Absolutely gripping, 29 Oct 2007
I spent years looking for a book that would make me forget everything around me and I finally found this. Golding's story is absolutely gripping and of huge interest as it explores the dark depths of human nature. Here you can see how humanity disintegrates outside formal social bounderies.

Amazing., 09 Jul 2006
I read this book straight through, no stops. And I loved it. It is gripping, and even terrifying in some parts. His use of imagery and symbolism is practically an art, and this book perfectly conveys human nature, and it is vital that society is maintained, otherwise we slip into savagery. I really empathised with Ralph and his struggle to hold onto civilisation. Everything that happens is very real. I would recommend this book to anyone.

My bible for GCSE English!!!!!, 12 Mar 2001
I am currently studying GCSE English and was looking for a study guide to help me with "Lord of the Flies". I came across this one purely by chance and have never looked back. This book has taken me from not understandng any of the book and its meanings and implications to knowing exactly what things represent. The use of translating the complex language of the book into simple terms was fantastic.

This book is cheap and extremely useful and I would strongly recommend this to anyone studying the book. I originally, before I used this book, wrote and essay and I received a D grade, I then used this book to rewrite the essay and received an A* grade. Thats how well it works.

It was amazing!, 23 May 1999
If William Golding was alive today and I had the opportunity of meeting him, I would congratulate him on his amazing novel. The use of symbolism was so extremely explicit and perfectly written, it really made me think about society and where we would be without it. It was a novel which I have read over and over again and I will certainly never forget it as it showed me the origins of mankind and taught me to never, ever take anything for granted. Read and enjoy!

An excellent book for anyone from "littluns" to "bigguns"..., 08 Apr 1999
My English class has just finished reading Lord of the Flies, and the way Golding uses symbolism is amazing! EVERYTHING in this book is a symbol! Golding can see right into mans' evil and destructive nature. He shows us how destructive we can be by setting forests on fire, pushing boulders off cliffs, and childrens' games of throwing sand and rocks at each other. I enjoyed this book thoroughly and definitly recommend it for anyone. Read it! Golding's perspective of us humans is very thought-provoking. By the way...this book does not take place during WW2. Have you ever heard of an ejectable passenger tube on an airplane? No. He wrote it to be some time in the future--anytime actually. But time is not important. If it were a specific time it may not apply to us now in the present, but it does. It can apply to anyone, and that's how he wanted it to be.

Absolutely gripping, 29 Oct 2007
I spent years looking for a book that would make me forget everything around me and I finally found this. Golding's story is absolutely gripping and of huge interest as it explores the dark depths of human nature. Here you can see how humanity disintegrates outside formal social bounderies.

Amazing., 09 Jul 2006
I read this book straight through, no stops. And I loved it. It is gripping, and even terrifying in some parts. His use of imagery and symbolism is practically an art, and this book perfectly conveys human nature, and it is vital that society is maintained, otherwise we slip into savagery. I really empathised with Ralph and his struggle to hold onto civilisation. Everything that happens is very real. I would recommend this book to anyone.

My bible for GCSE English!!!!!, 12 Mar 2001
I am currently studying GCSE English and was looking for a study guide to help me with "Lord of the Flies". I came across this one purely by chance and have never looked back. This book has taken me from not understandng any of the book and its meanings and implications to knowing exactly what things represent. The use of translating the complex language of the book into simple terms was fantastic.

This book is cheap and extremely useful and I would strongly recommend this to anyone studying the book. I originally, before I used this book, wrote and essay and I received a D grade, I then used this book to rewrite the essay and received an A* grade. Thats how well it works.

It was amazing!, 23 May 1999
If William Golding was alive today and I had the opportunity of meeting him, I would congratulate him on his amazing novel. The use of symbolism was so extremely explicit and perfectly written, it really made me think about society and where we would be without it. It was a novel which I have read over and over again and I will certainly never forget it as it showed me the origins of mankind and taught me to never, ever take anything for granted. Read and enjoy!

An excellent book for anyone from "littluns" to "bigguns"..., 08 Apr 1999
My English class has just finished reading Lord of the Flies, and the way Golding uses symbolism is amazing! EVERYTHING in this book is a symbol! Golding can see right into mans' evil and destructive nature. He shows us how destructive we can be by setting forests on fire, pushing boulders off cliffs, and childrens' games of throwing sand and rocks at each other. I enjoyed this book thoroughly and definitly recommend it for anyone. Read it! Golding's perspective of us humans is very thought-provoking. By the way...this book does not take place during WW2. Have you ever heard of an ejectable passenger tube on an airplane? No. He wrote it to be some time in the future--anytime actually. But time is not important. If it were a specific time it may not apply to us now in the present, but it does. It can apply to anyone, and that's how he wanted it to be.

Disappointing compared with other Mary Stewarts, 21 Aug 2005
I realise I'm the odd one out here but this one didn't work for me. I could tell what was going to happen all the way through (and consequently the suspense wasn't suspenseful), some of the situations were a bit over-the-top and the heroine did some pretty stupid things. It never really interested me. I was sorry because I've really enjoyed other Mary Stewarts, which I would describe as quality light entertainment/thriller/romance. e.g. Touch Not The Cat, Nine Coaches Waiting and The Ivy Tree (but read "Brat Farrar" by Josephine Tey before you read The Ivy Tree!).

On the plus side, the characters and setting were reasonably promising and The Tempest references apt. Maybe I just wasn't in the mood.

Uniquely Captures a Time & Place ... ..., 01 Aug 2003
This book has drama and excitement. For me this story creates a time capsule - a time now past, where everything moved more slowly and travelling away from home was a new cultural adventure into the unknown. Mary Stewart has created in the main character a very "likeable heroinne" - who is quite ordinary but yet very brave in unusual circumstances - the sort of character whose company I enjoyed in the pages of this book, and who I would enjoy meeting again in another book. I also think the story would make a great movie. The story created beautifully a picture of the island in my mind and was very entertaining. The book has everything - travel, culture, thrills and even some romance! It's a book I would read more than once.

They don't write them like this anymore!, 01 Apr 2003
This is one of Mary Stewarts best novels. Why is nobody today able to write a good story without meaningless sex, gratuitous violence or employing expletives regularly? This was written in a bygone age, a mixture of adventure (the Corfu setting was probably very exotic for its time), suspense and romance (handsome, obfuscating stranger). Alright, its not profound, and it won't extend your vocabulary, but make sure you read it, followed by The Moonspinners and My Brother Michael!!

Lashings of Shakespeare, Scenery and Adventure, 28 Mar 2003
Another fun read from the mistress of well-written adventures... The Tempest is my favourite Shakespearean play and this is a worthy addition to the Canon of books, films and music inspired by Prospero's Island.

Highly literate, loads of fun - summer holiday excapism.

Absolutely gripping, 29 Oct 2007
I spent years looking for a book that would make me forget everything around me and I finally found this. Golding's story is absolutely gripping and of huge interest as it explores the dark depths of human nature. Here you can see how humanity disintegrates outside formal social bounderies.

Amazing., 09 Jul 2006
I read this book straight through, no stops. And I loved it. It is gripping, and even terrifying in some parts. His use of imagery and symbolism is practically an art, and this book perfectly conveys human nature, and it is vital that society is maintained, otherwise we slip into savagery. I really empathised with Ralph and his struggle to hold onto civilisation. Everything that happens is very real. I would recommend this book to anyone.

My bible for GCSE English!!!!!, 12 Mar 2001
I am currently studying GCSE English and was looking for a study guide to help me with "Lord of the Flies". I came across this one purely by chance and have never looked back. This book has taken me from not understandng any of the book and its meanings and implications to knowing exactly what things represent. The use of translating the complex language of the book into simple terms was fantastic.

This book is cheap and extremely useful and I would strongly recommend this to anyone studying the book. I originally, before I used this book, wrote and essay and I received a D grade, I then used this book to rewrite the essay and received an A* grade. Thats how well it works.

It was amazing!, 23 May 1999
If William Golding was alive today and I had the opportunity of meeting him, I would congratulate him on his amazing novel. The use of symbolism was so extremely explicit and perfectly written, it really made me think about society and where we would be without it. It was a novel which I have read over and over again and I will certainly never forget it as it showed me the origins of mankind and taught me to never, ever take anything for granted. Read and enjoy!

An excellent book for anyone from "littluns" to "bigguns"..., 08 Apr 1999
My English class has just finished reading Lord of the Flies, and the way Golding uses symbolism is amazing! EVERYTHING in this book is a symbol! Golding can see right into mans' evil and destructive nature. He shows us how destructive we can be by setting forests on fire, pushing boulders off cliffs, and childrens' games of throwing sand and rocks at each other. I enjoyed this book thoroughly and definitly recommend it for anyone. Read it! Golding's perspective of us humans is very thought-provoking. By the way...this book does not take place during WW2. Have you ever heard of an ejectable passenger tube on an airplane? No. He wrote it to be some time in the future--anytime actually. But time is not important. If it were a specific time it may not apply to us now in the present, but it does. It can apply to anyone, and that's how he wanted it to be.

Disappointing compared with other Mary Stewarts, 21 Aug 2005
I realise I'm the odd one out here but this one didn't work for me. I could tell what was going to happen all the way through (and consequently the suspense wasn't suspenseful), some of the situations were a bit over-the-top and the heroine did some pretty stupid things. It never really interested me. I was sorry because I've really enjoyed other Mary Stewarts, which I would describe as quality light entertainment/thriller/romance. e.g. Touch Not The Cat, Nine Coaches Waiting and The Ivy Tree (but read "Brat Farrar" by Josephine Tey before you read The Ivy Tree!).

On the plus side, the characters and setting were reasonably promising and The Tempest references apt. Maybe I just wasn't in the mood.

Uniquely Captures a Time & Place ... ..., 01 Aug 2003
This book has drama and excitement. For me this story creates a time capsule - a time now past, where everything moved more slowly and travelling away from home was a new cultural adventure into the unknown. Mary Stewart has created in the main character a very "likeable heroinne" - who is quite ordinary but yet very brave in unusual circumstances - the sort of character whose company I enjoyed in the pages of this book, and who I would enjoy meeting again in another book. I also think the story would make a great movie. The story created beautifully a picture of the island in my mind and was very entertaining. The book has everything - travel, culture, thrills and even some romance! It's a book I would read more than once.

They don't write them like this anymore!, 01 Apr 2003
This is one of Mary Stewarts best novels. Why is nobody today able to write a good story without meaningless sex, gratuitous violence or employing expletives regularly? This was written in a bygone age, a mixture of adventure (the Corfu setting was probably very exotic for its time), suspense and romance (handsome, obfuscating stranger). Alright, its not profound, and it won't extend your vocabulary, but make sure you read it, followed by The Moonspinners and My Brother Michael!!

Lashings of Shakespeare, Scenery and Adventure, 28 Mar 2003
Another fun read from the mistress of well-written adventures... The Tempest is my favourite Shakespearean play and this is a worthy addition to the Canon of books, films and music inspired by Prospero's Island.

Highly literate, loads of fun - summer holiday excapism.

A charming tale about a dog turned into a toy, 27 Feb 2008
A charming tale about young dog Rover and his adventures. He bites the trousers of magician Artaxerxes who turns him into a toy dog as punnishment. He shrinks in size as does his bark and he is stuck in a begging position. He is bought by a mother to give to her son Two, but he falls out of his pocket on day on the beach. The sand wizard Psamathos gets super fast seagul Mew to fly him to the moon down the silver pathway it's light leaves to meet the Man-on-the-Moon (another magician) and his moon dog Rover. As the dogs share their name, they change Rover's (the main character) to Roverandom.

On the moon they have many adventures together as Roverandom is given wings to fly about with. They have problems with the fearsome White Dragon who lives on the moon and causes eclipses of the moon as well as sometimes turning it red. Eventually Roverandom is sent back to earth to see Artaxerxes to change him back to his regular dog form. Artaxerxes has married a mer-maiden (one of the mer-kings daughters) and is living under the sea. Whale Uin takes Roverandom under the sea in his belly where he meets another dog called Rover, this time a mer-dog. They have many more adventures under the sea waiting for Artaxeres to find the time to change Roverandom back including an incident with the giant sea-serpent who sleeps not far from the mer-kings castle. Roverandom is eventually changed back into a proper dog and travels home to find Two.

This was a lovely tale based on an incident when Tolkien's second son lost his favourite toy dog at the beach one day on a family holiday. Lots of parallels to The Hobbit can be seen (the dragon, the spiders on the moon and the three magicians have Gandalf like qualities) and I definitely recommend it as a bit of light fun and happy reading.



A Truly Magical Story, 31 Jan 2008
So wonderful that this exciting book has been re-published. It is one of my most treasured books one that I read time and time again. The illustrations add to the story greatly. A real heart-warming and funny family story to share year after year after year. Highly recommended.

Brilliant!, 04 Jun 2007
This is great little book which I found a pleasant and entertaining read. There is nothing very special about it but the illustrations are nice, if sparse, and the story is good and not too complicated. It is easy to read out loud and shouldn't be too hard for a competent child to read by themselves. The only negative thing about it is that there aren't more stories of the same ilk from Tolkein.

Roverandom, 03 Jun 2007
An absolute ace book. Follows the adventures of Rover, a dog who is turned into a toy by a wizard and can only move by night. 1 of tolkiens first books.

He's a rover, 28 Feb 2006
For a little kid, losing a favorite toy is downright traumatic. So in 1925, when four-year-old Michael lost his little toy dog on the beach, fantasy author J.R.R. Tolkien made up a story to comfort his son. It explained away the loss of the toy, and wove a magical story around a little dog named Rover.

Rover is an ordinary little puppy near the seaside in England, until he runs into a grumpy old man and ends up biting off part of his pants. The old man happens to be a wizard (Artaxerxes by name), and promptly transforms Rover into a toy dog (and no, I don't mean a tiny dog -- I mean a real toy). Rover subsequently gets picked up and sold to some little boys (presumably the Tolkien kids).

Fortunately, Rover encounters another magical being, a crusty, kindly sand-wizard named Psamathos. That wizard, in turn, gets Rover (who is renamed Roverandom) flown to the moon, where he spends time with the Man in the Moon and his winged dog Rover. And then he's heading off to encounter a talking whale, a mer-dog, a sea serpent -- and a dragon.

Like the vastly underrated "Farmer Giles of Ham," "Roverandom" is a charming little bit of whimsy. No deep themes, no epic clashes, not even really a villain. The writing is charming and magical, with phrases like "There was a cold wind blowing off the North Star" sprinkled through it. It almost gives the feeling of being in another world. Best of all, in the middle of the book are Tolkien's own illustrations, cute little drawings and ethereal paintings.

Rover is well-named, since his adventures are all over the map and don't really progress from one to the other. It's merely a cute little dog roaming over the moon, the ocean, and the land, conversing with shrimps and bothering wizards. He's an outspoken little guy, but likeable. The grumpy wizards are also excellently done, reminiscent of Gandalf.

While "Roverandom" is a book aimed at children, adults may enjoy the whimsical humor and beautiful writing. A charming and timeless story.

Absolutely gripping, 29 Oct 2007
I spent years looking for a book that would make me forget everything around me and I finally found this. Golding's story is absolutely gripping and of huge interest as it explores the dark depths of human nature. Here you can see how humanity disintegrates outside formal social bounderies.

Amazing., 09 Jul 2006
I read this book straight through, no stops. And I loved it. It is gripping, and even terrifying in some parts. His use of imagery and symbolism is practically an art, and this book perfectly conveys human nature, and it is vital that society is maintained, otherwise we slip into savagery. I really empathised with Ralph and his struggle to hold onto civilisation. Everything that happens is very real. I would recommend this book to anyone.

My bible for GCSE English!!!!!, 12 Mar 2001
I am currently studying GCSE English and was looking for a study guide to help me with "Lord of the Flies". I came across this one purely by chance and have never looked back. This book has taken me from not understandng any of the book and its meanings and implications to knowing exactly what things represent. The use of translating the complex language of the book into simple terms was fantastic.

This book is cheap and extremely useful and I would strongly recommend this to anyone studying the book. I originally, before I used this book, wrote and essay and I received a D grade, I then used this book to rewrite the essay and received an A* grade. Thats how well it works.

It was amazing!, 23 May 1999
If William Golding was alive today and I had the opportunity of meeting him, I would congratulate him on his amazing novel. The use of symbolism was so extremely explicit and perfectly written, it really made me think about society and where we would be without it. It was a novel which I have read over and over again and I will certainly never forget it as it showed me the origins of mankind and taught me to never, ever take anything for granted. Read and enjoy!

An excellent book for anyone from "littluns" to "bigguns"..., 08 Apr 1999
My English class has just finished reading Lord of the Flies, and the way Golding uses symbolism is amazing! EVERYTHING in this book is a symbol! Golding can see right into mans' evil and destructive nature. He shows us how destructive we can be by setting forests on fire, pushing boulders off cliffs, and childrens' games of throwing sand and rocks at each other. I enjoyed this book thoroughly and definitly recommend it for anyone. Read it! Golding's perspective of us humans is very thought-provoking. By the way...this book does not take place during WW2. Have you ever heard of an ejectable passenger tube on an airplane? No. He wrote it to be some time in the future--anytime actually. But time is not important. If it were a specific time it may not apply to us now in the present, but it does. It can apply to anyone, and that's how he wanted it to be.

Disappointing compared with other Mary Stewarts, 21 Aug 2005
I realise I'm the odd one out here but this one didn't work for me. I could tell what was going to happen all the way through (and consequently the suspense wasn't suspenseful), some of the situations were a bit over-the-top and the heroine did some pretty stupid things. It never really interested me. I was sorry because I've really enjoyed other Mary Stewarts, which I would describe as quality light entertainment/thriller/romance. e.g. Touch Not The Cat, Nine Coaches Waiting and The Ivy Tree (but read "Brat Farrar" by Josephine Tey before you read The Ivy Tree!).

On the plus side, the characters and setting were reasonably promising and The Tempest references apt. Maybe I just wasn't in the mood.

Uniquely Captures a Time & Place ... ..., 01 Aug 2003
This book has drama and excitement. For me this story creates a time capsule - a time now past, where everything moved more slowly and travelling away from home was a new cultural adventure into the unknown. Mary Stewart has created in the main character a very "likeable heroinne" - who is quite ordinary but yet very brave in unusual circumstances - the sort of character whose company I enjoyed in the pages of this book, and who I would enjoy meeting again in another book. I also think the story would make a great movie. The story created beautifully a picture of the island in my mind and was very entertaining. The book has everything - travel, culture, thrills and even some romance! It's a book I would read more than once.

They don't write them like this anymore!, 01 Apr 2003
This is one of Mary Stewarts best novels. Why is nobody today able to write a good story without meaningless sex, gratuitous violence or employing expletives regularly? This was written in a bygone age, a mixture of adventure (the Corfu setting was probably very exotic for its time), suspense and romance (handsome, obfuscating stranger). Alright, its not profound, and it won't extend your vocabulary, but make sure you read it, followed by The Moonspinners and My Brother Michael!!

Lashings of Shakespeare, Scenery and Adventure, 28 Mar 2003
Another fun read from the mistress of well-written adventures... The Tempest is my favourite Shakespearean play and this is a worthy addition to the Canon of books, films and music inspired by Prospero's Island.

Highly literate, loads of fun - summer holiday excapism.

A charming tale about a dog turned into a toy, 27 Feb 2008
A charming tale about young dog Rover and his adventures. He bites the trousers of magician Artaxerxes who turns him into a toy dog as punnishment. He shrinks in size as does his bark and he is stuck in a begging position. He is bought by a mother to give to her son Two, but he falls out of his pocket on day on the beach. The sand wizard Psamathos gets super fast seagul Mew to fly him to the moon down the silver pathway it's light leaves to meet the Man-on-the-Moon (another magician) and his moon dog Rover. As the dogs share their name, they change Rover's (the main character) to Roverandom.

On the moon they have many adventures together as Roverandom is given wings to fly about with. They have problems with the fearsome White Dragon who lives on the moon and causes eclipses of the moon as well as sometimes turning it red. Eventually Roverandom is sent back to earth to see Artaxerxes to change him back to his regular dog form. Artaxerxes has married a mer-maiden (one of the mer-kings daughters) and is living under the sea. Whale Uin takes Roverandom under the sea in his belly where he meets another dog called Rover, this time a mer-dog. They have many more adventures under the sea waiting for Artaxeres to find the time to change Roverandom back including an incident with the giant sea-serpent who sleeps not far from the mer-kings castle. Roverandom is eventually changed back into a proper dog and travels home to find Two.

This was a lovely tale based on an incident when Tolkien's second son lost his favourite toy dog at the beach one day on a family holiday. Lots of parallels to The Hobbit can be seen (the dragon, the spiders on the moon and the three magicians have Gandalf like qualities) and I definitely recommend it as a bit of light fun and happy reading.



A Truly Magical Story, 31 Jan 2008
So wonderful that this exciting book has been re-published. It is one of my most treasured books one that I read time and time again. The illustrations add to the story greatly. A real heart-warming and funny family story to share year after year after year. Highly recommended.

Brilliant!, 04 Jun 2007
This is great little book which I found a pleasant and entertaining read. There is nothing very special about it but the illustrations are nice, if sparse, and the story is good and not too complicated. It is easy to read out loud and shouldn't be too hard for a competent child to read by themselves. The only negative thing about it is that there aren't more stories of the same ilk from Tolkein.

Roverandom, 03 Jun 2007
An absolute ace book. Follows the adventures of Rover, a dog who is turned into a toy by a wizard and can only move by night. 1 of tolkiens first books.

He's a rover, 28 Feb 2006
For a little kid, losing a favorite toy is downright traumatic. So in 1925, when four-year-old Michael lost his little toy dog on the beach, fantasy author J.R.R. Tolkien made up a story to comfort his son. It explained away the loss of the toy, and wove a magical story around a little dog named Rover.

Rover is an ordinary little puppy near the seaside in England, until he runs into a grumpy old man and ends up biting off part of his pants. The old man happens to be a wizard (Artaxerxes by name), and promptly transforms Rover into a toy dog (and no, I don't mean a tiny dog -- I mean a real toy). Rover subsequently gets picked up and sold to some little boys (presumably the Tolkien kids).

Fortunately, Rover encounters another magical being, a crusty, kindly sand-wizard named Psamathos. That wizard, in turn, gets Rover (who is renamed Roverandom) flown to the moon, where he spends time with the Man in the Moon and his winged dog Rover. And then he's heading off to encounter a talking whale, a mer-dog, a sea serpent -- and a dragon.

Like the vastly underrated "Farmer Giles of Ham," "Roverandom" is a charming little bit of whimsy. No deep themes, no epic clashes, not even really a villain. The writing is charming and magical, with phrases like "There was a cold wind blowing off the North Star" sprinkled through it. It almost gives the feeling of being in another world. Best of all, in the middle of the book are Tolkien's own illustrations, cute little drawings and ethereal paintings.

Rover is well-named, since his adventures are all over the map and don't really progress from one to the other. It's merely a cute little dog roaming over the moon, the ocean, and the land, conversing with shrimps and bothering wizards. He's an outspoken little guy, but likeable. The grumpy wizards are also excellently done, reminiscent of Gandalf.

While "Roverandom" is a book aimed at children, adults may enjoy the whimsical humor and beautiful writing. A charming and timeless story.

Violence against women, 29 Nov 2008
I wonder if this is the same book I read?
A fairly interesting book of its time about an unusual family with a sort of hippie attitude. However to recommend this for todays teenage audience is to suggest that it is OK to be emotionally neglectful of your family just because you are some sort of genius is just plain wrong. Even worse the insinuation that a man can be violent because a woman would rather have violence than no attention at all is a very primitive version of a partnership. I threw the book in the bin after reading to the end hoping that the message would improve.

the castle I didn't like, 20 Nov 2008
This book is a kind of "Pride and Prejudice "in which Darcy and Bingley don't know which sister they prefer: either Jane or Elizabeth.

Their love affairs seem to depend on pure chance: they don't know their own feelings: is it love, attraction or pure boredom that brought them togother? (I tend to think it's only boredom)

And what about the ending? everything is open. Cassandra is open to anything (I mean again: she was so throught the whole book anyway...)so what's the point?
I was glad to close such a book!!

recommended reading for female from 15 to 90, 10 Nov 2008
What a lovely story! I wasn't expecting much because the only thing I knew about Dodi Smith was that she had written 101 Dalmatians -- a children's story. However,I was totally encharnted with this book. It's a delightful read for women of any age and I have bought copies for both my nieces who are 14 and 15 and also recommend it to my mother. It has interesting social history, romance and is beautifully written. What more could you ask for?

Lose Yourself - it`s "smashing" !, 18 Oct 2008
What a lovely story ! This is a book which really is for all ages except very young. Had I read it as a child/teenager I know I would have loved it then too. The story is so vividly told that in just a few pages you are transported to a green & gentle 1930`s England, when good manners mattered & people said "smashing" & "jolly good". You can see it, taste it, & smell it- I`m sure my pulse rate actually slowed ! Even though Cassandra -the central character- & her family's fairly desperate lack of cash is quite a key point,this is no depressing tale of poverty.

As the gist of the story has been described perfectly in other reviews I`ll skip that here, but would like to say that even (maybe especially?)if like me you are a fairly cynical female of 40+ this is a book which I really think you will find deserves to be called "charming".
It is also lively, funny, thoughtful, poignant, gentle, touching, clever, & totally captivating- story telling at it`s very best.

If you have a real fire, light it, make yourself a mug of cocoa, then curl up with this book & lose yourself in a gentler world. As Cassandra herself might say- "smashing" !




It captures my castle - and my heart, 01 Sep 2008
What a joy this book is to find! I was lent it by a friend and had seen the film a few years ago. Beautifully, masterfully written, with a thundering page-turner of a plot, the characters are as real as any you meet in person.
Just buy it, fill your bath and ENJOY every paragraph. I wish I could find more by this author......

Absolutely gripping, 29 Oct 2007
I spent years looking for a book that would make me forget everything around me and I finally found this. Golding's story is absolutely gripping and of huge interest as it explores the dark depths of human nature. Here you can see how humanity disintegrates outside formal social bounderies.

Amazing., 09 Jul 2006
I read this book straight through, no stops. And I loved it. It is gripping, and even terrifying in some parts. His use of imagery and symbolism is practically an art, and this book perfectly conveys human nature, and it is vital that society is maintained, otherwise we slip into savagery. I really empathised with Ralph and his struggle to hold onto civilisation. Everything that happens is very real. I would recommend this book to anyone.

My bible for GCSE English!!!!!, 12 Mar 2001
I am currently studying GCSE English and was looking for a study guide to help me with "Lord of the Flies". I came across this one purely by chance and have never looked back. This book has taken me from not understandng any of the book and its meanings and implications to knowing exactly what things represent. The use of translating the complex language of the book into simple terms was fantastic.

This book is cheap and extremely useful and I would strongly recommend this to anyone studying the book. I originally, before I used this book, wrote and essay and I received a D grade, I then used this book to rewrite the essay and received an A* grade. Thats how well it works.

It was amazing!, 23 May 1999
If William Golding was alive today and I had the opportunity of meeting him, I would congratulate him on his amazing novel. The use of symbolism was so extremely explicit and perfectly written, it really made me think about society and where we would be without it. It was a novel which I have read over and over again and I will certainly never forget it as it showed me the origins of mankind and taught me to never, ever take anything for granted. Read and enjoy!

An excellent book for anyone from "littluns" to "bigguns"..., 08 Apr 1999
My English class has just finished reading Lord of the Flies, and the way Golding uses symbolism is amazing! EVERYTHING in this book is a symbol! Golding can see right into mans' evil and destructive nature. He shows us how destructive we can be by setting forests on fire, pushing boulders off cliffs, and childrens' games of throwing sand and rocks at each other. I enjoyed this book thoroughly and definitly recommend it for anyone. Read it! Golding's perspective of us humans is very thought-provoking. By the way...this book does not take place during WW2. Have you ever heard of an ejectable passenger tube on an airplane? No. He wrote it to be some time in the future--anytime actually. But time is not important. If it were a specific time it may not apply to us now in the present, but it does. It can apply to anyone, and that's how he wanted it to be.

Disappointing compared with other Mary Stewarts, 21 Aug 2005
I realise I'm the odd one out here but this one didn't work for me. I could tell what was going to happen all the way through (and consequently the suspense wasn't suspenseful), some of the situations were a bit over-the-top and the heroine did some pretty stupid things. It never really interested me. I was sorry because I've really enjoyed other Mary Stewarts, which I would describe as quality light entertainment/thriller/romance. e.g. Touch Not The Cat, Nine Coaches Waiting and The Ivy Tree (but read "Brat Farrar" by Josephine Tey before you read The Ivy Tree!).

On the plus side, the characters and setting were reasonably promising and The Tempest references apt. Maybe I just wasn't in the mood.

Uniquely Captures a Time & Place ... ..., 01 Aug 2003
This book has drama and excitement. For me this story creates a time capsule - a time now past, where everything moved more slowly and travelling away from home was a new cultural adventure into the unknown. Mary Stewart has created in the main character a very "likeable heroinne" - who is quite ordinary but yet very brave in unusual circumstances - the sort of character whose company I enjoyed in the pages of this book, and who I would enjoy meeting again in another book. I also think the story would make a great movie. The story created beautifully a picture of the island in my mind and was very entertaining. The book has everything - travel, culture, thrills and even some romance! It's a book I would read more than once.

They don't write them like this anymore!, 01 Apr 2003
This is one of Mary Stewarts best novels. Why is nobody today able to write a good story without meaningless sex, gratuitous violence or employing expletives regularly? This was written in a bygone age, a mixture of adventure (the Corfu setting was probably very exotic for its time), suspense and romance (handsome, obfuscating stranger). Alright, its not profound, and it won't extend your vocabulary, but make sure you read it, followed by The Moonspinners and My Brother Michael!!

Lashings of Shakespeare, Scenery and Adventure, 28 Mar 2003
Another fun read from the mistress of well-written adventures... The Tempest is my favourite Shakespearean play and this is a worthy addition to the Canon of books, films and music inspired by Prospero's Island.

Highly literate, loads of fun - summer holiday excapism.

A charming tale about a dog turned into a toy, 27 Feb 2008
A charming tale about young dog Rover and his adventures. He bites the trousers of magician Artaxerxes who turns him into a toy dog as punnishment. He shrinks in size as does his bark and he is stuck in a begging position. He is bought by a mother to give to her son Two, but he falls out of his pocket on day on the beach. The sand wizard Psamathos gets super fast seagul Mew to fly him to the moon down the silver pathway it's light leaves to meet the Man-on-the-Moon (another magician) and his moon dog Rover. As the dogs share their name, they change Rover's (the main character) to Roverandom.

On the moon they have many adventures together as Roverandom is given wings to fly about with. They have problems with the fearsome White Dragon who lives on the moon and causes eclipses of the moon as well as sometimes turning it red. Eventually Roverandom is sent back to earth to see Artaxerxes to change him back to his regular dog form. Artaxerxes has married a mer-maiden (one of the mer-kings daughters) and is living under the sea. Whale Uin takes Roverandom under the sea in his belly where he meets another dog called Rover, this time a mer-dog. They have many more adventures under the sea waiting for Artaxeres to find the time to change Roverandom back including an incident with the giant sea-serpent who sleeps not far from the mer-kings castle. Roverandom is eventually changed back into a proper dog and travels home to find Two.

This was a lovely tale based on an incident when Tolkien's second son lost his favourite toy dog at the beach one day on a family holiday. Lots of parallels to The Hobbit can be seen (the dragon, the spiders on the moon and the three magicians have Gandalf like qualities) and I definitely recommend it as a bit of light fun and happy reading.



A Truly Magical Story, 31 Jan 2008
So wonderful that this exciting book has been re-published. It is one of my most treasured books one that I read time and time again. The illustrations add to the story greatly. A real heart-warming and funny family story to share year after year after year. Highly recommended.

Brilliant!, 04 Jun 2007
This is great little book which I found a pleasant and entertaining read. There is nothing very special about it but the illustrations are nice, if sparse, and the story is good and not too complicated. It is easy to read out loud and shouldn't be too hard for a competent child to read by themselves. The only negative thing about it is that there aren't more stories of the same ilk from Tolkein.

Roverandom, 03 Jun 2007
An absolute ace book. Follows the adventures of Rover, a dog who is turned into a toy by a wizard and can only move by night. 1 of tolkiens first books.

He's a rover, 28 Feb 2006
For a little kid, losing a favorite toy is downright traumatic. So in 1925, when four-year-old Michael lost his little toy dog on the beach, fantasy author J.R.R. Tolkien made up a story to comfort his son. It explained away the loss of the toy, and wove a magical story around a little dog named Rover.

Rover is an ordinary little puppy near the seaside in England, until he runs into a grumpy old man and ends up biting off part of his pants. The old man happens to be a wizard (Artaxerxes by name), and promptly transforms Rover into a toy dog (and no, I don't mean a tiny dog -- I mean a real toy). Rover subsequently gets picked up and sold to some little boys (presumably the Tolkien kids).

Fortunately, Rover encounters another magical being, a crusty, kindly sand-wizard named Psamathos. That wizard, in turn, gets Rover (who is renamed Roverandom) flown to the moon, where he spends time with the Man in the Moon and his winged dog Rover. And then he's heading off to encounter a talking whale, a mer-dog, a sea serpent -- and a dragon.

Like the vastly underrated "Farmer Giles of Ham," "Roverandom" is a charming little bit of whimsy. No deep themes, no epic clashes, not even really a villain. The writing is charming and magical, with phrases like "There was a cold wind blowing off the North Star" sprinkled through it. It almost gives the feeling of being in another world. Best of all, in the middle of the book are Tolkien's own illustrations, cute little drawings and ethereal paintings.

Rover is well-named, since his adventures are all over the map and don't really progress from one to the other. It's merely a cute little dog roaming over the moon, the ocean, and the land, conversing with shrimps and bothering wizards. He's an outspoken little guy, but likeable. The grumpy wizards are also excellently done, reminiscent of Gandalf.

While "Roverandom" is a book aimed at children, adults may enjoy the whimsical humor and beautiful writing. A charming and timeless story.

Violence against women, 29 Nov 2008
I wonder if this is the same book I read?
A fairly interesting book of its time about an unusual family with a sort of hippie attitude. However to recommend this for todays teenage audience is to suggest that it is OK to be emotionally neglectful of your family just because you are some sort of genius is just plain wrong. Even worse the insinuation that a man can be violent because a woman would rather have violence than no attention at all is a very primitive version of a partnership. I threw the book in the bin after reading to the end hoping that the message would improve.

the castle I didn't like, 20 Nov 2008
This book is a kind of "Pride and Prejudice "in which Darcy and Bingley don't know which sister they prefer: either Jane or Elizabeth.

Their love affairs seem to depend on pure chance: they don't know their own feelings: is it love, attraction or pure boredom that brought them togother? (I tend to think it's only boredom)

And what about the ending? everything is open. Cassandra is open to anything (I mean again: she was so throught the whole book anyway...)so what's the point?
I was glad to close such a book!!

recommended reading for female from 15 to 90, 10 Nov 2008
What a lovely story! I wasn't expecting much because the only thing I knew about Dodi Smith was that she had written 101 Dalmatians -- a children's story. However,I was totally encharnted with this book. It's a delightful read for women of any age and I have bought copies for both my nieces who are 14 and 15 and also recommend it to my mother. It has interesting social history, romance and is beautifully written. What more could you ask for?

Lose Yourself - it`s "smashing" !, 18 Oct 2008
What a lovely story ! This is a book which really is for all ages except very young. Had I read it as a child/teenager I know I would have loved it then too. The story is so vividly told that in just a few pages you are transported to a green & gentle 1930`s England, when good manners mattered & people said "smashing" & "jolly good". You can see it, taste it, & smell it- I`m sure my pulse rate actually slowed ! Even though Cassandra -the central character- & her family's fairly desperate lack of cash is quite a key point,this is no depressing tale of poverty.

As the gist of the story has been described perfectly in other reviews I`ll skip that here, but would like to say that even (maybe especially?)if like me you are a fairly cynical female of 40+ this is a book which I really think you will find deserves to be called "charming".
It is also lively, funny, thoughtful, poignant, gentle, touching, clever, & totally captivating- story telling at it`s very best.

If you have a real fire, light it, make yourself a mug of cocoa, then curl up with this book & lose yourself in a gentler world. As Cassandra herself might say- "smashing" !




It captures my castle - and my heart, 01 Sep 2008
What a joy this book is to find! I was lent it by a friend and had seen the film a few years ago. Beautifully, masterfully written, with a thundering page-turner of a plot, the characters are as real as any you meet in person.
Just buy it, fill your bath and ENJOY every paragraph. I wish I could find more by this author......

Can it be? An interesting autobiography?, 27 Mar 2000
It is probably best to begin by making the obvious and inevitable comparison with "My Left Foot". While it is clear that MLF is (perhaps somewhat patronizingly) credited with being a personal achievement for its author, Under The Eye Of The Clock also manages to be an achievement in literary terms. Nolan's immense talent for metaphor and expression make the book a pleasure to read, and his story is lively, engaging and revealing. His eloquence does get the better of him on occassions and he emerges with the most obtuse and bizarre phrases, the meaning of which we can only guess. However, the humour, pathos, and drama (!) with which he depicts his life, is joyous to behold. This book will make you reassess your prejudices and feelings towards others, and this cannot be said of many books, especially not autobiographies.

This book leaves an impact years after reading it., 21 Nov 1999
Don't be put off by the subject matter, it's not one big downer about being disabled. Because the writer is disabled he choses his words with care, this gives a quality feel to the writing that makes me appreciate the craft of words without being precious & I am certainly not a literate person. A short book to read but a little gem. Be prepared to do it in 1 sitting. It has more humour in it than My Left Foot so trust the writer & go for it.

Prose by a Poet, words as you've never dreamt they could be, 16 Dec 1998
This is the greatest single piece of writing that I know of. With the heart of a poet, he writes his life story as a severly disabled young boy. You get a view of the handicapped as you will find nowhere else. He gives voice to millions without ever asking for pity. Like poetry you must let the words land on you without literal meaning, but trust the music of his words. Though you will often find it hard to "follow" in a linear way, you will be treated to a world of breathtaking verbal juxtaposition the likes of which you may never experience again.

Absolutely gripping, 29 Oct 2007
I spent years looking for a book that would make me forget everything around me and I finally found this. Golding's story is absolutely gripping and of huge interest as it explores the dark depths of human nature. Here you can see how humanity disintegrates outside formal social bounderies.

Amazing., 09 Jul 2006
I read this book straight through, no stops. And I loved it. It is gripping, and even terrifying in some parts. His use of imagery and symbolism is practically an art, and this book perfectly conveys human nature, and it is vital that society is maintained, otherwise we slip into savagery. I really empathised with Ralph and his struggle to hold onto civilisation. Everything that happens is very real. I would recommend this book to anyone.

My bible for GCSE English!!!!!, 12 Mar 2001
I am currently studying GCSE English and was looking for a study guide to help me with "Lord of the Flies". I came across this one purely by chance and have never looked back. This book has taken me from not understandng any of the book and its meanings and implications to knowing exactly what things represent. The use of translating the complex language of the book into simple terms was fantastic.

This book is cheap and extremely useful and I would strongly recommend this to anyone studying the book. I originally, before I used this book, wrote and essay and I received a D grade, I then used this book to rewrite the essay and received an A* grade. Thats how well it works.

It was amazing!, 23 May 1999
If William Golding was alive today and I had the opportunity of meeting him, I would congratulate him on his amazing novel. The use of symbolism was so extremely explicit and perfectly written, it really made me think about society and where we would be without it. It was a novel which I have read over and over again and I will certainly never forget it as it showed me the origins of mankind and taught me to never, ever take anything for granted. Read and enjoy!

An excellent book for anyone from "littluns" to "bigguns"..., 08 Apr 1999
My English class has just finished reading Lord of the Flies, and the way Golding uses symbolism is amazing! EVERYTHING in this book is a symbol! Golding can see right into mans' evil and destructive nature. He shows us how destructive we can be by setting forests on fire, pushing boulders off cliffs, and childrens' games of throwing sand and rocks at each other. I enjoyed this book thoroughly and definitly recommend it for anyone. Read it! Golding's perspective of us humans is very thought-provoking. By the way...this book does not take place during WW2. Have you ever heard of an ejectable passenger tube on an airplane? No. He wrote it to be some time in the future--anytime actually. But time is not important. If it were a specific time it may not apply to us now in the present, but it does. It can apply to anyone, and that's how he wanted it to be.

Disappointing compared with other Mary Stewarts, 21 Aug 2005
I realise I'm the odd one out here but this one didn't work for me. I could tell what was going to happen all the way through (and consequently the suspense wasn't suspenseful), some of the situations were a bit over-the-top and the heroine did some pretty stupid things. It never really interested me. I was sorry because I've really enjoyed other Mary Stewarts, which I would describe as quality light entertainment/thriller/romance. e.g. Touch Not The Cat, Nine Coaches Waiting and The Ivy Tree (but read "Brat Farrar" by Josephine Tey before you read The Ivy Tree!).

On the plus side, the characters and setting were reasonably promising and The Tempest references apt. Maybe I just wasn't in the mood.

Uniquely Captures a Time & Place ... ..., 01 Aug 2003
This book has drama and excitement. For me this story creates a time capsule - a time now past, where everything moved more slowly and travelling away from home was a new cultural adventure into the unknown. Mary Stewart has created in the main character a very "likeable heroinne" - who is quite ordinary but yet very brave in unusual circumstances - the sort of character whose company I enjoyed in the pages of this book, and who I would enjoy meeting again in another book. I also think the story would make a great movie. The story created beautifully a picture of the island in my mind and was very entertaining. The book has everything - travel, culture, thrills and even some romance! It's a book I would read more than once.

They don't write them like this anymore!, 01 Apr 2003
This is one of Mary Stewarts best novels. Why is nobody today able to write a good story without meaningless sex, gratuitous violence or employing expletives regularly? This was written in a bygone age, a mixture of adventure (the Corfu setting was probably very exotic for its time), suspense and romance (handsome, obfuscating stranger). Alright, its not profound, and it won't extend your vocabulary, but make sure you read it, followed by The Moonspinners and My Brother Michael!!

Lashings of Shakespeare, Scenery and Adventure, 28 Mar 2003
Another fun read from the mistress of well-written adventures... The Tempest is my favourite Shakespearean play and this is a worthy addition to the Canon of books, films and music inspired by Prospero's Island.

Highly literate, loads of fun - summer holiday excapism.

A charming tale about a dog turned into a toy, 27 Feb 2008
A charming tale about young dog Rover and his adventures. He bites the trousers of magician Artaxerxes who turns him into a toy dog as punnishment. He shrinks in size as does his bark and he is stuck in a begging position. He is bought by a mother to give to her son Two, but he falls out of his pocket on day on the beach. The sand wizard Psamathos gets super fast seagul Mew to fly him to the moon down the silver pathway it's light leaves to meet the Man-on-the-Moon (another magician) and his moon dog Rover. As the dogs share their name, they change Rover's (the main character) to Roverandom.

On the moon they have many adventures together as Roverandom is given wings to fly about with. They have problems with the fearsome White Dragon who lives on the moon and causes eclipses of the moon as well as sometimes turning it red. Eventually Roverandom is sent back to earth to see Artaxerxes to change him back to his regular dog form. Artaxerxes has married a mer-maiden (one of the mer-kings daughters) and is living under the sea. Whale Uin takes Roverandom under the sea in his belly where he meets another dog called Rover, this time a mer-dog. They have many more adventures under the sea waiting for Artaxeres to find the time to change Roverandom back including an incident with the giant sea-serpent who sleeps not far from the mer-kings castle. Roverandom is eventually changed back into a proper dog and travels home to find Two.

This was a lovely tale based on an incident when Tolkien's second son lost his favourite toy dog at the beach one day on a family holiday. Lots of parallels to The Hobbit can be seen (the dragon, the spiders on the moon and the three magicians have Gandalf like qualities) and I definitely recommend it as a bit of light fun and happy reading.



A Truly Magical Story, 31 Jan 2008
So wonderful that this exciting book has been re-published. It is one of my most treasured books one that I read time and time again. The illustrations add to the story greatly. A real heart-warming and funny family story to share year after year after year. Highly recommended.

Brilliant!, 04 Jun 2007
This is great little book which I found a pleasant and entertaining read. There is nothing very special about it but the illustrations are nice, if sparse, and the story is good and not too complicated. It is easy to read out loud and shouldn't be too hard for a competent child to read by themselves. The only negative thing about it is that there aren't more stories of the same ilk from Tolkein.

Roverandom, 03 Jun 2007
An absolute ace book. Follows the adventures of Rover, a dog who is turned into a toy by a wizard and can only move by night. 1 of tolkiens first books.

He's a rover, 28 Feb 2006
For a little kid, losing a favorite toy is downright traumatic. So in 1925, when four-year-old Michael lost his little toy dog on the beach, fantasy author J.R.R. Tolkien made up a story to comfort his son. It explained away the loss of the toy, and wove a magical story around a little dog named Rover.

Rover is an ordinary little puppy near the seaside in England, until he runs into a grumpy old man and ends up biting off part of his pants. The old man happens to be a wizard (Artaxerxes by name), and promptly transforms Rover into a toy dog (and no, I don't mean a tiny dog -- I mean a real toy). Rover subsequently gets picked up and sold to some little boys (presumably the Tolkien kids).

Fortunately, Rover encounters another magical being, a crusty, kindly sand-wizard named Psamathos. That wizard, in turn, gets Rover (who is renamed Roverandom) flown to the moon, where he spends time with the Man in the Moon and his winged dog Rover. And then he's heading off to encounter a talking whale, a mer-dog, a sea serpent -- and a dragon.

Like the vastly underrated "Farmer Giles of Ham," "Roverandom" is a charming little bit of whimsy. No deep themes, no epic clashes, not even really a villain. The writing is charming and magical, with phrases like "There was a cold wind blowing off the North Star" sprinkled through it. It almost gives the feeling of being in another world. Best of all, in the middle of the book are Tolkien's own illustrations, cute little drawings and ethereal paintings.

Rover is well-named, since his adventures are all over the map and don't really progress from one to the other. It's merely a cute little dog roaming over the moon, the ocean, and the land, conversing with shrimps and bothering wizards. He's an outspoken little guy, but likeable. The grumpy wizards are also excellently done, reminiscent of Gandalf.

While "Roverandom" is a book aimed at children, adults may enjoy the whimsical humor and beautiful writing. A charming and timeless story.

Violence against women, 29 Nov 2008
I wonder if this is the same book I read?
A fairly interesting book of its time about an unusual family with a sort of hippie attitude. However to recommend this for todays teenage audience is to suggest that it is OK to be emotionally neglectful of your family just because you are some sort of genius is just plain wrong. Even worse the insinuation that a man can be violent because a woman would rather have violence than no attention at all is a very primitive version of a partnership. I threw the book in the bin after reading to the end hoping that the message would improve.

the castle I didn't like, 20 Nov 2008
This book is a kind of "Pride and Prejudice "in which Darcy and Bingley don't know which sister they prefer: either Jane or Elizabeth.

Their love affairs seem to depend on pure chance: they don't know their own feelings: is it love, attraction or pure boredom that brought them togother? (I tend to think it's only boredom)

And what about the ending? everything is open. Cassandra is open to anything (I mean again: she was so throught the whole book anyway...)so what's the point?
I was glad to close such a book!!

recommended reading for female from 15 to 90, 10 Nov 2008
What a lovely story! I wasn't expecting much because the only thing I knew about Dodi Smith was that she had written 101 Dalmatians -- a children's story. However,I was totally encharnted with this book. It's a delightful read for women of any age and I have bought copies for both my nieces who are 14 and 15 and also recommend it to my mother. It has interesting social history, romance and is beautifully written. What more could you ask for?

Lose Yourself - it`s "smashing" !, 18 Oct 2008
What a lovely story ! This is a book which really is for all ages except very young. Had I read it as a child/teenager I know I would have loved it then too. The story is so vividly told that in just a few pages you are transported to a green & gentle 1930`s England, when good manners mattered & people said "smashing" & "jolly good". You can see it, taste it, & smell it- I`m sure my pulse rate actually slowed ! Even though Cassandra -the central character- & her family's fairly desperate lack of cash is quite a key point,this is no depressing tale of poverty.

As the gist of the story has been described perfectly in other reviews I`ll skip that here, but would like to say that even (maybe especially?)if like me you are a fairly cynical female of 40+ this is a book which I really think you will find deserves to be called "charming".
It is also lively, funny, thoughtful, poignant, gentle, touching, clever, & totally captivating- story telling at it`s very best.

If you have a real fire, light it, make yourself a mug of cocoa, then curl up with this book & lose yourself in a gentler world. As Cassandra herself might say- "smashing" !




It captures my castle - and my heart, 01 Sep 2008
What a joy this book is to find! I was lent it by a friend and had seen the film a few years ago. Beautifully, masterfully written, with a thundering page-turner of a plot, the characters are as real as any you meet in person.
Just buy it, fill your bath and ENJOY every paragraph. I wish I could find more by this author......

Can it be? An interesting autobiography?, 27 Mar 2000
It is probably best to begin by making the obvious and inevitable comparison with "My Left Foot". While it is clear that MLF is (perhaps somewhat patronizingly) credited with being a personal achievement for its author, Under The Eye Of The Clock also manages to be an achievement in literary terms. Nolan's immense talent for metaphor and expression make the book a pleasure to read, and his story is lively, engaging and revealing. His eloquence does get the better of him on occassions and he emerges with the most obtuse and bizarre phrases, the meaning of which we can only guess. However, the humour, pathos, and drama (!) with which he depicts his life, is joyous to behold. This book will make you reassess your prejudices and feelings towards others, and this cannot be said of many books, especially not autobiographies.

This book leaves an impact years after reading it., 21 Nov 1999
Don't be put off by the subject matter, it's not one big downer about being disabled. Because the writer is disabled he choses his words with care, this gives a quality feel to the writing that makes me appreciate the craft of words without being precious & I am certainly not a literate person. A short book to read but a little gem. Be prepared to do it in 1 sitting. It has more humour in it than My Left Foot so trust the writer & go for it.

Prose by a Poet, words as you've never dreamt they could be, 16 Dec 1998
This is the greatest single piece of writing that I know of. With the heart of a poet, he writes his life story as a severly disabled young boy. You get a view of the handicapped as you will find nowhere else. He gives voice to millions without ever asking for pity. Like poetry you must let the words land on you without literal meaning, but trust the music of his words. Though you will often find it hard to "follow" in a linear way, you will be treated to a world of breathtaking verbal juxtaposition the likes of which you may never experience again.

Superb Reading, 22 Feb 2006
I read this book in one sitting and it was brilliant. It was well written and Janni Howker is talented beyond belief.

I loved the way the story's hero goes looking for the legendary big cat, and I particularly loved the ending. Just what every good story should have, but I'm not going to spoil it for those who haven't read it.

This book was also filmed around the late 80s or early 90s, I can't remember when and sadly I missed it.

Don't miss this book. Good for young teens too.

I read this book at school and i really enjoyed it, 21 Jul 2001
Bill Coward lives in Long More Lane in Haverston in yorkshire. Stone cross mill, the work place of hundreds of civilians (including bills dad, Ned) in the haverston area is threatening to be shut down, which means that Ned and bills grandad, known and chunder, would be made redundant. Ned decides to go up to scotland to look for work, and one night chunder comes in shaking with a chicken in his arms, dead, and explains that they have all been killed by something which he thought must have been a dog, but which had jumped and eight foot fence...

Excellent, 03 May 1999
This book contains a lot more than meets the eye you have to get into the mind of Bill Coward and it reveals so much about our lives of how the beast we need to fight does't roam the moors it's inside you and we cannot defeat it. However I have read it 4 times but I am not saying you will like it the thing is I learnt so much about life and it's obstacles and where life can lead you. It's probably just a personal thing but it's still a good read.

Absolutely gripping, 29 Oct 2007
I spent years looking for a book that would make me forget everything around me and I finally found this. Golding's story is absolutely gripping and of huge interest as it explores the dark depths of human nature. Here you can see how humanity disintegrates outside formal social bounderies.

Amazing., 09 Jul 2006
I read this book straight through, no stops. And I loved it. It is gripping, and even terrifying in some parts. His use of imagery and symbolism is practically an art, and this book perfectly conveys human nature, and it is vital that society is maintained, otherwise we slip into savagery. I really empathised with Ralph and his struggle to hold onto civilisation. Everything that happens is very real. I would recommend this book to anyone.

My bible for GCSE English!!!!!, 12 Mar 2001
I am currently studying GCSE English and was looking for a study guide to help me with "Lord of the Flies". I came across this one purely by chance and have never looked back. This book has taken me from not understandng any of the book and its meanings and implications to knowing exactly what things represent. The use of translating the complex language of the book into simple terms was fantastic.

This book is cheap and extremely useful and I would strongly recommend this to anyone studying the book. I originally, before I used this book, wrote and essay and I received a D grade, I then used this book to rewrite the essay and received an A* grade. Thats how well it works.

It was amazing!, 23 May 1999
If William Golding was alive today and I had the opportunity of meeting him, I would congratulate him on his amazing novel. The use of symbolism was so extremely explicit and perfectly written, it really made me think about society and where we would be without it. It was a novel which I have read over and over again and I will certainly never forget it as it showed me the origins of mankind and taught me to never, ever take anything for granted. Read and enjoy!

An excellent book for anyone from "littluns" to "bigguns"..., 08 Apr 1999
My English class has just finished reading Lord of the Flies, and the way Golding uses symbolism is amazing! EVERYTHING in this book is a symbol! Golding can see right into mans' evil and destructive nature. He shows us how destructive we can be by setting forests on fire, pushing boulders off cliffs, and childrens' games of throwing sand and rocks at each other. I enjoyed this book thoroughly and definitly recommend it for anyone. Read it! Golding's perspective of us humans is very thought-provoking. By the way...this book does not take place during WW2. Have you ever heard of an ejectable passenger tube on an airplane? No. He wrote it to be some time in the future--anytime actually. But time is not important. If it were a specific time it may not apply to us now in the present, but it does. It can apply to anyone, and that's how he wanted it to be.

Disappointing compared with other Mary Stewarts, 21 Aug 2005
I realise I'm the odd one out here but this one didn't work for me. I could tell what was going to happen all the way through (and consequently the suspense wasn't suspenseful), some of the situations were a bit over-the-top and the heroine did some pretty stupid things. It never really interested me. I was sorry because I've really enjoyed other Mary Stewarts, which I would describe as quality light entertainment/thriller/romance. e.g. Touch Not The Cat, Nine Coaches Waiting and The Ivy Tree (but read "Brat Farrar" by Josephine Tey before you read The Ivy Tree!).

On the plus side, the characters and setting were reasonably promising and The Tempest references apt. Maybe I just wasn't in the mood.

Uniquely Captures a Time & Place ... ..., 01 Aug 2003
This book has drama and excitement. For me this story creates a time capsule - a time now past, where everything moved more slowly and travelling away from home was a new cultural adventure into the unknown. Mary Stewart has created in the main character a very "likeable heroinne" - who is quite ordinary but yet very brave in unusual circumstances - the sort of character whose company I enjoyed in the pages of this book, and who I would enjoy meeting again in another book. I also think the story would make a great movie. The story created beautifully a picture of the island in my mind and was very entertaining. The book has everything - travel, culture, thrills and even some romance! It's a book I would read more than once.

They don't write them like this anymore!, 01 Apr 2003
This is one of Mary Stewarts best novels. Why is nobody today able to write a good story without meaningless sex, gratuitous violence or employing expletives regularly? This was written in a bygone age, a mixture of adventure (the Corfu setting was probably very exotic for its time), suspense and romance (handsome, obfuscating stranger). Alright, its not profound, and it won't extend your vocabulary, but make sure you read it, followed by The Moonspinners and My Brother Michael!!

Lashings of Shakespeare, Scenery and Adventure, 28 Mar 2003
Another fun read from the mistress of well-written adventures... The Tempest is my favourite Shakespearean play and this is a worthy addition to the Canon of books, films and music inspired by Prospero's Island.

Highly literate, loads of fun - summer holiday excapism.

A charming tale about a dog turned into a toy, 27 Feb 2008
A charming tale about young dog Rover and his adventures. He bites the trousers of magician Artaxerxes who turns him into a toy dog as punnishment. He shrinks in size as does his bark and he is stuck in a begging position. He is bought by a mother to give to her son Two, but he falls out of his pocket on day on the beach. The sand wizard Psamathos gets super fast seagul Mew to fly him to the moon down the silver pathway it's light leaves to meet the Man-on-the-Moon (another magician) and his moon dog Rover. As the dogs share their name, they change Rover's (the main character) to Roverandom.

On the moon they have many adventures together as Roverandom is given wings to fly about with. They have problems with the fearsome White Dragon who lives on the moon and causes eclipses of the moon as well as sometimes turning it red. Eventually Roverandom is sent back to earth to see Artaxerxes to change him back to his regular dog form. Artaxerxes has married a mer-maiden (one of the mer-kings daughters) and is living under the sea. Whale Uin takes Roverandom under the sea in his belly where he meets another dog called Rover, this time a mer-dog. They have many more adventures under the sea waiting for Artaxeres to find the time to change Roverandom back including an incident with the giant sea-serpent who sleeps not far from the mer-kings castle. Roverandom is eventually changed back into a proper dog and travels home to find Two.

This was a lovely tale based on an incident when Tolkien's second son lost his favourite toy dog at the beach one day on a family holiday. Lots of parallels to The Hobbit can be seen (the dragon, the spiders on the moon and the three magicians have Gandalf like qualities) and I definitely recommend it as a bit of light fun and happy reading.



A Truly Magical Story, 31 Jan 2008
So wonderful that this exciting book has been re-published. It is one of my most treasured books one that I read time and time again. The illustrations add to the story greatly. A real heart-warming and funny family story to share year after year after year. Highly recommended.

Brilliant!, 04 Jun 2007
This is great little book which I found a pleasant and entertaining read. There is nothing very special about it but the illustrations are nice, if sparse, and the story is good and not too complicated. It is easy to read out loud and shouldn't be too hard for a competent child to read by themselves. The only negative thing about it is that there aren't more stories of the same ilk from Tolkein.

Roverandom, 03 Jun 2007
An absolute ace book. Follows the adventures of Rover, a dog who is turned into a toy by a wizard and can only move by night. 1 of tolkiens first books.

He's a rover, 28 Feb 2006
For a little kid, losing a favorite toy is downright traumatic. So in 1925, when four-year-old Michael lost his little toy dog on the beach, fantasy author J.R.R. Tolkien made up a story to comfort his son. It explained away the loss of the toy, and wove a magical story around a little dog named Rover.

Rover is an ordinary little puppy near the seaside in England, until he runs into a grumpy old man and ends up biting off part of his pants. The old man happens to be a wizard (Artaxerxes by name), and promptly transforms Rover into a toy dog (and no, I don't mean a tiny dog -- I mean a real toy). Rover subsequently gets picked up and sold to some little boys (presumably the Tolkien kids).

Fortunately, Rover encounters another magical being, a crusty, kindly sand-wizard named Psamathos. That wizard, in turn, gets Rover (who is renamed Roverandom) flown to the moon, where he spends time with the Man in the Moon and his winged dog Rover. And then he's heading off to encounter a talking whale, a mer-dog, a sea serpent -- and a dragon.

Like the vastly underrated "Farmer Giles of Ham," "Roverandom" is a charming little bit of whimsy. No deep themes, no epic clashes, not even really a villain. The writing is charming and magical, with phrases like "There was a cold wind blowing off the North Star" sprinkled through it. It almost gives the feeling of being in another world. Best of all, in the middle of the book are Tolkien's own illustrations, cute little drawings and ethereal paintings.

Rover is well-named, since his adventures are all over the map and don't really progress from one to the other. It's merely a cute little dog roaming over the moon, the ocean, and the land, conversing with shrimps and bothering wizards. He's an outspoken little guy, but likeable. The grumpy wizards are also excellently done, reminiscent of Gandalf.

While "Roverandom" is a book aimed at children, adults may enjoy the whimsical humor and beautiful writing. A charming and timeless story.

Violence against women, 29 Nov 2008
I wonder if this is the same book I read?
A fairly interesting book of its time about an unusual family with a sort of hippie attitude. However to recommend this for todays teenage audience is to suggest that it is OK to be emotionally neglectful of your family just because you are some sort of genius is just plain wrong. Even worse the insinuation that a man can be violent because a woman would rather have violence than no attention at all is a very primitive version of a partnership. I threw the book in the bin after reading to the end hoping that the message would improve.

the castle I didn't like, 20 Nov 2008
This book is a kind of "Pride and Prejudice "in which Darcy and Bingley don't know which sister they prefer: either Jane or Elizabeth.

Their love affairs seem to depend on pure chance: they don't know their own feelings: is it love, attraction or pure boredom that brought them togother? (I tend to think it's only boredom)

And what about the ending? everything is open. Cassandra is open to anything (I mean again: she was so throught the whole book anyway...)so what's the point?
I was glad to close such a book!!

recommended reading for female from 15 to 90, 10 Nov 2008
What a lovely story! I wasn't expecting much because the only thing I knew about Dodi Smith was that she had written 101 Dalmatians -- a children's story. However,I was totally encharnted with this book. It's a delightful read for women of any age and I have bought copies for both my nieces who are 14 and 15 and also recommend it to my mother. It has interesting social history, romance and is beautifully written. What more could you ask for?

Lose Yourself - it`s "smashing" !, 18 Oct 2008
What a lovely story ! This is a book which really is for all ages except very young. Had I read it as a child/teenager I know I would have loved it then too. The story is so vividly told that in just a few pages you are transported to a green & gentle 1930`s England, when good manners mattered & people said "smashing" & "jolly good". You can see it, taste it, & smell it- I`m sure my pulse rate actually slowed ! Even though Cassandra -the central character- & her family's fairly desperate lack of cash is quite a key point,this is no depressing tale of poverty.

As the gist of the story has been described perfectly in other reviews I`ll skip that here, but would like to say that even (maybe especially?)if like me you are a fairly cynical female of 40+ this is a book which I really think you will find deserves to be called "charming".
It is also lively, funny, thoughtful, poignant, gentle, touching, clever, & totally captivating- story telling at it`s very best.

If you have a real fire, light it, make yourself a mug of cocoa, then curl up with this book & lose yourself in a gentler world. As Cassandra herself might say- "smashing" !




It captures my castle - and my heart, 01 Sep 2008
What a joy this book is to find! I was lent it by a friend and had seen the film a few years ago. Beautifully, masterfully written, with a thundering page-turner of a plot, the characters are as real as any you meet in person.
Just buy it, fill your bath and ENJOY every paragraph. I wish I could find more by this author......

Can it be? An interesting autobiography?, 27 Mar 2000
It is probably best to begin by making the obvious and inevitable comparison with "My Left Foot". While it is clear that MLF is (perhaps somewhat patronizingly) credited with being a personal achievement for its author, Under The Eye Of The Clock also manages to be an achievement in literary terms. Nolan's immense talent for metaphor and expression make the book a pleasure to read, and his story is lively, engaging and revealing. His eloquence does get the better of him on occassions and he emerges with the most obtuse and bizarre phrases, the meaning of which we can only guess. However, the humour, pathos, and drama (!) with which he depicts his life, is joyous to behold. This book will make you reassess your prejudices and feelings towards others, and this cannot be said of many books, especially not autobiographies.

This book leaves an impact years after reading it., 21 Nov 1999
Don't be put off by the subject matter, it's not one big downer about being disabled. Because the writer is disabled he choses his words with care, this gives a quality feel to the writing that makes me appreciate the craft of words without being precious & I am certainly not a literate person. A short book to read but a little gem. Be prepared to do it in 1 sitting. It has more humour in it than My Left Foot so trust the writer & go for it.

Prose by a Poet, words as you've never dreamt they could be, 16 Dec 1998
This is the greatest single piece of writing that I know of. With the heart of a poet, he writes his life story as a severly disabled young boy. You get a view of the handicapped as you will find nowhere else. He gives voice to millions without ever asking for pity. Like poetry you must let the words land on you without literal meaning, but trust the music of his words. Though you will often find it hard to "follow" in a linear way, you will be treated to a world of breathtaking verbal juxtaposition the likes of which you may never experience again.

Superb Reading, 22 Feb 2006
I read this book in one sitting and it was brilliant. It was well written and Janni Howker is talented beyond belief.

I loved the way the story's hero goes looking for the legendary big cat, and I particularly loved the ending. Just what every good story should have, but I'm not going to spoil it for those who haven't read it.

This book was also filmed around the late 80s or early 90s, I can't remember when and sadly I missed it.

Don't miss this book. Good for young teens too.

I read this book at school and i really enjoyed it, 21 Jul 2001
Bill Coward lives in Long More Lane in Haverston in yorkshire. Stone cross mill, the work place of hundreds of civilians (including bills dad, Ned) in the haverston area is threatening to be shut down, which means that Ned and bills grandad, known and chunder, would be made redundant. Ned decides to go up to scotland to look for work, and one night chunder comes in shaking with a chicken in his arms, dead, and explains that they have all been killed by something which he thought must have been a dog, but which had jumped and eight foot fence...

Excellent, 03 May 1999
This book contains a lot more than meets the eye you have to get into the mind of Bill Coward and it reveals so much about our lives of how the beast we need to fight does't roam the moors it's inside you and we cannot defeat it. However I have read it 4 times but I am not saying you will like it the thing is I learnt so much about life and it's obstacles and where life can lead you. It's probably just a personal thing but it's still a good read.

Bootleg review ( the best book i have ever read! ), 11 Feb 2007
Bootleg is by far the best book i have ever read and i have read many books. This book is my favourite for many good reasons. Have you ever dreamed of a world without chocolate? Well this book is a dream come true. You can imagine the panic and the exitement. This book is action packed right from the beggining and it never stops!!!

The BEST chocolate book ever!, 20 Jun 2004
This book is utterly fantastic. I read it in 8 days because it is such a great read. It starts off fantastically but it is