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17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Takes the prize, August 25, 2002
This review is from: Prince Ombra (Mass Market Paperback)
"Prince Ombra" is one of the more obscure, unusual fantasy books that will have people blankly staring if you mention that you enjoyed it. However, it is also an insightful study of human nature, good and evil, and an intriguing philosophical fantasy. Bentley Ellicott was literally born to be a hero -- with a massive store of mythical knowledge and the information and a crippled leg. He knows that he was meant, like the thousand heroes before him since the beginning of time, to battle the incorporeal evil called Prince Ombra, who appears every so often to try to corrupt the world. Though he is considered peculiar and even dangerous by the inhabitants of his home town, he makes two friends: Slally, a girl who speaks in a nonsense language that only Bentley can understand, and Dietrich Kreistein, an elderly German shrink who gradually realizes who and what Bentley is. The town is gradually being corrupted by malice as Ombra draws ever closer with confrontation in mind. Despite the finding of a magical stone that is the key to defeating Ombra, Bentley is tempted and shocked by new revelations about his family, his friends, the people around him -- and about himself. Will the thousand-and-first hero with a "borrowed heart" overcome his weaknesses and fears, or will Ombra triumph? Perhaps the most moving message of "Prince Ombra" is that true heroes are not perfect, that they are tempted, sometimes fail, and need help like any other person. They also can't do everything: Bentley is unable to help everyone he loves. And defeating evil is more than simply getting rid of an evil person, but also overcoming one's own weaknesses as well. And while Bentley is the conflicted hero, the story also involves several subplots: Straitlaced Mrs. Tally and the much-maligned pretty girl Polly Woodhouse, the widowed, always-sad Mr. Ellicott and Slally's mother Ellen; McGraw, the embittered police chief who unknowingly combats Ombra's influence and questions his lack of faith; Slally, the lonely little girl who comes out of her shell for Bentley; Doctor Kreistein, the Merlin to Bentley's Arthur, who remembers Ombra's influence during World War II and is determined to help his charge. It's also quite pleasant that rather than outright scares and cartoonish badness, Ombra's influence is quite realistic and all the more chilling. He enhances rage and negative emotions in even the nicest, most well-meaning of people. And people who are already rotten at heart willingly become his pawns, a disturbing and realistic portrayal of evil. This book is more suited to young adults than to younger children, as there is some profanity (nothing too obscene), a tastefully-written but very disturbing scene of attempted child molestation, and a few sexual references (also discreet), and a truly horrifying scene with an insane pastor. Additionally, younger children may be confused by Bentley's confrontations with Ombra, and not catch on to the deeper undertones of this book. Fans of mythology will have a heyday with the variety of obscure hero stories from various cultures, and those who enjoy good writing will like the evocative, detailed language interspersed with small-town atmosphere. However, teen or adult fantasy/horror fans will undoubtledly give "Prince Ombra" a permanent place on their shelves. A fast-paced, thought-provoking, one-of-a-kind book.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Beware This Edition!, January 14, 2009
This review is from: Prince Ombra (Mass Market Paperback)
I agree with all the positive reviews of this story and the older editions of the book. HOWEVER! This edition has been edited to be more appropriate for younger readers even though it was not written for children. The result is that the narrative is non-sensical at times due to the slipshod manner of the edits.
The end of chapter 13 is the worst example that I am aware of as I have only had the mistakes drawn to my attention by my friend reading the story for the first time. Imagine my disappointment when she asked why a part of the story I remembered as very powerful simply did not make sense. I checked with an older edition and found missing paragraphs and rewritten sentences. I have no idea whether there are other significant problems, but this one was enough for me.
I will be buying a used copy to replace my friend's 'defective' edition.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Prince Ombra: A Thought-Provoking Adventure Story for All Ages, by Annie Haroldsen, November 9, 2007
This review is from: Prince Ombra (Mass Market Paperback)
Prince Ombra is an amazingly well-written novel that has the ability to capture its audience and keep them reading from the first page to the very end. Roderkick MacLeish's brilliant themes and characterization bring the book to life and make it meaningful to every reader--whether they are young or old. It is well worth the money to buy and time spent on reading this book, because it is full of meaning and intrinsic value which makes it a rare jewel in the literary world.
The characterization in Prince Ombra is a major factor in what makes this novel so enticing and enjoyable. The main character is Bentley Ellicott--an eight-year old boy with a life changing secret: he remembers where he came from before coming to earth, and beating within his body is the heart of a thousand previous heroes, including King Arthur and Hector from the Iliad. He knows that with this gift he has been given, he must defeat the essence of evil in the world: Prince Ombra. Because of this great task that he has been faced with, the development that Bentley goes through throughout the novel is stunning and realistic. He must come face to face with his fears and insecurities to save the world, and by doing so, he transforms into a mature and intelligent boy to fulfill his destiny. He is given a friend to help him along the way: Sally Drake. Sally is an interesting character in herself because she doesn't have the ability to speak coherently, and no one can understand her--except Bentley. When we are first introduced to Sally, she is shy and insecure, and is simply scared of everything around her. However, as the novel progresses and as her best friend works at becoming the hero he is destined to be, Sally matures and must face many hardships and trials that are placed upon her. She becomes Bentley's main support in his battle against the evils of the world. This friendship that Sally and Bentley share is full of happiness and realistic struggles that are enjoyable to read about and to learn from.
Every character in this novel develops in a stunningly realistic manner, and that makes Prince Ombra even more enjoyable. Multiple types of people are portrayed in this novel, and are changed and shaped by the events that take place. Bentley's father, Richard, must deal with the death of his wife and the apathetic feelings that he finds himself experiencing towards his son. Sally's mother, Ellen, has been through a hard divorce and attempts to let herself love again. Dietrich Kreistein, Bentley's psychologist, must decide whether to believe the seemingly insane claims that Bentley has given him, and must try to help himself overcome past horrors that he has had to face in his life. Every character is beset with realistic challenges and important decisions that they must make, which makes these characters relatable to the reader, and makes the novel even more enjoyable to read.
The themes portrayed in Prince Ombra are very deep and evoke many theological questions important to self-discovery, such as: is there such a thing as destiny? How can our fears be detrimental to our growth and fulfillment of our destiny? Were we chosen before coming to this earth to do a work for mankind? What is the true nature of evil and good in the world? All of these questions are addressed in Prince Ombra and whether we take the answers given in the novel literally or symbolically is up to us. Either way, this book promotes deep thinking and analysis of ourselves and our goals in life, yet is still adventurous and fun, and could be enjoyed by an expert of philosophy or a ten-year old boy.
The theme of friendship helping to overcome the obstacles in our lives is also very prominent and inspiring in this novel. Every character is beset with their unique set of challenges, and in order to overcome them, they are given friends to help them along the way. Bentley is given Sally, Richard is given Ellen, Mrs. Tally, a self-proclaimed widow, helps Polly Woodhouse, who, in turn, attempts to help Charlie Feavey. Through working together and providing support, these characters are better able to adapt to the changes that are wrought upon the town of Stonehaven where they live. These same ideas can be applied to our lives. Everyone needs a friend to help them get through challenges, and by becoming a friend to someone, you are helped as well. Although it is hard to get along with everyone all the time, it is possible to find compromises in stressful situations that make everyone as happy as possible. Prince Ombra reminds us of the importance of friendship and the impact we can make on someone's life by becoming their friend. Lives are changed by friendship, and lasting impressions can be made. We see this with all of the friendships in the novel, especially those of Bentley and Sally, and Richard and Ellen.
The realistic struggles of life in this novel are counter-balanced by the adventurous fun that the characters go through. Because of this, children could be just as satisfied with this novel as the adults that read it. There are many different layers of meaning in this book, and the reader can choose whether to delve down into the depths of human essence portrayed, or to keep their minds at the surface of the story, to enjoy it for its intrinsic amusement. Because the main character, Bentley, is only eight years old, the younger readers of this novel could better relate to him, and enjoy the fact that he is neither boring nor intimidating. There are many older characters in the novel as well, which face more adult problems that the more mature readers of this book would be able to relate to and learn from. The themes, although deep, are also simple, like the idea of fear, insecurity, and friendship. Everyone, whether young or old, faces these issues in their life, and because there is such a wide range of character types in this novel, this story can be appreciated and enjoyed by everyone who reads it.
Prince Ombra is so amazingly well done and contains such deep questions about the essence of life and being, and has such realistic character development, that it is easy to say that it has become one of the best books that I have had the privilege to read. It is versatile and could be enjoyed by many different audiences because of the nature of the characters and the adventurous plot that is mixed in with thought-provoking themes and motifs. I would suggest it to anyone who loves psychological fantasies and child-narrated adventure stories. I guarantee that those who read it will not be disappointed.
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