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Summary: Simply One Of The best Tales Ever Told
Review: Gorgeously illustrated with a number of techniques throughout, "The Gnole" is one of the crowning achievements of hman literature. In this book, gnomes, sprites, and the like are real, although quite different in appearance from traditional perceptions. Also real are Gnoles - small furry bipeds with mole-like characteristics, who live hidden from the ever-encroaching human world by magical wards. But it is into the terrifying world of man that the novel's main protagonist, the Gnole named Fungle Foxwit, must venture, sent on a mission by Molom, the Father Of Trees, to secure a magical stone of devastating power called Baphomet before it falls into the hands of either humanity or the demon Theverat who also seeks it, either of which could prove fatal for the world.
Aided by fellow gnole Neema Cleverbread and his loyal Gnome friend, Karbolic Earthcreep (Ka for short), as well as a host of other memorable characters, Fungle's journey into human civilization finds him undiscovered by man but, unxpectedly, becoming an instant global phenomenon beloved by the very species Gnoles are so wary of. Meanwhile Theverat, and his personal assasin Thorn, loom...
There's way more to the book than this, and I've said enough already. Suffice it to conclude by saying that this is one of the most magical, hilarious, spiritual, tragic, victorious and fantastical (yet eerily believable) books ever written. I pray there's a sequel someday.
Also recommended: the novel "Duncton Wood" by William Horwood (though I should point out it's pretty graphically traumatic in places; probably not for younger readers), the movies "Fairy Tale: A True Story", "Castle In The Sky" and "My Neighbor Totoro", and the video game "Ecco The Dolphin: Defender Of The Future".
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Summary: I have been trying to retrace this book for the last 5 years
Review: After having read the book, and having lent it to several friends and relatives, I have never been able to forget about dear Fungle. I was so enchanted by this lovely, cunning creature that I even named one of my cats after him. Why oh why isn't this book available anymore!
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Summary: Ecological fairy story
Review: An excellent story which can be seen on many levels: fairy story, ecological thought-provoker, or just a plain good read.
Fungle the Gnole is an intelligent mole-like creature from the Smoky Mountains. He's worried about what the humans are doing to his habitat, and embarks on a mission to save the Earth.
His adventures lead him to the city, where he becomes a celebrity.
When the Division of Parapsycological Research get hold of him the story turns into a real adventure!
Do read it - it's brilliant.
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Summary: EXCELLENT BOOK
Review: Found it in a small bookship in India - one of the best books I've ever read. It really made me think about things - enchanting writing.
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Summary: Read it,you'll never forget Fungle the gnole!
Review: Fungle the gnole is not only an ideal being, it opens the door of every fantasy. Everything is possible! Fungle gives us confidence in believing in what one cannot see or touch. When you read the book, magic does exist, it enters your heart and goes to your room. Pilar Barrera Wey.
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Summary: Fantastic Fungle Fights the Forces of Evil!
Review: GNOLE - dwarf-like herbivorous mammal. "Fungle - the only gnole ever in captivity, is considered middle-aged at one hundred twenty years."Fungle the gnole - happier and hipper than the hobbit, more gnoledgeable than gandalf, cuddlier and cuter than Johnny Carson Intrigued? Alan Aldridge et al, can tell a tale like a tale has never been told before. This is definitely a book where you should believe the hype. Unfortunately, there isn't much hype. And the book is out of print. I think this must be due to bad publicity and marketing, which is the hugest shame. I'd love to buy this book, but can't find it anywhere. It's been leant from a small village in Wales, all the way by air mail to me in Tel Aviv, as it's impossible to find this book. But if you find it, read it, treasure it, pass it on.
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Summary: Some nice ideas but inconsistent
Review: Hard to grade and classify this one - as close as I can remember is Duncton Wood, although there are X-files type conspiracy and supernatural/horror elements.. Fungle the Gnole is the ultimate new age environmental Dalai Lama. He's a laughing rustic who benignly cuts through pretensions. Almost (but not quite) cloying sentimentality in presenting the beatific integration with nature, various spirits of the wood, and with the simple community. Also a background something akin to the sadness of the Elves gradually giving over to the teaming nature-despoiling chaotic spread of humanity. Starts setting up a standard fantasy baddie-goodie sorcery story (although the baddie is more from the horror genre, being a demon and all - a strength of the book is its underlying pantheon), then cuts to a million pop-culture references as Fungle encounters TV personalities and evil covert Govt. departments. Some OK playing with the innocent's alternative perspective on our everyday, but it's basically pretty self-indulgent. But finally Aldridge lost me with his rough-diamond underground gangsters: we're supposed to enjoy their high spirits, but the fact that they enjoy throwing defenceless people to be torn to pieces by crocodiles as an afternoon's amusement made me unclear on the difference between them and the villain. Moreover one minute our hero can effortlessly use telepathy, astral travelling, levitation and sorcery, the next he's inexplicably running scared from any old security guard or mugger. Some original ideas, generally capably presented, an OK overall plot/world, and some likeable central characters - but the book is inconsistent thematically and qualitatively. A bit lax in bothering for coherency: characters are added fairly randomly as we go on.
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Summary: The greatest imagination trip..., ever!
Review: I first read 'The Gnole'in 1992, when I stumbled upon a copy in a small bookshop in Farringdon, London. Having read, time and time again, endless re-vamped JRRT et al, I was a fantasy reader looking for a cure. I found it in 'The Gnole'. This book is just suberb!, and yet I very rarely see it displayed in bookshops, which leads me to wonder why. I absolutely loved this book, and so to has everyone that I have leant it to. Please tell me that there is a follow-up in the making...!!!? Thank You Alan, for your vision. Adey Gibbs
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Summary: It's big, It's bigger, It's a greatest story.
Review: It's fun, it open your eyes to a fantasy world, where you can be Fungle, and feel like he all his greatest adventures. This book doesn't have a known end, it let you with a little question: Will it going to have a second part?
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Summary: gnoles of the world unite!
Review: the book, the gnole, is one of the best i have read in a long time. it was lent by a friend and i wanted to get a copy of my own and have discovered that it is out of print and very hard to find even in second-hand bookstores. (hint, hint to the publishers!) the philosophy of the book is one of respecting and cherishing nature. take only what you need and use what you take. be kind to all living things. respect others, show courtesy even when it is not shown to you. briefly it is about a creature whose ancestors once populated the applachian mountains in the south-eastern us. they guarded knowledge until the time came for it to be used. now there are only two gnoles left there and they must stop some evil creatures from making use of the sacred knowledge to do harm. a wonderful story for children of all ages. also the illustrations must be seen. i have seldom been so captivated. i heartily recommend this book to anyone, any age, any time, any place.
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