Thoroughbred #18 Glory's Rival (Thoroughbred)

Rating:
Summary: Disappointing...
Review: Although I liked Karen Bentley's other books, Glory's Rival disappointed me. The book never really got very exciting and I found myself forcing myself to read the book. Cindy usually is not bratty, but in this book all she cares about is Glory winning the Breeder's Cup. She is rude to Samantha and everyone else at Whitebrook. I thought the storyline was horrible and the conflict was not very thought-out. I would not recommend buying it, maybe instead rent it at the library or from a friend, if you feel you have to read it.

Rating:
Summary: A very cool Book.
Review: I don't agree with what all those reviews are saying about Glory. Sure, the books are fiction, but what's the matter with an abused horse turning into a champion? Also, I don't think that Cindy is a spoiled brat. she's been through a lot and I think that Ian and Beth a just trying to make her see that this a good place and that they love her.

Rating:
Summary: Not so Good!
Review: I don't know why all of you people are saying that this book is sooo terrible! Personally, I liked it. Okay, so sometimes Cindy can be a LITTLE self-centered, she's still awesome! And if you have read any of the "new generation" books, then you should consider this book one of the best books. I love Glory and I think that he has done plenty to prove himself! Cindy and Glory are both GREAT, and I really miss them in the new books.

Rating:
Summary: Very good
Review: I don't know why all of you people are saying that this book is sooo terrible! Personally, I liked it. Okay, so sometimes Cindy can be a LITTLE self-centered, she's still awesome! And if you have read any of the "new generation" books, then you should consider this book one of the best books. I love Glory and I think that he has done plenty to prove himself! Cindy and Glory are both GREAT, and I really miss them in the new books.

Rating:
Summary: Glory Sucks!
Review: Joanna Campbell, creator of the Thoroughbred series, wrote the books from #1-14, then let Karen Bentley take over starting with #15, Glory's Triumph. Bentley isn't a BAD writer. She knows which end of the horse is up and she knows something about training, which is a plus. However, it's her whole attitude about the series that really starts to drag it down. We see less of the loving camaraderie between girls and their horses, and less of the sneaky evil villain-ry of the younger Townsends, Brad and Lavinia. Glory's Rival is sugar-coated and badly held up, but hey, most of the other books in this sector (Bentley wrote #15-23, as well as two super editions, Ashleigh's Hope and Samantha's Journey) are too.

Glory's Rival, in a nutshell, is all about Cindy's fears that her horse, March to Glory, will race against her adopted sister's horse, Shining, in the Breeder's Cup Classic. Cindy's competitive attitude threatens to destroy her relationship with Samantha. In the end it's all peachy anyway, since Glory wins the Classic and Shining wins the Distaff, which is the race for fillies and mares.

I don't really care that much that Whitebrook took a double victory on Breeder's Cup day, though I do think it's unrealistic. (So many horses race. How likely is it, really, that one farm will produce two winners on Breeder's Cup day? For that matter, many horses don't make it to the stakes at all.) And I don't care all that much about Cindy's bad attitude, since it only gets worse as the series goes on. (Campbell made a great start with the possibility of lots of backstory, but Bentley mostly chose to ignore her orphaned past.) I felt like the entire plot was trivial. Bentley doesn't get close enough to the characters for us to really care whether Glory wins or loses or breaks his leg. No, scratch that - it's not GLORY we don't care about. He's a nice horse. It's CINDY.

The "rivalry" between Shining and Glory is nothing like the well-drawn, fast-paced, makes-your-blood-boil competition between Townsend Prince and Ashleigh's Wonder, back when Ashleigh Griffen was a girl. Brad Townsend was a formidable foe because he was cutthroat and would go to dirty lengths to win, but he did actually care very much about the Prince. Cindy, on the other hand, doesn't seem to care all that much about Glory; she just wants to win. It feels shallow because Bentley doesn't write with conviction.

And while we're on the subject of the Townsends, this newfound sweet-and-light love between the Whitebrook group and the Townsends is close to sickening. Brad and Lavinia Townsend have always been most interesting when they act as BELIEVABLE rivals. Bentley didn't know how to write them as believable rivals - people who pull the dirtiest tricks that we, the readers, see right through but never quite come to light to the racing officials - so she ended all rivalry and competition between them.

And getting to the 31 lengths thing - yes, I suppose it's possible for a horse to win a race by 31 lengths. Sure. I buy that. I do NOT, however, buy the fact that it's the same number of lengths that Secretariat set a record with. That's sacrilegious. For goodness sakes, make it 29 lengths, make it 30, but not 31.

Rating:
Summary: CINDY,CINDY,CINDY!!!!!!!!!
Review: Looks like the new authors really need to check their words. Do you think that Shining would actually be the next Ruffian? I don't think so. Do you think the Glory will be the next like, Secretariat? No way. Not a chance, March to Glory. Also, wouldn't 'Shining' be taken in the Jockey Club already?

Rating:
Summary: Isn't this outta hand, here?
Review: This book was all right but I don't really like Cindy and Glory. Ashleigh, Wonder and all of Wonder's offspring were and still are my favorite characters in the series. I don't get what's so bratty about Christina, and I don't get what's so bratty about Cindy either : well, yeah, she gets everything she wants and she always wins and so does Glory. Glory winning his first race by 20 lengths and then the Breeder's Cup by 31 lengths is unreasonable. This book is fictional, yes, but it still isn't right. The world isn't perfect.

Rating:
Summary: Glory's rival
Review: well i liked the book and i am happy that Shining won the distaff but i really wished that sammy would have entered her in the classic because cindy would have deserved to lose. she is such a spoiled little brat. in some ways she is as bad as the townsends! she always wants things her way. and she usually gets them. She would have deserved to lose. i like glory just fine but to win by 31 lengths??? come on! But wait! cindy thinks that wonder's champion will be the fastest whitebrook ever had?? yikes this is gettin ugly! ne whoo i liked the book but i wish it was a teensey bit more realistic...