Ivanhoe: A Romance

Rating:
Summary: Good story, but very dry reading
Review: Sir Walter Scott's tale of "Ivanhoe" is an enjoyable story, but it taxes the readers patience many times over. If you can bear with the very lengthy descriptions, and what has to be the driest, most boring first chapter of any book in Western Civilization, you will actually find yoursel drawn into the story. Two quick notes, you may want Cliff's Notes or an on-line equivalent to help keep straight as to who is who, and to help get a better understanding of the often arcane writing style. Second, this Signet classic version of the book really needs to be re-set for a more modern typeset. This book is still using the typeset from the 1962 printing, and it is very difficult on the eye. Most other classic books have since been re-set to a larger print to make it easier on the eye. "Ivanhoe" should not be an exception. (Note: other editions of "Ivanhoe" available in mass market form ARE available in an easier-to-read print, and the reader may want to consider them over this edition.)