The Eyes of the Dragon

Rating:
Summary: An amazing novel
Review: The Eyes of the Dragon is an exciting novel. I like the voice Stephen King tells it in also. This is the only one of his books I've read where there is an all knowing narrator. That said, I like this book even more because it deals with one of the characters in the Dark Tower Series, Flagg. This novel reveals many facts about Flagg. That he is a demon, that he likes to see the destruction of kingdoms and order. It also makes him appear strangely mortal. He is a demon that has lived seemingly forever, yet he is often scared of what humans can accomplish.

This novel is about a peaceful kingdom, during the reign of a less intelligent man. By chance, his first son turns out to be of amazing quality, while his second son seems exactly like himself. For Flagg to bring about the ruin of Delain he must make the second son, Thomas, King instead of the first son, Peter. If he could accomplish that feat, the kingdom of Delain would be on the brink of crumbling in four years, after standing for thousands.

I recommend this book to anyone, but especially to fans of the Dark Tower.

Rating:
Summary: Best of King's pure fantasy
Review: This is a true masterpiece. King crafts a plot and characters on par with past works of his such as the Green Mile and the Gunslinger series, and puts them in a Fairy Tale setting. The results are absolutely amazing. I have read nearly all of King's work and this is the novel which I most wish that we would have written a sequel to.

The story centers around sibling rivalry between two young princes and their relationship with their father. Their father's evil court magician then gets in on the act and tragedy strikes. To tell more would reveal too much about the story.

If you are a fan of Harry Potter, I think this book would be right up your alley. It would also be a great read for fans of the Dark Tower series or of the Stand because a few of the villains are the same (only different).

I would recommend this book to anyone, young or old, who would like a break from any heavy reading they might be doing and would enjoy high fantasy at its best by one of the world's greatest living authors. You won't be dissapointed.

Rating:
Summary: Incrediable
Review: This book ranks up there with The Green Mile and Shawshank Redemption.. Stephen King delivers an amazingly simple, yet totally original, plot in this ingageing book.. The only flaw is that the book ends.

A highly recomended read.

Rating:
Summary: "He must be put out of the way..."
Review: The Eyes of the Dragon tells a tale of of sibling rivalry set in a mystical and mythical kingdom called Delain. It's the story of old King Roland and his two sons, Peter and Thomas, and revolves around the wily schemes of the king's mysterious magician, who is plotting to destroy Delain.

Stephen King usually writes incredibly long novels, sometimes with large casts of characters, but in this story there is a sharp focus on Roland, who is described as old, short, bow-legged, good at hunting (especially with his bow and arrow), proficient at drinking but not at thinking. He marries late in life to a young girl named Sasha, a bright and gentle person who gives birth to Prince Peter and Prince Thomas. She dies young, apparently from complications giving birth to her youngest son, but as King reveals, she is really murdered by order of the evil Flagg, the hooded and pale magician.

But Flagg's agenda goes even further than the mere murder of Queen Sasha. He has been watching Roland's sons very closely, and has determined that Thomas -- who is the spitting image of his father down to his personality -- should be crowned king instead of his older brother Peter. You see, Peter is tall, handsome, bright, but most of all, he has a strong will and Flagg fears him.

How Flagg achieves his goal of placing Thomas on the throne without killing Peter is the heart of this enthralling story, and I couldn't put it down. Although Stephen King is not an author I normally read, I was drawn into the intricatelly woven plot. I liked the way the writer described each character, giving them distinct personalities and avoiding the usual fairy tale conventions of making good people perfectly good, with no human flaws. I admired Peter for his resourcefulness and courage, I both chastised Thomas for his jealousy and weakness of character yet by the end of the story I felt sorry for him. I also had the same mixed feelings about Roland. Yes, he tried to be a good king and didn't do much harm to Delain, but like his son Thomas, he wasn't very bright and was easily led by Flagg.

The character I most felt strongly about is, of course, Flagg. Having seen the miniseries based on King's huge novel The Stand, I know that this demonic villain is the same character who is the "Dark Man" who will try to take over the world after most of humanity is wiped out by a strain of killer flu. Here he is in most of the story, and we learn that he thrives on death and destruction even as he lives over many centuries.

The Eyes of the Dragon is beautifully illustrated by David Palladini with pencil and ink drawings that will make this fascinating story come alive for younger readers. (I believe that although King's narration was in itself very vivid, the art work really was a pleasant bonus.)

Rating:
Summary: Bravo!
Review: This is an absolute masterpiece.

This charmingly written book is one of the finest of its sort. King's take on the Fairy Tale genre is both well thought out and endearing. Even though certain elements are far fetched, it quickly defends its position by reminding you that you're in another world, filled with Dragons, Magicians, and mystical forces, where anything can happen. And let's face it, if we can suspend belief for The Brother's Grimm, or even Michael Moorcock and Tolkien for that matter, why not King?

I really liked the form that the book is written in. It's a narrative form written as if a guy sat down in your living room and told you a story. The best part, is that King never slips or forgets this. From beginning to end you're still in your living room listening to the Storyteller.

Although it was written for adolecents, (King's daughter in particular) King wanted to make sure that he wasn't "talking down" to them as he put it, so the book is still written in an adult fashion, and from an adults perspective it really makes you feel like you're a kid again.

In the end, King makes you glad, in a way, that you have left this other-worldly realm that he has made for us. The end brings closure, we're satiated, and we're pleased with this. But there are also unanswered questions which leave us ready for the next tale, and that, in my book, is the best storytelling there is.

I really enjoyed this book and I would, of course, recommend it to anyone.

Rating:
Summary: Great Book
Review: After reading other reviewers expressing their belief that this book isn't like other King books, I have to wonder how many of his fans are unaware of his Dark Tower series.

At any rate, this book is a wonderful journey to that "other" place, home of Roland of Gilead and "territories" to a certain brave boy in "The Talisman." Some of you will recognize Flagg from "The Stand" (and of course, he is Walter--man with many names--from the Tower books). It's an easy and quick read, 3-4 hours will have the book finished for most.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Reading
Review: I'll keep this brief. Stephen King is a legendary literary being. He is unique, and he keeps any reader entangled in the story. We readers and story writers/tellers alike have to appreciate this. Mr. King stepped away from the horror-genre and had a more fantasy approach, which he does not do too often. 'In the Eyes of the Dragon' was very entertaining, and spellbinding, and the items he uses in the story remain essential to the characters themselves. One particular character that will remain in your mind, is Randall Flagg, a hellish creature with enough spells to freeze you in time or worse. Flagg has appearances throughout Stephen King's books under different names.

Rating:
Summary: Best book by stephen king
Review: This is the best book written by stephen king. Except if you like dragons to death don't get the book. Because the book has little to do about dragons. Although there is this wizard named Flagg that has come back to the same town for centuries. He is something like 500 years old, and 500 years of total destruction and devestation. I've read this book as well as my Art teacher and a couple other of kids. And they all loved it, my art teacher said it was the best book ever written...but she is a phsycopathic grade F giver......

Rating:
Summary: A Fiery Tale
Review: "The Eyes of the Dragon" by Stephen King is an incredible read. The tale begins with two prince brothers. The older brother, Peter, is the perfect prince, with a kind caring heart, great intelligence and to top it off good looks too. All of his father's subjects can't wait for him to be crowned king. The younger brother, Thomas, is less perfect. He is a spitting image of his father which is not a good thing. He has few brains and his heart is like any other noble, a bit stuck up.
The King, Roland, is drawing near to the end of his life. He has an advisor named Flagg who is also a magician. King Roland suddenly falls ill and dies from poisoning. Peter is suspected of this evil though he loved his father greatly. Peter was immediately placed on trial and incriminated with false evidence placed by Flagg. He is convicted and imprisoned in the tallest tower of the kingdom. Thomas is then crowned king.
Little did Flagg know that Thomas had seen him poison his father. Thomas was too proud and he wouldn't tell anyone what he had seen. The years pass as Thomas rules by terror, influenced by Flagg pouring his evil into Thomas's mind. Peter must escape the tower. Will he be in time to save his country from Flagg's evil?
In this novel the descriptions of scene settings and views are some of the best I have ever read. The characters grow and change with the world around. This book leaves a lasting imprint on your memory that will amaze and excite you for years to come. Stephen King has created a masterpiece in this tale.
The only thing that I find disappointing with this story is that Flagg is a bit too evil. Stephen King goes over the top with this character making this characterization unrealisticly evil.

Rating:
Summary: A fairy tale with a King-style edge.....
Review: One of the things I like about Stephen King is his versatility as a storyteller. Yes, he focuses on horror and the supernatural -- telekinetic teenagers, vampires, creatures from other dimensions and even a really "killer" flu -- and is therefore not considered to be a "serious" writer. However, considering the vast output of King books and his longevity as a bestselling author, if nearly 30 years of novels, short story collections, screenplays, original teleplays and a loyal fan base doesn't make him a serious writer, I don't know what would.

I used to buy each new King novel either in paperback or, when I could afford it, in hardcover. Gradually my tastes shifted to military fiction by Tom Clancy, Stephen Coonts and Harold Coyle, but I never stopped liking King's books.

One of my favorites is his 1987 excursion into fantasy, The Eyes of the Dragon. Essentially a story for younger readers -- aimed at kids 12 and up -- and beautifully illustrated by David Palladini, it's a classic story of sibling rivalry between the sons of King Roland of Delain. Peter, the bright and handsome first-born, is heir to the throne, while Thomas, who is not as smart and takes after his short and stout father, tries hard to cope with the knowledge that his status in life is secondary to Peter's. Worse, even though he tries hard to gain the love of his father, Thomas is clumsy and not very skilled with his hands. (In one sad scene, Thomas spends a whole day making a small wooden sailboat for his father the King, only to hear his dad remark that it looked like a dog dropping with a handkerchief attached to it.)

Thomas' only friend is the court magician, a pale and brooding fellow named Flagg. He takes a keen interest in Thomas, but not for altruistic reasons. For Flagg is an inhuman entity in the guise of a man, and he has a dark agenda of his own: to rid Delain of both Roland and Pete so he can take the reins of power for himself. Knowing that the late Queen Sasha was too smart to be manipulated by any of his spells or shrewd manipulations, Flagg set in motion both Thomas' conception and his mother's murder. Slowly, surely, the evil wizard feeds upon and helps stoke Thomas' resentment of his smarter, handsomer brother....all the better to manipulate the well-meaning but weak-willed Prince Thomas when Flagg pulls off his evil scheme.....

The Eyes of the Dragon is decidedly different from King's normally huge novels, but his tone is remarkably evocative of an oral storyteller. I like the way he sometimes goes back and forth in the story to show a seemingly trivial detail (such as Sasha's dollhouse) and then reintroduce it later as a critical plot device. The story itself is charming, and even though it is a story for older children, adults will enjoy The Eyes of the Dragon's mix of fairy tale and classic King supernatural chills.