Just re-read this (the ebook version) after 15 years and it's still one of the best urban fantasy novels out there. Ariel is a magical yet down-to-earth fantasy with human and non-human characters you can believe in, even love. It's written with an intelligence and maturity that set it apart from your average book with a unicorn on the cover. The ebook version contains at least one chapter that did not appear in the print version, and a very cool afterword by Boyett. For years I'd buy every copy of Ariel I found in used book stores to give to friends. Now they're an endangered species. I recommend finding a copy of this book in whatever form and adding it to the list of books you'll re-read every decade or so.

I first read Ariel as a junior or senior in high school (back in 1986 or 1987), when it was given to me as part of a bag full of used books. I have re-read the book through college, graduate school and my working life and still love it. I have loaned it to friends and relatives, all of whom enjoyed it - many of whom loved it as much as I do.

It is a touching coming of age story and a wonderful adventure story. The best part of the book, I think, is that the characters feel like real people - it is impossible not to care about them. I'm not easily moved by books, but Ariel affects me every time I read it.

I, too, have to wonder why this book is out of print!

Boyett has thrown reality for a loop. The post-apocolyptic feel to Ariel is not only atypical, but entertaining (such as Washington DC going to war with NY.) The general feeling of "every man for himself" really hits home. You begin to feel very close to the characters of Pete and Ariel, as their friendship takes strange turns in every different direction imaginable. It truly shows you what it's like to fight for the ones you love and the causes you believe in. The friends they made along the way were wonderful, Malachi Lee being my particular favorite. There's nothing like a samurai swordsman with a sense of humor. As for the chosen quotes at the beginning of every chapter, they were very well thought out, and seem to go right along with the entire storyline. I've been reading this book over and over, time and again, for over 10 years now, and my copy is very dog-eared and well-loved. I hope to have it for the rest of my life, for Ariel was the start of my love of fantasy and sci-fi---I haven't stopped reading since. Boyett is truly in a league of his own. Ariel is has everything you could ever need in a book. From humor to bloody swordplay, from fantasy creatures to sorcery and necromancers. It has it all.

I first read _The Architect of Sleep_ in the mid-80s, when it first came out, and I was a college underclassman. I was also a serious sci-fi/fantasy addict. Even back then, I knew Boyett's style -- not to mention his originality -- was something special (the same thing applies to his first novel, _Ariel_, which, even though it has a few flaws, is an extremely well-narrated book that has obviously had a deep impact on many of Boyett's fans).

Now that I'm getting close to my mid-30s, I've lost interest in most fantasy literature, because most of it is pulp. Ninety percent of it is franchised, soap-opera tripe. The David Eddings, Robert Jordans, and Dragonlance authors of the world (not to mention a whole lot of others I won't bother to list) have destroyed the field. True originality of the Tolkien or C.S. Lewis type got choked out of the field a long time ago.

Except for rare deviations from the norm like Boyett. Probably everyone reading this review knows about Boyett's quarrel with his publishers. As a published author myself (in a totally different field), I can attest to the frustration that any author feels when he/she has to bow to the almighty dollar. To revive fantasy/sci-fi literature, buy back copies of Boyett, see what _real_ writing is like, then send letters to the corporate stooges who run the publishing houses to tell them that we'd like to see some _real_ authors on the bookshelves for a change. And if you're reading this, Mr. Boyett, don't give up hope -- and do your best to provide a sequel to a book that many people love and admire!

At the risk of sounding repetitive, I to read this great book 8 years ago and have re-read it many times since. It affected me. Where is the sequel? Was unable to find info on this alluded to in other reviews. Shame on entire publishing industry for letting this happen!

I was disappointed to find out many years ago that there was no sequel to this book. It is one of my favorite sci-fi fantasy books. Maybe someday, someone will finish this story...

Hard to grade and classify this one - as close as I can remember is Duncton Wood, although there are X-files type conspiracy and supernatural/horror elements..

Fungle the Gnole is the ultimate new age environmental Dalai Lama. He's a laughing rustic who benignly cuts through pretensions. Almost (but not quite) cloying sentimentality in presenting the beatific integration with nature, various spirits of the wood, and with the simple community. Also a background something akin to the sadness of the Elves gradually giving over to the teaming nature-despoiling chaotic spread of humanity.

Starts setting up a standard fantasy baddie-goodie sorcery story (although the baddie is more from the horror genre, being a demon and all - a strength of the book is its underlying pantheon), then cuts to a million pop-culture references as Fungle encounters TV personalities and evil covert Govt. departments. Some OK playing with the innocent's alternative perspective on our everyday, but it's basically pretty self-indulgent.

But finally Aldridge lost me with his rough-diamond underground gangsters: we're supposed to enjoy their high spirits, but the fact that they enjoy throwing defenceless people to be torn to pieces by crocodiles as an afternoon's amusement made me unclear on the difference between them and the villain. Moreover one minute our hero can effortlessly use telepathy, astral travelling, levitation and sorcery, the next he's inexplicably running scared from any old security guard or mugger.

Some original ideas, generally capably presented, an OK overall plot/world, and some likeable central characters - but the book is inconsistent thematically and qualitatively. A bit lax in bothering for coherency: characters are added fairly randomly as we go on.

THE GNOLE IS A STEP INTO A WORLD THAT IS FILLED WITH BOTH MAGIC AND WONDER. FUNGLE THE GNOLE IS A MOLE LIKE CREATURE WHO LIVES IN HARMONY WITH NATURE, AND SETS OF TO STOP WHAT HUMANS ARE DOING TO THE WORLD HE CARES ABOUT. I LOVE THIS BOOK BECAUSE AS YOU FOLLOW FUNGLE ON HIS QUEST YOU COME TO UNDERSTAND AND SYMPATHISE WITH HIM AND THE WAY HE SEE'S THE WORLD, READ THIS BOOK AND YOU WILL REVEL IN THE MAGIC, MYSTERY AND VIGOUR OF THIS WONDERFUL STORY, TO MISS IT IS TO MISS OUT.

Fungle the gnole is not only an ideal being, it opens the door of every fantasy. Everything is possible! Fungle gives us confidence in believing in what one cannot see or touch. When you read the book, magic does exist, it enters your heart and goes to your room. Pilar Barrera Wey.

Being a Trekker, I picked up this book. I laughed so hard! It is an excellent parody both on Star Trek and various authors' styles. "Moby Trek" for instance, was the best. It captured the spirit of both very well. I enjoyed the fact that it was a collection of short stories and not fully developed plot lines.

The only real downside is the slightly off-colour humor. Especially in "Lady Fed" which focuses on Jackie Collins' writing, the blatant talking about sex and body parts was a bit disconcerting. Was it supposed to be titillating or something? Almost all of the stories have profanity, which means younger kids couldn't read it. Almost all of the female characters in these stories exist only for sex. Crusher is the vamp who tells everyone that Picard has a landing bay but no shuttle, if you know what I mean.

Other than that, you can trust this book for a great laugh! Definetly worth checking out.