Quicksilver

Zusatztext “A sparkling and witty book . . . Seldom in any genre! let alone among books for children! does one come across such a splendid opening line as: ‘It’s dark and gloomy! and it smells like dead sheep! but when Zeus says go to Hell! I go.’ So begins the tale of Hermes! fleet-footed messenger of the Olympian gods! who . . . explains his decisive role in some of the best-known Greek myths.” –The Wall Street Journal “Hermes is a wonderfully engaging narrator. . . . It’s good to be a god.” – Kirkus Reviews ! Starred “A narrative filled with thrilling action . . . drawn straight from the original stories. Teens will connect with Hermes’ immediate! often very funny voice…a rich! accessible entrée into classical mythology.” – Booklist “Hermes! the winged messenger of the gods! narrates a compelling and amusing account of his experiences with some of the most well-known characters in Greek mythology. . . . Teens who love mythology will be thrilled with Spinner’s deft and witty retelling of Greek legends.” – VOYA “Smart-aleck irony mixed with charm makes the god’s account a memorable! entertaining avenue into Greek mythology.” – Horn Book “The hip but not hypertrendy tone of the narration as well as the bite-sized stories afforded by the episodic structure will entice junior-high and high-school aged readers to try Hermes’ winged sandals on for size.” – The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books Informationen zum Autor Stephanie Spinner, after a distinguished career in children’s book publishing, is now a full-time writer. She lives in Pawling, NY. Klappentext Hermes--also known as Mercury! Wayfinder! and Prince of Thieves--has many talents. Wearing his famed winged sandals! he does the bidding of his father Zeus! leads the dead down to Hades! and practices his favorite arts of trickery and theft. He also sees the future! travels invisibly! loves jokes! and abhors violence. And he's an entertaining and ideal narrator on a fast-paced journey through ancient Greek mythology--from Medusa's cave to Trojan War battlefields to the mysterious Underworld. Stephanie Spinner brings the famous messenger--and the best-known gods and mortals of mythology--to life with high action and spare! powerful prose. "From the Hardcover edition." Chapter Nine After I rescued Kore, Zeus took to calling me “Head Psychopomp.” It was a silly title—there’s only one psychopomp, or guide for the dead, on Mount Olympus: me. But the way he said it made me feel important and mysterious, so I never dreamed of objecting. I did dream of going on another mission, however, just to break the routine of my trips to Hell. So when Zeus summoned me to his audience room one golden summer afternoon, I tied on my sandals and flew over at hawk-chases-sparrow, one of my faster speeds. I was eager to hear why he needed me. Zeus, however, took his time getting to the point. Perseus, a young prince, was seeking his help. Like many young mortals, he was Zeus’ son, and this gave him an advantage. Zeus liked to help his offspring. “I suppose you know he’s mine,” he said. I nodded. We were sharing a tot of ambrosia while Helios, the Sun God, drove his chariot west. It sank below the horizon, and the sky sang a raucous hymn to red, purple, and gold. “He’s turned out rather well, considering,” Zeus murmured. Considering the grief you caused his mother Danae? I thought. Yes, he has. Danae’s troubles began when her father King Acrisius, heard a prophecy that his yet-unborn grandson would kill him. Foolishly hoping to outwit the Fates, he locked Danae in a bronze chamber, where no man could reach her. No man did. Zeus was another story. Ever resourceful when it came to lissome mortal girls, he changed himself into a shower of gold, poured in through Dana...

Dettagli sul prodotto

• Autori: Stephanie Spinner
• Editore: Random House Childrens Books US
• Lingue: Inglese
• Raccomandazione d'eta': 12 anni
• Formato: Tascabile
• Pubblicazione: 12.12.2006
• EAN: 9780440238454
• ISBN: 978-0-440-23845-4
• Pagine: 240
• Dimensioni: 108 mm x 171 mm x 14 mm
• Categoria: Libri per bambini e per ragazzi > Letture, fiabe, saghe, rime, canzoni > Fiabe e saghe