Elves Books

This is a wonderful story. I first read it probably about 12 years ago, and loved it. The chapters are like poetry. Turner paints a very beautiful mental picture with her writing. Unfortunately, at 8 years old, I didn't know how to appreciate a book like this and ended up selling it a few years later (and after reading it about 30 times) to get some money. I had tried to find it for years, but it has become a rare book. Last Christmas, my husband bought me a copy, and I will treasure it forever. If you have this book, hold on to it. If you don't have it, get it if you can. It is the first book in a trilogy, but unfortunately, the other two books never got published. I am surprised to see the low prices on Amazon. My husband said he saw copies up to $200. Get it while the getting's good, because this book is a real treasure.

I read this book for a report, and I have to write a persuasive letter to a movie producer. I dont think it will be hard at all with this great book. It's different and I've never read a book quite like this. It's very descriptive,and I could picture everything. Read this book and you won't be dissapointed!

Elmer the Grump chronicles the life and young adulthood of a very grumpy elfkin living in the woods in Oregon. This wonderfully insightful book covers such social topics as isolation, the holiday season, the therapeutic affect of a pet, caring for someone/thing who is ill, the death of a pet, the death of a parent, the concept of an orphanage, community service, accepting another person's assistance, and mental healing. I am a teacher of students with severe emotional and behavioral disabilities and I use this book around Christmas time. I have also used it with children who are older--and even those in high school as I read the book aloud. I also point out all the creative illustrations. I always have a few budding authors who want to begin their writing careers when they realize the author was 13 when she wrote it. Judy Smith

My daughter loves this book! I liked it because it is good book for young readers and really helped my daughter.

IF you read the first one you have to read this one. And if you didn't read the first one you have to read this one. The breakneck speed this story runs at made it impossible for me to put the book down. And there are absolutely no characters you could care less about in this book. The only thing I could find wrong was that I wondered if the authors had maybe too many characters, because I want to know what happens to Kelyan? He was there, and then after everything he does for the Elvenbane she just ups and forgets he's around? Please tell me that was an oversight! But this will be one that will keep you up until the dawn finishing it.

I thought this book was extremely good. The characters seemed alive, and the plot was very entertaining. I couldn't put it down! The authors did a good job of building upon the previous book, but I'd have liked to read more about the dragons. Hopefully they weren't left out of the book on purpose! I can't wait for the third book to come out, I hope it's soon! If you've read the first book, you have to read this one!

The Shoemaker and the Elves stands out as one of the rare fairytales of old where the characters are actually nice. If you don't remember the story, it is about a shoemaker and his wife who, through no fault of their own, are down on their luck. Their fortune changes though when two small elves miraculously appear to turn their difficult situation around.

Down to just the smallest amount of leather --only enough to make one pair of shoes-- the shoemaker goes to bed with the intention of crafting the shoes in the morning. When he (they) wake up however, they find that the shoes have inexplicably been made. A customer soon follows for whom the shoes fit so well that the shoemaker is rewarded with enough cash to buy leather for two new pairs of shoes.

He goes to bed again that night with the intention of making the shoes in the morning; and is greeted again with a fait accompli. This goes on until the shoemaker has regained financial stability.

Right before Christmas, the husband and wife decide to find out who is doing this for them. They hide out and discover naked elves are doing the good deeds. The couples response is to perform a kindness in return. They make tiny clothes for the little darlings. It is winter after all and surely even elves must like to stay warm.

They set out the clothes and hide again. The elves arrive and are stunned speechless. Then they hurriedly get dressed and dance with glee. For reasons unexplained, now that they have clothes, they are free to never return. And everyone lives happily ever after.

Four Stars. Classic Galdone drawings. Classic story. [I particularly like that in this fairytale that people are kind.]

This is one of the better versions of this tale that I have seen. Its wording is faithful to the original tale but is accessible also. The illustrations are delightful. Especially the elves, naked and clothed alike. (Some versions of this tale omit the fact that the elves are supposed to be naked initially -- Galdone doesn't hesitate to draw them naked but does so in a way that is sweet, funny and G-rated.)

There is something about this book that will touch you. It will enlightened you with the Christmas spirit as you read the wonderful tale of one a Santa's elves and his love for the game of basket ball. This little novel will make you laugh and smile with Christmas joy. Written with such Character that made you love everyone in the book. An enjoyable read. This book is just like the classic specials, "Rudolph The Red Nosed Rain Dear" or "Frosty the Snowman!". It won't seem like Christmas until you have read Elves Can't Dunk. Written for 6 and up, but all ages will enjoy this Christmas tale!

"Elves Can't Dunk" is a delightful story appropriate for kids ages 6-10 who are comfortable with chapter books. The colorful cover is eye-catching, and Robert Skead proves to be a first rate children's writer with his witty interaction between the good guys and the bad. This story is a lot of fun, plus there is a good moral in the end. For kids who love basketball, this holiday story will certainly be right up their alley.

The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings had such a profound impact on me when I first read them many years ago, that I've spent a lot of time since then trying to figure out why. The answer to that question is always evolving; each re-reading, as the saying goes, teaches me something new about myself.

Tolkien's world is so rich that, as your own interests shift and grow, they are reflected in Middle Earth when next you return.

Lately I've been devoted to understanding climate change and meeting the challenge of putting Earth back on a course towards sustainability, so I was delighted to come across a book that explores the environmental themes in Tolkien's works.

"Ents, Elves and Eriador, The Environmental Vision of J.R.R. Tolkien" is a great read. It's part of a series called "Culture of the Land." Through this book, I returned to Middle Earth to see how those who cared for it most chose to treat it.

The Shire-folk held gardeners and farmers in high esteem; practical cultivation of the land was the rule there. A hobbit enjoyed a view of a well-tended field-- but largely in anticipation of the meals it could provide.

Elves appreciated the aesthetics of their well-ordered landscapes, as in the slow passing of the seasons in the cloistered woods of Lothlorien, but they didn't seem to worry much about growing food.

Ents appreciated wild nature for its own sake- and worked to keep it that way.

Whether Tolkien intended it or not (and there is reason to believe that he did), each culture serves to illustrate a different approach towards stewardship of the Earth. Conservation, preservation and protection are all needed in varying contexts and to varying degrees. Differences in approach sometimes divide people who share a desire to sustain the Earth and civilization. Working out these differences is the great task of "the Fourth Age," a Tolkienesque term for modern times; knowing this sheds new light on some of the themes in the stories from the Third.

Tolkien's ambivalence about unbridled technology is suggested by the hobbits' lack of appreciation for anything more complicated than a water mill. We're in a time when understanding what constitutes appropriate technology in our quest for survival is key. Understanding what we value in nature, and why, is as important. We may soon be in a position to choose what to save, if we can save ourselves. The authors do a wonderful job of pointing this out.

Ents, Elves and Eriador is a fascinating book. Dickerson and Evans take the reader through Tolkien's work detailing the beloved author's environmental vision. While even a casual reader of Tolkien's writing will recognize that industrialization accompanied evil in his books, this book reveals the depth of his positive vision of the way Middle Earth works. They discuss the various ecologies that make an appearance in Tolkien's work.

The authors:

* write not only about the ecologies themselves, but how Middle Earth becomes a character in the stories.
* also talk about how the people in the stories care (or not) for the environment around them.
* about how the Hobbits create a sustainable community in the Shire, growing food to feed themselves without damaging the soil.
* comment on how things go wrong when one person starts "owning more than is good for them"
* also talk about the role of elves in creating beauty in the world,
* Finally talk about Ent's preservation of the forest of Fangorn.

The works of Sauron are toxic and destructive of the efforts of all people who care for the world they live in. The authors draw parallels between unbridled corporate profits and kind of damage Sauron does to Middle Earth. They show how the poisoning of the earth around both Mordor and Isengard is all too similar to the damage done by industry.

Reading a non-fiction book about Tolkien's environmental vision may seem like a way to spoil the sheer fun of reading The Lord of the Rings and his other books. What I found as I read this book was that I wanted to reread every word of Tolkien to see for myself what the authors have given a glimpse of.

This book if for everyone who loves the work of J.R.R. Tolkien, and who loves the world around them.

Armchair Interviews agrees.

We had this book when it was first printed in the 80s and it became a family traditon to read it to us kids every Xmas. We loved the naughtiness of the main characters --The forgotten helper "Aben" and the bratty girl he has to convince to be good..Kids can identify with both characters. We even named our cat Neba (Aben spelled backwards) because of her someitmes unpleasant personlity...although she's really very lovable...just like Aben really is in the book.

This not your typical Xmas book. Through many home moves over the years, I lost our copy. I'm thrilled it's back again. A bunch of people will be gettiing it from me this holiday. Thanks...JE

In Forgotten Helper, T. Lewis provides a Christmas story for kids with reading skills at the chapter book level: Aben is Santa's best toymaker -and the grouchiest, worst-behaved elf. When he's left behind by mistake, he must wait a whole year at a child's house for Santa's return - only to find his counterpart in an ill-behaved child. Black and white drawings in this appealing tale.

Throughout "A Fox Called Sorrow", this talented Australian writer, Isobelle Carmody, vividly reflects how alienating the human world is to other creatures, and how pervasive and confusing. Cars are terrifying "road beasts" and trains are "road serpents", and Little Fur, the elf troll, cannot set foot on the wide, black roads, lest she break her contact with the earth, which suffocates beneath these poisonous black veins, and with the "earth magic" that assists her abilities as a healer of injured animals and trees. Most heartbreaking is the fox's, Sorrow's, tragic history at the hands of humans.

This beautiful story has so much to offer that is immensely valuable and original, in its poignancy, in its portrayal of integrity and compassion and bravery within and through tragedy and cruelty and grief, and its very important underlying messages of environmentalism, respect for the earth and for all creatures, and the strength of love and hope, even through the darkest despair and loss. And the ending is wonderful!

I selected this beautiful book quite randomly - partly because of the cover's gorgeous velvet nape on my edition - and I'm so impressed.

Isobelle Carmody's LITTLE FUR: A FOX CALLED SORROW provides a fantasy from Australia about a half elf, half troll girl who heals animals in the heart of a major city. Her discovery that her world is threatened leads to an extraordinary journey to the heart of what she fears with a mysterious fox called Sorrow, who believes their journey is doomed to fail.

I had met the author at Noreascon last year, and after reading The Impending Storm, I was quite impressed (see my review under that listing). I was hoping to get Book 2, but it wasn't out yet. I read some of the information on the publisher's website (www.SilverLeafBooks.com if you need it), and considered trying the "young adult" series. I'm in my 30's, so the thought of buying something geared for teens made me hesitate, but I did breakdown and order the three books available. It may sound cliche, but boy am I glad I did!

Book 1 (The Child of Prophecy) and Book 2 (The Awakening) have certain elements that were familiar after reading The Impending Storm. But, Bowyer expanded upon the Kyria / Kai storyline, giving us a broader background and more detail. Even though a lot was similar, I did not feel like I was reading the same thing again and again.

Book 3 though, The Mage's Council, is completely new and unique! This storyline actually picks up right after Kyria's story ends in the main series, so if people want to try the Young Adult series, but want to just pick it up where Kyria was abducted, then begin with this one! There may be some references that you'll miss (from Books 1 & 2 of the series), but I think you can probably follow it (though Books 1 & 2 were great, so for the price, you should just get it and spend the 3 hours or so to read it!).

The Mage's Council is a must. You really get to see Bowyer's vision of magic (though we saw a bit in the first two books of this series and in The Impending Storm, I feel like I haven't seen anything until I read this one! There is so much development to the world of magic, and as an outsider, you see it through Kyria's eyes as she explores it all ~ majestic).

I strongly recommend this book and series to you. You won't be disappointed!

I bought the first two books of the series for my 13 year old son & 11 year old nephew for Christmas presents and they loved them! My son is not an avid reader and he is now walking around the house with his nose stuck in book 3. I absolutly reccomend this series!

OH My God, drew has done it again. He starts a beautiful story with his Antihero. Completly captivating.

Poison Elves Volume 5: Sanctuary is my favorite chapter (to date) in the Poison Elves saga. This hefty trade paperback collects issues 1-12 of the Sirius-published Poison Elves series, and begins the long running Sanctuary storyline.

For those of you unfamiliar with this excellent (and criminally underrated) series, Poison Elves is the story of an elf named Lusiphur. Now, before you get visions in your head of pretty-boy elves like Legolas or those Elfquest characters, you should know that Lusiphur (Luse, as he's known to the few people he likes well enough not to have killed) is not that kind of elf. He's a street fighting, hard drinking, mercenary/assassin described by his creator as (and I'm paraphrasing here) "having the temperament of a rattlesnake and the ability to deliver sarcasm faster than lightning hits the ground." Sound intriguing? Drew Hayes is a master storyteller, and besides getting a great non-traditional fantasy story, there is plenty of social commentary and very relevant, very cutting observations. Drew was doing this kind of thing long before Garth Ennis, Warren Ellis, et al made it commonplace. And his artwork is terrific too.

Besides being my favorite PE volume, I also think Sanctuary is the perfect jumping-on point for new readers. While it does make sense to start with Volume 1 (Requiem for an Elf), the early PE books are a bit rough around the edges, so to speak, and might not capture the reader as completely as this book no doubt will. Because a lot of new readers came on board with the first Sirius issue, this book serves as an excellent reintroduction to the cast of Poison Elves. You get a good idea of what makes Luse tick (and what mayhem he is capable of), you meet his friend Jace, and the first big PE epic kicks off. Essentially, Luse joins a secret guild of assassins and thieves, makes peace with what he does for a living, and finds love. All the while, an elite task force - which Jace is a member of - is relentlessly trying to bring down the guild. You just know all hell is going to break loose in volume 6!

I can't recommend this series, or this particular book, highly enough. When you're ready to take a break from "comics as usual", you owe it to yourself to check this series out.