Customer Reviews (2)

Once again, out of chronological order
This set of four stories (two in each book) are out of chronological order, just like the four original Chrestomanci stories.This is the only reason I gave it 4 instead of 5 stars.When these things are out of order they don't make sense and I have to spend time wrestling with the timelines before I can go on and enjoy the stories.Buy both books in the Dalemark Quartet at the same time and read the stories in this order:

The Spellcoats
then Drowned Ammet
then Cart and Cwidder
then The Crown of Dalemark.

This will make a lot more sense to you.

The stories were all very engaging and I kept reading and reading."The Spellcoats" dragged a bit - in fact it dragged a lot, because DWJ is throwing lots of fantasy-mythology stuff at the reader very quickly - but after I finished all four stories (in the publisher's order) I went back and reread "The Spellcoats" and it made more sense.The other three stories are pretty easy to figure out from the get-go.Great stuff.

**
Edited after a rereading...I've read a lot of Ms. Jones' work, and I feel the Dalemark Quartet is probably the best of the ones I've read.Instead of people "casting spells" as they do in her other stories (an act that is often just tossed out there as easily as "he scratched his ear"), the people in this world are plain old people, with the Undying (like gods) appearing to lend magical hands when needed.The character development is better in this quartet and the stories feel richer than, say, the Chrestomanci stories, where people just conjure up what they need, or wave a hand to mend broken items, and whatnot.Dalemark seems like a believable world structure.

Dalemark united
Diana Wynne-Jones is best known for her wizards and humorous magic, but in the Dalemark Quartet she takes a trip into more serious fantasy, complete with warring earldoms and strange gods. "The Dalemark Quartet Volume 1" includes the first two books of this series, "The Spellcoats" and "The Crown of Dalemark."

"The Spellcoats" is the tale of Tanaqui, centuries before the first two volumes of the quartet. She lives with her family in prehistoric Dalemark, where a battle is being fought between the "Heathens" and their own folk. When her brother returns, insane, she and her family must flee their village. But Tanaqui learns of the existance of Kankredin, a malevolent wizard who is waiting for them.

In the final volume, "Crown of Dalemark," a forthright young boy named Mitt is called on to be an assassin. A countess wants him to destroy a young lady, Noreth, who may become the uniting monarch of Dalemark. But Mitt begins to like Noreth, and so joins her supporters. What he doesn't know is that she is actually Maewen, a confused young girl from 200 years in the future...

Jones is best known for a sort of wry, homey fantasy with a British flavor -- not to mention that they often have dapper wizards. That sort of stuff is mostly missing in "The Dalemark Quartet Volume 2." Instead, we get a darker, much more epic story -- there are godlike figures, earldoms, peasants, nobles, and plenty more.

Jones' writing is quite detailed in this book, since she not only describes the clothing, woods and people, but also the alternative world of Dalemark. Both stories are connected, but independent, and Jones carefully crafts the politics and conflicts that run under all the magic and the godlike Undying. Certainly not many authors can make an invented world that is simple, yet realistic.

Her heroes are also very realistic -- Tanaqui less so, mainly because she is given the dimension of part of a myth. But you do sympathize with her struggles. Mitt is a more engaging character, a torn young man who has some very difficult situations to deal with. Maewen is a mysterious character, but also a likable one. Some questions regarding the characters are left dangling at the end, leaving me wondering if Jones ever plans to resume the story.

The last two books of the Dalemark Quartet are included in this two-pack, a pair of solid stories that will leave readers wanting more of Jones' unique fantasies. Just be sure to read the first two books, or these two will make zero sense. ... Read more

Product Description
Believing is seeing, as the title of this outstanding collection of fantasies proclaims. And reading is seeing more than you've ever imagined when in the masterful hands of acclaimed author Diana Wynne Jones. Here are seven tales -- seven doorways to bizarre, yet strangely familiar worlds -- to transport one and all. In these worlds are a child born to an ordered society but preordained to spread Dissolution...a girl who so loves the sun that she renounces her humanity for eternity...a cat and a boy, held captive by an evil magician until they can find a bigger magic of their own...a woman imprisoned in a strange country dominated by three ravenous wolves...and many other characters and stories just as exceptional. These richly drawn, razor-sharp stories showcase the skills and sheer narrative power of one of the most esteemed fantasy writers of our time.

Customer Reviews (4)

An interesting collection
If you are unfamiliar with the author, these stories will provide an introduction to her writings.The stories have appeared previously in other collections.The seven fantasies are of different quality and subject matter, and cover 165 pages (including seven cover pages) in an easy-to-read font.I am looking at the hard-cover edition.

I especially liked "What the Cat Told Me," a 22-page story about an unusual cat that becomes involved with wizards; and "The Girl Who Loved the Sun," about a girl who turns herself into a tree.Other readers will undoubtedly have their own favorites.The stories are suitable for pre-teen to teenage readers who enjoy fantasy literature.

I read this book last summer and still love it!
I've read a whole bunch of other books from last summer to now, most of which I thought were very good. But I still love the stories Diana Wynne Jones has writen. I'm reread her Chrestomanci Quartet again and am looking for some further writings by Jones. She is all in all one of my favorite authors. I liked 'Enna Hittims'. A must for any death hard fan of Jones.

A fun variety of magic
Just to add to Eleanor's review, since she hadn't read Enna Hittims: Anne, who is home sick with the mumps (and who is very bored), makes up the hero Enna, an inch-high girl armed with an enchanted sword, who has wonderful adventures in the changing scenery that is Anne's bed (including Anne covered up different ways with her blanket). There is a wonderful twist to the story when Anne makes countless drawings of Enna and her friends which results in Anne getting a turn at being a hero!
Worth reading, because it sets one's mind working, trying to guess what might happen next, and the surprises are fun to find in these short stories.

Good book
The seven stories of the title are: The Sage of Theare; The Master; The Girl Who Loved the Sun;Dragon Reserve, Home Eight; What the Cat Told Me; nad and Dan adn Quaffy; and Enna Hittims. I haven't actually read this book, but I've read 6 of the 7 stories in other collections (I've justalways thought amazon should put up short story lists for collections theway they do track lists for cds in the music section).The Sage of Theareis a very nice Chrestomanci story and The Master is one of Diana WynneJones' beautiful eerie stories.Dragon Reserve and What the Cat Told Me(previously only available in a multi-author anthology) are classic Jones. nad and Dan adn Quaffy is fun.I haven't read Enna Hittims yet.

DragonReserve, The Master, and nad and Dan adn Quaffy (man I love typing that:)were 3 of 8 stories in Everard's Ride.Dragon Reserve and The Sage were 2of 8 stories in Warlock at the Wheel.These 2 collections also share 2other stories, which are not in this one.Maybe we should have a collectedworks?

4 stars because she's so splendidly good, but only 4 stars becausenone of my personal utter favourites are in here, & maybe we could haveseen some of the harder to find stories in here instead of the duplicates. ... Read more

Product Description
OWN BACK LIMITED REVENGE ARRANGED, PRICE ACCORDING TO TASK, ALL DIFFICULT TASKS UNDERTAKEN, TREASURE HUNTED, ETC.It seemed like a marvellous scheme at the time! Frank and Jess had set up the business because they needed money -- their pocket-money had been stopped just when Frank owed Buster Knell ten pence. Their father had put a quick stop to ERRANDS RUN, so why not try something that was bad instead? Offering to do dreadful things that other people didn't dare to do? So they pinned up the notice on the potting-shed and waited for customers. But of course, nothing's ever THAT straightforward. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Is it "Witch's Business"?
Although I don't own "Wilkin's Tooth," it appears from the description to be "Witch's Business" published under another title.

Wilkins' tooth
The revenge business (or "own back" business) isn't as easy as the two main characters - Frank and Jess find in this funny novel. As the story progresses they discover that people around them are not what they seem. Their main enemies are Buster with his (black and blue swearword) gang, and Biddy Iremonger. Diana Wynne Jones uses her usual twists and turns, with false leads and many problems caused by just one tooth. Frank and Jess end up trying to solve alot more than one puzzle. Great story! ... Read more

Product Description
British author Diana Wynne Jones has been writing speculative fiction for children for more than thirty years. A clear influence on more recent writers such as J.K. Rowling, her humorous and exciting stories of wizard's academies, dragons and griffins, many published for children but read by all ages, are also complexly structured and thought provoking critiques of the fantasy tradition. This book will be of interest to Jones's many admirers and to those who study fantasy and children's literature. With the rise in interest in "Harry Potter", there has been an accompanying renaissance of critical interest in Jones's work. This book, however, is the first sustained, single-author study of Jones's work, written by a renowned science fiction critic and historian. In addition to providing an overview of her work, Farah Mendlesohn also examines Jones's important critiques of the fantastic tradition's ideas about childhood and adolescence. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A must for fantasy readers AND writers
Farah Mendlesohn knows as much about the elements of fantasy writing as anyone on the planet, which enables her to not only appreciate but explain Diana Wynne Jones's brilliant technique and her subversion of many fantasy-genre cliches, from hackneyed Arthurian-type grail quests to invariably beautiful heroines. She does a particularly good job of disentangling Jones's intricate use of series-A and series-B time travel; if nothing else, it will help you understand why you don't understand what's going on in some of Jones's books (like, for instance, Time of the Ghost and A Tale of Time City). She also offers background on many of Jones's references, including the Gwyn Ap Nudd myth that figures in Dogsbody, the variations on Tam Lin/Thomas the Rhymer folktales in Fire and Hemlock, and possible sources for the animistic gods and goddesses in the Dalemark Quartet. I loved, loved, loved this book. ... Read more

Product Description
Four British Fantasists explores the work of four of the most successful and influential of the generation of fantasy writes who rose to prominence in the _second Golden Age_ of children's literature in Britain: Susan Cooper, Alan Garner, Diana Wynne Jones, and Penelope Lively. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (29)

this is not a love song
DWJ, unlike many other writers of fantasy, does not usually do series. One of her best points is her originality; as if her mind were too restless to simply continue with the same characters in the same story.The Chrestomanci series is really several books that take place in different times and worlds and only relate in that Chrestomanci appears somewhere within, sometimes very briefly.Likewise, The Merlin Conspiracy is so distantly related to the earlier book Dark Secrets, that I only realised the same Nick was in each when I was talking to someone who had read Dark Secrets more recently than I had.It was the sleepwalking that tipped us off.The Merlin Conspiracy is one of my favorite DWJ novels.Of course it is confusing when you first start reading!That is part of the fun.DWJ does not feed you pabulum, you have to actually use your brain and scramble a bit to make out where you are and what is happening.As for boring, well, she is not trying to emulate Dan Brown with a cliffhanger at the end of each chapter.Part of the interest is in putting the puzzle together, not in passively watching a chase scene or a fight.It bears keeping in mind that Dark Secrets is aimed at a slightly older audience than Merlin Conspiracy.The jokes in Dark Secrets may have to do with transvestite parents, while the annoying twins in Merlin Conspiracy exhibit well-observed traits of seven year old girls. My gratitude to DWJ for writing this book and long may she create her worlds and people.

NOT up to her usual standards
I've got to start by stating that Diana Wynne Jones is one of my favorite authors - I love most of her books. But I was very disappointed in this one. The best description I can come up with is "confusing and boring". The characters are uninteresting and the plot uninvolving. Her attempts at humor (usually very adept) fall flat and the whole thing feels incredibly silly. I had to skip long dull sections just to make it 3/4 of the way through the novel before giving up. I hope this isn't a taste of Jones books to come.

THE MERLIN CONSPIRACY by Diana Wynne Jones
I have heard from my sources that novels by Diana Wynne Jones are remarkably enjoyable, though very whimsical.When I read The Merlin Conspiracy, I was expecting a lot more than I got.The book, to me, was extremely boring and monotonous.It was very hard to finish, and I had to skip many pages at a time in order to complete it.In my opinion, this book was not an example of an exeptional science-fiction/fantasy book.The Merlin Conspiracy is not a book that I would reccomend to sci-fi/fantasy fans who are expecting a lot from reading this.I would, although, reccomend the Merlin books by T.A. Barron and the Deltora books by Emily Rodda.The Merlin Conspiracy by Diana Wynne Jones gets a simple two stars from me.

Smashing!
This is one of my favourite Diana Jones books. I think the best part is the amount of charecters in the book. Helga, Mini, London, the white dragon, too-much-to-count terrified and sparking salamaders, a panther and a big cat (?leopard?) and more are only the ones that are not human, and I wouldn't suggest memorising the charecter's names and how they are linked to each other, especially Adrianrhod Hyde, or Roddy's, family.

The story is about a boy named Nicothodes or Nick in Earth who has already travelled through different worlds and wants to go to another one. There is also Adrianrhod (Roddy) who is a daughter of two court wizards and she lives in a place called Blest, which has similarities to England. Roddy and her friend Ambrose Temple/Grundo discover a plot to control all the magic in the multiverse which seems to include the Merlin, the keeper of magic in Blest. The two teenagers stories twine into each other, giving a clear view in every direction. As you go on, the Merlin conspiracy gets deeper and there's a surprise on every page.

Truly reccomended!

The Merlin's Scheme
The book is about people with magical talents and they could use them do their jobs. As a person named Roddy has to use his powers for making the weather just right for the King and his arrival to their town. In addition, on that day a person named Merlin had died so they summoned some on else to become the new Merlin. In addition, Roddy and his friend Grundo find out that the new Merlin and Grundo's mother are making a plot against the King. As Roddy thinks, he is dreaming as he goes to another world he really is going another world but does not know that it is real. As they found out, they knew they were the only ones to stop them. But over all I really did not like the book that much. The book to me was boring because nothing really happened. The pert that I liked the most is when Roddy's dad changed the weather because the king was coming to their town.
This book was confusing and just jumps around too much because it jumped back and forth on part and it lost me there. I really thought the book did not have enough action in it so I really got bored on the book. Also, there was not much of anything really happening in the book rather than two people finding out that there are people against the King and they spied on them. But I was not sure about what I should have put as a rating so I put what I thought it should get.
What I thought about the book is that it is confusing because the book jumped around a lot and I lost track to where I was. However, as I read on I was starting to get about what was going on in the book. I liked only about two parts. When they found the Dragon, I thought that was a good part because I like dragons.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A wonderful critical review
This collection of essays provides a wonderful range of information.It examines her works in terms of older and more modern fantasy, as well as in terms of her use of the multiverse.It also has a wonderful introduction that summarizes her life, and an interview with Jones about her works.I loved this collection and would recommend it to any lover of DWJ.
... Read more

Product Description
On the surface, Aunt Maria seems like a cuddly old lady, all chit-chat and lace doilies and unadulterated NICEness!When Mig and her family go for a short visit, they soon learn that Aunt Maria rules the place with a rod of sweetness that's tougher than iron and deadlier than poison. Life revolves around tea parties, while the men are all grey-suited zombies who fade into the background, and the other children seem like clones.The short visit becomes a long stay, and when all talk of going home ceases, Mig despairs! Things go from bad to worse when Mig's brother Chris tries to rebel, but is changed into a wolf .Mig is convinced that Aunt Maria must be a witch -- but who will believe her? It's up to Mig to figure out what's going on. Maybe the ghost who haunts the downstairs bedroom holds the key? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Maria by another name.
Note: "Black Maria" is the original title for the book later published as "Aunt Maria."

After her father is killed in a car accident, Nan and what's left of her family are invited to spend the school holiday with their paternal Aunt Maria. Nan thinks it's a bad idea to stay with her father's relatives, particularly the one who raised him, but her mother feels sorry for the helpless old woman and accepts. Far from being helpless, the aunt is ludicrously particular and demanding of the mom, adores Nan, and shows an instant (and mutually reciprocated) loathing for Nan's brother. But other than that everything is pretty dull (the vacation, not the story). And then Nan and her brother discover their father's car in a parking lot when it's supposed to have crashed into the ocean, an anonymous green ghost appears in a bedroom, and a lot of people seem obsessed with finding and/or hiding a small box. The children realize something very strange is afoot.

Nan's brother gets an idea as to what that could be, but he won't let Nan help him. And then he disappears, and their mother doesn't notice even when he's been gone for several days, and Aunt Maria takes a sudden keen interest in Nan's activities.

Nan wants to find out what's going on and get her family back to normal. To do that, she first must solve a mystery dating back to events twenty years before--a mystery for which she has precious few clues to go on. The townspeople won't help--they're either against her, or too afraid to fight what they know she's up against. And all the while she has to dodge around Aunt Maria's prying, meddling, seriously menacing curiosity.

It's all really quite fun. I particularly like the way Jones throws out clues that seem so slender they don't seem to be clues at all, puts Nan into truly dangerous situations (all the scarier for the fact that in a village full of people our heroine cannot appeal to *anybody* for help), makes the story seem like there is no way on earth it can ever work out--and then executes such a series of brilliant twists and startling turns that suddenly when you find everything has come out more or less right after all it's a real unexpected pleasure. The book by turns tragic, dark, exciting, dramatic, and funny (sometimes all at the same time). And yet everything is totally plausible and entertaining.

Nan is a quiet, intelligent heroine--she understands people, and is not impressed or fooled by appearances. As she works to save her brother and mother and maybe even a whole town (all the while tossing out funny, spot-on observations about the people she meets), there is always the unspoken acceptance in her mind that whatever happens, there can be no completely happy ending--only the right one. She's right, too, and I like her all the more for it. ... Read more

Product Description

Time City is built on a patch of time and space outside history. It is full of wonders and haunted by "time ghosts," but it is nearly worn out and doomed to destruction.

In September 1939, Vivian Smith is on a train, being evacuated from London, when she is kidnapped by two boys from Time City, Jonathan and Sam. They mistakenly think she is the mysterious Time Lady disguised as a child. Only the Time Lady can wake the founder of the city, Faber John, from his age-long sleep, and only he can save the city.

Vivian wants to get home; Jonathan and Sam want her to help them in their quest through the ages of history to save Time City. Meanwhile, someone seems to be tampering with history, changing it over and over, complicating everything. When Faber John is at last aroused, Time City's and Vivian's dilemmas are resolved in ways that are as satisfying as they are unexpected.

Customer Reviews (28)

Nowhere near as good as the Chrestomanchi series - sadly.
I am the type of reader that finds an author I like, and then I order everything I can get my hands on that the author has written.My thinking is that if I like the writing style of the author in one book, I am likely to enjoy it in another.

USUALLY this turns out to be true.(Orson Scott Card, Robert Sawyer, Richard K. Morgan, David Brin, etc...) but sometimes a book pops up in an author's bibliography that just doesn't excite me.

Time City is definitely one of those books for me with Diana Wynne Jones.

I LIKE time travel stories and I liked the characters in the story.But one thing you have to watch for with time travel is creating scenarios where no matter what you do there are no consequences since you can go back and try again.Paradoxes are introduced in most time travel stories as a way of putting up boundaries, but in this book there just seemed to be no real lines in what you could and couldn't do - except one malfunctioning time travel egg, which still eventually got the job done.

It isn't a terrible book, but I expected so much more after reading her Chrestomanchi Chronicles.This was just not in the same league.

"Why Can't I Get Back to the War and have Some Peace?!"
"A Tale of Time City" is a little different from Diana Wynne Jones's usual fare - it is not fantasy but science-fiction, though apart from that distinction there is the same wry humour, complicated storylines, quirky characters and original invention.

Time City is a place existing outside of space and time where the progress of time is watched over by the inhabitants, to make sure it progresses normally. But Time City is slowly running down, (helped along with the tampering of rouge time-travellers) and the legendary founder Faber John is the only being that is able to renew it. It is told that four caskets of Gold, Silver, Iron and Lead may save the city, but only the mysterious Time Lady can awaken Faber John.

Jonathon and Sam, two sons of important families within the City have decided to take matters into their own hands. After seeing a "time-ghost" (a visual imprint of an important moment) they travel through a time-lock into History for an adventure of their own that they haven't even begun to sort out. There, Jonathon grabs Vivian Smith, the girl that they are certain is the Time Lady.

Vivian Smith however, is soon to correct them - she's just a normal girl who was being evacuated with hundreds of other children from World War II. Now with no way back, and the concept of Time itself in jeopardy, Vivian agrees to help the boys uncover the mystery of Faber John (and keep them out of trouble while she's doing it). Racing through time to collect the four caskets before their enemies, the trio have to dodge androids, teachers, time-ghosts and antagonistic locals in order to save Time City.

Though I enjoyed "A Tale of Time City", it is not my favourite Diana Wynne Jones book; perhaps because I'm not a big sci-fi fan, perhaps because time-travelling stories utterly confuse me. I'm never sure what happened when, or what the true chronological order of the events are. But as usual, there is a lot in this DWJ book to recommend it, and it is packed full of creativity and enjoyment - such as the "butter-pies", cold on the outside and warm on the inside. Likewise, she gives us some future events to look forward to, such as the Mind Wars, the Forth World War and the Depopulation of Earth.

Time City itself is a great idea, (complete with architecture, social customs, and low opinions of those that live in 'history') and is vividly brought to life, but this is not really a book for younger readers, as the plot is quite twisty and complicated, and the ending a little bittersweet. But for a DWJ book that is a bit different, or a science-fiction book that is truly unique within the genre, then give this one a try.

My favorite sci fi book of all time?
While most of DWJ's books are fantasy, this one is pure sci-fi: there is no magic, just plenty of 23rd century butter pies (cold on the outside, warm and gooey inside: I wish the 23rd century would hurry up so that I can try one!).

This is the story of Vivian Smith, a girl who is being evacuated from London because of WWII.Because of a mixup with names, she gets kidnapped by two boys from Time City, a metropolis located outside of time where the officials monitor time and make sure it runs smoothly.Unfortunately for the boys, the sons of distinguished dignitaries, their "playing hero" went horribly wrong and Vivian is NOT the girl they are looking for.

By plucking an innocent person out of a time period that is already unstable, the boys have set off a chain reaction.Now they must work with Vivian to put everything right, before Time City itself disolves around them.

This is a fast-paced and exciting book.I have probably re-read it hundreds of times in the past 10 years.Anyone who likes DWJ's other books should give this one a try, even though it's a little different.Anyone who doesn't like the fantasy in her other books should definately give this one a try: it's a great work of science fiction, and oh so fun.I normally really dislike science fiction books, but this one is very well done and avoids the usual traps of the genre.

It wasn't that great
This book started out okay but by the time I was half way through it I was wishing it would end. There were too many characters and the time travelling was just confusing. When I got to the end of Novel I was so thoroughly confused that the only thing I could say about this book was that I wasn't very good. I've read a whole bunch of other books by Diana Wynne JOnes and they were all alot better than this one. So instead of buying this one go lookat the Dalemark Quartet, The chrestomanci series and Archers Goon.

A Tale of Time City
A Tale of Time City
By Diana Wynne Jones, Published by HarperTrophy (January 22, 2002).

Vivian Smith was being evacuated along with all of the other children in London to "the Country" because World War II had just broken out. When she got off the train she was pulled into the greatest adventure of her life. When she got off the train she was kidnapped by an older boy named Jonathan Lee Walker, who claims to be her long lost cousin.In a space outside of time, there is a city. Placed there by a mythical man named Faber John, it has the overwhelming task overseeing the history of the earth and mankind all the way from the stone age to the depopulation of earth. This place is called Time City. Brought through a silver portal Vivian is taken to Time City. There's only one problem with Time City, its falling apart. Mistaken for another person called the Time Lady (Faber Johns mysterious wife), Vivian is swept away in the struggle to keep time city alive. This is one wonderful science fiction/adventure/action/fantasy book, I never really liked sci fi but I made an exception for this book and I was greatly rewarded.

The main characters are Vivian, a normal 18th century girl, who as I explained was kidnapped off a train. Vivian seems like anyone else, she just wants to go home. Jonathan Lee Walker, who Vivian always describes as a very "lordly" boy is the one who with the help of his best friend Sam kidnapped Vivian off the train during their mid year break. He and Sam at first only took it as an adventure but after they found out that Vivian was the wrong person it turned serious. Sam is another Lee (the Lees are the oldest family in Time City) he is only 8 but he is the closest in age to Jonathan for along distance ( There aren't many childrenin Time City). Sam is a butterpie addict (butterpies are a form of futuristic food) and it really shows. It is said that Faber John built the city with the help of his wife, the Time Lady, but when they were deciding how to govern the city they had an argument.

This is one ofthose books you can never put down,
if you are ever going to start this than make sure you have a long time to read. You just can't stop. Oh just one more page, just to the end of this chapter, I'm going to quit now, well maybe a little bit longer. I spent many late nights reading this book. I became part of this book as I read it, I felt as though I was really in Time City and I couldn't get enough! This is one book that I know I'm going to read over and over again, I can't wait to find more books like this. It's one of the books you can't figure out until the last page. This book is a treat that will satisfy almost anyone (unless you have a thing against fiction). I would recommend that every one at least give it a try. ... Read more

Product Description
How do you get rid of unwelcome visitors? Three stories which show that magic might be the answer, but you should always be careful about what you wish for!The Four Grannies When Erg and Emily's parents go away, they arrange for Granny to come and look after them. Unfortunately, they forget to say which granny, and all four turn up. Individually they're manageable, but when 'Strict', 'Worrier', 'Stingy' and 'Saint' get together it's a different matter -- and when Erg tries to magic them away, the result is an awesome 'Supergranny'!Chair Person One day Simon and Marcia's parents decide to get rid of the old, striped armchair -- next day Chair Person turns up, bad-tempered, demanding and with very bad manners. No one seems able to get the better of him, until Auntie Christa turns up too.Who Got Rid of Angus Flint? How do you get rid of a guest who picks you up by the hair, won't let you play the piano, watch television or shut the window? Candida and her family try everything -- they poison his stew and litter the house with roller-skates in the hope that he will fall over them -- but nothing works! Surely they can't be stuck with him for ever? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

A Spell of Domestic Crises
Stopping for a Spell is a collection of three fantasy stories, all involving annoying visitors of one kind or another.When the adults in the family are ineffectual, the children spring to the rescue.

In Chair Person, Aunt Crista accidentally causes the old striped armchair in front of the television to come alive.Unfortunately, it is a selfish, greedy boor and overstuffed to boot.

In The Three Grannies, an invention grants prayers, but requires careful wording.A thoughtless request creates the SuperGranny, but a clumsy foot saves the day.

In Who Got Rid of Angus Flint?, another selfish, greedy boor moves into the house and says unkind things about the furniture.It doesn't pay to get a baby grand irritated.

These three stories depict strange and uncomfortable happenings in the home.They will give you a new perspective on your own troubles.But don't read them before bed if you are prone to bad dreams!

Recommended for the younger Jones fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of domestic crises aggravated (or solved) with a little magic.

-Arthur W. Jordin

Stop for this "Spell"
"Stopping for a Spell" will probably never be as well-known as Jones' better works, as the three stories are essentially large-print kid novellas. Nevertheless, they show Jones' particular brand of charm and cuteness, focusing on ordinary everyday things that become infused with magic -- and some very annoying houseguests.

In "Chair Person," the family has just decided to get rid of a hideous old chair when bustling Aunt Christa arrives with a used conjurer's set. Her experiments in magic have an unexpected effect when the chair transforms into Chair Person, who is clumsy, stupid, gluttonous, and who recites commercials constantly. How can Simon and Marcia deal with Chair Person?

"Four Grannies" draws on the attitudes of bossy elderly types. Erg and Emily have four grandmothers, two biological and two stepgrandmothers -- and all of them have ways of making the kids miserable. Erg just wants to be left alone to finish his prayer machine. But when one of the grannies gives him aa chopstick that happens to be magical, the prayer machine causes some unique mayhem...

"Who Got Rid of Angus Filch?" features Angus Filch, the houseguest of your nightmares. His wife threw him out, and now his old college buddy's family can see why: He's controlling, obnoxious, complains constantly, torments the dog, jeers at the furniture, watches raunchy TV shows, never pays, grabs the kids by their hair to punish them, and gets up in the middle of the night to set fire to his supposedly contaminated sheets.But the kids of the family receive unexpected help -- from some very angry furniture.

Diana Wynne Jones is in excellent form here; readers who don't like short stories may still like these.The characters are all delightfully realistic, from the reclusive wannabe inventor to the nightmarish grandmothers who don't want kids in the bathroom too long, lest they become "peculiar." All sorts of hilarious situations arise, such as Emily ("Four Grannies") becoming sickening pious, or Chair Person regaling a church group with the fate of the wildebeest.

As these are all earlier short stories of Jones', ranging from the mid-1970s to late 1980s, they aren't very detailed as some of her current books. But the same absurd, sparkling magic is very present. A delightful little read.

chronicles of Chrestomanci 1
Great book i spent lots of nights reading late into the night and im not a person who likes reading!
My favorite book all time!!!

Stopping for a Spell
This was a cute book for young kids - in the tradition of Dianna Wynne Jones.It was light-hearted and funny, and I enjoyed it as much as the kids I was babysitting did!Strongly recomended! ... Read more

Product Description
In three magical stories, Chair Person finds being a chair easier than being a person, Angus Flint is a visitor who refuses to leave, and four grannies come to care for Emily and Erg. By the author of Aunt Maria. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Charming tales
"Stopping for a Spell" will probably never be as well-known as Jones' better works, as the three stories are essentially large-print kid novellas. Nevertheless, they show Jones' particular brand of charm and cuteness, focusing on ordinary everyday things that become infused with magic -- and some very annoying houseguests.

In "Chair Person," the family has just decided to get rid of a hideous old chair when bustling Aunt Christa arrives with a used conjurer's set. Her experiments in magic have an unexpected effect when the chair transforms into Chair Person, who is clumsy, stupid, gluttonous, and who recites commercials constantly. How can Simon and Marcia deal with Chair Person?

"Four Grannies" draws on the attitudes of bossy elderly types. Erg and Emily have four grandmothers, two biological and two stepgrandmothers -- and all of them have ways of making the kids miserable. Erg just wants to be left alone to finish his prayer machine. But when one of the grannies gives him aa chopstick that happens to be magical, the prayer machine causes some unique mayhem...

"Who Got Rid of Angus Filch?" features Angus Filch, the houseguest of your nightmares. His wife threw him out, and now his old college buddy's family can see why: He's controlling, obnoxious, complains constantly, torments the dog, jeers at the furniture, watches raunchy TV shows, never pays, grabs the kids by their hair to punish them, and gets up in the middle of the night to set fire to his supposedly contaminated sheets.But the kids of the family receive unexpected help -- from some very angry furniture.

Diana Wynne Jones is in excellent form here; readers who don't like short stories may still like these.The characters are all delightfully realistic, from the reclusive wannabe inventor to the nightmarish grandmothers who don't want kids in the bathroom too long, lest they become "peculiar." All sorts of hilarious situations arise, such as Emily ("Four Grannies") becoming sickening pious, or Chair Person regaling a church group with the fate of the wildebeest.

As these are all earlier short stories of Jones', ranging from the mid-1970s to late 1980s, they aren't very detailed as some of her current books. But the same absurd, sparkling magic is very present. A delightful little read.

Enchanting
This book by Diana Wynne Jones is an awesome book.I have read these stories over and over again.I highly recommend this book to anyone whoenjoys Harry Potter or any ofJones' other books. ... Read more

Product Description
The six short stories and a novella in this collection all show a degree of offbeat quirkiness, from an author well-renowned as a writer of children's fantasy fiction. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Humor, Horror, and Everything in Between
Thasper is born to spread disorder in a world that thrives on Rules and Systems and Order. He finds himself asking disastrous questions that no one has discovered answers for. And a young veterinarian has a frightening and surreal dream about three wolves and a man who are not what they seem. But a dream is only a dream, isn't it? Then there is Phega, so smitten by the sun that she tries to turn herself into a tree to please him. And a writer creates aliens and civil wars and battleships on her computer, only to find one morning that a typing error has put her in contact with one of her own creations.

These are far-fetched tales and sometimes one cannot quite suspend one's disbelief, even for the short span of the story, but the humor keeps them entertaining anyway. For Jones fans, there are one or two familiar characters, but most of the cast will be new. I particularly enjoyed "What the Cat Told Me" because it so perfectly captures what a cat would tell you if it could only be bothered to. I also liked "Dragon Reserve, Home Eight," in which one catches a glimpse of a fascinating world worth a return visit.

Jones explains in her introduction that most of these stories were written while she was working on other things. I think it shows. Nothing is as fully explored as it could be and there is so much worth exploring. I kept waiting for an announcement to say that these stories would be continued in their own novels of the type that Jones writes so masterfully. "The True State of Affairs" especially leaves one with so many questions that the story feels unfinished.

Still, I would recommend the book to readers who enjoy Jones' work and to anyone eager for a few tantalizing glimpses into the fantastic, tragic, and fascintating other worlds she imagines. ... Read more

Product Description
Anne Smith is sick of being sick. She entertains herself by inventing stories about the adventure "Enna Hittims" - but she doesn't expect Enna to come to life! ... Read more

Product Description
Eight stories of magic and mayhem in which children show the adults who's really boss and achieve a new kind of justice. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Too Short
These stories were fun to read and very orgininal(peacocks!), but they were to short to have all the plot twists and suprises I really love about her other books. They were nice but I prefer her long stories better. ... Read more

Product Description
When Auntie Christa spills some liquid from a conjuror's kit onto the seat of the old arm-chair, it becomes a solid, plump person. The chair person quickly establishes himself as a terrible nuisance, even a menace. From the author of "A Charmed Life" and "Eight Days of Luke" ... Read more