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The Looking Glass Wars (Looking Glass Wars)

by Frank Beddor

The Looking Glass Wars (Looking Glass Wars) Cover

ISBN13: 9780803731530
ISBN10: 0803731531
Condition: Standard
Dustjacket: Standard
All Product Details

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Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

Forget all you know, put aside your preconceived notions, and prepare to experience the extraordinary reality behind the fantasy...of Wonderland.

Frank Beddor has spent five years researching the true story behind Alice in Wonderland. What he has discovered is an epic saga of love, murder, revenge, war and the revelation of the truth.

The real Alyss was born into a world of unearthly delights, destined to grow up and become Wonderland's most beloved queen. Until her fairy-tale life was shattered like the reflection in a looking glass. She sought refuge in our world, forgetting her own. Years later, a stranger stirs her memory, compelling her to return...

Review:

"Alice was real — although her name was spelled Alyss, one of the many details Lewis Carroll got wrong in the story told to him by the young queen of Wonderland, according to Beddor's imaginative opener to a planned trilogy. Seven-year-old Alyss Heart is heir to the throne of Wonderland, just beginning her training under her albino tutor Bibwit Harte (an anagram for 'white rabbit,' one of many such puns) when her evil aunt Redd, long ago banished to the Chessboard Desert, leads a violent coup that kills King Nolan, Alyss's father. Alyss narrowly escapes (via a looking glass, naturally) with the help of bodyguard Hatter Madigan, and ends up in a London orphanage. Here she meets Reverend Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, a 'gentle, shrinking-violet type of fellow,' who will turn her story into a children's book; years later, Hatter finds the book during his quest to find the lost princess, and seeks out Carroll. While the girl (now Alice Liddell) prepares to marry Prince Leopold, life in Wonderland grows ever harsher under the reign of Redd, and the 'Alyssinians' await the return of their young queen-to-be. Beddor makes ample use of Carroll-esque humor and wit, so much so that the thought of an entire trilogy is somewhat daunting; fortunately, the ending to this first entry allows readers to treat it as a standalone. Fans of the source material will find this an entertaining diversion, while those unfamiliar with it will miss much of the humor. Ages 12-up. (Sept.) Agent: Barbara Marshall Ltd." Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

Review:

"A highly original and engrossing read that takes the story of Carroll's Alice and turns it on its head in a totally believable way. I couldn't put it down and I can't wait for the next volume." Children's Buyer's Guide

Review:

"The action moves swiftly from one complex scene to the next." Kirkus Reviews

Review:

"[R]eadable and appealing...a good choice for reluctant readers." KLIATT

Review:

"Fans of Carroll's stories will flock to this and those who have managed to miss that less violent classic can get to it while waiting for the next volume in this exciting and humorous trilogy." School Library Journal

Review:

"The clever premise, the superior production values, and the publisher's ambitious marketing plans will no doubt ensure success at least on par with that of other recent juvenile fantasies. This book is enjoyable, but it could have been more." VOYA

Review:

"Beddor offers some intriguing reimaginings of Dodgson's concepts...but his transformation of Wonderland's lunacy into a workable world sometimes leads to stilted exposition on history, geography, and government." Booklist

About the Author

Frank Beddor runs Automatic Pictures, and produced the hit film There's Something About Mary for 20th Century Fox. He hails from Minneapolis, and attended the University of Utah, where he trained for the US Ski Team. One of the world's foremost freestyle skiers, he won the World Championship twice. Frank began his entertainment career doing endorsements and commercials before performing the skiing stunts for the comedy Hot Dog: The Movie. Trading the alpine slopes for the Hollywood hills, Frank has acted alongside Emilio Estevez, Carrie Fisher, Chris Penn, Jennifer Tilly and Kevin Dillon.

What Our Readers Are Saying

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Average customer rating based on 2 comments:
PrincessC176, June 18, 2009 (view all comments by PrincessC176)
The Looking Glass Wars was an absolutely wonderful book that I didn't want to put down. Even if you're not an Alice in Wonderland fan, this book won't disappoint. Seeing Redd is the next in the series and it's a great continuation.
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Daoshi, February 21, 2007 (view all comments by Daoshi)
Before I begin, I have to say that my first experience with Lewis Carroll’s influence wasn’t the best when I had nightmares over evil-grinning cats ripping my skin off and hatters that would boil me in their tea. (I suppose that means I had macabre imagination for a child.) That being said, I already had a bias about The Looking Glass War’s “Hatter Madigan” and “The Cat” characters before even reading about them.

Frank Beddor, however, shall cause no such nightmares to anyone. To assemble an appropriate book to suit all ages and tastes is nearly impossible. Yet, The Looking Glass Wars pulls it off well; it returns adolescent imagining powers as a literal form of energy while including the ever popular demand for “action fight scenes” and “childhood adoration.” Because of this, the book has reached popularity; like all popular books, there are always people that want everything to be all original and I, myself, prefer original things over trite, over-used themes. However, The Looking Glass Wars has a careful blend of both.

Nevertheless, this book might not be the best for all in which it requires an open mind and personal opinions.

The American McGee travesty of the Mad Hatter was rather repulsive. Upon hearing of Hatter Madigan, I expected another American grotesque, tragic remix of the classic at-maker. I was gladly proved wrong. Hatter Madigan has a wonderful character and he is very focused on his ambitions. We see Hatter’s personal goals rather easily but is haunted by his own daemons bestowed upon him as a command from Queen Genevieve Heart.

Now, Princess Alyss goes through scenarios that we all must go through such as when one speaks the truth yet all revile. Alyss’ powers elude her on Earth and thus, she shows courage in trying to reclaim it in Wonderland thirteen years later of everyone attempting to convince her that Wonderland does not exist and that her true name is Alice. Why doesn’t this girl go through an identity crisis or develop schizophrenia as a form of being haunted by her family’s death? It’s amazing how she pulls through! In addition, she is also courageous in a sense that she does not lash out on Queen Redd for her the dictator’s massacring of many people and Alyss certainly is not contained in a mental ward because of her beliefs of Wonderland. Alyss is also unselfish for the fact that she chooses to do what is best for all in both places, Wonderland and Earth.

Instead of giving us a “rip-off” cliff-hanger ending, we have a decent resolution to all the elements to encourage the readers to read the next two books of the fantasy trilogy.

I encourage all to read The Looking Glass Wars. Cheers!
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Product Details

ISBN:
9780803731530
Author:
Beddor, Frank
Publisher:
Dial Books
Subject:
Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic
Subject:
Fantasy
Subject:
Characters in literature
Subject:
Action & Adventure - General
Subject:
Action & Adventure
Subject:
Characters and characteristics in literature
Subject:
Fantasy & Magic
Edition Description:
Hardcover
Series:
Looking Glass Wars
Series Volume:
01
Publication Date:
October 2006
Binding:
Hardcover
Grade Level:
Children/juvenile
Language:
English
Illustrations:
Y
Pages:
358
Dimensions:
9.28x6.34x1.42 in. 1.28 lbs.
Age Level:
08-12

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