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Summary: Why not an unabridged edition?
Review: Ciaran Hinds was the perfect narrator for this novel. I only wish they had chosen to record the unabridged edition.
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Summary: Ivanhoe
Review: Each reader brings to a book a set of expectations and experience. Giving my particular background and interests, I was startled at how perceptive and understanding Scott was of his Jewish characters.Having read Ivanhoe in high school, begrudingly, I was bemused that I got so enraptured with the story, however off to a slow start it was at the beginning. But by the time I got to Rebecca's prayer, I was utterly taken. An argument could be made that that chapter, a prayer that could be read as a distillation of the medieval Jewish world view, is perhaps the intellectual center of the novel. Scott's awareness of how Jews saw themselves, and how they experienced the world, and his sympathy for a group, who, in early 19th century England were few and despised, is stunning. One could perhaps even read his treatment of Isaac, Rebeca's father and a money-lender, as a counter-play on The Merchant of Venice, a character who starts off cold and avaricious, and ends loving, caring and humane. All in all, a highly commendable novel.
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Summary: Knights of Templer
Review: I enjoyed this adventure yarn on many levels. I was glad to learn about the Knights of Templer and that they were crusaders. I always wondered how Sam Spade in the Maltese Falcon knew that and it is because of this classic. I was surprised that it talked so much about Robin of Lockesley. The story of Ivanhoe seemed to be the same only told by Ivanhoe's friends and not Robin's. I thought that the DeBracyn and the Knight of Templer Brian de Bois Guilbert were pretty evil guys which made the story interesting. They were weasels when they had their backs to the wall but did preform with honor when required like when Richard gets DeBracy. I guess I did not understand the prejudice of the time because they treated the Jews like dirt and they were so sterotypical. I really thought that the Jewish girl Rebecca was going to end up with Ivanhoe instead of that Saxon Lady Roweana. I guess you have to appreciate the times that they lived in. It was a different look the Richard/Prince John history.
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Summary: The Immortally Disinherited
Review: I have been notoriously shy of Sir Walter Scott's novels these many years - afeared my imagination would fatefully be swallowed in the fog of the misty dawn - the ominous steps pacing stoically and relentlessly toward my doom - a duel with the spirit of "That old War Horse." But I was quite mistaken: ~ This story is alive - or rather, so very lively! Human fallibilities, such as greed, pride, and bigotry are unabashedly exploited and made ridiculous with as ever a brilliant wit that novelists Jane Austen or Charles Dickens have ever displayed! Scott lights a flame that gives his readers a warm, glowing glance into a dark and murky age. Legends - King Richard the Lionheart and even Robin Hood - embodiment of the spirit of the age - are given eloquent voice and movement through vistas and airs that touch my - the reader's - every sense! Nobility in IVANHOE is not written on the charters or conquests of the characters peopling this novel - but within their hearts and in their actions. No, this is not old and out of sync with everything that we, in the 21st century, know. Scott shows us that humans cannot be bound by time or mortality - but only by the restraints of our own imaginations - our own reticent hearts. I tell you this - IVANHOE may very well induce your imaginations to throw far from your mortal boundaries every conceivable stipulation that would endeavor to restrain them!
Rating:
Summary: Brilliant and well-loved Classic!
Review: I would doubtlessly recommend Ivanhoe to read. History may be often dull but Sir Walter Scott makes history extremely exciting by romanticizing his novel. It directly deals with hatred between the Normans and the Saxons, the discrimination of the Jews, chivalry, and politics--but it is a unforgettable tale of heroism, honor, and love. I felt that the characters were so fascinating and fun to read about. I was enjoying and cheering on the good characters like Ivanhoe, King Richard, and Robin Hood to beat the hated and evil villains. I liked the idea of love added in the story, like how Rowena and Rebecca were both in love with Ivanhoe. I even felt a little sorry for Brian de Bois-Guilbert who would do anything for Rebecca's love but is constantly rejected. I thought how it was appealing how the author questions Ivanhoe and Rebecca's feelings for each other. Suspenseful and action sequences also added entertainment to the story. This book may be a little too detailed for some readers, but I didn't mind. I felt that the details were brilliantly used to decorate the story in an outstanding fashion. The old English wording made me feel like I was actually in the medieval England. I have to admit that it took a great deal of persistence for me to finish this book and it was a challenge for me to read. However, I found Ivanhoe to be a wonderful pleasure. It is no wonder that Ivanhoe is such a well-loved tale!
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Summary: The Mother of All Historical Novels!
Review: Not to put too fine a point on it, but this book, by Sir Walter Scott, was the progenitor of what was to become a venerable tradition in English letters (and in other European literatures as well): the historical romance. There have been many after IVANHOE, and frequently with a finer eye to the period in which the tale is set (for IVANHOE contains quite a number of anachronisms -- even Scott acknowledged it), but few have done it quite as well as Scott. He uses an archaic English to give voice to his characters, but one which is readily absorbed because of the speed & quality of the tale. So, though these people certainly wouldn't really have spoken as he has them speaking, they yet sound as though they should have. Peopled by many 'stock' characters and situations, this tale was fresh in its time & still reads well today -- a testament to Scott's skills as a teller of tales and a sketcher of marvelously wrought characters. In this tale of the 'disinherited knight' returning home to find the world he left turned upside down, young Ivanhoe, after a stint with King Richard in the Holy Land, must fight the enemies of his king and kinsmen anew. Yet the hero is oddly sidelined for much of the tale as events swirl around him and the brilliantly evoked villain, Sir Brian de Bois Gilbert, in the pay of Prince John, struggles to win treasure and the beautiful Rebeccah, who yet has eyes only for Ivanhoe, a knight she can never hope to win herself. There's lots of action and coincidences galore here and Robin Hood makes more than a cameo appearance, as does the noble Richard. In sum, this one's great fun, a great tale, and the progenitor of a whole genre. All those which came after owe their form to it. Worth the price and the read.
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Summary: Classic historical fiction
Review: The book is set after the Norman invasion of Britain. It revolves around a large number of events such as the usurpation of the throne of Richard the Lion-Heart by his brother, the struggle for Saxon resistance against the Normans, the kidnapping of a beautiful girl from a Jewish family, the knights tournament and the struggle between the hero and a Templar Knight (the main villain of the book). There are castle sieges, tournaments, duels, jousts and the descriptions of obsession, greed and tyranny. A true melting pot of events with heroic characters - a great read.
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Summary: The epitome of chivalric novels.
Review: This book is loved by all, and probably mostly because of the two best-loved characters that appear in it - Robin Hood and Richard the Lion-Hearted. It is by far Scott's most popular novel. The novel describes chivalric love, and tells a story with lots of action and colour so it appeals to a great number of people. A really good entry book to bring readers into the world of great literature.
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Summary: THIS IS MAGIC!
Review: This is magic! The mother of all historic novels! Man, this book is good, REALLY good! The characters are all of them fascinating, with great dialogues and proper description: Wamba, Gurth, Athelstane, Locksley (Robin Hood), Cedric, Isaac from York, his daughter Rebecca, Lady Rowena, Front-De-Bouef, Brian The Templar, William de Bracy... The list goes on and on. All of them have their time on the spotlight, and all are important to the history. Also, Scott uses the style of going forward and back in the narrative, using it with amazing success. There is also humor in generous quantity. As you can see, I just love this novel.
Rating: 
Summary: Unsatisfying Ending
Review: Wilfred of Ivanhoe is the son of a proud Saxon franklin named Cedric. Wilfred has been banished by his father for taking a liking to Cedric's ward, the Lady Rowena. Cedric has engaged Rowena to Athelstane of Coningsburgh, the last of the royal Saxon lineage. He intends Athelstane and Rowena's marriage to signal the return of Saxon rule to England. Sir Walter Scott, the author of "Ivanhoe", is considered the father of historical fiction. Scott made his name writing tales of Scottish history like "Rob Roy". "Ivanhoe" was Scott's attempt to write a fictional history of England. "Ivanhoe" takes place in the late 12th-century reign of Richard I. At this point in England's history there was still much animosity between England's "original" inhabitants, the Saxons, and its "conquerers", the Normans. The Normans spoke French, conducted themselves by the code of chivalry, and looked down upon the Saxons. The Saxons spoke Saxon, conducted themselves much as their ancestors had done, and resented Norman rule. In "Ivanhoe", Wilfred has not only been cast out by his Saxon father but has taken up allegiance to King Richard during his Crusade in Palestine. As the book opens, Richard is still held captive in foreign lands and is being betrayed by his treacherous brother John. Much of the story of "Ivanhoe" revolves around the intrigue of John against his brother. Herein lies my greatest problem with this novel. Wilfred is the title character of the book and yet he is not even the story's most important character. What's more, he's not even the story's second or third most important character. It's as if Scott intended this story to be about Wilfred but, as he was writing it, other characters came to the forefront and he didn't want to change the title because it just sounded so Saxon. There are no great lessons to be learned from "Ivanhoe" except maybe one about the stupidity of prejudice. Throughout the book, the Jew, Isaac of York, and his daughter Rebecca are treated with nothing but contempt and scorn even though they are quite honorable people. Isaac has certainly been borne down with the weight of his oppression and he often seems the stereotypical Jewish merchant. I felt he acted this way though as a means of avoiding persecution. By fitting what the English mind considered to be a Jewish mold, Isaac was able to get along with his changeable hosts. Rebecca though was a much more generous person who almost pays the ultimate price for her kindness. The lesson about prejudice aside, "Ivanhoe" is supposed to be a story about English history and romance. Scott does an adequate job in instructing his reader on English history but the adventure-romance angle of his book comes up short. There are far too many nicely tied bows and wrapped packages for the story to be truly satisfying. The ending with Athelstane, Wilfred, and Rowena is particularly tedious. I felt that Scott was beginning to tire of his chosen subject and just decided to wrap it up at that point any way he could. "Ivanhoe" does provide some good page-turning action at times, especially the siege of Front-de-Boeuf's castle. There aren't enough of these periods though for the book to fly by. Scott created better action with the stories he set in Scotland.
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