The Hero and the Crown

Rating:
Summary: Beautiful
Review: What can I say about this book? It was the first fantasy-sci fi type novel I'd ever read, before "Lord of the Rings," before anything. For my impressionable mind this is more than a book, it is the standard by which I judge all other books of the genre that I've read.

A standard few have equalled and fewer still have surpassed, and I often re-read it.

I still have my first copy of "Hero and the Crown," its pages are a little yellowed and ragged around the edges, but it still occupies the place of honor on my bookshelf, and it always will.

Rating:
Summary: excelent
Review: i grew up reading the chronicles of narnia and moved on to Tamora Peirce (who i highly recomend espically if you like this book)and i was haveing a hard time finding someone who equaled these books. This book not only met my expectations it pased them. The way that Mckinely weaves old ideas with highly innovative new ones and creates a wonderful setting captured my imagination. At first the book is a ittle slow but it soon takes off to carry you on an enjoying thrill ride that is common in most of Mckinleys work and that i wish was present in all books i read.

Rating:
Summary: A dream come true!
Review: I was assigned to read this book in the sixth grade and almost fainted because, in my 11-year-old opinion, it was huge! Without even knowing it, I was soon captivated, and couldn't help but turn page after page!

I fell in love with the characters. I read the book another time after the first, and then moved away from that town and it's library. Since then, I've looked for it in EVERY bookstore I've ever been in and never found it-- until now.

I recommend this book for ANYONE! It lighted a fire in me for books and fiction that's still going today. I've never found another book quite like The Hero And The Crown. You can bet I'll be buying my own copy ASAP!

Rating:
Summary: Outstanding
Review: McKinley is such a strong writer! Her cultural descriptions are detailed enough to bring life to those within her books. The Hero and the Crown is full of surprises and twists, yet is not difficult to read. Young adults (teens) will enjoy this story and should be able to relate to the themes McKinley imbeds into the plot. Adults, you'll enjoy these stories too! I think McKinley will go far in the world of Young Adult lit.

Rating:
Summary: One of my favorite books
Review: Being a sci-fi/fantasy fanatic, I have read alot of books. The Hero and the Crown gets the highest scores for all aspects of its writing. Likable (but real) main characters, with even the nonlikable ones protrayed so well, that you feel as if you know them all. The system of magic is not overelaborated or oversimplified, it just is. I am not a literary critic and it is very hard to put into words why I continue to love this book so much. I have recommended it to friends old and young alike, and it has been loved by all. An especially good book for adolescent females, as Aerin's struggle to be her own person is especially well done. I think I may have to read it again...

Rating:
Summary: A very special book
Review: I read this book when I was a kid, translated to swedish of course. During my pre-teen and teenage years I re-read it many times, so maybe it's no wonder it feels like I know it by heart. Still, I loved and re-read a great many books as a child, and I cherish the memory of them even if I don't always remember all the details and data about them, so if I do remember their names and author that means they were special favourites. Still, this book is extra special, since I not only remember it so well, I've also craved re-reading it several times. And here's the amazing part; it's still as good as I remember it every time I re-read it! (In my experience very few things can live up to one's happy memories of them) And the book is a bit different when I read it these days (and in english) from when I read it as a kid, but in a good way, wich is rare. So I'm gonna stop raving about the book, wich's swedish cover I can still visualize, and go re-read it again. :)

Rating:
Summary: A Book Worth Re-reading
Review: This was the first McKinley book I read, many years ago, and then, I liked it pretty well, but did not think of it as anything special. However, through the years I've read all of McKinley's works, and I recently came back and re-read The Hero and the Crown. This time, I loved it. There is something magical and transformative in this book, I was deeply sucked into it, and upon finishing it re-emerged with difficulty into this world.

To truly enjoy this book, I would reccomend reading The Blue Sword first, for although it is set in the same world at a later time, it was written first. The Blue Sword is also an excellent book, but does not quite have the same power as The Hero and the Crown.

Rating:
Summary: Lady Aerin, Dragon-Killer
Review: How can anyone say that The Hero and the Crown isn't worthy of a full five stars? I read the book the first time when I was about eight--finished it in a day, which would be a long time for me now; I read it again about every two months now, at 15. It's still so gripping that I can't help but finish it in less than two hours. Aerin-sol is one of the most memorable of all characters in fiction; her friends Tor, Luthe, and Talat, and her enemies Maur and Agsded, are no less memorable. McKinley's rich writing and vivid imagery pull the reader in and make it impossible to leave. The storyline is complex, with long flashbacks and numerous characters, but that only makes it richer. The strong Aerin should be a model for any young woman searching to find who she is and what she is worth, but the book isn't just for teenage girls. Anyone--and EVERYONE--should read The Hero and The Crown.

Rating:
Summary: Great Fantasy for All Ages and Genders
Review: For years this book sat on the shelf of my high school's library staring at me while I obstinantly refused to read it. It's not that I didn't like fantasy; it's just that I had had a few bad encounters in the past with "feminist" fantasy (e.g. Marion Zimmer Bradley), and I wasn't interested in reading another grrl power, male-bashing fantasy novel. I must have just assumed it was like that since it had a female heroine.

Finally, years later (I'm 22 now) I returned to it with a more open mind and a positive review from my wife. I thought it was one of the most captivating fantasy novels I've read. I couldn't put it down. If you've ever felt like the outcast among your peers or like you just don't fit in you'll be able to identify with the main character. If you're introverted and prefer the company of books to people (and many of the people who will bother to read this book are like this) then you will find a soul mate in Aerin. It doesn't matter if you're a guy or a girl, this book will appeal to anyone who likes a good story and knows what it's like to have to "prove" yourself in order to gain acceptance.

Rating:
Summary: The Hero and the Crown
Review: I have read a huge amount of books lately,but this is on of my favorite books. In this story, Aerin, the daughter of the king and the Witch woman, learns about a potion against dragonfire. At first she only fights against small dragons which are plentiful, but later she takes on Maur. Maur is a big dragon of old. The only one left of his kind. When Aerin rides into battle with the mythical old creature, she is confident that she will win. But the dragon is stronger than she thinks. And the dragon is not the only evil in the land either.

I really enjoyed reading this book. I give it 5 stars only because there is no 4.5 stars. However I think this would be a great book for anyone that likes the fantasy kind of book that includes dragons and knights.