- cross-posted to:
- fantasy@sffa.community
- cross-posted to:
- fantasy@sffa.community
I don’t really have anything to add, I just love this book. I searched for “The NeverEnding Story” in this community, saw that there was no post about it and wanted to fix that :).
Image found on Facebook. I think the source of that specific printing is the Spanish version of the book, [EDIT: as pointed by @alvarolh@lemm.ee, the version on the link is also a Spanish version, I may have had a brainfart because of the font (?)] but it’s very similar to some German version covers.
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If you pick up this book, I highly recommend another book written by the same author - Michael Ende - called Momo.
The fantasy parts of the NES sometimes feel like allegory but mostly feel like folly. But Momo is ostensibly an allegory from the beginning. It also feels like waking up your inner child.
The parts of the NES that were not adapted into the films are absolutely whimsical and amazing. It’s a true wonder why some details were used in the film and not others. It’s a lot of fun!
Agree, Momo is GREAT! I resonate a lot with both books.
The fantasy parts of the NES sometimes feel like allegory but mostly feel like folly.
Note that (if I’m not mistaken), NES is mostly an adaptation of Nietzsche’s ideas:
- Will to power = “Do what you wish” written in Auryn
- Eternal recurrence = many “infinite loops” hidden over the book
Many parts of the book make more sense once I was aware of those references (which was not so long ago).
This is an interesting insight. I have a degree in philosophy but tap danced around the Nietzsche class to go to the phenomenology & existentialism course instead lol
As a 30 something, the movie is part of my dna, but I never read the book sadly. May check it out soon though, I’m trying to get my 7 year old to read more with me atm. And that cover art is beautiful.
As a German 30 something, the books are part of my DNA ;) For a darker (but still a book for teenagers) and more grown up (heh) story, I can also recommend his other famous work Momo, or the strange story of the time-thieves and the child who brought the stolen time back to the people (I used the translated German title because for once it’s cooler, but also because it tells you a bit more about the book) which often undeservedly gets overshadowed by The Neverending Story
Edit: Wanted to say that I obviously also read the other big Ende books: The Night of Wishes: Or the Satanarchaeolidealcohellish Notion Potion and Jim Button and Luke the Engine Driver, both imo better for smaller children than Neverending or Momo.
I thought about adding a warning about the movies… I find very hard to ackowledge they exist (half kidding :P). Not because they are bad, but they are sooo different from the book; it’s sad for me that they are the reference for the name.
I’m not sure I would recommend the book to children younger than … (?) 11-12 years old. Although maturity in this regard is very personal and subjective and I’m not the one to say who should read what.
The NES movie was my gateway into fantasy.
Good to know, thanks! Something for when he’s a bit older definitely. Also sorry lol, hopefully others here enjoy the books too.
Also sorry lol
Hehe, no need for it.
There is nothing wrong with enjoying the films!
I have the edition this picture is from in my shelf, my father handed it down to me when I was a kid. It’s a gorgeous edition, each part of the story is printed in a different color to represent which world it’s taking place in, I wish more books tried to experiment with the style a little bit. By the way, both links in your post lead to two different Spanish editions, mine is the one from the second link.
By the way, both links in your post lead to two different Spanish editions, mine is the one from the second link.
Thanks… I must have had a brain fart. I don’t know why I though it was a German edition, probably the font (facepalm).
Fixed!
No problem! :) I think the original German version is extremely similar, even the font is the same haha.
