City of Saints and Madmen

Rating:
Summary: Beautifully Magical
Review: 'The City of Saints and Madmen' is easily my favorite collection of 2001. Comprised of four stories, each more deliciously exotic and fascinating than the one before, this attractively priced trade paperback is sure to entrance all readers willing to immerse themselves in VanderMeer's brilliantly conceived world.

VanderMeer's Ambergris is easily the most lavish and enticing fantastic world that I've yet to encounter. Articulating the brilliance of this book would require writing skills on a par with VanderMeer himself. I can only point to the book and insist that it is excellent. Truly excellent.

Taken by themselves, the stories are small gems...but when looked at as a whole, as part of the wonderful Ambergrisian tapestry, they become more than the sum of their parts. I anguished with the title character in 'Dradin in Love' as he realizes that his passionate longing for a mysterious woman is unlikely to be consummated. The fascinating history of Ambergris as told in 'The Hoegbotton Guide to Ambergris by Duncan Shriek' is surely one of the most complete histories of a fictional world ever conceived. The World Fantasy Award Winning 'The Transformation of Martin Lake' tells the amazing story of a humble artist who is transformed into a master through a harrowing and bizarre experience. Finally, 'The Strange Case of X' blurs the lines between fantasy and reality as an author whose life appears analogous to VanderMeer's undergoes rigorous questioning concerning the substance of reality.

Under VanderMeer's watchful eye, Ambergris is a thriving and exotic landscape. I devoured this collection in a matter of hours. Hungry for more I jumped onto the internet and searched out more VanderMeer. Ambergris is so fascinating and richly exotic that I could see VanderMeer writing about its Living Saints and Graycaps for decades without running out of stories to tell.

Immerse yourself in Ambergris. The land is hauntingly beautiful and terrifyingly real. I can see myself re-reading this brilliant collection several times a year. This masterful collection belongs on the bookshelf of every fan of speculative fiction. I'm eagerly looking forward to the Deluxe edition which supposedly contains 30,000 more words about this wonderful place and is supposed to be released Real Soon Now.

This volume, exciting and beautiful, is easily one of my all-time favorite books. Try it yourself. You won't be disappointed. Highly Recommended.

Rating:
Summary: This is one of the weirdest books I've ever read...
Review: ...but not just weird -- it's wonderful. A novel, a travel-guide to the bizarre universe of Amebergris, a dissertation on the habits of various squids -- giant and imaginary -- a fictional
bibliography, a love story. Librarians will be delighted by it!
This is like the whole of Dunsany or Lovecraft crammed into a
single volume -- but a lot more fun. I came by this book by
accident. It has all the marks of a fantasy classic. If you
find Lovecraft too gloomy, Cabell too precious and Dunsany too airy fairy -- then this is the perfect book for you. I can't describe it very well -- but I can't recommend it enough. You'll love it. Original, weird, funny and brilliantly written. There is no category for a book like this -- unless it is a category on its own. Wish I had the words to describe it better -- but this is a book a lot of people bored with regular fantasy are really going to love. It's a joy and seems to have been written joyfully!

Rating:
Summary: Unpredictable twists and turns
Review: Along side the River Moth, a city called Ambergris rose. Founded on the blood of its original inhabitants shed in its making and evolution, and steeped for centuries in the aftermath of a calamitous struggle, the cruelly beautiful and complex metropolis of Ambergris is a place of artists and composers, thieves and murders. Enhanced with an introduction by Michael Moorcock, City Of Saints And Madmen: The Book Of Ambergris, is a bizarre, eclectic, and unique science fiction narrative enhanced with appendices of "reference" documents, written by Jeff VanderMeer, a mysterious, reclusive, and brilliantly talented author. The unpredictable twists and turns, fantastic setting, and exciting narrative make City Of Saints And Madmen: The Book Of Ambergris an engrossing read for those seeking something fresh and different by way of a literary experience. Highly recommended for a sophisticated readership, City Of Saints And Madmen: The Book Of Ambergris is also available in a paperback edition (Wildside Press, 1587154366, $amount).

Rating:
Summary: An Extraordinary Book
Review: Beautiful and lush imagery highlight this collection; sure to be one of th best genre books of 2002. This edition of the VanderMeer collection contains each of the four novellas from the 2001 paperback (including the World Fantasy Award winning 'The Transformation of Martin Lake') and augments them with two major new novellas and assorted other Ambergris material, including an expanded Ambergris glossary.

The collection begins with the fantastic 'Dradin in Love'; the story of a former missionary who moves to the city of Ambergris and immediately falls hopelessly in love. The story details Dradin's exploration of Ambergris and his growing infatuation with a woman he has not met. His correspondence with his love is facilitated by a dwarf who has a map of the world tattoed on his head. 'Dradin..' is beautiful and exciting and serves as an excellent introduction to the city of Ambergris.

Second is 'The Hoegbotton Guide to the Early History of Ambergris'; a fascinating historical study of the origins of Ambergris. An excellent piece.

Next up is 'The Transformation of Martin Lake' which tells the story of a painter Martin Lake's transformation from an obscure artist to a master. The story is told against the background of a turbulent time in Ambergris. The death of famous composer Voss Bender has polarized the city, dividing the citizens into Reds (Bender supporters) and the Greens (Anti-Bender). This is a beautiful story that justly won the World Fantasy award.

'The Strange Case of X' features a best-selling author named Jeff VanderMeer who is apparently under the delusion that Ambergris actually exists. Nicely done.

The material original to this volume is equally compelling. Most notable is the lengthy biography of the King Squid, a creature native to Ambergris. Both brilliant and hilarious, this piece presents more background to Ambergris.

Also notable is 'The Cage', the story of a strange cage that may have belonged to the mysterious gray caps. The cage is purchased by a pawnbroker (a member of the famous Hoegbotton family) who slowly begins to question his sanity as he spends time around the cage.

The collection is rounded out with a piece 'by' Ambergrisian author Nicholas Sporlender (under which name VanderMeer also wrote 'The Exchange' which is worth tracking down), an expanded Ambergris glossary (which is well worth the 30-40 minutes of reading time. Excellent) and an encrypted story that the reader must decipher word by word. Be forewarned, it will drive you mad.

But the fun doesn't stop there. There is a complete story on the front and back dustjacket, as well as an entertaining fictional biography of VanderMeer inside the DJ.

I have fallen in love with Ambergris. This collection is in a category all its own. I've never seen its like before and don't expect to find another in the near future. This book will be my 2002 Christmas gift to the readers on my list. Make sure you don't miss it. Highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Ah, the perfume of Ambergris!
Review: Did you ever start a book and think --about two paragraphs in-- that you'd just discovered the literary equivalent of Shangri-La: a paradise heretofore undiscovered by man? If so, you'll know the feeling I had when I started this book.

VanderMeer's writing just soars off the page. This is not a page-turner, but fiction to be savored like an old single malt scotch. Not only that, but the stories are wonderful and fully-fleshed in every way. The piecemeal and referential introduction to the world of Ambergris was also quite affecting, and contrary to a previous review of this as being a detraction, I thought that this actually enhanced the reading experience. Hell, there are a thousand other novels out there that postulate their own world and exploit them to the fullest. This book takes the opposite tack, touching on some of the salient points and the lives that happen therein, and letting Ambergris bleed through the spaces.

For me, this is a book to keep --and reread-- for life. A marvellous experience. "Martin Lake" and "Dradin, In Love" are some of the best stories I've ever come across. Did anyone mention humor? Yeah, there's plenty of that, too: the laugh out loud kind. And the hardcover (which I bought after I'd read the paperback) is incredible, with additional features and stories; "The Cage" is a masterpiece, I think. If you happen to be a demanding reader, this just may be the gold at the end of your rainbow.

Rating:
Summary: Ah, the perfume of Ambergris!
Review: Did you ever start a book and think --about two paragraphs in-- that you'd just discovered the literary equivalent of Shangri-La: a paradise heretofore undiscovered by man? If so, you'll know the feeling I had when I started this book.

VanderMeer's writing just soars off the page. This is not a page-turner, but fiction to be savored like an old single malt scotch. Not only that, but the stories are wonderful and fully-fleshed in every way. The piecemeal and referential introduction to the world of Ambergris was also quite affecting, and contrary to a previous review of this as being a detraction, I thought that this actually enhanced the reading experience. Hell, there are a thousand other novels out there that postulate their own world and exploit them to the fullest. This book takes the opposite tack, touching on some of the salient points and the lives that happen therein, and letting Ambergris bleed through the spaces.

For me, this is a book to keep --and reread-- for life. A marvellous experience. "Martin Lake" and "Dradin, In Love" are some of the best stories I've ever come across. Did anyone mention humor? Yeah, there's plenty of that, too: the laugh out loud kind. And the hardcover (which I bought after I'd read the paperback) is incredible, with additional features and stories; "The Cage" is a masterpiece, I think. If you happen to be a demanding reader, this just may be the gold at the end of your rainbow.

Rating:
Summary: An absolutely beautiful book!
Review: Do you love books? I mean, really love them? Then this is a book that should be on your shelf. The writing is top-notch. Modernist fantasy as powerful as anything from Tim Powers, Charles de Lint, or China Mieville. The best realized fictional world since Mervyn Peake's Gormenghast.
In addition, the book is gorgeous! It is filled with wonderful illustrations, great design, and interesting typography.
What else do you get? How about a story on the dust jacket? How about a story written in code? Cool stuff.
In short, stunning.
Did I mention this is a print-on-demand title? This means the book is printed as it's ordered (well, maybe not every time, maybe every 50 or so) but it's a totally different printing process than standard books. No plates. That makes the layout of the book staggering!
Did I mention that the writing is amazing?
Buy this book. Buy several copies of this book and give it to friends.
Don't miss out.

Rating:
Summary: An astonishing body of work.
Review: Each of the novellas in CITY OF SAINTS AND MADMEN independently is an utter gem...but to have them contained under one cover is to truly appreciate the idiosyncratic genius of VanderMeer. In this presentation, his darkly fantastical city of Ambergris is allowed to fully crystallize in our imaginations, and take on a truly persuasive sense of reality, however surreal the occurences within its borders. VanderMeer's Ambergris novellas are thrillingly original, literate and funny, frightening and moving. THE TRANSFORMATION OF MARTIN LAKE might be my favorite of these offerings, but one would be hard pressed to choose. This reader gives CITY OF SAINTS AND MADMEN his highest recommendation!

Rating:
Summary: Great Writing, Great Storytelling, Great Book
Review: For those who have not yet discovered Jeff Vandermeer, and his rich, beautiful, and terrible world called Ambergris, I envy you. Within the pages of City of Saints and Madmen, you will find a rare quality of writing and storytelling that will at turns cause you to laugh, to cringe, to wonder, and to marvel at the audacity and daring of a writer to create these characters, situations, and settings. For those who are looking mainly for great storytelling, human drama, and fantastic settings, you will absolutely find what you are looking for here. However, for those who are also fetishists for exquisite prose, you will find more than you bargained for. Vandermeer's skill with the English language is what is sure to earn him an international following. Reading City of Saints and Madmen, it is clear that the author has slaved over every word, every sentence. I cannot fathom the rewriting, polishing, and sleepless nights that must go into this kind of prose.

Everything in this book is great, but my favorite piece has to be the novella "The Transformation of Martin Lake." This is the one that won the World Fantasy Award, beating out the likes of Lucius Shepard and Tanith Lee that year. Another favorite is "Dradin, In Love," which was a finalist for the prestigious Theodore Sturgeon Award. City of Saints and Madmen is indeed a collection, but if you are primarily a fan of novels, don't let that put you off. The four main pieces are quite long, and each is quite satisfying on its own. This is not just a collection of short stories, but rather more like a cycle of novellas, all set in the same world. Also, this kind of "literary" fantastical writing always brings up the "Is it genre fiction?" question, but I hope that you will find that Vandermeer transcends these concerns in the same way that Jonathan Carrol and Angela Carter do.

Finally, you have probably guessed that given this level of praise (bordering, no doubt, on hyperbole), I was a fan of Jeff Vandermeer's before the publication of this book. If you did, then you guessed right. I have been a fan for many years, and I keep waiting for the world to catch on to this great writer. As you will see from the introduction by Michael Moorcock and the words of praise by China Mieville, Norman Spinrad, Terri Windling, Brian Stableford, Thomas Ligotti, Paul Di Filippo, and Ed Bryant, I am not the only one. Enjoy.

Rating:
Summary: A detailed and thought provoking collection
Review: Great Book-
Mr. VanderMeer's writing is eloquent and thought provoking. I would give this collection more stars if I could. Ambergris will Haunt your mind long after you turn the last page.