The Neverending Story (Firebird) by Michael Ende Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of The Neverending Story (Firebird)
Book Review: It's Fantastic(a)!
Summary: 5 Stars
"(Bastian) had never been willing to believe that life had to be as gray and dull as people claimed. He heard them saying: `Life is like that,' but he couldn't agree. He never stopped believing in mysteries and miracles." -page 153
The Neverending Story, originally written in German by Michael Ende, speaks to that hope in us. It concerns a sad, chubby little boy named Bastian whose life is perfectly miserable. In an attempt to escape some bullies he finds himself in a musty old rare bookstore. He is irresistibly drawn to a mysterious old storybook, which he steals, and flees to the attic of his school to read The Neverending Story in peace. He reads about a world called Fantastica with incredible characters and a Childlike Empress who is terribly sick. At the same time a terrible thing called the Nothing is destroying Fantastica and a little boy (actually a Greenskin) named Atreyu is sent on a mission by the Childlike Empress to find out the cause of this terrible plight and to save Fantastica before it's too late. Bastian finds himself becoming entwined in the story as the lines between the two worlds become blurred.
This is one of the best books I've read in a while--it's not only a page-turner but seems to have multiple layers of meaning and in many ways feels like an allegory. Ende's imagination is almost godlike in scope (in the same way Tolkien and Lewis were able to create the worlds of Middle Earth and Narnia). I am usually not a fan of fantasy, but I would (and do) recommend this book to anyone (and everyone).
Book Review: Too Philosophical for my taste, but that doesn't mean it's not a good book
Summary: 3 Stars
I've never seen the famed movie version of this book. In fact, I didn't know anything about it except there was a dragon like being who was white and had a lion face. So when I needed something simple to read, I picked this up, hoping for something close to "The Princess Bride" or maybe "The Last Unicorn."
I was wrong.
"The Neverending Story" is about a boy who literally gets pulled into a good book, but really it is a philosophical novel about stories, whishes, reality and fantasy. All good stuff, but not what I was looking for. Reading this book is a little like being in my philosophy class. I don't really understand why I thought this was a children's book before-I don't know anyone under the age of 12, at the youngest, who would have really understood the deeper parts of it.
That said, I still liked the book. But I probably won't ever read it again, so three stars from me. Perhaps I'm not the kind of person who can appreciate a book like this one.
Book Review: The best book ever: Deserves beyond a million stars
Summary: 5 Stars
I love this book. Ever since I first read it in third grade, I read it at least twice a year, not including summer. The plot, setting, and characters are all amazing; It's absoloutly impossible to put it down! Alas, the movie is not as good, and the second and third movies are horrible, as neither of them have anything to do with what happened in the book. Anyway, if you love fantasy, science fiction, or just like books that you can read anytime and enjoy each time you read it, read this one. It's the best book in the world.Book Review: 5 and a half stars for Bastian and Atreyu! A neverending epic tale.
Summary: 5 Stars
I read the whole story through in three days taking small breaks. it seems to draw you in like the movie, and never let's you go. I felt when I read it that I was part of the world of Bastian Balthazar Bux, Atreyu and The Neverending Story, and had become a part of it myself. You would see what I mean if you have a good imagination. It's full of mysticality, magic and intrigue, and stuff that blows your mind at trying to visualize it because it's so peculiar and imaginative. When Bastian steals the book The Neverending Story from Coreander's Book store, he feels he is drawn to the book by some force-one which he is subtly aware of. This force is apparently a guiding beacon, for the book is a portal to Fantastica. The book describes parts of Bastians life though, which really amazes Bastian. Fantastica is a realm that actually has a reality all it's own, and some of the inhabitants, including it's ruler The Empress-know about earthlings. Pretty mind boggling to begin to describe. If you love books that are full of imaginitave and original concepts, this book is for you. The Neverending Story to me is a fantasy world that symbolizes all that inspiration, creativity and imagination can create through love. It's a MUST READ.Book Review: i love this book
Summary: 5 Stars
This book is a wonderful, amazing, and truly inspiring one to me. I read widely among the fiction genres, and of all the stories I have ever read, I loved this one enough to name my first-born son and only child after Bastian, the book-loving protagonist. This book is particularly rich, inspiring two movies with only the first HALF of its content. I firmly believe that anyone, everyone, should read this book, along with many other childhood favorites I have loved for years, "the secret garden", "the once and future king", "peter pan", "the hobbit"... well. it's beautiful. the language is educated and sophisticated, the imagery is fantastic, and the concepts are such as could be pondered by most adults and yield a gain in wisdom.