Romance and Adventure! King Richard the Lion-Hearted. . . Robin Hood. . . the fair princess Rowena. . . the bewitching Rebecca. . . and the most gallant, fearless knight of all, Ivanhoe.. . these are a few of the unforgettable characters you will meet in these pages. It is a dangerous time in England when a power-hungry king and cruel, ruthless lords battle and bring bloodshed and suffering to the land. No one knows who to trust, least of all the young knight, Ivanhoe, returning home disowned, and dishonored. He must fight for his name, his rights, his people, and the woman he loves!

The Great Illustrated Classics series introduces kids and young adults to classic fiction -- hopefully sparking an interest that will continue until they are old enough to read the originals. They also can be useful to we adults who are interested in getting the flavor of a work that we're not yet ready to tackle in earnest. That's the role that this version of "Ivanhoe" played for me. The book is rewritten, not abridged. From what I can tell, it has most of the plot of the 500+ page original (though with fewer characters, little description, and lots of other details left out). At least I now have a pretty good sense of the plot, and of what has made this classic work popular over the two hundred years since its first publication.

Young readers of this work would benefit from being told a bit of English history -- notably who the Saxons and Normans were, and how Jewish people were treated in England at the time it illustrates (the late 1100s). They likely will appreciate the many illustrations. Every page of text faces an excellent illustration that depicts the corresponding events in the story.

Good for young readers, and those not-so-young alike. ( )

Very good story, but I would have much rather read the entire thing instead of the copy I have, which is a condensed version for children. ( )

A pretty good book. ( )

I have read this book SO many times. Almost as many as Which Witch, or Power of Three. I used to carry it around, and start over again whenever I finished it. I knew every bit in detail, and I love it to death.