Book Description
Deserted by her mother and raised by her whiskey-drinking, gun-shooting father, Haley Ellyson hides two explosive secrets that both empower her and threaten to undermine everything she cherishes. Having already broken the heart of every boy in Houser Banks, Mississippi, Haley is engaged in a dangerous flirtation with her father's best friend when Fletcher Greel, the judge's son, comes home for the summer, fresh out of a New England prep school. Fletcher's friend Riley is in love with Crystal, a blues-singing black girl, and Fletcher falls instantly for Haley. The four soon become inseparable, but as summer wanes, local disapproval of Riley and Crystal's romance takes violent turns, and Haley's secrets surface to devastating results.
A pitch-perfect first novel rich with unforgettable characters, mesmerizing prose, and smoldering sexual tension, The Summer Fletcher Greel Loved Me captures the exhilaration of first love and the consequences of rebellion in a place resistant to change.
Download Description
"It is the things that happen to you which no one else knows about that make you important in life," says Haley Ellyson in this captivating first novel about loss of innocence and the ties of passion and friendship. Set in Houser Banks, Mississippi, a fictional town frozen in time, Suzanne Kingsbury's debut is an intense and evocative tale of young people coming to terms with the legacy of racism over the course of a sultry Southern summer. Deserted by her mother and raised by her whiskey-drinking, gun-shooting father, beautiful Haley has broken the heart of every boy in town. Yet she hides two intimate and explosive secrets that empower her just as they threaten to undermine everything she holds dear. Haley is engaged in a dangerous flirtation with one of her father's friends when Fletcher Greel, the Judge's son, comes home for the summer, having just graduated from a New England prep school. Fletcher's friend Riley is in love with a blues-singing black girl named Crystal, and Fletcher falls instantly for Haley. These four soon become inseparable, intoxicated by love, desire, and the new-found freedoms of late adolescence. But Houser Banks is a small town where attitudes hearken back to a time of racism and hatred. As the summer wanes, disapproval of Riley and Crystal's romance takes increasingly violent turns, and Haley's secrets surface to devastating results. An enormously talented young writer, Suzanne Kingsbury has crafted a pitch-perfect, cinematic first novel rich with unforgettable characters, mesmerizing prose, and smoldering sexual tension. A fresh and vivid rendering of timeless themes, The Summer Fletcher Greel Loved Me captures the exhilaration of first love and the consequences of rebellion in a place resistant to change.
Customer Reviews:
take a deep breath and hold on............2006-07-26
when you dive into this amazing novel. this will be my all time favorite book. when kingbury wrote this book she made sure the reader could feel the mississippi summer-time heat and smell the bbq. if anyone is a sucker for sweet summertime romance and a little bit of mystery then this is the book for you. make sure this is one for your collection. you will not be dissapointed.
5 Stars.......2004-04-27
The Summer Fletcher Greel Loved Me depicts the life of Haley Ellyson and her Mr.Greel who together capture the story's unforgettable characters, sultry summer location, and timeless themes. Although many books claim to have unforgettable characters, Suzanne Kingsbury's meet and exceed this expectation. Through Fletcher Greel we see empathy and an uncanny understanding for life; Haley teaches us what it is like to young and on fire. The atmosphere in which the story unfolds also adds to the reality of the novel. The story takes place in a fictional town in the Deep South where scorching temperatures brew up racial conflicts. Haley and Fletcher's summer love, the secrets Haley keeps inside, and the cultural ties of the town's people all present themselves as major themes in the novel. We see these themes unraveling before us to an ultimate and tragic demise. Suzanne Kingsbury's novel pulls as all the heartstrings within us leaving us with a sense of loss and a yearning for more.
; ).......2004-04-27
The Summer Fletcher Greel Loved Me depicts the life of Haley Ellyson and her Mr.Greel who together capture the story's unforgettable characters, sultry summer location, and timeless themes. Although many books claim to have unforgettable characters, Suzanne Kingsbury's meet and exceed this expectation. Through Fletcher Greel we see empathy and an uncanny understanding for life; Haley teaches us what it is like to young and on fire. The atmosphere in which the story unfolds also adds to the reality of the novel. The story takes place in a fictional town in the Deep South where scorching temperatures brew up racial conflicts. Haley and Fletcher's summer love, the secrets Haley keeps inside, and the cultural ties of the town's people all present themselves as major themes in the novel. We see these themes unraveling before us to an ultimate and tragic demise. Suzanne Kingsbury's novel pulls at all the heartstrings within us leaving us with a sense of loss and a yearning for more.
AMAZING!.......2003-11-17
I wish that Fletcher Greel had loved me. If only he were real! This book was so good that I felt as if I were there with the characters that summer. What made me like this book so much was how descriptive Suzanne Kingsbury was - she put so much INTERESTING detail into this novel. If my eye accidentally wandered to another line - I went back to read the previous one - I did not want to miss a single thing - my mind drank in every word.
The descriptions were so real, I was astounded to realize that she did not grow up in the South.
There are no quotation marks in the book, to denote when a character starts and stops speaking - but after a chapter or two I got used to the format.
You will smile, laugh, and cry when you read the story of four young friends who experience love, heartache, reality, and life all packed into one summer.
a Yankee writes a Souther coming of age story.......2003-10-07
Normally, I'm kind of wariy when someone writes a novel taking place in the South, espically if they're not Southern. According to the back, the author, Ms Suzanne Kingsbury spent a year in Oxford, Mississippi while writing her debut novel. It shows because she captures the spirit and the essence of the South. The characters are vivid and became alive and real to the reader as the novel progresses. To those who've never been to or lived in the South, this novel is excellent window into it. And to us natives, this novel reminds us what we love and don't love, about the most surreal part of America, the South.
Book Description
Set in an enchanted world one step from reality, R.A. Salvatore's Spearwielder's trilogy follows the adventures of Gary Leger, who stumbles into a realm of elves and dwarves, witches and dragons-and takes up the magical spear of the land's lost hero.
Now, together for the first time in one collectible volume, these three novels showcase the very best of fantasy and adventure-the very best of R.A. Salvatore.
Featuring:
The Woods Out Back
The Dragon's Dagger
Dragonslayer's Return
Customer Reviews:
A Good Read.......2007-08-16
I thought the beginning was a bit corny and I've read better R.A. Salvatore books. If you are just starting to read the fantasy genre, I would start with R.A. Salvatore's Drizzt Dourden saga and not buy this book until you've fallen in love with his writing. However, if you are a R.A. Salvatore fan or junky I would recommend buying the book. It is still a decent, entertaining read once his characters actually make it to the fantasy land he creates.
Fantastic read for all ages.......2005-08-19
I was first introduced to Salvatore through the Drizzt novels (Dark Elf Trilogy being my first Salvatore books). When I saw this book on the shelf Salvatore's name alone sold me this book.
When I got home and finished reading it, what I found is an unusual tale with an unusual hero. How many fantasy books have you read where the hero doesn't want to be the hero? Where at times the hero bumbles and stumbles and more oftent han not needs to be saved by his friends? I have said it before and I'll say it again, I love heros who have flaws and aren't all powerful.
The Spearwielder's Tale covers the story of three books all encased in one fantastic collection. I won't go into any spoilers here, but this is truly a book for all ages. Do yourself a favor and pick this one up.
A great lighter read from Salvatore.......2005-01-22
If you've read Salvatore, you probably expect a lot of over-the-top acrobatics in the fight scenes, characters whom are developed through hundreds of pages, and a world that draws you in and never lets go. Spearwielder's Tale has all of these but not to the point of over-doing it so younger readers won't feel overwhelmed by the atmosphere or the depth at the beginning. However, by the end, there may just be another fantasy lover in the world!
If you're expecting a hero as complex as Drizzt, then you're in for a surprise! Gary Ledger, the "Spearwielder," is an unintentional hero who is taken to the land of Faerie from a "gate" outside his home. There, he learns about his role in the world and learns about himself all while "saving the world!" His development is not nearly as deep as Drizzt but then again, he spends most of the books in a land he is unfamiliar with and has little time to develop his past, his full value structure, nor his plans for the future. But, throughout the story, there is enough development for any avid reader to not be asking themselves "why?" certain things are done by the character; a welcome departure from the Drizzt series, I must say.
There is light humor throughout and it isn't distracting in the least as it comes at points in the story when there needs to be a bit of humor. Like Salvatore's Drizzt series, the book is not a laugh a minute by any means but it will keep you in good spirits and repeating the phrase "heeland coos" for a while!
One small note of caution on language: There is a single word that some parents of younger children may not want them reading. It begins with an "S" and is only said twice if memory serves. Other than that, there are a few points that the characters start to curse but are stopped by various means (nothing overly vulgar). If any of these things bother you, you may want to preview the book for your children. But let me say that the context of these are all in a humorous fashion and do not detract in the least from the overall story and any child age 12 and up should have no problems reading this. And almost every "PG" movie has worse language and situations than Spearwielder!
Overall, this is a great read. The Trilogy books each end at a great point but you will always want to keep reading so the "easy pace" you impose on yourself may not be able to be kept! A book per day is the pace I read it at and I could see having read it much faster if I'd had the time. Light? Yes. Worth the read? Very much so!
Entertaining... waiting for more from Salvatore.......2005-01-05
Good read.
This book is not nearly as "deep" as the Dark Elf series (and not meant to be!)but provides an entertaining storyline with good character development. The book covers a wide range of fantasy races... much like other Salvatore releases.
Spearwielder is a lighter read than the Dark Elf books and would hold younger readers' attention as well.
Customer Reviews:
Oh Dear!.......2005-07-14
After reading the second book and saying what an improvement on the first, this one slips back into the endless unbelievable fight scenes. (See review on Woods Out Back.)
On the plus side, killing off a goodie character early on, nice touch.
On the down side, he had to go and bring the wife. No, please don't - you resisted in the second book, why? So as in the first book now we have a character newly introduced to the world of swords and sourcery, killing brutal monsters with weapons she's never handled before and adjusting just fine to the new world. Well the husband had prepared her of course. I don't think so!
The other down side - RAS's use of humour to switch the king with a haggis. Just didn't work for me. How would a dumb ravanous beast be a suitable fodder for imitating a king. Wouldn't one of her intelligent pawns (the goblin for example) be much more suitable candidates. Seems to me that the plot was ruined because of an excuse to re-introduce a 'joke' character which was not funny in the first book.
I ended up skipping much of this book just because the fight scenes are so boring and predictable. Generally I found no loss in skipping to the end of the fight and working put from there if anyone had suffered as a result. Of course no-one dies, except the last .. oops!
Les.
A great conclusion to a great series.......2004-11-30
The Dragonslayer's Return starts with Gary looking for a way back to the land of Faerie and the land of Faerie looking at an evil king bent on destroying those who oppose him.
Gary's wife, Diane (he got married after The Dragon's Dagger), makes a splash onto the scene by being a decent fighter and a great puzzle-solver. While she was upset with Gary for ruining their vacation to England, she finally realizes he wasn't just telling tall tales about Faerie. She makes a wonderful companion for Gary as the battle for the safety of Faerie continues to wreak havoc.
Meanwhile, the evil King Kinnemore is trying to rule the land with an iron fist. It's always been known that he was a puppet of Ceridwen the witch, but we finally learn the truth of the relationship. Ceridwen is due to be released from her terms of banishment set by Gary in The Woods Out Back, so her minions of evil are massing to take over the peaceful populace.
While this is the final installment of the series, R. A. Salvatore once again leaves you wanting more. Gary's original companions (Geno, Mickey, Kelsey, Gerbil, and Tommy) don't play as big a role in this book when compared to the first two. Gary and Diane dominate the storyline with their perfect combination of brains and brawn.
Enjoy R. A. Salvatore's Spearwielder's Trilogy and remember this little secret. Gary Leger is Bob Salvatore.
The Dragonslayer Returns one last time. . ........2003-04-30
The final installment in R.A. Salvatore's Spearweilder series, "The Dragonslayer's Return" is, like its predecessors, a good read that sometimes flirts with greatness, but never really lives up to its potential. In fact, as a conclusion to a trilogy, it is somewhat disappointing, although without completely destroying the series.
Obviously Drizzt Do'Urden creator R.A. Salvatore is deeply connected to these books, and feels very strongly about the subject matter. Again we join Gary (named after Salvatore's own brother, presumably) from Real-earth, and his wife Diane (named after Salvatore's own wife), as they embark upon a journey to the realm of Faerie (a shallow version of Middle-earth, essentially) to destroy once and for all the wicked witch who terrorizes the land. What ensues are a lot of heavy-handed war sequences and some smaller battles that are overflowing with Salvatore's zesty action descriptions. Though action is certainly one of Salvatore's strengths, he often gets carried away, and this is particularly true in "The Dragonslayer's Return." The repetitive nature of these action setpieces leads, sooner or later, to boredom, and skimming ahead to read the inevitable outcome.
Most disappointing, though, is the series conclusion, which doesn't pack as much punch as you might wish (and bears an uncanny similarity to a certain sequence in the film, "Conan the Destroyer"). Salvatore seems almost rushed to deliver an ending as well, and deprives his readers of what could be a more emotional farewell between the residents of Real-earth and their Faerie pals. Like a Hollywood film, it seems that once the action is finished, the story races toward a finale, therefore depriving itself of slower, more character-driven moments. This is a great loss to the series - though not a completely crippling one, by any means.
Though Salvatore uses these books to get a bit preachy at times, his messages are generally worthy ones, and his themes mostly adhere to those embraced by his obvious mentor, J.R.R. Tolkien. The characters are vivid and colorful (though, strangely, Real-earth natives Gary and Diane are perhaps the least interesting), and the humor is generally right on the mark. Again, though, Salvatore tries in vain to balance light-hearted fun with the horrors of war and violence, and though the other two volumes in the series suffered similar difficulties, "The Dragonslayer's Return" is the biggest offender. It's a tough balancing act to be sure, and Salvatore, at least during this stage in his career, just wasn't up to the task.
All quibbles aside, "The Dragonslayer's Return" is, like its forebears, a fast read, and though it has its lulls, it's still a good sword `n sorcery novel, sure to retain the fans of the previous tomes. It just gets a bit too self-important sometimes, and never really makes the most of its winning premise. Still, I can't help but recommend it to the world's dreamers, who will almost surely find something to like here.
Not The Best From Salvatore.......2000-08-04
This entire Series is a little juvenile. I read this book and the other tow in the trilogy (The Woods Out Back and The Dragons Dagger) and they were all good. This is an easy read which is part of the reason that I don't think that this is Salvatore's best work. I got the feeling that this might have been one of his earlier attempts before he found his real writing niche. I love all of Salvatore's boooks and am now about 4 books from reading them all. This Particular book and series has great characters. I liked the Leprechan especially. There was a lot of good comedy and there were several fights but these weren't as Dynamic as, say, the Dark Elf books by Salvatore. All in all though this book has a good story, be it predictable at times. I did enjoy this book because the basic premice of the books was good. Somewhat like the Fionavar Tapestry by Guy Gavriel Kay who is also a very good writer. This book and this series (Becuase you might as well read the whole series) are worth the time and this would be a good one to read to your kids at night. I hope this helps.
Not The Best From Salvatore.......2000-08-04
This entire Series is a little juvenile. I read this book and the other tow in the trilogy (The Woods Out Back and The Dragons Dagger) and they were all good. This is an easy read which is part of the reason that I don't think that this is Salvatore's best work. I got the feeling that this might have been one of his earlier attempts before he found his real writing niche. I love all of Salvatore's boooks and am now about 4 books from reading them all. This Particular book and series has great characters. I liked the Leprechan especially. There was a lot of good comedy and there were several fights but these weren't as Dynamic as, say, the Dark Elf books by Salvatore. All in all though this book has a good story, be it predictable at times. I did enjoy this book because the basic premice of the books was good. Somewhat like the Fionavar Tapestry by Guy Gavriel Kay who is also a very good writer. This book and this series (Becuase you might as well read the whole series) are worth the time and this would be a good one to read to your kids at night. I hope this helps.
Customer Reviews:
Light, but highly-entertaining.......2007-10-05
Life is certainly not turning out for Gary Leger the way he had hoped that it would - trapped in a factory job filled with mindless repetition, broken only by the wandering of Gary's imagination. However, when he finds himself spirited away to the land of Faerie, he finds himself drawn along on the dangerous quest of the elfin lord Kelsenellenelvial Gil-Favadry (call him Kelsey, everyone else does). Now life is anything but boring! Wrapped in the armor of Cedric Donigarten, and carrying a broken magical spear that must be reforged, Gary must complete the quest, and, if at all possible, stay alive!
R.A. Salvatore is best known for his excellent Drizzt Do'Urden stories, but those are not the only great works that he has produced. The Spearwielder tales are, admittedly, somewhat light. The characters are quite interesting, but the land of Faerie is somewhat shallow, not giving the reader the feel of a real world, but seeming more like a stage for the characters to perform on.
But, that said, I did enjoy this book's take on dwarves and leprechauns. Also, I found the storyline to be interesting, and I really enjoyed the action. So, if you are looking for another Lord of the Rings, you will be disappointed. But, if you want a highly-entertaining swords-and-sorcery, elves and dwarves type story, then this is the book for you. I highly recommend it.
Unoriginal and unbelievable.......2005-06-18
Ok so it's a fantasy .. so how can it be believable you may ask! It like reading a story about the A-Team in fantasy land. Endless encounters with foes that the party genarally escapes from unscratched. That is until the end .. which I will save until the last paragraph in case you still want to read the book after this review.
I just finished reading this as the first part of the series, the Spear Wielders Tale. So we know from page one of chapter one that it's going to be about someone from the US transported to a magic land, but the way he gets there is nothing original. Why have a US citizen be transported? Why not just find a character from their own land to wear the armour. It's not like it fits Gary properly anyway?
Gary, who is a young man magically transported to fairy land by Pixies to meet a Leprechaun. The leprechaun was in the debt of an elf. The elf has superhuman ( or should that be superelf) powers. There is nothing this elf can't do. Capture Leprecauns, kill trolls with his sword, enslave dwarves, shot ropes from a 100 yards with his bow and arrow, fight dragons .. he makes the A-team members look like amateur police cadets.
As for Gary .. yes he is a bit of a loser, but he somehow manages to perform remarkable feats of endurance in a suit of armour with which he is totally unfamiliar.
Gary comes up with this 'brilliant' escape plan from an island which involves a giant. How stupid are we supposed to believe these characters are, that none of the others could envision the same obvious escape plan.
Finally the battle .. (stop reading now if you still want to read this book) .. with the dragon. An elf armed only with a sword and shield is fighting a dragon. The shield stops the dragons breath from harming him, even though the rocks around him are bubbling from the heat. When the dragon finally gets astrike on the elf, the leprechaun conjures an illusion that not only fools the dragon into believing the elf has won, but also this illusion can somehow pick up a shield and hold the dragons mouth open with it.
On the up side, it is a light and very fast read (you don't want to spend time goiing over every detail because you'll find they just don't add up).
Finally I would like to give the book an extra half star just the attempt at humour, but I just can't bring myself to find 2 stars.
I am going to persevere with the two sequals just because they just can't get any worse.
Salvatore at his Best (yes, even better than Drizzt).......2004-11-04
I know I'm not following the popular belief that R. A. Salvatore's (RAS) best work is Drizzt. Or even Demon Wars. I've read every single title by RAS (except Tarzan) and have enjoyed all of them on different levels. But I've always listed the Woods Out Back as my favorite.
The story revolves around our human hero, Gary Leger, an elf, Kelsey, a dwarf, Geno, and a leprechaun, Mickey. Gary is transported to an alternate realm and is unwillingly sent on a quest along with his unlikely companions. You may find the action a little slow and unrefined compared to other works by RAS, but this story is mainly about the characters. These are real individuals that you can easily relate to. You may not know a dwarf, but you probably know someone who acts like one. And even RAS admits that many of them are based on people from his world. I guess it's almost like a fantasy version of Bob's autobiography.
So sit back, relax, and enjoy this wonderful tale of a man's adventure through an unknown world. You'll quickly find out that strong characters make a great story.
Gary, the Ultimate Loser.......2004-06-11
Our main character, Gary, is magically transported to a "Fairy World". He asks little or no questions what so ever (It's just a dream, so enjoy it, RIGHT!). Does what he is told, risks life and limb for the ones who have basically imprisoned him in this world. Then the ending... What a loser, in this world as well as the Fairy World.
Salvatore vs Anderson.......2004-03-01
Read Poul Anderson's "Three Hearts and Three Lions." Then, as soon as you're done, read R.A. Salvatore's "The Woods Out Back." They are essentially the same story. A mundane figure from `our world' finds himself in an alternate world (both involve the myth of Faerie), where he is chosen to wear the armor and guise of an old hero, and take up that hero's weapon - which, in both cases, is essentially a spear, or lance. The `stranger in a strange land' then becomes embroiled in a plot to save the world, confronts witches and trolls, befriends strange-accented little people (Hugi and Mickey are nearly the same character!), and ultimately tries to use his modern logic to win the day in a world that defies logic in all its forms. If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then Salvatore flatters Anderson in the same manner he often flatters Tolkien. If a novel's quality is gauged by its originality, then "The Woods Out Back," as you can tell, comes up short. Even so, it's a fast-paced read, and colorful enough that it differentiates itself a little from Anderson's likewise compelling (but superior) novel. Still, there's something to be said for borrowing concepts so blatantly from other writers. For goodness' sake, the lead characters in both "WOB" and "THaTL" are even similiar PHYSICALLY! I liked Salvatore's take on this kind of story, if only moderately, but I can't resist being the one to point out the glaring parallels between his work and Anderson's. Keep it in mind.
Product Description
The 3-Volume Series. "Gary Leger thought life after college would bring great things. Instead, he's stuck in a dead-end job and finding that the real world isn't all it's cracked up to be. But when he walks into the woods behind his house one day, Gary finds a world beyond the 'real world' - a realm of elfs and dwarfs and witches and dragons. There he discovers that he is the only one who can wear the armor of the land's lost hero - and wield a magical spear. And if he doesn't, he can never go home again....
Book Description
Kat and Jessie arrive in Egypt in 1892 and head for an excavation site along the Nile. There Kat finds a new friend and sets out to help him prove that his father is innocent of stealing antiquities. While dodging sandstorms and crocodiles, she tracks down the real thief. Full color illustrations throughout. Ages 7 and up.
Customer Reviews:
THIS CHANGES LIVES.......2006-09-30
THIS BOOK CHANGED MY LIFE I AM ABLE TO SEE CLEAR AND KNOW THE TRUTH ABOUT LIFE PEOPLE HAVE TO JUST BE OPEN MINDED AND LET THE LIGHT IN
LOVE AND LIGHT DANIELLE
AN INDISPENSABLE TOOL FOR STUDENTS OF "A COURSE IN MIRACLES".......2000-07-23
Anyone who studies A COURSE IN MIRACLES (ACIM) is likely to experience the frustration of not knowing how to find a given passage or idea in its 1300-odd pages. While the various computer search programs for ACIM that are available can be helpful in this regard, this concordance, which is modelled on "Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible", provides a fine alternative. In fact it is an indispensable tool for anyone who is drawn to a serious study of the Course's life-changing thought system.
AN INDISPENSABLE TOOL FOR STUDENTS OF "A COURSE IN MIRACLES".......2000-07-23
Anyone who studies A COURSE IN MIRACLES (ACIM) is likely to experience the frustration of not knowing how to find a given passage or idea in its 1300-odd pages. While the various computer search programs for ACIM that are available can be helpful in this regard, this concordance, which is modelled on "Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible", provides a fine alternative. In fact it is an indispensable tool for anyone who is drawn to a serious study of the Course's life-changing thought system.
Books:
- The Umbrella Country (Ballantine Reader's Circle)
- There Will Never Be Another You: A Novel
- Too Many Men: A Novel
- Towelhead: A Novel
- Varieties of Visual Experience (Trade Version) (4th Edition)
- Voyage Au Bout De LA Nuit (Folio)
- Whalesong: A Novel About the Greatest and Deepest of Beings
- Where Mercy Flows
- Winslow in Love
- Zia Summer
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