Grandville

Description

The first instalment of Bryan Talbot's anthropomorphic steam-punk thriller Bryan Talbot's most recent book, Alice in Sunderland, was hailed by the Guardian as one of the ten best graphic novels ever and acclaimed by critics all over the world. Before that, at the start of his career, he created the first ever steampunk graphic novel, The Adventures of Luther Arkwright. In Grandville Talbot brings us another steampunk masterpiece. Inspired by the work of the nineteenth-century French illustrator Gerard, who worked under the pseudonym 'Grandville' and frequently drew anthropomorphic animal characters, it tells the story of detective Inspector LeBrock of Scotland Yard as he stalks a gang of murderers through the heart of Belle Epoque Paris. In this alternative reality France is the major world power and its capital is thronged with steam-driven hansom cabs, automatons and flying machines. The characters are mostly animals, though there is an underclass of humans, often referred to as 'dough faces', who resemble the 'clear-line' characters of Herge's Tintin.

Bryan Talbot was born in 1952. His books include The Adventures of Luther Arkwright, The Tale of One Bad Rat (reissued by Cape in 2008), Heart of Empire and Alice in Sunderland.

A solid conspiracy caper with bursts of Tarantino-like mayhem...a witty romp in a vividly realised topsy-turvy world. * Times Literary Supplement * Utterly delightful...It's a playful, allusive book in which there's a witty touch or deliciously knowing in-joke on almost every page...beautifully rendered, throughout, the glossy gorgeousness fills your eyes. * The Times * A gorgeously coloured steampunk fantasy. * Metro * Think Wind In The Willows meets 1920s film noir, a combination you never knew you needed... From political conspiracies to serial killings, this is all set in an alternate present day where Britain lost the Napoleonic Wars and the entire Royal Family were executed... It's a really compelling setting for any story, but the detective mystery element brings it all together. To me, this is perfect fodder for a Wes Anderson-style stop-motion film series. It's funny, eerie, and altogether very surreal. -- Megan McGill * Den of Geek *