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- A Few Pro's and Con's to the Puffin Classics Edition
- One of the best fantasy books period
- A Classic Fantasy Tale
- A Great Story to Read!
- Wonderful story full of insight
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The Princess and the Goblin (Puffin Classics - the Essential Collection)
George Macdonald
Manufacturer: Puffin
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Binding: Paperback
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The Princess and Curdie (Puffin Classics)
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The Light Princess (Sunburst Book)
ASIN: 0140367462 |
Amazon.com
As always with George MacDonald, everything here is more than meets the eye: this in fact is MacDonald's grace-filled vision of the world. Said to be one of J.R.R. Tolkien's childhood favorites, The Princess and the Goblin is the story of the young Princess Irene, her good friend Curdie--a minor's son--and Irene's mysterious and beautiful great great grandmother, who lives in a secret room at the top of the castle stairs. Filled with images of dungeons and goblins, mysterious fires, burning roses, and a thread so fine as to be invisible and yet--like prayer--strong enough to lead the Princess back home to her grandmother's arms, this is a story of Curdie's slow realization that sometimes, as the princess tells him, "you must believe without seeing." Simple enough for reading aloud to a child (as I've done myself more than once with my daughter), it's rich enough to repay endless delighted readings for the adult. --Doug Thorpe
Book Description
Considered by W.H. Auden to be "the only English children's book in the same class as the Alice books," The Princess and the Goblin is a classic example of nineteenth-century children's literary fairy tales. Both this tale and its sequel, The Princess and Curdie, follow in the tradition of the folk tales of Charles Perrault and the Brothers Grimm, yet also impart to the reader a sense of MacDonald's personal vision and unique style. This volume is the only adult edition of these classics currently in print.
Download Description
Princess Irene's discovery of a secret stair to the top turret of the castle leads to a wonderful revelation. At the same time, the miner's son Curdle overhears a fiendish plot by the goblins who live below the mountain. It will take all of their wit and courage, plus the help of Irene's magic ring, to make sense of their separate knowledge and foil the goblins' schemes.
Customer Reviews:
A Few Pro's and Con's to the Puffin Classics Edition.......2007-08-03
The Princess and the Goblin is a truly delightful tale that is beautifully told by George MacDonald and deserves five stars. But, I will not attempt to review the story itself, for there are such wonderful descriptions and testimonies from other reviewers on this page concerning the content of MacDonald's work. However, I would like to describe the Puffin Classics edition in a little more detail. Please be aware that the Puffin's paperback cover is very soft and not as durable as other paperback covers. As well, the paper quality is rather grainy, which may not hold up well in the years to come. Thus, I have allotted this product four stars. On a positive note, I am pleased that the publishers kept the nostalgic illustrations by Arthur Hughes. Also, this copy has been edited well for typos and simple mistakes. With these particular points in mind, I would like to encourage the potential buyer to consider other editions of the text as well. Everyman's Childrens Library (The Princess and the Goblin (Everyman's Library Children's Classics Series)) has produced a hardback copy, which may be a better choice if the copy is to be given to a child. Also, for the MacDonald researcher or literary student, I would highly recommend the Johannesen edition(The Princess and the Goblin (George Macdonald Original Works)) since it is an authoritative edition. However, when it comes to the price, the Puffin Classics edition can not help but to be rather tempting. I hope these few notes have been helpful - Happy shopping.
One of the best fantasy books period.......2007-06-18
So it's written for children but I could hardly tell the difference. The simplicity of the storytelling made it all the more appealing and the veins of courage, humilty, and human frailty running through it were impressive and awe inspiring. Like I said it's simple but don't let that word fool you. It's brilliantly written and encourages the reader to look at his or her own character. "As water reflects a face, so a man's heart reflects the man." Proverbs 27:19 It's a lesson we could all learn if not relearn...
A Classic Fantasy Tale.......2007-04-17
Macdonald inspired C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien and Lewis Carroll. He is the father of modern fantasy. This is one of his best. Directed more for kids, but like all of his tales, sophisticated enough for adults.
A Great Story to Read!.......2007-04-07
This book is a good classic for everyone to read because it is an enchanting story about a princess named Princess Irene and the adventures she has. She meets a boy miner named Curdie and she finds a great great grandmother living in the top tower room of Irene's house. Her nurse doesn't believe Irene--that she actually has a grandmother living in the top of the house. Irene eventually goes into the mountain and finds Curdie tied up. I really like the story because I like adventure and I also like mysteries and this story was sort of like a mystery (especially when I had to stop at the end of a chapter and wait to find out what happened next). I also think you could learn a lesson or two from this book: you don't have to see to believe (Curdie learned this). Irene learned that if you are not sure whether or not something is a dream or real, it can be real, and it is wonderful when it is.
Review by EGM, age seven.
Wonderful story full of insight.......2006-12-30
My mother read this book to me when I was four or five years old. The book was very memorable and my impressions of two of the main characters, Curdy and the grandmother, stayed with me over the years. I assumed the book had gone out of print and was surprised to come across it while browsing in a bookstore one day.
The story is magical and reading it again after so many years was very enjoyable. It was almost like undertaking a type of archaeological excavation deep into the recesses of my memories.
The author, George MacDonald (1824-1905), lived in Scotland and in addition to writing, was also a Christian minister. I later learned that he was very influential on C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. I personally believe that Tolkien's idea in The Hobbit of a mountain filled with goblins originated with George MacDonald's story of the goblin filled mountain in this book.
The story is a kind of allegory. There is a princess that was sent away from her father's house, a grand and beautiful palace built upon a mountain (her father is a king), to live in a house on the side of another mountain, half-way between its base and its peak. This seems to be a metaphor for the Christian idea that human spirits leave the home of their Heavenly Father, to enter mortal life. (see Wordsworth's poem: "Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting: The soul that rises with us, our life's Star, Hath had elsewhere its setting, And cometh from afar: Not in entire forgetfulness, And not in utter nakedness, But trailing clouds of glory do we come From God, who is our home...") It seems fitting to say that mortal life is found half-way down from heaven.
Curdy is a young miner who works in the mountain with his father every day. The mountain is filled with goblins that can only come out at night. The princess lives in a castle that is very mysterious. Its foundations stretch down into the mountains where the goblins live, but its upper towers are rarely visited, and a wise old woman, who turns out to be a type of symbol of heavenly guidance, lives there.
Curdy learns about the goblins' plot to invade the palace and capture the princess, and with the help of the wise old woman is able to save the princess. Curdy is not able to see the wise old woman at first because he does not believe in her. In one telling scene, the princess brings Curdy to see the old woman, but Curdy has not yet prepared himself to believe and so cannot see her. The princess is hurt because Curdy does not believe her and wants the old woman to show herself to Curdy. To this request, the old woman wisely replies that Curdy "is not yet able to believe some things. Seeing is not believing - it is only seeing." She also admonishes the princess that someone who already sees, (because they have developed faith) must be patient with others who cannot yet see, and therefore "must be content ... to be misunderstood for a while."
George MacDonald is one of my favorite storytellers. The Princess and the Goblin has a sequel, The Princess and Curdie, which is equally enjoyable. Another great book by MacDonald is The Wise Woman. MacDonald said that he didn't write for children "but for the child-like, whether they be of five, or fifty, or seventy-five."
I am in complete agreement with the reviewer who said that anyone will profit by reading this book.
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The George McDonald Treasury: Princess and the Goblin, Princess and Curdie, Light Princess, Phantastes, Giant's Heart, At the Back of the North Wind, Golden Key, and Lilith
George, McDonald
Manufacturer: Kahley House Publishing
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Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0978891430 |
Book Description
This enchanted collection brings together eight of George McDonald's most well known fantasies into one delightful volume. The George McDonald Treasury includes The Princess and the Goblin, The Princess and Curdie, The Light Princess, Phantastes, The Giant's Heart, At the Back of the North Wind, The Golden Key, and Lilith. MacDonald's classic works have inspired deep admiration in such notables as J. R. R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, G. K. Chesterton, Elizabeth Yates, and Lewis Carroll. C. S. Lewis wrote, "I have never concealed the fact that I regarded him as my master; indeed I fancy I have never written a book in which I did not quote from him." One day while in a train station, he picked up a copy of Phantastes and began to read. "A few hours later," said Lewis, "I knew I had crossed a great frontier." G. K. Chesterton cited The Princess and the Goblin as a book that had "made a difference to my whole existence." Madeleine L'Engle wrote, "Surely George MacDonald is the grandfather of us all-all of us who struggle to come to terms with truth through imagination." If you loved J. R. R. Tolkien's Hobbit and Lord of the Rings, you will love the works of his hero and model - George McDonald.
Customer Reviews:
Great stories, but..........2007-05-09
...the Phantastes story does not have the original quotes that preceded each chapter's events. I found the quotes and passages added to the understanding of the events, but they are omitted here.
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- some people will praise anything . . .
- Pretty "Princess"
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The Princess and the Goblin Book and Charm (Charming Classics)
George Macdonald
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AT THE BACK OF THE NORTH WIND (Barbour Christian Classics)
ASIN: 0060095520
Release Date: 2004-01-06 |
Book Description
Irene is still a very young princess, but she must grow up quickly when she and her mountain home are threatened by the goblins who dwell below it.
Customer Reviews:
some people will praise anything . . ........2007-06-23
Father of fantasy, my foot. I gave this ridiculous "story" sixty pages and am still waiting for something to happen. The epic tradition of Tolkien and (arguably) Lewis hails from the Mabinogion and (also arguably) the Kalevala, not from some pathetic effort by Macdonald to pen a "fantasy" that my twin four-year-olds could outdo.
Pretty "Princess".......2005-11-14
It's a credit to "Princess and the Goblin" that its author was a personal favorite (and shaping influence) to fantasy titans C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. But if their liking for George MacDonald's works isn't enough to impress, then take it just for what it is: A creepy, unique, compelling work of early fantasy.
Little Princess Irene has always been kept in ignorance of the goblins -- until one night when she and her nursemaid stay out a bit too late, and are chased by a bizarre creature. They are rescued by a young miner boy, Curdie, who tells her the way to deal with them.
While mining, Curdie explores underground caverns where the goblins dwell, uncovers a terrible plot -- and is taken captive by the malignant goblin queen. And Irene explores a mysterious tower where her magical "great-grandmother" lives -- not knowing yet that she's at the center of the goblins' plotting, and that Curdie may be her only hope.
Like many early fantasy stories, "The Princess and the Goblin" is a book completely free of cliches. Written in the 1800s, this book has the flavour of a long-forgotten fairy tale that MacDonald simply dug up and presented to the public. We have goblins, monsters, a heroic young boy, a brave princess, noble kings and magical ladies. What else is a fairy tale about?
It's also striking for its mixture of childlike optimism and extraordinary writing. MacDonald often writes some scenes with the sort of twee flavour of many nineteenth-century novels, with chirrupy kids and kindly servants. But he also can whip up some truly amazing atmosphere: exquisite moonlit scenes that play out like dreams, or underground disasters that sound like nightmares.
Similarly, it's a credit to him that the characters of Curdie and Irene are as likable as they are. Irene in particular is a triumph, since she borders on twitty sometimes. Perhaps that was deliberate, since this little girl gradually grows in strength and guts as the book progresses, bringing her up to speed with the more mature Curdie.
Part fable and part-fairy tale, and populated with goblins, miners and magical grandmothers, "The Princess and the Goblin" is an enchanting prelude to the modern fantasy genre.
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The Princess and the Goblin (Princess Irene, 1)
George MacDonald
Manufacturer: Tantor Media
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The Princess and Curdie (Princess Irene, 2)
ASIN: 1400100844 |
Book Description
Young Princess Irene is sent to the country to be raised in a half farmhouse, half castle located in the side of a mountain. While exploring the top of the castle, Irene becomes lost and inexplicably finds her way to a mystifying and beautiful woman spinning a thread. Princess Irene is drawn to the woman whom she discovers is her great-great grandmother. But after she returns, her nurse, Lootie, refuses to believe in the old woman's existence and the young Princess cannot find the way back to her great-great grandmother.
Days later, while on an outing with Lootie, Princess Irene believes that she detects a Goblin. They meet a young miner, Curdie, who confirms her sighting. Soon Curdie discovers Goblins lurking under the castle that have constructed an evil plot against the king and his palace. Princess Irene's belief in her great-grandmother's powers becomes essential as she and Curdie work to foil the sinister Goblin plan. As the Princess tells Curdie, "sometimes you must believe without seeing."
Customer Reviews:
A Wonderful Find.......2007-03-31
I was so excited to discover this audio book since the story itself is around 150 years old. My [...] daughters loved the book so much and wanted me to read it to them again. I wanted to move on to other books so I bought this and it is wonderful. Ian Whitcomb reads slowly enough for children to grasp the meanings that are profoundly simple while they listen and think at the same time. They had many questions to ask me about the meaning of things in life after listening to this. At the conclusion of the over 5 hour reading, of course listened to it over a few days, they asked to hear it again. It was a delight to me as well since I have listened to other readers talk so fast that much of the story was missed.
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- Spellbinding
- A unique, creative blend of science and technology with fantasy and magic!
- Reviewed by Sarra Borne
- A 'must' for fans of fantasy
- Wizard's Bane
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Wizard's Bane: Book one of the Sojurn Chronicles
Crystalwizard
Manufacturer: AuthorHouse
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Villenspell: City of Wizards
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Wizards and Wanderers: Book three of the Sojourn Chronicles
ASIN: 1418423122 |
Book Description
Dale was stranded... and around him he gathered the flotsam and jetsam outcasts of a doomed world in deadly peril, becoming it's last desperate defender. The gathering of this group of defenders is the essence of this panoramic novel. It is a novel of the journey of a technologically advanced hero stranded on a world steeped in magic, and the people he gathers along the way-technology made to control reality and magic that would not be controlled. lt’s about people with strong personalities thrown into conflict and held together by the will of one man, a man with a cause, to save a world. WIZARD’S BANE – Book one of the Sojurn Chronicles, is a novel of boundless imagination, wonderful characters, and fast paced action that can be compared with the Shadow Trilogy by Chris Claremont and George Lucas and the daring days of “classic” fantasy. Ray McLester
Customer Reviews:
Spellbinding.......2007-10-13
I enjoy just certain fantasy or scifi stories. Crystalwizard weaves an interesting story, so spellbinding that I don't worry or care about the genre. Her characters are well-rounded, the plot intriging, and the material well-written.
I stayed up all night reading because I could not wait to see what happened next.
A unique, creative blend of science and technology with fantasy and magic!.......2007-09-06
Dale is a man in trouble, stranded, lost and seriously out of place - transported through a galactic space warp and marooned on Earth by means and enemies unknown! He is worried to discover that his sophisticated, technologically advanced tools and weaponry, normally capable of modifying and controlling the people and the environment around him are now undependable, inconsistent and frequently out of commission entirely. But the tools that he does have and his charismatic force of personality are sufficient to gather around him a ragtag collection of misfits that seem to have also lost their place in the world - a thief bent on reform and self-improvement, an "animal-whisperer" who dropped out of the local wizard's college, the spoiled son of a baron, a demon held in thrall by a sorcerer's spell who can't seem to stay out of trouble and the runaway pacifist son of a cutthroat murderer.
As Dale and his strange fellowship fight for their lives against Gorgs that, time and again, materialize out of nowhere to attack them, (think really mean, really ugly and really powerful ogres - big brutes with a serious attitude problem) they come to the realization that the entire world is under attack by a magical force that survived the Wizard's War thought to have ended over fifty thousand years earlier. The world's only hope for survival against an impending all-out attack rests with Dale's technological know-how reaching the city of Villenspell and enlisting the magical aid of the City of Wizards!
The obvious themes of "fellowship", "quest" and "world survival" beg for the reader to compare "Wizard's Bane" to Tolkien's classic "Lord of the Rings". I wouldn't presume to make such a grandiose comparison but it is clear that Crystalwizard has succeeded admirably in drawing on the work of the giants before her while still injecting a dose of originality that is at once charming, thrilling, humorous, moving and unique in its own right! As the first novel of a six-part epic, "Wizard's Bane" focuses primarily on the character development of the "fellowship" and the realization of the extent of the trouble the world is really in as it comes under attack from the Gorg army. In a manner reminiscent of Clifford Simak's warm pastoral style of writing, Crystalwizard's characters are realistic, personable, down-home and easy for any reader to identify with and care about. Her credible, completely natural dialogue flows easily and there are plenty of light moments that will cause a chuckle or a wry smile. That "Wizard's Bane" barely gets revved up on the plot can be forgiven on the understanding that there are five novels left for the now eager reader to enjoy.
Where "Wizard's Bane" creatively departs from the standard medieval based sword fantasy is Crystalwizard's unique marriage of sci-fi and creative technology with good old-fashioned wizardry and magic - the science even touches quite clearly on relativistic concepts of time dilation and space warping!
Highly recommended for lovers of both sci-fi and fantasy! In fact, I can't think of a better book to introduce devoted readers of one genre to the joys of the other! I think I'll head off to the bookstore to look up a copy of "Villenspell - City of Wizards".
Paul Weiss
Reviewed by Sarra Borne.......2007-07-13
A classical style fantasy novel that draws its influences from many recognizable sources, Wizard's Bane captures the reader's attention and draws them into the pages. In the opening paragraphs that are vaguely reminiscent of the start of Terminator: The Movie we meet Dale, a man from a technologically superior world who finds himself marooned in a land of magic. Dale has a penchant for attracting a rag-tag band of followers that, not surprisingly, ultimately end up matching the character profiles found in the role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons.
This group of misfits sets out on a multi-focal quest to restore Dale's missing powers, discover the truth about themselves, and what good fantasy novel would omit - save the world from sure destruction at the hand of otherworldly invaders. The pacing of the story takes a backseat to character development in this book, so not much progress is made towards the fulfillment of their quest, a good thing in this case as all of the characters possess strong but likeable personalities making it difficult to choose a favorite.
As this is book one in a series, the ending is very much a cliffhanger, since it ends rather abruptly right before they reach their first of many goals. Fortunately books two and three, Villenspell: City of Wizards (2005) and Wizards and Wanderers: Book Three of the Sojourn Chronicles (2006) are already available, and books four through six are written but not yet published according to the author's website.
A few minor flaws: the proof-reading isn't perfect, leaving behind a few errors that wouldn't be caught by a spell-checker. The layout style is a little odd and takes a little getting accustomed to as there are an abundance of new paragraphs, the majority of which are only one sentence long.
A 'must' for fans of fantasy.......2007-03-03
Crystalwizard is a storyteller of considerable ability. Some people aspire to be good writers; my own belief is that the art of weaving a good story is a prerequisite to the craft of putting that story onto paper (or computer screen). Others will doubtless disagree. But, if I aspire to anything as a writer, it is to become a good story teller. Crystalwizard is a good story teller.
Though I have only read the first book of the Sojourn Chronicles, it is clearly an epic tale of Tolkien proportions. The characters are believable, in a fantastic sort of way, and there is both a noble goal (that spans books) and immediate challenges and dangers for the hero, Dale, to overcome. Dale has a mission to accomplish, though he only slowly becomes aware of its scope while struggling to survive on the world into which he has been thrust. His survival is accompanied by his gathering a strange assortment of misfits on his journey to the "city of wizards".
There were some nice touches in the story. I was tickled by the idea of programming as 'magic' (a spell got stuck in a 'for ... next loop')which reminded me of Arthur C Clarke's quotation "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
In one sense, I was disappointed in the way that book one ended; there was less of a climax than I would have liked. But in another sense, this is part of the epic genre; how do you end a story that is a part of a much larger story? If you read Wizard's Bane, then be prepared to read book two (and book three, and ...)
Also be prepared to encounter the odd misplaced word on the way through. These things didn't bother me, but I did notice them. If you are pedantically inclined, then don't let this spoil an otherwise great read.
All in all, I consider this to be a read that shouldn't be missed, and I will be reading the second book very soon.
Wizard's Bane.......2006-04-02
Wizard's Bane is fantastic. I could not put it down and read it within 2 days. The main character takes the role of a leader dealing with the different personalities with each addition to his traveling troupe and must guide this mix matched group to a place, yet to be revealed. As a mystery reader I found it challenging. As a parent I am excited to be able to share it with my children. I look forward to the rest of the series.
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The Princess and the Goblin
George MacDonald
Manufacturer: Aegypan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 159818234X |
Book Description
A Tale to Believe without Seeing
Young Princess Irene, sent away to the country to be raised in a place nestled into the side of a mountain that's half farmhouse and half castle, has stumbled into a conspiracy -- of Goblins! Really, Goblins! Their evil plot threatens the king and his palace and of course Irene and her friend and her great-great-grandmother (who is a witch, just for good measure). This book has been famous fun for generations, and you ought to come see why. Highly recommended.
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The Princess and the Goblin
George MacDonald
Manufacturer: Digireads.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Contemporary
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Macdonald, George
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The Heroes: or Greek Fairy Tales for My Children
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The Princess and Curdie (Puffin Classics)
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AT THE BACK OF THE NORTH WIND (Barbour Christian Classics)
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ASIN: 1420925571 |
Book Description
"The Princess and the Goblin" is George MacDonald's classic children's tale of fantasy. It's the story of the young Princess Irene and her good friend Curdie, the son of a miner. Princess Irene finds a secret stairway in the castle and discovers that her great great grandmother lives in a secret chamber at the top of the castle stairs. When Curdie overhears a plot by the Goblins that live beneath the castle to kidnap the Princess and flood the mine he is challenged to foil the plot of the Goblins and save the Princess.
Customer Reviews:
Not your usual fantasy.......2005-11-06
It's a credit to "Princess and the Goblin" that its author was a personal favorite (and shaping influence) to fantasy titans C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. But if their liking for George MacDonald's works isn't enough to impress, then take it just for what it is: A creepy, unique, compelling work of early fantasy.
Little Princess Irene has always been kept in ignorance of the goblins -- until one night when she and her nursemaid stay out a bit too late, and are chased by a bizarre creature. They are rescued by a young miner boy, Curdie, who tells her the way to deal with them.
While mining, Curdie explores underground caverns where the goblins dwell, uncovers a terrible plot -- and is taken captive by the malignant goblin queen. And Irene explores a mysterious tower where her magical "great-grandmother" lives -- not knowing yet that she's at the center of the goblins' plotting, and that Curdie may be her only hope.
Like many early fantasy stories, "The Princess and the Goblin" is a book completely free of cliches. Written in the 1800s, this book has the flavour of a long-forgotten fairy tale that MacDonald simply dug up and presented to the public. We have goblins, monsters, a heroic young boy, a brave princess, noble kings and magical ladies. What else is a fairy tale about?
It's also striking for its mixture of childlike optimism and extraordinary writing. MacDonald often writes some scenes with the sort of twee flavour of many nineteenth-century novels, with chirrupy kids and kindly servants. But he also can whip up some truly amazing atmosphere: exquisite moonlit scenes that play out like dreams, or underground disasters that sound like nightmares.
Similarly, it's a credit to him that the characters of Curdie and Irene are as likable as they are. Irene in particular is a triumph, since she borders on twitty sometimes. Perhaps that was deliberate, since this little girl gradually grows in strength and guts as the book progresses, bringing her up to speed with the more mature Curdie.
Part fable and part-fairy tale, and populated with goblins, miners and magical grandmothers, "The Princess and the Goblin" is an enchanting prelude to the modern fantasy genre.
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At the Back of the North Wind + The Princess and the Goblin + The Princess and Curdie Complete and unabridged
George MacDonald
Manufacturer: Octopus
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Macdonald, George
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ASIN: B000MGPAIE |
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The Princess and the Goblin
George MacDonald
Manufacturer: Waking Lion Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
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Macdonald, George
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ASIN: 1600965318
Release Date: 2007-01-10 |
Product Description
More than just a children's story, this novel from the brilliant George MacDonald holds deeper meanings for adult readers who are interested in the spiritual life and the battle between good and evil. Newly designed and typeset by Waking Lion Press.
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The Princess and the Goblin (Everyman's Library Children's Classics)
George MacDonald
Manufacturer: Everyman's Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
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MacDonald, George
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ASIN: 1857159195 |
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