Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
Shadows on the Stars (The Great Tree of Avalon #2)
by
T.A. Barron (Goodreads Author)
Originally published: New York: Philomel Books, c2005. (The great tree of Avalon; bk. 2)
Paperback, 448 pages
Published
July 7th 2011
by Puffin
(first published October 6th 2005)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
This book is not yet featured on Listopia.
Add this book to your favorite list »
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
2,662)
I didn't read any other books in the series, first off, so that probably affects my review. I bought it because it looked interesting... and cheap ^.^
Anyway, about the book. It has a nice story plot, but quite confusing at times because there are around 3 groups of split-off adventures all on their own path. There are a lot of characters that you have to familiarise with, fast, because later it gets really confusing with everybody in different places. The author has a way with beautiful descript...more
Anyway, about the book. It has a nice story plot, but quite confusing at times because there are around 3 groups of split-off adventures all on their own path. There are a lot of characters that you have to familiarise with, fast, because later it gets really confusing with everybody in different places. The author has a way with beautiful descript...more
One-dimensional characters.
1) The evil antagonist Rhita Gawr is essentially undeveloped in this book. Unlike book 1, where you get some character development of Kulwich, enough to dislike him for his brutal enslavement of creatures to build the giant dam, Rhita Gawr gets hardly any character depth in this installment.
2) There was hardly any development of either Tamwyn's or Elli's magical powers, even though it might have helped the characters, and developed the plot.
3) The ending is abrupt and...more
1) The evil antagonist Rhita Gawr is essentially undeveloped in this book. Unlike book 1, where you get some character development of Kulwich, enough to dislike him for his brutal enslavement of creatures to build the giant dam, Rhita Gawr gets hardly any character depth in this installment.
2) There was hardly any development of either Tamwyn's or Elli's magical powers, even though it might have helped the characters, and developed the plot.
3) The ending is abrupt and...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
The "good guys" are a little too good; the "bad guys" are a little too cheesy-evil -- still, I've been completely sucked in by this trilogy. The author's world-building continues to impress, as we explore more of the world-tree of Avalon and its connection with (view spoiler). There's plenty of fantasy adventure (including water dragons!), romantic relationships both tender and... otherwise, a healthy dose of tragedy, and a hint of Celtic (and some Welsh!) mythology....more
The 10th Merlin novel, "Shadows on the Stars" continues the the story of Tamwyn, Elli & Scree as they learn of the real threat that Rhita Ghawr poses to both Avalon & Earth itself. The trio split up & across 3 distinctive parts of the story Barron continues to explore this world & adds to both the terror & realism of the fates of these characters & the realm we've gotten to know so very well over the years. We explore the mysteries of the stars, our giant friend Shim &...more
Feb 27, 2010
Amelia, the pragmatic idealist
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
favorite-books,
ya-kids-teen,
series-books,
2010,
penguin,
own,
lovestory-done-right,
all-kinds-of-fantasy,
mc-guy
Very good, just like the first one!
I'm so incredibly anxious to start the third, so I'll try and d...more Very good, just like the first one!
I'm so incredibly anxious to start the third, so I'll try and do something drastically out-of-the-ordinary and keep things brief!
What I really liked...
- Characters. I love the MC so very much! Tamwyn is an excellent main character because though he's imperfect, he's good *enough* and still likeable. His journey is one of self-discovery and realizing his...more
I'm so incredibly anxious to start the third, so I'll try and d...more Very good, just like the first one!
I'm so incredibly anxious to start the third, so I'll try and do something drastically out-of-the-ordinary and keep things brief!
What I really liked...
- Characters. I love the MC so very much! Tamwyn is an excellent main character because though he's imperfect, he's good *enough* and still likeable. His journey is one of self-discovery and realizing his...more
Great book filled with excellent characters, from the lady of the lake, the true heir of merlin, a slave turned priestes, an accidental murderer of his unkown child, a granddaughter of a famous elf, and a small man turned big turned small again. Great plot someone is looking for a way to the stars, while another is trying to steal a crystal with the power to destroy, and yet another is taking over a tribe of eagle people who were previously against their own kind. A book you won't want to put do...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Oct 06, 2009
Ivy
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
People who like T.A. Barron
Recommended to Ivy by:
My sister
Shelves:
fantasy
This was a really cute book, if you like fantasy.
It continues the adventures of Tamwyn, Scree, and Elli as they go there separate ways, Scree to avenge a murdered woman who cared for him, Elli to save the High Priestess of her order, Coerria, and Tamwyn to find a way to relight the stars.
After a while, this story got a little predictable and (dare I say it?) boring. But if you liked the first one, and you like this author, it's definitely worth reading.
It continues the adventures of Tamwyn, Scree, and Elli as they go there separate ways, Scree to avenge a murdered woman who cared for him, Elli to save the High Priestess of her order, Coerria, and Tamwyn to find a way to relight the stars.
After a while, this story got a little predictable and (dare I say it?) boring. But if you liked the first one, and you like this author, it's definitely worth reading.
This series continues to be just okay. I'm not really sure why I loved these books so much when I was younger. The writing is so choppy and stilted, the characters are awkward and unrealistic, and the story is slow. In this entire book, the characters don't really accomplish much of anything. I do continue to love the world, though, and maybe that's what captured my imagination as a child.
Jul 22, 2008
Renee
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
7th-10th
Shelves:
ya-fantasy
In the second book of this fantasy trilogy, the group of friends split into three groups to pursue different quests. Elli, a young priestess, and her companions voyage to the Shadowrealm to destroy a dark crystal that the evil Rhita Gawr has created; Scree travels to an Eagle folk clan to claim vengeance for a friend’s death and Tamwyn travels up the Great Tree of Avalon to try to relight a constellation. Secrets are revealed and mystery abounds in the vast world of Avalon. With dynamic characte...more
The more and more I read The Great Tree of Avalon, the more I was interested. Full of adventure, background information, amazing characters, magic, and wonder, the world of Avalon is amazing.
Sep 30, 2009
Karolinde (Kari)
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
fantasy,
middle-level-books
I read this book in one day. Unlike many "middle" books, this one didn't lose my interest. I do wish that he had expanded some of his plot points, especially the asassin and Llyria.
Oct 24, 2007
Caryn
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
fantasy,
youngreaderandteen
As the second installment in this series, Shadows on the Stars ends rather abruptly, and without any closure whatsoever. But it was still worth reading, of course.
Barron is messing with my head, because I never thought I'd like any mythical place more than Fincayra (see The Lost Years of Merlin), but Avalon is becoming my new favorite. T. A. Barron's website indicates that he's writing a series to go in between The Lost Years of Merlin and The Great Tree of Avalon. I don't think I'll be able t...more
Barron is messing with my head, because I never thought I'd like any mythical place more than Fincayra (see The Lost Years of Merlin), but Avalon is becoming my new favorite. T. A. Barron's website indicates that he's writing a series to go in between The Lost Years of Merlin and The Great Tree of Avalon. I don't think I'll be able t...more
It felt like it took FOREVER to get through this one. Not because it's long, but because it's a tad on the boring side.
Aug 22, 2011
Kate
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Kate by:
Amelia, the pragmatic idealist
Continuing the Great Tree of Avalon epic, three companions embark on separate, far-reaching quests to solve the mystery of the vanishing stars--confronting the very powers of darkness along the way. I enjoyed the first book in this series more than this one. Somehow I felt like there was less suspense to it, and I wasn't as interested in the different threads of the quest as I had been when the friends were together in book one. Tamwyn's journey was the most interesting to me, and I found Elli t...more
I LOVED this book, although i enjoyed the 1st and 3rd books even more!!
Sep 10, 2012
Elizabeth
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
books-read-in-2012,
q-r-s-t
This book for me was really hard to get into, I am guessing part of it was that it was the start of the school year and I was distracted from reading. The ending was really good and it made me want to keep reading.
This book is soooo awesome!!!!!
very good.. makes you want to read more.
Feb 25, 2010
The Third Place A Teen Library
added it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
paranormal-series-database
F BAR gtoa bk. 2
Fantasy
Fantasy
Mar 17, 2007
Ethenielle
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Lost Years of Merlin Fans
This is a great sequal to the great tree of avalon. For those who loved the lost years of merlin series, this continues the story nicely without interferring in the loved original characters. I personally adored the character Shim in this book, who also appeared in the lost years of merlin. Though he is ancient and deaf, Shim the small giant is as loveable as ever.
19
Great fantasy!!!
This second installment of this fantastic journey was excellent... not as excellent as the first, but overall a good sequel. All my favorite characters were further developed - we learned more about them & they developed cognitvely and emotionally as well - and the plot revealed more about, and followed-up with Kulwych & the infamous god of war, Rhita Gawr and Tamwyn & Elli's attempts to foil their plan. On to book three, as soon as I can get to the library.
The second book in its series. The world of Avalon expands from the darkest roots to the bright branches that reach the stars. The three main characters embark on seperate journey's that will ultimately save their world if all turns out well.
As T.A. Barron's trademark, the world of Avalon is beautifully described and you are sucked in to a world just as mysterious and real as our own.
As T.A. Barron's trademark, the world of Avalon is beautifully described and you are sucked in to a world just as mysterious and real as our own.
I skimmed the beginning and then the end, because I wasn't really interested in reading it anymore and I couldn't really get invested in any of the characters, though the writing was really good. The first book was better, but I think both pale in comparison to the Merlin books written before this series. I don't think I'll be reading the third book in this series.
For being a fairly long book, not a lot happened. It's one of those "middle" books that I hate reading: necessary to drive the series, but not that fun to read. He's really dragging this series out, and unfortunately his writing has been a little flat. I'll read the last book, because I have to finish the series, but I'm tempted to just forget about it!
Though it was a fun read, I didn't enjoy this book nearly as much as I did the first one. Somehow, it failed to get me as interested, and I found myself caring less and less about the main characters. To me at least, they felt a little too generic.
Still, the plot line was interesting enough to make me want to read the third one.
Still, the plot line was interesting enough to make me want to read the third one.
I actually ended up putting this book down. Not because the story was bad, but it just wasn't exciting enough to keep me interested. So it was taking forever to read. Since I don't have a lot of time to read right now I decided to put it down and read something that keeps me interested.
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
T.A. Barron grew up in Colorado ranch country and traveled widely as a Rhodes Scholar. Though he’d dreamed of becoming a writer, he couldn’t find anyone to publish his first novel. He joined a business, eventually became president, then decided to try again. So in 1990, he surprised his business partners by moving back to Colorado to become a writer and conservationist. Since then he has written o...more
More about T.A. Barron...
Share This Book
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
Jan 24, 2013 10:03pm