Rating: 
Summary: An Excellent Adventure
Review: Set during the period of Norman rule over England during the reign of Richard the Lionheart, Ivanhoe is a sweeping tale of love and chivalry, knights and serfs that captivates the reader. Sir Walter Scott has painted a picture of intrigue and entanglement involving the Knights Templar, the Saxon unrest, and most vividly, the Tournement. This is an excellent read from beginning to end and I highly recommend it
Rating:
Summary: a beautiful tale of gallantry and times of yore, goneby
Review: The ever eminent Sir Walter Scott regales Us with His fantastic story of Britain during the times of Richard III relegation, subverted by His brother John, as well renowned in legends of Robin Hood (to which some humorous allusions are made) not long subsequent to the suppression (and initial/inchoate oppression) of the Saxons by the Norman invaders in 1066; it is a tale of chivalry, of glory, of strife, of love, of immanent rage and imminent cataclysm concomitant (anticipated as vaticinated,) of palisades and esplanades, of battle and combat, of swords and armour, of jesters and fools, of kings and lords, of knights brave, rendering succour, and ladies fair. Furthermore, Scott was an avid proponent of equality, and in His story has He woven not only the struggle of the propitious, rarely propitiating Saxons, but also of the necessity to raccomode and render right the wrongs done to the Jewish, the hardships, oni, tribulations, and travails traveled by these people who endured, suffered, and survived. The characters are rich and vivid, as the setting, whence ensues an awesome and jubilant tale to be enjoyed immensely in its effulgence as it resounds still today with resplendence
Rating: 
Summary: The epitome of chivalric novels.
Review: This book is loved by all, and probably mostly because of the two best-loved characters that appear in it - Robin Hood and Richard the Lion-Hearted. It is by far Scott's most popular novel. The novel describes chivalric love, and tells a story with lots of action and colour so it appeals to a great number of people. A really good entry book to bring readers into the world of great literature.
Rating:
Summary: Knights of Templer
Review: I enjoyed this adventure yarn on many levels. I was glad to learn about the Knights of Templer and that they were crusaders. I always wondered how Sam Spade in the Maltese Falcon knew that and it is because of this classic. I was surprised that it talked so much about Robin of Lockesley. The story of Ivanhoe seemed to be the same only told by Ivanhoe's friends and not Robin's. I thought that the DeBracyn and the Knight of Templer Brian de Bois Guilbert were pretty evil guys which made the story interesting. They were weasels when they had their backs to the wall but did preform with honor when required like when Richard gets DeBracy. I guess I did not understand the prejudice of the time because they treated the Jews like dirt and they were so sterotypical. I really thought that the Jewish girl Rebecca was going to end up with Ivanhoe instead of that Saxon Lady Roweana. I guess you have to appreciate the times that they lived in. It was a different look the Richard/Prince John history.
Rating: 
Summary: Unsatisfying Ending
Review: Wilfred of Ivanhoe is the son of a proud Saxon franklin named Cedric. Wilfred has been banished by his father for taking a liking to Cedric's ward, the Lady Rowena. Cedric has engaged Rowena to Athelstane of Coningsburgh, the last of the royal Saxon lineage. He intends Athelstane and Rowena's marriage to signal the return of Saxon rule to England. Sir Walter Scott, the author of "Ivanhoe", is considered the father of historical fiction. Scott made his name writing tales of Scottish history like "Rob Roy". "Ivanhoe" was Scott's attempt to write a fictional history of England. "Ivanhoe" takes place in the late 12th-century reign of Richard I. At this point in England's history there was still much animosity between England's "original" inhabitants, the Saxons, and its "conquerers", the Normans. The Normans spoke French, conducted themselves by the code of chivalry, and looked down upon the Saxons. The Saxons spoke Saxon, conducted themselves much as their ancestors had done, and resented Norman rule. In "Ivanhoe", Wilfred has not only been cast out by his Saxon father but has taken up allegiance to King Richard during his Crusade in Palestine. As the book opens, Richard is still held captive in foreign lands and is being betrayed by his treacherous brother John. Much of the story of "Ivanhoe" revolves around the intrigue of John against his brother. Herein lies my greatest problem with this novel. Wilfred is the title character of the book and yet he is not even the story's most important character. What's more, he's not even the story's second or third most important character. It's as if Scott intended this story to be about Wilfred but, as he was writing it, other characters came to the forefront and he didn't want to change the title because it just sounded so Saxon. There are no great lessons to be learned from "Ivanhoe" except maybe one about the stupidity of prejudice. Throughout the book, the Jew, Isaac of York, and his daughter Rebecca are treated with nothing but contempt and scorn even though they are quite honorable people. Isaac has certainly been borne down with the weight of his oppression and he often seems the stereotypical Jewish merchant. I felt he acted this way though as a means of avoiding persecution. By fitting what the English mind considered to be a Jewish mold, Isaac was able to get along with his changeable hosts. Rebecca though was a much more generous person who almost pays the ultimate price for her kindness. The lesson about prejudice aside, "Ivanhoe" is supposed to be a story about English history and romance. Scott does an adequate job in instructing his reader on English history but the adventure-romance angle of his book comes up short. There are far too many nicely tied bows and wrapped packages for the story to be truly satisfying. The ending with Athelstane, Wilfred, and Rowena is particularly tedious. I felt that Scott was beginning to tire of his chosen subject and just decided to wrap it up at that point any way he could. "Ivanhoe" does provide some good page-turning action at times, especially the siege of Front-de-Boeuf's castle. There aren't enough of these periods though for the book to fly by. Scott created better action with the stories he set in Scotland.
Rating:
Summary: A classic with a few problems
Review: Yes, Ivanhoe was one of the first great modern novels. Yes, Sir Walter Scott had a vivid imagination and wrote very well. And yes, I did enjoy reading it. But I just couldn't give it five stars. The plot is enjoyable, and moves fairly quickly. Sir Wilfred of Ivanhoe comes home to England after fighting in the Crusades. Because he's been disinherited, he adopts the moniker The Disinherited Knight. His main purpose is to find out what's happened to his true love, Rowena, in the time he's been gone. During his adventures he meets lots of supporting characters, including the money-lender Isaac of York and his daughter Rebecca, and the Templar knight Sir Brian de Bois-Gilbert. There's lots of fighting, and true love swearing, and healing, and cheating, and even Robin Hood and King Richard the Lion Hearted come into the story. My main problem is really that of a twentieth-century perspective: Rowena and Ivanhoe are truly boring characters. They are paragons of men and women, both humble and brave, wise and pious, etcetera and etcetera. They have no personalities, and frankly, I find a good deal of their actions to be stupid. For instance, when Rowena is in a room which catches on fire, she doesn't try to escape, but prays to god to rescue her. To me, it makes more sense to be praying to god while trying to escape. Contrast this with Rebecca, who saves herself from Bois-Gilbert in order to stay true to the religion she believes in. The other problems I have with Ivanhoe are really far more minor. Scott's twisting of history annoys me, and his use of antiquated English to give the book a more 'authentic' feel sometimes makes it hard to read. All in all, Ivanhoe is a decently good book, but not one that I would recommend to all of my friends.
Rating:
Summary: Why not an unabridged edition?
Review: Ciaran Hinds was the perfect narrator for this novel. I only wish they had chosen to record the unabridged edition.
Rating:
Summary: The Immortally Disinherited
Review: I have been notoriously shy of Sir Walter Scott's novels these many years - afeared my imagination would fatefully be swallowed in the fog of the misty dawn - the ominous steps pacing stoically and relentlessly toward my doom - a duel with the spirit of "That old War Horse." But I was quite mistaken: ~ This story is alive - or rather, so very lively! Human fallibilities, such as greed, pride, and bigotry are unabashedly exploited and made ridiculous with as ever a brilliant wit that novelists Jane Austen or Charles Dickens have ever displayed! Scott lights a flame that gives his readers a warm, glowing glance into a dark and murky age. Legends - King Richard the Lionheart and even Robin Hood - embodiment of the spirit of the age - are given eloquent voice and movement through vistas and airs that touch my - the reader's - every sense! Nobility in IVANHOE is not written on the charters or conquests of the characters peopling this novel - but within their hearts and in their actions. No, this is not old and out of sync with everything that we, in the 21st century, know. Scott shows us that humans cannot be bound by time or mortality - but only by the restraints of our own imaginations - our own reticent hearts. I tell you this - IVANHOE may very well induce your imaginations to throw far from your mortal boundaries every conceivable stipulation that would endeavor to restrain them!
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