Customer Reviews

Champion's Spirit (Thoroughbred Series #20)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

I really thought this book was great but whatever happend to Glory? I mean in one book Glory is there but in the next one he is gone. Well I need to get down to the point here this book was well writen and it described Champion and the racetracks so well I thought that I was Cindy and also that I was right there at the racetrack aswell. Anyway I'm looking for a horse crazy pen pal so please e-mail me! I have to words to add to this book review and they are: THOROUGHBREDS RULE!

In Champions Spirit, Wonders Champion has just started his racing career. Wonders Champion was one of Ashleighs Wonders foals. Ashleighs Wonder was one of the best racehorses in her old racing days. And now she passed her talent to her foals:Wonder Pride, Townsend Princess, Mr.Wonderful, and now Wonders Champion has Wonders talent. But Champion is hard to handle. Unlike his brothers and sister, Champion has strong likes and dislikes, goes after the other horses in the walking ring and balks at the gate. Champion is almost perfect when he runs though. After Storms Ransoms death, Cindy Mclean has missed the grey colt terribiely. Cindy mclean has watched some of the best racehorses Whitebrook Farm grow up. Cindy has grew a bond with the famous track breaking record March To Glory, the amazing Sprinter Storms Ransom, and now will Cindy show that love again for Champion when Storm is dead. Cindy Mclean has watched the beautiful colt grow up into a beautiful racer. The only problem is Champions behavior. The track stewards tell Ashleigh Griffen, Champions jockey, trainer, and half owner and Mike Reese, Ashleighs husband that if Champion doesnt start to behave, they will have to disqualify Champion from his races. Cindy, his groom knows the colt could be a champion if he was given the chance. But will Cindy getover Stroms death to help a unperdactble colt become a champion like his family? find out in Champions Spirit. Or email me at Blades60@aol.com

I love the TB series and I wanted to be a jockey when I grew up (I'm too big), and this series was my favorite since it first came out. But in this book, I think there should be more of Glory. Has Cindy forgotten him or something? But I'm sure Karen and Joanna mean't for it to be a better book, and I still liked it!

Are all you people crazy! 20 was good! It wasn't the best, but it certainly wasn't horrible! I am wondering three things, where are the townsends? what happened to Glory? And in book 23 Ashleigh was pregnant, where's the kid? And to Mary-Kate also known as mroan@alltel.net with your "Shut Up And Ride", how many times have you lost a horse you dearly love. I've lost a horse more than a year ago and I still can't shut up and ride! Obviously you can't care too much about horses if you think that a horse you love more than anything is suddenly killed let's see how easy it is to get over that! I cried so much in book 19 and it's one of my favorites because every word that was said about how Cindy felt was true! Book 20 was great and so is Karen Bently!

5-28-98

I thought this book had a great way of describing the races and winning the Triple Crown. Their feelings felt like my feelings. I felt like MY horse won the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness and the Belmont (Triple Crown). And now that Real Quiet's on his way it seems even more real.

I am terribley disapointted in this book. Karen Bentley has taken a series that ranks with the Black Stallion and twisted it into a horrible peice of unrealistic writting. This series reminds me of a story called the great horse story. It is one of those stories were one person tells a part then anothe rand so forth and so on. When she took over for Joanna Campbell she twisted every minute detial so it was her series entirely. She left no trace of Joanna Campbell's superb writing skills. Thank God she can't change the ones the Joanna Campbelll already wrote. In book #23 Bently improves some but not much. Cindy is a self centered dumb blond who has to have everything she wants or else she troughs a horrible fit until she does. Karen Bentley is obvisously trying to fill someones shoes that are much to big for her. I was able to stan her other books but this one was the last straw. She is consantly messing up facts like saying Wonder's Pride lost the Preakness when he won it. She can't seem to keep the horses' names straight either. She continuosly calls Wonder's Pride Townsend Pride. This series has gone from gold to mud. I can only hope that Bentley will do better with the "New Generation of the Thoroughbred series". I don't speak without knowlege. I have been reading this series since 3rd grade and have every single book in the series up to #23 and all super edtions.

i love all of wonder's foals but i like champion the best because fo his spirit and wild nature. i also like that he won the triple crown!

This book begins with another of Ashleigh's Wonder's fabulous offspring, Wonder's Champion. Cindy(whom all thoroughbred fans have grown to hate) grows to love Champion, and has faith in him, and blah blah blah. Champion has an uncontrollable amount of spirit, that gets in the way of him doing his best in races. This book is extremely forgettable. And when you're done, you'll think, "So wait, what just happened?" All in all, the series has evolved into a disgrace to all equestrian novels. The series is filled with quick fixes, and happy endings. And Joanna Campbell will never be replaced, as it shows in this book. Thoroughly dissapointing. And it only gets worse. Although, arouns #70, the series is said to pick up, there will never be another thoroughbred book after 72. In my opinion, these books need a long rest out in the pasture.

The Cindy and second generation eventing portions of the series were dark days for Thoroughbred. The plots have since switched back to racing and the newest few books have been exceptional. Just as we thought there was hope for the Thoroughbred series to be restored to its former glory Harper Collins has decided to end the series abruptly after #72. With such a dedicated following and online fan base with members from all over the world, this is a classic and beloved series that has inspired many people and provided horse fans with vicarious thrills and adventure. Ashleigh saved Wonder, now it's up to you to help save Thoroughbred. [...]

I loved this book but I don't understand that glory is there one book but gone in the next. Read Ashleigh's Diary. Thoroughbred rocks!!