The Neverending Story [Hardcover]

Michael Ende (Author), Ralph Manheim (Translator)

Book Description

Release date: March 1, 1997 | Age Range: 10 and up

Bastian embarks on a wild adventure when he enters the magical world of Fantastica, a doomed land filled with dragons, giants, and monsters, and risks his life to save Fantastica by going on a very dangerous quest.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Gr 5 Up-Michael Ende's beloved fantasy (Doubleday, 1983) about a young boy who becomes a mighty hero in the story he is reading gains vibrant new life through this fantastic audio. Narrator Gerard Doyle transports listeners into the beautiful and dangerous world of Fantastica, a land filled with dragons, giants, and monsters, providing each character with a distinct voice and making the imaginative landscapes feel like tangible places. Some familiar only with the movie version (Warner Home Video, 2001) may be disheartened to learn that the well-known children's film only loosely adheres to the book on which it was based. But most will be thrilled to learn that the Neverending Story continues long after Bastian bestows the Childlike Empress with her new name. Whimsical creatures abound and exciting surprises await listeners at every turn. As with any hero's journey, an important-and hard-won-lesson must be learned before Bastian's quest can be completed. Although originally intended for young audiences, this timeless fantasy will thrill listeners of any age and continue to enchant them for generations to come. The only drawback is the audio's inconsistent volume. Overall, this epic tale has everything a fantasy enthusiast could wish for and more. A must have!-Alissa LeMerise, Oxford Public Library, MIα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Review

"Gerard Doyle's performance grounds this new production of Ende's enduring fantasy about Bastian, a grieving boy whose life is changed by a stolen book." ---AudioFile

--This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 10 and up
  
• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: Dutton Juvenile; Revised edition (March 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0525457585
• ISBN-13: 978-0525457589
• Product Dimensions: 5.8 x 1.3 x 8.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (360 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #11,125 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

299 of 311 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully presented version of a classic book. July 14, 2001

By Mr Ghostface

Format:Mass Market Paperback

"Die Unendliche Geschichte"

Michael Ende's novel first came to my attention after I had seen the wonderful Warner Bros film in 1984. Just a teenager at the time, I sought out the book and read it. It was fantastic, a book I intended to keep for the rest of my life. But it was a yellowing, cheap paperback re-released off the back of the movie. So one day trawling through the catalogues at Amazon, it occurred to me to check out if the book was still in print. It was. And how.

When my copy arrived, I hadn't realised the effort that had been put into its print. The cover art is crisply reproduced with firm hardbacking, but the real surprise was to be found inside; the text is printed in alternating purple (for Bastian's story) and green (for the events within the storybook itself). It's one of those books you want to stick on the shelf and never touch again because you want to preserve its beauty, although well-thumbed books take on an appreciated beauty of their own. I love this book, I would've paid twice the price for it.

Hope you enjoy it as much.

NOTE: Michael Ende's novel is longer than the film, which was based only on the first half of the book. The translation is the original one by Ralph Manheim. For trivialists, Ende died in 1995, Manheim in 1992.

76 of 81 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic! April 12, 2000

By A Customer

Format:Mass Market Paperback

This truly is a breath-taking book! If you've seen the movie, you'll know that this story has a variety of wonderful characters that will inspire the imaginations of those who hear it! I was a little leary when I picked it up (I'm 13)I was afraid that it would be too hard- it does carry a higher reading level, but don't let that discourage you. This book includes the entire story of the first two movies- but it's done correctly! If you hated the 2nd movie as much as I did, you'll be glad to know that this book will stir your imagination more than the original movie did! If you've never seen the movie- now's your chance to get in on the fantastic story of what happens when a young boy takes a book from a bookstore- and enters the world of Fantastica! Breathtaking work, detailed! I'm having trouble figuring out where the author got so many wonderful ideas! Take the journey to Fantastica with Bastian, Atreyu and all their friends, and you'll never regret it!

Great for children, as well as adults ages 10+ up!

39 of 41 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Real Gem January 14, 2000

By A Customer

Format:Paperback

The Neverending Story is truly an outstanding book. First published I believe in German, it has been translated into English quite adeptly, although there are a few cases of awkward wording resulting from this. Other than that, this is a nearly perfect book. Bear in mind one thing while you're reading though -- while it is great, it is also a children's book, so don't go looking for really challenging vocabulary and adult themes.

I picked up this book in Zany Brainy maybe seven years ago, and I have read it quite a few times since then. I find something new in it every time, and it never gets old. It stays just as beautiful and perfect each time.

If you've seen the first two movies, they are both based on this books, the second only nominally, but even the first hardly does the book justice. This, despite being a children's book, has themes that apply all throughout life, and its simplicity is wonderfully refreshing after so many other books which try to impress you with their incredibly flashy wording and daunting size. The pictures at the beginning of each chapter are skillfully sketched, and this is just overall an amazing work of art.

No matter what your age, buy this book. Buy it for yourself. Buy it for your kids and read it to them. You won't be dissapointed.

Another fascinating book is Ende's Momo, which unfortunately only seems available in spanish at the moment, but keep your eyes out for it.