The Book of the Mad (Secret Books of Paradys) [Hardcover]

Tanith Lee (Author)

Book Description

Series: Secret Books of Paradys | Publication Date: July 1, 1993

In the final two volumes of the Paradys series, Tanith Lee completes this thrillingly dark and decadent alternate world, the imagined city of Paradys. In The Book of the Dead, the dark atmosphere is charged with hedonism, sexuality and death in eight interlocking short stories. In The Book of the Mad a seductive nightmare unfolds in three parallel versions of the city--Paradis, Paradys and Paradise. Connected by a labyrinth of ice whose dangers are amplified by the will and emotion of its lunatic travelers, these cities provide the stage for a drama of mythical proportions, setting up a darkly dazzling finish to The Secret Books of Paradys.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Best known for the Flat Earth series, Lee creates here a characteristically surreal and dark fantasy, her fourth (following The Book of the Dead ) set in the ancient, decadent city of Paradys. This time, three interconnected narratives present three alternate versions of the city. In modernistic Paradis, the eccentric, misanthropic painter Leocadia is trapped in an insane asylum by relatives scheming to grab her wealth. In Victorian-style Paradys, a tragic obsession shatters the sheltered life of young, bourgeois Hilde. In nightmarish Paradise, bloodthirsty twins Felion and Smara believe themselves to be the only sane people in a city of lunatics. Linking these disparate experiences are the theme of madness and a mysterious ice labyrinth that holds the promise of redemption. Lee's languid, brooding prose has a sensuality reminiscent of Anais Nin's. Hilde's tragedy is genuinely poignant, her despair powerfully portrayed, but the other characters are often self-consciously strange, and the plot drags when they transmit their ennui to the reader. However, this highly original story, notable for its unpredictable plot twists, will appeal to readers desiring a dreamlike excursion into the bizarre. Lee's fans will not be disappointed.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews

The culmination of Lee's horror-fantasy tetralogy (The Book of the Dead, 1992, etc.). The previous entries are composed of related stories, but this one, though elliptically structured, forms a novel in its own right. In the perpetually mist-shrouded, magical city of Paradise live the twins Felion and Smara, murderers who consider themselves the city's sole sane inhabitants. They hold the keys to a magic labyrinth of ice whose mercurial doorways give entry to an alternate city--scrubbed, bright, high-tech, laid-back Paradis. Here, hard-drinking visionary painter Leocardia's grand house and fortune were willed to her by the same mysterious uncle who bequeathed the labyrinth to Felion and Smara. A third city, Paradys, lies in Paradis's stark Victorian past; here, beautiful, impressionable adolescent Hilde falls for a narcissistic actor, is raped by him, suffers a breakdown, and is consigned to an asylum where the depraved attendants routinely torment the inmates. Slowly, logically, inevitably, the lives and fates of Felion and Smara, Leocardia, and Hilde converge, with astonishing consequences. Beautifully woven, with fascinating characters in a compelling narrative, brilliantly set forth in Lee's spare, firm, spiky prose. Sheer enchantment. -- Copyright ©1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 216 pages
• Publisher: Overlook Hardcover (July 1, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0879514817
• ISBN-13: 978-0879514815
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,565,537 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fourth/Final Book in The Secret Books of Paradys Series, October 7, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The Book of the Mad (Secret Books of Paradys) (Hardcover)

Tanith Lee is a tremendously talented writer, and in "The Book of the Mad" she wows her fans once again. This is the fourth and final book in The Secret Books of Paradys series (preceded by "The Book of the Damned" [#1], "The Book of the Beast" [#2], and "The Book of the Dead" [#3]), and it is, without a doubt, my favorite book in the group. It alternates between three various-spelled parallel cities:

--Paradise, where Felion and Smara (homicidal twin outcasts), travel through their uncle's space-altering ice labyrinth, in order to kill an unknown cousin for their own personal gain.

--Paradis, where Leocadia, a 30-year-old alcoholic, bisexual painter, is blamed for her lover's murder and is sent to an asylum by her conniving relatives. Leocadia is devilishly witty, though Felion and Smara still win out for me.

--Paradys, where Hilde, a 15-year-old virgin, is raped by Johanos Martin, an actor she adores. She becomes hysterical afterwards and is sent to an asylum by her parents, who can't cope. This is the least memorable of the three stories, at least it was for me, but it's still interesting enough.

These three well-crafted stories tie-in to one another as the book progresses, culminating in a terrific ending. Fans of this series will enjoy rereading this book over again, if not to just pick up pieces of the puzzle, which are skillfully strewn around. It's mesmerizing, and dark fantasy at its best. Highly recommended.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it?, October 24, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Book of the Mad (Secret Books of Paradys) (Paperback)

The final book of Paradys is undoubtedly the best, drawing the reader into three alternate, related worlds. Parallels abound, as well as subtle suggestions that say the three worlds are more closely related then one might think. Smara and Felione, two sociopathic murderers, are in the book. Interestingly, I actually felt empathy for them by the end of the book... Very well written, with excellent charecterization.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An exotic, Gothic fairytale, beautifully written, July 2, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Book of the Mad (Secret Books of Paradys) (Paperback)

Fans of the other three Secrets Books of Paradys should enjoy this one, too. Told in Lee's usual style, blending veracity with imagination and hiding truth behind what the characters know, this is the most ambitious of the Paradys books. Lee carefully draws in ties between three stories, and the result is a masterpiece; the interweaving of themes, characters, places, and objects improves each individual novella. I'll stay away from plot here (the synopsis by Kirkus Reviews is excellent if you want one, though), other than to say of it that it is very carefully crafted, brilliantly woven together, and a true pleasure to read. Lee's genius is apparent when one considers some of the tricks she can pull off (I won't give them away because they would make the book sound stupid; Lee makes them work). This book is certainly comparable to the others in the Paradys series (although it is probably a little better), but I would also say that Lee's writing reminds me of Faulkner: the tone is similar to that of "A Rose for Emily" and the weaving of ideas, themes, and plot occurences recalls "The Sound and the Fury". A must for fans of the Paradys series and a very good idea for any fan of dark fantasy.