The City of Dreaming Books [Paperback]

Walter Moers (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 2, 2008

Overlook has published three of Walter Moers's hilarious and beloved Zamonia books and The City of Dreaming Books, a fantastic tale for every book lover, is his most popular yet. Optimus Yanspinner inherits from his godfather an unpublished manuscript by an unknown writer and sets off to track down the mysterious author, who disappeared into Bookholm--the so-called City of Dreaming Books. Yarnspinner falls under the spell of this book-obsessed metropolis, where an avid-reader and budding author can find any number of charming attractions--priceless signed first editions, salivating literary agents, and for-hire critics. But as Yarnspinner pursues the trail of the missing author, the darker side of Bookholm begins to unveil itself--cold-blooded book hunters, fearsome cyclopean booklings, sharp-toothed animotomes, and of course, the Shadow King, whose howls rise from deep beneath the city at night. Will Yarnspinner survive his quest into this world where reading is a genuine adventure?

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

German author and cartoonist Moers returns to the mythical lost continent of Zamonia in his uproarious third fantasy adventure to be translated into English (after 2006's Rumo), a delightfully imaginative mélange of Shel Silverstein zaniness and oddball anthropomorphism à la Terry Pratchett's Discworld. Optimus Yarnspinner, a young saurian novelist, embarks on a quest to track down the anonymous author of the most magnificent piece of writing in the whole of Zamonian literature. Traveling to Bookholm, the legendary City of Dreaming Books, the naïve Yarnspinner falls victim to Pfistomel Smyke, a maggotlike literary scholar who poisons Yarnspinner and abandons him in the treacherous catacombs miles below the city's surface. Stranded in an underworld steeped in terror-inducing myth and home to more than a few bizarre inhabitants, Yarnspinner undertakes a long and perilous journey back to the world above. Enchanting illustrations by the author compliment a wonderfully whimsical story that will appeal to readers of all ages. (Sept.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review

''German author and cartoonist Moers returns to the mythical lost continent of Zamonia in his uproarious third fantasy adventure to be translated into English, a delightfully imaginative melange of Shel Silverstein zaniness and oddball anthropomorphism a la Terry Pratchett's Discworld . . . A wonderfully whimsical story that will appeal to readers of all ages.'' --Publishers Weekly

''A salmagundi of whimsy, imagination and book lore -- remarkable fun.'' --Cleveland Plain Dealer

''German novelist Moers puts Tolkien through some sort of Willy Wonka sweetening process and comes up with characters such as Optimus Yarnspinner, who, names being fate and all, just has to be a storyteller.'' --Kirkus Reviews --This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 464 pages
• Publisher: Overlook TP; Reprint edition (September 2, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1590201116
• ISBN-13: 978-1590201114
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (35 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #59,437 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

45 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Truly Golden Book, March 22, 2008

By 

Jedidiah Palosaari "Not My Real Name" (Fes, Morocco) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: City of Dreaming Books (Hardcover)

After reading the first few pages, I fully intended to give this book a poor rating. The audacity, to write a book about excellent writing, without Moers writing also being of highest caliber. How presumptuous, how arrogant. The writing was merely poorly crafted children's fare, perhaps excusable only because the book is translated. It had an interesting, wonderful idea, of pursuing a world based on reading and books, but it would have been far more interesting and relatable if it had been about humans, rather than this silly dinosaur.

I repent. Most completely. I was wrong in every way. This is one of the finest fantasy novels I've ever read. Moers actually takes a talking dinosaur and makes him interesting and a complete character, to say nothing of the other species and humans in this world. Moers doesn't rely on creatures others have constructed, but in every step forms his own creations.

The character development in this novel is astounding, and so much deeper than what you find in most modern novels. This is a novel for adults with depth (and definitely not for children). It is not only extraordinarily well written throughout, but I now see those first few pages were exactly the right build-up, and the old-fashioned style (Dear Reader) fit exactly the theme and points Moers wanted to convey.

I was supposed to do a lot of other tasks, and read other books. I couldn't stop reading this one. To say the unexpected happened is to say far too little, for Moers grabbed me by the collar and pulled me along his story so that I was continuously out of breath and at wit's end trying to guess what would happen next. Every word in this is honed. I am only sorry that it took me a while to realize that most names were purposeful, and often anagrams of actual writers. It takes true brilliance to create an engaging story that is at the same moment a profound commentary on the modern literature industry.

City of Dreaming Books is a multifaceted universe like nothing else you've ever read. There is no comparison. It is a book created for those of us who love books. It is the book that you have been waiting for. It is the last book you need to read- or the last book you'll read purely for itself, for, in every book you read after this, there will be the memory of the perfection you once found here.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Where someone who loves books will find himself, July 4, 2006

By 

M. Keller "knaxl" (Germany) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The City of Dreaming Books (Zamonia 3) (Hardcover)

I have read Moers fantastic story about the city of dreaming books in German and I loved it.
It is a wonderful, fantastic tale about a young writer that goes to the city of dreaming books and his adventures. Whoever loves books will find parallels to many experiences had while reading, masterfully integrated into the narration. Moreover it is very diverting and thrilling but nonetheless full of wit and subtle hints to the whole cosmos of Literature.
In my opinion: a masterpiece that every book lover should have read.
I got it as a Xmas present for my Dad who loathes fantasy and any kind of story not situated on this earth and even he loved it.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars BEYOND THE IMAGINATION, September 18, 2007

By 

Charlotte Harley "Charli" (Boca Raton) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: City of Dreaming Books (Hardcover)

This is the first book I've read by Mr. Moers and promptly after starting it I purchased the others. I am almost finished with it and have loved every page. I am a passionate book lover so this holds extra appeal for me. But it is also a great fantasy creation which is my favorite genre. His prose is brilliant and has quite an old-world charm to it. And his artwork is stunning. In short, this is one of my top ten for 2007 thus far. Be prepared, it is very unusual, even for fantasy lovers. But an extremely rare example of one man's awesome imagination and quite beyond mainstream fantasy. Oopie, it's dark down here but you will quite enjoy the descent...