Rating: 
Summary: A Perfect Novel Of Everything
Review: "Duncton Wood" is a very difficult book to describe, not because it's not about anything but because it's basically about everything. Adventure, love, hate, destiny, terror, the mechanics of how evil arises both within a society and within an individual, romance, play, disaster, the clash of species, hope, faith, mystery, abyss-deep horror, nature and character. And it's all from the perspective of moles. Not utensil-using, clothes-wearing, machine-building moles, but real, furry, tunnel-burrowing moles. There are a few unorthodox speculations - they know how to use herbs for medicinal purposes, they have stacks of bark chips whose scratches across the surface are the moles's own written history, etc. - but they are not 'little humans in mole form'. Centering around two moles in particular from their infancies onward, Bracken and Rebecca (yes, one of the main themes of this novel is a romance between two moles, and no, it's not remotely a children's book), it nonetheless has an extremely wide and diverse cast - studious, faith-rich, quietly brave scribe-mole Boswell, the devious and unspeakably evil Rune, the small, tender, and enderaingly-nervous Comfrey, the nurturing Rose, and the living darkness that is Mandrake, to name a few. The only novel that equals "Duncton Wood" in array of all-time great characters is "The Gnole".
Written with tremendous skill and heart, with surprises and not some but many of the most memorable scenes in the history of the written word, "Duncton Wood" is indispensable for fans of the novel format of storytelling. Total excellence.
Rating:
Summary: DUNCTON WOOD LIVES!!
Review: I am so glad that William Horwood's books are finally(nearly) availble in the U.S. I first read Duncton Wood about 16 years ago when I lived in the U.K. I remember saying to a friend that he should write a series of them and when he came out with Duncton Quest (about 5 years after Duncton Wood), I knew that the tales of Rebecca, Bracken, Mandrake and all those brave moles live on. You find yourself being wholely immersed in the tale and becoming part of the Duncton system, the rituals and the lore.It is a very hard book to put down once you start! I remember how difficult it was to find Horwood's books (in the late 80's) in the U.S. and there were only limited titles available and not one of them the Duncton series! I had a friend in the U.K., also an avid Horwood fan supplying me with his books.I am proud to say I have read all the Duncton series and hope to read them again one day. Now that cyberspace shopping is here, I hope that more people in the U.S. will discover Horwood's writings. I have a copy of the Wolf series and hope to start on it soon!!!!!
Rating:
Summary: Awe-inspiring and life changing
Review: I first read Duncton Wood about ten years ago and have never felt so inspired. I felt as though William Horwood demonstrated incredible insight and depth of character through his woodland moles. Since discovering Duncton Wood, I went on to enjoy both trilogies revolving around the Duncton moles and enjoyed each book more than the last, if that is possible. I seem to read the books once a year, especially when I feel my spirits flagging and need to feel refreshed. For years I have tried to find other fans of the books, so reading these comments has really cheered me up. I would say that Duncton Wood requires some patience initially but it is well worth persevering. The Duncton Chronicles are some of the few books that have left me feeling bereaved because I had finished them.
Rating:
Summary: Get to know yourself.....
Review: I must admit, I hesitate in writing a review because I won't be jumping on any 'It changed my life' sort of bandwagon. I generally have a distaste for the fantasty genre, especially in recent years. I will, however, grant that this is a five star novel. Without question, it ought to be in print. Apparently, there's a pseudo-cultish following around the novel and the author. For those of you who might be scared off by this, don't be. I picked up Duncton Wood for a fun summer read last year and thoroughly enjoyed it. I read it in two sittings... Horwood is a tremendously talented storyteller. His style is immensely appealing and very appropriate for a 'fun' read. What distinguishes the novel is that, while Horwood is a better storyteller than any of the mass-market successes out there these days (Clancy, Grisham, Rice, etc. simply don't compare), the content is also substantial enough to provide real fodder for thought. Horwood is a strong enough writer to move the novel out of the run-of-the-mill Manachean fantasy/adventure storylines and provide some actual philosophical substance. In essence, if you'd like to enjoy yourself and be immersed in the world of a talented storyteller, without having your intelligence or literary sensibilities insulted at the same time, you'll enjoy Horwood. A very worthy novel, earning all five stars, and deserving of a good-quality reprint.
Rating:
Summary: A Wonderful Book!
Review: I read this book when I was 11, in Hebrew of all languages. My dad recommended it to me, but I couldn't get hold of a copy in English. So I started reading it in a language I could scarcely speak. It took me five minutes to stumble through each page, but the story was so gripping that I persevered. I found myself completely entangled in a new world, which I practically lived in for the two months it took me read the book. I laughed and cried and stayed up all night reading, and at one point I even had to stop reading for a week to get over something particularly terrible that happened. I don't have the words to describe the book properly - it is a mix of adventure, and love, and nature, and epic adventure, and a dash of spirituality, and some kind of quality x that makes it one of the most memorable books I have ever read... Anyway, I was overjoyed to learn that there are five more books about Duncton Wood, and I plan to read them all as soon as I can find English copies!
Rating: 
Summary: Nice... but too Long
Review: I think it's a really nice story, but I think is too long and a little boring... if you have time to read 700 pages, then this is your book.
Rating:
Summary: life-changing book
Review: I've never read any books that moved me as much as the chronicles about the Duncton moles. For the first time when I put down a book after reading the last few pages, I didn't mind it being finished. It felt.. complete. And I was in a bliss for hours.
I know I will read these books over and over, over the years to come, and I have a feeling I'll learn something new each time
Rating:
Summary: Mythic, Awe Inspiring, Etc., Etc., Etc.
Review: Just wanted to throw in my own humble opinion. This is one of the few books I would ever seriously recommend reading. The affect it will have on you is profound. I first read this book sometime around 1980 and have bought copies whenever I found them in used bookstores and given them away. Unfortunately, this means I no longer have a copy. I, like several of the other reviewers, never realized there was a series. Guess this means I will have to find the others. If you ever have the opportunity to get this book it is a must. Read it, enjoy it, cherish it, and live it.
Rating:
Summary: Indiana Jones of the mole world.
Review: Not a book for children as love,villainy,intrigue & murder abound. An epic novel with almost every page filled with adventure that makes it nearly impossible to put the book down. Mr. Horwood is akin to Richard Adams and his Watership Down.
Rating:
Summary: Indiana Jones of the mole world.
Review: Not a book for children as love,villainy,intrigue & murder abound. An epic novel with almost every page filled with adventure that makes it nearly impossible to put the book down. Mr. Horwood is akin to Richard Adams and his Watership Down.
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