The Ancient One

by T.A. Barron

Book Overview

A powerful story exploring the interconnectedness of all things from New York Times betselling author of the Merlin saga. When thirteen-year-old Kate travels to Oregon for a quiet week at Aunt... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0399218998
• ISBN13: 9780399218996
• Release Date: September 1992
• Publisher: Philomel Books
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 1.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 6.3" x 9.3"
• Age Range: 10 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 5 and higher

Customer Reviews

Solid as a redwood

T.A. Barron expanded his fantasy writing career after the critically acclaimed "Heartlight," with the follow-up novel "The Ancient One." His intense love of nature is melded together with modern concerns, time travel, legends and myths, and a cast of quirky supporting characters. Kate is spending time with her Great-Aunt Melanie in the dying Oregon logging town of Blade. The people there are angry and afraid for their about-to-be-ditched jobs, and are threatening something Melanie is struggling to protect. Recently a giant volcanic crater was found to harbor a strange, "lost" land where the Halami Indians once dwelled. It's a mysterious, dangerous and beautiful place: There's a lake with a strange living island, a cursed spring that mesmerizes anyone who sees it -- and giant redwood trees that could keep the loggers employed for a year or two more.When some of the loggers try to cut down the redwoods, Kate and Melanie set out to stop them. But when Kate takes Melanie's walking stick, she finds herself and logger's grandson Jody transported five hundred years into the past. After getting the help of a Halami girl, Kate struggles to find a way back to her own time. But to master the staff that took her back in time, she will have to battle the evil Gashra, an evil volcanic creature that threatens to destroy them all.Showing concern for the natural world is nothing new in fantasy; it dates back to the Ents of J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-Earth. And it's pretty clear that Barron loves nature. At times "Ancient One" borders on preaching, but always manages to veer back; even the loggers aren't evil, just desperate and misguided. His story's simplicity and lack of twists would be a downside in most books, but it fails to slow down the pace or lose reader interest. His enthusiasm is what keeps "Ancient One" moving forward and interesting, along with his unusual fantasy creations. His lush descriptions of Oregon wildlife (both past and present) are loaded with detail, giving a you-are-there feel to it. Barron's writing is detailed all the time, and he's at his peak when he describes the natural surroundings. A comic vibe is added with the owl-like Tinnanis, especially their delicacy-addicted king (who is promised ten thousand peppermint drops by Kate). The scene where Kate confronts Gashra is rather too short, but is quite vivid nevertheless.Kate is stronger in this outing than in "Heartlight." Here she is more in control, more sure of herself, and less dependent on others; she's a heroine that boys and girls alike can relate to. Laioni is a bit flatter, but a good sidekick. Jody and Kandeldandel are both outstanding, a hardened logger boy and a flittery Tinnani.Nature-lovers unite under "The Ancient One." T.A. Barron's love of nature elevates what might have been an ordinary fantasy tale into a beautiful, beautiful thing. Highly recommended.

A Very Interesting Book

Kate is a girl who is visiting her aunt during summer vacation. While she is there she finds out what her aunt is up to: trying to save the ancient redwood trees from the loggers that are trying to cut them down. Aunt Melanie takes Kate and they both go to the lost crater which is only "lost" because it hasn't been seen since the end of the Hameli tribe (a group of Indians that lived there 500 years ago.) Aunt Melanie has been handed down a walking stick that belonged to the Hamelis' many years ago. An unforseen mistake with the walking stick sends Kate back in time (500 years). Will Kate get back to her own time? Will she survive her adventure? If you are a person that likes magic or adventure books then this is a good book for you to read. I like the Ancient One because of the adventure,action, and exciting parts in the story that made me keep reading and reading until I knew what happened. The Ancient One is probably one of my favorite books and is worthy of an award!

A great story

I was given this book as a present when I was 7, and I read it as soon as I opened it. It was a great story. It was filled with mystical powers and time travel, strage creatures and battles, and it became my favorite book. I usually don't read books more then once, but I read this book at least ten times from when I was seven until today, and I am now thirteen, but I still love the book now as much as I did then.

Our class group LOVED it!

Kate and her aunt Melanie try to save the `Lost Crater' from loggers who want to cut the ancient redwood trees. By a magic walking stick, Kate travels back in time. She makes friends and enemies on her trip. She will need a broken touchstone to control the stick that will take her back to her own time. Can Kate save the Halamis from Gashra, save the Ancient One, and make it back to our time?Everyone in our class reading group loved the book - except for the ending. :( The authors style was imaginative and very expressive. The sentences flowed for a good `read'. We would recommend this book because it was suspenseful, interesting, and educational. It's a learning experience book for children. You always wanted to know what was going to happen next.

The Ancient One

Enter a world of enchantment and foreign creatures as you explore the world of wonders in The Ancient One.You will meet many people and learn the ways of life for different societies. I enjoyed reading this fantasy book because the author mixed very emotional and mythical ideas into the story's plot. Kate visits her Aunt Melanie in Oregon for a peaceful vacation away from home. Her parents are going on a trip and figure that she would like a chance to be with her aunt. Instead of a quiet time to relax with her, Kate gets a far more adventurous surprise. The ancient redwood tree in the middle of a grove of trees unexpectedly transportsKate to a time 5oo years before her own. Her companions are stubborn Jody, who is part of a group of loggers that are threatening to tear down the grove of trees, and a magical walking stick given to her by her own Aunt Melanie. Kate meets a friend, Laioni, who is able to communicate with her because of a special fountain of water that the Stonehags offered to them both. Laioni and Kate are on a mission together to help save all of the people who live in the "Crater of Life" and to restore peace to the communities in the crater. On this journey, the two girls learn about friendship and what a friend will do for another even if they risk something dear and precious. The girls have many victories, but one cannot always win. A great loss comes from this retreat, and the two must help each other to get through their troubles. To succeed in their missions, Laioni and Kate must overcome many fears and obstacles, work together, and most of all learn how to treat all beings with the same respect and dignity, for all have the right to live in happiness together. I recommend this book to all of the readers in this world. It is one of my favorite books because I can connect with the main character, Kate. When I am away from my family, all that I can think about is that I really miss them. Kate and I both love our relatives and spend time with them. It is Kate's only desire to get back to her own time so that she can protect her Aunt Melanie from the loggers. Aunt Melanie is in danger because she alone is trying to protect the endangered grove of trees which is about to be torn down. Love and life are the main lessons taught in The Ancient One. You can learn a lot from this book and also have an enthralling read.