The City of Ember (The First Book of Ember)

Amazon.com

It is always night in the city of Ember. But there is no moon, no stars. The only light during the regular twelve hours of "day" comes from floodlamps that cast a yellowish glow over the streets of the city. Beyond are the pitch-black Unknown Regions, which no one has ever explored because an understanding of fire and electricity has been lost, and with it the idea of a Moveable Light. "Besides," they tell each other, "there is nowhere but here" Among the many other things the people of Ember have forgotten is their past and a direction for their future. For 250 years they have lived pleasantly, because there has been plenty of everything in the vast storerooms. But now there are more and more empty shelves--and more and more times when the lights flicker and go out, leaving them in terrifying blackness for long minutes. What will happen when the generator finally fails?

Twelve-year-old Doon Harrow and Lina Mayfleet seem to be the only people who are worried. They have just been assigned their life jobs--Lina as a messenger, which leads her to knowledge of some unsettling secrets, and Doon as a Pipeworker, repairing the plumbing in the tunnels under the city where a river roars through the darkness. But when Lina finds a very old paper with enigmatic "Instructions for Egress," they use the advantages of their jobs to begin to puzzle out the frightening and dangerous way to the city of light of which Lina has dreamed. As they set out on their mission, the haunting setting and breathless action of this stunning first novel will have teens clamoring for a sequel. (Ages 10 to 14) --Patty Campbell

Book Description

The city of Ember was built as a last refuge for the human race. Two hundred years later, the great lamps that light the city are beginning to flicker. When Lina finds part of an ancient message, she’s sure it holds a secret that will save the city. She and her friend Doon must decipher the message before the lights go out on Ember forever! This stunning debut novel offers refreshingly clear writing and fascinating, original characters.

From the Hardcover edition.

Download Description

The city of Ember was built as a last refuge for the human race. Two hundred years later, the great lamps that light the city are beginning to flicker. When Lina finds part of an ancient message, she's sure it holds a secret that will save the city. She and her friend Doon must decipher the message before the lights go out on Ember forever!

This stunning debut novel offers refreshingly clear writing and fascinating, original characters.

Customer Reviews:

Good, overall pleasing.......2007-07-28

The beginning struck me as a little slow, but overall, I enjoyed this book. The pace was good. Lina was a somewhat flat character, but she was made up for by Doon, who was satisfyingly made. I think this book would have improved if the characters were a tad more complex and less predictable, but overall I enjoyed the story. I predicted the ending (which is never good, in my opinion) but it wasn't an unsatisfying ending. The next book should be interesting.

entertaining.......2007-07-19

Jeanne Duprau's book "The City of Ember" is a book of complex themes pared down to a manageable level for kids to be able to process in an entertaining way. For some unknown reason a race of humans is made to live in a city of darkness that runs on electricity that runs on hydro electric power from a river deep under the city. Some years prior to the present day a group of people called the Builders assembled the city and the inhabitants and set them up with everything they would need to sustain themselves. However, it is some 200+ years after their establishment, and the supplies of light bulbs and food are running low. The rub of the situation is that Ember is the last known city off the world. there is hope for escape in the form of a sealed box that goes hidden after one of the mayors fails to pass it on.

The main story surrounds two 12 year old children joining the workforce, Lina Mayfleet and Doon Harrow. Lina wants an exciting job of being a messenger. Doon wants to work in some important field so that he can hopefully determine a way to get Ember out of their predicament. At first they are assigned jobs they hate, but after they switch with one another Lina has her desired job of messenger while Doon gets a job assisting in the pipe works near the generator. He hopes this will lead him to the solution to save the city.

Things start to unravel as food threatens to run out and the lights flicker on and off and Lina finds bits of an important document that she believes may be a key to helping the Emberites. Between her and Doon they attempt to decipher the torn up message, but they have to do it before the officials discover what they are doing and throw them into jail for sedition and attempting to incite chaos. Among other things.

Like I said it seems simple, but there are actually some complex themes working at hand here. One is the obvious point that the Emberites are the last of their kind. What drove them to have to live this way? The evidence points to a fall out after a nuclear war. However some metaphors come into play that clearly imply the dawn of man, just as one memorable scene of Lina and Doon discovering fire, which turns out to be one of the keys that helps them make it out of the city. There are also various cyber punk aspects working their way into the overall story as well.

This was an interesting read for me. I liked it so much I started the next book in the series. It does have some issues, which is why I gave it four out of five stars... character development is a bit cookie cutter. However, it is still an entertaining read.

Brief review of Ember.......2007-06-30

Hi, I really liked this book because it's a mystery and exciting. The main characters are Lina Mayfleet and Doon Harrow. They solve a surprising secret in Ember that could change the whole city (with subtle clues along the way). This book is for people who like mystery, excitement and cliffhangers. I hope you enjoy the book as much as I did!

Excellent and Chilling!!!.......2007-06-26

This book was such a great read! I read it in a day (just couldn't seem to put it down). I felt so drawn into the book as if I were, in fact, one of the Emberite townspeople or a bystander. What if we lived in an underground city in 24-hour darkness and must become dependent on electricity - in a controlled environment - as a means to provide our only source of light. This was the best book I've read in a while! I can't wait to see the movie in October 2008! I hope it is as good as the book! I also read "The People of Sparks" (second Book of Ember). It was a good read about what life can be like in desperate times, but it just didn't take a hold of me like "The City of Ember." I hope Ms. DuPrau will write another book where Lina, Doon, and a few of the townspeople go back to Ember to see what's left of their former home and whether there was anyone who was left behind. Now that's something to look forward to!

[...].

Wonderful.......2007-06-21

The city of ember is a wonderfully written book. Charecter development is incredibly strong, and I was left with a "the edge of your seat" feeling. I would have given the book 4 and one half stars but that option is not possible.
The Underground city is very original, and, ironically I found myself thinking about the same thing before I read the book. All in all this is a must read book.

Average customer rating:

A Crime Never Committed and Sins Never Called Crimes
Surreptitiously compelling
this not a translation from hungarian
Desire and Suspicion That will Not Ever Rest
Beautifully Written Book On Friendship, Love, & Honor.

Embers
Sandor Marai
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Classics | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Literary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Classics | Literature & Fiction | Book Clubs | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Fiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0375707425
Release Date: 2002-08-13

Amazon.com

In Sándor Márai's Embers, two old men, once the best of friends, meet after a 41-year break in their relationship. They dine together, taking the same places at the table that they had assumed on the last meal they shared, then sit beside each other in front of a dying fire, one of them nearly silent, the other one, his host, slowly and deliberately tracing the course of their dead friendship. This sensitive, long-considered elaboration of one man's lifelong grievance is as gripping as any adventure story and explains why Márai's forgotten 1942 masterpiece is being compared with the work of Thomas Mann. In some ways, Márai's work is more modern than Mann's. His brevity, simplicity, and succinct, unadorned lyricism may call to mind Latin American novelists like Gabriel García Márquez, or even Italo Calvino. It is the tone of magical realism, although Márai's work is only magical in the sense that he completely engages his reader, spinning a web of words as his wounded central character describes his betrayal and abandonment at the hands of his closest friend. Even the setting, an old castle, evokes dark fairy tales.

The story of the rediscovery of Embers is as fascinating as the novel itself. A celebrated Hungarian novelist of the 1930s, Márai survived the war but was persecuted by the Communists after they came to power. His books were suppressed, even destroyed, and he was forced to flee his country in 1948. He died in San Diego in 1989, one year before the neglected Embers was finally reprinted in his native land. This reprint was discovered by the Italian writer and publisher Roberto Calasso, and the subsequent editions have become international bestsellers. All of Márai's novels are now slated for American publication. --Regina Marler

Book Description

Originally published in 1942 and now rediscovered to international acclaim, this taut and exquisitely structured novel by the Hungarian master Sandor Marai conjures the melancholy glamour of a decaying empire and the disillusioned wisdom of its last heirs.

In a secluded woodland castle an old General prepares to receive a rare visitor, a man who was once his closest friend but who he has not seen in forty-one years. Over the ensuing hours host and guest will fight a duel of words and silences, accusations and evasions. They will exhume the memory of their friendship and that of the General’s beautiful, long-dead wife. And they will return to the time the three of them last sat together following a hunt in the nearby forest--a hunt in which no game was taken but during which something was lost forever. Embers is a classic of modern European literature, a work whose poignant evocation of the past also seems like a prophetic glimpse into the moral abyss of the present

Download Description

Originally published in 1942 and now rediscovered to international acclaim, this taut and exquisitely structured novel by the Hungarian master Sándor Márai conjures the melancholy glamour of a decaying empire and the disillusioned wisdom of its last heirs.

In a secluded woodland castle an old General prepares to receive a rare visitor, a man who was once his closest friend but who he has not seen in forty-one years. Over the ensuing hours host and guest will fight a duel of words and silences, accusations and evasions. They will exhume the memory of their friendship and that of the General's beautiful, long-dead wife. And they will return to the time the three of them last sat together following a hunt in the nearby forest—a hunt in which no game was taken but during which something was lost forever. Embers is a classic of modern European literature, a work whose poignant evocation of the past also seems like a prophetic glimpse into the moral abyss of the present.

"As masterly and lovely a novel as one could ask for.... Embers is perfect."
   THE WASHINGTON POST BOOK WORLD

"A lustrous novel.... [with] its powerful undercurrent of suspense and its elegantly wrought armature of moral and metaphysical argument.... Triumphant."
   THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW

"The reader will... be... very quietly nailed to the spot... mesmerizing.... In every way... satisfying."
   LOS ANGELES TIMES

"Tantalizing.... Brilliant.... [Marai's] words resonate."
   THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

Customer Reviews:

A Crime Never Committed and Sins Never Called Crimes.......2007-07-18

Two men meet after the passage of forty-one years. The old General, Henrik, awaits the arrival of his childhood friend and constant companion, Konrad. All the details of their meeting and meal together are arranged to duplicate the setting as it was the last time they dined together at the General's family estate - a castle situated in the forested hills on the eastern edge of the great Hungarian plain. At that meal they were joined by the General's wife, Krisztina. Earlier in the day, at the break of dawn, there had been a hunt in the large forest that belongs to the estate. Something happened -- or might have happened, it is not clear; the only evidence is the General's strong intuition that it did in fact happen -- during the hunt that resulted in Konrad's departure until the evening. On the next day he makes an even greater departure, resigning his military commission abruptly and leaving his apartment, his homeland, and the only true friends he has ever had in his life. The mystery of his disappearance remains unsolved for all except Henrik and Krisztina. The consequences of that day reverberate for the remainder of their lives.

As Henrik understands it Konrad and Krisztina had become lovers, and on that day Konrad had intended to kill his friend during the hunt. The right moment came and then vanished. Despite his intense hatred of Henrik, Konrad had lowered his rifle at the last instant. All of this has been reconstructed by the General, who did not at first understand the depths of that hatred or the reasons for it (which preceded the affair and may have been growing for years). The reasons were simple and straightforward and became clear to him with the passage of time (the reader can also infer them retrospectively, based on the narrative of their shared youth, to which the first quarter of the book is devoted). Konrad and Henrik were classmates from the age of ten in a Viennese military academy, then professional comrades in the peacetime Imperial Army. While everything in life came easily to Henrik, a man of open, sunny disposition in his youth, and more importantly, a man of inherited wealth and position who is implicitly trusted by everyone whose path crosses his, Konrad is a social outsider, born to an increasingly impoverished Galician couple who sacrifice every last pleasure and penny to pay for his education and the necessary accoutrements of a man of his station in life. He accepts nothing from his friend's family, other than being their constant guest, since Henrik cannot bear to part with his companionship. He is doubly an outsider in the army due to his artistic inclinations and talents as a musician (which creates a sympathetic resonance between Konrad and, first, Henrik's mother, then his wife). This uneasy bond continues for twenty-some years, until the evening of the final meal. The contrast in fates, social acceptance, and prospects has become unsupportable to Konrad. And yet he does nothing, other than flee the entanglement, going as far as to become an English citizen and further removing himself by working for decades in a colonial enterprise in the tropics of southern Asia.

From the day after the hunt, when Henrik seeks Konrad and instead finds Krisztina in his friend's abandoned apartment, he never speaks to his wife again, moving into the family hunting lodge while his wife remains ensconced in the castle. Neither one ever summons the other. She dies after eight years of this strictly enforced separation. Henrik remains in the army, serving in the First World War and then retiring to his room in the castle to ponder matters in solitude for the next twenty-two years. He knows that someday Konrad will return so that they will have the necessary discussion which constitutes most of the novel. Like a hunter setting a trap for his prey, he has prepared the discussion in great detail, circling around the two questions which he wishes Konrad to answer. His conversation, full of excursions into the findings of his solitary meditations - the nature of hunting as a ritual of sacrifice, the consideration of private and public murder (war), the inviolability of true friendship, the lack of self-understanding of men suffering from arrogance as well as ignorance -- is something of a philosophical treatise, undertaken as an exercise in both revenge and self-knowledge. In fact, if he can bring Konrad to agreement on the key issue of self-knowledge, he will have accomplished his revenge, which is entirely psychological - even spiritual -- in conception.

The two questions he wishes answered are not the obvious ones which suggest themselves: Did Konrad intend to kill him? And were Konrad and Krisztina lovers? (Remember, since that day no one in the triangle has communicated with the other two, much less admitted to any particular act of betrayal.) But, as Henrik realizes, each person's life and death has given the answers to those questions, which are the mere facts of an imaginary police report and therefore banal and predictable. He poses two other questions, which I will not share here. The answer to one of them can satisfy him while shaming his friend, but might bury the last shred of his love for his deceased wife. The answer to the other can only shame them both while exalting the same woman.

This is a philosophical novel which addresses many of the unsettling mental phenomena that accompany the self-knowledge attainable only by a withdrawal from the active world that accompanies old age. The time frame and social frame (which, as Henrik notes, was partially destroyed by the first war and promises to be totally destroyed by the second war in progress) are given as facts, but have broader cultural implications. The fatal day was July 2, 1899, and the meeting takes place on August 14, 1940. Henrik and Konrad were born in 1865; therefore they belong to the generations of the author's parents and grandparents and represent a disappearing way of life and thought. In a way this novel is also an early step that Marai was taking in the direction of a final valediction to the country he loved but came to find intolerable, the beginning of a slow flame which itself would end in dying embers.

(The following remarks are parenthetical, as they do not deal directly with an appreciation of the novel. I believe - and I am only guessing here - that a portion of "Embers" has enjoyed a second life in film, specifically in the portrayal of the young Alfred Redl and his friend, the aristocratic Kristof Kubinyi, in Istvan Szabo's film "Colonel Redl" (released in 1984). Although the credits of this film cite John Osborne's play "A Patriot for Me" as a textual source, you will find nothing in that play which reflects on the strong childhood relationship between these two characters in the film (in fact, the play has no Kubinyi and no scenes from Redl's youth). As usual Szabo has taken great biographical and narrative liberties with the actual Redl's life in order to shape his drama, which, like his films "Mephisto" and "Hanussen", examines the underlying theme of betrayal. In fact in each of these films there is layer upon layer of betrayal, starting with the self and radiating out to friends and nation. In "Colonel Redl" the main features of the bond between Redl and Kubinyi -- its establishment when they were young cadets, its intensity, the contrast between the "second family" and the family of birth, the comparative social backgrounds and prospects of each partner, and the trajectory of the friendship -- are so close to the characterization of the bond between Henrik and Konrad during their shared childhood and youth that it would seem to be beyond coincidence (other details point in this direction, e.g., the real Redl was born in 1864, the fictional Henrik and Konrad in 1865). It's hard to believe that Szabo didn't know this novel by his prominent countryman and use it in his own fashion (I don't know if he has spoken or written about this; my remarks may be redundant of something on the record unknown to me). In his typical fashion Szabo has mixed the psychological characteristics of the two members of each bond (Henrik/Konrad-Kubinyi/Redl) to suit his own purposes. (E.g., Redl, unlike Konrad but like Henrik, is the "real soldier" with a strong emotional attachment to the Imperial Army and Habsburg society which he betrays; but in "Embers" such a betrayal would be impossible for Henrik. Henrik, a Hungarian aristocrat like Kubinyi, is a far more serious man who is capable of introspection and withdrawal from society, while Kubinyi has neither of these gifts. And so on.) And of course the same "onion" of betrayal lies at the heart of Marai's story. Perhaps my speculation here is idle and unprovable, but, having seen the film several times since its release, I was immediately stuck by the strong resemblance between the film's and the novel's depiction of this bond when I read "Embers".)

The Knopf edition, like its edition of this novel's sibling, "The Rebels", is handsome and compact. The translation by Carol Brown Janeway gives a fair sample of Marai's clean and powerful language, which, although this is apparently self-contradictory, supports Henrik's belief that some very important things in and about our lives are known and yet remain beyond the power of language to express. This is the third of Marai's novels recently "resurrected" for publication in English translation, and it should inspire further undertakings which will bring his work a deserved contemporary readership at home and abroad.

Surreptitiously compelling.......2007-07-07

Recent translations of Embers by the prolific Hungarian author Marai, who died in 1989, have sold more than 500,000 copies in Europe. This book was only recently translated into English. Marai's writing is quietly rich, the plot surreptitiously compelling, and the characters finely etched. Critics call this book a psychological thriller, and after finishing it I must agree---though that classification never occurred to me while I was reading it.

Embers is 2-character novel built around a 40+ year rift between 2 friends. Konrad and Henrik first met in a military boarding school in the old Austro-Hungarian empire, Henrik the child of an aristocratic military family of great wealth and prestige and Konrad his polar opposite. Neither fits in until they find each other and become friends. They remain inseparable until they are in their early 30s. Then, in one day, without a single harsh word, the friendship ends, and Konrad leaves.

In 1940, forty-one years later, with no warning, Konrad returns and sends a note to his former friend. Both men are now 75 and frail. Henrik's wife has been dead for more than 30 years. Henrik invites Konrad to dinner and then sets out to re-create the last dinner they shared all those years ago-----even a chair is provided for the long-dead wife. Thus commences a remarkable evening, and the majority of the book is occupied with their conversation, which lasts until dawn. That the author can make what is essentially a monologue into a gripping page-turner is a testament to his skillful story telling. All is revealed during this night. Highly recommended.

this not a translation from hungarian.......2007-05-20

I find it shameful that this book is not translated from the original Hungarian, but that it is a translation of a German translation (I dont know about the Penguin edition - I wonder). Of course presses save money by hiring translators of more common languages (competition drives translation prices down, therefore a translator from GErman might cost less than one from Hungarian). However, I would think that an author of this statue would deserve an original translation, and that a press of this caliber (Random House) would have the honesty to hire a Hungarian translator. I can't believe that in the entire English speaking world there would not be qualified writers to do it. In all other languages, the translation is direct from the original(and, in the case of Spanish, beautifully I must say). What we are reading here has little to do with the original: this is cheating for the sake of profit. It's shabby.

Desire and Suspicion That will Not Ever Rest.......2007-05-13

A nobleman and career Austrian calvary officer finds himself poorly equipped by birth and education to deal honestly with his feelings and his desires. Upon the death of his young wife and the banishment of his boyhood friend and rival to the tropics, he becomes a recluse on his country estate. He spends 41 years totally obsessed with his suspicions, his self-examination and his regrets until his rival returns for dinner at age 75. He learns much during this long self-examination including the realization that his demand for absolute fidelity from an unhappy spouse is mere egotism and vanity and reflects his lack of concern for her real happiness. A beautifully written novel that I also had the good fortune to see as a play in London last June with Jeremy Irons. While watching a such a craftsman from 5th row center was a thrill, the book is far superior. The novel is a painful testament to the futility of wasting one's life dwelling upon the past.

Beautifully Written Book On Friendship, Love, & Honor........2007-01-26

This is this first book I've read by Hungarian Author Sandor Marai and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I finished reading "Embers" in three days as I couldn't put it down. This book was that captivating. There was an element of suspense/mystery as to why two friends whom had been friends since boyhood hadn't seen each other in 41 years. What was the cause of them not seeing each other or corresponding with each other during that time?

This book definitely makes one think about the true nature of friendship and has you thinking about what it means to be friends with someone. Honor and love are also topics touched upon in this novel and also leaving you to think about what each of these terms really mean.

The only reason I didn't give this book a 5 out of 5 stars was because I thought it would have been more interesting to have heard Konrad speak and explain his side of the story as to why he left so hastily 41 years earlier. Instead, "The General" gives mostly long monologues to Konrad explaining the chain of events that occurred and why he felt these events happened as they did. Since Konrad says nothing, we are left to presume that what his friend "The General" has said is true as we only see Konrad through "The General's" eyes for most of this novel.

Otherwise this book is phenomenal and would highly recommend reading it.

Average customer rating:

great continuation!
Loses its spark
Great!
From a Kid's Point of View
Don't Read The People of Sparks

The People of Sparks (Books of Ember)
Jeanne Duprau
Manufacturer: Yearling
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Action & Adventure | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0375828257
Release Date: 2005-04-12

Amazon.com

When teenagers Lina Mayfleet and Doon Harrow lead their people up out of the Earth, fleeing their dying underground city of Ember, everything is new and a little frightening to the refugees--the sun and the moon, birds, trees, fire…and the people of Ember are strange to the 322 citizens of Sparks, one of the few towns on Earth to survive the time of The Disaster. How can they feed and house the 400 Emberites, the leaders of Sparks wonder, when they have just begun to be able to feed themselves comfortably? But if they don't, these underground people with no survival skills will surely die in the wastelands. They take them in as best they can, but grumbling and bad feeling grows on both sides. Lina returns from a failed search for her persistent vision of a city of light to find the town, egged on by the power-hungry young thug Tick, once again at the point of war, forgetting how the Earth has been destroyed before. But Lina has seen the devastation left by The Disaster, and so she risks a brave move of reconciliation, and when Doon exposes Tick's trickery, the two sides join as the new people of Sparks.

In this exciting and solidly constructed sequel to The City of Ember, Jeanne DuPrau moves the story on entrancingly, bringing along her cast of characters from underground and adding new dimensions and relationships as the action escalates to a satisfying conclusion that still allows for further volumes in this fine fantasy. (Ages 10 to 14) --Patty Campbell

Book Description

The People of Sparks picks up where The City of Ember leaves off. Lina and Doon have emerged from the underground city to the exciting new world above, and it isn’t long before they are followed by the other inhabitants of Ember. The Emberites soon come across a town where they are welcomed, fed, and given places to sleep. But the town’s resources are limited and it isn’t long before resentment begins to grow between the two groups. When anonymous acts of vandalism push them toward violence, it’s up to Lina and Doon to discover who’s behind the vandalism and why, before it’s too late.

From the Hardcover edition.

Download Description

The People of Sparks picks up where The City of Ember leaves off. Lina and Doon have emerged from the underground city to the exciting new world above, and it isn't long before they are followed by the other inhabitants of Ember. The Emberites soon come across a town where they are welcomed, fed, and given places to sleep.

But the town's resources are limited and it isn't long before resentment begins to grow between the two groups. When anonymous acts of vandalism push them toward violence, it's up to Lina and Doon to discover who's behind the vandalism and why, before it's too late.

Customer Reviews:

great continuation!.......2007-10-10

This book is number two of three sequences. It is a great and simple storyline and a continuation of City of Ember. Children and adult will enjoy this book.

Loses its spark.......2007-07-29

I have to admit that I didn't finish this book. The big reason why I didn't was that I was reading it the same week that Harry Potter 7 came out. I knew that if I hadn't finished it and then picked up HP7 that my interest in this story would have waned by the time I was done. I was right.

Don't get me wrong, the story of Lina and Doon and the Emberites trying to carve out a life for themselves in the newfound village called Sparks was interesting. But, overall I didn't have the same charge from it that I had reading Ember, no pun intended. I might still have found this story dull, HP7 not withstanding. Whereas that story was fun and eventful this story feels lackluster and cold, and the morality lessons that are preached here are just predictable. I didn't really have the desire to power through it in time for HP7, and I don't really have the desire to read the prequel "The Prophet of Yonwood" either. I really liked the beginning of the book, but the end just lost steam.

Great!.......2007-05-05

Doon and Lina are back again in the People of Sparks. They have just lead the people of Ember from underground and up into the aboveground world. They meet the people of Sparks, where they are virtually unwelcome by many. Find out if conflicts are resolved in this book The People of Sparks.

From a Kid's Point of View.......2007-05-03

hmm... well, this book wasnt bad, but it wasnt super good either. it was just good. The prequel to this book, the city of ember is an AWESOME book, but i guess that's sorta off topic, so...now back to the people of sparks. the plot isnt as interesting as i thought itd be, considering how the plot in the city of ember was totally rockin' and the story sort of drags on in the middle, but other than that, the book was good. the middle of the book in my opinion had less interesting parts (like when Lina sneaks to go on a trip to the "city").i wouldnt call it a book that i cant bear to put down, but more of a book that was good and reccommendable.the beginning chapters of the book sucked me into the story, but as the middle neared, i lost the excitement i had in the beginning of the book. Overall, I would recommend this book, but wouldnt by like all excited about it.

Don't Read The People of Sparks.......2007-04-13

The People of Sparks by Jeanne DuPrau is a horrible book that I would not recommend to people under the age of eleven. This story takes place in the city of Sparks. Lina & Doon have just lead the people of Ember out from underground. After coming to the city the Emberites are mistreated, malnourished, and misunderstood. So Lina goes out into the Empty Lands with a roamer that is looking for treasure. The Empty Lands are full of owls, coyotes, and other odd animals. There are also destroyed homes and buildings. Following this she comes back, and there is a large fight involving everybody. After that the climax is still climbing, and the most important part is ... I can't tell you!

The above ground city of Sparks is an incredibly small city. The population is only three hundred twenty-seven and then to make matters worse, four hundred odd some people of Ember come to live with them. With food being scarce and people on the brink of war, Lina leaves with a roamer and goes to the Ancient City. This roamer that Lina left with is very rude, odd, and is looking for buried treasure that isn't there. When the roamer leaves, Lina leaves with the roamer's partner and head back to Sparks. When the two meet a new roamer, that is going to Sparks, they travel with him. The Roamer tells Lina the clues to the treasure, and Lina tells him that it is... I can't tell you, you have to read it.

Truly, I thought the book was horrible, and weird because I don't like Fantasies, but if you like Fantasies you should read it.

Average customer rating:

Cultural Anthropology (12th Edition)
Carol R. Ember , and Melvin Ember
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Nonfiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Science Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Nonfiction | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0132197332

Book Description

This comprehensive and scientific introduction to cultural anthropology helps students understand how humans vary culturally and why they got to be that way. This new edition highlights migration and immigration in the context of globalization.

Average customer rating:

More of a prequel
Don't know why it's included in the Ember books
Wyatt & Hantz's The Prophet of Yonwood Book Review
Expected to be horrible - very surprised!
COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN!

The Prophet of Yonwood (Books of Ember)
Jeanne Duprau
Manufacturer: Random House Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Action & Adventure | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Children's Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0375875263
Release Date: 2006-05-09

Book Description

It’s 50 years before the settlement of the city of Ember, and the world is in crisis. War looms on the horizon as 11-year-old Nickie and her aunt travel to the small town of Yonwood, North Carolina. There, one of the town’s respected citizens has had a terrible vision of fire and destruction. Her garbled words are taken as prophetic instruction on how to avoid the coming disaster. If only they can be interpreted correctly. . . .

As the people of Yonwood scramble to make sense of the woman’s mysterious utterances, Nickie explores the oddities she finds around town—her great-grandfather’s peculiar journals and papers, a reclusive neighbor who studies the heavens, a strange boy who is fascinated with snakes—all while keeping an eye out for ways to help the world. Is this vision her chance? Or is it already too late to avoid a devastating war?

In this prequel to the acclaimed The City of Ember and The People of Sparks, Jeanne DuPrau investigates how, in a world that seems out of control, hope and comfort can be found in the strangest of places.

Customer Reviews:

More of a prequel.......2007-05-20

THE PROPHET OF YONWOOD by Jeanne DuPrau is the third book of Ember. In this book, an eleven-year-old, Nickie comes to Yonwood, North Carolina to help her aunt sell an old mansion they've inherited. At this time rumors of war and terrorism are happening. A woman in Yonwood has visions of a terrible future, while another takes it upon herself to interprete these dreams.

I found myself comparing alot of this book to the recent terrible events in our own country. I liked how the author showed this through the eyes of a child. And the conflicts she went through wanting to be good and follow the woman's advice for the town even when it hurt those around her.

The only thing I was disappointed about was the ending. I've read the other two books of the series and wanted to know more about how the city of Ember came into existence. The author gives us only a glimpse of this in the ending chapter. Still I found this book worth my time. If anything, it shows that war and terrorism affects children too. No matter how much we shield it from them.

Don't know why it's included in the Ember books.......2007-05-20

My daughter and I loved The City of Ember and The People of Sparks. The concept was intriguing (especially about Ember) and the characters were engaging.
The Prophet of Yonwood was advertised as the prequel to the previous books. As such, you would expect that it would explain who the Builders were, how they built Ember, what the catastrophe that destroyed most of the earth was, etc. Instead, those questions are answered as an afterthought at the end of the book.
The Prophet of Yonwood seems to be Jeanne DuPrau's tirade against God and believers of any religion. She has a very negative view of people of faith which comes through very strongly. The character development is weak - in comparison to the first two books. In this book they are somewhat dull and you don't connect emotionally with them. It was like she was just pulling strange ideas out of the air (or her head) and trying to make them cohesive. It didn't work. The story is disjointed and lacks depth.
If you've read and enjoyed The City of Ember and The People of Sparks, be content with that. Don't waste your time on The Prophet of Yonwood because it really has nothing to do with the first two books. Ms. DuPrau should maybe return to writing non-fiction books again. She seems to have reached her fiction imagination limit.

Wyatt & Hantz's The Prophet of Yonwood Book Review.......2007-05-03

The Prophet of Yonwood is a great book for children. We think it is a must read book. A woman has a vision. She sees the earth on fire. One of the characters has snakes. He feeds them live mice. Another character is a girl. She tells on people when they do bad things. You must get this book!!

Expected to be horrible - very surprised!.......2007-04-30

Upon reading many horrible reviews, I expected this book to be just plain awful. I chose to give it a chance and read it, mostly to see just how bad it could be.

I, like most people, had expected this prequel would tell the exciting tale of the intricacies of the physical building of the City of Ember (and I have a feeling that Duprau won't leave us disappointed and will tell that tale eventually). The Prophet of Yonwood barely touched the world of Ember and Sparks, but does tell what I think is a very interesting tale in its own right: the thought processes, feelings, and concerns of an impending apocalyptic world.

Being written from an 11 year old girl's viewpoint, the dooming nature of the world's predicaments is naturally overshadowed by the simple concerns of a pre-adolescent. Had it been written for an older audience, the book could have been much more sophisticated in action, However, the curiosity and discussion questions it raises are right on par with the 11 year old mind that is just beginning to ask that cosmic questions: What's the point of it all? Duprau doesn't preach what the point is, she instead gives the reader much to ponder and think about on his/her own: How do I discern good and evil? What is Faith? How can I know Truth?

While Duprau's America does parallel some current issues: A divided nation, terrorism, war, putting a God-like trust in mere man, etc. etc., the book is hardly an American political commentary. These are issues that exist in nearly all societies are not something new and limited to American thought: they are universal. These are issues we all deal with whether we claim to be religious, political, anarchist, or what have you.

The only part of the book that was troubling (and thus, deserving of the four stars) was the use of Deus Ex Machina in the from of an astronomer who secretly persuades the government to focus its efforts on discovering the possibilities of the universe, multiple dimensions, etc... rather than destroying the world through war. The concept would be such an interesting one to explore - however, Duprau doesn't explore it - the reader is left not knowing the secret but is forced just to accept its effects.

Overall, I believe this book is an excellent read for an 11 year old. If read without any expectations, the books is very enjoyable. It will spark his or her imagination and possibly an interest in quantum physics and religion. ;) As a parent, be prepared to have some thought-provoking discussions while reading it together.

COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN!.......2007-04-30

Since I've read The City of Ember and The People of Sparks, I was very eager to read the prequel to the series. Jeanne DuPrau is very good at creating characters that kids and adults can relate to. Nickie, age 11, is the main character in this awesome novel. The world around her is very different than what it looks like today. The forecast of the future is very cloudy and everyone is worried and nervous. The Phalanx Nations have not agreed to a decision the United States has made. The government has set a deadline for The Phalanx Nations to agree to this decision before the United States will declare all out war on them. With threats of missiles and bombs everyone is on edge. Nickie is living with her mother in a condominium. Her father works for the government and he has left on some unknown mission to some unknown place. So as you would imagine Nickie is in need of some way to get out of Pennsylvania. Her mother is working way over schedule trying to have enough money to keep the condominium. That is when she inherits her great grandfathers mansion named Greenhaven that is in North Carolina in the town of Yonwood. In this peaceful town chaos is stirring. An old lady named Althea Tower has had a vision that was so horrifying that she is now very sick. She mutters words which people try to riddle out, thinking that god is sending messages through this old lady. Will Nickie figure out what this town is all about or will she leave with a lot of questions? You will have to read it to find out.[...]

Average customer rating:

The perfect introductory text in anthropology
Seems an unbiased attempt at basic anthropological issues

Anthropology (12th Edition)
Carol R. Ember , Melvin Ember , and Peter N. Peregrine
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Nonfiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Science Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Nonfiction | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0132277530

Book Description

This comprehensive and scientific introduction to the four fields of anthropology helps students understand humans in all their variety, and why they got to be that way. This new edition highlights migration and immigration in the context of globalization.

Customer Reviews:

The perfect introductory text in anthropology.......2007-03-14

This book provides helpful insights into the four fields of anthropology: physical, socio-cultural, linguistic, and archaeology. The book begins with a look at the development of Homo sapiens and how H. sapiens has come to populate the world. The book then delves into the topics of political structures, religion, psychology, economics, linguistics, etc. One of the most intriguing aspects of this book is that it discusses the many specialties within anthropology, including forensic anthropology, medical anthropology, and paleoanthropology.

I highly recommend this book to those who wish to gain an understanding of the many fields of anthropology. Whether you are reading this book for leisure or as a student, you should find this to be and enjoyable and informative text.

Seems an unbiased attempt at basic anthropological issues.......1997-03-14

This was an excellent introduction to the world of anthropology, with an attempt to remain culturally-fair with all topics touched upon, including its example of Christianity being "not perfect" by pointing out some of the problems introduced as a result of adopting Chrisitianity over another religious following. It prepared the reader for further studies in anthropology quite well, although (probably since I have already read more in-depth books in the field) it left me somewhat bored with the basic level of writing used. Would highly recommend this book for anyone wishing to be introduced to the very fascinating and diverse field of anthropology!!!

Anthropology: A Brief Introduction (5th Edition)

Average customer rating:

It's a textbook. As advertised.

Anthropology: A Brief Introduction (5th Edition)
Carol R. Ember , and Melvin Ember
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Education | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Nonfiction | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Professional | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0130979554

Book Description

This brief, concise version of Ember/Ember's larger best-selling book explores the significant achievements in physical and cultural anthropology. It is interested not only in what humans are and were like, but why they got to be that way, in all their variety. A four-part organization introduce readers to what anthropology is, discusses biological and cultural evolution, considers cultural variation, and highlights the applicable and practical uses of the field. For those considering a career in anthropology, and anyone who wants a better understanding of how research of the past can suggest possible solutions to various global social problems of today.

Customer Reviews:

It's a textbook. As advertised........2003-07-18

The writing will put out fires, and a lot of the "discussion" is insulting to a thinking person's intelligence, but that's the norm for textbooks, is it not? The information is reliable as far as I know; generally it's very basic. Controversial claims are either carefully explained or carefully avoided.

I learned a lot about anthropology while reading this.

Well, and that's what a textbook's supposed to do.

Specifically, the book covers things like "the scope of anthropology," archaeology, very basic linguistics, food collection and production, economic systems, social stratification, gender, marriage and the family, kinship, political life, religion and magic, medical anthropology, and a discussion of possibilities for reducing violence and war. (It ends with, "There may be difficulties on the road to solutions, but we can overcome them if we want to. So let's go for it!")

Notice that a fifth edition has come out. I read the fourth edition, but you will probably want to read the fifth. The Embers have written some other textbooks on anthropology that you might check out as well.

Daybreak: The Dawning Ember (No-Eyes Series)

Average customer rating:

Soul Sounds, Mourning the tears of truth
My favorite book by Mary Summer Rain

Daybreak: The Dawning Ember (No-Eyes Series)
Mary Summer Rain
Manufacturer: Hampton Roads Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Native American | Earth-Based Religions | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

ESP | Occult | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Parapsychology | Occult | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Nonfiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Religion & Spirituality Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 1878901141

Customer Reviews:

Soul Sounds, Mourning the tears of truth.......2000-03-15

True, a rare type of new age book. No lies in this, just truth. Also very informative, interesting and heartwarming. I reccomend it to anyone seeking truth.

My favorite book by Mary Summer Rain.......1997-08-20

Alot of staight-from-the-shoulder answers for the everyday person interested in the new millenium and also spiritual depth

Average customer rating:

Cultural Anthropology, 11th Edition
Carol R. Ember , and Melvin Ember
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Nonfiction | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0131116363

Book Description

This comprehensive volume reflects recent anthropological research and controversial developments, while integrating features in each chapter to spark and maintain reader interest. A focus on applied anthropology discusses the history and types in the United States and shows how the work of applied anthropologists is playing more of a role in the planning of possible solutions to various global social problems—including AIDS, disasters, homelessness, crime, family violence, and war. This book offers an introduction to anthropology, cultural variation, and using applied anthropology and medical anthropology to address global social problems. For individuals interested in exploring the far-reaching aspects of anthropology.

Sex, Gender, and Kinship: A Cross-Cultural Perspective

Average customer rating:

Sex, Gender, and Kinship: A Cross-Cultural Perspective
Burton Pasternak , Carol R. Ember , and Melvin Ember
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Sex | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Health Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Science Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0132065339

Book Description

Responding to a growing interest in the nature and place of family in society, this text looks at gender, families, family relationships and the role of larger kin groups from a cross-cultural perspective. It draws upon ethnographic accounts and cross-cultural studies to determine and illustrate possible characteristics and outcomes, highlight options that occur more or less frequently, and—where possible—to account for choices made.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books