Magic Tree House: Books 29-32: #29 Christmas in Camelot; #30 Haunted Castle on Hallow's Eve; #31 Summer of the Sea Serpent; #32 Winter of the Ice Wizard (Magic Tree House Books)

Book Description

Christmas in Camelot
It begins with a simple invitation to spend Christmas Eve in Camelot, a magical place that exists only in myth and fantasy. What Jack and Annie don’t know is that the invitation will send them on a quest to save Camelot itself — not from destruction, but from being forgotten forever.

Haunted Castle on Hallow’s Eve
The castle looms dark against the light of the moon. Giant ravens circle in the sky. Merlin the magician needs someone to find out what has happened. But who is brave enough to brush the cobwebs aside and go through the heavy doors? Merlin thinks he knows the answer to these questions–Jack and Annie.

Summer of the Sea Serpent
Jack and Annie are off on another mythical mission at the request of Merlin the magician. Luckily, they have a young sorcerer, Teddy, to help them. From underwater caves to a Spider Queen, from mystical selkies to a magical sword, this is a Magic Tree House adventure kids won’t want to miss!

Winter of the Ice Wizard
Jack and Annie, joined by Teddy and Kathleen travel in the Magic Tree House to a land of snow where the Ice Wizard has captured Morgan and Merlin. The four friends must find the Ice Wizard’s missing eye . . . or is it really his heart that is missing?

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The subtle, christian forerunner to the Twilight Zone?
All about redemption.
Weird and occultic
Soft souls avoid, for this is a challenging supernatural read
Charles Williams the storyteller

All Hallows' Eve
Charles Williams
Manufacturer: Regent College Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1573831107

Book Description

Charles Williams had a genius for choosing strange and exciting themes for his novels and making them believable and profoundly suggestive of spiritual truths. All Hallows' Eve is the story of a man and woman whose love was so great it could bridge the gap of death; of evil so terrible as to be unmentionable, of a vision so beautiful it must be true.

Customer Reviews:

The subtle, christian forerunner to the Twilight Zone?.......2007-09-04

This is a ghost story, but not a horror story. You may get chills reading it, but not always from "the creeps". On the other hand, you may finish it wondering just what the heck you just read. I submit to you All Hallows' Eve-- definitely not for everybody.

All Hallows' Eve is Charles Williams' last novel, written and set in WW2 England. It starts shortly after the tragic deaths of two women friends, Evalyn and Lester, in a bizarre collision, and neither is aware at first that they have died. They wander a weirdly deserted London separately for a brief time before meeting up, which gives the author an opportunity to focus on Lester's inner spiritual journey as she slowly confronts some unattractive truths about herself and her important relationships with her husband and her friends. In a separate but intersecting storyarc, Lester's surviving husband and his artist friend cross paths with a popular cult leader, Simon Le Clerc. This disturbing figure has a hidden past that is revealed only to us, the readers, as the plot unfolds. He is shaping up to be something not unlike an antichrist of sorts who is conducting covert, occultic experiments on the artist's love interest, Betty Wallingford, who is the daughter of one of Le Clerc's most devoted followers.

Williams makes use of Betty's nighttime passages to scratch the surface of an alternate universe which Evelyn, Lester and (presumably) other newly-deceased inhabit. It is simply described as the City, and although it bears a surface resemblance to London, it is more of an infrastructure to London, or perhaps the Platonic Ideal of London...possibly something more. Many things in this realm tantalize us with glimpses of hidden spiritual truths, and time itself seems to have no linear requirement; past, present and future flashbacks occur without regard to conventional order. I was left with the sense that I would have liked to discover more about this City, and as this is my first Williams novel, who knows..he may indeed refer to it in his other stories.

I'm not sure what sort of person would be best prepared to read this final Charles Williams novel. The author (an Anglican, or so I've read) clearly gives his audience much credit, as he allows us to draw our own conclusions about either the allegorical or the literal truths he dallies with along the storyline; he never force-feeds or "preaches". Somebody moderately educated in various religious history and/or theology would recognize a lot of the hints and references Williams makes along the way to telling his story. I wouldn't say that you must be a Christian to appreciate it, but it might help. On the other hand, I would only recommend this book to a mature Christian who has some direct study of the bible under his belt and yet a non-legalistic attitude toward their christian fiction. Certainly the reader would benefit from an ability to appreciate mysticism.

All Hallows' Eve was recommended to me by A Reader's Delight, which appeals to readers who crave rare literary treasures from various genres. Williams' writing style is rich and many-layered, so that I may have to read All Hallows' Eve several times to extract everything I should from it in time. Take that under advisement, and if the shoe fits, do try.
-Andrea, aka Merribelle

All about redemption........2007-07-17

A decent "purgatorial" novel about the redemption of a soul and what it takes. I often found myself thinking of Lewis's space trilogy during the read especially the last volume. I'd put this on a reading list of books about the theology of purgation; The Divine Comedy, The Great Divorce, etc.
At times I found Williams writing style a bit thick but I suspect that was intentional. I particularly enjoyed what seemed to be a slam on logical positivism and literary post-modernism in the character of the clerk.
Some classify this as horror and perhaps it is but it wasn't really scary to me. In fact, the clerk just winds up looking like a boob. Maybe the scariest thing about it is the choice one of the characters makes for hell.

Weird and occultic.......2007-07-05

Although Williams was a member of the Inklings group, the work of C.S. Lewis and Tolkein are worlds apart from Williams' writing. Finding any Christian reference takes work, but the occult is quite abundant. An understanding of his cult group (Knights of the Rose?--akin to the Masons) would have helped us decipher some of his meanings.

Soft souls avoid, for this is a challenging supernatural read.......2007-06-29

Creepiest book I've ever read. The occult, the dead, evil magicians, ordinary colourless people, and a conspiracy of a changing malevolent world order just beneath the surface of things.

The story arc is difficult to describe, but the two lead characters are dead girls operating in a depopulated limbo, with occasional glimpses of where they are heading (Hell and Heaven) and where they have been (the mortal world). Secondary characters include well-intentioned, but hapless young men, an evil grand dame, her suppressed daughter, and a monster of a necromancer intent on enslaving humanity and the dead alike.

Williams narrative style borrows much from philology, for the precise and poetic way in which he uses words lulls us into other worlds. This is in fact his thesis, that words are a link to another world, which is why spells and prayers are effective beyond their mere utterance. One wonders what Heidegger and Wittgenstein would have thought, for this is the novelisation and narrative explication of Heidegger's conceptions of being-there, and the refutation of the reductionism inherent in wordly precision that Wittgenstein refuted his own Tractatus and sought the rest of his life in the elusive and indefinable power of mytho-poetic language.

Soft souls avoid, for this is a challenging supernatural read.

Charles Williams the storyteller.......2007-03-23

This is my favorite of the seven "metaphysical thrillers" by the British writer Charles Williams, and one of my favorite books. Some say that it is the hardest read, but others say that about "Descent into Hell" (and I agree). Regardless, this is the best one; it is the last one he wrote (it was published posthumously) and apparently he had the other Inklings to give him advice. "Descent into Hell" is perhaps the best embodiment of his idea of "coinherence," but it is here that you meet his depth of vision as a storyteller. If you have any interest in the writings of Charles Williams, you should definitely get this book.

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Disappointing
Wow. That just wasn't good
All Eve's Hallows: A City Knights Novel
Light hearted urban fantasy with a kickbutt heroine
delightful tongue in cheek fantasy

All Eve's Hallows: A City Knights Novel
Dean Wesley Smith
Manufacturer: Phobos Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0972002669

Book Description

Dragons, giants and goblins are all around us, magically hidden within human society as they and a whole bestiary of fantastic creatures have been for a thousand years. But when conflicts with humanity arise, someone has to keep the peace between the supernatural beings and the unsuspecting mortals who long ago drove everything magical into hiding--and then forgot about them. The City Knights is the thousand-year-old top-secret organization charged with protecting humanity from these mystic entities and vice Versa.

Customer Reviews:

Disappointing.......2007-05-27

So many good ideas!!! And yet, so little development. It almost seems like the author was racing to meet a deadline. Details are wrong (Red Guard are from China, not Iraq), the timeline is screwy (I couldn't figure out if it was day or night and a week went by with no sense of development), and there are at least 3 'first' chapters (the opening paragraphs read like the first chapter of the book). This could have been drawn out into three books worth of mystery and magic. Instead, it was slapped together like a meal at an expensive restaurant that will close a month after it opens in New York because the chef is a great cook but a bad manager.

Wow. That just wasn't good.......2006-11-09

I was looking forward to reading this book after hearing a few good reviews about it and liking the premise. I was sorely disappointed. I felt like i was reading the rough draft of a novel, not the finished piece. It was in desperate need of editing, reworking of action scenes, and better explanation of the mildly ridiculous magic system. I was bored the entire time. But it did have some witty dialogue at times and it never took itself too seriously (definitely a good thing!). Maybe the next one will be better...

All Eve's Hallows: A City Knights Novel.......2006-02-23

Good premise. I hope to read the next soon, but will probably wait until it is on e-book or heavily discounted. Read like a comic and was a disappointment for the price. Liked and disliked the short cuts taken for explaining magic and the use/learning of magic. This usually slows the story, but when you totally skip it, you leave something out of the whole verisimilitude of the world that is created.

Light hearted urban fantasy with a kickbutt heroine.......2006-01-09

Billie Stern isn't your average former-Marine. She sees trolls. The City Knights catch her just in time--before she decides to seek medication. You see, there really are trolls and they're the least of the Knight's problems.

An Evil Sorceress, Eve, is plotting to unleash a vast evil and take over the world.

And what they need to stop her is one bad-@ss woman.

If you love hard hitting heroes fighting against goofus bad guys, you've come to the right place. Smith serves up far more laughs than chills, but this light hearted romp is definitely worth a read and I wouldn't mind a sequel.

delightful tongue in cheek fantasy .......2005-09-08

For the past millennium creatures of the night like goblins, fire exhaling dragons, and other so-called mythical beings have resided amidst humanity with few people aware of their presence. For the most part over the past few centuries, there is a peaceful coexistence, but at times conflict arises. Keeping the naive scientific-centric humans safe is the job of the ultra top secret City Knights.

Eve the darkest sorceress in centuries wants to come out of the closet and take control starting with New York City. She casts a spell to awaken and bind a monster so evil that malevolent sprites have watched over it. Now the sprites leave their subterranean chamber to cause havoc on the streets of New York. Former marine and recent City Knight recruit Billie Stein leads the counterassault against dangerous foes.

ALL EVES HALLOWS is a tongue in cheek fantasy that uses hyperbole to tell a good vs. evil tale. The story line is fun to follow though at times inane as Billie sees things like trolls, but wonders if the burger did her in until the Knights enlist her. Billie is a terrific heroine, kind of like an ex marine chick lit star stuck in a world filled with monsters that only she seems to see until she meets her peers. Fans who appreciate a kick butt female champion fighting insurmountable odds against powerful malevolent mythical cretins will enjoy this lighthearted urban fantasy.

Harriet Klausner

Average customer rating:

Scary Not
Frightening, Disturbing...a Winner for Teens
Courtesy of Teens Read Too

All Hallows' Eve: 13 Stories
Vivian Vande Velde
Manufacturer: Harcourt Children's Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0152055762

Book Description

A boy is trapped in a possessed car that has stalled in the path of an oncoming train. A girl is dragged into a crypt during a field trip to an eighteenth-century cemetery. A group of friends meet their fate after an unsettling visit with a backwoods psychic. And that's just the beginning.

Celebrated author Vivian Vande Velde is at her spine-tingling best in this collection of thirteen scary stories, all of which take place on Halloween night. With tales that range from the disturbing to the downright gruesome, this is one collection that teens will want to read with the lights on . . . and the doors locked.

Customer Reviews:

Scary Not.......2006-12-16

They should call this All Boring Eve.I like horror stories especially one's
that involve Halloween.Yet these stories were'nt scary.The only story in the book I liked was Cemetery Field Trip.This class goes on a field trip to a
cemetery(hence the name).A girl named Janelle gets seperated from the rest when she thinks she hears a kitten meowing and goes to look for it.She walks
up to a mausoleum where she hears mewing she steps inside for a closer look.Yet instead finds a nasty old pervert.He drags her inside and locks the door.Inside there are 5 coffins.While the man holds Janelle at knife point.
There's something more evil awaitng him.This book is good for young kids yet
if your looking for a real scare you might want to look somewhere else.

Frightening, Disturbing...a Winner for Teens.......2006-10-26

VandeVelde can do no wrong as far as I am concerned. This collection will have teen (and older--I've got a good 35 years on the intended audience) horror enthusiasts turning pages all night.

While gore mongers won't be satisfied, those who like to be creeped out, chilled and even a little upset will be delighted.

Among the best of these terrific tales:

MORGAN ROEHMER'S BOYS--takes the haunted hayride ghost story and gives it a twist...then twists it sharply again in a nasty, vicious direction

NOW AND WHEN--What happens when five teens are allowed one question each from a backwood's psychic. Even though I could see where the story was going, I was completely sucker punched by the epilogue. It still haunts and eats at me.

BEST FRIENDS--Told in two voices. One friend tells a story through rose colored glasses, the other tells the bitter truth...and the ending is a bitter one indeed.

MY REAL MOTHER--Our heroine searches for her "real" mother when her adoptive mother is less than sympathetic to her demands. You just KNOW that the "real" mother is going to be someone our heroine won't want to know. And the ending holds a breathtaking shock for the reader.

These are the four that stand out in my mind, but all all well written, shivery and a good choice for a spooky night at home--or even for a read aloud among teens. Lots of fun.

Courtesy of Teens Read Too.......2006-08-29

I have been a fan of Vivian Vande Velde ever since I read Curses, Inc. and Other Stories. I quickly followed that up by reading several of her other books, including Now You See It . . . (Magic Carpet Books) and Companions of the Night. Ms. Vande Velde is the master of spooky stories, whether they be contemporary, paranormal, or fantasy. What she's even better at, though, is writing short stories that have a way of staying with you long after you finish reading them.

With ALL HALLOWS' EVE, the author has brought us thirteen original short stories that, as a whole, scared the bejesus out of me. Whether the story is two pages long or ten, you find yourself immersed in the life of whatever tale the author is telling--and find yourself coming out, at the end of it, glad you're reading with the lights on.

The stories in this collection include:

COME IN AND REST A SPELL
MARIAN
MORGAN ROEHMAR'S BOYS
ONLY ON ALL HALLOWS' EVE
CEMETERY FIELD TRIP
BEST FRIENDS
PRETENDING
I WANT TO THANK YOU
WHEN AND HOW
WHEN MY PARENTS COME TO VISIT
EDWARD, LOST AND FAR FROM HOME
MY REAL MOTHER
HOLDING ON

There is nothing timid about this collection. I have always loved Halloween; it is, in fact, my second favorite holiday, beat out only by Christmas. After reading these short stories, though, I will never look at hay rides, cemeteries, school trips, cackling old ladies, or scarecrows on front porches in the same way. I read, on a regular basis, the stories of horror/paranormal authors Dean Koontz and Stephen King, and these stories by Vivian Vande Velde freaked me out just as much as those by my horror heroes. Be warned, though. Read MORGAN ROEHMAR'S BOYS, CEMETERY FIELD TRIP, and MY REAL MOTHER at your own risk--and with those lights on.

All Hallows Eve: The Story of the Halloween Fairy

Average customer rating:

Awesome. . .
A VISUALLY ENTICING HALLOWEEN TREAT
terrific tale!
The Story of the Halloween Fairy
Delightfully fresh tribute to all who enjoy this time of year

All Hallows Eve: The Story of the Halloween Fairy
Lisa Sferlazza Johnson
Manufacturer: Positive Spin Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0977309614

Book Description

A pinch of modern fairy dust is sprinkled on Halloween traditions in this playful, ghoul- and goblin-free introduction to the holiday. Eve, a young fairy from the All Hallows pumpkin patch, loves candy but is unable to make it—she can only create toys with her magic. Eve determinedly practices her spells, hoping she’ll be able to magic up candy on her birthday, October 31st. During her dress-up birthday party, Eve’s finest attempts yield only candy-shaped toys—such as candy bar blocks, candy cane whistles, and squeaky toy cakes. As her frustration grows, her party guests save the day by visiting all the pumpkins in the patch and collecting candy to fulfill Eve’s wish. Overjoyed by their kindness, Eve gratefully offers the toys she created to her friends. A tale of friendship, cooperation, and self-acceptance, this story also provides health-conscious families and those with specific dietary concerns an alternative way to enjoy the holiday activities.

Customer Reviews:

Awesome. . ........2007-01-05

. . .enough said. Buy this book. It makes a great gift for children of all ages.

A VISUALLY ENTICING HALLOWEEN TREAT.......2006-10-31

All Hallows Eve: The Story of the Halloween Fairy isn't your typical children's Halloween story. It's not filled with the usual ghosts and goblins...there's really nothing remotely scary making it a wonderful choice for those with smaller children. The story is about a little fairy named Eve who lives in a pumpkin patch with other fairies. They carve out faces on the pumpkins to use them as "cozy spaces". Yet despite all of her magical fairy powers the one thing Eve can't do is make candy...and Eve dearly loves candy! It seems Eve can only make toys and her toys that look life candy just don't taste very good. Eve's friends want to cheer her up and they go about visiting the other fairies in the pumpkin patch to gather treats to make her feel better.

Its whimsical rhymes are reminiscent of Dr. Seuss and the magic of the fairies almost makes the story feel like a Christmas story. It makes for a different and fresh take on Halloween. All Hallows Eve is written by Lisa Johnson and illustrated by her husband Tucker and they certainly make a great team. Quality illustration is somewhat a lost art in children's books today as often publishers just try to get books put out as cheaply as possible but that isn't the case with All Hallows Eve. This is a wonderful hardcover book with dust jacket and the kind of story that you can share with your kids or grandkids over and over every Halloween season.

REVIEWED BY TIM JANSON

terrific tale!.......2006-10-03

I love this book - its the sweetest Halloween explaination I've ever heard. Before kids are ready for spooks and scares, this can help be a great introduction to dressing up and visiting neighbors. I love the characters and the illustrations - i can't wait for the sequel!

The Story of the Halloween Fairy.......2006-10-01

This is a wonderful book for any fairy lover. I know this site recommends it for children 4 to 8 years old, however, all ages of fairy lovers will love it. I bought several copies for friends my own age and over and I am nearly retirement age. Both the author and illustrator do a wonderful job. You will do yourself a favor by buying a copy to add to your fairy book collection.

Delightfully fresh tribute to all who enjoy this time of year.......2005-11-07

As the fun of summer wears off, The Story of the Halloween Fairy brings children an introduction to the fall traditions of color, make believe and the spirit of giving which starts with preparation for Halloween, moves into the spirit of Thanksgiving and cumulates with the traditional religious holidays of Christmas and Hanukah. This story weaves the spirit of giving into the Halloween tradition and away from the bounty of a bag full of candy...and the resulting belly ache!

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ALL HALLOW'S EVE
Richard Laymon
Manufacturer: Kinnell
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000P0ZS20

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All Hallow's Eve
Charles Willaims
Manufacturer: Pellegrini & Cudahy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000R0BW6E

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All Hallow's Eve
Charles; Introduction by Eliot, T. S. Williams
Manufacturer: William B. Eerdmans Publ. Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000Q751J2

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All Hallow's Eve
Sarah Sporrer
Manufacturer: Indygo Junction, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000TXY8Q0

Product Description

All Hallow's Eve has 24 designs to celebrate the season. Sarah's collection includes primitive quilts, pillows, dolls, wearables, and a variety of other decoratives for your home.

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All Hallow's Eve
Jo Beverley , Carola Dunn , Andre Norton , and Morgan Llywelyn
Manufacturer: Walker & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0802712525

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