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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Add this copy of Shardik First in Beklan Empire Series to cart. $1.88, fair condition, Sold by Booksalvation rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Manchester, LANCASHIRE, UNITED KINGDOM, published 1979 by Penguin Books.
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Fair in fair dust jacket. Outline: -This is a vintage edition and will be subject to the effects of aging >>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. -> the publisher of this PAPERBACK book is Penguin Books The date of this copy is 1979 booksalvation have grade it as Acceptable and it will be shipped from our UK warehouse This book is from the Series. Shipping is Free for UK buyers and at a reasonable charge for buyer outside the UK.
Add this copy of Shardik the First in the Beklan Empire Series to cart. $3.53, good condition, Sold by Booksalvation rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Manchester, LANCASHIRE, UNITED KINGDOM, published 1985 by Penguin Books.
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Good in good dust jacket. Outline: -This is a vintage edition and will be subject to the effects of aging >>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. -> the publisher of this PAPERBACK book is Penguin Books The date of this copy is 1985 booksalvation have grade it as Good and it will be shipped from our UK warehouse This book is from the The Beklan Empire Series. Shipping is Free for UK buyers and at a reasonable charge for buyer outside the UK.
Add this copy of Shardik First in Beklan Empire Series to cart. $3.53, fair condition, Sold by Booksalvation rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Manchester, LANCASHIRE, UNITED KINGDOM, published 1979 by Penguin Books.
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Seller's Description:
Fair in fair dust jacket. Outline: -This is a vintage edition and will be subject to the effects of aging >>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. -> the publisher of this PAPERBACK book is Penguin Books The date of this copy is 1979 booksalvation have grade it as Acceptable and it will be shipped from our UK warehouse This book is from the Series. Shipping is Free for UK buyers and at a reasonable charge for buyer outside the UK.
Add this copy of Shardik to cart. $4.24, 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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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. $6.00, very good condition, Sold by Pumpkin Wholesale Ltd rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Abingdon, Oxon, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2015 by Oneworld Publications.
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Very good. "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.
Add this copy of Shardik to cart. $8.69, 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.
Add this copy of Shardik to cart. $9.29, like new condition, Sold by Pumpkin Wholesale Ltd rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Abingdon, Oxon, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2014 by Oneworld Publications.
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Fine. "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.
Add this copy of Shardik to cart. $17.42, good condition, Sold by Aardvark Books Ltd rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Bucknell, HEREFORDSHIRE, UNITED KINGDOM, published 1979 by Penguin Books.
Add this copy of Shardik to cart. $38.60, 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: 1st Edition, 1st Printing Inscribed By The to cart. $89.39, very good condition, Sold by Itchen Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Husbands Bosworth, LEICESTERSHIRE, UNITED KINGDOM, published 1974 by Allen Lane in Association with Rex Collings.
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Seller's Description:
Very good in very good dust jacket. Signed by author. Light spotting to the closed page edges in a Very Good unclipped dustjacket. 526 p. Audience: General/trade. Publisher's blue boards, lettered in gold to the spine. Pictorial endpapers. In original dustwrapper. Inscribed by the author in the year of publication to the title page in blue pen; "For Robin and Paddy Borwick with best wishes from Richard Adams November 1974". No other inscriptions. (The Hon. Robin Sandbach Borwick 1927-2003 & The Hon. Patricia Garnett Borwick nee McAlpine 1932-2009).
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.
