Customer Reviews

The Black Stallion and the Shape-shifter

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is the 2nd Black Stallion novel written by Steven that I've read. I read all of Walter Farley's books as a child and have re-read them as an adult. Steven just doesn't have his father's gift for story telling. The characters are flat. I'd call Alec insensitive in this book. At least he doesn't have a crew cut!

BTW, Steven, the word is "conformation" when you're talking about how a horse is put together, not "confirmation"! Shall we blame your editor?

Walter Farley's son is taking up the reigns of his father's famous horse stories in producing a new addition to the old series, The Black Stallion and the Shape-Shifter. Here the Black and Alec Ramsey are heading to Ireland to recuperate from a racing injury, only to find a girl who loves horses is eager to learn to ride. When she vanishes after Alec agrees to teach her, villagers say she's been taken by a kelpie and is gone forever. Can there be such a thing as magic? A fine horse story and mystery evolves.

The Black Stallion and the Shape-shifter is a nice addition to the Black Stallion Series.
I read the plot for this book in October and was not sure then if it would work. I am happy to say it does.
The Series has, from the beginning, some mystic, supernatural and science fiction elements running through it. And this book defintely has the supernatural elements.
Steven used various elements from the multiple stories about the kelpie and wove them together into an exciting story.
Alec and the Black's meeting of the kelpie on Long Island is a nice foreshadowing of what's to come. And when you meet the next one, you're not sure; is it or isn't it, but it seems so benign but isn't.
He also refers to earlier books which will help anyone new to the series. For example: the desert island where Alec and the Black bond, Hopeful Farm, Satan and Pam.
Also, this is the first book that acknowledges the passing of time from The Black Stallion,the first book, to this one. (Pg. 6) A nice surprise.
Mora, the fourth main character, is the normal teenage of today: sees a pony, wants a pony, catch it and then rides it. And then races it!! Personally I would never have mounted a strange horse or pony no matter how much I wanted to. And to race it? Never. However, she is a better character than others I read in other horse fiction being written today.
There are two races in this book. The Irish one which the Black is injuried in. And the last one. The most important one. Very good description of both these races.


The negatives. The first review is correct on the misspelling of conformation. But this person reaction to this is strange. I have found words misspelled, missing, lines missing or attached to different paragraphs in many books. An author does review their work. But they know what they are saying and so a proofreader from the publisher usually reads their works. And then there's the publishing of the book. All of them can still miss a mistake. It happens and I have some of those samples to prove it. (The White Dragon paperback edition, the last Beastmaster book to name two that have errors in them.)
Steven word usage in a few places read odd. Most of these were found in describing the Black's movement.
And the Black is injuried...again. Can we please not have that happen in the next book?

Overall I give this book a Good rating.

The plot was great and was glad to see a little mystery and action in the book. The whole kelpie thing was a nice touch and made it more interesting. I wish that Steven would have explained more of how Mora was doing, but overal it was amazing!

Steven Farley has written a good book. If the "shape-shifter" (or Kelpie) didn't get 'real' near the end, it would have been fair. For a Black Stallion book, I didn't really mind it. Henry wasn't grouchy, but Alec was still different and I didn't like that. Otherwise, the story was very good, and it was interesting. I thought the entire thing with Silver and the bridle and saddle was goofy, and the Irish brogue got on me some, and I think the beginning was rushed, especially with the letter, but I enjoyed it and I wasn't like "when will this end?" It was a really good book by Steven Farley, and if the Silver thing and the Shape-Shifer thing were cut out, I would have given the book four stars. I was also surprised to notice that Ruth Sanderson was the illustrator of this book cover, instead of John Rowe. She illustrated the first paperback BS's.

I have been reading the stories of The Black and Alec since I was a kid. It aggravated my teachers to no end that the Walter Farley books were the only ones I ever bothered to read.
Steven Farley has done a great job with the very essence of the relationship between Alec and his horse.