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The Valkyries

by Paulo Coelho (Goodreads Author), Alan R. Clarke (Translator)

3.3 of 5 stars 3.30 · rating details · 8,474 ratings · 395 reviews

Un hombre y una mujer, motivados por una busqueda espiritual, viajan hacia la aridez y el supuesto vacio del desierto de Mojave. A lo largo de cuarenta dias, rodeados de dudas y tentaciones, entraran en contacto con sus mas intimos conflictos y cuestionamientos.
Paulo Coelho advierte que este ha sido un libro dificil de escribir porque revela episodios y sentimientos de su...more

212 pages

Published September 6th 1999 by HarperTorch (an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers) (first published 1992)

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Jan 24, 2011 Venus rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: literature

پائولوکوئیلو در باره این کتاب می گوید : نوشتن آن برایم دشوار بود، چون به مسائلی می پردازد که پذیرش آنها چندان ساده نیست. و همچنین مجبور شدم وارد جزئیاتی از زندگی شخصی و زناشویی ام شوم . مثل هر انسانی ، نشان دادن ضعف ها و لغزش هایم در زندگی خصوصی ام آسان نبود

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Dec 13, 2009 Jessica rated it 5 of 5 stars

What i learned from this book? The reason why we always try to destroy the things/people we love. And what our angels really look like. And how to "broaden our horizons."

They said this was the most "boring" book Coelho ever wrote. I say they're wrong.

12 likes · like · see review

Nov 07, 2008 Lamski Kikita rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Coelho lovers

Why do we ever forget our long conversations with angels as children?

We all grow up and deny wonderful spiritual experiences only to try so hard to find them again as adults.

The book tells of Coelho's journey in the late 80s with his wife in the Mojave desert in search of a band of warrior women dressed in leather preaching about faith called the Valkyries, so he can learn from them how to see his guardian angel.

My favorite part was when the leader of the valkyries told Paulo that he needs not j...more

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Dec 26, 2010 Venus rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: literature, fantasy

جوهره آفرینش مفرد است، و این جوهره عشق نام دارد. عشق نیرویی است که ما را بار دیگر به هم میپیوندد تا تجربه ای را که در زندگی های متعدد و در مکان های متعدد جهان پراکنده شده است، بار دیگر متراکم کنم. ما مسئول سراسر زمینیم. چرا که نمیدانیم بخش های دیگر ما که از آغاز زمان وجود ما را تشکیل میدادهاند، حالا کجایند. اگر خوب باشند، ما هم خوشبختیم، اگر بد باشند، هر چند ناهشیار، از بخشی از این درد، رنج میبریم.اما بالاتر از هر چیز، مسئول آنیم که در هر زندگی دست کم یک بار، با بخش دیگر خود که سر راه ما تج...more

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Dec 01, 2008 Lily Wren rated it 2 of 5 stars

I do usually enjoy Coelho's books and often take something inspiring away from them however, with The Valkyries I am not too sure. Coelho tells the story of his spiritual journey and experiences gained travelling through the desert. Throughout the journey we witness Coelho fighting his inner demons and working towards spiritual enlightenment and self development. We are also introduced to his wife Chris who accompanies Coelho and, in her own way, faces her own inner struggles and spiritual enlig...more

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Jul 26, 2008 May rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: literary-fiction-excluding-romance

Okay. This may sound like I'm dumb or something, but really, I didn't get the point of this novel. I read from somewhere that the book is about "journey of faith, of trust, of forgiveness, of love, of self-discovery, and of battling the darkness within ourselves, and wanting to change". Okay, so I got these messages, but only vaguely. In addition, I read somewhere that this book is semi-biographical - but is it? Did all those events REALLY happen? I find myself wondering which events were real,...more

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Sep 21, 2008 Jacqueline rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book was more journey than I had thought it would be. It was a personal story of the author and his wife and sometimes I felt uncomfortable by how much was shared. But I also learned more about spiritual quests and how far people can take them. It is like anything else in that it is whatever you want to make it. The story was inspiring for that quest. Some of it was hard to imagine such as the motorcycle group of women touring the US with an intense quest for passing along spiritual knowled...more

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Jan 13, 2011 Isaac rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: paulo-coelho

Me gustó mucho, como todos los libros de Paulo. Abordando temas filosoficos y magicos. Que claro, se pueden aplicar a la vida.

Me aportó mucho. Algo corto en contenido, pero bueno, es solo por que en sí la historia así lo merecía. Que puedo decir, Excelente !!.

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Dec 14, 2012 Florence Lyon rated it 2 of 5 stars

This is a novel about Paulo's journey to find his guardian angel as advised by the master of his secret order. His wife joins him on this one and the story is told in the third person. It starts in Rio and somehow and some reason I forget, they go to the Mojave Desert. Foolishly, one day they go on an outing into the desert and get sunstroke. Luckily, they are rescued and spend a couple of days recovering.

The Valkyries turn out to be a bunch of biker chicks or " warrior women" they meet at a tru...more

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Dec 03, 2012 Guilherme Martins rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A colectânea dos livros de auto-ajuda aparecem numa época do desemprego estrutural está em crescente, em que uma quantidade significativa de desempregados não terão mais acesso ao trabalho porque tornaram-se supérfluos a serem substituídos pelas máquinas da revolução micro-electrónica. Estes livros são focados nos supérfluos do século XXI para que a esperança exista no fundo destas páginas, e o leitor consiga a alimentar a sua neurose de se voltar a uma vida saudável e realizável dentro do capit...more

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Apr 05, 2012 Moumita Sarcar rated it 2 of 5 stars

the author goes in search of something that is so simple to the eye, we dont naturally see it!!! i m amazed the author idnt see the simple things and went in conquest to the far parts of the world for such a thing.. whereas it can be found anywhere!!!!

im a girl of 22... and i can tell u that what i have seen ,heard or experienced in the most simplest forms are the manifestations of "the angel"!!! it didnt require me to medidatee or go in search... it jst wntd me to keep my senses open to the or...more

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Mar 06, 2012 Lynn rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: metaphysics, novel, spiritual

This marks the 9th book I've read of Coelho's. I have to say I purposely put this one and the Fifth mountain to later reading because I felt like they weren't easy to understand. I was right, because I found myself getting lost many times throughout this book, and the delicious moment where reader connects to author's message was found nearing the epilogue.

I wasn't interested in motorcycles, much less motorcyclists and lesbians behaving as motorcyclists to boot. So this was a little incredulous,...more

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Nov 23, 2011 Alexa-Storm Hartman rated it 4 of 5 stars

Another sublime, wise worded story by one of my favourite authors Paulo Coelho :)
The Valkyries is a description of one of his own personal encounters amidst the desert, where he gained calmness and clarity whilst searching for his angel.
A few souls who I have conversed to about Paulo Coelhos writing sometimes struggle to relate to his stories, because the manner in which Coelho depicts his stories is through his own belief of Christianity. Many struggle to read any books of wisdom that share the...more

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May 24, 2011 Johann Guenther rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

COELHO, Paulo: „Schutzengel“, Zürich 2011
Ein international anerkannter Autor kramt jetzt seine älteren Manuskripte heraus und publiziert sie. Er ist bekannt und die Leser kaufen das Buch. Kommerzielle Überlegungen. In den 80er Jahren geschrieben. Die Beschreibung von 40 Tagen in der Wüste Amerikas im Westen. Gemeinsam mit seiner Freundin fährt er mit dem Auto durch die Wüste und sucht mit Hilfe eines Schamanen und Walküren seinen Schutzengel zu sehen. Seine Freundin lernt dabei mit ihrem zu komm...more

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Mar 22, 2011 Annie rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. i remember liking the alchemist, but i think i prefer the valkyries even more. there is something very exploratory and honest about the pace. i like the descriptions of the desert and the characters he meets. but, i think because it's also a memoir, it feels less contrived (though the games in the end sounded a bit contrived).

i really enjoyed the pacing and dialogue of this book. and i feel like the characters seem pretty genuine and they genuinely know one another well. i like how although the...more

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Mar 02, 2011 Garrett Dunnington rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, new-age, religion, family-s-library

I really liked this book. I think this book really emphasizes the point, that the only way back is through the heart. Finding your way back involves following your dreams and letting go of the attachments that keep you from getting there. Reincarnation is a multiversal concept. The impression I got is that Coelho is a spiritual man, but in an independent sense, which is why it was hard for him to write this book. We have to remember that in order to rid ourselves of guilt, we must first concentr...more

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Mar 06, 2012 Ehab Shaaban rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: novel, paulo-coelho

لم أستطع ان أحصل على الكتاب الإلكتروني كامل فكل المعروض على المواقع 15 صفحة تقريباً وهذا ما آثار إستيائي ، ولكن ما فهمت من تلك الصفحات ..
أن بطل الرواية هو نفسه باولو كويلهو يتناقش فيها مع مُلهمه (جي) مبدياً له عرفانه بالجميل تجاهه لما علمه إياه من النظر إلى الأمور الجيدة التي معها تكتشف متعة الحياة ومتابعتها رغم العقبات والآخطاء التي يقع فيها الإنسان ، وسرد فيها بعضاً من ملامح شخصيته وإهتمامه بالروحانيات ، وفيها أنه إنتقل مع زوجته (كريس) لزيارة شخص يدعى (جين) في صحراء كاليفورنيا ليتعلم هناك كيف...more

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Apr 19, 2012 Daniel rated it 5 of 5 stars

I never pay too much attention to the plot of Coelho books because the plot is merely a means of this author to get his point across. The chapters of this book do culminate in to a satisfying climax, however the messages in the book are woven in to the detail of the text throughout rather than the end.

I found the third person narrative quite annoying to begin with, it is very perplexing to me as to why someone would choose to write about themselves in the third person. However writing is a cont...more

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Jul 26, 2010 Erin Noble rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: spirituality, dreaming

My relationship with this book is marked by an uncharacteristic lack of enthusiasm I'm still surprised I even read the book. Yet, how thankful for the nuggets of wisdom that Coehlo precipitates throughout.

A loose acquaintance recommended The Valkyries and I bought the book on a whim while in Powell's. It laid on my shelf for months afterwards without much notice, but exerted a persistent draw that kept its presence in my unconscious. When I became interested in studying dreams (life goals, not...more

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Jun 04, 2011 Christine Keleny rated it 2 of 5 stars

I was looking forward to reading this book, since I very much enjoyed two other Paulo Coelho novels The Alchemist and The Devil and Miss Prym. Unfortunately, I was disappointed.

This book is a very personal story, apparently of Paulo's real journey to the desert the US (Paulo Coelho is from Brazil) to look for his angel. He brings his wife along as well. (The woman must really love this guy to follow him all over with his various quests - I suppose I'd go too if I haven't ever been to the desert...more I was looking forward to reading this book, since I very much enjoyed two other Paulo Coelho novels The Alchemist and The Devil and Miss Prym. Unfortunately, I was disappointed.

This book is a very personal story, apparently of Paulo's real journey to the desert the US (Paulo Coelho is from Brazil) to look for his angel. He brings his wife along as well. (The woman must really love this guy to follow him all over with his various quests - I suppose I'd go too if I haven't ever been to the desert in the US, it's quite an amazing place.)

But it's such an odd quest - why does it have to be here? - and the circumstances so strange that it's hard to take it all in.

I kept thinking, there are probably any number of ways to talk to your angel (if there is such a thing), and seeing one's angel, well that would be extraordinary in deed. But the whole angel thing, I'm not sure I buy into it.

I have heard other people speak of angels and their existence. Paulo even mentions some more obvious examples of this in his story. Paulo and his wife go out into the desert in the middle of the day. They do not listen to the warnings other have given them about how dangerous this is. They walk and walk, trying to get to a certain point they see in the distance, but they don't judge the distance correctly and travel too far. Once they decide they can't make it to where they want to go they head back to their car. They are hot, so they take off their clothes, then they start to feel odd and very tired. They lay down in the sand with their car in sight and close their eyes. Someone - someone I agree has been sent for them (I would say this is God, they say, their angel), sees their car and eventually finds them. This person takes them to safety, where they're given an IV because of their severe dehydration. They never find out who this person is.

But when people speak of angels, what I think what they are talking about is God. Maybe I'm wrong, time will tell, but the only source of anything in my book is the one source, the alpha and omega, the one, the great - I am. How can there be anything else. Maybe this source comes in different forms at different times (and tells people things they should do - like this is an empty car in the desert and I don't see anyone around, I need to go look for them!) but I can't see it or what they talk to as they channel (meditate?) or what Paulo eventually sees as anything but the one source.

But who knows, I have been wrong it the past - believe it or not. Thought does it matter what you call it. The experience taught Paulo and his wife Chris some enlightening things about themselves, and that is what is really important. It's just not that interesting to read about, unless I knew them personally.
(less)

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Aug 02, 2012 Zainab rated it 4 of 5 stars

Initially, I had found the book easily-put-downable. However, there were two things that kept me thumbing through the pages. Firstly, this verse:

And each man kills the thing he loves,
By all let this be heard,
Some do it with a bitter look,
Some with a flattering word,
The coward does it with a kiss,
The brave man with a sword.

My first impression to it was, "That's a total lie! It can't be true for everyone." But as I'd turned over the page, I found out that the master (J.) of the protagonist (Paulo)...more

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Jun 24, 2009 Tamara rated it 2 of 5 stars

After having read, and loved, _The Alchemist_, this book was a huge disappointment. While both books utilize storytelling in order to instruct the audience on metaphysical matters, the former novel achieves that goal in a charming, playful, and enchanting way. _The Valkyries_ lacks these qualities, focusing instead on flat, hard-to-like characters. Considering that the book is largely autobiographical, that's unfortunate. Coelho states in his notes at the end of the book that this work is very d...more

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Feb 09, 2013 Amy rated it 2 of 5 stars

Considering the subject matter (learning to talk to your guardian angel) and the author (Paulo Coelho), I am really surprised to report that this book fell flat for me. What The Alchemist achieved through compelling character development and subtle allusion to higher powers at work, this book attempted to achieve through uninspiring dialogue that didn't seem to flow naturally from the mouths of the characters. There were moments of pure beauty in the book, and I don't doubt that this journey was...more

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Jan 27, 2013 Gayathri Jayakumar added it

Valkyries seemed to me like a usual Paulo Coelho work excluding Alchemist... It has everything he always has in his book, his magic cult, his master, his wife who supports him in kith and kin, angels, guides, signs, confusions, all those intense basic feelings of lust, hunger, thirst you can take in all the meanings you'd like to for these three feelings i mentioned. As always he is on a path to pursue something and like always its a very deserted and lonely path during which his wife stick by e...more

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Jan 14, 2008 Fides rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Fides by: The cute guy at Barnes & Noble

Throughout reading this book I couldn't help but think about the people in my life who were married. I also couldn't help but think about what I would do if I met my guardian angel. To claim that this book is thought provoking is a cliche, Coelho does it again and leaves you spiritually enlightened.

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Apr 01, 2007 Oi Yin rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anyone on a journey towards self-contemplation

Shelves: fiction, self-enrichment

Even with the overarching theme of God in all his stories, Coelho manages to speak of the common human conditions. In this work, he addresses the fear that causes us to destroy all that we love and sabotage our dreams. He paints a journey that is arduous and full of self-doubt with expected sacrifices.

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Dec 06, 2008 Rustbeltcelt rated it 4 of 5 stars

By the same author, Paulo Coelho, who wrote The Alchemist. I reckon I liked this better because I ran into a few of these bad-ass, goddess-centric, biker ladies in a diner in Texas one long-driving night in the 90's. Valhalla was still w/ them I believe, but I don't know, we didn't shake hands or anything, just exchanged a look across the aisle between our respective booths.
Its written in Coelho's typical page-turning, fluid fashion, and that may put some people off if they believe all things "e...more

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Nov 14, 2012 Sandra rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary

Another classic Coehlo book. Like always Paulo Coehlo takes the reader on a magical journey, where the reader has to read between lines. Once more he tackles topics like love, satisfaction and God.
I consider myself not a religious person and usually get annoyed when people try to convert others to religious believes - but Coelho does not make me think: Oh, please. Stop that.

In general I love how Coehlo takes the reader to magical places and I just love finding myself with the characters in the...more

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Jan 31, 2012 Amy McMullen rated it 4 of 5 stars

The time I read this book I was doing some soul searching myself, so I found it very inspiring and took a lot from it. It really got me thinking about angels too. And the biker chics in the desert were, ofcourse, an added bonus. He has little life lessons throughout the book that can be takin out of context and applied to another situations, I found. Though I think the thing with Paulo Coelho's books is it depends on your mindset when reading them, whether your looking to gain some inspiration f...more

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Nov 04, 2012 Celia rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: nonfiction, spirituality

I read several Coelho works in rapid succession after enjoying The Alchemist. I stopped after several titles because they all have a similar feel and start to blend together. And because the stories are mystical and sometimes written abstractly, it's hard to absorb too much at once.

This book stands out because it's semiautobiographical. It's a strange and interesting dynamic that teases the reader with a sense of what Coelho might be like in real life, which in turn adds more dimension to his st...more

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About Paulo Coelho

The Brazilian author PAULO COELHO was born in 1947 in the city of Rio de Janeiro. Before dedicating his life completely to literature, he worked as theatre director and actor, lyricist and journalist. In 1986, PAULO COELHO did the pilgrimage to Saint James of Compostella, an experience later to be documented in his book The Pilgrimage. In the following year, COELHO published The Alchemist. Slow in...more The Brazilian author PAULO COELHO was born in 1947 in the city of Rio de Janeiro. Before dedicating his life completely to literature, he worked as theatre director and actor, lyricist and journalist. In 1986, PAULO COELHO did the pilgrimage to Saint James of Compostella, an experience later to be documented in his book The Pilgrimage. In the following year, COELHO published The Alchemist. Slow initial sales convinced his first publisher to drop the novel, but it went on to become one of the best selling Brazilian books of all time. Other titles include Brida (1990), The Valkyries (1992), By the river Piedra I sat Down and Wept (1994), the collection of his best columns published in the Brazilian newspaper Folha de São Paulo entitle Maktub (1994), the compilation of texts Phrases (1995), The Fifth Mountain (1996), Manual of a Warrior of Light (1997), Veronika decides to die (1998), The Devil and Miss Prym (2000), the compilation of traditional tales in Stories for parents, children and grandchildren (2001), Eleven Minutes (2003), The Zahir (2005), The Witch of Portobello (2006) and Winner Stands Alone (to be released in 2009). During the months of March, April, May and June 2006, Paulo Coelho traveled to celebrate the 20th anniversary of his pilgrimage to Saint James of Compostella in 1986. He also held surprise book signings - announced one day in advance - in some cities along the way, to have a chance to meet his readers. In ninety days of pilgrimage the author traveled around the globe and took the famous Transiberrian train that took him to Vladivostok. During this experience Paulo Coelho launched his blog Walking the Path - The Pilgrimage in order to share with his readers his impressions. Since this first blog Paulo Coelho has expanded his presence in the internet with his daily blogs in Wordpress, Myspace & Facebook. He is equally present in media sharing sites such as Youtube and Flickr, offering on a regular basis not only texts but also videos and pictures to his readers. From this intensive interest and use of the Internet sprang his bold new project: The Experimental Witch where he invites his readers to adapt to the screen his book The Witch of Portobello. Indeed Paulo Coelho is a firm believer of Internet as a new media and is the first Best-selling author to actively support online free distribution of his work. (less)

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“He knew one of the women well, and had shared his universe with her. They had seen the same mountains, and the same trees, although each of them had seem them differently. She knew his weaknesses, his moments of hatred, of despair. Yet she was there at his side. They shared the same universe.” — 448 people liked it

“Don't fear the light within. May it ignite the Sacred Flame in your soul.” — 16 people liked it

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