Rating: 
Summary: A magnificent failure.
Review: "Paradise Lost is a book that, once put down, is very hard to pick up again," Samuel Johnson wrote of Milton's massive work, and added that no one ever wished it to be any longer than it is. I for one wish it were so much shorter that it hadn't been written at all. Milton was a man of extreme arrogance. He thought one way was right, and that was his way, in religion, in politics, and in poetry. Disregarding that English is not an inflected language, that its sounds are more various and therefore less melodious than those of Latin, Greek or even Italian, he blasted rhymed poetry with his blunderbuss of a pen and launched forth in an endless barrage of blank verse. And with which subject did he choose to invade our ears and sense? Only the one which (according to believers of the Biblical tradition) was handed down to Moses from God himself. I'll just say: the original story in Genesis is *much* better. Milton puts words in God's mouth. He creates a cartoonish scene of Satan's fall from heaven. And Adam is a philosopher with long and flowing locks (very pretty, like those which Milton himself proudly wore). Eve is not a well-drawn woman but the narrow fantasy of his cramped mind. A good plot with sympathetic characters in a vivid setting is not the point of Milton's attack. This is Milton creating a universe-- a God, an earth, a human race-- with which he can be comfortable. Any lack of freshness in the story is obscured in the clanging bells of his language, in his love of exotic proper nouns: "Sinai," "Sion," "Siloa" he rattles off in the opening lines. "Horrible dungeon" is too commonplace, but invert it and "Dungeon horrible" is downright impressive. Even Reverend Lovejoy of Springfield couldn't keep up with Milton's fire and brimstone: "fiery Deluge" and "ever-burning Sulphur" are part of the place "Eternal Justice" has prepared for the "rebellious." Is it now? Well, who rebelled against the King of England, but Milton with his friend Cromwell? Oh, but that's different, because it was the *right* way, Milton's way, such as his own form of the English language, one in which word order and syntax matter no more. No-- there is not a compelling moral to be gained from this grave work. It is Milton's tribute to his own ego, his vast learning in Vergil and Homer, in Hebrew, and his dogmatic views in politics and religion. The title is the best part. For centuries women and men who have never read the work have used the words "paradise lost" in conversation. But dive into the pages and prepare to be disappointed by a string of place-names-- "Rabba" and "Argob" and "Basan" and "Arnon"-- and a cherub telling Adam everything that will happen on earth (for two whole books!), a necessary device because after all, the story in Genesis is so very brief! Other than the title, _Paradise Lost_ is a failure, but because it is on such a grand scale, because it is so ambitious, it is a magnificent one at that. Milton's learning was very deep, and his mind clever, so I'll grant him two stars for those qualities. Otherwise, avoid this like Eve should have avoided that nasty piece of fruit.
Rating:
Summary: A magnificent failure.
Review: "Paradise Lost is a book that, once put down, is very hard to pick up again," Samuel Johnson wrote of Milton's massive work, and added that no one ever wished it to be any longer than it is. I for one wish it were so much shorter that it hadn't been written at all. Milton was a man of extreme arrogance. He thought one way was right, and that was his way, in religion, in politics, and in poetry. Disregarding that English is not an inflected language, that its sounds are more various and therefore less melodious than those of Latin, Greek or even Italian, he blasted rhymed poetry with his blunderbuss of a pen and launched forth in an endless barrage of blank verse. And with which subject did he choose to invade our ears and sense? Only the one which (according to believers of the Biblical tradition) was handed down to Moses from God himself. I'll just say: the original story in Genesis is *much* better. Milton puts words in God's mouth. He creates a cartoonish scene of Satan's fall from heaven. And Adam is a philosopher with long and flowing locks (very pretty, like those which Milton himself proudly wore). Eve is not a well-drawn woman but the narrow fantasy of his cramped mind. A good plot with sympathetic characters in a vivid setting is not the point of Milton's attack. This is Milton creating a universe-- a God, an earth, a human race-- with which he can be comfortable. Any lack of freshness in the story is obscured in the clanging bells of his language, in his love of exotic proper nouns: "Sinai," "Sion," "Siloa" he rattles off in the opening lines. "Horrible dungeon" is too commonplace, but invert it and "Dungeon horrible" is downright impressive. Even Reverend Lovejoy of Springfield couldn't keep up with Milton's fire and brimstone: "fiery Deluge" and "ever-burning Sulphur" are part of the place "Eternal Justice" has prepared for the "rebellious." Is it now? Well, who rebelled against the King of England, but Milton with his friend Cromwell? Oh, but that's different, because it was the *right* way, Milton's way, such as his own form of the English language, one in which word order and syntax matter no more. No-- there is not a compelling moral to be gained from this grave work. It is Milton's tribute to his own ego, his vast learning in Vergil and Homer, in Hebrew, and his dogmatic views in politics and religion. The title is the best part. For centuries women and men who have never read the work have used the words "paradise lost" in conversation. But dive into the pages and prepare to be disappointed by a string of place-names-- "Rabba" and "Argob" and "Basan" and "Arnon"-- and a cherub telling Adam everything that will happen on earth (for two whole books!), a necessary device because after all, the story in Genesis is so very brief! Other than the title, _Paradise Lost_ is a failure, but because it is on such a grand scale, because it is so ambitious, it is a magnificent one at that. Milton's learning was very deep, and his mind clever, so I'll grant him two stars for those qualities. Otherwise, avoid this like Eve should have avoided that nasty piece of fruit.
Rating: 
Summary: More verse and rhyme than you can shake a stick at
Review: Even if you can't appreciate Classical epics and copious amounts of poetic language, this book is still written good enough for one to appreciate. Milton not only instills new life into this ancient story, but makes it just as compelling and intriguing as any modern story. The epic scope the story encompasses, including both the domains of Heaven and Hell, is enough to humble any reader. Also the unique look at the Powers' characters, especially the in depth look at the character of Satan himself, impresses the reader with a sense of something great. All in all, an excellent read if you have the patience to get through a few of the slower parts.
Rating:
Summary: More verse and rhyme than you can shake a stick at
Review: Even if you can't appreciate Classical epics and copious amounts of poetic language, this book is still written good enough for one to appreciate. Milton not only instills new life into this ancient story, but makes it just as compelling and intriguing as any modern story. The epic scope the story encompasses, including both the domains of Heaven and Hell, is enough to humble any reader. Also the unique look at the Powers' characters, especially the in depth look at the character of Satan himself, impresses the reader with a sense of something great. All in all, an excellent read if you have the patience to get through a few of the slower parts.
Rating: 
Summary: Definately not for everybody
Review: First of all I want to say that reading Milton is very difficult at best and impossible at worst. So if you really want to read this don't be turned down if you have problems. And if you don't like reading this kind of stuff I strongly advise you to try something else first.
Second of all this is one of the best books ever written. Not only because of the (my point of view) wonderful and amazing language. But only because this is better than the story told in the Bible !!!
Really because the Bible has left us hundreds of unanswered questions and a story that doesn't make any sense at all. While Milton present us a story wish shows us all motives and gives us all the answers. Non of the philosophical are left unanswered. Therefore I can give him only praise for he succeeds there where thousands and thousands of religious people have failed.
In the end Milton gives us that what he promised.
"To explain the ways of God to men." (I don't remember the exact quote.)
So be aware of that what you are going to read and remember that before you lays not only one of the greatest epics ever told (I can compare this even to Iliad and the Devine Comedy) but also one of the best religious books (I can compare it even to the Bible and the Dhammapada).
This book stands on a lonely height.
Rating:
Summary: I enjoyed it
Review: In response to 'A Magnificent Failure': Yes, Milton was arrogant, and his language certainly does get high-flown...but it is often very beautiful, to my taste anyway. I especially loved the descriptions of Milton's world--Hell, Eden, and Heaven--in the first few books. After that the poetry isn't quite so sublimely beautiful, but it remains quite pleasurable, and Milton's play with ideas kept me interested anyway. It is true that Eve isn't a well-drawn woman (nor is Adam really a well-drawn man in terms of psychological realism) and the male fantasy-fulfilment that contributed to her character is distracting. Nevertheless, by the end of the book I wasn't as disturbed by the character of Eve as I thought I might be. By my own 21st century standard Milton's views on women are deplorable, but his attitude seems to me more ambivalent than uniformly misogynist. You can't expect Milton to be completely independent of his culture, and 17th century England was itself ambivalent about women. Eve is one of the three dominant personalities in the book (well, four if you include Milton's!)and as a woman her role in Milton's universe is quite important, if limiting to her by modern western standards.
Overall, as long as the reader keeps in mind that he or she need not agree with Milton's ideas, reading Paradise Lost can be a pleasurable and thought-provoking experience.
Rating:
Summary: I enjoyed it
Review: In response to 'A Magnificent Failure': Yes, Milton was arrogant, and his language certainly does get high-flown...but it is often very beautiful, to my taste anyway. I especially loved the descriptions of Milton's world--Hell, Eden, and Heaven--in the first few books. After that the poetry isn't quite so sublimely beautiful, but it remains quite pleasurable, and Milton's play with ideas kept me interested anyway. It is true that Eve isn't a well-drawn woman (nor is Adam really a well-drawn man in terms of psychological realism) and the male fantasy-fulfilment that contributed to her character is distracting. Nevertheless, by the end of the book I wasn't as disturbed by the character of Eve as I thought I might be. By my own 21st century standard Milton's views on women are deplorable, but his attitude seems to me more ambivalent than uniformly misogynist. You can't expect Milton to be completely independent of his culture, and 17th century England was itself ambivalent about women. (Many would say that things had gotten worse for women since the late Middle Ages...but I digress.) Eve is one of the three dominant personalities in the book (well, four if you include Milton's!)and as a woman her role in Milton's universe is quite important, if limiting to her by modern western standards.
Overall, as long as the reader keeps in mind that he or she need not agree with Milton's ideas, reading Paradise Lost can be a pleasurable and thought-provoking experience.
Rating: 
Summary: Bad Book
Review: Man, I had to read this book. It was so boring and hard to read. Skip it or read the cliff notes if at all possible.
Rating: 
Summary: Sing Goddess
Review: of how the malodorous oaf Milton did share in bold flatulence his heretical views and cause much stink in the bedroom of Tucker who did paw through that man of bad wind's pages, sometimes well-drawn. Sing to me, Muse, of the rage of Tucker, like that of Peleus's son Achilles, of spirited Turnus, or of earth-shaking Neptune, who, upon reading the gaseous opinions of the Arian heretic proto-Mormon poet who does reject the triune God, embrace notions strange of divine progression, draw corporeal spirits bizarre, misunderstand reason's nature and her relation to Faith, hold to a doctrine of imputed righteousness and forensic justification unregenerate, understand perversely law and authority, proudly dismiss hierarchy natural, deny creation ex nihilo, and rebel against the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church, did fervently hope for an exhumation of his remains heretical followed by an auto-da-fe. But if you must read it, tackle Books I and II, then jump to the end of Book IV where Satan is captured in paradise, then jump to the middle of Book V where Raphael begins to relate the war in Heaven which continues through Book VII, then maybe read about the Fall in Book IX. This is where all the good stuff is; although mixed with much bad, so be wary lest you be overcome by Milton's bad air and worse theology. Odors to which only the damned should be subject. On the other hand, any guy who posits a Ptolemaic universe (at least in his prelapsarian astronomy) can't be all bad. And his drawing of the monomaniacal Satan is interesting. Read Lewis' A Preface to Paradise Lost for a more favorable opinion.
Rating:
Summary: This put Milton among the likes of Dante, Homer and Virgil
Review: This is John Milton's masterpiece, though not the great epic he had intented to create. He actually wanted to write one about his beloved England, something along the lines of Arthurian legend. But what came out in 1667 was the story "Of Man's first disobedience," an expansion on Genesis 2 and 3. After creating a vast, vivid cosmos and setting up the battle between the two prevailing forces of God and Satan in the reader's mind, Milton puts Adam and Eve at the very center of it all. But its up to them (like all of us) which side they want to be on. This epic is a true classic among the classics.
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