Average customer rating:
- Wolf Boy - a sleeper
- Excellent
- Superhero Wolf Boy helps grieving teen understand death of older brother
- Grief, not death, is the villian here.
- Why wasn't this a hit?
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Wolf Boy: A Novel
Evan Kuhlman
Manufacturer: Three Rivers Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0307337987
Release Date: 2006-11-28 |
Book Description
On a frosty winter’s day, Francis—the sweet, generous, responsible eldest child of the Harrelson family—dies in a car accident on an ice-covered highway, and Wolf Boy is born.
The earth doesn’t rumble, no angels descend, and the sun doesn’t weep. Nothing, in short, to signify the deep change that each member of the Harrelson household will undergo. Parents Gene and Helen turn away from each other and look inward, losing themselves in private fantasies. Ten-year-old Crispy devises elaborate strategies for her escape from the suffocating clutch of the Harrelson home and into the waiting arms of pop star Marky Mark.
But the heart of this family portrait is younger brother Stephen, who, along with his quirky and creative friend Nicole, crafts an alternative reality in which their comic book hero, Wolf Boy, battles the forces of evil, champions the powers of good, and fights to keep his family intact. Through Wolf Boy, Stephen finds an outlet for his grief and a concrete expression for his place in a family spiraling out of control and for all the natural yearnings and hopes of a typical thirteen-year-old. Wolf Boy’s adventures are featured throughout the book, introducing a graphic-novel subplot that adds humor and visual interest and stretches the limits of the conventional novel.
With warmth, humor, hope, and empathy, Evan Kuhlman’s debut novel is truly unforgettable and signals a fresh new voice in today’s fiction.
From the Hardcover edition.
Customer Reviews:
Wolf Boy - a sleeper.......2007-08-24
I'll be honest, what drew me to the book when I first ordered my copy way back when was the illustrators, the Fraim Brothers. As a comic fan very familiar with their work, I chose to support another of their projects, even if they were second-string on the bill.
In any event, as I finally got around to read the book, I couldn't put it down. "Wolf Boy" may be a misleading title, considering it's mature subject matter of the unexpected death of a young family member. Evan Kuhlman, who I had never heard of before, makes you feel for every single character in the book. The depth of emotion felt off the page is unimaginable until you read it. It stunned me that this book, in it's intensity, cleverness, humor and availability to multiple demographics, didn't become more of a hit or even win an award.
Don't let the addition of the comic illustrations fool you, they are as much a part of the story as the text is, even stirring what I believe to be the redemption of one of the characters. Read it to see what I mean!
I highly recommend this title to anyone who likes to read, loves character driven stories and doesn't mind a semi-ambiguous ending. I personally feel the book ended on a good note, it left me wanting more. Which is more than I ever expect out of many books I get these days.
Excellent.......2007-03-03
An enjoyable, imaginative, observant, well-written and all-around excellent book that you will want to read straight through. Yes you will. You can get the details from Compulsive Reader, Amazon, the book jacket...
Superhero Wolf Boy helps grieving teen understand death of older brother.......2007-01-26
Even Kuhlman's debut novel, "Wolf Boy," treats a common literary theme -- a family's response to the death of a beloved son -- with uncommon insight, tenderness and sympathy. The author understands that grief seeks expression in a variety of ways, some constructive, others destructive. When Francis Harrelson dies as the result of an unexpected car crash, his parents and siblings find themselves disintegrating by the centripetal forces of loss and despair. Kuhlman's compassionate treatment of those who bear the brunt of mourning makes "Wolf Boy" a sensitive examination of how the heart finds the ability to heal itself.
Thirteen-year-old Stephen Harrelson emerges as the pivotal character of the novel. Acutely aware of his marginal status in the family and bruised by his understanding that his parents favored either Francis or his younger sister, Stephen grasps the reality that he must, on his own, come to grips with a stunning loss. His technique is the creation of a comic-book super hero, Wolf Boy, whose fantastic abilities in combating evil compensate for Stephen's powerlessness in confronting death. Wolf Boy's willingness to face danger, fight wrong and accept his unique physiological and psychological make-up symbolizes the confused and anguished boy's hopes for release from pain.
As a novel, "Wolf Boy" travels in a unique direction. Kuhlman collaborates with two comic book artists, Brendon and Brian Fraim, and incorporates Stephen's comic book into the text. This inclusion gives "Wolf Boy" the texture of a graphic novel and permits the reader to actually see the product of the teenager's imagination. Stephen's imagined family mirrors that of his real life. His father has been broken by the death of the oldest son; he retreats from life and nurses a sense of cosmic injustice but refuses to act as guardian of the household. Stephen's mother shuts down and then melts down; the imagined version portrays her as a sympathetic android whose emotional control system has gone terribly awry. Stephen's girlfriend, Nicole, whose encouragement and rough-edged fondness inspire Stephen, emerges from a cocoon as Lila Butterfly.
Kuhlman is not above tweaking social workers and psychologists who rigidly adhere to the five-step process of grief. When Stephen's mother assaults an office clerk and his father wrestles with his conscience in deciding whether or not to have an affair with an employee, the author reminds us that dealing with death is no tidy, linear process. Instead, each of his characters reflects a myriad of emotions, ranging from detachment to anger, resentment to kindness, surliness to congeniality. One of the delights of "Wolf Boy" is that we never know what emotion will surface.
Although the novel has some trouble with voice and several of its episodes defy belief, "Wolf Boy" satisfies. Evan Kuhlman knows that even the most imperfect of families contain elements of resiliency and that even the most brokenhearted of children discover the resources to face, comprehend and accept death.
Grief, not death, is the villian here........2007-01-05
I knew nothing about the novel "Wolf Boy", or its author Evan Kuhlman when I picked it up at the library. I was drawn to the title of the book and the idea of a family coping after a lost loved one, but what sold me was the graphic storyline of "Wolf Boy". A comic book infused into a novel! What a great idea. I am a big fan of graphic novels and love to read novels, but combining the two, well, that would be like mixing chocolate and peanut butter. A yummy idea that can't miss.
This book is about a family that is torn apart by the death a Francis, the oldest of three children. Stephen, the middle child, feels that not only has he lost an older brother that he idolizes, but he also lost his mother and father, both who are so grief-stricken that they become empty shelled aliensto him. Stephen's only recourse is to deal with his lost by creating a comic book character called "Wolf Boy" with the help of his already off-balanced girlfriend Nicole.
I find it hard to actually pinpoint the main voice of this book. Stephen is definitely the glue that holds the story together, but the mother and father, I think, are the true voices of this story. They already had marriage troubles before Francis died (Gene and Helen have separate bedrooms). Watching them shamble around like zombies you want to take and smack them a good one and say "Stop grinding your gears about what happen to your dead son and concentrate on your two live ones. Concentrate on what you have and not what you lost."
Bottom line: The graphic comic book infused in "Wolf Boy" didn't move the story along as well as I would have liked, but the idea is still a bold move. The characters didn't seem to blend well together, which, in this case, works because this is a family in trouble. The family feels like a real family that at one time worked fine but now is broken. Great job for a first novel.
Why wasn't this a hit?.......2006-10-27
An excellent story about loss, art and the excruciatingly slow healing process. I'm a bit puzzled as to why "Wolf Boy" didn't receive more exposure. I suspect that when people looked at the book and the subject matter they assumed the story would focus mainly on the comic book aspect of the novel, and wrote it off as a glorified graphic novel. I feel sorry for those who did because they've missed out.
The Wolf Boy sequences are well drawn (by brothers Brendon and Brian Fraim) and told, revealing the discord in the family and clarifying the themes of death and creation. But Wolf Boy is only part of the story and it's the family's all too real despair and struggles over the next year that kept me turning the pages. The father drifts off into a lazy affair and lets his business suffer, the mother sinks into a depression so deep that she can barely feel anything (the subplot involving multiple death certificates is an excellent detail), the young daughter wants to run away and the surviving son takes his grief (and visions he keeps having of his dead brother) and creates an alternate world.
I had no idea of who Evan Kuhlman was before reading this novel but now I'd like to see what he does next. I'm hoping that with the inevitable paperback release of this novel that its reputation grows and finds a larger audience. This isn't a book to be missed; if you did look at it once in the library or a bookstore and then put it down, pick it up again.
Book Description
Patrick the Wolf Boy, misunderstood by many, but loved by his parents.
Customer Reviews:
PURE COMIC STRIP MAGIC.......2005-05-19
Mix one part Eddie Munster with one part Calvin (of Calvin & Hobbes) and toss in a dash of Charlie Brown, and you have one of the funniest, most inventive comic strips to come along in years. Patrick the Wolf Boy, the brainchild of Art Baltazar and Franco Aureliani is a simply wonderful comic strip and Devils Due has collected the adventures of this lively character into one great 144 page, digest-sized collection with more on the way.
Patrick is, well...a wolf boy, with normal parents who love him dearly. Patrick doesn't talk much outside of a few growls (Rowr!!) here and there which is a large part of the allure of the character. There's no dialogue balloons needed from Patrick to know what's on his mind. Patrick is much the same as any other little boy...except for the fur and fangs, of course. He never met a squirrel that he didn't want to stick his fangs into. Art & Franco have created a strip that while charming, also has the kind of black humor that Charles Addams used so well in his Addams Family strips. That's a haughty comparison to be sure, but well deserved.
In this collection we get a number of themed strips including Patrick's Christmas special, Valentine's Day Special, Mother's Day Special, and Summer Special. We see Patrick meeting Santa for the first time and having the reaction that many young kids do...stark-raving terror, but it's not long before Patrick is swiping the beards off the mall Santas and running away. You'll see Patrick attending his first baseball game and confusing a lady's fluffy bouffant hair with cotton candy. Patrick also attends his first comic book convention and annoys the Devil's Due mascot. Patrick's favorite foil, other than squirrels, is the crazy old pajama lady who lives down the street. Among my favorite strips are those of Patrick in school. While other kids leave an apple on the teacher's desk, Patrick leaves things like skulls, abnormal brains in jars, and partially eaten rodents.
Rarely does a comic strip make me laugh out loud but Patrick is one that pulled the feat off. The cartooning style is very crisp and clean. Art and Franco show a great eye for comedic cartoon expressions. This is a strip that is good enough to be seen daily in newspapers all over the country. Hopefully we will see that someday. Highest recommendation! Rowr!!!!
Reviewed by Tim Janson
Book Description
Patrick's back and he's bringing cake! Birthday cake, that is. That's right he's turning five! It's been five years since the debut of everyone favorite werewolf and he's still running wild! We are celebrating with the 3rd collected volume of Patrick the Wolf Boy wholesome goodness!
Average customer rating:
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Patrick The Wolf Boy Volume 4 (Patrick the Wolf Boy)
Art Baltazar
Manufacturer: Devil's Due Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Patrick The Wolf Boy Volume 2
ASIN: 1932796835 |
Book Description
Patrick the Wolf Boy is back and coming your way! Join us for this Classic event as we bring you Patrick the Wolf Boy DDP style! Representing the first of some of Patrick's classic tales and 25 pages of brand new Wolf Boy comics! Brought to you by Art Baltazar (Gorilla Gorilla-Disney, Grimm Reaper) and Franco Aureliani (Weirdsville, I Dream of Jeannie)! Join us for the fun! You'd be glad you did.
Average customer rating:
- Garbage
- Interesting characters but slow to mature
- Very Good, But a Little Empty
- The amazing trilogy continues...
- Part two in an entertaining series that is often too simple
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The Ring (The Sword, the Ring, and the Chalice, Book 2)
Deborah Chester
Manufacturer: Ace
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Epic | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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The Chalice (The Sword, the Ring, and the Chalice, Book 3)
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The Sword (The Sword, the Ring, and the Chalice, Book 1)
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The Queen's Gambit
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The King Betrayed
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The Queen's Knight
ASIN: 0441007570
Release Date: 2000-08-01 |
Book Description
A long-lost talismen helps a rebel princess and a half-elvin courtier realize the destiny that they share.
2nd in The Sword, the Ring, and the Chalice trilogy, following book one, The Sword
Customer Reviews:
Garbage.......2005-11-22
This book is horrible. I bought it a while back to read on a long plane ride, but I think it would have been more worth while just to stare at the back of the seat for four hours. The characters, the plot, and the writing were all bad and a bunch of the place names were faux-french, which I really hate. There were also some elves and evil intolerant religious types and some invading barbarian armies or something. Perhaps there were a few damsels-in-distress. Eventually it starts to blur with all the other bad fantasy I've read. If you find fantasy cliches comforting rather than mindnumbingly boring, maybe you would like this book. Personally it just depressed me. The fact that someone could be entertained by this is just sad, if you ask me.
Interesting characters but slow to mature.......2002-12-07
I enjoyed the first book in this series. The primary characters were young and energetic, irresponsible, but maturing. This book (The Ring), though, and the final book (The Chalice) were a dissapointment to me. The leading character, a maturing king, never seem to mature at all except in size, and I was confused to why others in the story would support his rise to power. Many of the emotions were lost to me as I watched powerful leaders of armys follow, what I considered to be, a relatively shallow and petty "would be king" with powerful weapons.
I do believe the author is a gifted writer. In many ways, though, this series gave me the same feeling as the Clan of the Cave Bears series, where I lost touch with the rational of the characters after the first book and started skipping pages just to get through.
Very Good, But a Little Empty.......2002-12-02
...The Ring is more of a three-and-a-half star book than either a four or three. The Ring is as engrossing a read as its predecessor, The Sword. However, once the last page is read, you can't help but think that not very much happened after the first hundred pages (almost the exact opposite of The Sword, where not very much happened *during* the first hundred pages). There are many bright spots here, nevertheless. The secondary plot involving Alexeika becomes more interesting. Prince Gavril's character becomes more complex and less an object of loathing. And the hero Dain comes into his own in a way that leaves the reader on the edge of the seat. The series remains very much worthwhile.
The amazing trilogy continues..........2002-11-30
In, The Sword, we were introduced to many characters including; Gavril, the spoiled prince with dark ambitions; Alexeika, the strong princesses with hopes and dreams to overthrow an evil usurper King; Pheresa, the tentative bride-to-be of prince Gavril who is not used to courtly life; and Dain, the part eldin boy destined to things greater than he could ever imagine. The second thrilling, but flawed, book picks up pretty much exactly where The Sword Left off.
Dain is now the Chevards adoptive son, although the adoption won't be considered legal until Dain gets permission from the King. To fulfill this quest Dain travels to the city with the spoiled Prince Gavril and his new and beloved farther. Unfortunately tragedy strikes on the way to the castle and Dain realizes that only he can meet the King and ask for his signature. Dain travels to the castle and immediately finds himself facing culture shock. Life in the city is not the same as his simple country life. People are both fascinated and fearful because of his eldin blood and alien ways. Just when Dain thinks he may eventually fit into court and be able to handle life as a chevard, he gets a message in the form of a dream. This one is from his real father, the former half-eldin King of Nether whose thrown was usurped by his own brother and Dain's uncle. Dain now knows that he is Faldain, and it's his duty to reclaim his throne. Unfortunately it's not that easy.
Meanwhile Princess and warrior Alexeika's only hope for a rebellion is shattered when her camp is attacked by nonkind. She is kidnapped and tortured as a prisoner to the nonkind. She knows she must escape. More than her own life depends on it. At court Princess Pheresa faces a much different trouble. Princess Gavril is her betrothed but it appears he'll never officially propose to her. And Prince Gavril ... he's up to something dark and dangerous that he could never really control.
I actually enjoyed this a little more than the last book but I still couldn't give it a 5 star rating. It's more of a 4.5 star rating than anything. The book was great, the characters are developing quite nicely, and the plot is surprisingly original for such a common story line. The only thing I have a problem is that the book is almost unbalanced. You hear a lot about Dain's story but not so much about everyone else. Gavril gets his fair share of screen time but Alexeika, who is supposed to be the big female hero of the series, kind of disappears part way through the book. Pheresa gets a very small part considering she is a very important character. That can all be amended though in the final book of the series, The Chalice. I can't wait to get my hands on it and finish this entertaining trilogy.
Part two in an entertaining series that is often too simple.......2002-09-01
The trilogy makes for a nice week of reading and is quite well written. Unfortunately, it does have a couple flaws, which are neglectable if one seeks only entertainment (see below).
Chester's Sword/Ring/Chalice-Series is one story told in three books, this is the second. Book 2 continues the storyline the day it ends in the first book, so, this is not a "20 years later our hero goes off to a new adventure"&"I want to write a sequel and make more money"-story. You'll have to buy/read all three books if you want to know the end (comparable to Tolkien's three books, even if on a different level).
Conclusion:
I usually turn off my brain and simply enjoy a story when reading fantasy. For me, a story needs to be gripping, seem real and make me want to not put the book down. Chester delivers those things for sure. The main characters are well developed, the side characters neglected and killed quickly. Sometimes, unimportant things are described in great detail just to never surface again. A love story between the two main characters is somewhat crammed into the last pages: The heroine's affections for the good guy are mentioned and well developed throughout the series, but he's going for some other girl all the time. His sudden decision to dump the other girl and take the heroine instead is unprepared, unexplained, seems unlikely and leaves a sour aftertaste which spoils the closing chapter. It's not exactly an unforgettable series; one can read the books again in a couple of years and pretend it was the first time. I enjoyed the series and - within the frame of the restrictions mentioned before - I do recommend it.
The flaws:
Flaw No. 1: The first 100 pages of the first book drag on and do not really have relevance, it's just an extended prelude about how the father of our hero screws up big time. The triology is actually more thrilling (I'd imagine) if one simply skips the beginning and reads this "prelude" afterwards.
Flaw No. 2: The author obviously does not know or not care about the historically correct meaning and status of aristocratic titels. There's a bunch a princes running around who are neither heir to the throne nor related to any king. That bugged me a little, as it is somewhat confusing.
Flaw No. 3: Our hero rises to high status in various steps. Each step he makes by saving the life of his respective superior: A huntsman to begin with, then a lord, then a prince, then the king. When there's no one else to save, cause there's no one above the king, it turns out our hero's of royal blood himself (which the reader assumed all along but that's a different story). It's somewhat too simple cause one quickly figures out that soon the next situation in which he'll save a life will come up in order to push the story along. Most of these live-saving-situations are quite unlikely, so if one prefers stuff that is thought through, logically sound and "thick" story-telling (like Tolkien), this is not your series. It's comparable to Goodkind's books: Extremely grave danger and a way too simple solution.
Book Description
Two men. One is a prince of royal blood. The other is a half-breed, part human, part elf. But the part that is human is also royal.
Two women. One is a princess, pampered and protected. The other lives in the forest, the leader of a band of rebels. She too has eleven blood.
This is their story--the tale of love and hate, courage and cowardliness, and magic both dark and light...
KLIATT has praised Deborah Chester's novels for being "exciting," "page-turners," and "suspenseful"
Customer Reviews:
Great Characters.......2007-07-13
I totally enjoyed this book. I purchased the next two volumes before I even finished the first book. The plot is excellent and I would suggest this to anyone who likes Robin Hobbs,Terry Brooks, etc.
I ended up likeing it........2007-05-19
I have owned this book for several years, but never really got past the first chapter. I dont know, i just could not get it started. When I finally did, i really enjoyed it. Chester jumps around at times, but these back stories, I assume, are crucial to the rest of the triology. The book does an indepth character study of the lead, Dain, it is very interesting how you go on the ride with him.
Straight into the trash basket...2 points.......2007-02-04
This book should be held up as a classic example why many female sci fi/fantasy authors simply cannot get a male audience...but from the reviews I see here, female reviews are also lukewarm at best.
I got this book as a gift (from a friend who has never read her work) and took it with me on a trip to read...only hope and faith kept me struggling through the first 20 minutes, and then I cursed and sent the book sailing into the trash...she seems much more concerned with describing intricate wardrobe details and proud muscular 2 dimensional Fabio clones than any hint of character development...and after the third detailed description of the King's excitement at feeling the swelling horseflesh between his lusty thighs...I was reaching for the airsick bag.
Good Start to a Series.......2006-10-09
Three and a Half Stars:
The Sword was a pretty good book. I have to confess it took me a little longer to get into than I like - I prefer the hook to get set quickly, especially with series, as the reader has to ask themselves if the time investment will be worth while. However, the hook did get set, and I have to say that this was a nice little book, and a good start to the series. Our young protagonist Dain's family has been cast out as guardians of the Chalice by the usurpers that displaced his ancestor's royal family. He is on the run after having been given a head start by his father's magic, who sent him to live with the dwarves, but he is still hunted by his enemies. Dain winds up at a castle-keep with a benevolent master, however, others in the castle do not take as kindly to the half-breed Dain as he would hope, and he again finds himself making enemies.
This was a good book, but my one criticism with trilogies, as this is intended to be, is that they sometimes cannot be read as stand alone books. Eg Star Wars was a stand alone chapter because there was resolution at the end, and a consumer can walk away with clean hands after - unlike the Matrix part 2 that ends with "to be continued"...
This book really cannot be called a stand alone book, and now I have an obligation to read on if I want resolution. In my mind, each book in a series must be stand alone - eg Enders Game, or Wizards First Rule are perfect examples of long series where the book is a complete story itself... But other than that, this is a great story, and since I plan on reading the sequel in any event I cant complain to hard!
Buy this book if you don't mind being lured into a longer series.
Relic113
Not so bad.......2006-01-13
The characters were interesting but I found the plot confusing and slowmoving. The book does show, however, a very fertile imagination on the part of the author. Once you are in to one you will want to read them all. Personally I would prefer "Moonspins and Widdershins." Loved it.
Book Description
The stunning conclusion to The Sword, the Ring, and the Chalice trilogy.
As the final confrontation with the darkness approaches, two mortal enemies will search for the key to life itself.
Customer Reviews:
Couldn't put it Down!!.......2003-07-01
Although I agree with some other reviews that the ending seemed rather rushed,this is one of the best Trilogies I've read.I couldn't put it down.Needless to say ,at three in the morning that can be a problem! Deborah Chester has the ability to draw the reader into the story and feel a kinship to her characters.You feel their losses,triumphs,and,yes,sometimes you wanted to slap some sense into Dain,or Alexeika.Pure Fantasy,but with all the human foibles and emotions that make you feel that you are living the story.I want more! If you read The Sword,The Ring and The Chalice,you would love Ann Marston's Rune Blade Trilogy,and the followup Trilogy,The Sword in Exile.Some of the best.
plotting by the numbers with a horrible conclusion........2003-06-12
The Sword was okay, not good, not bad, passable enough. The Ring was pretty good, I enjoyed it. Not top flight fantasy like Martin or Keyes, but still pretty well done. I had high hopes then for the Chalice. Sadly, those hopes were dashed by page 50. Just not a good book that wrapped up 700 pages of prologue in literally 15 pages. The ending was way too rushed, and just not good.
The one redeeming quality of this book is Prince Gavril, who despite being one of the biggest jerks around, is far more interesting than Faldain. Without spoiling the end of this book, if you have read more than 2 fantasy series, you can already guess the conclusion. In fact, you can probably tell exactly what will happen 100 pages into the book.
This put such a bad taste into my mouth that I won't be reading Queen's Gambit.
The whole series is a wonderful read........2003-04-23
Trust me, all three books in this series are hard to put down once you start reading them.
Although, I am a little sad that there will be no more books in this series after the book 'The Chalise.' I was looking forward to reading more about the characters I've come to love.
Buy the book, you won't regret it.
Fine Conclusion to a Fine Trilogy.......2003-03-19
Jordan who? Deborah Chester has succeeded in demonstrating that a gripping, enjoyable fantasy story does not require ten volumes and ten thousand pages. Throughout The Sword, The Ring, and The Chalice, Chester brings a whole world to life with settings and people that seem sometimes all too real, and with a pacing that never slacked. Reading Chester has finally turned me off from Robert Jordan; I no longer see the point of investing three weeks in the next Wheel of Time book when I can have much more enjoyable fantasy at less than a third of the time cost.
As for The Chalice itself, the conclusion to the series was not as pat as I had feared, although complaints that it was too pat are not without merit. While some of the other criticisms are also understandable, one of the most frustrating aspects of The Chalice is arguably one of its strengths - it is impossible to completely like either of the two main characters because they each keep engaging in self-destructive behavior. When Dain and Alexeika were each young and new to their situations (i.e., in the first two books), it was easier to forgive their faults. By The Chalice, one simply wanted to slap each of them a half dozen times, which speaks highly of Chester's ability to get the reader involved. No flat, one-dimensional "hero is always good" here.
One could also complain about the sometimes too-clever prose, and a mildly annoying attempt to create a medieval-type dialogue (I hate it when characters say "nay" as if they were horses), but the complaints are minor in comparison with a story that keeps the reader turning pages, and often has the heart racing. This is a series that is well worth the read, and one that is worth revisiting from time to time.
An Unfinished Trilogy.......2002-11-02
I recently reread this excellent trilogy. I didn't expect to enjoy it the second time, since the plot had so many twists to it. However, the second time through I realized how excellent the characterizations were.
In brief, the story revolves around Dain, an Eld/human who discovers he is actually the missing King of Nether. The interesting thing about the plot is that he feels little motivation to claim his crown, but circumstances keep pushing him to do so. During the book, he has to develop from a near-feral boy to a man who can deal with rebuilding a kingdom. This character progression is deftly and believably handled.
The trilogy has some unusual characteristics. First, it is not really a trilogy, but one book divided into three separate parts. The titles are very misleading, especially the first book, entitled "The Sword". Since the first book has two important swords, I didn't really find out which the title referred to until Volume 3. Second, the book ends suddenly, without resolving some key issues. The evil kingdom which wishes to overthrow Nether is undefeated, and Dain's relationship with his mother's people is unresolved. Third, the first hundred pages, which describe how Dain's father lost his kingdom and his life, are a bit slow going. However, the second time through, I was much more open to this long introduction; I felt that it showed the similarities between father and son - that they were both very human individuals whose ideals and responsibilities threatened to outstrip their abilities. Last, the romance was peculiar, in that there was no description of any romantic feelings, at least from Dain's point of view.
The unorthodox handling of the trilogy format may throw some people off, but I would highly recommend these books. It is a trilogy which screams for a follow-up volume, which hopefully will be written!
Book Description
When her brother David finds a strange book, Kat Anderson is shocked to read its plan for her future as the last guardian against the evil Clan of Black Rings, with David her sworn enemy! Finally she understands why her grandfather insisted she take her martial-arts training so seriously. The years of training have made her a formidable foe, but she’ll need the spirit of Toho, her Samurai warrior ancestor, to help. And what part will the mysterious newcomer who claims to be her father play? Rick Hoberg’s vivid artwork and Gary Reed’s compelling story make Spirit of the Samurai a white-knuckle ride.
Customer Reviews:
Courtesy of Teens Read Too.......2007-05-30
Kat and David Anderson have a pretty typical brother and sister relationship. Meaning they like to fight with each other. The difference between them and other siblings is that they've been trained to fight by their grandfather since they were little kids. Kat's focus has always been on skill and agility. David is more about strength and force. They both like to win.
The only family Kat and David know is their Grandfather. He has taken care of them and raised them ever since they can remember. Kat isn't sure how he supports them all without a job. He spends most of his time in his Dojo, or in the building next door to it. Kat and David aren't allowed in the Dojo, but their Grandfather often takes them to the other building to train. Although he calls it teaching.
It's a good thing that Kat's had a lot of "teaching," because she's going to need all of it and more. When their family turns out to be legendary, and the legend comes to life, no one is quite prepared.
SPIRIT OF THE SAMURAI: OF SWORDS AND RINGS is a fun, action-packed adventure, and very vividly written. A story that gives a whole new meaning to family history and family reunions. And one that ends way too quickly! I'm ready to read the next one, now.
Reviewed by: Carrie Spellman
An action-packed Samurai fantasy .......2006-11-21
In the Seattle suburbs Grandfather raised his two grandchildren, fourteen years old David and thirteen years old Kat Anderson with four simple kind rules on treating and respecting others and one other, the adult mantra to obey him that that he expects both to follow. However, recently David has been constantly angry at his younger sister and has even instigated fights though her martial arts training usually overcomes his brute strength advantage. However this time he attacks her from behind and it takes Grandfather's intervention to stop him.
When David enters their Grandfather's dojo without permission, Kat follows. He shows her a book that provides the history of Japanese Samurai, especially about two rival clans, the Toho and the Black Rings, that fought one another. Grandfather arrives, but David insists on learning the truth as he says they are descendents of Toho and the kid wears three of the four Black Rings that he also found. Finally David touches the Swords of Toho and Hiro of the Black Rings. Whereas David becomes possessed with evil, his sister touches the Toho sword and becomes the last guardian battling against her sibling who wants her dead; on her side is Grandfather and Kyosha the Samurai who has just arrived claiming to be her Father.
Targeting elementary school children, this is an action-packed Samurai fantasy starring a young female teen whose opponent in a life and death struggle is her older brother. The story line is filled with action while illustrations enhance the first-rate plot. David's nastiness comes out before he is possessed so young readers will root for Kat to defeat him during their sibling battle.
Harriet Klausner
Product Description
She was the banker's daughter, a highborn, golden beauty. He was a grocer's son, strong and proud, but fate had masked his strength and pride with a form that set him forever apart from other men. Compelling need drew them together, A bewitching fantasy encircled and sustained them. Then the Great Depression swept across Australia to impoverish the rich, humble the proud, and turn the poor into a stunned army of desperate vagrants and homeless vagabonds. Expelled from their enchated realm, brutally seperated, they each clutched a secret, a promise a dream of finding each other in a harsh world where only a perfect love like theirs could survive, overcome and triumph.
Customer Reviews:
fantabulous.......2005-12-04
This is a wonderful book!! My favourite. Ruth Park's writing is beautiful and the story is great.
Product Description
From the Publisher:Setting down his thoughts on swordplay, on winning, and on spirituality, legendary swordsman Miyamoto Musashi intended this modest work as a guide for his immediate disciples and future generations of samurai. He had little idea he was penning a masterpiece that would be eagerly devoured by people in all walks of life centuries after his death.Along with The Art of War by Sun Tzu, The Book of Five Rings has long been regarded as an invaluable treatise on the strategy of winning. Musashi's timeless advice on defeating an adversary, throwing an opponent off-guard, creating confusion, and other techniques for overpowering an assailant was addressed to the readers of earlier times on the battlefield, and now serves the modern reader in the battle of life.In this new rendering by the translator of Hagakure and The Unfettered Mind, William Scott Wilson adheres rigorously to the seventeenth-century Japanese text and clarifies points of ambiguity in earlier translations. In addition, he offers an extensive introduction and a translation of Musashi's rarely published The Way of Walking Alone. This gift-book edition also features original art by Musashi himself as well as new calligraphy by Japanese artist Shiro Tsujimura.
Customer Reviews:
Slow Read.......2003-05-07
I thought this was going to be a good book apparently I was wrong. I do not reccommend that you buy this book but maybe check it out at the library.
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