About this title: The beloved fantasy author turns traditional fairy tales on their heads with this new tale. "Putting a fresh face to a well-loved fairytale is not an easy task, but it is one that seems effortless to the prolific Lackey."--"Publishers Weekly."
Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is described below.
Description: Good. Purchasing this book supports the King County Library System Foundation. Thriftbooks and KCLSF have partnered to help raise additional funds for the library system. Ex-Library book-will contain library markings. Book has appearance of light use with no easily noticeable wear. Millions of satisfied customers and climbing. Thriftbooks is the name you can trust, guaranteed. Spend Less. Read More. read more
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Publisher: Luna
Date Published: 2004
ISBN-13:9780373802456ISBN:0373802455
Description: Good. Moderate cover wear with scuffing to edges and creasing. GoodwillnyBooks is committed to providing each customer with the highest standard of customer service. You may return new items within 30 days of delivery for a full refund. read more
Edition: First Paperback Printing
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Publisher: Luna, New York
Date Published: 2004
ISBN-13:9780373802456ISBN:0373802455
Description: Good. 5¾"-6¾" Tall. Spine slightly creased and slanted, some edge wear, light reading crease, a little chipping at top and base of spine, creasing across front bottom corner. Light tanning but text is clean and unmarked. A solid reading copy. First in Mercedes Lackey's delightful new series about the Five Hundred Kingdoms and The Tradition that powers fairy tales, both good and bad. "Elena Klovis was supposed to be her kingdom's Cinderella-until fate left her with a completely inappropriate ... read more
Edition: First Edition
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Luna Books, New York
Date Published: 2004
ISBN-13:9780373802029ISBN:0373802021
Description: Very Good in Very Good dust jacket. 0373802021. Small 4to 9"-11" tall; 417 pages; Remainder mark otherwise clean and tight. DJ very lightly rubbed at edges. Mylar cover. Book solid, clean and tight. read more
Edition: First edition.
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Luna Books
Date Published: 2004
ISBN-13:9780373802029ISBN:0373802021
Description: New in new dust jacket. DJ in mylar cover. Free USPS trackibng/delivery confirmation. Glued binding. Paper over boards. With dust jacket. 417 p. Five Hundred Kingdoms. Audience: General/trade. read more
Edition: First Edition
Binding: Hardcover; First Printing
ISBN-13:9780373802029ISBN:0373802021
Description: Near Fine in Near Fine dust jacket. Hardcover. Luna, 2004. 1st Edition/1st Printing. Near Fine Book in Near Fine Dust Jacket. Price Intact. Light shelf wear to Book and Jacket. Some wear to book spine ends. Overall, a clean and tight copy to add to a collection or read and enjoy. Dust Jacket protected with a new archival cover. Bubble wrapped and shipped promptly in a box. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Luna
Date Published: 2004
Description: Fine. First Edition. Advance uncorrected proof. Very clean. No bends, rips, or markings inside or out. In Brodart cover. As New Condition-Over 500, 000 Internet Orders Shipped. read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Harlequin
Date Published: 2004
ISBN-13:9780373802029ISBN:0373802021
Description: New in New jacket. New-This book has not been read and shows no obvious defects. It may have a remainder mark. Our ultimate goal is to provide you with a satisfying customer experience. read more
Edition: 1st Edition, 1st Printing
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Luna Books, Old Tappan, New Jersey, U.S.A.
Date Published: 2004
ISBN-13:9780373802029ISBN:0373802021
Description: Fine in Fine jacket. 8vo-over 7¾"-9¾" tall. Copy is fine with no wear to text, cover or dustjacket. Dustjacket is protected by clear mylar cover. Not a remainder. Price is intact. Does not appear to have been read. A Tale of the Five Hundred Kingdoms. FIRST EDITION STATED. By the author of the best selling Heralds of Valdemar Series. Shipping includes delivery tracking within U.S. read more
"Until I read this story, I hadn't realized that I subconsciously expected---in what the its narrator refers to as fairy tale tradition---the fairy godmother to be more or less a loner and DEFINITELY not one to take on a lover or a husband. Almost without fail, most traditional fantasy scenarios involving a fairy godmother portray her as a matronly, kind, buxomy-fluffy mother figure: The magical essence of a nun or a merry spinster. Well, rules are meant to be bent if not broken, and tradition must make allowances for new paths and interpretations. And so it is here that Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel, the Princess and the Pea, Snow White, and Cinderella find their roles turned inside out. And you never know until the end where the handsome Prince will end up (since, for a greater part of the novel, he has been living his life as a donkey). But the identical pieces of the same puzzle are still made to fit (tradition demands it), and all the loose ends tie up nicely, making for a delicious, hilarious Happily Ever After."
"Elena grew up in one of the 500 Kingdoms, which are quite literally driven by Tradition, the magical force that surrounds the lands and tries to guide people along Traditional storylines to Traditional fates. Elena was to be a Cinderella, but since the local prince wasn't old enough, she ended up apprenticing to her kingdom's fairy godmother instead. And of course, that suited her far better anyway.
I've always liked Mercedes Lackey, though I find as I grow older that she works better for younger readers; she employs a very breathless style of storyteling, full of unnecessary italics, and makes sure to explain every incident, custom, and moral just in case the reader was not clever enough to pick it up from clues in the story. At least reading Lackey broke me of all those habits as a writer! Her stories are also morally didactic--and she makes sure to beat the reader over the head with that 2x4 so they get the message--and that lost its appeal for me long ago. What I did appreciate was that since I know Lackey's more interested in world building than action, I never felt particularly keyed up or worried about the characters, and could thus enjoy the plot as was."
"This book had the promise of a unique plot twist. Cinderella doesn't get to go to the ball; she's gets to be fairy godmother's apprentice, instead! But, the book is a hefty 400+ pages, and the writing just wasn't very engaging. It was just kind of flat. Here, again, I skimmed through to find out what happens. Was surprised by the "explicit" sex scenes, which occur at the end of the story, and which I never enjoy. After Cinderella and her prince "fall in lust", the author adds 40 pages of conflict so that the new hero can prove himself worthy. Overall disappointing."
"I really enjoyed this book! I like reading about fairy tales and this one takes what we normally think of fairy tales and twist them all around. Very enjoyable read and I look forward to the next one in the series.
I have to say I didn't expect there to be romance but I really enjoyed watching the two characters come together."
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