Das Große Wenn: Roman (Carcosa)

by Alan Moore, Hannes Riffel (Translator)

Dennis Knuckleyard, achtzehn Jahre alt und Vollwaise, lebt und arbeitet in einem heruntergekommenen Buchladen. Nichtsahnend folgt er eines Tages den Anweisungen seiner kettenrauchenden Chefin und Ersatzmutter Ada, einen Stapel seltener Bücher abzuholen – unter denen sich jedoch eines befindet, das es eigentlich gar nicht geben dürfte. Denn obwohl es einem Roman entstammt, also fiktiv ist, hält er es wahrhaftig in den Händen.
Wie sich herausstellt, kommt es aus einem anderen London, dem großen Wenn, einem Spiegelbild der Stadt, in dem Zeit und Raum zerfließen und wundersame Geschöpfe ihr Unwesen treiben. Und Dennis muss, wenn ihm sein Leben lieb ist, das geheimnisvolle Buch dorthin zurückbringen.

438 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 6, 2025

About the author

Alan Moore is an English writer most famous for his influential work in comics, including the acclaimed graphic novels Watchmen, V for Vendetta and From Hell. He has also written a novel, Voice of the Fire, and performs "workings" (one-off performance art/spoken word pieces) with The Moon and Serpent Grand Egyptian Theatre of Marvels, some of which have been released on CD.

As a comics writer, Moore is notable for being one of the first writers to apply literary and formalist sensibilities to the mainstream of the medium. As well as including challenging subject matter and adult themes, he brings a wide range of influences to his work, from the literary–authors such as William S. Burroughs, Thomas Pynchon, Robert Anton Wilson and Iain Sinclair; New Wave science fiction writers such as Michael Moorcock; horror writers such as Clive Barker; to the cinematic–filmmakers such as Nicolas Roeg. Influences within comics include Will Eisner, Harvey Kurtzman, Jack Kirby and Bryan Talbot.