The Angel's Game |  | Author: Carlos Ruiz Zafón
Creator: Lucia Graves
Publisher: Doubleday
List Price: $26.95
Buy Used: $9.99
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Seller: nw-emerald-city-books
Rating:  166 reviews
Sales Rank: 677
Media: Hardcover
Edition: First Edition, First Printing
Pages: 544
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2
Dimensions (in): 9.6 x 6.4 x 1.4
ISBN: 0385528701
Dewey Decimal Number: 863.64
EAN: 9780385528702
ASIN: 0385528701
Publication Date: June 16, 2009
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Book Description
From master storyteller Carlos Ruiz Zafón, author of the international phenomenon The Shadow of the Wind, comes The Angelâs Game--a dazzling new page-turner about the perilous nature of obsession, in literature and in love.
âThe whole of Barcelona stretched out at my feet and I wanted to believe that, when I opened those windows, its streets would whisper stories to me, secrets I could capture on paper and narrate to whomever cared to listen...â In an abandoned mansion at the heart of Barcelona, a young man, David MartÃn, makes his living by writing sensationalist novels under a pseudonym. The survivor of a troubled childhood, he has taken refuge in the world of books and spends his nights spinning baroque tales about the cityâs underworld. But perhaps his dark imaginings are not as strange as they seem, for in a locked room deep within the house lie photographs and letters hinting at the mysterious death of the previous owner. Like a slow poison, the history of the place seeps into his bones as he struggles with an impossible love. Close to despair, David receives a letter from a reclusive French editor, Andreas Corelli, who makes him the offer of a lifetime. He is to write a book unlike anything that has ever existed--a book with the power to change hearts and minds. In return, he will receive a fortune, and perhaps more. But as David begins the work, he realizes that there is a connection between his haunting book and the shadows that surround his home. Once again, Zafón takes us into a dark, gothic universe first seen in The Shadow of the Wind and creates a breathtaking adventure of intrigue, romance, and tragedy. Through a dizzingly constructed labyrinth of secrets, the magic of books, passion, and friendship blend into a masterful story.
Carlos Ruiz Zafón on The Angel's Game
 Years ago, when I began working on my fifth novel, The Shadow of the Wind, I started toying around with the idea of creating a fictional universe that would be articulated through four interconnected stories in which we would meet some of the same characters at different times in their lives, and see them from different perspectives where many plots and subplots would tie around in knots for the reader to untie. It sounds somewhat pretentious, but my idea was to add a twist to the story and provide the reader with what I hoped would be a stimulating and playful reading experience. Since these books were, in part, about the world of literature, books, reading and language, I thought it would be interesting to use the different novels to explore those themes through different angles and to add new layers to the meaning of the stories.
At first I thought this could be done in one book, but soon I realized it would make Shadow of the Wind a monster novel, and in many ways, destroy the structure I was trying to design for it. I realized I would have to write four different novels. They would be stand-alone stories that could be read in any order. I saw them as a Chinese box of stories with four doors of entry, a labyrinth of fictions that could be explored in many directions, entirely or in parts, and that could provide the reader with an additional layer of enjoyment and play. These novels would have a central axis, the idea of the Cemetery of Forgotten Books, set against the backdrop of a highly stylized, gothic and mysterious Barcelona. Since each novel was going to be complex and difficult to write, I decided to take one at a time and see how the experiment evolved on its own in an organic way. It all sounds very complicated, but it is not. At the end of the day, these are just stories that share a universe, a tone and some central themes and characters. You donât need to care or know about any of this stuff to enjoy them. One of the fun things about this process was it allowed me to give each book a different personality. Thus, if Shadow of the Wind is the nice, good girl in the family, The Angelâs Game would be the wicked gothic stepsister. Some readers often ask me if The Angelâs Game is a prequel or a sequel. The answer is: none of these things, and all of the above. Essentially The Angelâs Game is a new book, a stand-alone story that you can fully enjoy and understand on its own. But if you have already read The Shadow of the Wind, or you decide to read it afterwards, youâll find new meanings and connections that I hope will enhance your experience with these characters and their adventures. The Angelâs Game has many games inside, one of them with the reader. It is a book designed to make you step into the storytelling process and become a part of it. In other words, the wicked, gothic chick wants your blood. Beware. Maybe, without realizing, I ended up writing a monster book after all... Donât say I didnât warn you, courageous reader. Iâll see you on the other side. --Carlos Ruiz Zafón (Photo © Isolde Ohlbaum)
Product Description
From master storyteller Carlos Ruiz Zafon, author of the international phenomenon The Shadow of the Wind, comes The Angelâs Game â a dazzling new page-turner about the perilous nature of obsession, in literature and in love.
The whole of Barcelona stretched out at my feet and I wanted to believe that when I opened those windows â my new windows â each evening its streets would whisper stories to me, secrets in my ear, that I could catch on paper and narrate to whomever cared to listenâ¦
In an abandoned mansion at the heart of Barcelona, a young man, David Martin, makes his living by writing sensationalist novels under a pseudonym. The survivor of a troubled childhood, he has taken refuge in the world of books and spends his nights spinning baroque tales about the cityâs underworld. But perhaps his dark imaginings are not as strange as they seem, for in a locked room deep within the house lie photographs and letters hinting at the mysterious death of the previous owner.
Like a slow poison, the history of the place seeps into his bones as he struggles with an impossible love. Close to despair, David receives a letter from a reclusive French editor, Andreas Corelli, who makes him the offer of a lifetime. He is to write a book unlike anything that has ever existed â a book with the power to change hearts and minds. In return, he will receive a fortune, and perhaps more. But as David begins the work, he realizes that there is a connection between his haunting book and the shadows that surround his home.
Once again, Zafon takes us into a dark, gothic universe first seen in The Shadow of the Wind and creates a breathtaking adventure of intrigue, romance, and tragedy. Through a dizzyingly constructed labyrinth of secrets, the magic of books, passion, and friendship blend into a masterful story.
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Showing reviews 1-5 of 166
 I cannot wait until he closes the trilogy November 7, 2009
Michael P. Aldworth
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This book had me so enthralled until the ending. I know that the author intended for the reader to interpret her/his own ending, however, this book is supposed to be more of a mystery and therefore, the author is supposed to conclude what happened, not have the reader interpret what she/he thinks happened.
I was absolutely captivated by Ruiz Zafon's writing style once again, but I would hands down say that La Sombra del Viento (Shadow of the Wind) is a much better book. I do hope that Ruiz Zafon writes a 3rd in this trilogy to bring everything to a close.
 Best Book I've read this year... November 6, 2009
N. Peel
It's refreshing to read an author like Carlos Ruiz Zafon after trudging through the chore that was "The Lost Symbol". Zafon weaves characters effortlessly, they just work. There are no awkward descriptions or pointless side notes that trip up the narrative. The translation seems good, even if some of the words used are a little dated or seldom used - I think it fits with the era. He shows, he doesn't tell. I'm saddened that I sold my copy of The Shadow of the Wind, I feel that I need more Spanish Gothic.
Not as strong as Shadow of the Wind, but a decent novel nonetheless. November 4, 2009
Pen Name (Fairbanks, Alaska)
The Angel's Game is the prequel to Carlos Ruiz Zafón's Spanish novel, The Shadow of the Wind. It is also set in Barcelona, about 20 years prior to the events in that book. Prior knowledge of Shadow is not required at all, and the only real connections to it are the Cemetery of Forgotten Books (a library of extremely rare and out of print books that is closely guarded by its members), and the Sempere and Sons shop. Many of the characters from Shadow, including Daniel's father, appear but the story really stands on its own. The plot for Angel's Game focuses on David Martin, a writer working for a newspaper who longs to do more with his career. He is eventually approached by a mysterious benefactor who pays him to write a novel of the benefactor's choosing, and gives him one year to do it. Martin quickly agrees, unaware of what it may end up costing him.
Like The Shadow of the Wind, The Angel's Game is very difficult to categorize. If I had to, I would say it is a mystery with an intriguing romantic backdrop. It is exceptionally well written and the translation from Spanish is flawless and unnoticeable. If you've read Shadow of the Wind, you already know that Zafón creates very detailed and well-developed characters. Almost all of his characters stand out and the book is certainly not lacking in characterization. His other strengths are in his wonderfully detailed descriptions of Spain, which we are given more of in this book. The overall plot was something I just couldn't get into. It seemed a little too implausible for me, and if this had been written by any other author than Zafón, I might not have finished it, as it seemed to drag on a bit during the middle. However the strong writing really kept me glued to it and ultimately I was able to stick with it long enough to be rewarded with a satisfying story.
A Good Read, A Harried Conclusion November 4, 2009
JD Cetola (Omaha, NE USA)
Carlos Ruiz Zafon's "The Angel's Game" is an international bestseller. Like his terrific "The Shadow of the Wind", this novel features a flawed and weary hero, romance, mystery, suspense, bibliophilia, and the supernatural. "The Angel's Game" is set in Barcelona, Spain during the 1920s and is told in the first person narrative voice of David Martin. Martin's a struggling novelist and romantic who, in essence, trades his soul (or something like it) for the opportunity to write a religious work for a mysterious and possibly evil publisher.
Without giving too much away--Martin falls in love, loses his love to a friend/competitor, writes two novels (one well-received, one panned; although he only gets credit for the panned book), and agrees to a publishing deal with the mysterious "Angel" (also known as "Boss") of the title. The first two-thirds of this book is terrific. Martin has a thoughtful and occasionally amusing voice. The book is suspenseful and very interesting as Martin tries to get to the bottom of the "Angel's Game", or the central mystery of this novel. Unfortunately, this mystery takes a bit of a back seat to the supernatural as the book concludes in what feels like a rushed final 100 pages (or so). Nevertheless, it's still a worthy read and recommended--Zafon tells a story as well as anyone and the picture he paints of 1920s Barcelona makes for vivid and entertaining reading.
mmm mmm good November 1, 2009
Trish (New Hope in the world)
A few years ago, I picked up the audio version of Shadow of the Wind. I didn't know the author , the title or anything about the book - I picked it up because it was the only unabridged cd set in my local used bookstore. I didn't realize that I had just stepped into a branch office of the cemetery of lost books. I would listen to Shadows on my way to work, to the store, down my driveway to pick up the mail. After finishing it, I loaned to cd set to everyone I knew saying - "You must read this - you'll never read a book like it". Mr. Zafon's discription were so vivid that you could taste the scenery, shake with the vibrations of the street cars, and feel the grittiness of the printed page between your fingers. I just finished "The Angel's Game" (listening of course) and it is different from The Shadow, but no less as wonderful. I loved revisiting the book store, Barcelona and the cemetery of lost books. Of course it is different than Shadow and it should be. Now I must wait again to see, feel and taste Barcelona through Mr. Zafon's words. Please hurry!!!!
Showing reviews 1-5 of 166
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