Rating: 
Summary: One of the Best Fiction Works Ever!
Review: I can say nothing more about Gaston Leroux's "The Phantom of the Opera" but that it is one of the best works of fiction ever to grace literary shelves! A classic, a true masterpiece!
Rating:
Summary: One of the greatest stories ever written
Review: This book has a good mix of everything in it: horror, romance, suspense, and a rich story. Leroux's vivid descriptions of Erik send a chill down your spine; just the face can be frightening. The journey that the Persian and Raoul make down to the depths of the opera is as strange as it is suspenseful with their encounter with the shade and the torture chamber. The book is vaguely similar to the musical and a lot of the stuff in the book is explained and it doesn't seem all supernatural if you think about it. In the show, the Phantom is called "the Phantom" and has only half a deformed face. In the book, his entire face is horrid and his name is Erik. The book is more mystery and romance than anything else unlike the musical where it's some romance and a whole lot of action. If you like the musical and are really interested in the Phantom, read this. If you just like the music (i.e. are a theater goer), don't come near this. This is one of the few books that has stood out in history for nearly a century and will for years to come.
Rating:
Summary: Much, MUCH Better Than the Broadway Version
Review: If you're one of the many who have seen Andrew Lloyd Weber's version of "The Phantom of the Opera", read this book!!!!! You will be amazed by how much better it is than the shlock being passed off on stage (hint... no, the "Phantom" does NOT vanish into thin air). I read this book many years before seeing the musical and was deeply disappointed when I did see the stage version. This is a brilliantly written book that should not be overlooked.
Rating:
Summary: My favorite book..
Review: Sure, I love the broadway version, but Leroux's book is loved a million times more in my heart. There is an explanation as to why things are done, and the story just makes much more sense. And Leroux's writing is so descriptive and thoguth through, that it seems almost impossible to capture it on stage. I read this book in 7th grade, and I cried my eyes out. Beautiful.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best novels ever written!
Review: I really enjoyed this book, and have read it many times, I highly recommend it. It's a wonderful love story, very beautiful. I have been a big "Phantom Phan for years and I really enjoy this book. I'd give it 100 stars if I could.
Rating:
Summary: Thriller
Review: WOW! That is all that I can say. This book goes into such detail about each of the charecters it's much easier to understand why each one reacts to the phenomenons that occur. Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux is so different and yet helps so much. Throughout his magical and mystical world Erik takes a famous Opera House in Paris by storm. It's amazing how one man/creature is able to put such a firm grip on those that surround him. His mystical and mysterious voice captures those that come to near and holds them with an entrancement that lulls you to sleep. If you love a good read that won't disappoint be sure to buy and read Phantom of the Opera. Read it before you see the musical.
Rating:
Summary: Personal Favorite for a LONG time
Review: After seeing the first three movies and reading David Bischoff's version, I finally got to read the original Leroux novel in 9th grade - the library edition. No other edition was available until around 1986. This book has been made into 8 movies, 2 animated versions (made for video I think), and at least 3 musicals. The actors to play The Phantom over the years (in the movies) have included Lon Chaney, Claude Rains, Herbert Lom, Maximillan Schell, Robert Englund, Charles Dance, and Julian Sands. The three musicals I know of were written by Ken Hill, Andrew Lloyd-Webber, and Maury Yeston. The basic idea has been borrowed many times in movies, TV, and even some Japanese manga (comics). The Phantom of the Paradise is probably the better known of these. Gaston Leroux's book is a mystery romance that uses some classic Beauty and The Beast elements. You have a deformed man who wants a normal life with a wife. He does have some negative traits which you'll discover as you read. At some point, most of his secrets get revealed. Contrary to some of the movie versions, the story has nothing to do with stolen music, and acid does not cause him harm. Before Christine's father died, he used to tell her about the legend of The Angel of Music who visits promising musicians and singers. Now, The Angel has visited her and is helping her advance her career. The adventure begins. There is much more I'd love to say here, but everytime I type it I feel as if I'm doing some mini-spoilers. If you've read any of my reviews of the movies, you can tell I have much to say about any version of this story. The writing style is not the best, but this is a fantastic story. Also keep in mind this is a translation from French, and that could be a factor in the writing style here as we see it in English. The new translation is a little better. (This and most of the editions out there are the older translation.)
Rating:
Summary: Romantic, Adventurous, Exquisite.
Review: I've never seen the movie, but I heard about it so much that I decided to read the book first. Once I started to read it, I could not put the book down. Really, are we to pity Erik? Or are we to curse him? A sad, disfigured, hideous 'monster' who could do nothing about his looks except to curse it. Travelling with circuses and fairs, he became the master of ventriloquism, card-tricks, and trap-doors. In the prime of his life, he finds the cellars of the Paris Opera House to his liking. He makes his home there, in the dark cellars of the Opera, on the Lake. Then, he falls in love with the beautiful, naive, innocent singer Christine Daae. As the harrowing tale of the monster is uncovered before us, I cannot help but shed my tears with the Angel of Music.
Rating: 
Summary: Took a while to build up
Review: I decided to read this book because I had seen advertisements for the play comming back to town. I am not a big fan of the horror genre but I did like this work. However like many of the peices of its time it took a great deal of time and effort building the scenes and the characters. In this case I thought as soon as all of the build up was complete the book came to a close too quickly. On the other hand, the social commentary was very interesting. The higher in society the higher you find the character in the Opera House. The phantom the lowliest is never seen by the rest of the world. The dark nether regions of the world below are very interesting.
Rating:
Summary: Magnificent
Review: Reading theis book i was least expecting to be so enthrawlled by the impact it had on me. Its simple language, gothic thriller and classy setting had an appealing manner. Leroux has created one of the finest characters in all literature, a murderer, a lover, a man of music and of horrible appearance all make the legandary phantom of the opera. this may have been written over a centuary ago, though the timeless phantom of the opera still haunts an unprepaired reader who is left staring at the back cover, thinking of the array of emotions that have been fused into the one book. this book is ranked as one of the finest works of literature of all time, no doubt it always will, this timeless classic has all it takes to face yet another centuary of readers.
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