Customer Reviews

The Forgotten Beasts Of Eld

5 star:		(59)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Beautiful, moving and written with a gentle and penetrating insight that glows with meaning rather than calling out its wisdom in a shrill voice. The Forgotten Beasts of Eld has a languid and mystical tone and some of the best characters in fantasy literature, and manages the singular accomplishment of making its heroes look like villains and its villains look almost heroic. In fact, every character in this book is perfectly human, and that's not an easy feat in a genre so stuffed with well-worn cliches. Magical, unforgettable, and truly a wonder to read. "The giant Grof was hit in one eye by a stone..."

She entertwines the harsh and the gentle with grace. Forgotten creatures found through a maze so common in real life.I have read all her books, and though this is not one of my most favored, she still manages to sweep me away with the emotions of the charecters, and the magic displayed once again. Well worth the read.

I first read this book over twenty years ago and have pretty much read it once a year since then. It's a gorgeous book with well rounded characters that you can actually believe. I also love that you can sympathize even with the bad guy - you don't like him, but you do sympathize with him.

I have several copies of this book and loan it out quite a bit...everyone I've ever loaned it to has loved it. It's well worth reading.

This book Rules!I luv it.I'm gonna make my mom read it.It's hard to explain so I'll let everyone else do that.

Orlando Bloom rules!!!
Peace
Me

This novel is great, because it has a protagonist who isn't always honest, or pure, or even nice. It's refreshing, and great, because Sybel is someone who, even with so many faults, eventually figures out that what's important in life is what's unselfish, and ultimately decides to live that way. What a message for all of us to follow!

I like the way McKillip writes, how she can reveal and describe so much with only a few words. Stream of consciousness elements work really well in this novel too. She manages to bring you into the depths of the characters' souls, which is helpful because most of the characters are animals :). Anyway, very enjoyable book, touching and thought-provoking. I highly recommend.

I loved the book. I enjoyed the tantalyzing peeks I got inside the animal minds the most. I have probably loaned or given away 2 dozen copies to friends. Those who read it enjoyed it.

My take on the theme of the book is that revenge leads to hate, which damages the souls ability to be fearless. Hate seems to lead to other evils as well such as dishonesty.

I would recommend reading this book whenever you have a taste for something light and sweet.

I really enjoyed this book. The story had a little bit of everything... romance, fighting, fantasy, love, hatred, pride. In comparison with other fantasy novels I read, it is not the best or even on my top ten. Even though I enjoyed it, I doubt I'll ever have the want to read it again. I would recommend this book to anyone that loves fantasy with a touch of romance.

The Forgotten Beasts of Eld is about a young sorcerous names Sybel who grows up all alone talking only to the mythical beasts that she and her father called there.
One day a man named Coren comes to her doorstep and pleads her to take a baby prince named Tamlorn. Tamlorn is the child of the half mad king Drede who was betrayed by his wife when she loved another. Sybel eventually says yes and then goes to an old witch named Maelga to help her take care of the baby and learn how to love him.

Many years later, Coren comes back for Tamlorn. Sybel refuses to give him up, but Tamlorn finds out who is father is and wants to see him. Sybel only has two wishes, to make Tamlorn happy and to find the Liralen, so she calls the king to her house with her magic and shows Tamlorn to him. Tamlorn choses to go away to be the prince he was destined to be, but what will happen to Sybel now that she is all alone and with a broken heart?

This book shows love, hate, war, revenge, magic, a great plot, and no draging parts.

Not truly a "coming of age" story, but it has a similar type of theme. A woman who becomes more than she was. McKillip writes with a near-lyric quality. Truly an enjoyable book.

There are books that one goes back to, when life is hard, or empty, or you just need to cry, to get caught up in the passion of another person's hopes and fears. I am sure I have read The Forgotten Beasts of Eld more than ten times, and I have given it away to friends and siblings.

The writing is more than beautiful. It is heartbreaking. The book is about reaching out, and learning to know (and name) the true being of others, which requires that you care. And to care, as we all know, is to open oneself to a world of hurt. It takes great bravery, it takes facing your own demons, and as McKillip reinforces with the metaphor of the Blammor, it is also the path to great beauty.