The Neverending Story

I loved this movie when I was a kid, so I bought both the DVD and the book for my son and I (when I bought the Princess Bride DVD and movie which my son loved.)

I was amazed to find that the movie only covered a small portion of the book. The rest of the book is still an adventure, that is deeply imaginative - creatively funny - and captivatingly ingenious.

I hate a book or movie that is predictable, and this book was far from it. And yet it tied most of the loose ends with a little bow. The other loose ends are another story, and will be talked about another time =)

I first read this book as a teenager, and it should be required reading for anyone with an imagination. I was so glad to see an edition with the original two-color text incorporated. I'd contemplated buying the book for a long time, but could never find a copy with the red and green text. I'm very pleased to add it to my collection now.

I picked up this book from the local library, not expecting it to be any good after having seen the movie. Yet I was pleasantly shocked to find that, unlike the movie, it is a psychological adventure with deep, mature themes. Excellent fantasy.

Well, first off I must say that I enjoyed the first half of the book more. This is not to say the second half was no good, just that it was not as exciting. Atreyu was a pathfinder on an quest  to save Fantastica while Bastian, whether he knew it or not, was a lost boy with a great deal of imagination and power.  There is an urgency to Atreyu's story which is missing in Bastian's wanderings. If you do not know the story, Bastian's travels will appear simply like aimless meandering until the mystery of his disappearing memories is explained. Still, there are many reasons to love this book. The first is as explained by Bastian is the idea of a story that never ends. Anyone with a passion for books will have at one time or another grieved the ending of a wonderful story. Saying goodbye to a character with whom you have shared many adventures can be as difficult as saying farewell to a beloved friend. But alas, the story does end and we have to bid adieu to Atreyu, Falkor and Bastian. At least for the time being. The second is Fantastica's strange and wondrous denizens. As the story unfolds, you find familiar creatures such as witches, ghosts, vampires, elves, dwarves, centaurs and more. But there are also many more less recognizable like the rock chewers, wind giants, headfooters, four-quarter trolls, blondycats and others. There seems to be no limits to the writer's imagination. And last but not least, The Neverending Story is also a story about love and responsibility.  Either loving yourself or learning to love others. We learn by watching what Bastian goes through in Fantastica. His actions at the end of the tale is a reflection of what he has learned in his time there. I'm glad I didn't miss this one.

Michael Ende isn't very famous. But, his books are some of the best that I have read in my entire life. I highly recommend it to any who loves books. Even my grand-daughter loved the book!

The NeverEnding Story is a great book for any kids or adults who have a wild imagination, and who like the book genres fairytale, adventure, and fantasy.The book just like the movie enters the reader into a fantasy world of all sorts of imaginative characters.

i love this book it was the best ever, any one would enjoy reading it, its full of animation and love!!!!

I baught this book a very long time ago when I was in 5th grade, and that summer I spent a lot of my time with my nose buried into The Neverending Story, the entire story..with the singing voices, many colored death, the plants, the boats on the sea..and all the rest of the book was wonderful! I recommend this book to anyone who wants to escape. =)

This is the best book I have ever read. If you haven't read it yet it is a must.

When I read this book I thought that I could never put it down. This is the only adventure book that I actually could really get into. I thought that this is a perfect book to read to get away from your troubles and take a very exciting vacation to Fantastica!!!!! I would give this a million stars if I could. Good job Michael Ende!!!!

This book really seems like a neverending story because even after you finish reading it you are still thinking about it. Any one who hasen't read it you should but I don't recomend it for kids under 12. This was the best book ever!!!!!!! You really should read it.

I really liked this book! It is kind of thick but if you like fanasty books it really should not matter.

Wonderful book for any age! Like a 'Little Prince' on an 'Indiana Jones' like adventure. You will not put the book down it includes you into its own world. Michael Ende wrote a unique piece that I will always remember. Can also recommend his other books that all have a great message, very much needed for anybody who is growing up (and who is not!).

I'd like to be able to read this on the Nook

I first read this book when I was 10 or 11. Over twenty years later, it's still one of my favorites. This story has so much depth that each time it's read, it may as well be a different story altogether. Like Mr. Correander points out to Bastian, "The Neverending Story is different for each person", this holds true. This has to be the sixth or seventh time in my life that I've read this and still it was like a brand-new adventure. I smiled as I read chapters that remembered, and was in awe of ones I didn't. To this day, a piece of my heart belongs to Atreyu who has to be the bravest boy I've ever "met". This story carries a lot of emotion in it, and more than one cloaked lesson between its pages. It's definite must read by parents to their children. Not only will it teach children valuable life lessons, it will help parents to better see the world through their children's eyes and hearts. Perhaps it will remind parents of their own adventures in Fantastica, after all, we adults tend to forget the many times we've been there and have given the Childlike Empress her name >~.^< I hope the magic of The Neverending Story remains in my heart until "Men are myth and books are written by rabbits" (Quote is from The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle, another book I believe is a gateway to Fantastica)

Ugh. Reading this book has ruined the much loved movie favorite from my childhood. Ende is a great writer, as I saw in Momo, but this book just seemed to drag on. It WAS neverending! In fact, I just about gave up on it, which is against my code of reading ethics. I don't even want to write any more of the review, I just want to put the book behind me and never look back. I hope that this really didn't ruin the movie for me, because I really did love it, and my kids were just starting to get in to it too.

I enjoyed the movie and this book!!!

every inch of this book is layered with pure imagination adventure and suspence. it is one of the best books every made due to skillful writing and one of the very best covers on the market. this book was humorous and talked of loyal friendships and the hardships of a young boy who found peace inside a magical world called fantastica,the most amazing place ever full of inventive and completley original topics and ideas . every aspect is perfect anyone who can should really read this book

I purchased this book with a feeling of nostalgia for a cheesy movie I loved when I was a kid. What a mistake! The Neverending Story is a story within a story that left me cold. What was the author thinking? The first part of the book follows the path of Atreyu as he seeks a cure for the Childlike Empress. The second half of the book is about Bastian and his journey through Fantastica. Bastian is brought into the world after giving the Empress a hideous name; Moon Child. He then is trapped inside trading his memories for wishes. He is heralded as the Savior ( not sure what the author was trying to say here)but soon turns evil as he loses every part of himself. He barely makes it out alive and that is all I want to say about this pointless book.