The Iron Sceptre (Archives of Anthropos) (Paperback)

by John White (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
The Iron Sceptre, the source of King Kardia's power to rule, is in peril. The children, joined by their cousin Mary, are called on to stop Mirmah and her chief sorcerer, Archimago. What awaits is much more than mere adventure.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Paperback: 408 pages
• Publisher: InterVarsity Press (June 1983)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0877845891
• ISBN-13: 978-0877845898
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #430,607 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Persevere and be rewarded, June 6, 2000

By	Someone who loves names "plynn123" (Tampa, FL) - See all my reviews

At first, I was turned off by how much of a rip-off of Narnia this was. But get into it, and you realize it has a style all its own. Gaal, the semi-mortal Christ-figure, is a majestic, personal character, sometimes cryptic and sometimes playful. Murmia, the evil-personified figure, is no crystalline icecube like the White Witch, but is a seductive, appealing magician; and beneath her beautiful exterior is a rotting,decrepit hag. Pervading this whole book is the new character Mary's search for beauty and acceptance, and Murmia plays upon this and recruits Mary to her side. Only Gaal can take the girl back for himself. Also appealing, though certainly nothing new in fiction-writing, is the thoughtful intertwining of several plotlines at once, which atone for White's clever yet mediocre style of writing. Characterization is one of the strenghts of "The Iron Sceptre."

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Everything is allegorical, January 10, 2009

By	Amaranth "music fan" (Northern California) - See all my reviews

"The Iron Sceptre" is an interesting Middle-Earth/Narnia derivative by the late Canadian author John White. In "Tower of Geburah",Kurt, Wesley and Lisa go on an adventure to save Anthropos' king and queen from the sorcerer Hocoino. In "Iron Sceptre",however,it's told from the perspective of the overweight,bullied Mary McNab. To make matters worse, White portrays the three leads' callous attitude towards Mary as justified. She's fat and unattractive,of course she deserves it.

The story begins with Mary having a vision of Gaal,Anthropos' Christ-figure. He tells her about "The Enchantment of Bodily Yearnings","The Enchantment that Dazzles the Eye" and "The Enchantment of Blasphemy." Could allegory be clearer? Mary also finds the alluring- but evil- witch Mirmah. In a sense,the book is a custody battle,the good paternal Gaal vs. the evil maternal Mirmah. White's misogyny is pretty clear. At the same time, Gaal calls himself "The Lord of ice." In Dante's Inferno, the Devil dwells in the icy depths,beneath the fires above. Gaal comes across as emotionally manipulative,especially with Mary. He plays mindgames. In the end of the book, King Kardia is mortally wounded when battling a dragon- like Beowulf- and Gaal forbids his wife Suneidesis from being at his side while he dies. Suneidesis defies Gaal to be with her dying husband. It's a poignant, powerful moment. Spousal love is more powerful than Gaal's promises of power.

"Iron Sceptre" also has a questionable message about Christianity. When Mary becomes a Christian, she is no longer overweight, no longer has acne, and is physically attractive. What about the inner transformation? What if she became Christian, but still looked the same? When girls have issues with body image, this book has a questionable message. "Iron Sceptre" is fascinating,and thought-provoking. Narnia made Philip Pullman question Christianity. The Anthropos series would've made him lose his religion altogether.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A lovely and imaginative work, April 15, 2006

By	Kilan (San Francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews

Well, what can I say? I'm seventeen and I still enjoy reading my copy of this book from time to time. The story is creative, exciting, and fast-moving, and the world White describes is so rich and lovely. The scope of this story and the lessons skillfully woven into it make this a wonderful choice for older children, but again, as I said, I don't think I will ever tire of this series. This is truly enjoyable fantasy writing; one of those books you can lose yourself in on a rainy day.