A Voyage to Arcturus: An Illuminated Edition - by David Lindsay (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

A VOYAGE TO ARCTURUS, the gender-bending, genre-smashing epic by David Lindsay, is a neglected landmark in the history of science fiction and fantasy. Cited as a major influence by J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, its impact continues to resonate across medium and culture. Now its fully-restored text is republished for the first time in half a century, featuring a full suite of illustrations and visual elaborations by Jim Woodring and an introduction by Alan Moore.

In Lindsay's vision, a young soldier travels the multiverse in search of meaning. In the star system of Arcturus, he will encounter astonishing new worlds containing strange and inexplicable transformations. He will fight Gods and become them. His story is a revelation, a riddle and a ride.

This gloriously strange and singular work joins Beehive Books' ILLUMINATED EDITIONS line, in which literary classics are reinvented by the greatest graphic artists in the world. Experience this unjustly forgotten work of visionary sci-fi as brought to life by Jim Woodring's psychedelic illustrations. A beautiful introduction by Alan Moore unpacks and examines the many meanings and cultural currents that went into this ur-text, changing the course of a century's worth of fiction.

The alchemy of Woodring's inimitable, iconic style, and Lindsay's rich, experimental narrative, with Moore as our learned tour guide through these strange and startling visions, will amaze fans of science fiction and fantasy, lovers of odd things, and collectors of striking books alike. This is a one-of-a-kind volume that promises to grow richer with each reading.

About the Author

Though he is today regarded as a profoundly influential author of sci-fi and visionary fiction, British novelist David Lindsay struggled to publish during his life. A Voyage to Arcturus, his first novel, didn't see print until he was in his mid-40's, and his career as a writer saw very little critical or commercial success. He died in 1945, leaving behind several more manuscripts, which remained unpublished after numerous rejections, and an unfinished novel. A year after his death, Arcturus was republished. Bolstered now by praise from authors and critics including C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, the popularity of Arcturus spurred a republications of Lindsay's other titles and the publication of his previously unpublished works, including his unfinished final novel The Witch. Experimental in both form and content, Lindsay's novels may not have found their readership while he was alive, but today, they are recognized and praised for their singular vision, deep impact on multiple genres, and unique blend of fantasy, philosophy, and science-fiction.

Jim Woodring is an acclaimed, cartoonist and author of the wordless metaphysical Frank series. The winner of multiple Harvey and Inkpot awards, he has created thousands of standalone drawings and paintings, including a suite of enormous ink drawings made with Nibbus Maximus, a functioning six-foot dip pen he designed and built. His large, painstakingly-rendered charcoal drawings of bizarre tableaus are in collections all over the world. He also makes machines that address his perceptual difficulties, such as the sinister Looty and the nerve-shredding Foot Grinder. As of this writing he is just finishing up his 400-page Frank magnum opus One Beautiful Spring Day, due out in 2022. He lives in Washington State with his wife.

Alan Moore may be the most celebrated comics author of all time, with countless renowned and beloved works to his name, including Watchmen, V for Vendetta, and From Hell.