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The Ferret Chronicles #2
Fretky záchranářky na moři
If you think Jonathan Livingston Seagull is unclassifiable, wait until you see Richard Bach's latest, Rescue Ferrets at Sea. It's a fable that's simple as a children's book, but packing a message about spiritual self-empowerment. Rescue ferrets are, of course, the animal kingdom's answer to the Coast Guard, daredevils responsible for the safety of all nonhumans at sea. Our heroine, Captain Bethany Ferret, brings a reporter aboard the J-boat Resolute as she races to save calico cats, ships' rats, and the odd Indonesian parrot from imminent shipwreck near the Strait of Juan de Fuca (near the island where author Bach lives). The reporter, Miss Chloe, also happens to be a rock star--surely you've heard of Zsa Zsa and the Show Ferrets? But Chloe ("Call me Clo, please") is no spoiled, shallow celeb. She's got her paws on the ground (except when she's on a boat), and she's philosophical about showbiz. "If celebrity's magic, it's a screen, and I'm forever outside," says Clo. "I wish sometimes somebody would see me and not some... some mirror flash they want to be me." After 32 years as a bestselling author and human-potential pundit, Bach knows a bit about celebrity and its illusions.
Mostly, this is a straight-ahead action fable about ferret heroism and self-rescue. It has more characters than it can develop (and runelike passages in secret ferret language), because Bach has in mind about 60 more books in the Ferret Chronicles. Second in the series: Air Ferrets Aloft. --Tim Appelo
Hardcover
First published January 1, 2002
6 people are currently reading
266 people want to read
About the author
Richard Bach
163 books3,781 followers
Since Jonathan Livingston Seagull - which dominated the #1 spot on the New York Times Bestseller List for two consecutive years - Richard Bach has touched millions of people through his humor, wisdom and insight.
With over 60 million copies of his books sold, Richard Bach remains one of the world's most beloved authors. A former USAF fighter pilot, Air Force captain and latter-day barnstorming pilot, Bach continues to be an avid aviator-author, exploring and chronicling the joys and freedom of flying, reporting his findings to readers.
His most recent works include Travels with Puff, which recounts Bach's journey from Florida to Washington state in his small seaplane, Puff, and Illusions II: The Adventures of a Reluctant Student, which incorporates Bach's real-life plane crash.
In October 2014, the never-before-published Part Four to Jonathan Livingston Seagull was published.
Readers can find more about Richard and his work at www.richardbach.com
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
August 12, 2016
Finally, I'm getting around to writing my review in preparation for sending this book on to vivdripper. I'm hoping, zzfriend, that you won't mind a detailed, sometimes critical, review (I believe that one of the reasons for this ring was to get some feedback, right? and I *am* an editor, so I'm going to deliver ;-) ). For those who follow in the ring, you might want to wait until after you've read the book yourself so my comments don't influence your appreciation of the book.
Prefatory Comments:
One caveat--I don't generally care for stories (whether books or movies) in which animals are anthropomorphised to this degree (wearing clothes, operating machinery, being rockstars(!), etc. So it might or might not have been something I would have picked up on my own. It took me a while to get over that initial discomfort, even though I had determined to read with an open mind.
I don't know much about boats or sailing (should I say boating, since there aren't any sails?), so I initially found some of the technical jargon a bit of an obstacle (later in the book & on a second reading it didn't seem to impede as much).
Design (not usually something I comment on in a review, but I know zzfriend will probably be interested in opinions about the look of the original product; not having seen a copy of the new compilation, I don't know what design features have been addressed or changed):
Format--I liked the size/shape of the book, but since it didn't have a standard proportion, it might seem subliminally more juvenile.
Cover/Dustjacket--The colour & jacket design was okay (though again, the illustration might lead to a belief that the book is a children's book). I didn't think the blurb/excerpt on the back was engaging & I probably would not have investigated much further. I think a short plot summary (not a long one as on the front inside flap) with a cliff-hanger would have done better.
Interior--The paragraphing bothered me (i.e. spaces between paragraphs instead of indenting--okay for a computer screen, but not in print). The map was nearly impossible to read, and didn't seem to have much use in any case. I did like the illustrations a lot though (I always enjoy illustrated books--which aren't and shouldn't be just for kids).
Premise:
There were a few nit-picky problems I had with the premise both of the whole and of the specific plot. Although rats wouldn't be saved by the regular Coast Guard, surely the crew's pets would be saved in a regular rescue? (I would have thought so, but I just saw on Animal Miracles last week, some idiot guy on an adrift oil tanker was rescued by a cruise ship & he *forgot* his dog that had been on the ship with him for 2 years! The dog was eventually rescued by the Hawaiian Coast Guard 20-odd days later! Poor thing. If only there had been some Rescue Ferrets around.). About this particular story: why wouldn't the human scientists have brought as much of their data as they could--they would have known how important it was *and* which of the material was most important to preserve.
Story:
Once I got past the anthropomorphization, things picked up for me. I liked the main part of the story--once Chloe came on board as well as the Deepsea Explorer rescue. I really liked the characters, and felt affection for all of them--very well drawn, zzfriend. I thought the "near-death" vision was a little hokey--I think just because it seemed out of place with the "secular realism" of the rest of the book (notwithstanding the doubtful realism of ferret rock stars). I'm curious to know what happens next (do any of these characters appear later?) & would certainly read the other books in the series.
Prefatory Comments:
One caveat--I don't generally care for stories (whether books or movies) in which animals are anthropomorphised to this degree (wearing clothes, operating machinery, being rockstars(!), etc. So it might or might not have been something I would have picked up on my own. It took me a while to get over that initial discomfort, even though I had determined to read with an open mind.
I don't know much about boats or sailing (should I say boating, since there aren't any sails?), so I initially found some of the technical jargon a bit of an obstacle (later in the book & on a second reading it didn't seem to impede as much).
Design (not usually something I comment on in a review, but I know zzfriend will probably be interested in opinions about the look of the original product; not having seen a copy of the new compilation, I don't know what design features have been addressed or changed):
Format--I liked the size/shape of the book, but since it didn't have a standard proportion, it might seem subliminally more juvenile.
Cover/Dustjacket--The colour & jacket design was okay (though again, the illustration might lead to a belief that the book is a children's book). I didn't think the blurb/excerpt on the back was engaging & I probably would not have investigated much further. I think a short plot summary (not a long one as on the front inside flap) with a cliff-hanger would have done better.
Interior--The paragraphing bothered me (i.e. spaces between paragraphs instead of indenting--okay for a computer screen, but not in print). The map was nearly impossible to read, and didn't seem to have much use in any case. I did like the illustrations a lot though (I always enjoy illustrated books--which aren't and shouldn't be just for kids).
Premise:
There were a few nit-picky problems I had with the premise both of the whole and of the specific plot. Although rats wouldn't be saved by the regular Coast Guard, surely the crew's pets would be saved in a regular rescue? (I would have thought so, but I just saw on Animal Miracles last week, some idiot guy on an adrift oil tanker was rescued by a cruise ship & he *forgot* his dog that had been on the ship with him for 2 years! The dog was eventually rescued by the Hawaiian Coast Guard 20-odd days later! Poor thing. If only there had been some Rescue Ferrets around.). About this particular story: why wouldn't the human scientists have brought as much of their data as they could--they would have known how important it was *and* which of the material was most important to preserve.
Story:
Once I got past the anthropomorphization, things picked up for me. I liked the main part of the story--once Chloe came on board as well as the Deepsea Explorer rescue. I really liked the characters, and felt affection for all of them--very well drawn, zzfriend. I thought the "near-death" vision was a little hokey--I think just because it seemed out of place with the "secular realism" of the rest of the book (notwithstanding the doubtful realism of ferret rock stars). I'm curious to know what happens next (do any of these characters appear later?) & would certainly read the other books in the series.
June 19, 2010
Sweet fun story. Silly in a good way. Good for most ages.... though it needs abridging for a toddler.
April 22, 2023
Es un libro de ficción que no sé si clasificar en el género de "Fábulas" más que todo por la naturaleza de los personajes (son Hurones) y porque tienen una lección al final. Lectura como para un preadolescente, unos 11 a 13 años por la fantasía del relato. Historia de inicio algo lento pero después se pone interesante. Me gusta de Bach su positivismo, la relación que tiene con la vida y su propósito, el dinamismo de sus personajes y lo humano (aunque muchos son animales). Personajes que dan gusto, que son empáticos y con corazones hermosos. Me encanta su lectura.
Las cuatro estrellas son porque creo que pudo iniciar con otros detalles o hacer el inicio menos lento. Pero la historia es buena y lo llena a uno de propósito. Me gusta. Lectura juvenil recomendada.
Las cuatro estrellas son porque creo que pudo iniciar con otros detalles o hacer el inicio menos lento. Pero la historia es buena y lo llena a uno de propósito. Me gusta. Lectura juvenil recomendada.
January 13, 2019
Just wow! I fell in love with Richard Bach when I first read his Bridge Across Forever and the Johnathan Livingston Seagull. He spoke to me in a way most authors just couldn't. His books, the Rescue Ferrets at Sea, are two leveled books, meaning they all have a deeper meaning.
In Rescue Ferrets at Sea, we follow Bethany and Vincent as they grow up, join the Ferret Rescue Service and rescuing animals at sea. It also have a deeper theme of self empowerment.
Self empowerment - always a good lesson - was a lesson I needed today. As usual, Bach enters my life just when I need his message the most.
In Rescue Ferrets at Sea, we follow Bethany and Vincent as they grow up, join the Ferret Rescue Service and rescuing animals at sea. It also have a deeper theme of self empowerment.
Self empowerment - always a good lesson - was a lesson I needed today. As usual, Bach enters my life just when I need his message the most.
November 26, 2017
Un libro sencillo sin muchas pretensiones y para jóvenes de todas las edades. Se trata de un libre que se puede leer en cualquier momento, desconectando de la realidad entre sus páginas y disfrutando de su historia.
No querrás dejar de leerlo hasta que lo hayas terminado.
Totalmente recomendable como libro intermedio antes de iniciar alguna colección de libros más pesada.
No querrás dejar de leerlo hasta que lo hayas terminado.
Totalmente recomendable como libro intermedio antes de iniciar alguna colección de libros más pesada.
May 28, 2019
Had the flavor of a Bach book but didn't quite get there. Made me want to go back and re-read Jonathan Livingston Seagull and the Bridge Across Forever
September 18, 2021
Libro emozionante e coinvolgente, consigliato
May 2, 2015
Published in 2002, this is a neat little fairytale for children about a team of ferrets that operate a sea rescue service. The ferrets train hard, maintain their small rescue vessels and when needed, they sail into a stormy night to save ships and animals stranded at the sea.
Story and the style of writing are simple but neat. Ideas mentioned in the book: when you set a goal for yourself and work hard, you can achieve it; do job that makes you happy, with others who feel the same; risking own life to save others; compassion, gratefulness, respect, friendship, love.
Story and the style of writing are simple but neat. Ideas mentioned in the book: when you set a goal for yourself and work hard, you can achieve it; do job that makes you happy, with others who feel the same; risking own life to save others; compassion, gratefulness, respect, friendship, love.
January 22, 2012
Theresa picked this book up for me as it was about Ferrets.
It was a fun read and I even read a bit of it to our ferret Saphira. The book has a lot of good values to it including about courage as the ferrets in this book are putting their lives on the line to save other animals trapped at sea (not just ferrets). If I needed a book to read to a child, this would be a good choice.
It was a fun read and I even read a bit of it to our ferret Saphira. The book has a lot of good values to it including about courage as the ferrets in this book are putting their lives on the line to save other animals trapped at sea (not just ferrets). If I needed a book to read to a child, this would be a good choice.
June 3, 2011
I love Bach's simplistic writing style. It's whimsical and flows beautifully. Metaphors abound in his writing and the first entry in The Ferret Chronicles is no exception. Quick read and I think I'll move forward and see what the rest of the series is about.
February 17, 2016
Richard Bach is one of my favorite authors, and he has written in numerous genres over the years. This is a wonderful book, but not along the lines of things I generally read. I think it would be a great book for young people or younger kids.
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June 17, 2015Uno de esos libros donde la imaginación toma alas y viaja en la historia que nos narra el autor.
Un libro de héroes silenciosos, valientes sin interés de reconocimiento ni lujo.
Sin cansancio, donde ayudar a otros está por encima de uno mismo..
Excelso como todo lo de Richard
Un libro de héroes silenciosos, valientes sin interés de reconocimiento ni lujo.
Sin cansancio, donde ayudar a otros está por encima de uno mismo..
Excelso como todo lo de Richard
July 6, 2009
my children all LOVED this book. VERY CUTE.
July 26, 2014
Compellingly written, this is a quick and easy read. Also suitable for sharing with younger audiences. I listened to it in audio format, read by the author.
August 16, 2022
Simpatico, gradevole, senza pretese. Adatto a bambini e ragazzi.
June 9, 2016
What can I say- it was on sale and good for a family trip- not bad, but not in my re-read pile- I've never been a fan of talking animals
May 20, 2021
Это скорее детская история про отважных спасателей на море.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews