The City of Dreaming Books
| The City of Dreaming Books | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Author(s) | Walter Moers |
| Original title | Die Stadt der Träumenden Bücher |
| Translator | John Brownjohn |
| Illustrator | Walter Moers |
| Cover artist | Walter Moers |
| Country | Germany |
| Language | German |
| Genre(s) | Fantasy novel |
| Publisher | German: Piper Verlag GmbH. English: Overlook TP |
| Publication date | 2004 |
| Published in English |
2007 |
| Media type | Print (hardcover) |
| ISBN | 9781585678990 |
| OCLC Number | 149009059 |
The City of Dreaming Books (original title: Die Stadt der Träumenden Bücher) is the fourth novel in the Zamonia series written and illustrated by German author Walter Moers, but the third to be translated into English by John Brownjohn. The German version was released in Autumn 2004, and the English version followed in Autumn 2007.[1]
Contents |
[edit] Plot
Optimus Yarnspinner, or Hildegunst von Mythenmetz in the German version, is a Lindworm (dinosaur) who inherits his authorial godfather's possessions, including a perfect story written by an unknown author. An aspiring author himself, he travels to Bookholm, the city of dreaming books, in search of the unknown writer. Upon arrival, Yarnspinner falls in love with the city because of its literary appreciation. But beneath Bookholm stretch vast labyrinthine catacombs in which many valuable books lie hidden – but also dangers of unimaginable sorts: Various kinds of monstrous insects and other inconceivable horrors, the deadly Toxicotomes – books which can injure and kill anyone who touches them, blood-thirsty book hunters, and worst of all, the Shadow King.
Yarnspinner is hoping this city of literature can fulfill his hunger for inspiration and help him solve the riddle of the mystery writer and his amazing story. Unfortunately the first real spark of hope gets a shower of questions when he is inexplicably warned for lurking danger and given the advice to flee while he still can. He comes into contact with a publisher in a cafe who directs him to Pfistomel Smyke. Smyke happens to control the entire book trade in Bookholm as well as much of the trade throughout Zamonia. When Yarnspinner travels to his house on 333 Darkman Street, Smyke reveals his plan to completely eradicate all forms of art in Zamonia. Then he is tricked into picking up a poisoned book and falls unconscious. He awakes in the famous catacombs of Bookholm, one of the most dangerous places in Zamonia.[2]
[edit] Word Play
The names of many of the authors listed in The City of Dreaming Books are anagrams of famous authors (below are a few listed in alphabetical order by the last name of the famous author).
- Ergor Banco = Roger Bacon
- Lugo Blah (a Zamonian Gagaist) = Hugo Ball (a German Dadaist)
- Hornac de Bloaze = Honoré de Balzac
- Rashid el Clarebeau = Charles Baudelaire
- Bethelzia B. Binngrow = Elizabeth B. Browning
- Trebor Snurb = Robert Burns
- Selwi Rollcar = Lewis Carroll
- Auselm T. Edgecroil = Samuel T. Coleridge
- Asdrel Chickens = Charles Dickens
- Evsko Dosti = (Fyodor) Fyodor Dostoyevsky
- Doylan Cone (Author of Sir Ginel) = Conan Doyle (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle author of, among other works, Sir Nigel)
- Samoth Yarg = Thomas Gray
- Dolreich Hirnfiedler = Friedrich Hölderlin
- Ugor Vochti = Victor Hugo
- Honj Steak = John Keats
- Melvin Hermalle = Herman Melville
- Gramerta Climelth (Author of Gone with the Tornado) = Margaret Mitchell
- Perla la Gadeon = Edgar Allan Poe
- Inka Almira Rierre = Rainer Maria Rilke
- T. T. Kreischwurst = Kurt Schwitters
- Aliesha Wimperslake = William Shakespeare
- Elo Slooty = Leo Tolstoy
- Rasco Elwid = Oscar Wilde
- Wamilli Swordthrow = William Wordsworth
The City of Dreaming Books also contains a wealth of made-up words, which can be found in most of Moers' work. Some are omnomatopoeic, others are amalgamations of existing words or Indo-European root words; still others may have origins no more descript than the raw product of Walter Moers' imagination. Many such words can be found in Chapter 60, where Yarnspinner learns forgotten Zamonian words whose meanings are extremely subtle and specific. A sampling of these are listed below:
- "fructodism:" the sensation experienced when squeezing an orange until it becomes soft.
- "rumbumblion:" the sound produced by a volcanic eruption.
- "indigabluntic:" one of a number of derogatory epithets.
- "nasodiscrepant:" a person whose nostrils are notably different in size.
[edit] Sequel
A sequel, The Labyrinth of Dreaming Books, has been released. It is currently only available in German.
[edit] References
