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The Master of Ballantrae: A Winter's Tale (Penguin Classics)
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Review
“If a strong story, strongly told, full of human interest, and absolutely original in its situations, makes a masterpiece, then this may lay claim to the title.”—Arthur Conan Doyle
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“If a strong story, strongly told, full of human interest, and absolutely original in its situations, makes a masterpiece, then this may lay claim to the title.”—Arthur Conan Doyle
--This text refers to the
Paperback
edition.
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Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
Format:Paperback
I read The Master of Ballantrae quite recently and I think it is an awesome book. James Durie (the Master) is such a wicked man, but seems to charm (most) everybody. He is such a round character. He torments his poor brother Henry Durie and Henry suffers in silence. Only Mr. Mackellar knows of Henry's sufferings. The Master makes the book so colorful. It's full of adventure, romance, sorrow, and revenge. I highly recommend this book, because it was so interesting and kept you wondering what would happen next. I am sure it will capture your attention as it did mine.
Format:Paperback
I saw the Errol Flynn movie,which I found rather disappointing. I was assuming, however, that the book was a faithful adaptation of the movie. Be forewarned: it is most definitely not! This is not the kind of superficial swashbuckler you might assume. It is a dark and compelling book about the nature of evil and its manifestation in the person of James Durie, the Master of Ballantrae. The Master sets out to destroy everyone and everything he cannot control or manipulate, including (and especially)his own family. Without summarizing the book, I would offer this to anyone interested in a compelling plot, complex characters and just plain good writing. Stevenson is overlooked, and it's a shame, because he is an excellent writer, a writer in the best sense of the word. Read it and enjoy it!
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4.7 out of 5 stars
7 reviews
20 of 21 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
One of Stevenson's Best
Oct 4 2004
By R. Albin
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
Stevenson is best known today as a writer of juvenile fiction. This doesn't do justice to his skills as a writer of historical fiction or his ability to explore psychological and moral issues. Master of Ballantrae is one of his best works. Set in 18th century Scotland, it is an exploration of the nature and relationship between good and evil. In many ways, this is a parallel book to Jekyll and Hyde. In Master, the different aspects of human moral behavior are explored in conflict and relationship of 2 brothers, one charismatic and amoral, the other, stolid and virtuous. This is primarily a psychological novel of family tragedy brought about by the characters of the 2 bothers in a conflict ignited by the Jacobite uprising of 1745. Stevenson does an excellent job of handling the characters and plot. As with his other work, there is a nice depiction of 18th century Scotland. This is not a great work, but it is very good.
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent characters and story
Dec 17 1998
By A Customer
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
I am a big fan of Robert Louis Stevenson, and I think that "The Master of Ballantrae" is his best novel. It has interesting character studies and its exciting story is set in a great variety of locations. It has good adventure plus a very haunting quality to it, and is one of those books that I enjoy re-reading.
13 of 14 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent book!
Sep 26 2001
By Stuart Graydon
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
I read The Master of Ballantrae quite recently and I think it is an awesome book. James Durie (the Master) is such a wicked man, but seems to charm (most) everybody. He is such a round character. He torments his poor brother Henry Durie and Henry suffers in silence. Only Mr. Mackellar knows of Henry's sufferings. The Master makes the book so colorful. It's full of adventure, romance, sorrow, and revenge. I highly recommend this book, because it was so interesting and kept you wondering what would happen next. I am sure it will capture your attention as it did mine.
›
Go to Amazon.com to see all 7 reviews
4.7 out of 5 stars
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