Illuminations

Stories

By: Alan Moore

Narrated by: Rory Kinnear, Emilia Fox, Laura Haddock, Nina Sosanya, Toby Jones, Clarke Peters, Mark Meadows, Sian Clifford, Alan Moore, Matt Reeves

Bloomsbury presents Illuminations by Alan Moore, read by Rory Kinnear, Emilia Fox, Laura Haddock, Nina Sosanya, Toby Jones, Clarke Peters, Mark Meadows, Sian Clifford, Alan Moore and Matt Reeves.

NATIONAL BESTSELLER
NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW EDITORS' CHOICE

From New York Times bestselling author Alan Moore—one of the most influential writers in the history of comics—“a dynamite story collection” (The New York Times Book Review) which takes us to the fantastical underside of reality.

In his first-ever short story collection, which spans forty years of work, Alan Moore presents a series of wildly different and equally unforgettable characters who discover—and in some cases even make and unmake—the various uncharted parts of existence.

In "A Hypothetical Lizard," two concubines in a brothel of fantastical specialists fall in love with tragic ramifications. In "Not Even Legend," a paranormal study group is infiltrated by one of the otherworldly beings they seek to investigate. In "Illuminations," a nostalgic older man decides to visit a seaside resort from his youth and finds the past all too close at hand. And in the monumental novella "What We Can Know About Thunderman," which charts the surreal and Kafkaesque history of the comics industry's major players over the last seventy-five years, Moore reveals the dark, beating heart of the superhero business.

From ghosts and otherworldly creatures to theoretical Boltzmann brains fashioning the universe at the big bang, Illuminations is exactly that—a series of bright, startling tales from a contemporary legend that reveal the full power of imagination and magic.(P)2022 Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Critic reviews

Mr. Moore’s writing is as brilliant as ever—from dizzying wordplay in scene-setting detail to cuttingly succinct summaries . . . As for the stories themselves, there is no shortage of wild invention . . . Fans of Mr. Moore in all his incarnations will love this collection.

One of the most significant fiction writers in English . . . Moore’s influence can be felt everywhere—in our literature, on our screens, in our politics.

His bighearted passion for his people . . . and the whole monstrous endeavor of the human condition is infectious. I’m not sure there’s a God, but I thank Her for Alan Moore.

Hilarious . . . [Moore] deconstructs the industry that sells superheroes by using its own myths against it . . . The collection is really good.

“Illuminations is a fascinating book . . . from the mind of one of the most celebrated comic book writers in the English language . . . you’re in for a wild ride, from start to finish.”

Legendary graphic novelist Moore (Watchmen, V for Vendetta, and many others) burnishes his reputation in his first prose collection, which features nine career-spanning tales. The standout short novel “What We Can Know About Thunderman” is a scathing take on the American comic book industry and its impact on popular culture and politics, and his subversive talent is equally on display in shorter tales. This brilliant volume dazzles at every turn.

Moore’s dark humor and expert twists are on full display in these fictions. Fans of dark fantasy and dark humor will enjoy this collection from one of fantasy’s greats.

I was glued to the pages just like when I first read Moore’s Miracleman or Swamp Thing as a pasty adolescent. Moore is a chameleon, a mimic, and a magician, both literally and figuratively.

The stories found in his new collection Illuminations [has] a range of styles on display encompassing haunted memory pieces and formally inventive folk horror. The short novel “What We Can Know About Thunderman” finds Moore drawing on his background in comics and unearthing disquieting histories, eventually winding up at a jaw-dropping place.

[This] fiction showcases Moore’s patented virtues: spirituality blended with worldliness; transgressiveness mixed with honor for traditions and the classics; a maximalist approach to style and plot; and a prose that’s sometimes recondite but always assimilable, asking the reader to be a full partner.

Burn[s] with Moore’s soaring intelligence and riotous humanity . . . Illuminations, Moore’s first collection of short fiction, finds the writer working on a smaller scale but still swinging for the firmament . . . the book showcases all of Moore’s strengths as a fantasist . . . Moore has written both a dynamite story collection and a dynamite monster manual . . . Moore’s failures are few, his radiances many . . . Remarkable.

Some stuff is awesome

But others leaves me like a question mark. Like the big part of book regard comics. Different stories/same? Or the poem analytic . Maybe it is a funny satiric peace or is it complete madness ..

Others are great! I. Loved the big bang story. Also several othets. Kinda half/half..

The cartoon stuff (half the book) I dont understand at all, so I will return it 🙁

Meh

Meh. Sort of interesting, but never much more than that. Felt like I ought to finish it, but found myself bored and decided that I had better things to do and read.

Excellent Stories; Supremely Annoying Lack of Chapter Titles

It’s an excellent book of short stories with no chapter titles - Audible should fix this.

its good

brilliantly written and performed… this needs 11 more words, i hope this will suffice



..word

A good collection that makes you think.

Although I didn't fall in love with every entry, the majority of the stories lead you to think about them even after having finished. A couple times I found myself uninterested, but on the whole it was very entertaining. A large portion of the collection is a take down of the comics industry which was interesting. Fans of Moore's Watchmen may find themselves conflicted at the overall message but I found it to be a novel perspective.