|
|
Post by Dante on Jan 5, 2009 3:49:30 GMT -5
There's a short preview of The Composer is Dead on Publishersweekly, but it doesn't tell us anything we didn't already know. It gets a little red star, though. www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6624072.html--- A stint narrating live performances of Peter and the Wolf led Snicket (aka Daniel Handler) to collaborate with Stookey on this introduction to the instruments of the orchestra (see “Lemony Snicket Redux,” Oct. 27). In true Snicket fashion, the device is a picture book cum police procedural, with a murder investigation functioning as plot. The tone is set by the opening spread, which describes the composer, face down at his desk, “not humming.... not moving, or even breathing.” The single line of text on the next page reads: “This is called decomposing.” (The illustration shows a large, menacing fly.) The witty wordplay proceeds with the Inspector, a rosy-cheeked Hercule Poirot type in a bowler and pinstripe suit, interrogating each section, beginning with the First Violins, “who have the trickier parts to play,” followed by the Second Violins, “who are more fun at parties.” Ellis (known for her art for the band The Decemberists as well as for illustrating the Mysterious Benedict Society books) brightens the heavily black stage scenes with coral, gold and sepia accents against expansive white backgrounds. Silhouettes of each instrument add a period feel. The accompanying CD features Snicket narrating and the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra performing Stookey's original score. A national tour begins March 7 in New York City. Ages 5–up. (Mar.) --- |
|
|
|
Post by cwm on Jan 6, 2009 11:07:56 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by Dante on Jan 6, 2009 14:55:31 GMT -5
It's possible, but I don't know where they'd have got the information from. I've never seen online bookseller listings go past TAA (Kidnapping!). Its claim of an eleven-part comic by Kupperman entitled The Café with a Theme seems particularly improbable; what about The Spoily Brats? Google only turns up a reference to it on the Wikipedia article, a foreign wiki download, and a dead foreign blog. In addition, according to the edit history, this information was added on the 9th of March - by which point it was already known that the TMM and TAA reissues had been indefinitely postponed - by a user known as "Helloimigsdfhk" who may have been blocked for vandalism in the past.
In short: I, as they say in the vernacular, am "calling shenanigans" and removing the section.
|
|
|
|
Post by Dante on Jan 27, 2009 3:04:20 GMT -5
An interesting twist. For some time now, Amazon.com's been reporting that The Miserable Mill, or, Hypnotism! would be out on 28th February, for the very un-paperback-like price of $15.99 (and indeed listed as a library binding). Now there's an entry for The Austere Academy, or, Kidnapping!, again at $15.99, again listed as a library binding, but with a release date of February 9th. Given how few details there are for a release that would be so soon, and given how nothing but the title matches up with the previous paperback releases, and given how this would have TAA coming out before TMM, and given that these release dates only appear on a search page and not in the entries themselves, I'm highly suspicious that these volumes even exist, no matter how nice it'd be if they were having a second try at the paperbacks. All highly suspect, but keep an eye open on February 9th and 28th. |
|
|
|
Post by Gigi on Jan 29, 2009 12:56:40 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by cwm on Jan 29, 2009 14:01:01 GMT -5
So I understand this: is The Composer is Dead a short story with a musical version of the story attached? Or is the music CD something else?
|
|
|
|
Post by Dante on Jan 29, 2009 14:09:07 GMT -5
So I understand this: is The Composer is Dead a short story with a musical version of the story attached? Or is the music CD something else? You've sorta got it backwards. It was musical to begin with - that is to say, the original version was narrated on-stage, usually but not always by Snicket, with accompanying music. It was Snicket's take on similar projects like Peter and the Wolf. Either because it was a grand success, or because they would likely always have done so, HC are publishing it as a book, with a recording of one of the original live performances included on the CD. The text may or may not be the same, but books generally don't include music, so that's good enough reason to include the CD. Edit: Short version: Yes to your first statement; it's a short story with a musical version, or a version with music, attached. Click "Surprise Me" enough times and you could probably view the whole book. I tried, but it started kicking up a fuss after a while. I do, however, recall being able to read much of Horseradish online using a similar feature on HC's site (lacking for TCiD, though). |
|
|
|
Post by Gigi on Jan 29, 2009 17:49:55 GMT -5
Yea, I guess not the WHOLE book, but a good chunk at least. Nt much longer and it will actually be out anyway.
|
|
|
|
Post by Dante on Feb 9, 2009 12:04:37 GMT -5
An interesting twist. For some time now, Amazon.com's been reporting that The Miserable Mill, or, Hypnotism! would be out on 28th February, for the very un-paperback-like price of $15.99 (and indeed listed as a library binding). Now there's an entry for The Austere Academy, or, Kidnapping!, again at $15.99, again listed as a library binding, but with a release date of February 9th. Given how few details there are for a release that would be so soon, and given how nothing but the title matches up with the previous paperback releases, and given how this would have TAA coming out before TMM, and given that these release dates only appear on a search page and not in the entries themselves, I'm highly suspicious that these volumes even exist, no matter how nice it'd be if they were having a second try at the paperbacks. All highly suspect, but keep an eye open on February 9th and 28th. I've figured out what these are; they aren't in any way a sign that the paperbacks are returning. Last August, library binding editions of TBB and TWW were reissued under identical Amazon pages to the ones used here; it's clear to me that these are just reissues of the library bindings of TMM and TAA, but Amazon's made the mistake of conflating them with the Hypnotism! and Kidnapping! editions that never came out. It's just an error; don't buy them if they're released. (The 9th February one, for example, is still listed as pre-order only.) |
|
|
|
Post by Dante on Feb 24, 2009 3:58:18 GMT -5
Late yesterday, it seems an AuthorTracker was sent around concerning the imminent release of The Composer is Dead, advertising a Browse Inside facility for the book and a sweepstake to win a free copy. So if you're eligible and you don't like spending money on the author this forum is dedicated to, sign up! --- A message from Lemony Snicket --- February 2009 Dear Reader, Are you interested in being one of the first people to get a glimpse of the alarming events in Lemony Snicket’s new book The Composer Is Dead, which won’t arrive in bookstores until March? Because if you aren’t, you certainly should not immediately Browse Inside. With all due respect, Lemony Snicket Don't enter The Composer Is Dead sweepstakes. Learn more about The Composer Is Dead and other bothersome books at www.LemonySnicket.com. --- |
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 24, 2009 4:04:11 GMT -5
WHOA! The cover is AWESOME!! I'm signing up~! ;D EDIT: Oh, wait: The Sweepstakes is open to all legal residents of the United States (except Rhode Island, Colorado, Arizona, Florida, and U.S. Territories and Possessions)...Ah well.  |
|
|
|
Post by Dante on Feb 24, 2009 6:15:30 GMT -5
WHOA! The cover is AWESOME!! I'm signing up~! ;D EDIT: Oh, wait: The Sweepstakes is open to all legal residents of the United States (except Rhode Island, Colorado, Arizona, Florida, and U.S. Territories and Possessions)...Ah well. Yeah, I should've pointed that out (I've now edited it). All these sweepstakes, like the one for The Lump of Coal, have the same requirements. They rule me out, too. |
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 24, 2009 6:19:38 GMT -5
Oh well. I can still for it to be sold at bookstores in my neighbourhood.  |
|
|
|
Post by Mijahu on Feb 24, 2009 6:30:48 GMT -5
Aw, sorry tk However the selfish side of me is just hoping I win |
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 24, 2009 6:34:31 GMT -5
That's just natural, mijahu. And I hope you do win! (cuz then you can say, "Hey, I'm from 667 and I won!" and more people will know 667. ;D )
|
|
