Finally. FINALLLY!!!! November 8, 2012 the English translation of The Labyrinth of Dreaming Books will be released in the U.S.! (For some reason the Brits are getting it seven days before us. I’m not bitter.) I don’t know why this book appeals so much to my inner geek… but it does. Here’s the description from The Overlook Press website –
It has been more than two hundred years since Bookholm was destroyed by a devastating fire, as told in Moers’s The City of Dreaming Books. Hildegunst von Mythenmetz, hailed as Zamonia’s greatest writer, is on vacation in Lindworm Castle when a disturbing message reaches him, and he must return to Bookholm to investigate a mystery. The magnificently rebuilt city has once again become a metropolis of storytelling and the book trade. Mythenmetz encounters old friends and new denizens of the city—and the shadowy “InvisibleTheater.” Astonishingly inventive, amusing, and engrossing, this is acaptivating story from the wild imagination of Walter Moers.
Now, for those readers who may have noticed my going on and on about this book in this post, or this one, or perhaps this one here…and wondered what the hell I was getting so excited about… I should explain that The Labyrinth of Dreaming Books is the sequel to The City of Dreaming Books. Which is one of my all time favorite fantasy novels. It is also a part of an ongoing series of books by the author Walter Moers – all set in the land of Zamonia.
Zamonia is a place unlike any I’ve encountered in literature – populated by unusual creatures having strange adventures in a twisted world. I’d describe Moers’ style as Lewis Carroll-meets-Terry Brooks-meets-Kenneth Graham on acid who is attempting to plagiarise Douglas Adams. Of course I recommend reading all four of the novels so you’re up to speed when November arrives. And just in case my enthusiasm isn’t enough to get you to the bookshop, over the Summer I will be posting a review for each novel.
- The 13-1/2 Lives of Captain Blue Bear
- Rumo & His Miraculous Adventures
- The City of Dreaming Books
- The Alchemaster’s Apprentice – actually I already have a review up for this one.
READER AT LARGE 
Really looking forward to your reviews! First picked up Bluebear years ago when my dad got home from a trip and presented me with a massive, bright yellow book. Rumo is my favourite, but I’m honestly ridiculously excited for a follow up to The City of Dreaming Books. There really aren’t enough Moers fans around to talk about these books with.
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Hi Kita –
I agree completely – there aren’t enough Moers fans (at least not in English – I can’t really speak for the Germans)! You do raise an interesting point, though… I never thought about trying to choose my favorite Zamonian novel. Off the top of my head, it would have to be a tie between The Alchemaster’s Apprentice and, of course, The City of Dreaming Books.
The reviews I was planning to do this Summer have gotten pushed off – mostly because I’m hoping to have a surprise for fellow fans in November… I hope you stick around to find out what it is. Thanks for reading!
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Hello there 🙂
i’m a german reader and a fan of Moers books as well. Ive read the comments down here, I must say that Moers has countless german fans, he’s a quasi german literature classic, especially since Captain Bluebear has been a childs series in the 90s (and old episodes are still aired these days), so most people are familiar with it, adding to his popularity.
As for Labyrinth of dreaming books, I’ve read it already. It was very different from the common Moersian books, it was a bit weird to read, and people would probably expect it to go into a different direction than it actually took, but i guess thats just something very typical for Moers – never to do what you’d expect to happen, or use the expectation and over dramatize/over comedize. Plus on top of it, it has an open ending (its not a secret, so no spoilers here), the last chapter is the opening of the true adventure of Optimus/Hildegunst, and Moers has announced a 3rd book under the working title “castle of dreaming books” making the Dreaming books series a Triology (unless he changes his mind half way though like some people these days tend to and make a 4-parted-Triology).
Nonetheless it involves just as much of Zamonian twistedness as the other books, though it takes the theme of Bookhunting and Interpreting stories in a much broader and newer ways than he did in the city of dreaming books.
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Kessi,
Thank you for all that information! I’ve heard about the open ending and have conflicted feelings about it. My one hope is that the book still has a self-contained and complete story, despite there being a sequel. I’m not a big fan of a story split in two.
Regardless, I still can’t wait to read The Labyrinth of Dreaming Books!
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Preordering it on amazon felt like buying a plane ticket. And when I talk to friends about the books, I have nostalgia for the sights and smells as if I’d once been there. It’s so engrossing. Meet y’all in Bookholm soon!!!
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I was not aware Moers had written another novel! Thank you for the review, this will be the newest addition to my nook library! Love love love Moers and Zamonia!
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We did a whole Blog Tour in the beginning of November Claude – you should check the archives! It’s an amazing book (and only Part 1 of 2).
Thanks for stopping by!
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At least he’s tentatively announced the 3rd book! I got to the end and just wanted to keep reading.
So, with translation, I will wait for the third around 2014 🙂
(cannot come fast enough)
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I have just finished Labyrinth of Dreaming Books (City of Dreaming Books has long been a favorite if mine), and in the post script, Moers promises a follow up/continuation of his 2nd installment. Do you have any news on said novel? Is it actually in the works or merely a litteraray device?
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lunagraeca –
I haven’t heard anything yet. That said, if I were to guess (and this is pure speculation) I would say November 2014 – two years should be enough time for Moers to finish writing it and John Brownjohn to get to work on the translation.
Thanks for commenting.
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In fact German version of book 3 is now for order on AMAZON.DE, thouogh they don’t say when it will be released on the item page. On the RANDOMHOUSE site it says 2014-10-8, but wouldn’t it be still too early for ordering if that’s true?
Anyway, I’m itching to read this sequel!
Looking forward to Mr. Brownjohn’s translation too!
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