by Michael Ende

Folio Society, out now

The classic fantasy tale in a very appropriate new edition…

There are various works of fantasy that are perhaps less well known in their original literary form than they deserve – and while most people I suspect have come to Michael Ende’s story through the 1984 Wolfgang Petersen movie, the book is well worth your time.

Published in German in 1979, it got an English translation in 1983, a year before the film’s arrival and follows the neglected Bastian Balthazar Bux, who escapes from his unfortunate life into the pages of a very special book… the description of which is matched for this Folio Society edition. (OK, technically there are a few more illustrations in this, but that’s being finickity.) The story extends way beyond the point the film ends (and the sequel movie only takes certain plot elements), and the differences were such that Ende actually sued the filmmakers (unsuccessfully).

The book is simply gorgeous – it’s a doorstop, pretty much the same size as a standard packet of A4 paper and the illustrations by Marie-Alice Harel bring the text to life. That’s coloured as Ende wanted to distinguish the fantasy and real elements. As with so many of these Folio Society editions, it’s an item to treasure and would make an excellent present for the discerning fantasy fan.

Verdict: A very different version from the Story you may be familiar with. 8/10

Paul Simpson

 

The Folio Society edition of Michael Ende’s The Neverending Story, illustrated by Marie-Alice Harel, is exclusively available from foliosociety.com