Rating: 
Summary: Very imaginative and original!
Review: The only reason that I didn't give this book five stars was because sometimes I found Straub's writing style awkward. I found myself rereading sentences to figure out what he was talking about. That aside, the story is awesome. The story centers around two high school freshmen, Tom and Del. They are both in a "prep" school in Arizona and share an interest in magic. Strange things are occurring in their school, from students having nightmares, violent encounters with a senior nicknamed Skeleton, a theft, and a fire. After their first year in the school, Tom agrees to spend the summer with his friend Del in Vermont, where they are to receive training from Del's uncle, Coleman Collins, a great magician.
From that point on, the story becomes part fairy-tale, horror story, and romance as the boys go through traumatic experiences and are introduced to Rose Armstrong, an enigmatic young woman whom they both fall "head-over-heels" for. Shadowland is a place of dark dreams and difficult lessons, and proved to be a book that was hard to put down. This was a very unpredictable book and thoroughly engaging. I highly recommend it.
Rating: 
Summary: TOO MANY SHADOWS
Review: "Shadowland" is two stories in one book. The first is set in a strict prep school, the second is set in the confined house of a madman. Though this book had strong imagery and allegory, I found the story to be too complex. Straub tried to tackle too many issues at once and just barely scraped by. The characters are developed well, but I was unable to grasp the emotion of the love between Tom and the mysterious "Rose." If you'd like to read a book with a well-written love affair that is also black with horror I recommend reading "Wizard and Glass" by Stephen King. Overall, I found Shadowland to be too long, and the ending is unsatisfying and abrupt.
Rating: 
Summary: what a suprise!
Review: i do volunteer work on an island in the long island sound every may. there is no electricity. in the kitchen there is a wall full of old paperbacks. i had sped through all of the steven king books when shadowland caught my eye. i had never heard of straub, although i had seen ghost story. the only thing wrong with this book is the title. the name is a bit hokey. the book is a hyper vivid read. straub writes most often about kids, coming of age, and magic, and he does so very well. READ IT READ IT. you'll be glad.
Rating:
Summary: A tradition
Review: I first read this in 1984 at a christian youthcamp 'retreat' with compulsory 'outdoor activities' in subzero weather. It was there that I got hooked on quote marks and phonics. It was there that I began to see that adults could be as clueless as children.
I return to this book at Christmas when the weather looks bleak. As a coming of age novel, it speaks more clearly to me than some classics I could name.
One caution
The first pages confuse. Mr. Straub likes to spin you around before telling you a story. It breaks you out of your world and preps you for his. I'm lucky to find such a great story teller.
Rating:
Summary: Easily the deepest book I have ever read
Review: I have been reading since a young age, and this is quite simply my favorite book. Some books tend to meander all over the place; others tend to load up on the details to try and fill out a sparse story wihch would be better off a short story. Not so with Shadowland, a truly monumental literary accomplishment which is completely under-rated. The massive amount of details in the story help to bring the story to life, to bring the reader closer into the story. Shadowland is not for everyone. But if you are on the same wavelength as the story you will find what is easily the finest piece of writing in existance. The magnitude and depth of the story, the only other books I can think of comparing would be Tarot by Piers Anthony or the Dark Tower series by Stephen King; IF he gets the totally extraneous side plotline books out of the way! It is a true shame that Straub's other works get more attention, I consider Shadowland to be his absolute finest masterpiece. This book really does belong to the ages.
Rating:
Summary: My copy is battered
Review: I re-read this book about once a year. It is a fascinating interwoven story of fairy tales, magic, coming-of-age and the loss of innocence. I have probably read it about 12 times and am still amazed at the way Straub manages to make every little story fit into the bigger story in at least two ways. I believe this book is incredibly under-valued. Once you read it, you will never forget it.
Rating:
Summary: Shadowland...
Review: I read this book in high school and had no trouble understanding it. Those reviewers who suggest a Stephen King novel over Shadowland obviously have problems with stories that have depth and plots that you are not smacked in the face with. This is an amazing story about friendship, and leaving your childhood behind. It made me laugh, cry and streched my imagination in the most wonderful of ways. So far though, no one has mentioned poor Skeleton Ridpath who I remember feeling sorry for...Guess I've got to re-read this and perhaps I'll feel differently. Fans of Clive Barker will definitely enjoy Shadowland, Ghost Story and Julia
Rating:
Summary: Good writing to get lost in
Review: If you are a fan of Stephen King or J.K. Rowling and have read all their stuff too many times, this is a fair substitute. The plot isn't as strong as it could be, but sometimes, you just gotta read for the writing. And Peter Straub has a pretty good imagination.
Rating:
Summary: A Great Book of Magic and Mystery
Review: Peter Straub has been called the thinking man's Stephen King. I think that he is the thinking man's Peter Straub. Mr. Straub has once again written a novel that has a plot too complicated to sumerize, but is an incredible work to read. Like his two best books, GHOST STORY and KOKO, SHADOWLAND is filled with interesting and very realistic characters. Like his other books SHADOWLAND at first seems utterly confusing, but by the end everything comes together in ways that will amaze and delite.
Rating:
Summary: A tangible, earth-shattering journey into magic
Review: Peter Straub weaves a mind-blowing web of horror and emotion in this unsettling tale of darkest magic. As with his subsequent novel, The Talisman co-written with Stephen King, Straub demonstrates his unnervingly clear vision of magic at its most real, devastating and climactic potency. Quite simply, this is a book that can be re-read just to absorb Peter Straub's mastery of story telling and literary atmosphere.
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