Walter Moers is one Germany's best known and most successful comic fantasy authors and artists. He started by drawing comic stories for magazines, many of them parodies and satires with strong political messages, clearly intended for adult audiences. Some of his work has been adapted for television and films. More recently he has published a number of fantasy novels, most notably his Zamonia series, which have been translated into English.
Moers avoids publicity, rarely gives interviews, and has refused to allow himself to be photographed since he and his work were targeted by reactionary political groups in Germany.
The Labyrinth of Dreaming Books is his second story about Optimus Yarnspinner, an aspiring author, and his search for inspiration in the marvelous "bibliotopia" of Bookholm. Moers' intricate illustrations are a feast for the eye, and lend an almost tactile quality to the text. The drawback for American readers is that many of the sly jokes and word plays liberally sprinkled throughout these pages require a familiarity with European culture and history that most of us lack. But for those who have the perseverance to keep reading, the humor and absurdity of the plot and the characters does eventually prevail.
Moers' other Zamonian novels that have been translated into English include: The 131/2 Lives of Captain Bluebear (2000); A Wild Ride Through the Night (2004); Rumo & His Miraculous Adventures (2004); The City of Dreaming Books (2006); and The Alchemist's Apprentice (2009).
If you enjoy the books of Cory Doctorow, Christopher Moore, Neil Gaiman, Jasper Fforde and the late great Kage Baker, you might want to give Moers a try.
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| Walter Moers |
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