Rating: 
Summary: The Blue Sword
Review: This is my favorite book of hers that I've read. I've been looking for more Damar books, but I can't find any. Anyway, I've read this book several hundred million times and it never gets old. This is a book that you want to dive into and take the place of Harry. I love her laprun trial experience, how she goes from being a not-quite-in-place gawky teenager to being Harimad-sol, Laprun minta. It's fascinating to watch her relationship with the enigmatic Corlath develop, and I love the cameo from Luthe---my favorite character in the two Damar novels. I just wish I could hear more about Harry and Corlath's children, or their children's children, etc. I hope that doesn't give away anything. :) Anyway, I love this book---seriously---and it's a good investment even if you've just read it and checked it out from the library. Buy it. Now. Read it and re-read it when you're bored or in a bad mood or if you just feel like getting away from the world. And if you like this, read the Pern books by Anne McCaffrey. Parallels are drawn between them in my mind (probably because I read them at the same time) and they're equally good and fun and again, the kind of books where you just want to dive into them and take the place of the heroine or hero. In fact, buy all of them. :)
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful, of course
Review: In "The Blue Sword," Robin McKinley does it again -- she creates wonderful, living characters who will appeal to readers of all ages. As a swordswoman, I was especially interested in Harry's relationship with Gonturan, her 'Blue Sword.' I reccommend this book to anyone who loves fantasy, although you might want to read "The Hero and the Crown" first, due to the fact that it's the prequel, and an equally wonderful read, giving a bit of background to life in Damar. However, "The Blue Sword" was written first, and the books are both perfectly capable of standing alone. Either way, enjoy this great read!
Rating: 
Summary: The Blue Sword
Review: A book with a magical plot, The Blue Sword is great for fantasy lovers. Harry, a teen age girl moves from her native home to the desert kingdom of Daria. She longs to take an adventurous trip into the mountains of the mystical kingdom of Damar. One day the Damarian King, Corlath, kidnaps Harry on the instinct of his kelar (magical sense.) He takes her into his kingdom and trains her for the laprun-trials. Harry ends up winning the laprun trials and is made one of the King's own Riders. They head off to war with the Northerners, a long fought enemy. Harry is placed with a little band of soldiers on a gap and is expected to hold it. When they get pushed back she calls on Lady Aerin ( a dead person they call on for help) to help her. She makes the whole mountain fall on top of the enemy and destroys them. When Harry gets home she gets a surprise; she is to be married to the King!I recomend this book for anyone who loves magic and fantasy. It has a plot and description that will keep you turning the pages.
Rating:
Summary: Adding My Voice
Review: Adding my voice to the chorus of reviews, all i can say is "Me Too -- What They Said". But i can say it a little more elaborately than that. Robin McKinley burst on the scene with "Beauty", a wonderful retelling of "Beauty and the Beast" from Beauty's standpoint. And then she gave us "The Blue Sword" -- even better, even stronger, even more compelling. In a world that is not *quite* our own, orphaned Harry is heading out into the wilds of what is *almost* India to live with a senior officer and his wife on an outpost fort where her brother is also assigned -- a fort on the border with the mysterious (and some say magical) realm of Damar. The opening chapters begin as a light-hearted tribute to the Regency romances of Georgette Heyer, but odd and dark elements begin to make themselves felt... Until Harry is kidnapped by the King of Damar, acting on the prompting of the second sight that is the mark of his family line. Travelling among her captors to the capital city of Damar, Harry finds that she seems to fit in with them, that she has odd experiences that her stout Homelander skepticism cannot explain. And once home in Damar, The King sets one of his household men to train Harry to be a horse-back warrior in the way of their people, because his second sight and visions that she has had tell him that she must take a vital part in a coming war against an army of half-human changelings and demons that is poised to invade his realm. Swashbuckling adventure in the grand manner, but often just a *bit* tongue-in-cheek, a wonderful read, a book to come back to again and again. I recommend buying the library edition -- it's only a little more expensive, and it will stand up to the multiple re-readings you'll probably give it better than the paperback will.
Rating:
Summary: The Blue Sword
Review: Great Book! I have read it at least two dozen times....and everytime the longing to "enter the world of Damar" grows....it's almost unbearably...i know that maybe one person will read this....and to that one person, thanks...makes me feel almost significant....hehe, well, what i think about this book is what i should be typing so, okay, the book is extraordinarily realistic...the characters reactions to situations is unbelievably relatable...if there is such a word...although the situations are not that common, if they were i know that i would react the same way Harry or Corlath, Jack Dedham or Richard...and not only that, but with every turn of the page, soemthing new happened, or so it seemed....okay so, i have probabaly used up my 1000 word limit...or so it seems...perhaps not...hah.... so, i wish to you, good reading, and um...have a nice day....lol...bye!
Rating:
Summary: A Fantasy Fanatic's Opinion
Review: This story, THE BLUE SWORD, was truly moving. It ripped me from my world and into Harimad-sol's world so fast that I read the book in two days. It makes one want to travel to this mystical place and be stolen away in the night to experience what Harry must have felt, seen, and heard around her. I would certainly like to meet some of the extaordinary people of this suspenseful tale like Corlath, Harry, Mathin, Colonel Dedham, Richard Crewe, Tsornin, Isfahel, Lady Aerin, Gonturan, and every other Hill legend or person. I have the highest reading level and scores of ANYONE in my school. This is one of my favorite books of all times, but I have read many others recently that were exceptionally good like: Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell; Julie Of The Wolves by Jean Craighead George; Catherine, Called Birdy by Karen Cushman; Zlata's Diary by Zlata Filipovic; Juniper and Wise Child by Monica Furlong; Summer of My German Soldier; Shiloh; The Devil's Arithmetic; Martin The Warrior, Mossflower, Salamandastron, Outcast Of Redwall, Mariel Of Redwall, The Bellmaker, Pearls Of Lutra, Mattimeo, and the Long Patrol, all by Brian Jaques.
Rating:
Summary: my favorite book
Review: I think this is one of the most well written books I have ever read. While the setting may cause this story to be considered science fiction, I think it is simply one of the best novels I've read in years. The characters are compelling and the plot creative. Robin Mckinley is able to evoke a scene and a mood with few words, but you are vividly transported.
Rating:
Summary: The Most Wonderful Story!
Review: I picked up this book for the first time in elementary school -- and now I'm off in the Army at age 19 and I'm still reading this book! This has been my all-time favorite.. I've read it kids in different schools around the US and bought/gave away the book countless times. I can't even say how many times I've read it now.. it's far into the double digits. But its one of those ones that you'll read and re-read for all of your life.
Rating:
Summary: The Blue Sword
Review: This was one of the best books that I have ever read (and I've read a lot!) Robin Mckinley is a great author, and I think that this is her best book. The characters are good, the setting is unique, and I really like Harry. If you have not already, READ THIS BOOK!
Rating:
Summary: God I love this book!
Review: I recived this book as a gift when I was like 13. I'm 16 now and i still love it. I think I must have read it about 9 times. Each time I relive the whole experience. I have to admit that the begining was a little slow but after the first chapter it's great. I lent this book to my brother (he's 13 now) and he lost It! I was devistated! I have to buy myself a new copy just so I can have it on my book shelf! (I'll probably read it 12 more times before I move out of my parents house.) I deffinatly recommend it!
|
