You ever just super unsure you are saying an incredibly important detail of a book wrong and need someone else to say it to you? Was lucky enough to help Angry Robot with this one and Netgalley hooked me up with the audio so I can say the title correctly (70% of the time).

"Gogmagog" by Jeff Noon and Steve Beard is one of the stranger settings I've encountered. It takes place on a river that is also a 60 mile long ghost dragon. Please read that last bit again. Cady, is a disgusting, foul mouthed, drunk who is tasked over her vast lifespan to handle certain events. When two strangers show up insisting her ferry them down river it's the last thing she wants, considering drink and slightly decayed food could be eaten instead. But she ends up on the river with them of course. Hopefully the knowledge to avoid the vast array of threats on the river/ghost dragons is still rattling around in there.

Narrated by Matthew Lloyd Davies, I was throwing an unreasonable amount of extra syllables into some names.

Reasons to read:
-It is so weird, but every little bit of the world is just interesting
-Exquisite swearing
-Cady is a hoot, she super gross, but it makes sense once you get to know her
-Side characters have devastating stories going on too
-Oh are we going to do the thing folks frown on but is sometimes super justified?

Cons:
-Maybe don't read and snack with this one

Join the thrilling adventure of a lifetime through the mystical world of Gogmagog, crafted by Jeff Noon and Steve Beard. Brace yourself for an exciting journey as you set sail on the Juniper, an old yet resilient boat that will take you through the dangerous waters of river Nysis. Navigate through a series of obstacles, including treacherous whirlpools, deadly sandbanks, and monstrous creatures lurking beneath the surface.

Your guide and captain for this journey is Cady Meade, a seasoned, though an alcoholic sailor, who is an expert navigator, and knows the river like the back of his hand. However, he has a troubled past and personal demons that might jeopardize your journey. But don't worry, you can motivate him to stay focused and face the dangers that lie ahead.

As you travel along the river, you'll encounter two strangers seeking transport. One of them is a young girl in dire need of medical attention, while the other is an artificial being, hiding secrets within a crystal skull, and their intentions are unknown. As you unravel hidden mysteries and face unimaginable challenges. You will discover the secrets of Gogmagog's unique, weird and wonderful fantasy world, with its steampunk styling, humour, mind-bending ideas, creatures, and enigmatic mysteries.

The story revolves around a central family of flawed characters, misfits, and runaways who must work together to overcome challenges. Every stretch of the river brings new discoveries, and secrets, making the whole enterprise an enticing adventure for the action and answers to come in future volumes.

Gogmagog is an unforgettable adventure through the mystical land, where danger and excitement lurk around every turn of the river. Ludluda is the second book in this series.

I would like to thank both NetGalley and Angry Robot for providing me with an e-arc, and my thoughts on the book are entirely my own.

A spell was underway. From the dank soil, from the memories of the witches of Dark Eden, from the gardener priests of the Wodwo clan as they huddled round their campfires in the days of snow and iron. From the flow of sap, from the river's tides. From the Deep Root. Aye, and from the dreams of the Old Ones, as they fell to earth in Year of First Arrival. [loc. 676]
Jeff Noon published the four books in the Vurt series, beginning with Vurt, in the 1990s: since then he's had a lower profile, working on interactive fiction and a series of SF-inflected pulp noir mystery novels. His latest work is coauthored with Steve Beard, with whom he's also worked on the writing game, and later novel, Mappalujo.

Cady Meade is a veteran river captain, full of tales about her years on the river Nysis, travelling up to the city of Ludwich and back down to the estuary. Now she's down on her luck, drinking too much, wandering the marshes, complaining about the youth of today. But perhaps her luck's about to change: two strangers come to her seeking transport, by river, to Ludwich. One is a young girl, and one is an artificial person, a Thrawl. No chance, Cady tells them. The river is more perilous than ever, it drives travellers mad, and it's actually the ghost of a great dragon.

So off they go to Ludwich, with Cady's young protege Yanish captaining the vessel.

This is not our world. It has echoes of post-war Britain, but it's also a land inhabited by various inhuman tribes -- the Wodwo 'of flower and flesh both made', the Azeel whose shadows wander -- and a land that was inhabited by monstrous Beasts before the Kindred came in their sky chariots. The Beasts, of course, were promptly slain: it's the ghost of the greatest, the dragon Haakenur, which haunts (or is) the river. But there might be another ghost, another danger...

Gogmagog is full of rich strange detail, and the world-building is fascinating even where indistinct. Yet I didn't really connect with the novel. Cady is a vivid but not wholly likeable character (though I did find myself warming to her over the course of the tale) and is often referred to as 'the old lady' -- not by other characters but by the authorial voice. Ugh! While 'old' is absolutely correct, and not the half of it, that phrase has too much cultural weight. ('Old woman' would be equally accurate and quite different in tone.) I was also not thrilled to discover that the final pages of Gogmagog introduce a major shift. I know it's the first part of a duology, but this felt as though it just stopped rather than concluding any of its subplots.

If you are seeking a wild and wierd fantasy journey then look no further!

Gogmagog by Jeff Noon and Steve Beard is one of the most imaginative and eccentric books that I have read in a long time. There is an intentionally disorientating and fever dream like quality to the writing which lends perfectly to the type of story being told. I can see some similarities to Gene Wolfe's Book of the New Sun in that bizarre events and encounters frequently occur but are not explicitly or immediately explained and require the reader to go with the flow and piece things together along the way. There is also a sense that this could well be our own Earth but in a far distant future giving the question whether this might actually be a science fiction story rather than just a fantasy.

I really enjoyed having an older (really old) protagonist in Cady, this is something that we don't see enough of in the genre and I loved the no nonsense and crotchety attitude and dialogue that came with this point of view. There was also a fantastic ensemble of supporting characters who were all very distinct and unique. Sometimes events jumped about quite abruptly and you needed to figure out if events were actually happening, or if they were a dream or a vision of some kind. This might not be to everyone's taste but again I believe this to be an entirely deliberate approach on behalf of the authors.

I won't talk about any spoilers as there are plenty of twists and surprises along the way, I recommend jumping right into this with little prior knowledge. Gogmagog is the first part in a duology and this is something we also do not see enough of in publishing these days so this would be perfect for fantasy fans who are tired of long series or stories padded out just to become a trilogy.

Many thanks to Angry Robot Publishers and NetGalley for providing an eArc in exchange for an honest review. Gogmagog: The First Chronicle of Ludwich is due to be published 13th February 2024.

DNF 42%.

This is a very weird book. It's very imaginative and the authors have a great narrative voice for the main character; an old cranky lady who lives on a boat and has a lot of secrets. But the worldbuilding and writing were all just a little esoteric and not explained well enough for me. Could give it another try at another point, though.

I received an eARC of this book from Angry Robot Books and Netgalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion.

Arcadia ‘Cady’ Meade is quite possibly the oldest main character I’ve had the pleasure of reading at 78 years old, or perhaps she’s a little bit older than that. A former ship’s captain on the river Nysis, Cady is requested to deliver a young girl, Brin, and her automaton companion, Lek, to a farflung destination, Ludwich, in time for the Hesting Festival. She is drawn back to her former ship, Juniper, and together they must undergo this perilous journey. All while chasing the mysterious Gogmagog nad the three items shown to Cady in her dreams.

From the first page Gogmagog was an awesome and inventive read. It’s set in an alternate England, but I didn’t get that vibe and there were barely any comparisons to reality. It was full-on fantasy fare and I loved it for that. It is weird, inventive and strange, but I was onboard Juniper with this crazy cast of characters as they travelled through a sixty mile long dragon and faced non stop challenges.

Cady is a no holds barred, crass old lady who was a rollicking good time to accompany. She was the best of the characters we got to see. Even if Yanish, Brin and Lek did some heavy lifting of their own Cady was the sole POV and it was such a good decision.

So many wild ideas were thrown into this story and most of them worked so well. Unfortunately I was lost a couple of times due to all of the terms and names so this isn’t a perfect 5/5, but it’s close and I highly look forward to the upcoming sequel, Ludluda, to be released in Novemeber and conclude this duology. Gogmagog releases on February 13th so be sure to check out this first installment of a fascinating new series.

Rating: 4/5

We encounter Cady, a seasoned river pilot enjoying her retirement to the fullest with indulgences in drinking and drugs. She's lived a full life and believes she deserves to do as she pleases. However, her retirement takes an unexpected turn when she receives a mysterious sign from nature and is sought out by two strangers, signalling the end of her reprieve – not just from piloting rivers, but from something much larger.

The world of Gogmagog presents a unique setting, starting in a riverside town leading to Ludwich, with the river's perilous "ghost" section being particularly notorious. The environment feels somewhat post-industrial, marked by the remnants of past conflicts and societal advancements, including abandoned factories, remnants of war, and restricted technology like robots. Yet, amid this urban decay, there's a fascinating juxtaposition with nature, including captivating creatures and plant-based entities, adding depth to the narrative.

Initially, understanding Cady and the unfolding events posed a challenge, but as the story progressed, her character gradually revealed its layers. She begins as a gruff and indifferent individual, weary of her past life and awaiting a sign of change. However, upon receiving it, she becomes more animated albeit chaotic, and her past secrets gradually surface, providing insights into her character. Fortunately, the author doesn't withhold these revelations for long, allowing readers to grasp Cady's backstory relatively quickly. Other ambiguous elements are also clarified as the plot unfolds, which is appreciated.

Despite Cady's volatile nature and the meandering boat journey that dominates the narrative, she demonstrates genuine care for those around her and possesses considerable wisdom. Her interactions with other characters, including the youth she took under her wing, a robot companion, and a child, add depth to the story and create a compelling dynamic.

However, the repetitive nature of the boat journey by the story's end becomes tiresome, compounded by abrupt transitions between chapters that leave certain plot points disjointed. The lack of seamless transitions and explanations for these shifts detracted from the overall enjoyment of the book, preventing it from earning a higher rating.

Nevertheless, despite its flaws, the story holds promise, leaving readers intrigued about its continuation and the unfolding adventures in the world of Gogmagog.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

A captivating, lively, and rich universe unfolds from the very first chapter. Characters that draw us in, making us eager to follow them on their adventures. It's densely woven, fueling the reader's curiosity to delve deeper into this intricate, magical world full of mysteries. Skillfully blending science fiction and fantasy, it creates a complex tapestry that seamlessly merges the two genres.

I was first drawn to this book by the very cool cover, and I was happy to read another Angry Robot book. They’ve had some of the most fun fantasy out there the last several years. This book had a lot of potential, but the overall story left me wanting more. The characters were fun, there were a lot of quirky moments, and the world building was fantastic. By the end, I found the journey was getting a bit long. Cady and friends were wonderful, and the idea of traveling through the dragon was intriguing, Some of the scenes didn’t quite work, and things got a bit fever dream-ish at parts. Overall, a series that I would come back to. Thanks to Angry Robot for the ARC!

A fantastical quest adventure which occasionally left me behind.

This is a high fantasy quest along a river which is encompassed by the ghost of a dragon. Our main character Cady is a retired boat captain who is roped into doing one more sail down the river with her first mate Yannish, through the body of a dragon's ghost, at the request of a young girl and her robot companion. Everyone has something to hide in the first book of a duology.

Authors Jeff Noon and Steve Beard have packed a lot into this book, and as a relative newbie to peak fantasy, I was a little overwhelmed at times. We have a variety of different types of characters who all have different magical abilities, cultures, traditions and histories. The world building is unlike anything I've encountered. When I read this, in my minds eye I imagined the world like a Studio Ghibli movie.

I love that our main character, Cady, is in her 70s and she does not conform to the traditional tenets of femininity. The whole book I was like, what else can Cady possibly put in or take out of the holes in her body? No don't eat that! She spits black into the water, and frames it as a gift for the fish. I mean she is gross. And I wouldn't change a thing.

The book is nails exactly what it is going for. The quest is simple but demanding, the characters are loveable but flawed and mysterious, the magic keeps us guessing about what's going to happen next. I had hoped for more sci-fi and a little less high fantasy based on my personal reading preferences. This is a duology, but I won't be picking up the second one. I hope this book finds it's audience, because the people who love it will be obsessed.

Thank you to NetGalley and Angry Robot for this advanced reader copy.

This book is best read on the bank of a river in the fog. If you see yellow eyes peering at you through the mist, run towards them.

Gogmagog has a very cool idea and lots of interesting things going on in this world. It’s lacking much depth, though, and the characters never made any real impression on me. There is definitely some good stuff here that makes me wish I’d enjoyed this more.

Note: arc provided by the publisher via netgalley in exchange for honest review

What first brought my attention was this stunning cover, and when I buried myself in reading the blurb, I was sure sold. I like weirdness. "Gogmagog" is definetely weird, with its rich characters, unique world-building and narration; it's adventurous, and full of life. But unfortunately it was lacking tenderness. I could not for the love of me bite into it. The lecture was nice, but I'm afraid nothing more than that. Sadly, I don't think Cady's story will stay with me, no matter how much uniqness and interesting things was put into it.

Cady is a retired riverboat captain and she takes the word plant lady to a whole other level. I loved her from the start because she is a very straightforward and unique plerson ;) who is beyond fascinating (same goes for this whole book), wise, courageous and has a rough exterior but a big beautiful heart.

One day there are signs, ones I can only compare to surrealism, my favorite art form. That part and many others that followed, had me reading open mouthed. Those signs and the appearance of a robot and an equally fascinating girl, are the start of a journey I wished would never end. Partially because I fell in love with the characters and this world (I need more!) but also because I just love the found family trope, done really really well here.

One of my favorite movies is Spirited Away by Studio Ghibli and that’s the only piece of entertainment I can compare this with. This book is so well written, atmospheric, mysterious, different and out of the box and so engaging. It’s one I am going to reread often and it’s without a doubt a new favorite of mine!

Thank you NetGalley and Angry Robot for providing me with this arc, in exchange for my honest review.

The story of a group of travel companions who travel up a river, which is, in fact, the slowly rotting ghost body of an age old dragon. The protagonist is Cady, a cantankerous old woman, who captains the boat through various travails, and gradually discovers who her fellow travellers are and what makes them special. As the story unravels, we learn about the different types of entities inhabiting this world, and what their special and unique attributes are. The world itself is a mashup of steampunk, sci fi, and fantasy. You could say the book is something in between Mieville's The Scar, Каналы Москвы, and Cargill's Sea of Rust.

I really liked the creativity of the worldbuilding and the character building, which felt to be inexorably linked to the worldbuilding itself. The richness of what there is on offer here is staggering, and despite it all, the various strands fit together nicely and I didn't feel lost at all. The protagonist, in particular, is really well designed, and while she turns out to be kind and caring (unsurprisingly), her "edges" are fun and beautiful to read about.

The richness of some of the descriptions of the major acts was staggering. The authors chose to invest in describing the world and the atmosphere rather than the typical fight scenes. It was a superb decision, making the book incredibly beautiful to read.

I also really liked the end and the ambiguity embedded in the moral dilemma that dominated it. Overall the moral ambiguity of the story is quite refreshing and makes you question and explore.

Highly recommend to anyone who likes speculative fiction. There is a very broad audience for this. It will be of particular interest to fans of Mieville, Bacigalupi, and Di Filippo.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an early copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Maybe this is a book I need to give a better shot someday when I'm sleeping more. It's got a lot of <i>very</i> cool things going on, but too often I had a difficult time tracking what the plot overall was doing (or even how we got from place to place, scene to scene, or new character to new character). I'm going to have to read any other "chronicles of Ludwich" because there's the bones of something really interesting here, and maybe future iterations will be easier for me to follow.

Loved this fever-dream of a book. It's like a weird and dark and surreal Wonderland/never-was version of England, peopled by strange beasts and strange people. Glorious and intricate, and absolutely mesmerizing the deeper I got into the world and into the mind and history of Cady. Cannot wait for the next book!

Gogmagog is a whimsical fantasy adventure with a wonderful theme of found family, and would be a strong recommendation for fans of TJ Klune and Studio Ghibli. Much of the book follows the main cast on a 60-mile journey along the river Nysis, following along the body of the dragon spirit Faynr that inhabits the river. The book pays great attention to the folklore and fairy tales of the land, and I found the local mythology of the book really enticing. While I’d absolutely recommend this book to fans of fantasy folklore, Gogmagog’s style and worldbuilding reminded me somewhat of Studio Ghibli or Alice in Wonderland; the world created is whimsical and bizarre, but not necessarily dark and twisted. There are a lot of terms to become familiar with at first, and I imagine a reread would probably reveal details I missed on the first pass.

The Worldbuilding is truly fascinating in the novel; from the premise on the blurb I was expecting a conventional high fantasy setting, but references to trucks and even bomber jets from a recent war imply this is a high-technology fantasy setting, and somewhat of a rare breed. The novel just kept throwing up more and more unusual titbits for the reader to enjoy. This is both a good and a bad thing for me – I love the creativity, but I do feel like I’m constantly playing catchup with new terms, species and names to remember.

Gogmagog at it’s heart is a tale of found family, and I’d regard this as the book’s strongest quality. The impromptu crew of the Juniper is a classic ragtag band of misfits, and I found them utterly loveable. The lead character Cady is both a cranky old lady and a breath of fresh air (though not literally). She’s not your conventional hero at first glance, but one thing that Gogmagog really excels in is developing multilayered, interesting crew members on the voyage. There are discoveries aplenty about the whole cast! A small gripe I had with the book is that I think the authors actually took this bit a little too far – if the crew are saved by a hidden power or ability too many times, it can potentially spoil any sense of peril for the scenario they’re in!

This is part one of a planned duology, and based on where book 1 leaves off, I think there’s still plenty to explore in a sequel. I would personally have preferred to see more resolved in this first book, but that’s purely a matter of personal opinion, and certainly not a reason to pass this one by!

8 / 10 ✪

https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com/2024/02/07/gogmagog-by-jeff-noon-steve-beard-review/

A strange mashup of science fiction and fantasy, Gogmagog is the… well, strange product of a strange partnership from two… (perfectly lovely but) strange authors, Jeff Noon and Steve Beard.

Bit of a slow start to this one. The story really takes off at around the 120-150 page mark—a good 50-100 pages after it really should’ve. Not that that time’s wasted, mind. We’re busy establishing the world in all its weirdness, and getting hands-on with the characters. In all their… oddity. I mean, yeah, I should probably address it now: this is a strange book. Not BAD, never bad, just… weird.

I had little enough trouble following the gist of it—follow the river, yeah?—but outside of that… it’s a bit of a clusterfuck. I mean, in the best possible way, but, there were several times I smirked and shook my head because… wtf did I just read? And yet it all goes together fairly nicely, so there’s not a ton to complain about. Slow start, yes; weird and wandering narrative, no… for some reason. And the reason is that it all combines into quite a good story—one that I’ll legitimately be interested in following in the second book!

wow, this one was a fun, adventurous and at times very weird SFF book that i would so recommend. tysm Angry Robot Press for the arc.

Gogmagog is a book filled with adventure, characters of intrigue, a ghost dragon and lots of quirks. I have never read a book like this, it's weird, imaginative and it allows you as the reader to piece to story bit by bit from the first page through to the last.
I absolutely adored Cady and it's not often you come across an older, female protagonist who loves nothing but her boat. She's quirky, relatable and has an absolute sailor mouth on her.
I genuinely think the less you know about this book; the better.
Thank you to NetGalley and Angry Robot Books for an ARC.