Rating: 
Summary: Book that changed my life
Review: I rescued this book off my best friend's shelf over a decade ago. It had been a gift to him the Christmas before and at the time it was almost the next Christmas. I remember seeing the cover and thinking that I like the imagery of it and wondered if the book was the same. It actually exceeded all my expecations....
I have since had almost all my friends read it and at some point in time they all considered it their favorite book they have ever read.
For me it was a truly beautiful story with a very rich and imagative world. It was almost an entire mythology. And yes the book is long and I know one friend who had some trouble with the first 100 or so pages, but in the end you will be very richly rewarded with one of the most beautifully written tapestries that literature has ever provided.
The book conveys several life lessons not in a preachy manner but since it covers the life of one character is shows you how he is changed by the lessons that life tries to teach you and how he grows as a person or fails to grow in some areas for much of the book, much like we all do in our own lives. I also want to echo the reader review comment made previously about how they are sad that they can never have that feeling when they first read the book again. For me it's been over 10 years since I read it and it still stays with me today. I have since re-read it once at a time of my life I thought I was missing the lessons that are in it to learn and it helped me again immensely.
I am sure some might have been lost in the transalation from German to English but this truly is one of those diamonds in the rough and deserves to be read and cherished by everyone.
Rating:
Summary: A tale of Life, Love, and Magic
Review: I was introduced to this book by a friend, and was excited to start it. Once I had read the first few pages, I read the ret of it within 3 days. This is not a story for a light reader. It bears with it some of the most in depth meanings to life I have yet found in a book. Even if you are not interested in fantasy, I HIGHLY recomend this glorious book.
Rating:
Summary: Best Book I've Ever Read
Review: Ironicly enough The Stone and the Flute sat on my bookshelf for 2 years before I actually picked it up and read it. You see I had gotten a box full of old books from a friend of mine who was moving out of his apartment. He said there was a bunch of old role-playing junk in it that I might be interested in. Well, I found that the box was mostly full of useless junk and I threw out most of the items. I don't know why, but I guess I put The Stone and the Flute on my bookshelf instead of tossing it. Anyway, after years of sitting on the shelp I finally decided to pick it up and give it a try. Honestly I didn't expect much. I never heard of this book before. How good could it possibly be? Oh how surprised I was. I found that it was the richest piece of literature I had ever read. The story evoked emmotions that would stay with me for days. When I finished the book I was extremely dissapointed, not because it was a bad ending, just because I knew I could never go back in time and read it for the first time again. Well since the first time I read the book I have tried to pass it on to all my friends. I reccomend this book to anyone who is looking for the deeper meanings of life.
Rating:
Summary: One of my all time favorites
Review: On the surface, it's light reading because it falls into the "fantasy" category but each adventure has consequences and a life lesson that Listener had to learn the hard way.I recommend this book for young adult readers because "It's a smart man who learns from his mistakes. It's a wise man who learns from the mistakes of others." However, my recommendation does not stop at that age group. Having recently re-read it now that I'm of "Grandma" age (EEEEK, already???) I picked out and understood many more things than when I first read it 15+ years ago. Still thoroughly enjoyable! On another plane, years ago I sent a copy to a friend to share with her Native American students in Santa Fe. She had mentioned that many of the teens had complained how no one understands their culture and beliefs. Yet here is a book written by someone from the other side of the planet that conjurs up images of the southwest in its descriptions of its peoples and parallels to their legends. She says her copy has been passed from hand to hand throughout the years and though teens can be tough and careless, this book has been treated with far greater respect than any of their other reading materials. To me, that's a testament to the book's value.
Rating: 
Summary: good,but could get better
Review: The main story of this book was that Listener,the heroic main charecter,sets off from his home town Fraguland to find his grandfather,The Gentle Fluter.This book would've been more interesting,if: 1)There would've been some battles, 2)If Barlo could talk,he would've had some wonderful stories, and 3)The Tales in this book were just a tad bit longer.Otherwise,this is a good book and I enjoyed Hans Bemman's epic book.
Rating:
Summary: A Quest of Spirit and Life
Review: The Stone and the Flute by the underrated German author Hans Bemmann is a surreal yet passionate tale I highly recommend. The protagonist of the story, Listener, is naive and trusting, and constantly finds himself lost in a changing world. Unlike other fantasy novels, the hero does not undergo a definitive "quest" but rather his journey is into life itself, with its many side roads and gray ambiguities. The novel stays with Listener from his birth until his death, and throughout the course of the novel, he must deal with death, love, marriage, betrayal, and ambition. Good, bad, right, and wrong are shown as shady areas, as we see the human nature of evil and how sometimes deep wrong can be committed by doing what seems right on the surface. Throughout the novel, the reader is also plunged into Listener's terrifying dreams and the haunting melodies he creates from the flute given to him by his grandfather. Both the most beautiful and disturbing novel I have ever read, the story and its themes have never left my mind.
Rating:
Summary: "The reader of this book does not know all."
Review: The Stone and the Flute is an epic novel that can be interpreted on many levels. If you love science fiction, then this tale of a man who must battle the forces of mideival evil is for you. If you're a fan of mythology, then the perusal through the various chapters of fauns, water gods, and centaurs will entice you. Like romance? Hey the protagonist (Listener) gets busy with a host a beautiful babes. However, my attraction toward this novel is that it occupies Listener's life, and like him, you are also wondering what the secrets of the stone and the flute are. In addition, the author (Hans Bemmann) masterfullt tells the story in the viewpoint of Listener at his current age. When he is 17, his dialogue resemble a 17-yar-old. At 22, his language is a bit more mature. As a middle-aged man, he expresses the concerns of one of that chronological category. But, don't take my word for it. Every review that I have seen has been five stars. And why? Because this book is one of the most underrated books ever written. If you want to dream, and want to feel triumphant and distraught in the same day, check this book. And when you learn what the secrets of the stone and the flute are, your life will be changed forever.
Rating:
Summary: THIS BOOK IS GOOD; I KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT
Review: This book is the ultimate experience for people who don't only look for entertainment in a book. Don't get me wrong, it is not only entertaining, it literally blows you away. But the story evolving around Listener (Lauscher, in the original) has meaning. Every part of the book, every sub-plot (and there are many) has a message for the reader. I first read this book at the age of 10, and since then read the book once a year in it's german original. I have yet to experience the translation, but I honestly believe that a book as great as this can't loose anything in its translation. Buy it, read it, live it. No other book will ever capture your imagination as this one will.
Five stars is not enough for this book: I give it a 10!!
Rating: 
Summary: Not very impressed
Review: This book started off to be a grand adventure, but somewhere along the way it just stopped being interesting.
Rating: 
Summary: A huge piece of work.
Review: This is a book that confirms the maxim "Sometimes the journey is more important than the destination". When I finished this book I kind of felt "is that it?". However, the end is not the book. This is a book full of stories. There are literally lots of sub stories within the overall plot. These are what makes it a great book. Don't get so caught up in looking for the end of the tale that you fail to look at the scenery along the way. Enjoy this book as you read it. Enjoy each part of the book as you are there, and don't always be looking for the greener grass over the next hill. This book is a metaphor for life.
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