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Post by Claire on Jul 15, 2008 17:24:22 GMT 1
After talking about the way that childrens fantasy books have got mega popular since Harry Potter in another thread I have noticed that modern pony books also seem to be all full of magic, ghosts and mysterious goings-on. The last 4 modern pony books I have read were all in this category!
Was wondering if people think magic in pony books is good or bad? Does it work well or do you think pony books should be completely realistic? Has anyone any fav magical/ghostly pony books?
Personally I like it, depending on how it is done. I think that horses can inspire spirituality. My fav mystical pony books are the Jinny series and Horse From the Black Loch, Mig o'the Moor (just done review) also Little White Horse is good too. But I think the best pony books in this field combine realistic elements with fantasy ones in a believable way. Some of the modern ones which just portray ponies as a type of fairy like being with hooves can be quite irritating, also those that seem to shoe-horn the magic into the story cos they think it will help the book sell without thinking about how it actually fits in with the story.
The trouble is that magical pony books were the exception and now they are the rule. It seems like it takes more imagination to write a good realistic pony story than a fantasy one now. Or perhaps the writers just know they will be more chance of being published if they stick a bit of magic in!
But still they are a step up from the Jordan-type lets make us and our ponies all pink and glam books ;D
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Post by haffyfan on Jul 15, 2008 20:22:34 GMT 1
Love Black Loch but I am not really a big Jinny fan and although I quite like Magic Pony my fave Jinny's are A Devil To Ride and Jump For The Moon which of course are more 'pony' ones than some of the others.
I guess it depends a little how you class magic too as I would class Silver Snaffles as the most magical pony book ever but of course in a different context really to how you are addressing magical at the moment Claire. But to me a talking pony and secret land is def magical.
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Post by Claire on Jul 15, 2008 20:43:46 GMT 1
I would class Silver Snaffles as having a magic element too. Now that was a book which really managed to combine reality (ie learning to ride) and magic very well together.
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