Fata Morgana - Hardcover

Kotzwinkle, William

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0394409051 ISBN 13: 9780394409054

Publisher: Random House, 1977

Synopsis

A blend of fantasy tale and hard-boiled detective story set in Paris in 1861 features a French police detective who sets out to investigate a conjurer whose fortune-telling machine is sweeping Paris. Reprint. NYT. IP.

About this title

About the Author:

William Kotzwinkle is a novelist, children's writer, and screenwriter. He was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Kotzwinkle won the World Fantasy Award for Best Novel for DOCTOR RAT in 1977, and he has also won the National Magazine Award for fiction.

Kotzwinkle wrote the novelization of the screenplay for E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL (1982) and also wrote an original follow-up novel E. T. THE BOOK OF THE GREEN PLANET )1985). Among his most popular titles are a series of children's books featuring the title character of the first book in the series, WALTER THE FARTING DOG (2001). To date, there are six titles in the series. Starting with the third book in the series, Kotzwinkle's wife, Elizabeth Gundy is listed a co-author on the titles. 

Review:

"Kotzwinkle is the magician... working a wondrous spell over the reader... the revelation of his archvillain's true identity continues to absorb and surprise the reader chapter after chapter." Los Angeles Times
 
"Pure magic. The mystery turns on the convoluted history of an old master toy maker who makes his toys with such skill that they have lives of their own. It would be advisable to sit down while reading what the toys finally do." Playboy
 
"Detective story and fairytale that entertains from start to finish." New York Times

"Kotzwinkle's lyrical star twinkles -- ultraviolet and infrared -- above Second Empire Paris... whimsical, delicately ghoulish, and genuinely erotic... with a double whammy dénouement." Kirkus Reviews
 
"Elegant entertainment." Washington Post
 
"Wit, cleverness, daring invention... a rare treat." The Saturday Review
 
"Gaudy, decadent, smoothly polished, this beguiling novel is... a feat of stage magic, well-versed and well performed by a fine craftsman." The New Yorker

"The elements which emerge from the fraudulent glitter of Paris -- the tarot cards, the jeweled gowns trailing in the filth of the Paris streets -- fall magically together. The chase... is perfect." The New Republic
 
"Everywhere there are magical happenings... and everywhere, there is the magic wrought by Kotzwinkle himself." The Chicago Tribune
 
"A magical mystery tour. Kotzwinkle is the conjurer who winks us, blinks us back to the realm of childhood wonder." Boston Globe
 
"Engrossing... a splendid achievement." The Hartford Courant

About this edition

• Publisher: Random House
• Publication date: 1977
• ISBN 10: 0394409051
• ISBN 13: 9780394409054
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 209