<< 1 >>
Rating: 
Summary: The most excellent books for everyone
Review: These books are suspensful and they keep you on the edge of your seat.To me they are better than the Harry Potter books because you never know what is gonna happen next and in harry potter you know what is gonna happen . If you have read the first three books you should see the movie it is really funny and awesome.I would give these books 5 star rating. If you haven't read them and you want to read a good book i would suggest these books
Rating: 
Summary: cute series, and don't fret: it's not harry potter
Review: a lot of people have been comparing these books to the Harry Potter series. They are nothing alike, except that you will be hooked on these books and love them too! Lemony Snicket writes with such passion, hoping the Baudelaire children's story gets out, you'll want to definitely stick around to find out! The books move at a nice, fluid pace and are not too difficult for younger children to read. My coworker's 9 year old daughter is reading them quite easily!
Rating:
Summary: A 14 year olds opinion
Review: I'm 26 and read these books...They're like literary candy-easy to read, fun, and a lot of his definitions are amusing. I'm saving them for my kids to read when they're old enough.
Snicket brings to light a great fault of many adults-silence in the face of wrongdoing. Most of the adult characters who should be helping these kids are held back their own fears and instead sit by silently while disater befalls the children.
He also takes the times to, often humorusly, define words, which I think is a great and fun way for kids to expand their vocabulary.
Rating:
Summary: A fantastic read for anyone
Review: I've been following this series for a few years now, and find these books to be some of the most enjoyable I have ever read. They are a generally a quick read, and are endlessly amusing. They make great gifts, and are also perfect in almost any library.
Rating:
Summary: Looking for something NEW, but not OUT OF BOUNDS...?
Review: IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THE MOVIE FOR THIS BOOK SERIES (released 12/17/04 to theaters), DO NOT UNTIL YOU HAVE READ THE NUMBER OF BOOKS THE MOVIE YOU WILL SEE COVERS. Number one in the film series covers books 1, 2, and 3. Buy or Rent them and read them FIRST, I promise that you won't regret it. Plus, each of these is only a one week read if you have half an hour to and hour of reading time each day. (Excluding the first two, they're kind of short)
I shall begin my review!
Lemony Snicket: (1)A prime aged man of known talent for writing.(2)Innovative, clean, humorous, and lovable author.(3) In the Baudelaire Case, the only known author of their dangerous and magical adventures.
Fictional/Fantasy Autobiography: The writing of an author whose soul intent is to detail the life of a fictional character or characters.
Baudelaire Orphans: A trio of intelligent optimistic children whose very lives were devastated by "the fire that killed 'both' of their parents".
Unfortunate: (1) Having little to no luck. (2) Lacking good fortune. (3) The Baudelaire Children and anyone around them or reading about them.
Ex: Nearly being eaten by a hungry lion, chased by a maniac with a hook for a hand, having come close to being executed while unconscious with a rusty knife, listening to the dripping of liquid off of a strangely colored mildew on the ceiling of a shack by the ocean filled with snapping crabs, watching the only best friends you've had since the unfortunate chapter of your life started get themselves kidnapped attempting to help you escape from evil, and the realization that no one can see behind the makeshift costumes that Count Olaf and his henchmen are constantly switching between.
How should I put this...? Not only some of the best books that I've ever read, but also some of the most ORIGNINAL books too. I have yet to see anything similar to it with my years of reading experience. Lemony Snicket is living (we think) proof that novels can be so very simple in text and still have an enormous effect in the imagination. It's easy enough for a 10 year old to read, fully enjoy, and understand, but complicated enough to keep even writers at bay. How do I know? Well, I'm kind of both. Let's just say this, you might see a strange fellow wondering around in 30 degree weather with shorts, sandals, and a Short sleeved shirt walking around outside with a pencil in his mouth and script in hand staring at the sky. I'll allow you to assume that fellow is me. Heck, he might even be playing some kind of Gameboy, who knows.
Now back to the subject at hand. I know some of you are worried that it's not a very interesting subject to write about and you'd rather read about the anatomy of a female fire ant in mating season while sitting naked on a moving metal grinder. Please, save your bum, read this series. I can vouch for it. At first I thought "Well let's see here. A story about the horrible lives of three young children covered with a mass of over 10 Novels. Fictional Biography, perhaps? It's the long lost epitome of boring!" anyone repeating my mistake deserves what they get, and that's the rejection of a good book.
Though some people might not find pleasure in reading of the horribly unfortunate lives of three children, I did. The best thing about it is when you read it, you find a certain pleasure in rooting for the bad guys as well as the good guys. You will begin to hate everyone else because they are blind for not seeing through some bogus design of a cloak the enemy hides behind. Ladies and gentlemen, these are not spoilers, this is the actual theme. Through the ten+ books you are imagining exactly what happened to the Baudelaires and what WILL happen in their search to find out how to escape death and gain the information they need, and I have to say, much of it IS far fetched. Then again, what would a good (fiction) book be without an aura of fictional drivel? Exactly...nothing. So get out there and BUY this load of fictional twaddle before supplies run out!
Rating:
Summary: Funny and smart series for all
Review: Kids are eating these books up, and so am I, even though I am a 26 year old mom of 2! Even for me, these books are fun and suspenseful. I love the look of the book itself and the artwork. The books are written by the mysterious Lemony Snicket, and he plunges you right into the make believe world of the Baudelaires and Count Olaf. I have yet to see anything in these books that a parent would find objectionable. The Baudelaire children are smart, helpful, and inventive, never whiny or disrespectful. I can't wait until my children are old enough to want to read these with me. These books are hardcovers, and very nice hardcovers at that, and the price on this set is really a great deal when you compare it to buying each one seperately, like I did. From cover to cover, these books will make you laugh.
Rating:
Summary: Wry Humor and Intelligent Irony - Great Books for Smart Kids
Review: The best way to evaluate these books is to read the first three paragraphs of the first book, "The Bad Beginning." If you don't laugh at loud, or at least chuckle, then these are not the books for you. The central theme of the Unfortunate Events series is absurdist tragedy in a world gone wrong. It is melodramatic satire in the best sense of the word, and most intelligent kids will delight in this. I have to disagree with "A reader from LA, CA" who was upset with how the author signed a book for her three year old. First of all, these books are not meant for three year olds - these books are targeted for the 9 and up age group, and really, also for the many adults who love them. The stories center on the melodramatic tragedies befalling three siblings - the tragedies befalling tend to be very absurd, in the grand tradition of Rhoald Dahl (of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" fame) with the dark wit of Tim Burton. A three year old doesn't even know what an orphan is, and shouldn't be having these books read to him/her in the first place. A nine year old fan who had a book signed to him/her "To , a future orphan" would find this incredibly funny, because they appreciate the wry sense of humor that the books and the author employ. I think the author terrorized the parent, who might want to read any book she's having signed first (I have to assume she didn't, because I can't imagine anyone who loves the books taking offense at such an inscription - I have a five year old son, and while I buy these books for myself, I look forward to reading them to him when he's 8 or 9, and I'd find such an inscription by Lemony Snicket to my son on a book hilariously funny). The basic rule of thumb here is: Read the first three paragraphs of Book One. If you don't laugh, you will not like the series. Other clues: if you enjoy British humor such as Monty Python, Fawlty Towers, etc., you will probably enjoy this series.
Rating:
Summary: A "Different" type of series that will intrigue your kids!
Review: This series of books by "Lemony Snicket" does not have the standard "happy ending" of most children's books. The 3 kids in the stories (newly orphaned) have miserable lives with one thing going wrong after another. To make matters worse, their "uncle" - bad guy Count Olaf - wants their money and is always after them. He and his evil minions are forever plaguing the lives of the Baudelaire children and cause constant mayhem.
Because of all this misery, I thought my 8-year-old son wouldn't like them - wrong! He absolutely loves them and is always begging me to read one more chapter! The writing is dry, but funny with loads of humor (much is directed to adults). The books contain many "large" or unusual words/expressions, but almost all are explained in the text (which can get annoying). I would say these books are good for kids from 7 - 14 (although use your judgement for the younger ones as the books do have evil bad guys, murder and lots of threats). As an adult reading the books to your kids, you might get a little frustrated as the stories are similar and the adults in the books are really dense - but these are for kids and they seem to love them!
The story is definitely moving along toward conclusion and we should have all the answers by book 13 (very appropriate!). Readers will enjoy the series more if they are able to read the books in order as they build on each other - so this collection will be perfect for those new to the series - and the price is super.
Rating:
Summary: YEA
Review: What can I say to warn you of the series you are looking at now? I am a reader of all the books. I have read up to the last word of "The Grim Grotto," which is, unfortunately, unfortunate. The author, whose whereabouts are unknown, was not lying, a word which here means "speaking falsely," when he said that there is no happiness to be found in the beginning, middle, or the ending given by him thus far.
This series is supposed to include thirteen (13) books, but, like Harry Potter, not all the books have been written and published yet. You could pre-order "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," which is the sixth and next book in that series. However, it is unfortunate that you can not pre-order book the twelfth in this series of thirteen books (oh, and if you are interested, Harry Potter is supposed to have seven books.)
Many try to compare this series to Harry Potter. Not the books, nor the author (Lemony Snicket,) is like Harry Potter or it's author J.K. Rowling. Rowling does not put herself in the book as Snicket does. There are three orphans in the "Series of Unfortunate Events," "Harry Potter" only has one orphan. Harry became an orphan because of Lord you-know-who. Violet, Klaus, and Sunny (listed from oldest to youngest) Baudelaire became orphans because of Count Olaf, a name that is really hard for me to type and even harder to look at. The biggest question is: who is scarier and more evil: Count Olaf or He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named?
To answer this question, one must have read all the books in both series. This is oppinionated, but I say Count Olaf is worse. I did not shrink in my seat when I first saw He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named on the big screen. However, his "hello-hello-hello" got me both times I saw it in "Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events," and, of course, I am referring to Count Olaf.
So, if I had to choose which to is better, "Harry Potter" or "A Series of Unfortunate Events," I would choose "A Series of Unfortunate Events." I think that Lemony Snicket has a tough match against J.K. Rowling's series, but his books deserve credit. Violet is so incredible with her inventions every time, especially when she ties up her long hair with her ribbon to keep it out of her eyes. Klaus can remember anything he reads, and he does a great deal of reading. Sunny, at first, is a great bitter with her four sharp teeth. However, by the eleventh book, Sunny becomes great at something else along with walking.
Last note: Lemony Snicket's books have the characters aging throughout the series and I liked that. I liked that Snicket made sure that the characters did age as he wrote his series. J.K. Rowling did age her characters too, but not as nicely as Lemony Snicket. It is close. I am an inspiring author, a phrase which here means that I am looking for good material to base my series off of. I hope to become an author someday and my rough draft has hints of Lemony Snicket's "A Series of Unfortunate Events."
I am so sorry this review was this unfortunately long.
With all due respect,
the writer of this review's name is hidden for privacy.
(no, it is not Lemony Snicket)
(no, it is not J.K. Rowling)
(no, it is not R.L. Stine)
(no, it is not Roald Dahl)
(no, it is not Edgar A. Poe)
(no, it is not William Shakespeare)
<< 1 >>
|
