The King of the Golden River

There are many starting points within the fantasy genre. J. R. R. Tolkien is often, with good reason, regarded as the father of fantasy, despite the fact that there was a vast expanse of stories before his time. Going further back, one can find the early 20th century classics that inspired the maste......more

Kindle and Gutenberg freebie, a novelette for those who love old-fashioned fairy tales. I grew up with this delightful fable, written in 1841 by John Ruskin, and set in the lovely mountainous Styria, part of Austria. In the traditional way, there are three brothers, the oldest two wicked and selfish......more

This is a deft little piece which lays out a fairy tale just how I like them: A fully fleshed out narrative (which many traditional fairy tales lack), lots of boldness and surprise, and told with measure and sparkle. It’s quite elemental: fire and earth and water and wind and ice each make important......more

*JOHN RUSKIN, 'The King of the Golden River' This is the only work of fiction that the prolific and multi-talented Ruskin wrote. However, it manages to encapsulate a great many of the ideals that we think of today, when we think of Ruskin. It has the emphasis on 'Christian' mercy and charity, generos......more

Second time reading this little book. So enjoyable! A wonderful fairytale written simply and without moralizing - my favorite kind! And my kids enjoyed it too!......more