This is a silly book. No two ways around it. If you buy what Goldman's selling, this book is an abridgment of a classic of Florin literature. Of course, Florin's a made up country and, working off of that, it's hard to say what else is made up. The story itself is great fun, and I'm inclined to think I should have read just that. It matches up rather satisfyingly with the movie I have loved all these years, but also has interest and excitement of its own (see under Zoo of Death). The bits around it, though--the story about his son, Buttercup's Baby, and the conversation with Stephen King--I got a little annoyed with at times. It's kind of like bonus features on a DVD. They're interesting in their own right, but not why I sat down with the thing. ( )

Fencing. Fighting. Torture. Poison. True love. Hate. Revenge. Giants. Hunters. Bad men. Good men. Beautifulest ladies. Snakes. Spiders. Beasts of all natures and descriptions. Pain. Death. Brave men. Coward men. Strongest men. Chases. Escapes. Lies. Truths. Passion. Miracles... It's all there, in S. Morgenstern's classic novel, The Princess Bride.

As a boy, William Goldman claims, he loved to hear his father read The Princess Bride. But as a grown-up he discovered that his dad left the boring parts out, and only the "good parts" reached his ears. So he decides to bring that joy to a new generation of readers, and abridge Morgenstern's work, leaving only the good parts.

Charming and enjoyable, of course, particularly the famous extended sequence where the masked man in black fights Inigo Montoya, Fezzik and Vizzini one after the other. Those scenes are truly a highlight of swashbuckling adventure, even if it's a parody. But it's a very fond parody, as the best parodies usually are.

I was surprised by the framing device, with the author's digressions about S. Morgenstern, the book he was adapting, his fictional family and the writing business. They were funny, original and interesting, but also surprisingly bitter at times, in a tone that is not that suited for child readers. His loveless family, for example (although I suppose most of it would go over the head of child readers).

If you have 30th anniversary edition my advice is to skip the 30th and 25th anniversary introductions, and the Buttercup's Baby teaser chapter. Take into account they are not part of the ori9ginal book. While they are funny extras, I think when considered as part of the book they are a bit too much William Goldman talking, and tip the balance away from the adventure. The book works better if you think of those as optional extra content, like the extras in a DVD, and not as part of the main experience. Read them later of you want (read first the 25th anniversary introduction and then the 30th anniversary introduction). And if you completely skip Buttercup's Baby you don't lose much. ( )

Barely 3 stars. Loved the movie, but the book bugged me with its ridiculously long intro & mostly silly asides. The movie had heart, the book tried too hard to be clever. Couldn't bring myself to read the Buttercup's Baby addition. ( )

Up to the start of chapter 1 it is a stream of consciousness narrative. Then it got interesting. It has been a long time since I read an adventure. This one got me engrossed. I skimmed the editorial notes.

My children watched the video about 15 years ago. ( )

One of my all-time favorite books. I can read this every year and not get tired of it. If you love the movie, you'll love the book more ... they had to leave stuff out of the movie. ( )