Shardik

Description

This brilliantly inventive fantasy epic by the award-winning author of Watership Down centres on the long-awaited reincarnation of the giant bear, Shardik. His reappearance among the half-barbaric Ortelgan people sets off a violent chain of events as faith in his divinity sweeps the land. A gripping tale of war, adventure, horror and romance, Shardik, on a deeper level, is a remarkable exploration of mankind's universal desire for divine incarnation, and the corrosive influence of power. 'Shardik is a powerful work, dipping deep into old forms - allegory, epic, myth - resonating in the caverns of the readers' unconscious. It is an exciting story, the adventures compelling.' Los Angeles Times 'Grips with suspense, haunts with mystery. a memorable work, not to be read once only but to be reread as loved books are. a human saga.' Wall Street Journal

Richard Adams grew up in Berkshire, the son of a country doctor, and studied history at Worcester College, Oxford. He originally began telling the story of Watership Down, his first book, to his two daughters to while away a long car journey, and they insisted he publish it. It quickly became a huge success with both children and adults, winning both the Guardian Children's Fiction Award and the Carnegie Medal, and is now considered a modern classic. Richard Adams is the author of nineteen books, including Shardik and The Plague Dogs (forthcoming from Onewolrd). He currently lives in Hampshire, England.

'A story told with conviction and creative zest' * Guardian * 'Shardik is my masterpiece' -- Richard Adams 'Recalls the imaginative scale of Lord of the Rings.' * Financial Times * 'Riveting reading.' * Daily Mail * 'Striking enough to confirm Richard Adams as one of the most talented descriptive writers to emerge in this country for years.' * The Times * 'Grips with suspense, haunts with mystery... a memorable work, not to be read once only but to be reread as loved books are... a human saga.' -- Wall Street Journal 'Shardik is a powerful work, dipping deep into old forms - allegory, epic, myth - resonating in the caverns of the readers' unconscious... It is an exciting story, the adventures compelling.' -- Los Angeles Times