Runemarks by Joanne Harris - Revision history

Sue at 12:06, 14 May 2018

2018-05-14T12:06:45Z

Sue at 13:25, 10 May 2018

2018-05-10T13:25:16Z

Sue at 13:24, 10 May 2018

2018-05-10T13:24:48Z

Sue at 16:23, 14 March 2018

2018-03-14T16:23:40Z

Sue at 17:11, 8 January 2015

2015-01-08T17:11:34Z

Sue at 11:15, 2 December 2012

2012-12-02T11:15:33Z

Sue at 11:15, 2 December 2012

2012-12-02T11:15:13Z

Jill at 19:38, 8 March 2011

2011-03-08T19:38:29Z

Keith at 00:40, 7 November 2009

2009-11-07T00:40:51Z

Keith: 1 revision

2009-10-24T17:26:22Z

1 revision

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 Ye gods. Another adult writer penning for the children's market. I've been disappointed in a few of these recently and so picked up ''Runemarks'' with some trepidation. But, thank heavens, I put it down feeling rather satisfied. ''Runemarks'' is a Tolkeinesque quest adventure using the pantheon and rune magic of the Nordic gods. It's energetic, exciting and funny and it has enough world-building going on to satisfy even the most trainspotterish of junior fantasy fans. But most importantly of all, it's pitched perfectly. The prose is straightforward, vigorous and totally lacking in pretension - as it should be in books aimed at even sophisticated young teen or tween readers - but neither is it self-consciously "dumbed down", which so many writers of adult fiction seem to think is appropriate in their I Can Write A Book For Children enterprises. It isn't appropriate; it's patronising, and it generally leads to a poor book. Three cheers to Joanne Harris for not doing this.
-The action is non-stop, the magic is brilliant and the characters are all fully-rounded. Maddy and Loki in particular came alive from the pages for me. I spotted the villain about halfway through, but the denouement - an absolute triumph - came as a complete surprise. ''Runemarks'' has just right the proportions of fun, excitement and darkness. If you compare it to what someone like Melvin Burgess is doing with the Norse legends in ''Bloodtide'' and ''Bloodsong'' or to the wit and world building in Terry Pratchett's Discworld for children in [[The Wee Free Men]] then perhaps it falls short. But then, so do almost all the other fantasy books on the shelves. ''Runemarks'' though, stands up happily to just about all the rest of the competition. It's a jolly romp but a jolly romp of some quality. We thoroughly enjoyed it.
+The action is non-stop, the magic is brilliant and the characters are all fully-rounded. Maddy and Loki in particular came alive from the pages for me. I spotted the villain about halfway through, but the denouement - an absolute triumph - came as a complete surprise. ''Runemarks'' has just right the proportions of fun, excitement and darkness. If you compare it to what someone like Melvin Burgess is doing with the Norse legends in ''Bloodtide'' and ''Bloodsong'' or to the wit and world building in Terry Pratchett's Discworld for children in ''The Wee Free Men'' then perhaps it falls short. But then, so do almost all the other fantasy books on the shelves. ''Runemarks'' though, stands up happily to just about all the rest of the competition. It's a jolly romp but a jolly romp of some quality. We thoroughly enjoyed it.
 My thanks to the good people at Random House for sending the book.

@@ Line 21: / Line 21: @@
 Ye gods. Another adult writer penning for the children's market. I've been disappointed in a few of these recently and so picked up ''Runemarks'' with some trepidation. But, thank heavens, I put it down feeling rather satisfied. ''Runemarks'' is a Tolkeinesque quest adventure using the pantheon and rune magic of the Nordic gods. It's energetic, exciting and funny and it has enough world-building going on to satisfy even the most trainspotterish of junior fantasy fans. But most importantly of all, it's pitched perfectly. The prose is straightforward, vigorous and totally lacking in pretension - as it should be in books aimed at even sophisticated young teen or tween readers - but neither is it self-consciously "dumbed down", which so many writers of adult fiction seem to think is appropriate in their I Can Write A Book For Children enterprises. It isn't appropriate; it's patronising, and it generally leads to a poor book. Three cheers to Joanne Harris for not doing this.
-The action is non-stop, the magic is brilliant and the characters are all fully-rounded. Maddy and Loki in particular came alive from the pages for me. I spotted the villain about halfway through, but the denouement - an absolute triumph - came as a complete surprise. ''Runemarks'' has just right the proportions of fun, excitement and darkness. If you compare it to what someone like Melvin Burgess is doing with the Norse legends in [[Bloodtide]] and ''Bloodsong'' or to the wit and world building in Terry Pratchett's Discworld for children in [[The Wee Free Men]] then perhaps it falls short. But then, so do almost all the other fantasy books on the shelves. ''Runemarks'' though, stands up happily to just about all the rest of the competition. It's a jolly romp but a jolly romp of some quality. We thoroughly enjoyed it.
+The action is non-stop, the magic is brilliant and the characters are all fully-rounded. Maddy and Loki in particular came alive from the pages for me. I spotted the villain about halfway through, but the denouement - an absolute triumph - came as a complete surprise. ''Runemarks'' has just right the proportions of fun, excitement and darkness. If you compare it to what someone like Melvin Burgess is doing with the Norse legends in ''Bloodtide'' and ''Bloodsong'' or to the wit and world building in Terry Pratchett's Discworld for children in [[The Wee Free Men]] then perhaps it falls short. But then, so do almost all the other fantasy books on the shelves. ''Runemarks'' though, stands up happily to just about all the rest of the competition. It's a jolly romp but a jolly romp of some quality. We thoroughly enjoyed it.
 My thanks to the good people at Random House for sending the book.

@@ Line 21: / Line 21: @@
 Ye gods. Another adult writer penning for the children's market. I've been disappointed in a few of these recently and so picked up ''Runemarks'' with some trepidation. But, thank heavens, I put it down feeling rather satisfied. ''Runemarks'' is a Tolkeinesque quest adventure using the pantheon and rune magic of the Nordic gods. It's energetic, exciting and funny and it has enough world-building going on to satisfy even the most trainspotterish of junior fantasy fans. But most importantly of all, it's pitched perfectly. The prose is straightforward, vigorous and totally lacking in pretension - as it should be in books aimed at even sophisticated young teen or tween readers - but neither is it self-consciously "dumbed down", which so many writers of adult fiction seem to think is appropriate in their I Can Write A Book For Children enterprises. It isn't appropriate; it's patronising, and it generally leads to a poor book. Three cheers to Joanne Harris for not doing this.
-The action is non-stop, the magic is brilliant and the characters are all fully-rounded. Maddy and Loki in particular came alive from the pages for me. I spotted the villain about halfway through, but the denouement - an absolute triumph - came as a complete surprise. ''Runemarks'' has just right the proportions of fun, excitement and darkness. If you compare it to what someone like Melvin Burgess is doing with the Norse legends in [[Bloodtide]] and [[Bloodsong]] or to the wit and world building in Terry Pratchett's Discworld for children in [[The Wee Free Men]] then perhaps it falls short. But then, so do almost all the other fantasy books on the shelves. ''Runemarks'' though, stands up happily to just about all the rest of the competition. It's a jolly romp but a jolly romp of some quality. We thoroughly enjoyed it.
+The action is non-stop, the magic is brilliant and the characters are all fully-rounded. Maddy and Loki in particular came alive from the pages for me. I spotted the villain about halfway through, but the denouement - an absolute triumph - came as a complete surprise. ''Runemarks'' has just right the proportions of fun, excitement and darkness. If you compare it to what someone like Melvin Burgess is doing with the Norse legends in [[Bloodtide]] and ''Bloodsong'' or to the wit and world building in Terry Pratchett's Discworld for children in [[The Wee Free Men]] then perhaps it falls short. But then, so do almost all the other fantasy books on the shelves. ''Runemarks'' though, stands up happily to just about all the rest of the competition. It's a jolly romp but a jolly romp of some quality. We thoroughly enjoyed it.
 My thanks to the good people at Random House for sending the book.

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-{{infobox
+{{infobox1
 |title=Runemarks
 |author=Joanne Harris
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 |isbn=978-0385611305
 |video=eUd8M-e61Zc
-|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0385611307</amazonuk>
+|cover=0385611307
-|amazonus=<amazonus>0385611307</amazonus>
+|aznuk=0385611307
 }}
 Maddy Smith was born five hundred years after the end of the world. The new order is, well, orderly. Magic is forbidden. Imagination is frowned upon. Nobody admits to dreaming. The old gods are gone and in their place the Order is bringing, well, order. Unfortunately for Maddy, she was born with a ruinmark; runes bring ruin in this new - ''orderly'' - era, you see. So Maddy can do magic. And, in secret, she enjoys doing, even if it is just to keep a few pesky goblins out of the cellar. Maddy and her ruinmark aren't very popular though, and Maddy's only friend is One-Eye, an Outlander trader who comes to town just once a year. This year, he wants Maddy to open Red Horse Hill and retrieve a relic from the old days. And when she does so, all hell breaks loose and we finally get to meet the Aesir and the Vanir themselves. The old Norse gods are abroad again, and so are is their rune magic, and they're pitted against the Order, which has some magic of its own.

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 |buy=Yes
 |borrow=Yes
 |pages=500
 |publisher=Doubleday
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 {{amazontext|amazon=0385611307}}
 {{commenthead}}
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 |name=Diana
 |verb=said
-|comment=
+|comment=As an avid reader/book buyer of all sorts of books I actually purchased "Runemarks" for a younger family member. Anyway, having been laid low over the Christmas/New Year break with one of the current infections and looking for light relief I read it and thoroughly enjoyed it.
 Your reviewer is obviously more widely read in the genre than I am but as a reader of all sorts of sci-fi/fantasy over the past 45+ years (from well before it was "fashionable") I was very impressed with this book and shall be recommending it to my adult children who are also keen readers. Unless I am much mistaken in their taste they will enjoy it as much as I have and I would recommend it as an excellent quick moving read to any adult who enjoys fantasy books as well as the supposed target market of teenagers. The book certainly is a splendid alternative to TV for hours of entertainment.
 }}

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