Rating: 
Summary: I can't stop reading this book.
Review: Almost two years ago my boyfriend started an obsession with used book stores. As I perused the shelves with him I started thinking back on all my favorite books from my childhood. I read a book, possibly called "The Dream Weaver's Tale", it made a strong impression on my imagination when I was about 12, and I really wanted to read that book again. I was wandering through Barns and Noble and "The Ropemaker" caught my eye. The look of the book, and introduction reminded me enough of my childhood book, so I bought "The Ropemaker." I was beyond impressed with the story, enough so to start collecting all of Peter Dickinson's works. I have highly recomended this to friends as a well written tale, not just for children, but for anyone with an imagination and an intrest in magical worlds. I love the story, and secretly wish it was longer, or had a part two in the works telling of the future when Tilja returns to the empire. . .
Rating:
Summary: I can't stop reading this book.
Review: Almost two years ago my boyfriend started an obsession with used book stores. As I perused the shelves with him I started thinking back on all my favorite books from my childhood. I read a book, possibly called "The Dream Weaver's Tale", it made a strong impression on my imagination when I was about 12, and I really wanted to read that book again. I was wandering through Barns and Noble and "The Ropemaker" caught my eye. The look of the book, and introduction reminded me enough of my childhood book, so I bought "The Ropemaker." I was beyond impressed with the story, enough so to start collecting all of Peter Dickinson's works. I have highly recomended this to friends as a well written tale, not just for children, but for anyone with an imagination and an intrest in magical worlds. I love the story, and secretly wish it was longer, or had a part two in the works telling of the future when Tilja returns to the empire. . .
Rating:
Summary: The Ropemaker
Review: For 20 generations, magic has protected The Valley from the taxes and turmoil of The Empire. However, the great ice glacier that blocks the entrance to The Valley is beginning to melt, and the magic that makes men dizzy in the forests on the other end of The Valley is also fading.
Tilja Urlasdaughter has always felt a little left out. Her grandmother Meena, her mother, and her younger sister Anja all have the Urlasdaughter magic that lets them listen to the great cedar trees of the forest. But Tilja --- nothing! When the Winter Festival arrives, Tilja is very excited. Maybe she will get to see or do some magic there. At the festival, her family comes across the Ortahlsons, from the family that speaks with the great ice glacier. It is decided that the two families must journey to the one who can restore the Valley's magic. This man, however, has not been seen in many years, and no one dares utter his name.
During their exciting adventures, Tilja discovers that she has a magic all her own, unique and unlike any other known magic. She has the ability to channel and control the bad magic floating around The Empire and much more. You'll have to read ROPEMAKER to get the whole story!
Being a teenager, I have read many books geared towards teens --- and I would rate this book at the top of the list! It's an exciting, fantasy page-turner that will leave you wanting more. Dickinson writes the book in a way so that you feel like you're right there on the journey with Tilja, Tahl, Alnor, and Meena, experiencing all their problems and dangers. I leave you with this quote from the book that enticed me to read it, "Time is a great rope. Only as great a magic can unweave it."
--- Reviewed by Jenny, Fabulous Fiction Fan
Rating: 
Summary: Amazingly bad
Review: I don't mean it is amazing how bad this book is - I mean its amzing this book is bad at all, coming from the usually brilliant Peter Dickenson.It opened very promisingly, conjuring up Tilja's world, and hinting at fascinating elements. Then Peter went off on one for the rest of the (overlong) story writing an uninspired and pedestrian fantasy. I wasn't very interested in Tilja (she agnosises over the trauma of 'feeling left out' in the middle of life-and-death situations), and the none of the other characters really caught my imagination. Or even my attention. Especially Tahl (or whatever). The valley Tilja lives in is in danger, and natually she (a girl of about twelve) is sent off to save it. It goes without saying there is a mystical wizard who might solve all her problems but - lo and hehold - it turns out that Tilja has to solve her problems for herself. But she doesn't. The infuriatingly boring 'Ropemaker' steps in and everything's just dandy. If you want a good Peter Dickenson fantasy novel, read The Weathermonger.
Rating: 
Summary: A Great Book
Review: I highly recommend this book. Once I started reading this book I was unable to put it down. This book centers on several characters Tilja the granddaughter of Meena, Tahl the grandson of Alnor, along with Meena and Alnor. And their quest to save their valley, which had been, tucked away form the outside world for many generations. This valley had been kept safe through powerful magic, which was now starting to disappear. The task to leave the valley and search for a magician powerful enough to save them falls to Tilja, Tahl, Meena and Alnor. As they travel on their journey Tilja learns that she posses the powers to save her valley with the help of the Ropemaker. The Ropemaker is the only magician in the empire who is able to reverse the evils of the empire and with Tilja's help save her valley. I found the way, which the story was written to be captivating. I recommend this book for any teenage student male or female. The story is on of courage and discovery something that I feel appeals to both male and female students.
Rating:
Summary: the ropemaker
Review: I read this book the other day and I thought it was very confusing. Like I didn't know if it was Tilja or Tahl or their grandparents. Or about the unicorns or the magic Faheel. But other than that I thought it was very well written.
It all starts when Tilja's mother is hitten with a strange mark on her head and her little sister Anja can hear the whispers of the trees.
Then her and her grandmother Meena go in search of Faheel. THen Tahl and his grandfather, Alnor, meet them. THey go on a search to find Faheel together to get the magic back with Axtrig.
To see what happens read the book, it is really good.
Rating:
Summary: Brilliant!
Review: I read this in about four hours, it's so good! I really enjoyed it, its very well written and very different.
The story is exciting, and i certainly felt i could relate easily to the characters.
It's so refreshing to see such a new story, completely different to any other book I have read. Now, when is the sequel out?!
Rating:
Summary: A moon among stars!
Review: I'm not kidding! This book rulez! I'm surprised it's not as famous as harry potter! It's a story about, friendship,love,determination. Iknow im making this book sound boring, but u have to read it! it's soooooo cool!
Rating:
Summary: Interesting idea - but not Mr. Dickinson's best.
Review: Interesting idea - but not Mr. Dickinson's best.
Imagine a medieval world where magic is so common, it has to be tightly controlled; a valley which is kept secluded from the attentions of the outside world by the devotion of two families keeping tradition alive through multiple generations - which is all about to come to an end as their magical barrier is decaying.
Four people set out on the quest to restore the magic to the barrier in forest and mountains and prevent their Valley from being overrun by the Empire. This is a convoluted tale in which the unlikeliest person becomes pivotal to the plot and ends up being the most powerful of all, by virtue of possessing no magic at all. The plot seems to stumble its way along, with an end in sight, but no real itinerary, as though it was being made up on the fly; convenient opportunities appear and solutions to problems are intuitively provided - how? it seems by magic - or is it destiny?... But that is what the book is all about anyway, so we accept it. What is harder to accept is the lack of flow to the story; I found myself re-reading passages, just to fix the plot in my head, which detracted from the enjoyment. This is aimed at the young adult market, who I suspect will not be prepared to put up with the lack of readability. But, persevere and you will be rewarded with what is ultimately a novel, heart-warming fantasy, which reminded me somewhat of William Nicholson's 'The Wind of Fire' series.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting idea - but not Mr. Dickinson's best.
Review: Interesting idea - but not Mr. Dickinson's best.
Imagine a medieval world where magic is so common, it has to be tightly controlled; a valley which is kept secluded from the attentions of the outside world by the devotion of two families keeping tradition alive through multiple generations - which is all about to come to an end as their magical barrier is decaying.
Four people set out on the quest to restore the magic to the barrier in forest and mountains and prevent their Valley from being overrun by the Empire. This is a convoluted tale in which the unlikeliest person becomes pivotal to the plot and ends up being the most powerful of all, by virtue of possessing no magic at all. The plot seems to stumble its way along, with an end in sight, but no real itinerary, as though it was being made up on the fly; convenient opportunities appear and solutions to problems are intuitively provided - how? it seems by magic - or is it destiny?... But that is what the book is all about anyway, so we accept it. What is harder to accept is the lack of flow to the story; I found myself re-reading passages, just to fix the plot in my head, which detracted from the enjoyment. This is aimed at the young adult market, who I suspect will not be prepared to put up with the lack of readability. But, persevere and you will be rewarded with what is ultimately a novel, heart-warming fantasy, which reminded me somewhat of William Nicholson's 'The Wind of Fire' series.
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