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The Wings of a Falcon
  

The Wings of a Falcon (Library Binding)

by Cynthia Voigt (Author)
4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)

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Product Description

From Publishers Weekly

Newbery Medalist Voigt just gets better and better. While her remarkable range extends from romantic comedy (the adult novel The Glass Mountain ) to urban tragedy ( Orfe ), she returns in this work to the fantasy sequence begun in Jackaroo and On Fortune's Wheel , spinning an episodic tale certain to entrance readers. Two boys become friends as they are raised under the complexly evil Damall's regime on an isolated island in a legendary time; they escape, embarking on a series of adventures that involve armies, fabled marauders known as Wolfers, the beautiful daughter of an earl whose hand can be won only through a death-dealing tournament, a mysteriously engraved gemstone. All the hallmarks of classic fantasy appear, transformed by Voigt's gift for storytelling and the effortless beauty of her prose--and by the superb intelligence she endows upon her characters. Each section of this novel is riveting, mined with powerful surprises. Voigt's themes reverberate beyond the fantasy world; her explorations through imaginary landscapes parallel a psychic journey through questions of identity, ethics, friendship and love. A model for the genre. Ages 12-up.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Kirkus Reviews

In the mythical land of Jackaroo (1985), another long tale crowded with action and driven by its themes, with well- individualized characters carefully devised to enact them. Slaves Oriel and his loyal friend Griff are reared by the brutal Damall in his island stronghold. Courageous and quick-witted, Oriel survives this vicious society's intricacies of betrayal and trust to be chosen the Damall's heir, a role he evades by fleeing. He and Griff settle near the mainland town of Selby--an oasis in an endless, bloody war of succession--where they persuade the people to give up their divisive allegiances and choose leaders to rule in concert. Then, still in their teens, the two are captured by Wolfers--lawless predators whose cruel abuse they escape to enter the Kingdom to the north, where an earldom is to be won in mortal combat. Oriel's rare gifts bear fruit when he persuades several fine contenders to support one of their number, preventing a wasteful carnage--but the outcome is not so simple. A betrayal transforms the political landscape; and power falls, surprisingly, to a wise and compassionate man who has never imagined himself a leader. Voigt skillfully sustains a heroic tone while challenging heroic models at every turn. In scene after scene, with nobility and charismatic ‚lan, Oriel confronts the terrible choices men demand of each other; but this superhero also has a true sense of justice and strives for a rule of law that is tempered, in the end, with more mercy than he has envisaged. Grand, thought-provoking entertainment. (Fiction. 12+) -- Copyright ©1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

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Customer Reviews

31 Reviews
5 star:
 (21)
4 star:
 (6)
3 star:    (0)
2 star:
 (2)
1 star:
 (2)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.4 out of 5 stars (31 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most helpful customer reviews

 
5.0 out of 5 stars The Lord of the Rings it's not, but still fantastic!, May 27 2004
By Min Cui (Los Angles, CA USA) - See all my reviews
The Wings of a Falcon is the third book in a series of highly acclaimed heroic adventures that began with Jackaroo and continued in On Fortune's Wheel. This book was written by Cynthia Voigt who is a renowned author of books that revolve around the heroic theme. Although relatively difficult at places, The Wings of a Falcon shouldn't be missed by anyone who is remotely interested in a book that illustrates friendship, courage, and loyalty.

As a boy with no name, no family, and no love, he only knew how to obey and stay loyal to the sixth Damall. Under cruel and unreasonable treatments, he remained strong and eventually earned the honorable position of seventh Damall. Just when everything is set, he escaped the Damall's island with his only friend Griff, the falconstone called Beryl, and a name. From war torn cities to steep steps of the snowy mountain, he and Griff conquered numerous challenges and after each exhausting day, their hearts slowly began to unite as one. When fate brought them to the mysterious Kingdom, a devastating tragedy struck and Griff's responsibility and unwavering loyalty will be severely tested.

The book is very well written and it is obvious that the author imputed a lot of energy on small details that would enhance the final product. There are definitely enough cleverly used sensory details to give readers a clear picture of the subject, and even better, the sensory details never bogged down the pace of the book and readers would never feel overwhelmed by hordes after hordes of figurative languages. The characters featured in this novel all have distinct personalities and complex ambitions, and at no where in the book did the author just simply introduces a character. All characters came into their roles mysteriously and some character's true backgrounds are never revealed. The different parts of the book are all connected to each other seamlessly, and the book flows along smoothly. With crystal clear sensory details and complex character build-ups, the Wings of a Falcon also has a twisting plot that will puzzle and surprise even the most advanced readers.

It is hard trying to pick weak points from such a wonderful book, but The Wings of a Falcon isn't perfect. The most evident flaw is probably the fact that the book is a bit too difficult to understand at times, and the twisting plot would constantly confuse readers. Some of the things in this novel should be filtered out to make it more exciting and less repetitive, and some moments should be emphasized more to make it stand out and memorable. The author could have added some funny moments to make this book more entertaining and the unexpected ending could depress and disturb some readers. But these are just minor pitfalls that are barely worth mentioning in front of all the strong points of this book.

Overall, The Wings of a Falcon is a fantastic book that tells about courage, friendship, and loyalty. While it definitely has some problems, its unparalleled depth, engrossing details, and clear descriptions are more than enough to overshadow it. With a whopping of nearly 500 pages and about 30 chapters, it will be both a long and entertaining read. Some of the strong points mentioned above could be view as weak points and the weak points could be viewed as strong points. It all depends on what kind of reader is reading this book. In the end, this epic novel is strongly recommended to everyone who will not get easily confused and depressed by disturbing masterpieces.

Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
5.0 out of 5 stars The Lord of the Rings it's not, but still fantastic!, May 27 2004
By Min Cui (Los Angles, CA USA) - See all my reviews
The Wings of a Falcon is the third book in a series of highly acclaimed heroic adventures that began with Jackaroo and continued in On Fortune's Wheel. This book was written by Cynthia Voigt who is a renowned author of books that revolve around the heroic theme. Although relatively difficult at places, The Wings of a Falcon shouldn't be missed by anyone who is remotely interested in a book that illustrates friendship, courage, and loyalty.

As a boy with no name, no family, and no love, he only knew how to obey and stay loyal to the sixth Damall. Under cruel and unreasonable treatments, he remained strong and eventually earned the honorable position of seventh Damall. Just when everything is set, he escaped the Damall's island with his only friend Griff, the falconstone called Beryl, and a name. From war torn cities to steep steps of the snowy mountain, he and Griff conquered numerous challenges and after each exhausting day, their hearts slowly began to unite as one. When fate brought them to the mysterious Kingdom, a devastating tragedy struck and Griff's responsibility and unwavering loyalty will be severely tested.

The book is very well written and it is obvious that the author imputed a lot of energy on small details that would enhance the final product. There are definitely enough cleverly used sensory details to give readers a clear picture of the subject, and even better, the sensory details never bogged down the pace of the book and readers would never feel overwhelmed by hordes after hordes of figurative languages. The characters featured in this novel all have distinct personalities and complex ambitions, and at no where in the book did the author just simply introduces a character. All characters came into their roles mysteriously and some character's true backgrounds are never revealed. The different parts of the book are all connected to each other seamlessly, and the book flows along smoothly. With crystal clear sensory details and complex character build-ups, the Wings of a Falcon also has a twisting plot that will puzzle and surprise even the most advanced readers.

It is hard trying to pick weak points from such a wonderful book, but The Wings of a Falcon isn't perfect. The most evident flaw is probably the fact that the book is a bit too difficult to understand at times, and the twisting plot would constantly confuse readers. Some of the things in this novel should be filtered out to make it more exciting and less repetitive, and some moments should be emphasized more to make it stand out and memorable. The author could have added some funny moments to make this book more entertaining and the unexpected ending could depress and disturb some readers. But these are just minor pitfalls that are barely worth mentioning in front of all the strong points of this book.

Overall, The Wings of a Falcon is a fantastic book that tells about courage, friendship, and loyalty. While it definitely has some problems, its unparalleled depth, engrossing details, and clear descriptions are more than enough to overshadow it. With a whopping of nearly 500 pages and about 30 chapters, it will be both a long and entertaining read. Some of the strong points mentioned above could be view as weak points and the weak points could be viewed as strong points. It all depends on what kind of reader is reading this book. In the end, this epic novel is strongly recommended to everyone who will not get easily confused and depressed by disturbing masterpieces.

Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely Astounding!, Oct 10 2002
By "draynim" (Visalia, CA USA) - See all my reviews
Voight really makes the book seem like it could've been real! Griff really seems like he was very attached to Oriel ... Well, I need to get the other two and read them! This one was very suspenseful! I read it in four days! I was actually frightened a little by the wolfers and stuff. Makes it seem possible. Voight's plot shift was different but you could almost feel it coming. Griff always behind Oriel and never really talking. All in all, Absolutely Astounding!! [Would've given it a 7 (hehe)]
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Most recent customer reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars A masterpiece
I must somehow acquire the hardcover edition of this book, because all I have now is the paperback, and I have gripped it so tightly and opened and closed it so many times that I... Read more
Published on Oct 6 2002 by Brendan Barnwell

1.0 out of 5 stars Does the author have any creativity?
I have only read one book by this authoress, On Fortune's Wheel and it seems to contain the same characters as this one and the same background for the herines as in Jackaroo... Read more
Published on Dec 23 2001 by bdeng5

1.0 out of 5 stars Does the author have any creativity?
I give this book a bad rating not because I didn't like it but because of it's lack of something new and fresh. Read more
Published on Dec 23 2001 by bdeng5

5.0 out of 5 stars A truly great novel
This is one of the best books i ever read,the way Cynthia Voigt wirtes the story was great.The book was thought provoking.....i couldn't put it down. Read more
Published on Oct 5 2001

4.0 out of 5 stars One Flaw
The book was great, but it had one little BIG flaw: I do NOT by any means want to give away secrets so: It was a great book exept for one thing, The main character Oriel, was a... Read more
Published on Jul 20 2001

4.0 out of 5 stars A must-read.
I thought that this was a very well written story with compelling characters and a lot of detail to boot. Read more
Published on Mar 7 2001 by Jonathan

4.0 out of 5 stars GET HOOKED WITH WINGS OF A FALCON
this book was pretty great! Even though it was a little challenging, I GOT MOST OF IT. It had so many details about how the two boys ran away from Dammal island, and lived in... Read more
Published on Dec 24 2000

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing!
Well, I see that the views are mixed but I loved this book! I actually read it a few years ago and it's still my favorite book of all time. Read more
Published on Aug 12 2000 by Steph

4.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommended.
This book is very good and has a brilliant ending. The brilliant ending, in fact,is the reason why so many of the reader reviews below are shockingly negative. Read more
Published on Aug 10 2000 by Malice

5.0 out of 5 stars Incredible
it was a really good book, i consider it one of the best i have ever read. i think the plot twist wasn't bad. Read more
Published on Aug 4 2000 by alex

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