Prince Otto [Paperback]

Product Details

• Paperback: 188 pages
• Publisher: Blue Unicorn Editions
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1891355708
• ISBN-13: 978-1891355707
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,118,965 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894) was a novelist, poet, short-story writer, and essayist. In 1883, while bedridden with tuberculosis, he wrote what would become one of the best known and most beloved collections of children's poetry in the English language, A Child's Garden of Verses. Block City is taken from that collection. Stevenson is also the author of such classics as Treasure Island, Kidnapped, and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Human frailties, March 13, 2008

By 

Tom Nelson "Wharhalen" (Ohio) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Prince Otto: a Romance (Paperback)

The Winds of Wharhalen "Prince Otto" is a great departure from better known Robert Louis Stevenson works. For example, Treasure Island and Kidnapped are adventure stories aimed a young male readers longing for travel and excitement. The Master of Ballentrae and The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde explore the dark, sinister side of human nature. In none of these famous works does romance play an important part. "Prince Otto", however, is ultimately a love story, although it may not seem apparent early in the book. The Prince and his wife, Princess Serafina, in their roles as heads of state and royalty, have grown apart from each other. As the story progresses, they undergo momentous transformations as they begin to lose these superficial veneers that mask their humanity. The unlikely catalyst for this transformation is a web of court intrigue that includes power struggles, treachery, and deceit. The story is vividly and beautifully told by the writer, whom I believe is the most readable of 19th century authors.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Unexpected, but puzzlingly entertaining nonetheless, May 12, 2009

By 

C. T. Hunter "chips_books" (Gainesville, FL United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Prince Otto: a Romance (Paperback)

This is a difficult book to classify. It is certainly not an adventure story (like most other RLS novels) or a mystery. While almost humorous, it is not written as a comedy, and it can only be loosely categorized as a romance. Telling a seemingly serious story, of the downfall of a German prince and the rise of democracy, the tone of the story belies that seriousness and lends itself more to a comedy. The primary characters are foppish and overly dramatic, giving this story the aspect of a satire on the courts of old Europe. Nothing too blatant, but you can't help but get the feel of the author's sarcasm as he describes rough country folk, pampered courtiers, and emotional royalty.

That being said, this does tell a complete and almost fairy tale-like story. As Otto and Seraphina blunder into loosing everything, they wind up gaining even more. A tale of growth, love, and shedding the petty stuff, PRINCE OTTO has all the makings of a serious story with worthwhile lessons, desperate chances, and a happy ending. Throw in Stevenson's not-quite-satirical prose and the not-quite-respectable characters and you've got a curiously light-hearted read with a dangerously serious plot. Here's respect to Stevenson for pulling off this unexpected and uniquely entertaining novel.

Recommended for those that enjoy something different every now and then.

3.0 out of 5 stars A disappointment., February 6, 2012

By 

J. Johnston "violinman" (Sydney, Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Prince Otto (Paperback)

What a let down of a novel. Interesting to read a great writer floundering when writing another genre. Characters two dimensional, tale contrived, and Stevenson out of his depth when attempting satire. Basically I reckon his heart wasn,t in it and it shows.