Customer Reviews

Glory's Rival (Thoroughbred Series #18)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(11)

 

 

WORST EVER! Why couldn't have Shining entered and won!? And what's with Glory beating Seartarit's record! Only Man O' War could have done that! Cindy is a BRAT! I wish they would just lose. And what's with the horses!! I mean, the only horses that I've liked are High Jinx, Perfect Image, Mr.Wonderful, Storm's Ransom, and Shining!!!!!

This book sucked. I wish i never read it. Cindy is so hooked on winning it just gets boring. she sometimes makes smantha and other people close to her sound like criminals. I hate cindy. And the way she refers to Ashleighs horses as "her's". Thoroughbred books were so much better when Joanna Campbell wrote them. They all fell apart after #12. And with glory winning the Breeders cup classic by 31 lenghts i don't think so! They should of let a decent horse like pride win it by that much. don't buy this book.

Joanna Campbell, creator of the Thoroughbred series, wrote the books from #1-14, then let Karen Bentley take over starting with #15, Glory's Triumph. Bentley isn't a BAD writer. She knows which end of the horse is up and she knows something about training, which is a plus. However, it's her whole attitude about the series that really starts to drag it down. We see less of the loving camaraderie between girls and their horses, and less of the sneaky evil villain-ry of the younger Townsends, Brad and Lavinia. Glory's Rival is sugar-coated and badly held up, but hey, most of the other books in this sector (Bentley wrote #15-23, as well as two super editions, Ashleigh's Hope and Samantha's Journey) are too.

Glory's Rival, in a nutshell, is all about Cindy's fears that her horse, March to Glory, will race against her adopted sister's horse, Shining, in the Breeder's Cup Classic. Cindy's competitive attitude threatens to destroy her relationship with Samantha. In the end it's all peachy anyway, since Glory wins the Classic and Shining wins the Distaff, which is the race for fillies and mares.

I don't really care that much that Whitebrook took a double victory on Breeder's Cup day, though I do think it's unrealistic. (So many horses race. How likely is it, really, that one farm will produce two winners on Breeder's Cup day? For that matter, many horses don't make it to the stakes at all.) And I don't care all that much about Cindy's bad attitude, since it only gets worse as the series goes on. (Campbell made a great start with the possibility of lots of backstory, but Bentley mostly chose to ignore her orphaned past.) I felt like the entire plot was trivial. Bentley doesn't get close enough to the characters for us to really care whether Glory wins or loses or breaks his leg. No, scratch that - it's not GLORY we don't care about. He's a nice horse. It's CINDY.

The "rivalry" between Shining and Glory is nothing like the well-drawn, fast-paced, makes-your-blood-boil competition between Townsend Prince and Ashleigh's Wonder, back when Ashleigh Griffen was a girl. Brad Townsend was a formidable foe because he was cutthroat and would go to dirty lengths to win, but he did actually care very much about the Prince. Cindy, on the other hand, doesn't seem to care all that much about Glory; she just wants to win. It feels shallow because Bentley doesn't write with conviction.

And while we're on the subject of the Townsends, this newfound sweet-and-light love between the Whitebrook group and the Townsends is close to sickening. Brad and Lavinia Townsend have always been most interesting when they act as BELIEVABLE rivals. Bentley didn't know how to write them as believable rivals - people who pull the dirtiest tricks that we, the readers, see right through but never quite come to light to the racing officials - so she ended all rivalry and competition between them.

And getting to the 31 lengths thing - yes, I suppose it's possible for a horse to win a race by 31 lengths. Sure. I buy that. I do NOT, however, buy the fact that it's the same number of lengths that Secretariat set a record with. That's sacrilegious. For goodness sakes, make it 29 lengths, make it 30, but not 31.

Looks like the new authors really need to check their words. Do you think that Shining would actually be the next Ruffian? I don't think so. Do you think the Glory will be the next like, Secretariat? No way. Not a chance, March to Glory. Also, wouldn't 'Shining' be taken in the Jockey Club already?

This book was all right but I don't really like Cindy and Glory. Ashleigh, Wonder and all of Wonder's offspring were and still are my favorite characters in the series. I don't get what's so bratty about Christina, and I don't get what's so bratty about Cindy either : well, yeah, she gets everything she wants and she always wins and so does Glory. Glory winning his first race by 20 lengths and then the Breeder's Cup by 31 lengths is unreasonable. This book is fictional, yes, but it still isn't right. The world isn't perfect.

Most fans of the Thoroughbred Series seem conflicted over which volume is the worst ever...Glory's Rival or Arabian Challenge? Personally, my opinion is that nothing can eclipse the singular awfulness of Arabian Challenge, but Glory's Rival almost manages it.

First, you have the premise. Will Cindy's horse race against Samantha's horse, and, if so, how will Cindy feel when her horse ultimately beats the living snot out of Samantha's horse? As, you see, there is no other option. Not that any of this matters, because Karen Bentley's plot implodes right when she decides that there will be no great race at all. You see, it's so much more fantastic to have two winners rather than have to deal with anything that might be actually interesting.

Second, you have Cindy's obsession with winning. Would it be nice to have a Breeders' Cup Classic winner? Well of course, but not only does Cindy expect this, she also demands a new world record and a unanimous Horse of the Year nomination. I am not even kidding. By the time she has her sit down with Samantha concerning how we can't always win, kids, the lesson has no hope of hitting home. Cindy nods, pretends she understands, and becomes even more infatuated with winning.

Third, the Townsends are abandoned in this book. Sure, it's done under the assumption that they weren't all that evil after all. Actually, hey, they're great, you guys! Those seventeen books before this? They were just misunderstood! Which, hey, I love Brad Townsend, but even I can't see the motivation behind this. I want my Townsends in plain view, I want them scaring our main characters to emotional overreaction, and I want Brad Townsend being awesome. He was really the only thing interesting in the series after a certain point as it was. How dare he be cast aside!

Not to even mention Glory's fantastic Classic win. Can we all say Secretariat?

I love this book and the whole series i may be almost 16 but i don't care i love horses alot and reading the books i own almost the whole series. This book is Awesome not my favorite but it's up there!!! :)

In Glorys Rival, the famous March To Glory is getting ready for the biggest race of his life, the Breeders Cup Classic. Glory was once a stolen thoroughbred horse until Cindy Mclean found him. cindy Mclean saved Glory from abusment awhile back. Cindy saw that the grey colt had the potiental to become a champion. Cindy mclean was also an orphan had had no real home until she found Whitebrook Farm, a large breeding and racing stable for racing thoroughbreds. Both Cindy and Glory is having the time of their life at Whitebrook. Glory is now known all over the country and Cindy couldnt be prouder of the colt she has loved for so long. Glory has been setting track records in most of his races, just like his grandsire, Just Victory. And since Glory has been doing soo well Ashleigh Griffen and Mike Reese, both owners of Whitebrook bevlieve Glory has a chance in the Breeders Cup Classic. Cindy couldnt believe it, Glory was going to show the world he was a champion by winning the Breeders Cup Classic. But will friendship get in the way. cindys older sister, Samantha Mclean has been thinking about entering her filly in the Breeders Cup Classic to. Shinning, samantha horse has beatin colts before and its possible Shinning can win the Breeders Cup Classic. Both Cindy and Samantha want their horses to win but will they forgive eachother after the race. Will their friendship keep Glory or Shinning out of the winners circle? Find out in Glorys Rival. Or just email me at Blades60@aol.com

First off, GLory has no rival in this story. In the races, Cindy always believes Glory will win. But she never thinks it possible that, hm, maybe Glory will be injured, maybe he can't run? If Glory WERE injured, she would pretend not to notice it, just so he would win, and everyone would know he's 'the best horse ever!' And she's always saying, Glory, you're the best! And then Storm comes along, Storm you're the best! COME ON. MAKE UP YOUR MIND CINDY. hate her. but anyway, Cindy is entering Glory in the Breeders Cup Classic. And she's sure he'll win. Then Sam starts to debate Entering Shining in The Classic or Distaff (fillies and mares only race) Of course, Cindy tells herself that the only reason that she doesn't want Shining to enter is because she doesn't want Sam hurt when Shing loses (!). I think it's really that she's worried Glory will lose, but there's no proof of that in the book. Of COURSE, sammy puts shining in the distaff, and wins. And then Glory goes in the classic and wins by 31 LENGTHS <rolls eyes> ( perhaps the authors are hinting that Glory is secretariet reincarnated! NOT) overall, this book goes all to well, nothing goes wrong. ONLY recommended to you if you have read 1-17 and wish to go on with the series!

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. Go to www.whitebrookfarm.com and join the effort.