| PRODUCT DETAILS | | Land of Elyon Book 1, The: The Dark Hills Divide (Land of Elyon) |  | |
Land of Elyon Book 1, The: The Dark Hills Divide (Land of Elyon)
Inquisitive twelve-year-old Alexa Daley is spending another summer in the walled town of Bridewell. This year, she is set on solving the mystery of what lies beyond the walls. Legend says the walls were built to keep out an unnamed evil that lurks in the forests and The Dark Hills. But what exactly is it that the townspeople are so afraid of? As Alexa begins to unravel the truth, pushing beyond the protective barrier she's lived behind all her life, she discovers a strange and ancient enchantment - and exposes a danger that could destroy everything she holds dear.
Manufacturer: Brilliance Audio on CD Unabridged
Price Range: $14.16 - $26.95
 Land of Elyon Book 1, The: The Dark Hills Divide (Land of Elyon)
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| User Reviews |  | Fabulous Audio CD
rating: 4
I'll let others review the story of Alexa and her friends (which I loved) and review only the audio component. The reading by Aasne Vigesaa was fantastic. I want her to read all my stories to me! Her voice is beautiful, well modulated, and she does a great job at creating just the right voice for the many characters. In addition, the CD was structured better than any I'd listen to. The audio was divided into section every 2 or 3 minutes, so if you had to take the CD out, the next time you played it, it was easy to go right to where you left off.
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Great Beginning
rating: 5
Famous Children's author Madeliene L'Engle once stated that writing children's literature was harder than writing for adults because children ask more questions; children just do not accept what an author writes the way most adults will. Her statements have always stuck with me and since doing a children's literature course a few years back, I have continued to read children's and teen fiction regularly. Usually I look for books that have a lot of buzz about them, have then been nominated for a Newbury, or Mr. Christie, American Library Association or here in Canada a Governor General's Literary Award (more commonly know as the GG's.). If so I try to pick it up and give it a read. Because of that I tend to browse the children's and teen sections at Chapters when I happen to be in a store.
The cover of this book captured my attention and almost compelled me to purchase it. The representation of our Heroine Alexa is a very striking image. I purchased this book when it came out nearly 2 years ago and yet only just recently picked it up to read. I now regret that I did not read it sooner. In part, I hesitated reading the book because the cover art was so powerful and cast such a spell upon me, I feared the text not living up to the story I had begin to build in my imagination. Those fears were unfounded.
The Story is set in a walled kingdom. A Kingdom built like 3 spokes on a wheel. Alexa is from Lathbury, the south western spoke, from the hub of Bridewell. This walled Kingdom was built by the Warvold after his extensive travels in the wild mysterious world. He built walls around the central town of Bridewell, and walled roads out to the three surrounding towns of Lunenburg, Turlock and Lathbury. Yet upon the eve of his death, he hints to Alexa that the walls, once thought to be the salvation of the towns and their civilization, he now considers to be a mistake. Alexa begins an adventure shortly after the Warvold's death that will affect her and this kingdom for time to come.
Yet the Warvold's death has caused a society once stable and thriving to start to spin out of control. Alexa sneaks outside the wall and meets a dwarf and a talking wolf and is summoned to a council, the severity and importance of which not even the participants can realize. Can Alexa fufill a calling upon her life that the Warvold foresaw and that some others are trying to help happen and others wish to thwart?
This is one of those great books, originally written for children, that can captivate an audience of any age. Carman has an extremely mature voice and he writes in a manner of a master wordsmith. Carman only conceived of this series in his mid thirties; it is an extremely well- rounded and crafted world - a pleasure to visit, and I plan to re-enter the land of Elyon again and again.
(First Published in Imprint 2008-02-22.)
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always looking for that next great series... Big Readers, picky taste!
rating: 5
Well, if you've finished, the lastest series and are looking for a new one. I think you'll be happy with this! We've finished, Harry, loved Artemis, reread Twilight, waited for bk two of Fablehaven, enjoyed Spiderwick, and took a futuristic trip with Ender. So this was a big surprise and a much loved journey, one I think you'll enjoy. Excited Teacher.
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An Excellent Book
rating: 5
This is one of those rare books that has the ability to entrance both children and adults alike. The story is very well written with the nice feel of well told magical fantasy, one that might be told around a nice roaring fire in winter or on a porch during a nice summer night, and it brings with it such a comfortable feel that even when reading it, the story feels as if it is being read to you by a master storyteller.
Alexa lives in the land of Elyon, a land of filled with giant walls that encircle the cities of Elyon, described to be like the spokes in a wagon wheel with the paths between them also walled. Along with her father, Alexa has made yearly trips in the summer to the city of Bridewell always dreaming of seeing what is on the other side of walls that have made up her entire life. Tales she has heard in her 12 years tell of the uncharted wildernesses beyond the walls which are filled enchanted forests, mysterious hills and mountains and creatures of all types.
While her way beyond the heavily guarded walls is not easy nor might be what she expects, a chance find after a night's walk will plunge her into a choice between staying safely in the walls, or to start on her quest to find what might endanger Bridewell and perhaps all of Elyon.
Though told from the perspective of the heroine, Alexa Daley, she is by far not the only major or important character in this story, which is rich with animal characters, which through the use of a special stone, Alexa can easily talk too and who aide her in her exciting and breath-taking quest.
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The: The Dark Hills Divide
rating: 5
This book swept me of my feet and into the land of Eloyn! It has twists and keeps you at the edge of your chair, chapter after chapter! I read this book on vacation and I spent 2-3 hours a day reading! I highly recommend this book - you will put in your top 5 favorites for sure!!!
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Land of Elyon Book 1, The: The Dark Hills Divide (Land of Elyon)
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