Treasure Island

Rating:
Summary: Bad idea
Review: "Treasure Island" is a classic. Why foul it up by making
it 'easier to read'? That is just being condescending to
young readers, and evidently, going by one of the other
reviews, they didn't do a very good job of THAT, even.
Read the original, skip any of the adaptations....

Rating:
Summary: My ' nay' should not effect your ' ay- ay matey'
Review: At School 10 in Troy , New York many years ago Miss McGovern led her little mateys through a reading of this children's classic. I do not remember exactly what she had to say about Captain Silver and Jim Hawkins , whether she felt the cunning and dishonest old curmudgeon Silver was somehow a sympathetic soul, and young Mr. Hawkins was a very worthy and wily apprentice. I do know that around about the same time the Big Screen showed a version of this tale which brought it more vividly to life. As a child I could not exactly understand why Captain Silver had to be ' bad ' at all, and what exactly Mr.Stevenson wanted for us. The treasure , the map , the finding of booty did not appeal very much to my young soul, and to tell the truth the whole tale seemed more like yet another ' adult trick' to make ' children' feel interested in 'school'. The rousing yarn that has held the attention of so many largely confused me. In this one however my guess is my own childhood impressions are pretty well of the mark, and do little justice to a book which has given so much suspenseful pleasure to young readers.

Rating:
Summary: Yow!!!
Review: How can you even review the ultimate pirate book of all time? I read it when I was 9 and loved it. I read it again when I was 34 and loved it again! (Actually, I read it several times between, as well.) Long John Silver is arguably one of the most Macchiavellian characters you will ever find between the covers of a book. (I'm mainly reviewing it to raise the average rating. Anyone who thinks this book is boring has to have a screw loose!) From the arrival of the mysterious Billy Bones, to the attack on the inn, to the sea voyage, to the mutiny, to the battle for the island, to the treasure hunt, even to the final fate of John Silver, this book is a stunning rollercoaster of suspense and adventure! I'd give it ten stars if I could.

Here's a bit of information you other readers might enjoy: the meaning of the pirates' song--

Fifteen men on a dead man's chest Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum!

The real-life pirate, Edward Teach (Blackbeard the Pirate) once marooned 15 of his men on a small island named Dead Man's Chest. He put them ashore with no weapons, equipment or supplies--just a bottle of rum.

Rating:
Summary: To the hesitating reader
Review: I never did read this book as I was growing up and have now read it for the first time as an adult. I always thought that this book would not be very good but I was wrong.

I write this review for those students who may hesitate to read Treasure Island. This book is a story of high adventure. In it is the tale of a young boy who comes to possess a treasure map and goes off on a whirlwind adventure filled with sea voyages, pirates, island adventure and treasure. Stevenson wonderfully portrays the characters of young Jim Hawkins, the hero of the book, the fabled Long John Silver, Billy Bones and Ben Gunn. Each adds their own sense of mystery and suspense to the story. The settings of the story from the Admiral Benbow Inn to the Hispaniola, their sailing vessel, to the island itself are very vivid and make you feel as if you are really there. The adventure to and finally on Treasure Island is filled with secret meetings, battle scenes and a quest to find a long since buried fortune in gold. The novel is truly great and is a very entertaining and interesting read.

For those adults who have never read this novel definitely read it and for those who have already read it, read it again it is well worth it. The swashbuckling adventures of Long John Silver and his men, along with Jim Hawkins, are truly timeless. If you have children of age, share the story with them. It is truly a family classic worth sharing with generations to come.

Rating:
Summary: A thrilling ride
Review: I recently read Treasure Island again and really enjoyed it. It has been at least 20 years since I last read it, and I had forgotten nearly everything. So much happens in this story it is hard to believe it! There is danger lurking around every corner, and the pirate-speak dialogue is a lot of fun.

Rating:
Summary: Treasure
Review: J M Barrie said "Over Treasure Island I let my fire die in winter without knowing I was freezing." This is a captivating book that will make you forget little things like freezing to death. A well written story of pirates, buried treasure, sailing ships, and adventure, Treasure Island is also a soaring effort in the literary world. Stevenson deftly creates a whole Piratical lingo for this tale.
Parts of the book stick with you like Jim Hawkins meeting marooned Ben Gunn. Ben tells him "Marooned three years agone," he continued, "and lived on goats since then, and berries, and oysters. Wherever a man is, says I, a man can do for himself. But, mate, my heart is sore for Christian diet. You mightn't happen to have a piece of cheese about you, now? No? Well, many's the long night I've dreamed of cheese--toasted, mostly--and woke up again, and here I were."
How can we ever forget Long John Silver's parrot Cap'n Flint crying pieces of eight! pieces of eight! until Silver throws his handkerchief over the cage. You may even hear the surf booming about the coasts of Treasure Island in your dreams. Long John beckons to Jim during the voyage "Come away, Hawkins," he would say; "come and have a yarn with John. Nobody more welcome than yourself, my son." and so Silver welcomes us all into this splendid yarn.

Rating:
Summary: A treasure hunt of fun
Review: Quite possibly the most interesting and entertaining island novel i've read since Robinson Crusoe. This book defines all pirate tales and hidden caches of treasure. Outstanding!!!

Rating:
Summary: Greatness for Everyone
Review: The book Treasure Island is an adventure book, and for good reasons. This action packed story takes place hundreds of years ago and the setting goes from a dangerous home, to the sea, and finally to an island. In the story Jim Hawkins finds a treasure map and he says in the book that he will try to get the treasure. The main characters are Jim Hawkins, the young lad pursuing treasure, Long John Silver, the experienced sailor who is the cook, and one of the bad guys blind Pew. This is a book that kids would like but is probably recommended for older people due to its reading difficulty. The sailors and Jim Hawkins try to find an island with buried treasure but first they must overcome many treacherous obstacles. The reason this book blows away the competition is because you will always wonder what will happen on the open seas were rules hardly apply. I cannot be sure of the way sailors used to talk but from what I know the author rights it exactly as it would have been said. The reviewers say, "masterfully crafted" which is only one of many phrases that can portray the excellence of the book. You have to read this slowly, page by page because it has a lot of information on each page and if you read it to quickly you won't understand what just happened. This is not a book you can read right before bed because it's hard to put it down and you might end up reading all night. This book is like Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter because people are out to kill you and this book shows many scenes were the characters make narrow escapes, but sometimes they don't. When you read this book you wonder is like a mix of fiction, non- fiction, and science fiction because the adventures are so detailed you might think you are there but it has many surprising scenes that you wonder if that could happen. Although the author has a slow pace it shows every last repetitive thing you have to do at sea. The author also is good at making it feel real, like you are really there. In away this book is like Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate where at the very beginning the characters are pretty happy but then someone comes and ruins it then that person keeps going at the people for the money that is rightfully theirs. Basically what I have been saying about Treasure Island is that you should read it.

-Kyle Watson


Rating:
Summary: One of the greatest pirate stories of all time
Review: Treasure Island is arguably one of the greatest works of storytelling in the English language. Stevenson created other novels, with greater depth and insight, but the highlight of Treasure Island is the combination of color and poetic prose that distinguishes his tale of piracy and boyhood adventure from the rest of the field of other adventure books. The title alone paints an image of suspense, and salty pirates battling over great riches. Most people tend to view Treasure Island as a story for children, but it can be enjoyed by anyone longing for a rollicking adventure. Like so many stories from the 1800s, each chapter ends with a cliffhanger, and once you get used to the language the author's humor shines through.

Rating:
Summary: Classic Treasure
Review: Treasure Island is one of my favorite classics of all time. I was first introduced to this book in the eighth grade (I'm 22 now) and have loved it ever since, even keeping the copy given to me in class, telling my teacher I lost it so I wouldn't have to give it back.
What makes this book so fun? Overall, it is an fun adventure, making it a fun read. The main characters are fleshed out well. For example, we the reader feel just as betrayed as young Jim Hawkins when he learns of Long John Silver's plot to steal the treasure.
The story itself is broken into nice sections and flows together from start to finish. There is never really a dull moment in the book.
Treasure Island is a great read and a classic novel. Just don't confuse it with Pirates of the Carribean.