Bastian Balthazar Bux is nobody's idea of a hero, least of all his own. Through the pages of an old book he discovers a mysterious world of enchantment - one falling into decay. The task of making things well again falls to Bastian - and so begins an unforgettable and magical adventure.

This bookray wants to travel to:
captkoenig Eindhoven-NL (i)
Plinius Schiedam-NL (i)
afraberg Amsterdam-NL (i)
EnigmaGryphon Cholet-F (i)
timotte Strasbourg-F (i)
MissBagpuss Cleethorpes-UK (Europe)
Valpuri Kuopio-Finland (Europe)
Aspen72 Turku-Finland (i)
tennessee4919 Lyon-F (i)
cobalt-tree Toronto-Can (i)
rooshill Foresthill-USA (US)

RELEASE NOTES:

Bastian travels to the Netherlands. Wish everyone a beautiful time

This book arrived in Eindhoven today. I will start reading it very soon.

In the beginning Ende seems to write somewhat reluctantly. Not another fairy-tale, can't i write something differently, will it never stop? Its a neverending story. He starts with clichés and childish names like Cheesiewheezies, my name is Blubb, mine is Vooshvazool and a rock chewer named Pyornkrachzark. Ende even forgets to give Bastian matches and when he needs them he just sais: 'he always had matches on him, for he had a weakness for making little fires' (p. 90). That was nowhere in the story before and it never returned. Not very good writing.
But then Ende seems to get caught by his own story. And this little fairy-tale turns into a masterpiece of Fantasy. A novel to cherish for the rest of your life. As Bastian is drawn into the story, so is it's writer and so is the reader.

'There are people who can never go to Fantastica and others who stay there forever. And there are just a few who go to Fantastica and come back...'

Will be sent to Plinius very soon.

Has arrived today with a beautiful verhalenkaart, thank you captkoenig!

Nice story! Fantasy mixed with some difficult patches you need to go through if you want to grow up. I liked the piece about the picture mine very much, and sometimes the story reminded me of Haroun and the Sea of Stories, but that's another story and shall be told another time.
Pmming Afraberg...

The book arrived at my house toda. Thank you very much for sending Plinius, I liked your card very much :)
I watched a part of the film a few weeks ago and loved it very much again. I'm very curious about the book!

The book arrived last week-end of January at my house.
I just have one ring to finish before I can read The Neverending Story.
I'm really looking forward to read this book those cinematographic adaptation got its place in all my DVDs.

Somewhere at the beginning of march: book finished.
It was really great.
It appeared that the movie was not exactly an adaptation but more of an inspired by movie... And then? I still like it.

Even if the start was difficult, the story began to run by its own wish under the hand of Ende. Quickly, the reader can't wait to know what will happen to Atreyu (and Bastian).
As said by someone before me, this novel really is a masterpiece of Fantasy.

May, 23: tennessee4919 PM'd but suggested a short circuit to the next one.
May, 27: sent to timotte.

Remember to PM tennessee4919 when you have it finished. \o_

The book arrived today at home. I read it and send it to tenessee4919.

July, 15th: PM sent to tenessee4919.
August, 5th: book sent to MissBagpuss.

I think it's usually a mistake to watch a movie before you read a book. For me, this was no exception. As a previous journaller says, the movie was more inspired by the book than an adaptation of it, particularly since the movie seems to cover only the first half of the book.

I do disagree with other readers though about which were the better parts of the story. For me, the second half was a little too preachy and moralistic for my taste, and a little too obvious. Bastian wastes his wishes wanting to be the most handsome..it doesnt work. OK, how about the most powerful...nope, doesnt work either. Blah blah blah. Oh wait, how about he just wishes to be himself? Hooray! For me it was all a bit of a cliche.

I felt most of the imagination lay in the first part of the book, although admittedly the second was better written and had some lovely images like the mine mentioned in another review. However, I can fully understand why the movie only covered the first half. No child goes to the movies to be lectured to, which for me is what the second half of the book tries to do.

28th August 2008: Book now on the way to the next reader

I was so happy when the book arrived safely to me today, since I had already worried it might have gone missing on the journey. I'll start reading it right away :)

Another Book seems to be lost - very sad thing, so.