This brilliantly inventive fantasy epic by the award-winning author of Watership Down immerses the reader in a medieval world complete with created languages, detailed maps and elaborate traditions and rituals. Centring on the long-awaited reincarnation of a giant bear among the half-barbaric Orelgan people, Shardik's appearance sets off a violent chain of events as faith in his divinity sweeps the land. Closest to the bear is the hunter Kelderek, a naturally pious, ignorant, well-meaning man who becomes - in his dedication ...
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This brilliantly inventive fantasy epic by the award-winning author of Watership Down immerses the reader in a medieval world complete with created languages, detailed maps and elaborate traditions and rituals. Centring on the long-awaited reincarnation of a giant bear among the half-barbaric Orelgan people, Shardik's appearance sets off a violent chain of events as faith in his divinity sweeps the land. Closest to the bear is the hunter Kelderek, a naturally pious, ignorant, well-meaning man who becomes - in his dedication to Shardik - a prophet, victorious soldier, corrupt priest-king and ruler of an empire. A gripping tale of war, adventure, morality and slavery, horror and romance, Shardik is a remarkable exploration of mankind's universal desire for divine incarnation, and the corrosive influence of power. Recently ranked in the top 100 bestsellers over the past 40 years by the Sunday times, Shardik is a book for our age.
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Bridlington,
EAST RIDING OF YORKSHIRE,
UNITED KINGDOM
$0.99
Add this copy of Shardik to cart. $0.99, very good condition, Sold by P.N. Emery rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Bridlington, EAST RIDING OF YORKSHIRE, UNITED KINGDOM, published 1979 by Harmondsworth: Penguin.
Add this copy of Shardik to cart. $1.29, good condition, Sold by Greener Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from London, UNITED KINGDOM, published 1974 by Allen Lane.
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Seller's Description:
Good. Cover frayed and also has yellow pages due the age. **SHIPPED FROM UK** We believe you will be completely satisfied with our quick and reliable service. All orders are dispatched as swiftly as possible! Buy with confidence!
Add this copy of Shardik to cart. $8.14, good condition, Sold by Jenhams rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dundee, UNITED KINGDOM, published 1974 by Allen Lane.
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Seller's Description:
Good in good dust jacket. First Edition. A hardback First Edition in Good to Very Good condition, in a dustjacket with multiple large tears. This book is in stock now, in our UK premises. Photos of our books are available on request (the pictures you see on Alibris are NOT our own).
Add this copy of Shardik to cart. $14.14, like new condition, Sold by MW Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Galway, G, IRELAND, published 1974 by London: Allen Lane.
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Seller's Description:
Fine cloth copy in a good if somewhat edge-worn dust-wrapper. Remains quite well preserved; tight, bright, clean and strong. Uncommon in such positive condition.; 525 pages; Description: 525 p. : map (on lining papers); 22 cm. Genre: Fiction.
Add this copy of Shardik to cart. $15.84, Sold by Rothwell & Dunworth Ltd rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dulverton, SOMERSET, UNITED KINGDOM, published by New Fiction Society [&] Allen Lane, 1974.
Edition:
New Fiction Society [&] Allen Lane, 1974
Hardcover
Details:
Publisher:
New Fiction Society [&] Allen Lane, 1974
Alibris ID:
17738895957
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Seller's Description:
8vo. Original gilt lettered blue cloth (page edges a little spotted and some fading at edges of boards), dustwrapper (small tears and creases at edgs-in protecitve cover). Pp. 525, illus with coloured endpaper maps (no inscriptions).
Add this copy of Shardik to cart. $16.54, very good condition, Sold by MW Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Galway, G, IRELAND, published 1981 by Frankfurt: Ullstein.
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Seller's Description:
Physical description: 626 pages. Notes: Text is in German. Subjects: Fantasy fiction. 20th century fiction. Very good paperback copy; edges slightly dust-toned and nicked. Remains particularly well-preserved overall; tight, bright, and clean.
Add this copy of Shardik to cart. $19.89, good condition, Sold by SELL BOOKS LTD rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from London, LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2014 by Rock the Boat.
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Seller's Description:
Our good condition books are generally good for reading but not for gifting or collecting. They could have imperfections such as creasing, fanning, inscriptions, margin notes, yellowing, staining on edge or cover or pages, bumps, scuffs, etc etc (sometimes multiple of these). It's a wide category that encompasses anything that isn't almost-new down to anything that is slightly better than poor. We would NOT recommend gifting Good books-these should be considered reading copies. Our books ar.
Add this copy of Shardik to cart. $31.40, very good condition, Sold by Kennys.ie rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Galway, IRELAND, published 1976 by Penguin UK.
Add this copy of Shardik to cart. $40.58, good condition, Sold by Rooke Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from BATH, SOMERSET, UNITED KINGDOM, published 1974 by Simon and Schuster.
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Seller's Description:
None. Good in Very Good Indeed jacket. A smart first US edition of this fantasy novel from English writer Richard Adams. First US edition. A fantasy novel and the first of two novels set in the fictional Beklan Empire. The events revolve around the discovery, capture, and uses made of an incredibly large bear, called "Lord Shardik" by those who subscribe to a set of religious beliefs. Written by Richard George Adams, an English novelist whose works include Watership Down, Maia, Shardik and The Plague Dogs. In the original brown cloth binding. Externally, very smart with minor bumping to the extremities. Original unclipped dust wrapper is also smart with light wear and the odd small closed tear to the panel edges. A 1" closed tear to the tail of the spine. Sunning to the spine and panel edges with the odd small mark. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are very bright and clean with minor age toning to the endpapers. Good.
Add this copy of Shardik to cart. $52.06, good condition, Sold by Stephen White Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Bradford, WEST YORKSHIRE, UNITED KINGDOM, published 1976 by Penguin.
All the great themes are here: Loyalty, honor, faith, revelation, despair, human cruelty and human courage. Richard Adams' understanding of both the natural and the human world inform a masterpiece. Beware: some devastating scenes (especially describing slavery & child abuse). This book is NOT for children. Yet the end is hopeful, even fun. Dense but beautiful prose. Take your time with this one: it will reward you.
BenYouthPastor
Jul 17, 2008
Worth reading many times!
"Shardik" follows the story of Kelderek (a hunter) and Shardik (a giant bear deemed the "power of God) from poor obscurity to riches and fame and beyond. Though I picked up the book expecting a standard fantasy (or even something along the lines of "Watership Down"), I was pleasantly surprised by the book's depth.
"Shardik" tackles the tough issues of life: faith, loss, love, spirituality, slavery, authority... What do we do about suffering in our world? How should we relate to God, who really is an all-powerful and untamed being? When is authority good, and how does it become bad? Where is true peace and happiness found? These questions are faced as we follow Kelderek the hunter on his rise to become Crendrik the self-proclaimed priest-king of Shardik and ruler of an unstable empire.
Though not so deep as some would desire, for someone expecting a standard fantasy novel, "Shardik" went beyond all my expectations. Though on the long and wordy side, Adams has an ability to paint a picture with his words like an artist paints with colors, and I found myself easily drawn into the story while I read late into the night.
My only complaint is a love interest that seemed forced and incidental, though it became far too central. My personal opinion is that Adams saw his book needed to come to an end but he didn't know how to do it, so he pulled in a romance to help get him to the end. Whatever his true reasons, the relationship seemed forced and unbelievable.
If you're looking for your standard fantasy without much depth, a quick read and lots of fun, then "Shardik" will probably disappoint. But if you desire something deeper, something that will make you think as you enjoy the story, then "Shardik" is well worth your commitment.
