The Neverending Story was one of my all time favorite movies while I was growing up, so when I came across a hardback copy of the book while Christmas shopping for my daughters, I had to buy it for myself. I'm so glad that I did.

The first half of the book told the story that I remembered from the movie, only with more feeling and description than can ever be found on the screen. The second half of the book was knew to me (I know there is a second movie, but I'm not sure if I ever saw it) and expanded the on what I already loved. For me, the second half of the book did drag out a little, but I understand why it was written that way. The reader had to go with Bastian on his journey to get back to our world.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and I can't wait until my daughters are old enough to enjoy this book with me. ( )

I have to admit seeing the movie first when my kids were younger. I ended up reading almost the entire novel out loud to them over a long span of time. ( )

The Neverending story tells the tale of Bastian as he reads and eventually enters the Neverending story. I felt very much at though this book contained two stories, the one where Bastian reads the book and the one where he enters the book. I very much enjoyed the first half of the book, where Bastian is reading the neverending story and being pulled further and further into it, right to the point when he first entres Fantasia and does what he's been taken there to. The book is lovely, exciting, and Bastian's increasing involvement in and love for the book really draws the reader in too.

The second half, I really felt was unnecessary. To me, what the childlike Empress said to Bastian when he first arrived in Fantasia was essentially the lesson Bastian came to about 150 pages later. In the first half of the book the kind of shallow fairytale telling of the Neverending story is counteracted by Bastian's reaction to the book, which we can all emphasise with. Personally, in the second half, I lost that feeling that I could understand Bastian, that Bastian was in a sense the same kind of child that I was. The writing seems a little dry. For example, we're told that Bastian and Atreyu are friends, but they never at any point aqctually seem to be friendly with each other. It just came across as quite flat. I would have been a lot happier if the book had cut of after the first half. ( )

I saw the movie when I was a child, and thought it was great. I was a little disappointed by the book, but it was still a good read. I think the movie expanded on things in the book that weren't so great. ( )

This book is about a boy who loves to read and he is mesmerized by a book, but it’s no ordinary book. The book captures the boys interested and he finds himself in a magical enchanted land with exotic characters. I really enjoyed this story as a child and even more being adult, the characters are astonishing, the mental scenery is breathtaking and the dialogue brilliant. This book can help children in writing literature and using their imagination.

I was rather disappointed by this book. It's very 'flat' emotionally. After a while, it felt 'never-ending'. I skipped ahead to confirm that the story developed as I expected and felt no urge to go back and read the bits inbetween. ( )

I watched the movie adaptation of this book on TV several years ago and enjoyed it. In fact, reading this book makes me want to find a copy of the movie for my 10-year-old daughter, who I think will enjoy it. I also think she would enjoy this book if I could get her to read it, but she would only take one look at the length of it and give up. In the very beginning of this book, I wasn't so sure that I would like it. Once I got into it, though, it was great! I was reminded a bit of The Chronicles of Narnia, but I enjoyed this book even better than the Narnia series. ( )

It's much darker than the movie, and pleasantly so! ( )

http://thebookwormslibrary.com/?p=504... ( )

I certainly enjoyed the first half more than the second. A wonderful book in a very weird way - that's the only way I can describe it. ( )

The local library has classified this book as adult SF but I'm putting it here as I suspect most reader's of Ende's book think of it as YA fantasy. It's been a while since I saw the movie but I believe there are large differences, especially when it comes to the last half of the novel. However, I enjoyed both.

Bastian Balthazar Bux finds a tome called "The Neverending Story" while hiding inside secondhand book store. The tome interests him so much that Bastian steals the book, and to escape being caught, decides to hide in the attic of his school, and soon becomes immersed in the world of the novel.

The novel-within-a-novel, "The Neverending Story" start out as a fun, but somewhat pedestrian fantasy. A problem plagues the world, and at the same time, the Childlike Empress, a being that presides over the land of Fantastica, is slowly wasting away. The world can only be saved by a young boy, Atreyu, who is entrusted with the Gem, Auryn, to assist in his task.

As the novel progresses, it slowly becomes apparent that Bastian is not merely reading an ordinary novel, and Bastian is the one required to rescue Fantastica from imminent destruction. All of this culminates with Bastian Balthazar Bux entering the world of Fantastica, and the rest of the story details Bastian's journeys throughout Fantastica.

The storyline is, at times, somewhat cliched, but they are quite fun cliches, nonetheless. What is more noteworthy is the sheer inventiveness Ende brings to Fantastica. The beings, the locales, and the activities of those within Fantastica are quite varied and quite original, and it is what makes the book so enjoyable.

I also like the fact that the book presented its messages within the story without being preachy or blatant about it. It's not shoved down your throat at all, unlike what many children's novels do, and I quite appreciate that.

This novel was a favourite from childhood, yet still stands up to re-reading as an adult. Although some cliches are present in the storyline, it is an inventive and original. Highly recommended. ( )

I very much enjoyed this book. I absolutely devoured the first half and loved following Atreyu's Great Quest. And I entirely sympathized with Bastian in the human world as a devoted reader. I felt a little thrown off, though, as Bastian became more and more enmeshed into Fantastica and began losing himself, but upon finishing it realized it was entirely necessary and the perfect way to balance it. I was just a little sad that it had to be sort of extreme. But it turned out right, which is the most important, and I am very excited to find my portal into Fantastica--but that is another story that shall be told another time. ( )

This book is highly imaginative and a classic. In one sense it is a coming of age story for the hero. In another it is an epic fantasy, but the ideas are delightful throughout and no one could regret the time spent reading this work. ( )

I bet you've watched "The Neverending Story" movie when you were a kid? C'mon, dredge it out of your memory banks. It's impossible that you haven't (that is if you're in my generation). If you haven't...sacre bleu! How come?! So don't tell me that you also didn't grow up on Bioman, Shaider, and Daimos etc.? How utterly sad.

Anyways, just finished reading the book that the movie was based on. Yep, there is a book. It's by a German author: Michael Ende. Apparently the book was a bestseller in Germany for 3 years! Facts: it's Fantastica, not Fantasia, although the latter sounds so much better, don't you think?

This is truly a Neverending Story, most of which springs from the imagination of the unlikely human hero, the aforementioned Master Bux, who steals the titular tome, and flees with it to the safety of his school attic, where he becomes much more than a casual onlooker of the worlds of Fantastica.

Michael Ende's imagination works overtime in creating Fantastica and all its inhabitants, and for each thrilling chapter, he introduces another story to be told at another time.

The main story however, is the metamorphosis of Bastian Bux from a frightened, insecure child, and the new relationship he was able to forge with his father after his great learning adventure.

Be wary in your reading of the adventures of The Childlike Empress, Atreyu, Morla, Ygramul, Falkor, Grograman, Hero Hynreck and Xayide, among others, beware the Nothing, and be careful what you wish for, lest you also become a part of the Neverending Story, and forever lose your memories of this life.

Thick-ish pocketbook, but worth reading if you loved the movie. Heck, I even bought the soundtrack when I was a kid! I love Falkor the luck dragon & of course I imagined myself getting married to J. Brandis!

Book Details:

Title The Neverending Story
Author Michael Ende
Reviewed By Purplycookie ( )

The story itself is somewhat enjoyable, but I think it may be more ideal for children. I'm a bit too old for it. It was interesting to read the book that the movie was based on though. Overall, a decent fantasy that is not geared towards adults. It definitely has a positive message though, all about finding adventures in a book. I could easily see it inspiring children to read, which is the best thing a book can do. ( )

Ein Buch, das ich immer und immer wieder lese... ( )

A true classic about a boy, a book and a fantasy world come to life. Kung Fu moment: boy fights shadow wolves in a dark alley.
(via http://www.twitter.com/book_kungfu) ( )

Mein Lieblingsbuch ( )

As an avid reader, the idea of the characters in a book being aware of me and of me being physically in the story seems totally wonderful. Every reader's fantasy, right? But somehow this book just didn't strike a chord with me. The first half was interesting and fun. It's a childrens novel so I expected silly things to happen and didn't expect too much depth to the writing. But I found the second half of the novel to be just dull. The main character wanders around rather aimlessly for 200 pages and doesn't learn his lesson (to love yourself for who you are, mainly) until he has hit absolute rock bottom and it's painful watching him get there. This is a good lesson for kids and adults, but I thought it was told very shallowly. I'll cut it some slack for being a kids book and because it perhaps lost something in translation from its original German, but this certainly won't be going on my list of favorites. ( )

This book is a must read. ( )

I don't generally enjoy the genre of fantasy, and I hated the movies made from this book, but the book itself is spectacular. It's such a great adventure story ( )

Synopsis: Bastian is a fat and friendless young boy, who is constantly teased by classmates. When he comes across the book "The Neverending Story" in an old bookstore where he hid from teasing classmates, he finds himself oddly drawn to it, so steals it and takes it back to school.
However, instead of attending class, Bastian decided to go to the school's attic and stay up there all day reading the book, which Bastian cannot stop reading.
Little does Bastian know that he will soon become a part of that book.
My Opinion: Once of the more original books I've read in a long time! Some descriptions of the Fantastican's were quite amusing, and I love the messages that this book conveys. ( )

I read this after being a fan of the first (and only the first) movie since I was a kid. I happened across the book when I was in my 20s. If you've seen the movie and are curious about the book you should know the movie only covered the first half of the book. You should also know it is a lot more adult than the movie. There are some deep philosophical questions presented here. The book is also very German for lack of a better term. I'm not sure if I would recommend it for a child. Here is why, when you are young enough to see and enjoy the movie without getting scared you are probably not old enough to follow a lot of the story in the book. When you become old enough to understand the book you probably wouldn't want to read about Luckdragons and Childlike Empresses and the like. I highly recommend the book for adults and believe that is who it was written for. Michael Ende was very against the movie from with I understand on "stylistic" reasons. I'm not sure what he meant by that but I would think it maybe that the movie was targeted to children and the book was written for a much wider audience. I could be totally wrong, Ende wrote a lot of strictly children's books but he also wrote for adults. To me this book seems to fall into the latter category. Regardless it's one of my favorite books ever. ( )

ANNABEL PETERS' REVIEW

OMG! This is one of the WORST books I have ever read. Maybe I really hated reading it just because I read it as a school assignment, but I don't think I would've enjoyed it anyway. The main characters are Bastian, Falkor (a "luckdragon") and...........
G2G. I'll write more l8tr.