30. Michael Ende Discussion

[Philip Overby]

German writer Michael Ende is number 30, best known for the wildly popular work The Neverending Story. He's also known for works such as Momo and Jim Button and Luke the Engine Driver. While I've never read his work, I have seen The Neverending Story movie, one of those that stuck with me from when I was a child. The world was strange to me, yet somehow familiar and captured that wonder I first felt upon being a child and reading of fantastical things.

Anyone read Ende's work?

 

[writeshiek33]

saw the movie too but i heard ends was not pleased with the movie as he thought it disneyfied the world he created the book i am told is combination of genereal idea of first 2 films the series

 

[Sheilawisz]

I am perhaps the only person in Mythic Scribes who has read The Neverending Story, a rare, very original non-English language jewel that should be more widely read in the world of Fantasy literature.

The Neverending story (Die unendliche Geschichte) is a style of Fantasy that is completely different from the more popular Tolkien-style characters and worlds. The story ventures into a world of impossible and surreal scenery, intriguing non-human characters and challenging concepts, and I accept that it has influenced a lot my development as a Fantasy writer.

I read a Castilian edition of The Neverending Story many years ago, and so many elements from that book are still bright, clear and strong in my mind... It's a work that you should read to have a different perspective on Fantasy, something different to The Lord of the Rings, A Song of Ice and Fire and so many others.

The storytelling is superb, Michael was indeed a hell of a writer.

Michael Ende totally hated the movie that they made, to the point that he even tried to legally stop the production of that film. The first movie, its sequels and the crazy animated series are very distantly related to the true world and characters of The Neverending Story, so if you want to experience the real thing you must read the book.

To this day, I still get a creepy feeling when I remember the awful game that they were playing at that twisted old city...

 

[Noma Galway]

I will have to reread it, but you are not the only one on Mythic Scribes who has read it. I read it years ago, and I have read many other vivid books since, and the details are not fresh in my mind. I remember it was quite wonderful, though.

 

[writeshiek33]

i will try to get this book

 

[rhd]

I saw the dubbed Momo movie when I was a kid. I hated it, it was too intense for me. As an adult I liked it and I bought the book after that.

 

[Amanita]

Oh yes, this is part of my childhood memories. My parents used to read the Jim Knopf books to me and I really loved the story back then. I'm not quite sure what it would be like to an adult reader, maybe I should reread it sometime. My parents at least considered it suitable for me when I was around five/six years old and I missed all the Nazi-references the book is supposed to have according to Wikipedia. Never associated the "pureblooded dragon"-thing with anything from real life.

These books, like the Neverending Story, definitely deserve the term "fantasy." It's a style very different from the likes of Martin or even Tolkien. Things without scientific explanation keep happening and there are few if any "rules" for the magical occurences. Actually a style of fantasy I'm missing in the aduld genre but I can't really right it myself either anymore even though I used to make up this kind of story.
The Neverending Story is definitely worth a read for anyone who's prepared to accept such a very fantastical setting.

I think Ende is one of the best German fantasy authors and one of the few here who has created something truly his own rather than derivative works as so many do. (Books called things like "The Elves" or "The Orcs.)

 

[teacup]

I'm interested in reading The Neverending Story now, from what people here have said about it. I have a lot to read, but it's definitely on the list now.