Faustian pacts, arcane secrets and a last book which holds the key to ultimate knowledge are just a few of the intriguing themes that propel the reader forward in the opening sequences of matthew skeltons debut novel, endymion spring. Endymion spring, feverishly sought after by many a publisher when it was completed. Exclusive interview with matthew skelton about the origins of endymion spring. He tried walking backwards now, tapping the books in reverse order, to see if this would help pass the time. In our family for over 10 years now, weve taken turns picking what book we read together every night. Endymion is a long narrative poem in four books of about one thousand lines each, written mostly in heroic couplets. Johann gutenberg is generally credited with having invented the movabletype printing process in the west, in the 1450s. Mar 24, 2006 endymion spring by matthew skelton 444pp, puffin. Endymion spring by matthew skelton, paperback barnes. If you are the publisher or author of this book and feel that. Endymion spring is a twofold tale, set in modernday oxford and 15th century mainz, concerning the origins, disposition and finding of a book. He dont know when he will write another book with blake, duck, and oxford. Endymion is the third science fiction novel by american writer dan simmons, part of his hyperion cantos fictional universe. The second thread of the tale, set in 15thcentury germany, is narrated by endymion spring, a boy serving as apprentice to the great gutenberg, who is hard at work on his printing press.
The books title, endymion spring, begins to appear before his eyes, and he opens the cover only to find the contents blanksave for a riddlelike poem. The first, a young apprentice to johann gutenberg, is endymion spring, who carries the book to oxford to keep it out of the hands of the unscrupulous fust faust. Centuries later, in an oxford library, a boy touches a strange book and feels. The book conveys a true love of libraries and of books themselves. The two happen to come across a strange book in a library in st jeromes college on st giles based on somerville college, which is entitled endymion.
Youve stumbled on to something much larger than you can possibly imagine. Endymion spring proof that publishing houses arent. Skelton does a fine job of keeping the children from sounding or acting more mature than their ages so that the mystery of endymion spring is as freshly and innocently uncovered for the reader as it is for the children. Endymion is an extended narrative poem divided into four books of about one thousand lines each, written mostly in heroic couplets. The chest, covered in images of mythical beasts, can only be opened when the fangs of its serpents. Find books like endymion spring from the worlds largest community of readers. Skelton brings the past to life by weaving in short chapters set in germany in 1452, as narrated by guttenbergs apprentice, endymion spring.
Endymion spring is a cute novel with a dualstory about two boys both connected to a magical book that contains basically all the knowledge you could ever want to know. It holds the key to the book of all books, the last book which holds the wisdom of the centuries. The poem starts from endymions impossible desire to get the love of the goddess diana also known as cynthia. Click download or read online button to get endymion spring book now. The characters quickly lure you into the dual worlds of past and present. Endymion spring tells the story of a young boy named blake, who has traveled to oxford university with his mother and younger sister, duck. Richard easton having reluctantly accompanied his academic mother and pesky younger sister to oxford, twelveyearold blake winters is at loose ends until he stumbles across an ancient and magical book, secretely. It is named after its hero, endymion, a figure taken from greek myth. Endymion spring 97801482395 by skelton, matthew and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at great prices. However gutenberg goes into business with johann fust, who has something more diabolical in mind and thus causes a chain of events that leads to oxford. Endymion spring proof that publishing houses arent really any better than self publishing. Centered on the new characters aenea and raul endymion, it has been well received like hyperion and the fall of hyperion within a year of its release, the paperback edition had gone through five reprints.
With its dual settings in present day oxford and gutenbergs mainz of the mid15th century, it is rich in atmospheric detail and both locations are. As such, weve read material as diverse as jacques lusseyrans and there was light, hank the cowdog, seven years in tibet, harry potter, and even. Blake, a contemporary teen, finds endymion s book hidden in plain sight on an oxford library shelf. Great read apr 3, 2007 by chrism this is a wonderfully imaginative book. Endymion spring through the looking glass childrens book. Endymion to heavens airy dome was offering up a hecatomb of vows, when these words reachd him. Matthew skeltons bookish historical tale, endymion spring, doesnt quite grab philip ardagh. Long ago an apprentice of the famous book printer johannes gutenberg, a boy called endymion spring, found himself caught up in a desperate battle to keep the secrets of.
The chest can only be opened when the fangs of its serpentshead clasp taste blood. A legendary book that holds the secret to a world of knowledge. The books title, endymion spring, begins to appear before his eyes, and he opens the cover only to find the contents blank save for a riddlelike poem. Sep 11, 2012 just a little thing for school, its not very impressive, but i hope it looks okay and helps people read the book. This instantly fuelled my imagination and became the source of the faustbuch in endymion spring i gave the book to my dad, a priest. He is working on another book from 18th century london. Centuries later, in an oxford library, twelveyearold blake stumbles across an ancient and magical book secretly brought to england in 1453 by gutenbergs mute apprentice. A young boy without a voice whose fivehundredyearold story is about to explode in the twentyfirst century. He tried walking backwards now, tapping the books in reverse order, to. Endymion spring is the name of a young man living in mainz, germany, in 1453.
Blake is twelve years old and his sister is a few years younger. The title endymion is named after a figure from greek myth. He can read the riddles contained in the book, but to others, including his sister, duck, the pages are blank. Attractively packaged in an allimportant shiny cover, and clocking in at just shy of 450 pages, matthew skeltons debut novel is a substantial and impressive addition to the oeuvre of modern childrens books that many commentators say is undergoing something of a golden age. Endymion is a poetic romance, keatss first major work, was published in 1818 and it is considered as one of the masterpieces of the early nineteenthcentury romantic movement in english literature. To find out why, youll have to pick up the book, endymion spring. Youve stumbled on to something much larger than you can possibly. Long ago an apprentice of the famous book printer johannes gutenberg, a boy called endymion spring, found himself caught up in a desperate battle to keep the secrets of the ages out of the hands of an evil man called fust. Goodreads members who liked endymion spring also liked. One day, as he is running his hands along some books in the library, one of the books bites him. Spring is a time of budding trees, chirping birds, and croaking frogs. Endymion spring by matthew skelton overdrive rakuten. Endymion spring proof that publishing houses arent really. It leads him and his sister on the trail of a possibly even more mysterious book, the last book, which is the fount of all knowledge both good and evil like the tree of knowledge in the garden of eden mentioned in genesis.
He is an apprentice to johann gutenberg, helping to carve type for the bible printing project. Granted, there are a lot of really weak self published books out there, but in looking at how many ratings endymion spring has on goodreads, 4,218 it is apparent that having your book published by a major publisher. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want. The grand complication incident, but often works out in my favor, as with endymion spring. Mostly theyre left in the bodleian library, where blake discovers a strange, blank book called endymion spring. The book chooses american blake winters in this fascinating novel that is. Endymion spring by matthew skelton books the guardian. The chest, covered in images of mythical beasts, can only be opened when the fangs of its serpentshead clasp taste blood. The mystery and mood in these chapters sets the tone for the books core drama, and provides a rich historical.
Matthew skelton having reluctantly accompanied his academic mother and pesky younger sister to oxford, twelveyearold blake winters is at loose ends until he stumbles across an ancient and magical book, secretly. It starts off in medieval mainz, in the gutenberg era the 1450s. Endymion spring is about the book finding blake as much as blake finding the book. As the back cover of matthew skeltons debut novel endymion spring says, the past is a dangerous beast. A little book about spring leo lionnis friends a new board book for the youngest fans of leo lionniinspired by his bestselling books and perfect for baby showers and springtime reading. Endymion spring is a mute assistant to the great johannes gutenberg, inventor of the movable type printing press although the notes in the book give some additional background to that claim. Endymion spring tells the story of a young boy named blake, who has traveled to englands oxford university with his mother and younger sister, duck. Centuries later, in an oxford library, a boy touches a strange book and feels something pierce his finger. As endymion lies hidden in gutenbergs shop one night, fust opens the wooden chest and, because of what endymion learns, he is forced to flee. Endymion spring book by matthew skelton 9 available. In the dead of night, a cloaked figure drags a heavy box through snowcovered streets. The book, which seems to be alive, and which reveals bits of text only to blake much to ducks annoyance sets them on a quest for the last book, pursued by various greedy and dangerous adults. Whereupon he bows 40 his head through thornygreen entanglement of underwood, and to the sound is bent, anxious as hind towards her hidden fawn. Poppy, branch, and cloud guy celebrate their favorite parts of spring.
Blake checked his watchthirtysix minutesand sighed. The first story follows two children in current day oxford, blake and duck winters. Herr gutenberg is approached by the malevolent johannes fust, who provides financing. Endymion spring through the looking glass childrens. The mystery and mood in these chapters sets the tone for the books core drama, and provides a rich historical backdrop for blake and his modernday experiences. Blake, a contemporary teen, finds endymions book hidden in plain sight on an oxford library shelf. Endymion spring book ottawa public library bibliocommons. The presentday narrative and the story of endymion spring cleverly intertwine as blake discovers that the book is the key to all of the worlds knowledge. The most oftenquoted line, a thing of beauty is a joy forever, tells that a beautiful thing of nature always provides a satisfying pleasure to the soul. Except for the story of endymion which, written by the greek theocritus, does indeed stand out as uniquethese tales all come from latin writers, primarily ovid. Having reluctantly accompanied his academic mother and pesky younger sister to oxford, twelveyearold blake winters is at loose ends until he stumbles across an ancient and magical book, secretely brought to england in 1453 by gutenbergs mute apprentice to save it from evil forces, and which now draws blake into a dangerous and lifethreatening quest. The weaving of the sections set in the past 1453 with endymion spring and the present blake is done expertly. Throughout most of the novel, i was more intrigued by the back story than i was by the presentday story with blake and his sister ducky.
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