Rating: 
Summary: "But That's Another Story..."
Review: "The Neverending Story" is probably best known to the general public through Wolfgang Peterson's movie, whereas the original novel by Michael Ende is less well known. Despite the horrid sequels and the even worse television series that Michael Ende desperately tried to prevent in the last years of his life, Wolfgang Peterson's first attempt at bringing the book to the big screen was successful and popular. However, fans of the book will know that it only records the first part of the story - though Peterson compensates by telling us in the final segment of the film "Bastian had many more adventures before finally returning to the ordinary world. But that's another story..."Since it's likely that you've seen the movie but not read the book, I highly recommend that you track down the original story - the movie stands on its own, but the book takes Bastian on a deeper and more dangerous journey into Fantastica and the inner regions of the soul, both adding detail into the movie's progression, and continuing into a larger and more fascinating adventure. Usually I always suggest reading books before watching any movies that they are based on, but in the case of "The Neverending Story" I make an exception - it is much better to scratch the surface of Ende's imagination in Peterson's very good interpretation of the book's first half, and then immerse yourself in the deeper book-within-a-book that Ende wrote, filled with adventure, intrigue, possibilities, mystery, thought-provoking ideas, beloved characters and probing into the depths of the human psyche. Bastian Balthazar Bux is a rather tubby, unpopular victim of bullying at the school, with a deceased mother and a grieving father. His one consolation in life is books, his absolute passion. This love of stories and the magic they bring is the reason why he runs off with "The Neverending Story", the large volume he finds in Mr Coreander's old book store. Hiding himself in the attic of his school, he is soon intoxicated by the story that unfolds: a young warrior named Atreyu is chosen to seek out a cure for the deathly ill Child-like Empress, the ruler of the realm of Fantastica. In a quest filled with danger, and joined by the joyful luck-dragon Falkor, Atreyu must also avoid the growing threat of the mysterious "Nothing" - a force that is slowly eating up his world. What the Nothing truly is, what the elusive cure for the Empress is, as well as the nature of Fantastica and Bastian's role to play in its fate are mysteries gradually unfolded as he finds himself drawn deeper and deeper into the story. As it progresses, he finds himself wondering - could this particular story be *real*? "The Neverending Story" is a work of true children's literature, and anyone who loves books for their own sakes and appreciates the importance of imagination is sure to find this a favourite. It is filled to the brim with memorable characters - Falkor, Atreyu, Engywook, Grograman, Yikka, and my personal favourite, the sinister, elusive Gmork, and touches on some of the most primitive questions of the human mind: life and death, hope and despair, existence and oblivion, the corruption of power, the basic needs of humanity...I could go on. In terms of sheer imagination and stark visual beauty, Ende rides to the top of the list along with Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, Phillip Pullman and other authors of this calibre. If there is one issue that brings fault, it is that the original manuscript was written in German - therefore the rhyming verses that are prevalant in the text feel rather disjointed, with the translator struggling to convey the content of the German version (which would have been more fluid and rhythmic) whilst forcing rhyme into the English. But this is irrelevant in the bigger picture, for this is a must read, just as Peterson's film is a must-watch. It is nothing less than a tragedy that money-hungry producers were allowed to exploit Ende's book into the appallingly bad sequels and series, and I do my best to pretend that they don't exist. But here, fans of Peterson's movie, or those that have never heard of "The Neverending Story" before, will be well rewarded if they read Ende's book - the width and length that your imagination will expand after reading makes it well worth the effort.
Rating: 
Summary: An extraordinary book changes Bastian Balthazar Bux's life
Review: Bastian Balthazar Bux's life is not faring too good. There are many bullies at his school, who usually pick on him,he is fat and tubby and his father hasn't spoken to him ever since his mother's death. One day when Bastian passes a bookshop something makes him enter. When he enters he finds Mr.Coreandar, the shopkeeper reading a book. Bastian is mesmerized by the book's cover the minute his eyes are laid on it. Knowing that the book probably costs good money, Bastian picks up the book and runs out of the store. He then goes to his schoolhouse and goes to the attic where no one else ever goes. He begins to read the book ( The Neverending Story) and then is sent into the book as a hero. Bastian loves the country (Fantastica) and doesn't want to leave. People find him as the savior of their land for saving the childlike empress and also have no intention of forcing him to leave. During the book Bastian meets many friends like, Falkor, the luckdragon, and Artreyu, the hero who brings Bastian to Fantastica. This is a great read, but you will have to pay a lot of attention to the book because there are many, many, characters in the book. At times the book has it's tedious points, but I finished this book knowing that it was a 4 star book.
Rating: 
Summary: The Neverending Story
Review: The Neverending Story, by Michael Ende, is a wonderful departure from the ordinary, and a classic childhood fantasy story, with imaginary creatures, and a child's utopia turned to a dystopia. This story brings you into the world of Bastian Balthazar Bux, a below-average student, with an above-average weight, and few friends. He encounters a crotchety old book seller, and finds himself stealing a book right from under his nose. The book is The Neverending Story, about a seeming wonderland, a story of stories, but this wonderland has a problem. It is being eaten away by nothing, and only one person can stop it. Bastian feels himself getting sucked into the story, literally feeling everything the characters did, and hearing them, and finding that they hear him, also. Soon he is entirely in Fantastica, and you, the reader, follow him through his adventures there. I found this book to be very exciting, and although it seems childish, it is interesting, and has you believing in fantasies once again. I love some action and mystery in novels, and although this is not your typical action or mystery story, it does involve some mystery, and much action and suspense. It is a fascinating twist on the existence of magic and fantasy creatures, and what happens to a story once it is read. The only complaint I have about this novel is the lack of maturity. The novel is a sweet one, and brings back old fantasies, but it lacks a sense of maturity, which to me is a little frustrating. I got easily frustrated near the end of the novel, when Bastian is having a hard time, but is portrayed much less like what I believe anyone can quite relate to. Also, the story got a little tedious at times, when the action simmered some, and nothing was really happening. After getting through those sections, though, the book more than made up for it with action-packed segments. I would suggest The Neverending Story for anyone who wants an adventure, a fairy tale, and much fun throughout the story. This book is charming, and I really enjoyed it. You will definitely enjoy the silly antics of a child's imagination, and the adventures of a child learning the value of friends and family as I did. I would definitely say it's a book worth remembering.
Rating:
Summary: Beautifully presented version of a classic book.
Review: "Die Unendliche Geschichte" Michael Ende's novel first came to my attention after I had seen the wonderful Warner Bros film in 1984. Just a teenager at the time, I sought out the book and read it. It was fantastic, a book I intended to keep for the rest of my life. But it was a yellowing, cheap paperback re-released off the back of the movie. So one day trawling through the catalogues at Amazon, it occurred to me to check out if the book was still in print. It was. And how. When my copy arrived, I hadn't realised the effort that had been put into its print. The cover art is crisply reproduced with firm hardbacking, but the real surprise was to be found inside; the text is printed in alternating purple (for Bastian's story) and green (for the events within the storybook itself). It's one of those books you want to stick on the shelf and never touch again because you want to preserve its beauty, although well-thumbed books take on an appreciated beauty of their own. I love this book, I would've paid twice the price for it. Hope you enjoy it as much. NOTE: Michael Ende's novel is longer than the film, which was based only on the first half of the book. The translation is the original one by Ralph Manheim. For trivialists, Ende died in 1995, Manheim in 1992.
Rating:
Summary: If you have a vivid imagination, this book is for you!
Review: I remember seeing the Neverending Story when I was 6, and it became one of those films I watched again and again. It wasn't until I was in College that I found a copy of the original Michael Ende story. I was amazed! It was incredible to find how Ende had crafted the world of "Fantastica" (In the film, it is called "Fantasia"). The story begins with Bastian Balthazar Bux, a 10-year old boy who is bullied at school for being somewhat overweight, and for his vivid imagination. One day, he stumbles into Mr. Coreander's Book Store, where he finds the book "The NeverEnding Story." Bastian takes the book without Coreander seeing him, and runs with it to his school's attic, where he proceeds to read it. In the pages of the book, he learns that Fantastica's ruler, The Childlike Empress, has fallen ill. Even moreso, the land is being swallowed up by a blackness that can only be described as "Nothing." The Empress sends a messenger to find Atreyu, a young warrior who she deems worthy to help her. Given the Auryn (the symbol of a servant for the Empress), Atreyu begins his quest that takes him to the Southern Oracle, to the clutches of the hideous Ygremal, and more. Pretty soon, Bastian finds that the story is so engrossing, that at certain points, he seems to be becoming intertwined into it! There is so much more to tell, but I recommend this book! If you like books such as the "Harry Potter" series, with it's inventive cast of creatures, people and lands, "The NeverEnding Story" should feel right at home with you. There are such creatures as Rock-Eaters, Tinys, Luckdragons, and many too numerous to list. By the time you finish reading it, you'll want to read it again.
Rating:
Summary: If you have a good imagination, this book is for you!
Review: This great, funny, and exciting story is both for the young, the old, and those with great imaginations. Michael Ende has done a fabulous job crafting this unique tale of a young school boy, Bastian Balthazar Bux, and his adventures to Fantastica, a secret world where he has to help the very ill ruler, The Childlike Empress. Bastian meets several people and animals that help him through the fantastic journey in Fantastica. Bastian sometimes finds himself "in" the book, literally! He finds out that he actually is in the land of Fantastica. Bastian, usually bullied, is now in his own special land where people look up to him. He learns many of life's lessons. This book really gives a feeling of being in Fantastica and the descriptions are so real, it is almost like the reader is right there.
Rating:
Summary: The Neverending Story
Review: This is a wonderful book for the imaginative mind. When the main character Bastian Bux steals a book from his local bookstore he runs away from home and hides out in his school attic. His adventure begins when he starts reading the book and realizes he is becoming a part of the story. The characters in his book can actually hear his voice and he reads his own name in the book. He is suddenly and abruptly drawn into another world. Bastian becomes the hero of his own book when an evil darkness is threatening to consume that world and their empress. On his quest to find help, he meets coutless strange and amazing people. I would recomend this book to anyone. It's the kind of book you'll have read in record time!
Rating:
Summary: Neverending story
Review: I am still amazed at how many movies flashed by when I was a kid, that were books first. 20 years later I find this book, just by mere chance, and buy it. I remember the movie, and loved it. If you have seen the movie first, the initial shocker is that the entire movie is found within the first 1/4 of the book. I couldn't believe it. Things kept moving along, and as I flipped pages, you could easily tell there was MUCH more to come, yet everything that happened in the movie seemed to wrap up within the first 100 pages or so. And I have to admit, the movie was pretty faithful to the book. I can see why some characters were changed, due to lack of good technology or time, but for the most part, everything is there. The rest of the story is a fun read, and good fantasy. I would recommend the book for those who were raised on the films, and for younger kids. Not too young, there are some pretty creepy moments, but it nevertheless is a book about imagination. It's money well spent. Get it, if you want to see what really happend to Bastian, and Fantastica.
Rating:
Summary: surprising
Review: I think most people saw the movies first. The books of course have a lot more to them. Amazing to realize how old these are and how creative (everything nowadays feels so dirivative off the other classics). Because it is a bit overthetop (and I like my fantasy a bit more real), it get's 4 stars. Buy this.
Rating:
Summary: Not Comparable to the Movie
Review: Many, if not all, children know the story of the Neverending Story by the movie. It is a favorite of most, and an ispiration to all. Of course, the second one, it is said, isn't as good as the first. Perhaps that is because the first is the story-line we know, and the second contradicts some of the character traits we know and love. But for those of us who have read the book, the second movie is just the second half of the book, and, though poorly done, is correct as far as the story-line goes. The problem is, there are slight differences between the book and the movie that are somewhat engraved in the minds of those who have read or seen it. Those who saw the movie first, picture Bastian as a skinny little boy who reads too much. But those who read the book first know that Bastian really was made fun of for his weight and inability to play games. Such differences are petty and insignificant, but it's as if we're taking little bits away from the author and replacing them with our own misshapen ideas. The Neverending Story is a classic work of fantasy that every parent should read to their child as early as possible. It will not only teach them the importance of their imagination, but introduce them the wonderful world of Fantastica, and give them many good dreams to come.
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