From Hell

by Alan Moore

From Hell - New Cover Edition [FROM HELL - NEW COVER /E] [Paperback]

Genres: Graphic Novels

592 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 1, 2015

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.

Reviews

[Justen Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

From Hell feels like the most personal of Alan Moore's work and it shows from the meticulously researched appendices that are longer than some entire graphic novels to the expertly executed renditions of London's architecture by Eddie Campbell. It is a heady, dark neo-noir thriller uncompromising in its depictions of violence and madness.

And therein lies the problem: by being uncompromising in its vision it's highly unapproachable as a piece of literary fiction. Dense text with no footnotes (unless you earmark several dozen pages in the back where Moore keeps his author's notes) and a historic narrative with a resolution of "men who tolerate monsters are worse than monsters" makes for a difficult work to engage with in good faith. I remember the vivid imagery, the frightening rants in the vivisections, the way Campbell can render the brutal murder scenes in ways more violent than the actual photographs, but I have no desire to go back or reevaluate the work as a whole.

[Gavin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A work of art in every sense. Sublime writing and art combine to offer a very different tale about Jack the Ripper than I was expecting.

We know who Jack is right from the off, what we discover is the whys and wherefores.

Mindblowing at times.

Transcendental.

Bloody brilliant.

[Joshua Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

While it's not my favourite work of Alan Moore's it still holds up with his usual level of writing.

[Michael Woods · Rating 5 out of 5]

exceptional work... I enjoyed this very much.