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4th out of 8 books
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21 voters
Jack The Giant Killer
Once there was an ordinary city... but behind the everyday streets there lies a Faerie world, where trolls and goblins lurk under motorway bridges -- and giants walk the earth. Once there was an ordinary girl... who didn't believe in giants. But now Jacky Rowan's been marked for destruction, and sent on a quest that only a fool would dare. Once there were no more heroes......more
Hardcover, 202 pages
Published
November 1st 1987
by Ace Hardcover
(first published 1987)
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It's a simple thing, but this book made me realize that I really haven't come across many women who are attractive and valued for their inner attributes in the books I've read. Maybe it's because I primarily read romance for so many years. Anyway, it was pleasant and comfortable to read about heroines who aren't described as being exceptionally beautiful, who give themselves bad haircuts, like to stay at home and drink tea, and are prized because of their courage and kindness rather than their s...more
This book was... okay... it was interesting how it was set in Ottawa and that the Jack was a girl, Jacky, but the beginning started out all cool then got confusing when it was trying to explain the whole fairy world... and then vague... Like the fairy world has a different name for all the places in our world and so the names would bounce back and forth and I'm like... is that necessary... and then describing the people and the rules or whatever... and the action was vague where you're not reall...more
A good modern day take on the classic fairy tale, Jack the Giant Killer takes the trickster, Jack, (typically found in stories like Jack and the Beanstalk) and morphs him into Jacky Rowan, a young woman living in Ottawa, Canada. Jacky is an ordinary girl, (too ordinary according to her recently ex-boyfriend) until she discovers that not only are there fairies living in the city but that a war is brewing between the Seelie court and the Unseelie court (led by the titular giants). Unwilling to sit...more
While I enjoyed Jack, The Giant Killer, I probably wouldn't read it again. It is interesting, particularly in that it centers around Jacky, who slowly finds herself, and plays around in interesting ways with the typical gender roles of fairy tales. I can't think of any other version of Jack, the Giant Killer that centered around a female lead, and I can think of very few female tricksters. However, the book lacks the complexity and depth of Charles DeLint's later works.
An earlhy deLint and not as good as most of his other books. Jacky goes too easily from being a boring homebody to heroine and trickster. Both Jacky and her friend are much too accepting of the secret world of magic around them. The forces of the unSeely court are defeated much too easily. I like his Newford books much better.
The world and twist on the story were not ones that really interested me. The writing was fine, just not for me.
An old favorite. This is the book that I re-read a few pages at a time after Connor had his Mo.
One of my very very favorite books ever read or written!
Really, really good. I can't wait to read the next one!
I really liked the opening chapter of this book. De Lint creates a wonderful picture of Jacky Rowan. Recently dumped for being too uninteresting she has spent the night drinking her sorrows away. But on her way home she comes across a strange scene; a gang of bikers hunting down a little man. But when she investigates further there is no trace of it ever having happened, apart from the man’s red cap that she discovered on the ground.
Full review: http://www.susanhatedliterature.net/2...
Full review: http://www.susanhatedliterature.net/2...
Excellent urban fantasy from the master of the genre. Jacky Rowan's rather ordinary life goes all to pieces when she sees a hob killed by a group of sinister bikers - the Seelie Court shows up in her life. The Unseelie Court isn't far behind.
With her friend Kate Crackernuts, a Prince of the Seelie Court and a fox-like forrester, Jacky has to brave Giants, the Wild Hunt and some really nasty bogans to keep the Unseelie Court from taking over on the longest night of the year.
With her friend Kate Crackernuts, a Prince of the Seelie Court and a fox-like forrester, Jacky has to brave Giants, the Wild Hunt and some really nasty bogans to keep the Unseelie Court from taking over on the longest night of the year.
Twines fairy tales with folk tales beautifully.
Part of a "modern fantasy novels retelling classic tales for adults" series. Very cute, not too long, enjoyable from beginning to end. Typical de Lint - average "Jane" falls into Faerie.
Jun 22, 2008
Tracy
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
young adults/ adults who like stories with fairy tale elements
I read this back in high school and remember enjoying it. It has a lot of good action and mythology/ fairy tale "modernizations". It's a good read, a good "magical tale".
This was one of my first fairy tale alteration book and I really liked it. The author did a good job explaining the background and "rules" of the land.
This was a very fun and interesting read. Great for adolescents, but adults can enjoy as well.
A different look at an old fariy tale. Jack is jacky, and she is an interesting character.
Great read if you're interested in "urban fantasy" at all. Any of de Lint's work is fantastic.
I loved ths fairy tale series....
Based on Jack, the Giant Killer.
May 17, 2013
Emily
marked it as to-read
May 09, 2013
Azrîya Allyn
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
speculative-fiction,
fairy-tales
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Charles de Lint (born December 22, 1951) is a World Fantasy Award winning author. In 1974 he met MaryAnn Harris, and married her in 1980.
Along with writers like Terri Windling and John Crowley, de Lint popularized in the 1980s the genre of urban fantasy, most notably through the Bordeland series of books. His fantasy fiction is described under the fantasy sub-genres Urban Fantasy, contemporary M...more
More about Charles de Lint...
Along with writers like Terri Windling and John Crowley, de Lint popularized in the 1980s the genre of urban fantasy, most notably through the Bordeland series of books. His fantasy fiction is described under the fantasy sub-genres Urban Fantasy, contemporary M...more
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Jan 25, 2013 12:19pm