به عنوانِ «رمانِ فانتزیِ کودک» خیلی خوبه؛ ولی «رمانِ فانتزیِ نوجوان» نه؛ اصل‍اً. [«کودک» رو در این عبارت، فردی نهایتاً پنجم دبستان درنظربگیرید.]خیلی «ساده»س کتاب. سرراست و ساده و معمولی. تعلیقِ‌ش برای آدم‌های «نوجوان» [طبق همون تعریف توی کروشه‌ی قبلی] خیلی مسخره به‌نظرخواهداومد؛ ولی یه «کودک» می‌تونه رسماً ذوق‌مرگ بشه با اون تعلیق‌ها :ی شخصیت‌پردازی‌های خاصی نداره اصل‍اً؛ گره‌گشایی‌ها خیلی سریع انجام می‌شه و تندتند سروتهِ همه‌چی هم می‌یاد و همه در کنارِ هم به خوبی و خوشی زندگی می‌کنن؛ ... ولی به عنوانِ چیزی که بدی‌ش به یه «کودک» که از فرطِ فانتزی، ذوق کنه خیلی هم خوب خواهدبود. من شخصاً این رو خوندم تا مدت‌ها تو کف‌ش بودم :)) مثل‍اً معماهایی که طرح می‌شه و باید حل‌ش کنن برام خیلی جذاب بود اون موقع.بعد این که، آقا من وقتی می‌خوندم‌ش همه‌ش این‌طور بودم که چقــــدر این شبیهِ هری پاتره و اینا! پرنده‌های بزرگِ سیاهی که «اربابِ سایه‌ها» هفت تا ازشون داره، از مُردار تغذیه می‌کنن. [یادِ اسمِ مرگ‌خوارها بیُفتید.] کلّ قضیه شباهتِ بی‌نظیری داره به جان‌پیچ‌های هری‌پاتر؛ این که اصل‍اً قرار نبوده این بچه‌نیم‌وجبی بره دنبال‌ش ولی جبر روزگار و اینا، حال‍ائم که داری می‌ری دستِ رفقات رو بگیر ببر و اینا؛ این که هر گوهر رو جاهای مخوف‌طور قایم کرده‌ن؛ این که کمربند وقتی به گوهرها نزدیک می‌شه داغ می‌شه -مثلِ زخمِ هری- ؛ این که هفت تا گوهره -مثلِ هفت تا جان‌پیچ- و همه‌شون با هم یه کمربند رو -زندگیِ جاودانه‌ی ولدمورت- می‌سازن؛ ... خیــــلی شباهت داشتن! یا یکی از این‌ها از روی دستِ اون یکی چیزهایی رو الهام گرفته؛ یا کل‍اً هردوشون ته‌مایه‌های اساطیری دارن. جداً مشتاق شدم که چیزهایی درباره‌ی اساطیر اروپایی بدونم!× نوستالژیک هم هست البته برای من. :} کتاب‌خونه‌ی راهنمایی و این قضایا.اولین باری که خوندم فکر کنم چهارم یا پنجمِ دبستان بودم، فقط همین گیرم اومد، بعد سالِ اوّل راهنمایی همه‌ش رو خوندم.× مرسی لیلی :ی
This was one of my favorite book series as a teen and was the book that really got me into reading fantasy. It's technically considered a children's fiction book, but if you are interested in YA books don't let that scare you off as it's an excellent piece of fantasy writing. I recently read this book for the third of fourth time after a very long hiatus of reading hundreds of other YA and Adult fiction and I'm pleased to say that it holds up very well.The series starts with a king and his best friend living a sheltered life. An evil (possibly demonic?) king appropriately named the Shadow Lord rules over the neighboring Shadowlands (see what they did there?) and has been trying to take over the land of Deltora for generations. The only protection that can keep away this evil king is a belt forged with 7 magical gems but when nefarious deeds cause the belt lose it's power it is destroyed and the gems are spread across the land each protected by an evil monstrous guardian. The Shadow Lord invades the country and a generation passes before the son of the king's best friend can take up the quest to find these lost gems. Each book details the travels of this teen and his battle against one of the guardians for a new gem.The first book is very interesting, but somewhat light on action as much of the story is being set-up. The books themselves are short, easy reads though and the amount of set-up is similar to what a much larger book would typically entail. If you have any interest in high fantasy writing full of magic, monsters and battles please give this a shot. It's available at many bookstores and libraries as a package where the first 4 volumes (out of 8) are collected together. The series has done so well that it has evolved from a standalone 8 book series to something much larger.Deltora Quest (8 books)Deltora Shadowlands (3 books)Dragons of Deltora (4 books)There is also an anime based on the original series, a Japanese video game and a couple side books that flesh out the lore a bit (Book of Monsters, Art books, ect). It's an extremely popular series in Australia that's never quite taken off in America so if you can give it a chance. You will not regret it.
I picked this book up off of my shelf late at night, with the intention of going to bed after I finished it. It was a good thing I had the rest of the series as well, otherwise I would have had to find a book store open at 11 o'clock at night! The Deltora Quest series is amazing. Once you start it, you will not want to put it down. The character development is believable and the world that Rodda has created is well-developed and lush with danger and magical creatures. I wish I had picked up the B&N hardcover editions, because these are keepers and I think after re-reading them and loaning them out to friends, the hardcovers might last a little longer. I have just picked up the Deltora Shadowlands and Dragons books and I am saving them for a day when I can read them straight through. I highly recommend them all!
—Jen
I think that this book was fantastic and by far one of the best fantasy books I have ever read. I really enjoy the story of how Lief, the main character, seems like your average person but soon realizes that his past is more than what he realizes and reveals tremendous results. Lief is not ready at the beginning, but later becomes brave and courageous, but not too much to dramatically(although, I do realize that this is a series) while he meets companions on the way of his epic adventure. I really like how the author uses a medieval kind of setting because it somehow has a really big effect on how the characters act. As Lief battles the main antagonist, the Shadow Lord, he faces tragedy and pain, but overcomes it in a heroic type and epic way. I have no complaints about this book except that in almost the whole book, the antagonists seem like they are always one step ahead and it seems as if the group are never on the winning side if you think about it. But that is the only complaint and overall, this book was fantastic and very enjoyable.
—Aaron Jun29094
Before I read it, I had never heard of this series. I saw it sitting on a bookshelf and I had nothing else to read, so I thought why not? So I picked it up. As I read of Jarred and Endon's journey, I was instantly intrigued. The whole idea around the series - to collect the 7 gems of the belt of Deltora to end the reign of the evil Shadow Lord - is simple yet so effective! Also, the main characters of Lief, Barda, and Jasmine is really an interesting mix and proves to hold potential for great character development. This book's guardian, Gorl, seemed the perfect fit to protect the gem as well as the Lilies of Life. The creatures and this world introduced in this book is extremely interesting, and I doubt that someone could read this and not read the rest. I give it a 5/5.
—Lairmemo
