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

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, Malaisea's evil alchemist-in-chief. 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 Echo's 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 one-eyed Tuwituwu, and above all, Izanuela Anazazi, the last Uggly in Malaisea. Walter Moers' magnificent translation of Optimus Yarnspinner's novel introduces us to yet another of Zamonia's hotbeds of adventure: Malaisea, a place where sick is healthy, up is down, right is wrong, and Ghoolion the Alchemaster reigns supreme--until Echo crosses his path.

About the Author :
Walter Moers was born in 1957 and is a writer, cartoonist, painter, and sculptor. The world of Zamonia that he created is currently being adapted for the screen. He lives in Hamburg, Germany. Bronson Pinchot, an Audie Award-winning narrator and Audible's Narrator of the Year for 2010, received his education at Yale University, which filled out what he had already received at his mother's knee in the all-important areas of Shakespeare, Greek art and architecture, and the Italian Renaissance. He restores Greek Revival buildings and appears in television, film, and on stage whenever the pilasters and entablatures overwhelm him. John Brownjohn, originally a classicist who from the age of eight studied ancient Greek as well as Latin, won a major scholarship to Oxford, from which he graduated with honors. He transitioned to a career as a literary translator, earning critical acclaim and many British and American awards. In addition to translating nearly two hundred books, he has produced English versions of many German and French screenplays and cowritten several feature films with Roman Polanski.

Review :
"Cheerfully insane...Remains lively and inventive right through the final heroic battle between good and evil." -- "New York Times Book Review" "Cross The Lord of the Rings with Yellow Submarine, throw in dashes of Monty Python, Douglas Adams, Shrek, and The Princess Bride...That's the sort of alchemy in which this sprawling novel trades." -- "Kirkus Reviews" "Elegantly written...Secrets are revealed, old bodies unearthed and strange allies made in this entrancing tale of darkness, determined survival, and incredibly luxurious cuisine." -- "Publishers Weekly" "Fascinating...Moers has created an absolutely charming world populated by lovable characters, and the well-paced stories he tells about it are informed by fairy-tale morality." -- "Booklist" "Moers' creative mind is like J. K. Rowling's on ecstasy; his book reads like a collision between The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and the Brothers Grimm...What a delightful book." -- "Detroit News and Free Press" "Relentlessly whimsical." -- "Library Journal" In faraway Zamonia, the creepy Ghoolion lives in his creepy castle in Malaisea, where he creates culinary masterpieces. Echo, a crat (a kind of talking cat), makes a deal with Ghoolion, who agrees to feed him for a month and teach him all his secrets. In return, Echo will be killed and rendered into fat for Ghoolion's experiments. Bronson Pinchot gives a fantastical narration of this fantasy for children of all ages. Pinchot captures the essence of Echo, an intriguing little fellow. Pinchot's quick banter and zany presentation provide laugh-aloud moments and general fun. Winner of the AudioFile Earphones Award. -- "AudioFile "