Customer Reviews

The Tangle Box (Magic Kingdom of Landover Novel)

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If you read the fist three Landover books and like them, you will like this one. Simalar theme as the last three with Terry Brooks' excellent descriptions of details. The base story line is: A magic creature captures Holiday (King), Nightshade (Witch), and Sabro (Dragon) in the "Tangle box". Their memories are stolen from them and they wander around the Mysts not knowing who or what they are. Through a line of strange events they are freed by Holidays faithful servents. More details would ruin the book. Read it if you are a Terry Brooks Landover fan.

I loved this book. Next to THE WITCHES' BREW, this was the best landover novel, Terry really did out do himself this time. I enjoyed this book the whole way through, I never wanted to put it down, and when I did, I picked it up again almost immediatly. I loved all the hardships and obsticles the characters had to face, endure, and over come throughout the course of the book. GREAT JOB!!!!!! This is a must read for anybody and everybody who has ever had a love for the spellbinding magic of a great fantasy novel.

This story is the most interseting book of the series.It brings in a new character that Holiday and his friends must deal with. However, Holiday is traped in a magic box with his two enemies.What happens inside the box between The Knight (Holiday), the Lady (Nightshade),and the Gargoyle(Dragon) is very interseting.It is a must read for anyone whocv has enjoyed Brook's other Landover novels.

The Tangle Box (1994) is the fourth fantasy novel in the Magic Kingdom of Landover series, following Wizard at Large. In the previous volume, Questor convinced Strabo to help Ben. Then he had a private word with Michel. Later, he stopped up the bottle.

In this novel, Ben Holiday is a former trial lawyer. He has been King of Landover for about three years. Now he is married to Willow.

Willow is a sylph, the daughter of the River Master and a wood nymph. She is now Ben's wife.

Questor Thews is the court wizard of Landover. He was the half-brother of the former court wizard. He has gotten better at wizardry and has even learned a little wisdom.

Abernathy is the court scribe. He is also a talking dog. He had once been a human, but had been transformed by Questor. The wizard has not yet been able to restore his human form.

Horris Kew is a minor conjurer and a con artist. He had been banished to Earth with the myna bird Biggar about two decades ago.

The Gorse is a creature of fairy, very powerful and very evil. It had been trapped by the other residents on fairy and bound in the tangle box.

In this story, Horris is very angry at Biggar for blowing his con. Biggar might have magically enhanced intelligence, but he is still a birdbrain at times. This time, the bird claims that Skat Mandu contacted him and told him to confess all. Since Horris had created Skat Mandu out of his own imagination, the scammer cannot believe Biggar.

Horris takes the tangle box and escapes from his irritated victims. He is not really sure what the box is, but he conjured it up one day and is very certain that it is the most valuable thing that he possesses. Biggar tells him a sequence of magic words and Horris pronounces them. The box lid disappears, mists arise from the box and they flee through the mists.

They find themselves back in Landover. Then Horris and Biggar are confronted by the Gorse. It tempts them with promises of power over the whole kingdom. The Gorse has Horris write three notes and sends Biggar to deliver them.

Meanwhile, Willow informs Ben of her pregnancy. He is astonished and joyful. He quickly dresses and bounds down the stairs to tell the news to his friends. When he arrives in the dining room, his announcement is delayed by the arrival of Horris and Biggar.

Questor recognizes Horris and is adamant that he should be thrown into a cell in the dungeons. Even Abernathy is against listening to Horris. Yet Ben invites Horris into the chamber and hears his supplication, but only promises to consider the request.

Willow goes on a quest at the invitation of the Earth Mother. She tells Ben that she has to go alone. When she reaches the elemental spirit, the Earth Mother gives her certain instructions.

Ben receives a note under his pillow and goes to meet Strabo at the Heart, but finds Nightshade instead. She too had received a note that she believed came from Ben. Strabo appears after receiving a note from Nightshade. Then Horris triggers the trap and all three are sucked into the tangle box and trapped within the Labyrinth.

This tale leaves Ben, Nightshade and Strabo within the box without any memory of their entrapment. Willow continues on her quest to prepare for the child's birth. Horris and Biggar remain unaware of their own forthcoming betrayal by the Gorse.

The story has the usual twists and turns, with various surprises here and there. The next volume in this series is Witches' Brew. Read and enjoy!

Recommended for Brooks fans and for anyone who enjoys tales of magic kingdoms, fairy magic, and true romance.

-Arthur W. Jordin

In this sequel to Wizard at Large, Ben Holiday receives the joyous news that his wife, Willow is pregnant, but his joy is short-lived when she tells him that she must now go off. To make matters worse, a troublesome old conjurer returns to Landover from exile, and unbeknownst to anyone else, he has brought along an evil fairy creature called the Gorse. The Gorse has plans to conquer Landover, and he begins by locking Holiday, Strabo and Nightshade in the Tangle Box, the prison that had held him for so long. If they are to escape, it is up to Holiday, Strabo and Nightshade to overcome the magic that holds them and work together. And, if Willow is to have a healthy baby, she must gather dirt from three worlds that are the roots of the baby - Landover, Earth and the land of the Fairy. Meanwhile, the Gorse has plans for Landover, and he is going to let nothing stand in his way.

This is another great book, from a really fun series of fantasy books. I didn't expect a lot out of the Landover books, as the premise sounded a little immature to me. But, I nonetheless found these to be a fun series of books with interesting characters and suspenseful stories. I really enjoyed this book, Book #4 in the series, and do not hesitate to recommend it, and the rest of the series to everyone!

I am the bigggest Brooks fan. I am revisiting the Landover series and just finished The Tangle Box. I loved that this book brought in some new surprises. I don't want to spoil anything but I was surprisingly shocked by Bigger's Karmic departure at the end of the book, as well as the relationship between Ben and Nightshade and of course the birth of Ben and Willow's daughter. This book has surely set a new landscape for Witches Brew, (which I am reading now) allowing for an expansion of the storyline. I think the Landover series would be a huge success as a motion picture series. Hope it happens:)

A breathtaking, I have enjoyed every word, every moment, could not leave it until I reached last page and made me hungry for more...

In The Tangle Box, Ben Holiday, king of Landover is trapped away from those he loves. Willow, his wife, is on a journey alone carrying their child. In the meantime, havoc ensues in Landover with the arrival of a past citizen, who had been exiled, Horris Kew.

Both Willow and Ben are searching for answers. Willow the answer of how to safely deliver her child, Ben the answer to who he is and how to escape. Neither is aware of the importance of the others journey.

The books in this series keep getting better. This one being my favorite so far. Some of my favorite characters are back, including Edgewood Dirk and Im finally seeing some character growth in Ben. A 3.5 star book for me. Im looking forward to finishing the series with the next book...Witches Brew.

Finally Brooks took some risks and put his characters really on the line. I found this the best plotted one of the series! I loved it. The characters' explorations in their prison are wonderfully done, especially those they make into themselves. I think Brooks put more meat in this one, and that is why I like it so much. You gotta read this one. It is definately the most satisfying of the bunch, with the G'Home Gnomes being the coolest part of the book practically. Read it.

I am thrilled with my purchase. it came in a timely manner and was in fantastic shape...thanks a whole lot :)