The Elfin Ship: Amazon.ca: James P. Blaylock: Books

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Customer Reviews

7 Reviews

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
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Average Customer Review

4.7 out of 5 stars (7 customer reviews)

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3.0 out of 5 stars A cheesy fantasy, Mar 7 2004

By	G. Beason "gbeason" (Carrollton, TX United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I've been anxious to try Blaylock's work for a while, but this was the only book of his that I found among three bookstores. While not a bad book by any means, it's not terribly good either. It plods. Several sentences jumped out as clunkers. As an adventure story, in fact, I'd rate this pretty low. But, though briefly at first it comes across like a cheap Tolkien knock-off, I consider more of a kind of fantasy character piece than an adventure. There are some interesting moments in the book, almost worthwhile to read the book for. (I really liked the bits about cheese making.) But it was, simply put, a book that failed to keep me wanting to read it. In fact, several times, I put it down to read other books.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Bacon and cheese, a pipe and a book, May 17 2001

By	Daniel J. Fawcett "scribe@fantasci.com" (Columbus, Ohio) - See all my reviews

As has been mentioned before, the whimsy and fancy of this book should have made it a classic. However, it has been overlooked and nearly forgotten.

As a tale for adults, it stands up well with passages that stimulate the imagination. As a tale for children, it overflows with silliness and fun, but also includes a few moral lessons on the value of work and importance of keeping your word. It is an ideal book for an adult to read to a child. The end veers off into a scene of near Lovecraftian nature, disturbing and frightening in an oddly amusing way. However, the tone quickly returns to light fantasy, and the characters all return home, happier, wiser, and richer. In all, one of my all-time favorite books.

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5.0 out of 5 stars The Elfin Ship, Jan 30 2000

By	Marianne Wilder (Alabama) - See all my reviews

If you like Wind in the Willows or The Hobbit, you will love this book. The author describes well our love and appreciation for the comforts of home, but at the same time our natural desire for adventures and excitement on a fantasy quest. Great fun - over and over again.

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Most recent customer reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars One of my all time most quotable books.
Whenever I think of the most enjoyable experiences of my life in regard to reading, The Elfin Ship ranks quite high on my list. Read more

Published on Dec 19 1999 by fitcharoo

5.0 out of 5 stars The best ever in light fantisy reading!
The Elfin Ship by James P. Blaylock is one that holds a special place in my personal library. I am currently reading it for the 10th time and enjoy it more every time I read it... Read more

Published on Aug 1 1999

5.0 out of 5 stars One of my all-time favorites
Put simply, this is the book I can't wait to read to my son (when I have one). The only other book that has inspired me in this fashion is Treasure Island. Read more

Published on Oct 28 1998 by MrBoingo@aol.com

5.0 out of 5 stars A vortex of whimsical madness - a must read.
Blaylock has a genius for whimsey, as is exemplified perfectly in the Elfin Ship. His worlds are swirling with conspiracy which the characters unwittingly become central to,... Read more

Published on Oct 3 1995