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The sequel to The Warhound and the World's Pain, The City in the Autumn Stars continues the story of the German prince Manfred von Bek and his search for the devil--for the causes of evil in mankind. A glorious tapestry of late-18th-century historical fantasy.--Fantasy ReviewTags
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More of the Von Bek family adventures in THE CITY IN THE AUTUMN STARS, which isn't as rollicking an adventure as THE WARHOUND AND THE WORLD'S PAIN (although there is a glorious set piece battle in an otherworldly tavern as warring factions attempt to seize the Grail ), but more an examination of one man's journey from disillusioned French revolutionary to alchemical perfection.
Of course, being Moorcock, the path to perfection is a rocky one, and the end of the journey is rarely the destination that was in mind at the beginning. But it's well worth going along for the wild ride again, as Von Bek escapes Paris, heads for Switzerland, and gets involved in schemes with an early balloonist to swindle a fortune while searching for an elusive show more Countess that has stolen his heart.
The Countess proves to be after much more than that, and soon we are off into another part of Moorcock's multiverse, where the quest for the Grail is taken up in one of Moorcock's trademark baroque cities displaced in time and space. There's also a Concordance, a great meeting of the spheres that regular Moorcock readers will recognise as a motif holding everything together ( and blasting everything apart.)
There's great characters, typical Moorcockian musings on the nature of humanity, some glorious alchemical symbolism shot through it, and a lovely bittersweet ending.
Another winner from the great man, and a fitting later addition to the Eternal Champion cycle, which has been broadened by these additions weaving later European history into the rich tapestry. show less
Of course, being Moorcock, the path to perfection is a rocky one, and the end of the journey is rarely the destination that was in mind at the beginning. But it's well worth going along for the wild ride again, as Von Bek escapes Paris, heads for Switzerland, and gets involved in schemes with an early balloonist to swindle a fortune while searching for an elusive show more Countess that has stolen his heart.
The Countess proves to be after much more than that, and soon we are off into another part of Moorcock's multiverse, where the quest for the Grail is taken up in one of Moorcock's trademark baroque cities displaced in time and space. There's also a Concordance, a great meeting of the spheres that regular Moorcock readers will recognise as a motif holding everything together ( and blasting everything apart.)
There's great characters, typical Moorcockian musings on the nature of humanity, some glorious alchemical symbolism shot through it, and a lovely bittersweet ending.
Another winner from the great man, and a fitting later addition to the Eternal Champion cycle, which has been broadened by these additions weaving later European history into the rich tapestry. show less
Manfred von Bek, the great-great-great-great grandson of Ulrich von Bek, has a problem. The French government wants him dead. So off he goes trailed by one of his old comrades in arms. While hiding out, he bumps into a beautiful woman who helps him evade capture. From that moment on, he's hooked and his life's purpose is focused exclusively on her. It's amazing how destructive blind passion can be.
I did not like this book. The dialog, to me, read like [Fox in Socks] - which was pretty disappointing. There was too much Greek mythology and French philosophy. If I was more familiar with those subjects, the multitude of references made to them may have made more sense to me, but as it was, I felt like I was on the outside of a whole series show more of inside jokes. The appearance of several demi-humans (the fox and the goat) made no sense to me. The flight where Libussa dances in the bone palace was simply bizarre and came out of nowhere. I'm forced to conclude that either I simply don't have the background to understand what Moorcock was writing about here, or that he was under the influence of some incredibly power drugs for the months during which he wrote this book. It's been a long time since I read a book I've disliked this much...
von Bek, unlike his warhound ancestor, appears to be a man without convictions or the intelligence to understand the implications of his actions. He whines and mopes for Libussa. He follows a conman's schemes but is concerned that it will ruin his name. He does whatever Libussa says - though she ignores or patronizes him incessantly even to the point of referring to him as 'little one'. He has the capacity for greatness but refuses to act. Klosterheim, on the other hand, acts. Probably the single image I'll take with me from this book is the bayonette buggering he gives the Red O'Dowd. I don't recall ever reading anything quite so disturbing. Although, some of the "song" names from the group Cannibal Corpse come close. Such as 'Meathook Sodomy'... But I digress. show less
I did not like this book. The dialog, to me, read like [Fox in Socks] - which was pretty disappointing. There was too much Greek mythology and French philosophy. If I was more familiar with those subjects, the multitude of references made to them may have made more sense to me, but as it was, I felt like I was on the outside of a whole series show more of inside jokes. The appearance of several demi-humans (the fox and the goat) made no sense to me. The flight where Libussa dances in the bone palace was simply bizarre and came out of nowhere. I'm forced to conclude that either I simply don't have the background to understand what Moorcock was writing about here, or that he was under the influence of some incredibly power drugs for the months during which he wrote this book. It's been a long time since I read a book I've disliked this much...
von Bek, unlike his warhound ancestor, appears to be a man without convictions or the intelligence to understand the implications of his actions. He whines and mopes for Libussa. He follows a conman's schemes but is concerned that it will ruin his name. He does whatever Libussa says - though she ignores or patronizes him incessantly even to the point of referring to him as 'little one'. He has the capacity for greatness but refuses to act. Klosterheim, on the other hand, acts. Probably the single image I'll take with me from this book is the bayonette buggering he gives the Red O'Dowd. I don't recall ever reading anything quite so disturbing. Although, some of the "song" names from the group Cannibal Corpse come close. Such as 'Meathook Sodomy'... But I digress. show less
Classic Moorcock - beautifully detailed with a protagonist whose confused path it is possible to follow, but whose choices do not always bring sympathy. A battle between two sides, but which one is good, which evil? Easier to follow the story if you know something about Enlightenment philosophy.
Manfred von Bek, a supporter of the French Revolution flees Paris when he becomes endangered by the Terror. He reaches the city of Mirenburg and joins up with the con man St Odhran in a scheme to raise money to build a large balloon for a voyage to uncharted lands. However, von Bek and several others find themselves actually transported into the alternate dimensions of the Mittelmarch, where von Bek is drawn into plots because of his family affinity to the Holy Grail.
I was not really able to get too interested in this book. The first half is quite slowly paced and in mainly concerned with von Bek's introspection on a number of topics. More happens as he journeys into the Mittelmarch, but the story becomes increasingly abstract as it show more progresses, and I did not care much about what happened. show less
I was not really able to get too interested in this book. The first half is quite slowly paced and in mainly concerned with von Bek's introspection on a number of topics. More happens as he journeys into the Mittelmarch, but the story becomes increasingly abstract as it show more progresses, and I did not care much about what happened. show less
Good, but I found my attention wandering to be honest.
Good, but I found my attention wandering to be honest.
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Michael Moorcock, 1939 - Writer Michael Moorcock was born December 18, 1939 in Mitcham, Surrey, England. Moorcock was the editor of the juvenile magazine Tarzan Adventures from 1956-58, an editor and writer for the Sexton Blake Library and for comic strips and children's annuals from 1959-61, an editor and pamphleteer for Liberal Party in 1962, show more and became editor and publisher for the science fiction magazine New Worlds in 1964. He has worked as a singer-guitarist, has worked with the rock bands Hawkwind and Blue Oyster Cult and is a member of the rock band Michael Moorcock and the Deep Fix. Moorcock's writing covers a wide range of science fiction and fantasy genres. "The Chronicles of Castle Brass" was a sword and sorcery novel, and "Breakfast in the Ruins: A Novel of Inhumanity" uses the character Karl Glogauer as a different person in different times. Karl participates in the political violence of the French Revolution, the Paris Commune, and a Nazi concentration camp. Moorcock also wrote books and stories that featured the character Jerry Cornelius, who had no consistent character or appearance. "The Condition of Muzak" completed the initial Jerry Cornelius tetralogy and won Guardian Literary Prize in 1977. "Byzantium Endures" and "The Laughter of Carthage" are two autobiographical novels of the Russian emigre Colonel Pyat and were the closest Moorcock came to conventional literary fiction. "Byzantium Endures" focuses on the first twenty years of Pyat's life and tells of his role in the Russian revolution. Pyat survives the revolution and the subsequent civil war by working first for one side and then another. "The Laughter of Carthage" covers Pyat's life from 1920-1924 telling of his escape from Communist Russia and his travels in Europe and America. It's a sweeping picture of the world during the 1920's because it takes the character from living in Constantinople to Hollywood. Moorcock returned to the New Wave style in "Blood: A Southern Fantasy" (1994) and combined mainstream fiction with fantasy in "The Brothel of Rosenstrasse," which is set in the imaginary city of Mirenburg. MoorCock won the 1967 Nebula Award for Behold the Man and the 1979 World Fantasy Award for his novel, Gloriana. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
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Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- The City in the Autumn Stars
- Original title
- The city in the autumn stars : being a continuation of the story of the von Bek family and its association with Lucifer, Prince of Darkness, and the cure for the world's pain
- Original publication date
- 1986
- People/Characters
- Manfred von Bek; Libussa; Lucifer; Johannes Klosterheim; St Odhran
- Important places
- Mittelmarch; Mirenburg
- Dedication
- For Colin Greenland
- First words
- Were it not for that Terror which captured France in 1793, and which at length caused me to flee Paris, I might never have discovered an exquisite love, nor ventured to the city in the Autumn Stars, where, with wits, sword, a... (show all)nd the remnants of Faith, I fought again for the world's future, and lost my own.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)We shall be happy, shall we not Libussa, in our decaying Autumn days?
- Original language*
- English
*Some information comes from Common Knowledge in other languages. Click "Edit" for more information.
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