The Alchemasters Apprentice, Walter Moers Translated by John Brownjohn
The Alchemasters Apprentice, Walter Moers Translated by John Brownjohn
2 Rating(s)
List: $24.95 | Sale: $17.47
Club: $12.47

The Alchemaster's Apprentice
A Culinary Tale from Zamonia by Optimus Yarnspinner

Author: Walter Moers; Translated by John Brownjohn

Narrator: Bronson Pinchot

Unabridged: 13 hr 51 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 01/25/2011

Categories: Fiction, Fantasy


Synopsis

Malaisea, the unhealthiest town in the whole of Zamonia, is home to Echo the Crat, a multitalented creature resembling a cat in appearance but capable of speaking any language under the sun, human or animal. When his mistress dies, Echo finds himself out on the street. Dying of starvation, he is compelled to sign a contract with Ghoolion the Alchemaster, Malaiseas evil alchemistinchief. This fateful document gives Ghoolion the right to kill Echo at the next full moon and render him down for his fat, with which he hopes to brew an alchemical concoction that will make him immortal. In return, he promises to regale the little Crat with the most exquisite gastronomic delicacies until his time is up. But Ghoolion has reckoned without Echos talent for survival and his ability to make new friends. These include the Leathermice, the Cogitating Eggs, the Golden Squirrel, the Cooked Ghost, Theodore T. Theodore the oneeyed Tuwituwu, and above all, Izanuela Anazazi, the last Uggly in Malaisea. Walter Moers magnificent translation of Optimus Yarnspinners novel introduces us to yet another of Zamonias hotbeds of adventure: Malaisea, a place where sick is healthy, up is down, right is wrong, and Ghoolion the Alchemaster reigns supremeuntil Echo crosses his path.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Bradley

Let's just call it the adventures of Echo the Crat. Because that's what it is. Of course, that doesn't quite do the culinary genre justice, nor does the bargain to eat all he wants for the low, low price of being rendered into tallow for an evil old man quite do the stakes justice. That's merely the......more

Goodreads review by Natalie

The English version can be found below. ----------- German Version: Ein kulinarisches Märchen nach meinem Geschmack! Das Märchen spielt an einem äußerst ungesunden Ort namens Sledwaya, an dem es „nach Äther und Eiter roch, nach Lebertran und Brechmittel, nach Jod und Tod“ (vgl. S. 9). Alles dreht sich......more

Goodreads review by Trish

This is a wonderful amalgamation of Goeste's masterpiece, Faust, a Frankenstein-esque horror story and the typical elements of a master-and-student wizard duo. Echo is a Krätzchen, cat-like creature capable of speech and since his owner has died, he's starving in the streets of Sledwaya. Sledwaya is......more

I took this book on a recent trip, and it was the perfect vacation read. Eloquent talking cats, fantasy plants, evil villains who are also excellent chefs - well, there was almost no way I wouldn't like The Alchemaster's Apprentice. Walter Moers writes like a cheerful, erudite, and playful madman, a......more

Goodreads review by Lydia

The back of this book has a review by the New York Times Book Review with the words "Cheerfully insane..." When I started this story I just didn't know if I could get into it. Walter Moers imagination is off the charts - it felt like I was being sat down and told a fairy tale with names being made up......more