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The Year Of The Griffin (Gollancz S.F.)
 
 
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The Year Of The Griffin (Gollancz S.F.) (Paperback)

by Diana Wynne Jones (Author)
4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)

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Product details

  • Paperback: 272 pages
  • Publisher: Gollancz; New edition edition (14 Aug 2003)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0575075376
  • ISBN-13: 978-0575075375
  • Product Dimensions: 17.2 x 11.2 x 2.4 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 244,198 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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    #50 in  Books > Children's Books > Authors & Illustrators > J > Jones, Diana Wynne

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Product Description

Product Description

The Wizards' University is short of money. Nothing comes in from tourists any more since Mr Chesney's offworld tours have stopped. High Chancellor Querida has left Wizard Derk and his family to run the world and handsome Wizard Corkoran to run the University. Corkoran is really only interested in being the first man to walk on the moon, but he does send begging letters to the students' parents. But Wizard Derk's daughter Elda turns out to be a large golden griffin, King Luther's son is penniless, the Emperor's sister has been disowned by the Senate and the dwarf, far from owning a hoard of treasure, turns out to be a runaway slave. And then the first reply from a student's family arrives - in the form of assassins . . . The situation is definitely out of control.


About the Author

Diana Wynne Jones is Britain's foremost writer of children's fantasy, including the World Fantasy Award-nominated Archer's Goon, which was made into a six-part BBC TV series, and the Guardian Award-winning Charmed Life
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Customer Reviews

13 Reviews
5 star:
 (8)
4 star:
 (1)
3 star:
 (2)
2 star:
 (1)
1 star:
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Average Customer Review
4.1 out of 5 stars (13 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Another classic by Diana Wynne Jones, 29 Sep 2001
By A Customer
This review is from: The Year Of The Griffin (Gollancz S.F.) (Paperback)
I had initially held off reading this book as I had not liked the first book 'The Dark Lord of Derkholm'. However this was much better(though not typical) Wynne Jones fare. It was reminiscent in style of Terry Pratchett, though maybe this was due to the fact it was based in a university for wizards and a lot of magical shenanigans went on. It picked up where the first book left off, though it focuses on the griffin Elda and the friends she makes at the university. The plot concerns how they shake the university out of its staid ways caused by the aftermath of the Mr Chesney tours, with only bit parts for the main protagonists of the original. It is quite similar to Hexwood in style but if you are wanting another 'Sudden Wild Magic' or a more adult Chrestomanci book this isn't it. It is, however, very good.
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Incomparable with JK Rowling!, 2 Feb 2004
By F. Knight "fknight83" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
To compare Dianna Wynne Jones with JK Rowling is incredibly unfair, as Jones is superior in every way. That being said, I was disappointed with 'The Year of the Griffin', as I could see the parallels with Harry Potter, and did feel that Jones had let herself down with this one. Although still well above average for the sci-fi/fantasy genre, this is not her best work.

It is also worth mentioning that this is the second book in the 'Wizard Derk' series, and although it can (just about) be read independantly, it makes far more sense if you precede it with 'The Dark Lord of Derkholm.'

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars The trials and tribulations of the Wizards University, 10 Sep 2006
By George Eliot "irnan" (Zurich, Switzerland) - See all my reviews
Eight years after the events of "Dark Lord of Derkholm" Derk and Maras children are off to see - and put right - the world Mr. Chesneys Tours so nearly destroyed - at least, most of them are. Elda just wants to go to University and learn magic properly. But upon arrival, it turns out that Dad might have had a point when he said she'd be wasting her time. The University is, not to put too fine a point on it, stony broke and most of the teachers utterly incompetent. And Chairman Corcoran isn't helping: he'd rather spend what little money he can dredge up on building his moonship than repairing roofs, or buying food. Still, when his new students arrive, and he realises that they all come from rich and important families, he manages to stay on the ground long enough to do the only sensible thing: send their parents pleading letters begging for money. Meanwhile Elda has made friends with them all, and quickly discovers that each and every one of them has, to use the common phrase, done a bunk. Just how their respective families feel about that becomes clear when assassins, pirates and various enraged monarchs begin to show up at the University!

Plot? What plot? "Year of the Griffin" is pure fun, with no pretensions to any kind of world-shaking storyline. It's about friendship, family, and, of course, university. It's about new life and fresh ideas and crawling out from under the debris of the past. It's about jinxes and angry parents, greedy senators and griffins (obviously). But most of all, as always with Jones, it's about magic. And once again, one of the best things about her book is way you can almost feel her joy in writing jumping off the pages. It shines through every single sentence, and it's extremly contagious.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars Prety awesome!!
This is a fantastic book following on from 'The Dark Lord Of Derkholm' - a fantastic sequel following the adevntures of Querida, Elda and the other various griffins and of course,... Read more
Published on 4 Jul 2005 by helixstillangel

5.0 out of 5 stars MAGIC
One of her best....the setting a Wizards Uni... follow her motley crew of students as they face pirates, mini assassins
and an enchanted coat stand .....
Published on 13 Jun 2003

5.0 out of 5 stars Year of the Griffin
This book is light-hearted and beautifully written, with the subtle and witty characterisation you would expect from the author. Read more
Published on 16 Jun 2002

5.0 out of 5 stars an excellent read but with a slightly poor ending.
This book had an excellent general drift however the ending was not properly rounded off. The ending seemed to happen all the way through the story and did not give you a good... Read more
Published on 2 Jan 2002

3.0 out of 5 stars Good, but not great
I enjoyed this book because I enjoyed Dark Lord of Derkholm, but it's nowhere near DWJ's best. It does have its moments, and there are some funny bits, so it's worth a read. Read more
Published on 10 April 2001

5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable Read!
I have just finished this book and I really enjoyed it. I thought she finished off the book very well leaving it open for a follow up if she wants to write one. Read more
Published on 18 Mar 2001

1.0 out of 5 stars Her worst book ever
I was hurt and puzzled when I read this book. I could put up with the slightly-less-than-sparkling Deep Secret. Read more
Published on 28 Dec 2000

2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing.
I love Jones' work. She is the pre-eminent modern fantasist for every age group. I wouldn't have thought she was capable of a duff book, but this is a real disappointment. Read more
Published on 20 Nov 2000 by Farah

5.0 out of 5 stars Vintage Diana Wynne Jones
I was delighted when I heard a sequel of Dark Lord of Derkholm would be coming out, and was not let down. Read more
Published on 24 Oct 2000 by katcarter4@hotmail.com

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant sequel to Dark Lord of Derkholm, eight years on
Year of the Griffin answers the question 'what next' from the end of Dark Lord of Derkholm. We meet the same family, eight years on, and many new faces. Read more
Published on 8 Oct 2000

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