Richard adams second book takes an ambitious turn towards fantasy. He is the author of nineteen books, including the bestselling and awardwinning watership down, his first book. Enter a world of ferocious savagery, shardik was written after watership down and on the surface is as different as different can be, there are no gentle rolling downs or talking animals to be found here. Mighty, ferocious and unpredictable, shardik changes the life of every person in the story. Richard adams cult classic, a gripping tale of war, adventure, horror and.
Shardik beklan empire, book 1 by richard adams book cover, description, publication history. Shardik is a fantasy of tragic character, centered on the longawaited reincarnation of the gigantic bear shardik and his appearance among the halfbarbaric ortelgan people. A gripping tale of war, adventure, morality and slavery, horror and romance, shardik is a remarkable exploration of mankinds universal desire for divine incarnation, and the corrosive influence of power. Until his last breath, adams resided with his beloved wife named elizabeth and his two daughters named rosamond and juliet.
A fine copy, spotting to edges, remainder mark to bottom edge, in a fine dust jacket with a touch of age darkening to edges. Shardik92408shardikrichard adams 894692 is the story of a young man kelderek who comes. Shardik is a fantasy of tragic character, centered on the longawaited rei. He was the author of nineteen books, including the bestselling and awardwinning watership down, his first book the illustrated edition of which was published by oneworld modern classics, 2014. Love richard adams works, but have to praise the seller of this book. His other books include shardik, the plague dogs, traveller, and tales from watership down. Richard george adams 9 may 1920 24 december 2016 was an english novelist and writer of the books watership down, shardik and the plague dogs.
All writers love the book that allows them to give up their day job. The death of author adams occurred on december 24, 2016 in oxford due to blood disorder complications. See all books authored by richard adams, including watership down, and tales. With shardik, richard adams is attempting something more difficult, andpossibly as a resulthis new book is not receiving the welcome. Events revolve around the discovery, capture and military and symbolic uses made of an incredibly large bear, called lord shardik by those who subscribe to a set of religious beliefs in the novel. Mighty, ferocious, and unpredictable, shardik changes the life of every person in the story.
In shardik adams sets a different yet equally compelling tale in a faroff fantasy world. Travellers equine memoirs are told to a cat in the stable of the retired general. May 15, 1974 i went into this book knowing very little about it, other than the reference to shardik the bear in one of stephen kings books in the dark tower series. In shardik, adams sets a different yet equally compelling tale in a faroff fantasy world. This first edition, signed by richard adams is available at bauman rare books. Richard adams books list of books by author richard adams. Richard adams 19202016 studied history at worcester college, oxford before and after the second world war. The title character is a gigantic bear who is the god of the primitive. Richard adams, in full richard george adams, born may 9, 1920, wash common, berkshire now west berkshire, englanddied december 24, 2016, english author known for reinvigorating the genre of anthropomorphic fiction, most notably with the beloved childrens book watership down 1972. Author adams has written the second book of this series in the form of a loose prequel. Shardik is his second novel, and first of two novels set in the fictional beklan empire. Buy shardik by richard adams, paperback format, from the dymocks online bookstore. Shardik richard adams abebooks shop for books, art.
Shardik is a fantasy of tragic character, centred on the longawaited reincarnation of the gigantic bear shardik and his appearance among the halfbarbaric ortelgan people. A successful book series written by author richard adams is known as the beklan empire series. Then you can start reading kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or. I will be answering questions in approximately half an houran hour from now for as long as i can. After being horribly mistreated at a government animalresearch facility, snitter and rowf escape into the isolationand terrorof the wilderness.
Comes with a photograph of richard adams, hand signed by him in blue ink, plus a cover letter from adams s secretary photo. I did have some prior experience with richard adams, having readenjoyedbeen impressed with watership down and the plague dogs. It received the carnegie medal in literature in 1972 and the guardian childrens fiction prize in 1973. Richard adams cult classic, reissued with a new introduction from the author to celebrate its 40th anniversary. Several of the characters are repeated in both the novels. Shardik starts with an epiphany of faith, develops commitment, misuse, and continues with the challenges of a return to the true belief. Although adams s five previous novels were well received, the mythic clarity and enchantment of watership down or shardik are missing here.
Richard adams was born in berkshire, england, in 1920, and studied history at bradfield and worcester college, oxford. We have acquired a large section of richard adams s library, ranging from his childhood books, through his wartime reading and up to his later life as a successful author and animal rights campaigner. Richard adams, the author of watership down, inimitable style of anthropomorphic storytelling became his trademark. Recently ranked in the top 100 bestsellers over the past 40 years by the sunday times, shardik is a book for our age. Evident in novels including traveller and the plague dogs but his imagination also strayed into mythical fantasy with the novels shardik and maia. Unlike the animals in adams earlier book watership down, shardik does not speak or appear to have conscious thought, and apart from the. Shardik by richard adams and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. I am richard adams, author of watership down, shardik, and other novels. His first his novel, watership down, was published in 1972. A lyrical, engrossing tale, by the author of watership down, richard adams creates a lyrical and engrossing tale, a remarkable journey into the hearts and minds of two canine heroes, snitter and rowf, fugitives from the horrors of an animal research. Shardik by adams, richard and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Maia is not nearly as sentimental and soppy as one might think from that outline, and it is certainly immensely better than the standard fantasy pulp, but the lack of the underlying religious theme makes maia a much weaker novel than shardik. He studied modern history at university before serving in the british army during world war ii.
A ll writers love the book that allows them to give up their day job. Shardik was adams s 1974 followup to his phenomenally popular debut, watership down. Richard adams was born in berkshire, england, in 1920 and studied history at bradfield and worcester college, oxford. Nov 01, 2004 a gripping tale of war, adventure, horror and romance, shardik, on a deeper level, is a remarkable exploration of mankinds universal desire for divine incarnation. And although richard adams s debut novel, watership down, is his most celebrated, it was shardik, his second, that convinced. Discover book depositorys huge selection of richard adams books online. I am richard adams, author of watership down, shardik, and. A gripping tale of war, adventure, horror, and romance, shardik is a remarkable exploration of mankinds universal desire for divine incarnation. Mar 15, 2016 a gripping tale of war, adventure, horror, and romance, shardik is a remarkable exploration of mankinds universal desire for divine incarnation. Then the author runs out of ideas and settles for and everybody is happy. The iron wolf and other stories by richard adams and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. It is set a decade before the time period of the first book.
Watership down, shardik, the plague dogs boxed set of 3. Shardik is a powerful work, dipping deep into old formsallegory, epic, mythresonating in the caverns of the readers unconscious. There is a twist to this central event in american history. Richard adams, the author of watership down, creates a lyrical and engrossing tale, a remarkable journey into the hearts and minds of two canine heroes, snitter and rowf. Shardik by richard adams overdrive rakuten overdrive. Afterwards, he completed his studies, and then joined the british civil service. This brilliantly inventive fantasy epic by the awardwinning author of watership down immerses the reader in a medieval world complete with created languages, detailed maps and elaborate traditions and rituals. Shardik is a fantasy of tragic character, centered on the. And although richard adamss debut novel, watership down, is his most. If you want to read more about me take a look at the. The hunter kelderek becomes shardik s greatest disciple and, eventually, ruler when the bear finally does make its return. On the surface, the book works as a fantasy adventure. Richard adams s watership down was a number one bestseller, a stunning work of the imagination, and an acknowledged modern classic.