- Hardcover: 424 pages
- Publisher: Gollancz (5 Aug 1999)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0575066806
- ISBN-13: 978-0575066809
- Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,925,635 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
World's End
and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle .
Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Plus, get an extra £5 Gift Certificate when you trade in books worth £10 or more before June 30, 2012. Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. |
Product details |
More About the Author
Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Mark Chadbourn's first four novels were horror. This, his fifth, opens a contemporary fantasy sequence crammed with horrific events. Its interesting premise is that the New Agers' gooey rhetoric was partly right. Our age of reason is ending on Earth, giving way to "The Age of Misrule"--and it's not just brownies, mermaids and ley-line energies that return, but the worst nightmares of myth. A dragon strafes M4 traffic, shape- shifting demons infiltrate Heston Services and the Wild Hunt slashes bloodily through a pub crowd. Technology is fading, with random power and equipment failures. More conventionally, the hero and four varyingly dysfunctional companions have been Chosen to oppose the darkness by collecting a familiar set of magic objects hidden in booby-trapped locations around Britain: the eternal sword, spear, stone and cauldron/grail/kitchen sink. An ageing hippy who's strayed from an old ballad gives cryptic advice that doesn't seem much help when the legions of hell are in hot pursuit. All the main characters are painfully manipulated by non-human forces, with the distinction between good and bad guys growing blurred. Chadbourn is overly fond of magical "with one bound he was free" escapes from impossible situations, but his story rattles along compellingly--with many a nerve-tingling frisson--to a chill and unconventional finale. --David Langford
Book Description
The old gods and creatures of myth are awakening to reclaim contemporary Britain as their own again
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
Browse and search another edition of this book.
Browse and search another edition of this book.
Tag this product(What's this?)Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organise and find favourite items. |
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
When Jack 'Church' Churchill and Ruth Gallagher simultaneously witness the murder of a government official at the hands of a monstrous, undefinable being, their lives are changed dramatically as they find themselves on the run from dark demons from the dawn of time, known as the Fomorii, with only a drifter named Tom to turn to for help. Revealed to be two of the fabled Brothers and Sisters of Dragons - five mortals imbued with the power to save the world - they must seek out the remaining members of their group - Laura, an opinionated ecowarrior, Shavi, a deeply spiritual shaman, and Veitch, a well-meaning thug - and locate four objects of power that will summon the Tuatha De Danann, the Gods of old, back to our world to drive out the Fomorii. But Church has already been tainted by darkness - and the Gods are not to be trusted . . .
This, is quite simply, stunning. Read these books, because Mark Chadbourn is well on his way to becoming one of the world's best writers of fantasy fiction.
The scope of his vision is breathtaking, with painstaking research done into all the old Celtic myths and legends to create modern-day interpretations that have proven factually right and fictionally gripping. His portrayal of the six very different characters that lead the book is of particular note - even Tom, who by nature is shrouded in mystery, can be understood and sympathised with.
Having read all three of the Age of Misrule series and its sequel, The Dark Age, it's also clear to me that there are many, many clues to the events of future books in this beginning novel, and only by reading through all of them can you begin to grasp the huge scale of Chadbourn's imagination.
If you like fantasy fiction - if you like fiction at all - read these books. Once you've read one, you won't regret it and I guarantee you'll want to keep on reading.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
Mark Chadbourn has written a powerfully imaginative, yet often darkly seductive and disturbing epic, with modern day heroes-both fallible and believable-on a magical quest around Britain to save it and the world from another dark age, brought on by the return of once-mythical Celtic gods. Brilliantly researched, and told at an even pace, World's End is the best new work I've read for twenty years! If you're into Celtic mythology, standing stones, leylines, fairies, magic and a bloody good
read-then but this now!
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
I'd seen this book in a few shops, and each time I passed it over for no good reason. Thus, after reading it, and after getting over my delighted shock, I am writing this so no one makes the same mistake.
If you like mythology, especially Celtic, magic, anything 'New Age', dragons, or if you just have a feeling that the human race can't last much longer, then you have to read this - and the rest of the trilogy. The only dissapointment was the whole 'prophecy' idea - the five Brothers and Sisters of Dragons, the guardians of the blood of the earth (magic), must arise and defeat the darkness by finding the four talismans od the Danaan. But the origonal, amazing way in which the whole thing is accomplished - not to mention the horrific twist at the end - is enough to sweep any fantasy fan away.
I'm currently reading the second book, and Chadbourn's keeping it up. (Mind you, I'm only on the first chapter, but the prologue took FOREVER...)
All I can say is - READ IT!!!
If you like mythology, especially Celtic, magic, anything 'New Age', dragons, or if you just have a feeling that the human race can't last much longer, then you have to read this - and the rest of the trilogy. The only dissapointment was the whole 'prophecy' idea - the five Brothers and Sisters of Dragons, the guardians of the blood of the earth (magic), must arise and defeat the darkness by finding the four talismans od the Danaan. But the origonal, amazing way in which the whole thing is accomplished - not to mention the horrific twist at the end - is enough to sweep any fantasy fan away.
I'm currently reading the second book, and Chadbourn's keeping it up. (Mind you, I'm only on the first chapter, but the prologue took FOREVER...)
All I can say is - READ IT!!!
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Implausible and unentertaining
I absolutely adore SF/Fantasy, and and in this genre normally everything goes. However, after reading 200 pages of World's End, I put it away, since I considered it a waste of my... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Marianne
The cover began what would be a fantastic read!
I remember being in my local bookstore and seeing a book on the shelf depicting a dragon sat astride a car. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Mr. R. J. Pascall
Epic start to an epic series
World's End is the start of an epic trilogy of trilogies. The Age of Misrule series brings creatures of myth into our reality. Read more
Published 15 months ago by Madnad
Creepy city catastrope
The world is slowly changing. People are starting to see strange things, monsters, ghosts, and other oddities. Read more
Published 15 months ago by Blue Tyson
Fantastic Fantasy
This is a great book. It's very slightly heavy on the Celt Mythology, but you get into that through this book. Read more
Published 15 months ago by Stephanie
The beginning of a great fantasy adventure truly gripping
This book first book of three trilogies, grabbed me pulling me into the celtic fantasy world. A world of ancient gods and fairie tales. It's a must read. Read more
Published on 28 Oct 2009 by Purple Guy
Very very poor
Horrid stuff! Dreadful dialogue, contrived plot, painfully shallow characters and great gobs of saccharine mysticism. Keep well away. Read more
Published on 5 Jan 2007 by Mollybygolly
This book/trilogy is absolutely brilliant.
If you don't buy this, then you must be completely crazy. Mark Chadbourn writes a compelling and encapturing story of modern day myths and legnds, which includes raw human nature... Read more
Published on 11 April 2002 by beautiful_faith@hotmail.com
Intriguing and Informative
Picked it up at the library because it was new - and was amazed. VERY thoroughly researched - it could almost be filed as a textbook to Celtic mythology! Read more
Published on 11 April 2002 by "cloudfire"
absolutely magical in every sense of the world
this is one of the most powerful books i have ever read it has a strong storyline which keeps you gripped until the end of the book then you are dying to read the next one, his... Read more
Published on 9 April 2002
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
- Books > Fantasy > Epic
- Books > Science Fiction
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
