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The Chronicles of Ludwich #1
Gogmagog
In a distant, tattered future an old woman, a young girl and mechanical man embark on a slow voyage in the shadow of the great dragon Haakenur up the vast estuary towards the city of Ludwich…
Past plants on the mud-flats that send up brief, man-shaped clouds of seeds to lure you out, past shanty towns full of old sailors and pilots scraping a living from the dregs of the passenger trade, between the wicker effigies in the Wodwo graveyards this is a journey at once familiar from folk tales and country customs and utterly strange and alien.
Cady, back on her boat and feeling every day of her 1,600 years; the tight-lipped but beautiful little girl and her rubber-stitched-faced, mechanical companion are an odd but warmly imagined and compelling cast to accompany the reader on a quest into a world of mysteries and terrors that leave the reader with an inkling that this world is perhaps more familiar than it first appears.
Can Cady find her youth again?
Past plants on the mud-flats that send up brief, man-shaped clouds of seeds to lure you out, past shanty towns full of old sailors and pilots scraping a living from the dregs of the passenger trade, between the wicker effigies in the Wodwo graveyards this is a journey at once familiar from folk tales and country customs and utterly strange and alien.
Cady, back on her boat and feeling every day of her 1,600 years; the tight-lipped but beautiful little girl and her rubber-stitched-faced, mechanical companion are an odd but warmly imagined and compelling cast to accompany the reader on a quest into a world of mysteries and terrors that leave the reader with an inkling that this world is perhaps more familiar than it first appears.
Can Cady find her youth again?
333 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 13, 2024
162 people are currently reading
4586 people want to read
About the author
Jeff Noon
57 books862 followersJeff Noon is a novelist, short story writer and playwright whose works make extensive use of wordplay and fantasy.
He studied fine art and drama at Manchester University and was subsequently appointed writer in residence at the city's Royal Exchange theatre. But Noon did not stay too long in the theatrical world, possibly because the realism associated with the theatre was not conducive to the fantastical worlds he was itching to invent. While working behind the counter at the local Waterstone's bookshop, a colleague suggested he write a novel. The result of that suggestion,
Vurt, was the hippest sci-fi novel to be published in Britain since the days of Michael Moorcock in the late sixties.
Like Moorcock, Noon is not preoccupied with technology per se, but incorporates technological developments into a world of magic and fantasy.
As a teenager, Noon was addicted to American comic heroes, and still turns to them for inspiration. He has said that music is more of an influence on his writing than novelists: he 'usually writes to music', and his record collection ranges from classical to drum'n'bass.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 278 reviews
November 17, 2023
Gogmagog by Jeff Noon and Steve Beard was described as a weird fantasy novel that would appeal to readers of Gormenghast by Mervyn Peake, which is one of my all-time favourite fantasy works. I also very much enjoy reading contemporary weird fiction by authors such as Jeff Vandermeer and China Mieville. As a result, this was a highly anticipated read. I am pleased to report it delivered on that promise.
The first thing which immediately piqued my interest while reading was the narrative voice - it was quirky, but not overtly so, and the contemporary nature of the writing built momentum and felt tonally apt.
The second thing which was incredibly fun to read was the myriad cast of characters. Here I do see the Gormenghast comparison with the bizarre, the peculiar traits and personalities making their appearance throughout the narrative in an organic way. The main character was especially interesting to follow.
I thoroughly enjoyed the novel, it was a wild ride from start to finish.
But what is Gogmagog (beyond the publisher synopsis)? I would say it is a journey and also a quest (in an unconventional sense) in a unique setting. The atmosphere, the world and the characters are the highlight of this novel, imbuing personality to Gogmagog and making it come alive. To say too much about the story would be to spoil the "magic" in my opinion. My recommendation would be to dive in and enjoy the ride (yes, pun intended).
The storytelling was great with a particular plot development near the end completely recontextualising the entirety of what I had read previously and leaving me eager for the second part of the duology.
If there were some things I would nitpick, one would be that the pacing at times seemed a bit too frenetic and I would have liked to see a bit more work around the theming (particularly using the river as a motif). However, as this is part one of a two part novel, it is possible that will come later.
Overall, I thought this was an extremely well-written, imaginative novel with a unique narrative voice and would recommend it to all readers looking for something new in speculative fiction and in particular, to readers of weird fiction.
Many thanks to Angry Robot Publishers and NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
The first thing which immediately piqued my interest while reading was the narrative voice - it was quirky, but not overtly so, and the contemporary nature of the writing built momentum and felt tonally apt.
The second thing which was incredibly fun to read was the myriad cast of characters. Here I do see the Gormenghast comparison with the bizarre, the peculiar traits and personalities making their appearance throughout the narrative in an organic way. The main character was especially interesting to follow.
I thoroughly enjoyed the novel, it was a wild ride from start to finish.
But what is Gogmagog (beyond the publisher synopsis)? I would say it is a journey and also a quest (in an unconventional sense) in a unique setting. The atmosphere, the world and the characters are the highlight of this novel, imbuing personality to Gogmagog and making it come alive. To say too much about the story would be to spoil the "magic" in my opinion. My recommendation would be to dive in and enjoy the ride (yes, pun intended).
The storytelling was great with a particular plot development near the end completely recontextualising the entirety of what I had read previously and leaving me eager for the second part of the duology.
If there were some things I would nitpick, one would be that the pacing at times seemed a bit too frenetic and I would have liked to see a bit more work around the theming (particularly using the river as a motif). However, as this is part one of a two part novel, it is possible that will come later.
Overall, I thought this was an extremely well-written, imaginative novel with a unique narrative voice and would recommend it to all readers looking for something new in speculative fiction and in particular, to readers of weird fiction.
Many thanks to Angry Robot Publishers and NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
May 28, 2024
I have enjoyed other books by Noon. His writing style and weird worlds appeal to me. However, I couldn’t get into this book, so I’m going to blame it on his coauthor. I liked Cady, the very old, very cranky protagonist. I did not like the way the book kept jumping between scenes, with no continuity and I hated the non-ending. I doubt that I will read book 2. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
April 20, 2024
When it comes to literary fantasy, my enjoyment depends entirely on which side it leans towards. When things get too literary I’m lost. Because I’m not that smart. Or rather, I am smart (or would like to believe so) but not in that way. I even have book smarts, but not the literary book smarts. As long as the literary fantasist honours the fantasy part, I’m usually good, but if the author has literary as the main goal, forget it.
Gogmagog treads that line gloriously. It’s clearly got deeper meanings or influences that escape me. I can go as far as “the struggle to assign meaning to a life” but that’s all I’ve got. But since it’s couched in an astoundingly fantastic world, with bizarre races of people and ghosts and dragon ghosts and shadows and crystals and all kinds of crazy stuff, I’m still totally along for the ride. Especially since it’s all grounded in character, with a memorable, endearing cast.
I liked the strength of each chapter as an individual unit. It’s almost episodic in nature, with each new chapter set demanding a reorientation due to minor jumps in time and place, but nothing that renders it asequential. There’s a single storyline, as we follow Cady, a.k.a. Arcadia Meade, a 79-year old retired riverboat captain, now spending her days drinking, cursing, spending her pension as fast as she gets it. I really don’t want to go on about plot in any way, because the journey should be your own. I will say that this is not a standalone story; the sequel is sorely required, but it’s still a satisfying book.
This books comes to us from Angry Robot, a UK independent publisher. They appear to put out excellent quality genre fiction. I took time to assess the book as physical object. What money they saved on printing with small margins and smallish overall size for a trade paperback, they exceeded with the astounding cover art, gold embossed title and logo, and all the love they put into the project. The authors, particularly Jeff Noon, has a fascinating back catalog that I have not encountered before and probably worth tracking down.
Gogmagog treads that line gloriously. It’s clearly got deeper meanings or influences that escape me. I can go as far as “the struggle to assign meaning to a life” but that’s all I’ve got. But since it’s couched in an astoundingly fantastic world, with bizarre races of people and ghosts and dragon ghosts and shadows and crystals and all kinds of crazy stuff, I’m still totally along for the ride. Especially since it’s all grounded in character, with a memorable, endearing cast.
I liked the strength of each chapter as an individual unit. It’s almost episodic in nature, with each new chapter set demanding a reorientation due to minor jumps in time and place, but nothing that renders it asequential. There’s a single storyline, as we follow Cady, a.k.a. Arcadia Meade, a 79-year old retired riverboat captain, now spending her days drinking, cursing, spending her pension as fast as she gets it. I really don’t want to go on about plot in any way, because the journey should be your own. I will say that this is not a standalone story; the sequel is sorely required, but it’s still a satisfying book.
This books comes to us from Angry Robot, a UK independent publisher. They appear to put out excellent quality genre fiction. I took time to assess the book as physical object. What money they saved on printing with small margins and smallish overall size for a trade paperback, they exceeded with the astounding cover art, gold embossed title and logo, and all the love they put into the project. The authors, particularly Jeff Noon, has a fascinating back catalog that I have not encountered before and probably worth tracking down.
February 14, 2024
4/5 stars
This was a weird one, but in the best way possible. Fans of Jeff VanderMeer, Terry Pratchett or Neil Gaiman, place your pre-orders now, because you don’t want to miss this wild ride!
Long review incoming, because I really found a lot to love here.
The Story:
Cady Mead, an elderly woman with an enigmatic past as a river-taxi captain, now lives her retirement days out drunk, holed up in a rundown seaside resort and trading her bawdy tales for shots of rum. All that’s about to change, when two strangers seek her out, asking for transport across the dangerous river Nysis to the city of Ludwig. Intrigued by their story and request, Cady accepts perhaps the most treacherous quest of her career: ferrying a ragtag group of misfits across a murky river possessed by the ghost of a long deceased dragon…
What follows is a journey that is equal parts fantastical and unmooringly strange.
What I loved:
Both Jeff Noon and Steve Beard have made a name for themselves within the field of “New Weird Fiction” and the two of them use their individual strength with great synergy in this collaboration. As you might have been able to guess from the synopsis, Gogmagog’s worldbuilding takes center-stage in its success, and I had a blast exploring it alongside our crew of equally unique characters. The strange ecosystems of a polluted ghost-river, the grimy steampunk-esque cities on its banks and the gritty folks with their own quirks and histories inhabit its ports, all add to the vividness of the world of Ludwig. And by “vivid”, I don’t mean “bright”; the world of Gogmagog is everything but… Noon and Beard paint a landscape rich enough to smell, but the smell is one of rot and decay, and the bodies of inhabitants that have survival on their mind rather than cosmetics… (I’m looking at you here Cady…) I wouldn’t want to visit Ludwig or the river Nysis, but thanks to the skill of these authors, I nonetheless felt like I was right there on the muddy shores.
Similarly unique and vivid are Gogmagog’s characters; a cast of mismatched weirdo’s out of a Becky-Chambers-fever-dream. There’s a robotic body-guard, a resurrected soul, and a young girl with a strange connection to ghost and shadows, including that of the river itself. Last but not least, we have Cady herself, whom Haegra-heritage makes her only partially human herself.
Although it took me a while to get a feeling for their characters, besides their obvious quirks, I found myself invested in their (back-)stories soon enough, and came to care for at least some of them more than I anticipated. Much to the credit of their well-written wit, that might admittedly be hit or miss for some readers…
As befitting of the genre of New Weird: there’s plenty more to explore beneath the surface than first meets the eye. I will let you embark on that treasure-hunt for yourself, but let me say that I appreciated some of the references, motifs and themes explored in here a lot.
What I didn’t love:
The story-structure follows a take on the (unlikely-) hero’s journey up the river, exploring the worlds backstory as we move along. Noon and Beard don’t take the reader by the hand, so don’t be surprised if you feel slightly lost before you gain a footing in the story. Although I was happy to go along with the ride, and felt like it really paid off to do so, I can see how this will bother some readers.
My only major issue with Gogmagog’s plot was its pacing, which felt distinctly unbalanced. Don’t get me wrong: a lot of action happens. Too much in fact to realistically take place in a single day. The same can be said for the character-interactions, their growth and relations. Had the authors not made the timeline so clear (1 single day!), I would’ve guessed the journey took about 2-4 weeks at least… That at least would’ve felt more realistic.
For being só action-packed, there’s a bit of a lull in the middle, where one too many port is called and events begin to feel repetitive. Luckily that was only brief and easily forgivable.
On a final personal note: be aware that there’s plenty of (what I’d call) “potty-humor” in the book. Comedy derived from bodily-grossness and Cady being completely disgusting and uncivilized for the sake of it. If, similar to me, that brand of humor generally doesn’t seem to work for you; approach with caution.
Many thanks to Angry Robot and Dreamscape Media for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I highly recommend the wonderfully narrated and produced audio-version; Matthew Lloyd Davies brings the characters to life in a way that text alone couldn't have conveyed.
This was a weird one, but in the best way possible. Fans of Jeff VanderMeer, Terry Pratchett or Neil Gaiman, place your pre-orders now, because you don’t want to miss this wild ride!
Long review incoming, because I really found a lot to love here.
The Story:
Cady Mead, an elderly woman with an enigmatic past as a river-taxi captain, now lives her retirement days out drunk, holed up in a rundown seaside resort and trading her bawdy tales for shots of rum. All that’s about to change, when two strangers seek her out, asking for transport across the dangerous river Nysis to the city of Ludwig. Intrigued by their story and request, Cady accepts perhaps the most treacherous quest of her career: ferrying a ragtag group of misfits across a murky river possessed by the ghost of a long deceased dragon…
What follows is a journey that is equal parts fantastical and unmooringly strange.
What I loved:
Both Jeff Noon and Steve Beard have made a name for themselves within the field of “New Weird Fiction” and the two of them use their individual strength with great synergy in this collaboration. As you might have been able to guess from the synopsis, Gogmagog’s worldbuilding takes center-stage in its success, and I had a blast exploring it alongside our crew of equally unique characters. The strange ecosystems of a polluted ghost-river, the grimy steampunk-esque cities on its banks and the gritty folks with their own quirks and histories inhabit its ports, all add to the vividness of the world of Ludwig. And by “vivid”, I don’t mean “bright”; the world of Gogmagog is everything but… Noon and Beard paint a landscape rich enough to smell, but the smell is one of rot and decay, and the bodies of inhabitants that have survival on their mind rather than cosmetics… (I’m looking at you here Cady…) I wouldn’t want to visit Ludwig or the river Nysis, but thanks to the skill of these authors, I nonetheless felt like I was right there on the muddy shores.
Similarly unique and vivid are Gogmagog’s characters; a cast of mismatched weirdo’s out of a Becky-Chambers-fever-dream. There’s a robotic body-guard, a resurrected soul, and a young girl with a strange connection to ghost and shadows, including that of the river itself. Last but not least, we have Cady herself, whom Haegra-heritage makes her only partially human herself.
Although it took me a while to get a feeling for their characters, besides their obvious quirks, I found myself invested in their (back-)stories soon enough, and came to care for at least some of them more than I anticipated. Much to the credit of their well-written wit, that might admittedly be hit or miss for some readers…
As befitting of the genre of New Weird: there’s plenty more to explore beneath the surface than first meets the eye. I will let you embark on that treasure-hunt for yourself, but let me say that I appreciated some of the references, motifs and themes explored in here a lot.
What I didn’t love:
The story-structure follows a take on the (unlikely-) hero’s journey up the river, exploring the worlds backstory as we move along. Noon and Beard don’t take the reader by the hand, so don’t be surprised if you feel slightly lost before you gain a footing in the story. Although I was happy to go along with the ride, and felt like it really paid off to do so, I can see how this will bother some readers.
My only major issue with Gogmagog’s plot was its pacing, which felt distinctly unbalanced. Don’t get me wrong: a lot of action happens. Too much in fact to realistically take place in a single day. The same can be said for the character-interactions, their growth and relations. Had the authors not made the timeline so clear (1 single day!), I would’ve guessed the journey took about 2-4 weeks at least… That at least would’ve felt more realistic.
For being só action-packed, there’s a bit of a lull in the middle, where one too many port is called and events begin to feel repetitive. Luckily that was only brief and easily forgivable.
On a final personal note: be aware that there’s plenty of (what I’d call) “potty-humor” in the book. Comedy derived from bodily-grossness and Cady being completely disgusting and uncivilized for the sake of it. If, similar to me, that brand of humor generally doesn’t seem to work for you; approach with caution.
Many thanks to Angry Robot and Dreamscape Media for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I highly recommend the wonderfully narrated and produced audio-version; Matthew Lloyd Davies brings the characters to life in a way that text alone couldn't have conveyed.
June 12, 2024
"Gogmagog" is the type of urban fantasy that I love: gritty, weird and full of colorful and unique characters! Some of the influences are fairly obvious, but it’s a safe bet to say that if you like Mervyn Peake and China Mieville’s New Crobuzon novels, this might be your cup of muddy tea. Did I mention there is a haunted river? And that it’s haunted by the ghost of a freaking dragon?!
Cady is captain of a ship that used to ferry people up and down the river leading to the city of Ludwich, but things have changed and now she mostly drinks. And she would have just kept doing that if not for a young girl and her automaton companion who need to get to the city for an important ceremony, and hire her to steer them safely to port. She is reluctant at first, but soon finds herself on a wonderous and dangerous journey, visiting the treacherous lands that border the great river and unravelling the mystery of the cataclysm that turned this once peaceful river into perilous waters.
The action in this book is fast paced, as it should be, since it technically takes place over a single day’s journey. But what an eventful and emotional day that it! The world contained in those pages is rich with wild ideas, unique and strange species and an often unsettling atmosphere. It’s a pleasure to explore this imaginary world, but I also don’t want to give anything away: it really has to be experienced first-hand.
The book lost a star on the simple basis that I wanted more. More world-building, more zany stops along the way to Ludwich, more strange characters! The book ends on a bit of a cliff-hanger, and I can’t wait to read the second book (due for publication in December!) because it might make me reconsider my rating, depending on how the story continues. I can’t wait to catch up with Cady and see how things go for her and her crew!
Cady is captain of a ship that used to ferry people up and down the river leading to the city of Ludwich, but things have changed and now she mostly drinks. And she would have just kept doing that if not for a young girl and her automaton companion who need to get to the city for an important ceremony, and hire her to steer them safely to port. She is reluctant at first, but soon finds herself on a wonderous and dangerous journey, visiting the treacherous lands that border the great river and unravelling the mystery of the cataclysm that turned this once peaceful river into perilous waters.
The action in this book is fast paced, as it should be, since it technically takes place over a single day’s journey. But what an eventful and emotional day that it! The world contained in those pages is rich with wild ideas, unique and strange species and an often unsettling atmosphere. It’s a pleasure to explore this imaginary world, but I also don’t want to give anything away: it really has to be experienced first-hand.
The book lost a star on the simple basis that I wanted more. More world-building, more zany stops along the way to Ludwich, more strange characters! The book ends on a bit of a cliff-hanger, and I can’t wait to read the second book (due for publication in December!) because it might make me reconsider my rating, depending on how the story continues. I can’t wait to catch up with Cady and see how things go for her and her crew!
July 1, 2024
4.5 Stars Rounded to 5
An intoxicating world, refreshing main character, a devastating circumstance, plenty of intrigue, and just when you think all is well, you’re proven wrong.
A fantastic read for those looking for something different as we follow an elderly main character on an adventure of great importance to the gods and world.
Full review coming
An intoxicating world, refreshing main character, a devastating circumstance, plenty of intrigue, and just when you think all is well, you’re proven wrong.
A fantastic read for those looking for something different as we follow an elderly main character on an adventure of great importance to the gods and world.
Full review coming
April 24, 2025
3.75/5
This is probably one of the weirdest stories I've read.
I liked the main character right away, a bitter old woman on a last adventure. Although she's not an old woman, right? She's a spirit of the forest and her rebirth ritual fails, making this one her last life.
I must admit, while the story is engaging and things keep coming for them on every turn, I feel like too much happens in such a short span. Cause what do you mean the book ends less than 48 hours after it starts and they fight a dragon's ghost, escape people made of fire, a bar brawl and so much more? I feel like every ten minutes in this boat they find something and it doesn't make much sense.
Also, the characters talk constantly about events, wars and history we know nothing about, and the characters mention it like the readers know what happened, which makes it confusing when we don't get an explanation.
I think going with low expectations and not intending to fully understand the story is the way to enjoy this.
This is probably one of the weirdest stories I've read.
I liked the main character right away, a bitter old woman on a last adventure. Although she's not an old woman, right? She's a spirit of the forest and her rebirth ritual fails, making this one her last life.
I must admit, while the story is engaging and things keep coming for them on every turn, I feel like too much happens in such a short span. Cause what do you mean the book ends less than 48 hours after it starts and they fight a dragon's ghost, escape people made of fire, a bar brawl and so much more? I feel like every ten minutes in this boat they find something and it doesn't make much sense.
Also, the characters talk constantly about events, wars and history we know nothing about, and the characters mention it like the readers know what happened, which makes it confusing when we don't get an explanation.
I think going with low expectations and not intending to fully understand the story is the way to enjoy this.
February 19, 2024
Review originally on
JamReads
Gogmagog is the first book in the Chronicles of Ludwig duology, an epic fantasy novel written by Jeff Noon and Steve Bear, two authors with a long career that could be defined by their weird fiction, and published by Angry Robot. And it doesn't disappoint, creating a new weird book with a really interesting narrative voice, a world that deserves a bigger exploration and a set of characters defined by their uniqueness.
And all of our journey starts with the main character, Cady Mead, an elderly woman whose past is an enigma by itself, outside of her occupation as river-taxi captain, who lives her retirement days drunk and trading her old stories for one more shot. But it changes when two strangers find her, requesting transport across the mysterious Nysis to the city of Ludwig; she refuses at first, but intrigued by their story, Cady accepts to embark into a really complicated quest: taking this group of misfits across a river that is possessed by the ghost of a dead dragon.
With this premise, Beard and Noon weave a plot that has some reminiscences of the hero's journey structure, but which shines for the quirkiness and authenticity of the characters, a group of weird characters who are kinda unique, each one in their own ways, while travelling towards a world that is alive, but also rotting; a world who encloses many mysteries, some of them rather scary or unpleasant, and whose story is slowly told while the miles pass. It is worth to notice that you can appreciate some parallels with the Thames, but soon are left out to concentrate in the weirdness, making of this a unique experience in the style of Mieville.
I think this book might be divisive due to some of the creative choices the authors have taken; plot is not really a hard structure, but more of a vibe that is used as the conductive thread, the guide that marks the next steps of our band of characters. Pacing can be sometimes irregular, but it is mostly a consequence of the structure used.
Gogmagog is a book that absorbs you into its world, with an uniqueness and amount of detail that invites to lose yourself in it; I can't wait to see what Beard and Noon have under the sleeve for Ludlula, which will be released in November. If you like your fantasy weird, do yourself a favour, and read Gogmagog.
Gogmagog is the first book in the Chronicles of Ludwig duology, an epic fantasy novel written by Jeff Noon and Steve Bear, two authors with a long career that could be defined by their weird fiction, and published by Angry Robot. And it doesn't disappoint, creating a new weird book with a really interesting narrative voice, a world that deserves a bigger exploration and a set of characters defined by their uniqueness.
And all of our journey starts with the main character, Cady Mead, an elderly woman whose past is an enigma by itself, outside of her occupation as river-taxi captain, who lives her retirement days drunk and trading her old stories for one more shot. But it changes when two strangers find her, requesting transport across the mysterious Nysis to the city of Ludwig; she refuses at first, but intrigued by their story, Cady accepts to embark into a really complicated quest: taking this group of misfits across a river that is possessed by the ghost of a dead dragon.
With this premise, Beard and Noon weave a plot that has some reminiscences of the hero's journey structure, but which shines for the quirkiness and authenticity of the characters, a group of weird characters who are kinda unique, each one in their own ways, while travelling towards a world that is alive, but also rotting; a world who encloses many mysteries, some of them rather scary or unpleasant, and whose story is slowly told while the miles pass. It is worth to notice that you can appreciate some parallels with the Thames, but soon are left out to concentrate in the weirdness, making of this a unique experience in the style of Mieville.
I think this book might be divisive due to some of the creative choices the authors have taken; plot is not really a hard structure, but more of a vibe that is used as the conductive thread, the guide that marks the next steps of our band of characters. Pacing can be sometimes irregular, but it is mostly a consequence of the structure used.
Gogmagog is a book that absorbs you into its world, with an uniqueness and amount of detail that invites to lose yourself in it; I can't wait to see what Beard and Noon have under the sleeve for Ludlula, which will be released in November. If you like your fantasy weird, do yourself a favour, and read Gogmagog.
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May 11, 2025I mean, WHAT even WAS this?! I mean, I was not expecting ANY of it! I mean . . . WHAT.
GIVE UNTO ME THE SECOND BOOK.
*I am not rating books read for the World Fantasy Award.*
GIVE UNTO ME THE SECOND BOOK.
*I am not rating books read for the World Fantasy Award.*
November 9, 2023
Publishing Date: 2024
Genre: Fantasy
Review: Wow. This was some crazy shjt. While the world building was epic, the writing was very “angular”. The scene hopping, without continuity, was strangely refreshing. One minute your on a boat and the next, in a fight with a robotic man with no idea how you got there. Moving from one reality to another in the blink of an eye was a bit confusing but you grow in acceptance of magic suddenly unfolding.
These authors bark up my preference tree in a big way with eccentric writing and jaundiced characters.
Rating: 4.9/5
Genre: Fantasy
Review: Wow. This was some crazy shjt. While the world building was epic, the writing was very “angular”. The scene hopping, without continuity, was strangely refreshing. One minute your on a boat and the next, in a fight with a robotic man with no idea how you got there. Moving from one reality to another in the blink of an eye was a bit confusing but you grow in acceptance of magic suddenly unfolding.
These authors bark up my preference tree in a big way with eccentric writing and jaundiced characters.
Rating: 4.9/5
May 14, 2024
New Weird Fun! The many and varied strange character types and settings remind me of Perdido St. Station, though the tone is less dark. Essentially a fantasy "quest" story led by a foul-mouthed old woman up a river haunted by the putrefying ghost of a dead dragon. This was the most fun book I've read all year. I'm not sure why I haven't been reading Jeff Noon all along.
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August 6, 2024The last time I read a novel by Jeff Noon, I was living at home, attending University (an MA in Philosophy, thanks) and a good nine years away from meeting my wife. It was so long ago that an Ericsson flip phone and a Pentium PC were the height of cool. As much as I loved Noon’s Vurt-verse, his early 21st Century novels didn’t appeal – they came off as literary rather than speculative, and in those ancient days, young Ian viewed literary fiction as deeply dull. How times have changed.
So, picking up Gogmagog by Jeff Noon and his co-author Steve Beard (the first novel in the Ludwich Chronicles) was nostalgic, even thrilling. Thankfully, Jeff Noon—older and possibly wiser—didn’t let me down. This isn’t a Vurt novel, but in many ways, it’s as innovative.
Gogmagog, on the surface, is the sort of epic quest fantasy we’ve all read before. A cranky ex-sailor, Cady Meade, now in her late 70s, reluctantly decides to take a robotic butler and his ward – a 10-year-old girl about to sprout antennas – on a treacherous trip to Ludwich, where they will traverse the ghostly corpse of a dead dragon. Along the way, they will confront phantasms, sea monsters, demons, aristocrats, and resurrected souls encased in clay.
On the level of pure plot and storytelling, this is a blast to read. Shit happens at regular intervals; set-pieces are dramatic, exciting and dangerous. Cady Meade is what you get if you mix Jackson Lamb (a heavy drinker, foul-mouthed and poor hygiene) with someone who gives a shit. She’s wonderful. But so are all the characters. Like Cady, none of them are as they seem.
The world-building is delightfully chaotic, not in a slapdash, nonsensical way, but in a fascinating, crunchy, and clearly deliberate manner. As the title suggests, Cady’s reality draws from Medieval literature, but there are also splashes of Jewish and Arabic mythology. It goes beyond influences, though. The Kethran Isles has the hallmarks of a secondary world… but one where Doctor John Dee pops up and plays a pivotal role in the development of the society. In other words, it’s never clear whether this is a secondary world, an altered version of our world, or both. There’s a wrinkle late in the novel – an origin story for the Kindred, the tribes that comprise the Kethran Isles - that, rather than resolve things, only complicates matters. It’s the sort of world-building that subverts the typical Tolkien-inflected approach in the mould of M. John Harrison, China Meiville or, more recently, Alex Pheby.
It might have taken close to three decades, but I’ve fallen back in love with the work of Jeff Noon.
So, picking up Gogmagog by Jeff Noon and his co-author Steve Beard (the first novel in the Ludwich Chronicles) was nostalgic, even thrilling. Thankfully, Jeff Noon—older and possibly wiser—didn’t let me down. This isn’t a Vurt novel, but in many ways, it’s as innovative.
Gogmagog, on the surface, is the sort of epic quest fantasy we’ve all read before. A cranky ex-sailor, Cady Meade, now in her late 70s, reluctantly decides to take a robotic butler and his ward – a 10-year-old girl about to sprout antennas – on a treacherous trip to Ludwich, where they will traverse the ghostly corpse of a dead dragon. Along the way, they will confront phantasms, sea monsters, demons, aristocrats, and resurrected souls encased in clay.
On the level of pure plot and storytelling, this is a blast to read. Shit happens at regular intervals; set-pieces are dramatic, exciting and dangerous. Cady Meade is what you get if you mix Jackson Lamb (a heavy drinker, foul-mouthed and poor hygiene) with someone who gives a shit. She’s wonderful. But so are all the characters. Like Cady, none of them are as they seem.
The world-building is delightfully chaotic, not in a slapdash, nonsensical way, but in a fascinating, crunchy, and clearly deliberate manner. As the title suggests, Cady’s reality draws from Medieval literature, but there are also splashes of Jewish and Arabic mythology. It goes beyond influences, though. The Kethran Isles has the hallmarks of a secondary world… but one where Doctor John Dee pops up and plays a pivotal role in the development of the society. In other words, it’s never clear whether this is a secondary world, an altered version of our world, or both. There’s a wrinkle late in the novel – an origin story for the Kindred, the tribes that comprise the Kethran Isles - that, rather than resolve things, only complicates matters. It’s the sort of world-building that subverts the typical Tolkien-inflected approach in the mould of M. John Harrison, China Meiville or, more recently, Alex Pheby.
It might have taken close to three decades, but I’ve fallen back in love with the work of Jeff Noon.
February 5, 2024
I received this ARC from Angry Robot in exchange for a fair review.
A unique and strange quest novel, Gogamog also features the most crotchety old lady character I’ve ever read!
One of my favourite things about this book is that it’s a quest narrative by boat! Every stop along the way, they run into something new and weird, and you’re never sure what they’re going to find next. This is by far one of my favourite structures.
If I had to give a comparison, the world-building feels like a mix between Jeff VanderMeer’s Ambergris and Howl’s Moving Castle. We have a similar blend of magic with a touch of sci-fi, as the world has some modern components to it, but there’s also a whole slew of fantasy. In fact, the reason the river is so dangerous to travel by is because it’s been possessed, essentially, by the ghost of a dead massive dragon. There’s also a smattering of demon possession, androids, and fae characters. I was absolutely entranced by the world-building, though if you’re not used to a fantasy where you’re dropped right in without any exposition as to the world, you might want to prepare for that. I love it when things make sense at the end instead of being info-dumped at the start, so this really worked for me.
I enjoyed the characters, especially Cady. She’s so gross - she’s always spitting and hoarking and talking about bodily fluids - mainly because she’s like super old and doesn’t care anymore (goals, amirite?). She’s also extremely capable, despite her cantankerous nature, and honestly, without her, the story wouldn’t be as compelling. The journey also coincides with an important part of her life, of which I won’t spoil for you.
The other characters were likable, especially my boi Lek, the android. He and Cady’s antagonism and how protective he was of Brin made him sympathetic. Brin herself was super cute, and the way she acted suited her age. This is also one of those stories where they pick up more crewmates along the way, and the new additions were likable too.
The way the story was told was also compelling, as it’s a third person limited to Cady, and the descriptions and dialogue were snappy. This also ties into the worldbuilding, as it’s a great blend of contemporary and fantasy language.
While I was very into the novel the entire time, at times, I did feel it was a bit rushed. A few more scenes of downtime could have been woven in. This was likely because one thing I wasn’t super convinced of was the impetus for the journey's swiftness. Even by the end, it wasn’t entirely clear why they had get to where they were going so quickly? Most of the plotlines also weren’t tied up, but given it’s a duology (not a standalone with a sequel), I can forgive that.
Overall, if you enjoy “weird” fiction, you should totally check this one out! I had a marvellous time sailing down the possessed river of a dead dragon!
A unique and strange quest novel, Gogamog also features the most crotchety old lady character I’ve ever read!
One of my favourite things about this book is that it’s a quest narrative by boat! Every stop along the way, they run into something new and weird, and you’re never sure what they’re going to find next. This is by far one of my favourite structures.
If I had to give a comparison, the world-building feels like a mix between Jeff VanderMeer’s Ambergris and Howl’s Moving Castle. We have a similar blend of magic with a touch of sci-fi, as the world has some modern components to it, but there’s also a whole slew of fantasy. In fact, the reason the river is so dangerous to travel by is because it’s been possessed, essentially, by the ghost of a dead massive dragon. There’s also a smattering of demon possession, androids, and fae characters. I was absolutely entranced by the world-building, though if you’re not used to a fantasy where you’re dropped right in without any exposition as to the world, you might want to prepare for that. I love it when things make sense at the end instead of being info-dumped at the start, so this really worked for me.
I enjoyed the characters, especially Cady. She’s so gross - she’s always spitting and hoarking and talking about bodily fluids - mainly because she’s like super old and doesn’t care anymore (goals, amirite?). She’s also extremely capable, despite her cantankerous nature, and honestly, without her, the story wouldn’t be as compelling. The journey also coincides with an important part of her life, of which I won’t spoil for you.
The other characters were likable, especially my boi Lek, the android. He and Cady’s antagonism and how protective he was of Brin made him sympathetic. Brin herself was super cute, and the way she acted suited her age. This is also one of those stories where they pick up more crewmates along the way, and the new additions were likable too.
The way the story was told was also compelling, as it’s a third person limited to Cady, and the descriptions and dialogue were snappy. This also ties into the worldbuilding, as it’s a great blend of contemporary and fantasy language.
While I was very into the novel the entire time, at times, I did feel it was a bit rushed. A few more scenes of downtime could have been woven in. This was likely because one thing I wasn’t super convinced of was the impetus for the journey's swiftness. Even by the end, it wasn’t entirely clear why they had get to where they were going so quickly? Most of the plotlines also weren’t tied up, but given it’s a duology (not a standalone with a sequel), I can forgive that.
Overall, if you enjoy “weird” fiction, you should totally check this one out! I had a marvellous time sailing down the possessed river of a dead dragon!
April 4, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley and to the Editor. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book is strange. And this is the biggest thing you need to know before getting into it. Everything in there is strange, starting from the world, progressing to the story, and ending with the characters. Every single aspect of it is strange. So be prepared.
Strange is not a problem for me, but it is a hard thing to classify, so there is some kind of strange that works amazingly well for me, and there is some kind of strange that doesn't cut it with me. Sadly this book was of the second kind of strange.
Mind me, this book is highly imaginative and fascinating, and there are a lot of things that I appreciated, but the strangeness of it revolves mainly around its dreamlike qualities, the whole book seems almost like a dream, and this is just not my cup of tea.
Up until the end of the book, I thought that all things considered, the book wasn't bad, just not for me, and I was thinking that my rating of it would have been 3 stars because the book has a lot of interesting things, and if you don't have problems with dreamlike setting and narration, you would probably appreciate the book more than me. Also, it's not the book's fault if I don't really enjoy the vibes and the atmosphere. So, I couldn't fault it for my personal tastes but... but there are a couple of things that made my rating go down.
The first thing is that, from time to time, we get some cinematographic cuts. I don't know how to call them. But you finish a chapter. And the scene in the next one is completely different. It's not that we are seeing some other POV or something like that. No, it's just that between the point in which the scene in the previous chapter ended, and the scene in which the new chapter started things happened and you don't know what they were. How did they arrive there? Why are they fighting? What the heck happened? It's not said. It was confusing. And abrupt. You were thrown in the middle of something, and you had no idea how you got there. Confusing as hell. And I was so taken aback by that!
And that was not the worst of it. The worst part of it is that this book does not end. And I am not talking about a cliffhanger (and I hate them, mind me. I hate them with a passion), but simply there is no end at all. There is some sort of conclusion for one of the characters, or better, we get to see that he wants something different from himself, he wants to find his way in the world, and he is on the verge of acting on that, but that has nothing to do with the main plot, and it is not really an end for him, it's just a hint to a conclusion so... this is just maddening. A book has to end, everything else is not acceptable in my book (pun not intended, but quite apt!). And this does not. That's the main reason for my 2-star rating.
This book is strange. And this is the biggest thing you need to know before getting into it. Everything in there is strange, starting from the world, progressing to the story, and ending with the characters. Every single aspect of it is strange. So be prepared.
Strange is not a problem for me, but it is a hard thing to classify, so there is some kind of strange that works amazingly well for me, and there is some kind of strange that doesn't cut it with me. Sadly this book was of the second kind of strange.
Mind me, this book is highly imaginative and fascinating, and there are a lot of things that I appreciated, but the strangeness of it revolves mainly around its dreamlike qualities, the whole book seems almost like a dream, and this is just not my cup of tea.
Up until the end of the book, I thought that all things considered, the book wasn't bad, just not for me, and I was thinking that my rating of it would have been 3 stars because the book has a lot of interesting things, and if you don't have problems with dreamlike setting and narration, you would probably appreciate the book more than me. Also, it's not the book's fault if I don't really enjoy the vibes and the atmosphere. So, I couldn't fault it for my personal tastes but... but there are a couple of things that made my rating go down.
The first thing is that, from time to time, we get some cinematographic cuts. I don't know how to call them. But you finish a chapter. And the scene in the next one is completely different. It's not that we are seeing some other POV or something like that. No, it's just that between the point in which the scene in the previous chapter ended, and the scene in which the new chapter started things happened and you don't know what they were. How did they arrive there? Why are they fighting? What the heck happened? It's not said. It was confusing. And abrupt. You were thrown in the middle of something, and you had no idea how you got there. Confusing as hell. And I was so taken aback by that!
And that was not the worst of it. The worst part of it is that this book does not end. And I am not talking about a cliffhanger (and I hate them, mind me. I hate them with a passion), but simply there is no end at all. There is some sort of conclusion for one of the characters, or better, we get to see that he wants something different from himself, he wants to find his way in the world, and he is on the verge of acting on that, but that has nothing to do with the main plot, and it is not really an end for him, it's just a hint to a conclusion so... this is just maddening. A book has to end, everything else is not acceptable in my book (pun not intended, but quite apt!). And this does not. That's the main reason for my 2-star rating.
February 12, 2024
If you are seeking a wild and wierd fantasy journey then look no further!
Gogmagog by Jeff Noon and Steve Beard is one of the most imaginative and eccentric books that I have read in a long time. There is an intentionally disorientating and fever dream like quality to the writing which lends perfectly to the type of story being told. I can see some similarities to Gene Wolfe's Book of the New Sun in that bizarre events and encounters frequently occur but are not explicitly or immediately explained and require the reader to go with the flow and piece things together along the way. There is also a sense that this could well be our own Earth but in a far distant future giving the question whether this might actually be a science fiction story rather than just a fantasy.
I really enjoyed having an older (really old) protagonist in Cady, this is something that we don't see enough of in the genre and I loved the no nonsense and crotchety attitude and dialogue that came with this point of view. There was also a fantastic ensemble of supporting characters who were all very distinct and unique. Sometimes events jumped about quite abruptly and you needed to figure out if events were actually happening, or if they were a dream or a vision of some kind. This might not be to everyone's taste but again I believe this to be an entirely deliberate approach on behalf of the authors.
I won't talk about any spoilers as there are plenty of twists and surprises along the way, I recommend jumping right into this with little prior knowledge. Gogmagog is the first part in a duology and this is something we also do not see enough of in publishing these days so this would be perfect for fantasy fans who are tired of long series or stories padded out just to become a trilogy.
Many thanks to Angry Robot Publishers and NetGalley for providing an eArc in exchange for an honest review. Gogmagog: The First Chronicle of Ludwich is due to be published 13th February 2024.
Gogmagog by Jeff Noon and Steve Beard is one of the most imaginative and eccentric books that I have read in a long time. There is an intentionally disorientating and fever dream like quality to the writing which lends perfectly to the type of story being told. I can see some similarities to Gene Wolfe's Book of the New Sun in that bizarre events and encounters frequently occur but are not explicitly or immediately explained and require the reader to go with the flow and piece things together along the way. There is also a sense that this could well be our own Earth but in a far distant future giving the question whether this might actually be a science fiction story rather than just a fantasy.
I really enjoyed having an older (really old) protagonist in Cady, this is something that we don't see enough of in the genre and I loved the no nonsense and crotchety attitude and dialogue that came with this point of view. There was also a fantastic ensemble of supporting characters who were all very distinct and unique. Sometimes events jumped about quite abruptly and you needed to figure out if events were actually happening, or if they were a dream or a vision of some kind. This might not be to everyone's taste but again I believe this to be an entirely deliberate approach on behalf of the authors.
I won't talk about any spoilers as there are plenty of twists and surprises along the way, I recommend jumping right into this with little prior knowledge. Gogmagog is the first part in a duology and this is something we also do not see enough of in publishing these days so this would be perfect for fantasy fans who are tired of long series or stories padded out just to become a trilogy.
Many thanks to Angry Robot Publishers and NetGalley for providing an eArc in exchange for an honest review. Gogmagog: The First Chronicle of Ludwich is due to be published 13th February 2024.
February 6, 2024
Cady is a retired riverboat captain and she takes the word plant lady to a whole other level. I loved her from the start because she is a very straightforward and unique plerson ;) who is beyond fascinating (same goes for this whole book), wise, courageous and has a rough exterior but a big beautiful heart.
One day there are signs, ones I can only compare to surrealism, my favorite art form. That part and many others that followed, had me reading open mouthed. Those signs and the appearance of a robot and an equally fascinating girl, are the start of a journey I wished would never end. Partially because I fell in love with the characters and this world (I need more!) but also because I just love the found family trope, done really really well here.
One of my favorite movies is Spirited Away by Studio Ghibli and that’s the only piece of entertainment I can compare this with. This book is so well written, atmospheric, mysterious, different and out of the box and so engaging. It’s one I am going to reread often and it’s without a doubt a new favorite of mine!
Thank you NetGalley and Angry Robot for providing me with this arc, in exchange for my honest review.
One day there are signs, ones I can only compare to surrealism, my favorite art form. That part and many others that followed, had me reading open mouthed. Those signs and the appearance of a robot and an equally fascinating girl, are the start of a journey I wished would never end. Partially because I fell in love with the characters and this world (I need more!) but also because I just love the found family trope, done really really well here.
One of my favorite movies is Spirited Away by Studio Ghibli and that’s the only piece of entertainment I can compare this with. This book is so well written, atmospheric, mysterious, different and out of the box and so engaging. It’s one I am going to reread often and it’s without a doubt a new favorite of mine!
Thank you NetGalley and Angry Robot for providing me with this arc, in exchange for my honest review.
February 4, 2025
lowkey kind of ate?? like maybe my bar for 2024 fantasy publications is just actually underground but this was shockingly fun
March 20, 2024
Authors Jeff Noon and Steve Beard have created a world rich in detail, a quirky, cranky protagonist with a mysterious past, and other compelling characters, and set them off together on a journey in an alternate London.
Arcadia “Cady” Meade has been a captain of her own boat for years, ferrying people to various towns and cities up and down the Nysis River through the ghost body of a dragon. She has one crew member, Yanish, whom she more or less adopted years earlier after his father died in the war between Ludwitch and another land.
Cady is seventy-eight years old, quick to anger and can see ghosts. She also has been waiting for something, and receives a message from the remnants of ghosts warning her about a bell, a gravestone and gogmagog.
She is soon afterward hired to ferry a bright ten-year-old girl, Brin, and Lek, her guard/artificial man, known as a Thrawl, to the city of Ludwich. Though not happy about the commission, or having a Thrawl aboard her boat, or that Yanish is calling himself the captain now, the four head down the river.
They encounter various people and threats, and eventually Cady's mysterious message becomes clear, revealing the meanings behind the bell, gravestone and gogmagog, and none of it good. We also discover Cady’s past, and her important role in the world.
I loved this story and its quirkiness, darkness, danger, humour, amazing alternate London and captivating, irascible main character.
The authors take us through a bizarre post-war landscape where the massive blast of a dying dragon left the creature's huge ghost covering the Nysis river, leaving the way tricky and treacherous. Everything is polluted and messed up, and different cultures and types of people (the wraith-like Nebulim are particularly intriguing with their clay bodies and life-sustaining candle-flames) have populated the ports along the way.
The prose vividly evokes the sights, sounds and smells that the characters move through, bringing the story alive in all its grotty, and often smelly, glory.
The characters are wonderfully well-conceived, whether human, artificial or half-human/half-plant Haegra. Their different personalities constantly bump up and grate against each other, due to the lives (grief, bigotries and hopes), and the outcome of the war.
I totally loved the clever wordplay which added much colour to the already incredible world. Cady is prone to amusing verbal and profane verbal constructions, though beware if you don't care for the prevalence of scatological humour.
What I didn't expect and that threw me somewhat was that though I thought that the perilous trip down the Nysis would have taken several days, the authors chose to compress all the frightening and terrible things they saw and did into one day, which felt unbelievable.
Overall, I liked this story tremendously, and eagerly await the rest of Cady's and Brin's adventures in this kooky and bizarre world.
Thank you to Netgalley and to Angry Robot for this ARC in exchange for my review.
Arcadia “Cady” Meade has been a captain of her own boat for years, ferrying people to various towns and cities up and down the Nysis River through the ghost body of a dragon. She has one crew member, Yanish, whom she more or less adopted years earlier after his father died in the war between Ludwitch and another land.
Cady is seventy-eight years old, quick to anger and can see ghosts. She also has been waiting for something, and receives a message from the remnants of ghosts warning her about a bell, a gravestone and gogmagog.
She is soon afterward hired to ferry a bright ten-year-old girl, Brin, and Lek, her guard/artificial man, known as a Thrawl, to the city of Ludwich. Though not happy about the commission, or having a Thrawl aboard her boat, or that Yanish is calling himself the captain now, the four head down the river.
They encounter various people and threats, and eventually Cady's mysterious message becomes clear, revealing the meanings behind the bell, gravestone and gogmagog, and none of it good. We also discover Cady’s past, and her important role in the world.
I loved this story and its quirkiness, darkness, danger, humour, amazing alternate London and captivating, irascible main character.
The authors take us through a bizarre post-war landscape where the massive blast of a dying dragon left the creature's huge ghost covering the Nysis river, leaving the way tricky and treacherous. Everything is polluted and messed up, and different cultures and types of people (the wraith-like Nebulim are particularly intriguing with their clay bodies and life-sustaining candle-flames) have populated the ports along the way.
The prose vividly evokes the sights, sounds and smells that the characters move through, bringing the story alive in all its grotty, and often smelly, glory.
The characters are wonderfully well-conceived, whether human, artificial or half-human/half-plant Haegra. Their different personalities constantly bump up and grate against each other, due to the lives (grief, bigotries and hopes), and the outcome of the war.
I totally loved the clever wordplay which added much colour to the already incredible world. Cady is prone to amusing verbal and profane verbal constructions, though beware if you don't care for the prevalence of scatological humour.
What I didn't expect and that threw me somewhat was that though I thought that the perilous trip down the Nysis would have taken several days, the authors chose to compress all the frightening and terrible things they saw and did into one day, which felt unbelievable.
Overall, I liked this story tremendously, and eagerly await the rest of Cady's and Brin's adventures in this kooky and bizarre world.
Thank you to Netgalley and to Angry Robot for this ARC in exchange for my review.
February 6, 2024
Received an arc from NetGalley in exchange for honest opinion, thanks!
What first brought my attention was this stunning cover, and when I buried myself in reading the blurb, I was sure sold. I like weirdness. "Gogmagog" is definetely weird, with its rich characters, unique world-building and narration; it's adventurous, and full of life. But unfortunately it was lacking tenderness. I could not for the love of me bite into it. The lecture was nice, but I'm afraid nothing more than that. Sadly, I don't think Cady's story will stay with me, no matter how much uniqness and interesting things was put into it.
What first brought my attention was this stunning cover, and when I buried myself in reading the blurb, I was sure sold. I like weirdness. "Gogmagog" is definetely weird, with its rich characters, unique world-building and narration; it's adventurous, and full of life. But unfortunately it was lacking tenderness. I could not for the love of me bite into it. The lecture was nice, but I'm afraid nothing more than that. Sadly, I don't think Cady's story will stay with me, no matter how much uniqness and interesting things was put into it.
February 1, 2024
Thank you to Caroline Lambe and Angry Robot Books for the review copy in exchange for an honest review. This does not change my opinion in anyway
Gogmagog: the first chronicle of Lucwich has a really interesting concept that for the most part delivers.
We meet Cady, an old river pilot. She's retired and she does whatever she wants. Drinking, drugs. Whatever is considered bad for you, she does. She's lived a long life and she feels that she deserves it. But when she gets a sign from nature and two strangers search her out, it is the end of her retirement. And not just as a river pilot.
The world of Gogmagog is an interesting one. We start in a town alongside a river that leads to Ludwich. The river is considered dangerous for a specific part called the ghost river. Not many have returned from that piece of the river in recent times. It feels a little post-industrial, yet where a war and other incidents tore down the steps the society had made. Abandoned factories, boms, banned robots etc. Yet there is also a part of this book that reaches into nature. The beauty that is in some of the creatures and more plant based creatures. I thought that was a really interesting mix.
Initially I struggled a little to find my footing with what was happening and with Cady as a character. But as the story progressed it slowly unfolded who Cady was to us. She starts of as this I don't care about anything old battle ram who will cuss anyone out who looks at her funny. But she is mostly just tired of the life that she lead and is waiting on a sign that is taking its time. When it comes to her she becomes much more animated, though a bit chaotic. And as we follow her some of her secrets that falling out. We learn who she was and what she did in the past so we get a good idea of who she is. I liked that we learned that relatively quickly. Sometimes authors try to keep those things too close to the vest, and I was apprehensive that was going to be the case here. But we as readers learned it pretty quickly on. Other unclear things were for the most part also explained further on into the book. I appreciated that.
And as such I ended up appreciating Cady as a character. Things aren't going the way she wants them too, and she is a little volatile. But she genuinely cares about those around her. And she has a lot of wisdom within her. And if that one thing that is important to those she cares about, even if she doesn't see it, she'll still go along with it. The other characters all have their own interesting bits. The youth who Cady picked up at the age of 14, the robot and the child each bring something interesting to the table and create a good dynamic.
Having said that, I found the boat ride slightly tiresome by the end of the book. They had to go somewhere at a certain time but they endlessly stop here and there. Part of that was that some of these stops were not properly led into. We would stop at this point at the end of a chapter but would be completely somewhere else at the start of the next chapter. It was a little jarring. We were never guided into anything. There were rarely any explanations about what happened between, even if there were things that needed wrapping up. It is why I didn't end up completely loving this book or rating it 5 stars.
I am very interested in seeing where this story continues to. From what I saw, this is a duology. But I think there are many more stories in this world (and in Cady) and I would love to read them.
Gogmagog: the first chronicle of Lucwich has a really interesting concept that for the most part delivers.
We meet Cady, an old river pilot. She's retired and she does whatever she wants. Drinking, drugs. Whatever is considered bad for you, she does. She's lived a long life and she feels that she deserves it. But when she gets a sign from nature and two strangers search her out, it is the end of her retirement. And not just as a river pilot.
The world of Gogmagog is an interesting one. We start in a town alongside a river that leads to Ludwich. The river is considered dangerous for a specific part called the ghost river. Not many have returned from that piece of the river in recent times. It feels a little post-industrial, yet where a war and other incidents tore down the steps the society had made. Abandoned factories, boms, banned robots etc. Yet there is also a part of this book that reaches into nature. The beauty that is in some of the creatures and more plant based creatures. I thought that was a really interesting mix.
Initially I struggled a little to find my footing with what was happening and with Cady as a character. But as the story progressed it slowly unfolded who Cady was to us. She starts of as this I don't care about anything old battle ram who will cuss anyone out who looks at her funny. But she is mostly just tired of the life that she lead and is waiting on a sign that is taking its time. When it comes to her she becomes much more animated, though a bit chaotic. And as we follow her some of her secrets that falling out. We learn who she was and what she did in the past so we get a good idea of who she is. I liked that we learned that relatively quickly. Sometimes authors try to keep those things too close to the vest, and I was apprehensive that was going to be the case here. But we as readers learned it pretty quickly on. Other unclear things were for the most part also explained further on into the book. I appreciated that.
And as such I ended up appreciating Cady as a character. Things aren't going the way she wants them too, and she is a little volatile. But she genuinely cares about those around her. And she has a lot of wisdom within her. And if that one thing that is important to those she cares about, even if she doesn't see it, she'll still go along with it. The other characters all have their own interesting bits. The youth who Cady picked up at the age of 14, the robot and the child each bring something interesting to the table and create a good dynamic.
Having said that, I found the boat ride slightly tiresome by the end of the book. They had to go somewhere at a certain time but they endlessly stop here and there. Part of that was that some of these stops were not properly led into. We would stop at this point at the end of a chapter but would be completely somewhere else at the start of the next chapter. It was a little jarring. We were never guided into anything. There were rarely any explanations about what happened between, even if there were things that needed wrapping up. It is why I didn't end up completely loving this book or rating it 5 stars.
I am very interested in seeing where this story continues to. From what I saw, this is a duology. But I think there are many more stories in this world (and in Cady) and I would love to read them.
March 13, 2024
Thanks to Angry Robot for sending me an ARC, All thoughts are my own.
The minute I read the synopsis I knew I had to have this in my hands, it sounded strange and odd and if there is one thing I love its strange and odd. This did not disappoint! It was so weird, strange, and odd everything you can think of, but it was also emotionally devastating to read. I cried so much for one particular character. The creativity in this is another level and I appreciate the care and process that went into making this world stand out in sea of fantasy books.
This is very much a journey story but well worth it, everything revolves around the journey and so much happens and when you realize it is all happening within a short time frame, it makes it even more wild to process.
I loved our crotchety angry old lady and demand more books to have such women as the focus!!
I have so much more to say about this and you can watch my video review for more as I expressed it much better there. But do know you need to read this if for any reason other than the experience.
Gogmagog Review Spoiler Free
The minute I read the synopsis I knew I had to have this in my hands, it sounded strange and odd and if there is one thing I love its strange and odd. This did not disappoint! It was so weird, strange, and odd everything you can think of, but it was also emotionally devastating to read. I cried so much for one particular character. The creativity in this is another level and I appreciate the care and process that went into making this world stand out in sea of fantasy books.
This is very much a journey story but well worth it, everything revolves around the journey and so much happens and when you realize it is all happening within a short time frame, it makes it even more wild to process.
I loved our crotchety angry old lady and demand more books to have such women as the focus!!
I have so much more to say about this and you can watch my video review for more as I expressed it much better there. But do know you need to read this if for any reason other than the experience.
Gogmagog Review Spoiler Free
October 5, 2025
More accurate rating: 7-7.5/10.
Full video review: https://youtu.be/J3gANul1lUc.
Notes from my Reading Log:
Really enjoyable and original weird fiction! Gogmagog has such neat and strange world-building; a 'modern' setting (with electricity, of a kind, motorised vehicles, a vague, early 20th century feel to it all); a dynamic, river-haunting ghost dragon; several different kinds of humanoids, including 'plant-people'... who might all come from the stars? Yes please, give me more of that!
And then I really dug the book's main character, Cady Meade: an old, crotchety plant-woman filled to the brim with colourful life experience and personality. Gogmagog's supporting cast – which includes Lek, a crystal and dragon ghost-powered robot, and his mysterious, 10 year-old charge, Brin – also kept me engaged and wanting to know more.
The book has really good, evocative prose, though I wasn't always the biggest fan of the 'organic vulgarity' displayed by Cady – that being said, it fits her character, so fair enough. The one thing I felt was really missing, and which I'd like way more of? Proper theming, which may yet come in the sequel, Ludluda. So onwards and forwards I go!
Full video review: https://youtu.be/J3gANul1lUc.
Notes from my Reading Log:
Really enjoyable and original weird fiction! Gogmagog has such neat and strange world-building; a 'modern' setting (with electricity, of a kind, motorised vehicles, a vague, early 20th century feel to it all); a dynamic, river-haunting ghost dragon; several different kinds of humanoids, including 'plant-people'... who might all come from the stars? Yes please, give me more of that!
And then I really dug the book's main character, Cady Meade: an old, crotchety plant-woman filled to the brim with colourful life experience and personality. Gogmagog's supporting cast – which includes Lek, a crystal and dragon ghost-powered robot, and his mysterious, 10 year-old charge, Brin – also kept me engaged and wanting to know more.
The book has really good, evocative prose, though I wasn't always the biggest fan of the 'organic vulgarity' displayed by Cady – that being said, it fits her character, so fair enough. The one thing I felt was really missing, and which I'd like way more of? Proper theming, which may yet come in the sequel, Ludluda. So onwards and forwards I go!
June 10, 2024
An amazingly weird bit of world building with different humanoid species co-existing, an old king and queen coming from the stars, a dragon ghost physically affecting different parts of a river in different ways, strange insect species, dead people’s spirits leaving final impressions of their deaths in pieces of cloth, or even coming back to life in clay bodies, a coming of age ritual, robots, an evil dragon spirit and a foul-mouthed hero, Cady, coming out of retirement to pilot her old boat one more time.
The pacing of the story is jarring at times, most of it takes place on one day but new chapters jump forward in time and place with little initial explanation. I could also have done without quite so much pissing, shitting, puking and pus and there were too many repetitive descriptions of fist fights for Cady considering her extreme age, creaking joints and stiff muscles.
The idea of plants and the Deep Root having a watching brief over millennia as well as sending cryptic warning dream messages of impending doom requiring the watch men and women to take on particular missions is incredibly intriguing. The idea of a young person having special powers, potentially for good or ill, and the need to defend and guide them is a familiar trope - but the story is none the worse for that.
After a series of very strange adventures the book ends on a bit of a cliffhanger with almost nothing resolved, so this is not a stand alone book, which I find very annoying. Either learn to wrap a story up properly or write the longer book in the first place.
Will I read the next book? Maybe, but I think it will be a Library copy just to satisfy my curiosity, not because I like the writing.
The pacing of the story is jarring at times, most of it takes place on one day but new chapters jump forward in time and place with little initial explanation. I could also have done without quite so much pissing, shitting, puking and pus and there were too many repetitive descriptions of fist fights for Cady considering her extreme age, creaking joints and stiff muscles.
The idea of plants and the Deep Root having a watching brief over millennia as well as sending cryptic warning dream messages of impending doom requiring the watch men and women to take on particular missions is incredibly intriguing. The idea of a young person having special powers, potentially for good or ill, and the need to defend and guide them is a familiar trope - but the story is none the worse for that.
After a series of very strange adventures the book ends on a bit of a cliffhanger with almost nothing resolved, so this is not a stand alone book, which I find very annoying. Either learn to wrap a story up properly or write the longer book in the first place.
Will I read the next book? Maybe, but I think it will be a Library copy just to satisfy my curiosity, not because I like the writing.
July 17, 2024
2.75 STARS
CW: violence, body horror, cursing, blood, gore, mention of miscarriage
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I am torn about this book. On one hand, it features lush worldbuilding and has a somewhat cooky but memorable and cool main character but, on the other, I could not connect to the world, characters and felt a little alienated by the writing style until the very end. This is not a value judgement but the book was also pretty weird, as in it reminded me a lot of Jeff VanderMeer's works.
Cady was a cool protagonist, I liked that she was on the older side and enjoyed her character and interactions with others despite being unable to really grow totally fond of her. The other characters made up an interesting cast but, again, I couldn't really connect with them.
The world was what made this so interesting to me and kept me reading. Worldbuilding-wise this is amazing, there is so much lore, so many details hidden and so much to think about. I really enjoyed finding out more and more the longer I read. One thing I was deeply troubled by (not in a bad way) was that one particular figure was mentioned who is a real historical figure and I was super confused about how this goes together.
My main problem with this book, as mentioned previously, was not being able to really connect. This is also the reason I cannot give it more than 2.75 stars. I'm sure others will enjoy this more and purely based on the worldbuilding and character work, this would at least be a 4 star book. But I cannot ignore that it was somewhat tedious to keep reading. Nevertheless, you should definitely give this a try, especially if you enjoy VanderMeer, and I still plan on reading the second book when it comes out.
CW: violence, body horror, cursing, blood, gore, mention of miscarriage
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I am torn about this book. On one hand, it features lush worldbuilding and has a somewhat cooky but memorable and cool main character but, on the other, I could not connect to the world, characters and felt a little alienated by the writing style until the very end. This is not a value judgement but the book was also pretty weird, as in it reminded me a lot of Jeff VanderMeer's works.
Cady was a cool protagonist, I liked that she was on the older side and enjoyed her character and interactions with others despite being unable to really grow totally fond of her. The other characters made up an interesting cast but, again, I couldn't really connect with them.
The world was what made this so interesting to me and kept me reading. Worldbuilding-wise this is amazing, there is so much lore, so many details hidden and so much to think about. I really enjoyed finding out more and more the longer I read. One thing I was deeply troubled by (not in a bad way) was that one particular figure was mentioned who is a real historical figure and I was super confused about how this goes together.
My main problem with this book, as mentioned previously, was not being able to really connect. This is also the reason I cannot give it more than 2.75 stars. I'm sure others will enjoy this more and purely based on the worldbuilding and character work, this would at least be a 4 star book. But I cannot ignore that it was somewhat tedious to keep reading. Nevertheless, you should definitely give this a try, especially if you enjoy VanderMeer, and I still plan on reading the second book when it comes out.
February 1, 2024
The novel “Gogmagog” by Jeff Noon and Steve Beard is the first installment in “The Chronicles of Ludwich”. We follow the perspective of Cady Meade, the well seasoned captain of the Juniper on the river Nysis. One day she comes across a frail girl and her robot companion and takes them on a journey to the capital city while trying to solve her own mysteries.
The worldbuilding in this book was atmospheric and eccentric. It combines fantasy, sci-fi and post-apocalyptic elements in an interesting way. Unfortunately I could not quite fully wrap my head around the world and its history.
My favorite part was the main character Cady. Her personality, habits and stories were unique, complex and disgusting at times. She is a very old lady and expressed her bodily functions in a colorful way. Her interactions were vividly described and surprising at times. I also liked the glimpses we got of her backstory.
The overall plot and structure of the book sadly didn't work as well for me. Some scenes felt disconnected and had a dream-like quality that confused me slightly. I believe the title giving mystery was revealed too soon and the book could not hold my attention in the second half.
The audiobook production from Dreamscape Media was again fantastic! The narrator Matthew Lloyd Davies did a great job at bringing Cady’s character to life.
If you love strange fiction and fever dream-like stories, this might be exactly what you're looking for.
A big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Dreamscape Media for giving me the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
The worldbuilding in this book was atmospheric and eccentric. It combines fantasy, sci-fi and post-apocalyptic elements in an interesting way. Unfortunately I could not quite fully wrap my head around the world and its history.
My favorite part was the main character Cady. Her personality, habits and stories were unique, complex and disgusting at times. She is a very old lady and expressed her bodily functions in a colorful way. Her interactions were vividly described and surprising at times. I also liked the glimpses we got of her backstory.
The overall plot and structure of the book sadly didn't work as well for me. Some scenes felt disconnected and had a dream-like quality that confused me slightly. I believe the title giving mystery was revealed too soon and the book could not hold my attention in the second half.
The audiobook production from Dreamscape Media was again fantastic! The narrator Matthew Lloyd Davies did a great job at bringing Cady’s character to life.
If you love strange fiction and fever dream-like stories, this might be exactly what you're looking for.
A big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Dreamscape Media for giving me the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
January 8, 2024
I would never have come up with the concept of this book if left to my own devices. 🤣
It's so insane...I mean, the whole sailing through a late dragon's ghost to transport a sick girl and her crazy robot has to be the wildest thing I've heard so far. And the ship's captain is a 78-year-old babe whose diet is basically Bacardi and Marlboro. Like....what!?
Worldbuilding? Amazing. Characters? Heartwarming, easily likable, and so raw. Emphasis on raw. Dialogue? Hilarious! Literally, no one says more unhinged things than Ms Cady Meade. Atmosphere? There!!! It's magical. Vibes? Good, the entire time.
The less you know, the better the experience you'll have reading this. I feel like I've spoiled enough, and I haven’t even said anything. I genuinely can't wait for book two because that ending, teaaa.
Thanks to Angry Robot for sending me an ARC. 🫶🏽✨
It's so insane...I mean, the whole sailing through a late dragon's ghost to transport a sick girl and her crazy robot has to be the wildest thing I've heard so far. And the ship's captain is a 78-year-old babe whose diet is basically Bacardi and Marlboro. Like....what!?
Worldbuilding? Amazing. Characters? Heartwarming, easily likable, and so raw. Emphasis on raw. Dialogue? Hilarious! Literally, no one says more unhinged things than Ms Cady Meade. Atmosphere? There!!! It's magical. Vibes? Good, the entire time.
The less you know, the better the experience you'll have reading this. I feel like I've spoiled enough, and I haven’t even said anything. I genuinely can't wait for book two because that ending, teaaa.
Thanks to Angry Robot for sending me an ARC. 🫶🏽✨
May 2, 2024
Still kind of rolling this one around in my mouth, unsure how to sum up how it feels reading this insane book.
Meticulously random
Wonderfully strange
Intriguing and raw
Visceral and gripping
Meticulously random
Wonderfully strange
Intriguing and raw
Visceral and gripping
March 13, 2024
3 1/2 stars. This isn’t specifically a young adult novel but it’s definitely somewhat in that genre. The world building was first class and unique but I definitely enjoy his more adult oriented, drug addled previous works.
April 23, 2024
"Perfectly balanced, funny, charming, and dark; an unforgettable trip downriver."
My full review for this book is posted on SFF Insiders.
My full review for this book is posted on SFF Insiders.
June 16, 2024
I read this book in what was a fairly concentrated sprint for me, considering my usual stop-start pace for such novels. It proved to be quite helpful in the case of this book because from chapter to chapter there were abrupt jumps in time that I found confusing. I thought I'd flicked too many pages over but I hadn't. The main character is an elder lady called Cady, a rare species that exists as half human half vegetation and has lived for centuries with lots of water-faring tales to tell. Being a kind of historic watch-person for important battles and events, she has vast knowledge and experience. She can also regenerate her body into a younger one so when events need someone strong who can fight or adventure, she can change into a younger version of herself. I like the idea of the main character, it's cool to have an elder lady as a hero. However I didn't really warm to the character, there was a lot of puking, defecating and peeing I could have done without. When she met a male character of the same species I was hoping for a bit more of a connection but it didn't really go anywhere or progress the plot.
There are lots of good ideas thrown into this novel but the word "thrown" sums it up for me. It feels like a massive brain dump session, there are two authors and the endpiece does mention that they used to brainstorm in a coffee bar. It really feels like they wanted to fill the story with good ideas, and they do, but it comes at some cost to the quality of the writing. It's not science fiction but it's not really the fantasy novel it declares to be either. I found it to be more akin to steampunk. There is a robot who is another main character and the whole story is a river journey that takes place in a single day or two, which isn't very convincing considering all that happens and still having time for sleeps.
I generally like stories involving journeys through hazardous environments and there are some good moments like this in the book. I feel more could have been made of the environments as characters in their own right to add richness to the story. The relationship between Cady and "long time" friends didn't feel convincing, which is probably one of the reasons I didn't warm to her so much. So to sum up, too many cool ideas crammed in and a cliff hanger ending that was disappointing. Had this story been wound up in one book I would have felt very satisfied but as it is I can't say I want to rush to read the next one.
There are lots of good ideas thrown into this novel but the word "thrown" sums it up for me. It feels like a massive brain dump session, there are two authors and the endpiece does mention that they used to brainstorm in a coffee bar. It really feels like they wanted to fill the story with good ideas, and they do, but it comes at some cost to the quality of the writing. It's not science fiction but it's not really the fantasy novel it declares to be either. I found it to be more akin to steampunk. There is a robot who is another main character and the whole story is a river journey that takes place in a single day or two, which isn't very convincing considering all that happens and still having time for sleeps.
I generally like stories involving journeys through hazardous environments and there are some good moments like this in the book. I feel more could have been made of the environments as characters in their own right to add richness to the story. The relationship between Cady and "long time" friends didn't feel convincing, which is probably one of the reasons I didn't warm to her so much. So to sum up, too many cool ideas crammed in and a cliff hanger ending that was disappointing. Had this story been wound up in one book I would have felt very satisfied but as it is I can't say I want to rush to read the next one.
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