential attraction to the occult in today's society. This is a book written with charity and fair-mindedness - with nary a hint of condescending know-it-all-ism. In this regard I would compare Granger's style with the congenial orthodoxy of C.S. Lewis, who closely identified with his readers (especially in addressing those who find it difficult in today's society to attain faith). When you read this book you find not only good scholarship and reasoning - but an example of cordiality and good-will that is very rare in today's marketplace of ideas. ... Read more