I thoroughly enjoyed the last two outings for YA by Nancy Springer, both Arthurian tales that added a dark and tragic tinge to famed but 2-D characters. "Rowan Hood," a tale of Robin Hood's daughter in Sherwood Forest, doesn't really make me go "wow!" Maybe my expectations were too high.

Thirteen-year-old Rosemary lives with her woodwife mother Celandine (who is also part aelfe) in the forest -- until one day when the lord's horsemen ride in and burn the cottage -- and Celandine with it. Rosemary is left alone and with two options: Live in the woods and be killed eventually by the lord's men, or go to the village and be parceled off to a husband. She chooses the third option: Go off into the woods to find her father, the famed Robin Hood.

Rosemary disguises herself as a boy and heads off. Before long she encounters the mystical aelfe, a gentle giant with a gift for beautiful music, a princess running from an arrange marriage, and a wolf-dog who becomes her steadfast friend. And soon she finds that Robin Hood himself is in danger -- can she help?

Nancy Springer's use of atmosphere and mystical surroundings is as good as ever; she becomes a little less descriptive in ordinary surroundings. The actual plot is a strained idea in itself; and the product feels very bland and bloodless. It focuses less on characterization and more on the heroes dashing from one place to the next.

One of the problems is that I didn't find Rosemary particularly compelling as a heroine. Heroes like her are a dime a dozen in fantasy, and there are really no thoughts or responses from her that make her in any way interesting. The idea of a gentle giant is hardly new, but given a good twist by making him a master minstrel. The only problem arises when Springer overemphasizes his immaturity, such as whacking a knight on the head and saying "Meanie." Ettarde is the worst character in the book, who seems to think constantly about how her father tried to marry her off and who doesn't have enough pizzazz. Robin and his band are pretty cool and believable, making me wish that Springer had written a book about a woman in THEIR camp instead.

A pleasant little tale, but don't go into it with expectations that are too high.

When her half-aelfe mother, Celandine, is murdered, thirteen-year-old Rosemary Hood finds that she has no choice but to go find the father she has never known---the famous outlaw of Sherwood Forest, Robin Hood. Disguising herself as a boy, and taking the name Rowan, she begins her daring journey into Sherwood Forest to track down her father. Soon she enlists the help of a band of followers, including Lionel, the cowardly giant, who has a gift with music, a runaway princess, and a half-wolf, half-dog. Together this strange pairing of people must survive the many perils of Sherwood Forest. However when Rowan gets the news that Robin Hood had been captured, can she gather up her courage to go and save him? Can she live up to her famous name?

I had high expectations for Nancy Springer's book Rowan and many of them were met, though not all. As always Nancy Springer weaves together a great fantasy tale, but somehow Rowan just doesn't pass to me as a heroine. This book is still good and I do recommend people who enjoy fantasy to read it.

I really liked this book I would encourage other people to read this book if they really like adventures and Robin Hood.
In this book Rowan Hood is Robin Hood's daughter.
Also Rowan Hoods mother dies and goes on an adventure to find her dad Robin Hood but she to be careful for the horseman!

Amazing story telling, it was interesting reading a life and times so unlike the one I'm living. I enjoy historical novels and found "Moll Flanders," an enlightening source of courage in such hard times as the one she continued to find herself in. Loves gained and lost, children had and forsaken. Extremely interesting reading, especially, near the ending I couldn't put the book down, there was rhythm. To imagine such hard times and rough goings...I'm amazed that she continued to live so long. Happy reading!

This is one of the most fun pieces of literature that I have ever read. It is fast paced, and doesn't get boring. She goes through numerous marriages, even more affairs, and dabbles in theft. She unknowingly becomes part of an incestuous relationship!

It should be noted that this book is action driven, although Moll Flanders still undergoes considerable character development. For example, when she begins her extremely successful career as a thief, she is doing it for survival reasons. But after a while, she is doing it for greed. It is interesting to see what causes her to change in various situations.

I highly recommend this book.

This book is absolutely hilarious! Moll Flanders is a woman who loved money a bit too much and in turn was loved by many a man with money. The comedy in this book stands the test of time (at least for me) and in my opinion, the language is not as archaic and difficult to follow as one previous reviewer stated. There are some words that aren't in use today, but their meanings are pretty self-explanatory. If you love scandal, you'll love this book. This chick has baby after baby, sleeps with almost any man with money, and even marries her own brother! If Moll were around nowadays, she'd probably be on Springer! Highly recommended.

in the beginning, i would like to say that madbond (and also the second book, mindbond)are something unique,something you come upon only a few times in a lifetime.as it is, the majority of fantasy-writers are men;i dont know the reason for it, so i am not aout to make wild theories.yet the aforementioned book clearly states, no, shouts that this paticular author, at the least, is in my opinion one of the very best i have ever read and worth standing on a pedestal besides grand-master Tolkien and Donaldson, who had so far been my two favourie fantasy authors. but,on to the book itself.it is a fact that only rarely finds one an author that developes his/her own style of fantasy, instead of plagiarizing tolkien or his numerous "followers".but that is exactly what springer has done.no stray orcs, elves or hobbits are there in the story, and i must confess, it was a relief... the world itself is beautifully created;it is so full of time, of ages past beyond remembering;and the fact that the books seem to take place on the very last days of the world make it even more beauriful-and much more sad.a world where all is unavoidably doomed, which has already lost most of its animals-and men as well-, which very shortly will be a cold and empty place-is there a tale more moving than that?

I read this book when I was 17. I'm now 30, and think this book is one of the best ever written! =-) This is the story of the Seal tribe King Rad and his best friend Dannoc.

Rad is facing a dilemna... Save his newfound friend, accused of murder, or free him and defy the laws of the tribe. To make matters worse, the animals from the forests surrounding their windswept coastal village seem to be mysteriously disappearing. With game scarce the villagers are growing hungry, and the other tribes are talking of raiding and taking what they want.

The friendship between Rad and Dannoc is very moving. Their quest to save their village and the animals has an epic quality. I recommend this novel for people who like books about heart-moving friendships. Springer writes like a dream.

Don't forget to read MindBond and Godbond, the sequels.

I 1st read these books at the age of 16, following the death of my father. Hard as it may be to understand, this trilogy holds a special standing for me. I was thoroughly entranced and, not suprisingly, depressed through the descriptive direction that Springer took, and it helped me to reach the deeper corners of my own search for reason. I have been looking for 9 years for another set of these books, through used book stores, yard sales, and now the internet. If you have a set I will gladly pay for the books and cost of shipping (within reason). Please contact me at my email address, skplumacher@email.msn.com. Thank you, Nancy Springer, for sharing your madness with the rest of us.

I bought this after the recommendation of the Triptree committee, and I have to say I was disappointed. I've failed to finish perhaps half a dozen books in my life, but this was one of them. The LeGuin story was much better

This is a hysterical and touching story for "the rest of us." A must-read for anyone who has ever felt a touch of strange magic in their lives, who has ever had doubts that their gender was one or the other, or who just sees things from a slightly tilted view point. The Author manages to meld aspects of all the "freaks" in the world into an adventure through conventional expectations. On the other hand, if you are not comfortable with gay and transgender situations, avoid this one like the plague.

I bought this on a whim, not sure if I wanted it or not. I couldn't put it down.. despite the fact that I went to work on 3 hours sleep! This is an wonderful tale. The reviews above explain the plot, but don't be sidetracked by it. I thought this would be over my head (I'm 23, not 40 some), but I not only *got* every bit of the story (there's a great bit about Hamburger Helper) but the story was so engrossing and fascinating, with unexpected plot devices everywhere, and characters that just make sense, I never wanted it to end.

I saw this book and thought what an awesome idea for a book! I enjoyed it for the most part but was also disappointed in it.
Volos the "Fallen" angel comes to earth to be human but stops just short of it. He wants to enjoy all the pleasures that he has envied humans for. He creates himself in the ultimate idea of human beauty. He is sexy and decadent but also innocent and childlike in many ways. He meets good friends and bad enemies. He falls in love with a young mother with a cretain power over him. This girl was raised by a religious zealot of an evil father, who also has strange charismatic power over his followers. What I did not like about it was the way things ended up. It reminded me of many of the books that disappointed me as teen where the supernateral guy does not get his girl and the hero or heroine gives up the magic because either they, in all their unselfish wisdom, decide it is an unfair advantage to have or that the power will corrupt them,or that they must give up the magic to save the one they love. It is too much moral and not enough satifaction. I always thought that the authors were trying to teach a lesson instead of entertain me and I thought I had left that behind reading fantasy for adults.

Volos is an angel who decides that he wants more than just singing praises to the Lord, and travels to earth to explore the pleasures of the flesh. He becomes a rock singer, and is joined in his strange journey by a disenchanted manager and a songwriter, a devout Bible-belt woman who has a strange, almost telepathic bond with the angel. This book explores what is wrong--and what is right--about faith, religion, and the modern world. It is an excellent book, a fine story that is also thought-provoking.

I gave the story The Great Pony Hassle four stars because of some funny parts like on pg.9 when Staci and Toni were telling each other to shut up. I understood the book and Paisley's and Toni's feelings about Noodles the pony. It was not fair becaue in the beginning Paisley was the only girl to have a pony.

This is a very interesting book in which a little boy is trasnported into a parallel world with nothing but a red crayon. He learns to interact with people who look just like people that he knows, but they're really parallel people in another dimension. This book is very adventurous and full of fantasy. I reccommend this book to ten year old kids and up. It's cool!

A good young adult novel keeps you glued to each word,and this one's no exception.It entails a pair of teenaged sisters whose parents have recently divorced.Trisha survives by trying to be as perfect as she believes everyone expects her to be.Mainly the story focuses on Donni,who is not coping well at all.She behaves in a wild and rebellious manner,and has sudden,unexpected rages that she can not control.How deep will her problems become b4 she gets the help she needs,and will anyone finally lend support to Trisha.I really liked Trisha.I thought she was a sweetie.

For the younger reader exploring Charles Dickens, this abridged version will not be intimidating. It'll help open the door to classic literature, and challenging ideas.

"Oliver Twist" is a complex story about the English welfare system for orphans, overlayed by a story of love, family, and the pursuit of each.

What is missing from this version is Dickens' long descriptions and thorough presentations of a situation. What makes Dickens great, in part, is his multi-woven characters, filled with color and excitement. Some of that is lost here.

That said, this is an excellent choice for an older child having trouble reading, or the younger, aggressive reader. The story about Oliver Twist is strong enough to endure an adaptation, but, later on, it is a thrill to read the original version.

I fully recommend "Oliver Twist" by Charles Dickens.

Anthony Trendl

This book surprised me, not by the quality of its writing, which one can expect from Charles Dickens, but by the violent, lusty primal quality of the story. This is no dry musty tome, but a vital novel that arouses both passion and intellect. A literal page turner, I found myself having more than one sleepless night when I just couldn't put it down.

Inside are some of the major characters in the realm of fiction; Fagin and his gang of child thieves, including the Artful Dodger. Nancy, the proverbial hooker with a heart of gold. Master Charles Bates (was this a pun even then?) Bad Bill Sikes, who shows the darker edge to all of this dangerous fun, and the innocent, pure Oliver Twist, who is the very definition of nature over nurture.

A great book, and one that I am glad to have finally read.

Like so many of Dickens' novels, Oliver Twist is a fantastically crafted and engrossing novel. Dickens follows the life of a young orphan boy, Oliver, who grows up amidst desperate poverty in London in the early 19th Century. Dickens leads the reader on a delightful and engaging romp, as Oliver escapes his orphanage, gets mixed up in the wrong crowd, and ultimately comes out on top.

The story within Oliver Twist is very engrossing, replete with many twists, turns and surprises that are occasionally tragic but more often witty or flat out hilarious. The characters are all superbly developed, and the multiple story lines are intricately and cleverly woven together. Oliver Twist is an excellent introduction to Dickens, and patient readers will find this novel accessible. The intricate plotline does require some concentration, while some readers may be annoyed by Dickens' notoriously lengthy sentences.

This is an important book to read for it is heavily engrained in Anglo-American culture and most first-time readers will recognize many of the names (Fagin, Artful Dodger) and scenes from previous cultural references. While clearly enjoyable at the superficial level, the novel also makes a powerful statement about poverty and the power of the human spirit in the face of depravity.

These stories were ho-hum, nothing new or innovative. A few insulted our intelligence in this household. Better you should read the Heinlein juveniles over again--they're not really for kids. Or go find something by Connie Willis; she has collections of stories that are worth your time.

There were one or two enjoyable stories in this anthology, but most of them were a waste of time. A few were actually offensive, with done-to-death or tasteless themes, senseless endings and improbable situations.

I found many of the stories to be fun and witty. Some were even touching. Overall, an intriguing collection of stories! I'm really glad I stumbled on this anthology!