Product Description

Two dazzling new novellas from the celebrated author of Fahrenheit 451. Two previously unpublished novellas comprise this astonishing new volume from one of science fiction's greatest living writers. In the first, 'Somewhere a Band is Playing', newsman James Cardiff is lured through poetry and his fascination with a beautiful and enigmatic young woman to Summerton, Arizona. The small town's childless population hold an extraordinary secret which has been passed on for thousands of years unbeknownst to the rest of human civilization. In the second novella, 'Leviathan '99', the classic tale of Herman Melville's 'Moby Dick' is reborn as an interstellar adventure. It recounts the exploits of the mad Captain Ahab, who, blinded by his first encounter with a gigantic comet called 'Leviathan', pursues his lunatic vendetta across the universe. Born in space and seeking adventure in the skies, astronaut Ishmael Jones joins the crew aboard the Cetus 7 and quickly finds his fate in the hands of an indefatigable captain. Published together for the first time in one volume, these two stories twinkle with Bradbury's characteristically intricate metaphors and lyrical phrases. Both are a lasting testament to an older generation of writers that, much like the Leviathan itself, are on the threshold of passing on into the realm of legend.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #48070 in Books
• Published on: 2008-08-04
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 224 pages

Review
'A meditation on writing, inspiration, ageing and change, all deep themes lightly handled, both elegiac and suspenseful... There are echoes in it not only of Melville, but of Shakespeare, Whitman and Poe ... The language sings.' The Times 'Brilliant' DeathRay Praise for Ray Bradbury: 'It is impossible not to admire the vigour of his prose, similes and metaphors constantly cascading from his imagination' Spectator 'Bradbury has a remarkable range of intensity and vision' Sunday Times 'Bradbury is an authentic original' Time Magazine 'No other writer uses language with greater originality and zest. he seems to be an American Dylan Thomas -- with discipline' Sunday Telegraph

About the Author
Ray Bradbury has published some 500 short stories, novels, plays and poems since his first story appeared in Weird Tales when he was twenty years old. Among his many famous works are The Illustrated Man and The Martian Chronicles.

Customer Reviews

off the beaten tracks
master writer of his own unique brand of fantastic fiction, ray bradbury returns with a new volume. this runs for roughly two hundred and twenty five pages, and contains two previously unpublished novellas. both run slightly over one hunred pages and both come with introductions from ray bradbury explaining the creation of each.

the first novella 'somewhere a band is playing' involves a journalist who gets the urge to travel across middle america and leave a train in the middle of nowhere. he finds a quite delightful town. and then finds it's surprising secret.

many of the usual ray bradbury staples crop up here, images of small towns that progress has passed by and the simple pleasures to be found in them. the big twist in the plot - the secret of the town - adds a strong extra layer to the proceedings.

told in very short chapters, the crux of the story is the effect that his discoveries have on the journalist. and this is all pretty convincing and good characterisatin. the prose is short and clipped but as ever with the writer manages to conjure up delightful imagery, and leads to an ending that will stay with you for a while.

the second story 'leviathan 99' is a science fiction version of the novel moby dick. the influences are readily apparent even if you don't read the introduction, not least because the main character is called ishmael. a spaceship is after a deadly comet that is going to come near earth, and the captain is so obsessed with destroying it he will stop at nothing to achieve his goal.

this adds a few nice science fictional touches to the idea, not least with one convincingly very alien character, and does manage some strong plot developments along the way, leading to another memorable ending. again the prose does manage to conjure up strong imagery.

a short volume. not a classic volume. but a very good volume, giving us a couple more works from a fine writer to cherish

Two diverse magical tales
This is a magical book. This is Bradbury writing at the top of his game! I read this book in one sitting as it captures your imagination from the start. An absolute must read for any Bradbury fan.