Rating: 
Summary: Possibly the greatest book I've ever read.
Review: "One For The Morning Glory is one of the most underrated fantasy novels of all time. It litteraly made me laugh out loud, gasp in astonishment and cry all at the same time!
Rating: 
Summary: Tongue-in-cheek but sadly lacking in character
Review: A different take on the standard fantasy story. Wry and amusing, making it a pleasant read. Characters are one-dimensional and plot is entirely predictable. The many unresolved issues cry out for a sequel, which I will avoid
Rating:
Summary: j.poulain.
Review: As a casual fan of sci-fi and fantasy, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It was the first book I read by Barnes, and the only one of his I liked. It is a witty and humorous tale of the life of the main character, from toddlerhood to kingship. Mostly lighthearted, with moments of darkness, it is a tale in some ways reminiscent of the Brothers Grimm. Yet, the tale itself is a sometimes subtle, sometimes obvious jab at old folk tales, as well as stories with morals (though it has morals of its own). Barnes has managed to effectively combine elements of the classical romantic (falling in love, ancient science, magic, and exploration) with post-modern storytelling and a solid splash of wittiness and puns. It's a shame that this charming, intelligent and mostly honourable book is his only crowning achievement.
Rating: 
Summary: A postmodern fairy tale
Review: Barnes, better known for his science fiction, here turns his hand to fantasy, in a Princess Bride-like self-aware fairy tale. The book genuinely captures the magical, inexplicable atmosphere of a real fairy tale while simultaneously playing with the genre. Part of this inexplicability is the consequent of a plot whose depths eluded my understanding, admittedly; but even the sense that there was something I wasn't grasping added to the feel of the story. The charming atmosphere is likewise enhanced by Barnes' quirky wordplay -- where else will you see a soldier carrying an escree? -- which serves to delight rather than confuse.
Rating:
Summary: The Hell?!
Review: I am completely torn on this book. It is broken down into four sections, one for each of the companions that aids the young Prince Amatus, and each section is basically a novelette unto itself. The first two parts, which concern an invasion of goblins and vampires, respectively, are wonderful. It seems that with each character introduced, I was immediately enthralled with them. One of the best touches is that they're not truly heroes. Much like THE PRINCESS BRIDE (which the whole book reminded me of), the characters are sometimes assassins, thieves or the like. It is their pure hearts and charming personalities which show them as good people, if a bit immoral. That just adds to the devilish fun. The other high point is the language itself; the simple use of the words won me over, which almost never happens. It all sounds very poetic, often amusing. For instance, it is said that no goblin can set foot on land that another goblin has not already set foot on. It's just full of stuff like that. Throughout this first half, you fall in love with the characters and their world. Then, all of a sudden, the book just dies half-way through. There actually seems to be a tangible line between parts 2 and 3 where it stops being enjoyable. The characters are no longer interesting; the prince is no more than a prince, his knights no more than knights. No more depth into these people, and they suddenly become pinnacles of decency. Also, gone is the beautiful language and clever fairy-tale-with-a-twist plots. Instead, we're reading a chronicle of the kingdom's war with an unspeakable force of evil. Wow, haven't read anything like that before. By the end, we no longer care what happens, which is for the best, because the ending is so weak. It seems the best ranking for this book is 2-and-a-half stars out of 5, split perfectly down the midddle. 3 is fair though, for the first half is magnificent, while the second, while mundane, isn't the worst thing I've ever read. This book seemed like it should have been so good. What the hell happened.
Rating: 
Summary: Too snide for me
Review: I got this book after having it highly recommended by a friend. I admit to being disappointed. Though well written, it's just too snide and tongue-in-cheek for me. Perhaps I take my fantasy too seriously? Unlike The Princess Bride, this book came across as being actively hostile to fantasy conventions.
Rating:
Summary: My Favorite Book
Review: I have to say. One for the Morning Glory is probably my favorite book. I love the way it is written so playfully. The characters know they are just part of a fairy tale, and commonly used words are given new meanings. This book was so much fun to read.
Rating:
Summary: What a way to discover John Barnes!
Review: I picked this book up in a supermarket, and devoured it in 2 days. I have a taste for fairy tales (which is why I bought the book in the first place), and this novel plays with many of the tried-and-true conventions of the genre in a delightfully direct and tongue-in-cheek way. Like all of Barnes' novels- which I later discovered in the sci-fi section of my favorite bookstore- "One for the Morning Glory" is populated with characters whose humanity, whatever their species, is never in doubt: they make mistakes, and if they're lucky, learn from them. What's wonderful is that no one, not even the reader, ever finds a pat answer or comfortable ending point in Barnes' books- like real life, his stories are all parts of bigger stories, and therefore never really finished. I didn't give this book 5 stars; I reserve that rank for a truly soul-satisfying read, and this didn't quite achieve that. Still, it's an entirely fun book, for both grown-ups and kids. It's the kind of book that made me fall in love with reading when I was young.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: I picked up "One for the Morning Glory" off of the remainder table at my local bookstore. I, too, was attracted by the cover art. I was completely unfamiliar with John Barnes other works. I love fairy tales and this is an excellent story. I could not put the book down once I started reading it. Another reviewer complained that the identity of the Four Companions was never explained. I think if you consider what Amatus needed to complete himself (and I'm not talking about his physical self) you will understand the Four Companions. A great book for lovers of fairy tales.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: I picked up "One for the Morning Glory" off of the remainder table at my local bookstore. I, too, was attracted by the cover art. I was completely unfamiliar with John Barnes other works. I love fairy tales and this is an excellent story. I could not put the book down once I started reading it. Another reviewer complained that the identity of the Four Companions was never explained. I think if you consider what Amatus needed to complete himself (and I'm not talking about his physical self) you will understand the Four Companions. A great book for lovers of fairy tales.
|
