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2 Burnside Children's Young Adult- General

Dark Lord of Derkholm

by Diana Wynne Jones

Dark Lord of Derkholm Cover

ISBN13: 9780064473361
ISBN10: 0064473368
Condition: Standard
All Product Details

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Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

For forty years, Wizard Derk's world has been devastated by Mr. Chesney's Pilgrim Parties — packaged excursions for tourists from the next universe in search of adventure. When the mild-mannered Derk is chosen to play the role of this year's Dark Lord, he is forced by the sinister Mr. Chesney to turn his bucolic country estate into a labyrinthine castle lit by baleful fires, manifest himself as a nine-foot-tall shadow with flaming red eyes, and lead his minions to a climactic battle against the Forces of Good.

Can Derk find a way to put an end to the evil Mr. Chesney and his Pilgrim Parties — once and for all?

Review:

"On a par with Jones's best, this expansive novel manages to be both an affectionate send-up of the sword-and-sorcery genre and a thrilling fantasy adventure in its own right....Thought-provoking and utterly engaging, this tour-de-force succeeds on numerous levels. The marvelously characterized griffins are a particularly noteworthy pleasure." Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Review:

"Mad about Harry? Try Diana." U.S. News & World Report

Review:

"[A] side-splitting, sometimes scary tale that will intrigue readers of the very fantasies being spoofed here. A true delight." Booklist

Review:

"[E]xciting, mysterious, and hilarious....Fans of Jones's previous books will not be disappointed, and Dark Lord could also be an excellent introduction to high fantasy for other readers." School Library Journal

Review:

"Several surprises in the convoluted plot lead to the triumphant ending of the author's best fantasy in some time." Horn Book

Synopsis:

Mr. Chesney operates Pilgrim Parties, a tour group that takes paying participants into an outer realm where the inhabitants play frightening and foreboding roles. The time has come to end the staged madness . . . but can it really be stopped? Master storyteller Diana Wynne Jones serves up twists and turns, introduces Querida, Derk, Blade, and Shona and a remarkable cast of wizards, soldiers, kings, dragons, and griffins, and mixes in a lively dash of humor. With all the ingredients of high fantasy, this unforgettable novel will delight fans old and new.
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About the Author

Diana Wynne Jones was raised in the village of Thaxted, in Essex, England. She has been a compulsive storyteller for as long as she can remember enjoying most ardently those tales dealing with witches, hobgoblins, and the like. Ms. Jones lives in Bristol, England, with her husband, a professor of English at Bristol University. They have three sons and two granddaughters.
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What Our Readers Are Saying

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Average customer rating based on 1 comment:
crowyhead, August 21, 2006 (view all comments by crowyhead)
Derk is an excellent wizard, but he just wants to be left alone with his experiments. No such luck -- he's been appointed the Dark Lord this year so that Mr. Chesney's Pilgrim Tours (tourists from another world much like ours) will have an archenemy to fight. None of the denizens of Derk's world like the tours, because they're expensive and disruptive, and every year people are killed and crops are spoiled due to the wars staged for the Pilgrims. Mr. Chesney, however, has a pet demon, and it doesn't do to cross him. So Derk, his wife, Shona and Blade (his two human children), and his five griffin children (they're magically-genetically engineered, and are very much part of the family) must work to transform their homestead into a Dark Fortress and pool their talents to carry off the illusion the Derk is a formidable opponent. This is all hard enough, but when Derk is injured in an unfortunate encounter with a dragon, his kids have to take on the majority of the organizing. Chaos, of course, ensues.

What I really enjoyed about this was that it's absolutely hilarious and does a great job of sending up the high fantasy genre, but the characters are also very well drawn and reading about Derk's odd family is truly a delight. I'm really looking forward to reading The Year of the Griffin, the sequel.
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Product Details

ISBN:
9780064473361
Author:
Jones, Diana Wynne
Publisher:
HarperTrophy
Author:
by Diana Wynne Jones
Author:
Cherryh, C. J.
Location:
New York
Subject:
General
Subject:
Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic
Subject:
Children's 12-Up - Fiction - Fantasy
Subject:
Humorous Stories
Subject:
Magic
Subject:
Fantasy
Subject:
Fantasy fiction
Subject:
Young adult fiction
Subject:
General Juvenile Fiction
Subject:
Fantasy & Magic
Subject:
Wizards
Subject:
Fantasy - General
Subject:
Children s-Science Fiction and Fantasy
Copyright:
2001
Edition Description:
Paperback
Series Volume:
106-708
Publication Date:
20010431
Binding:
MASS MARKET
Grade Level:
from 7
Language:
English
Pages:
528
Dimensions:
6.73x4.17x1.38 in. .54 lbs.
Age Level:
13-17
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Related Aisles

Dark Lord of Derkholm Used Mass Market
0 stars - 0 reviews
$5.95 In Stock
Product details 528 pages HarperTrophy - English 9780064473361 Reviews:
"Review" by , "On a par with Jones's best, this expansive novel manages to be both an affectionate send-up of the sword-and-sorcery genre and a thrilling fantasy adventure in its own right....Thought-provoking and utterly engaging, this tour-de-force succeeds on numerous levels. The marvelously characterized griffins are a particularly noteworthy pleasure."
"Review" by , "Mad about Harry? Try Diana."
"Review" by , "[A] side-splitting, sometimes scary tale that will intrigue readers of the very fantasies being spoofed here. A true delight."
"Review" by , "[E]xciting, mysterious, and hilarious....Fans of Jones's previous books will not be disappointed, and Dark Lord could also be an excellent introduction to high fantasy for other readers."
"Review" by , "Several surprises in the convoluted plot lead to the triumphant ending of the author's best fantasy in some time."
"Synopsis" by , Mr. Chesney operates Pilgrim Parties, a tour group that takes paying participants into an outer realm where the inhabitants play frightening and foreboding roles. The time has come to end the staged madness . . . but can it really be stopped? Master storyteller Diana Wynne Jones serves up twists and turns, introduces Querida, Derk, Blade, and Shona and a remarkable cast of wizards, soldiers, kings, dragons, and griffins, and mixes in a lively dash of humor. With all the ingredients of high fantasy, this unforgettable novel will delight fans old and new.
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