120,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock ๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฟ

Overnight NZ-wide delivery ๐Ÿš€ Auckland Bookstore โ€ข Open 7 days, 8:30amโ€“5pm

A Voyage to Arcturus: An Illuminated Edition

3.53 goodreads logo

Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.

Check link for latest rating.
( 4,038 ratings, 586 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
A Voyage to Arcturus follows a young soldier's journey through the multiverse to the star system Arcturus, where he encounters surreal worlds filled with strange transformations. Confronting and becoming Gods, his quest explores profound themes of meaning and existence in a narrative described as both a revelation and a riddle.
Read More
Format: Hardback
$20500
AVAILABLE WITH SUPPLIER Ships from our Auckland warehouse within 4-6 weeks

Found a better price? Request a price match

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This edition will captivate fans of visionary science fiction and fantasy, lovers of the surreal and strange, as well as collectors of beautifully crafted books. It appeals especially to readers interested in the genre's history and those drawn to rich, experimental storytelling paired with iconic graphic artistry.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

A Voyage to Arcturus, the gender-bending, genre-smashing epic by David Lindsay, is a neglected landmark in the history of science fiction and fantasy.

Cited as a major influence by J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, its impact continues to resonate across medium and culture. Now its fully-restored text is republished for the first time in half a century, featuring a full suite of illustrations and visual elaborations by Jim Woodring, and an introduction by Alan Moore.

In Lindsay's vision, a young soldier travels the multiverse in search of meaning. In the star system of Arcturus, he will encounter astonishing new worlds containing strange and inexplicable transformations. He will fight Gods and become them. His story is a revelation, a riddle, and a ride.

This gloriously strange and singular work joins Beehive Books' ILLUMINATED EDITIONS line, in which literary classics are reinvented by the greatest graphic artists in the world. Experience this unjustly forgotten work of visionary sci-fi as brought to life by Jim Woodring's psychedelic illustrations, enclosed in a shimmering die-cut sculpturally embossed slipcase, printed on uncoated acid-free paper, and published in an oversized 9x12" trim. A beautiful introduction by Alan Moore unpacks and examines the many meanings and cultural currents that went into this ur-text, changing the course of a century's worth of fiction.

Jim Woodring is a best-selling, critically acclaimed cartoonist and author known for his surreal comics, dream art, and the anthropomorphic character Frank. The alchemy of Woodring's inimitable, iconic style, and Lindsay's rich, experimental narrative, with Moore as our learned tour guide through these strange and startling visions, will amaze fans of science fiction and fantasy, lovers of odd things, and collectors of striking books alike. This is a one-of-a-kind volume that promises to grow richer with each reading.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781948886307

Publisher: Beehive Books

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 01 December 2022

Country: United States

Imprint: Beehive Books

Edition: Illustrated edition

Illustration: Full color illustrations throughout

Contributors:

  • Introduction by Alan Moore
  • Illustrated by Jim Woodring

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 229.0mm

Height: 305.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 292

About the Author

Though he is today regarded as a profoundly influential author of sci-fi and visionary fiction, British novelist David Lindsay struggled to publish during his life. A Voyage to Arcturus, his first novel, didn't see print until he was in his mid-40's, and his career as a writer saw very little critical or commercial success. He died in 1945, leaving behind several more manuscripts, which remained unpublished after numerous rejections, and an unfinished novel. A year after his death, Arcturus was republished. Bolstered now by praise from authors and critics including C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, the popularity of Arcturus spurred a republications of Lindsay's other titles and the publication of his previously unpublished works, including his unfinished final novel The Witch. Experimental in both form and content, Lindsay's novels may not have found their readership while he was alive, but today, they are recognised and praised for their singular vision, deep impact on multiple genres, and unique blend of fantasy, philosophy, and science-fiction.

Jim Woodring is an acclaimed, cartoonist and author of the wordless metaphysical Frank series. The winner of multiple Harvey and Inkpot awards, he has created thousands of standalone drawings and paintings, including a suite of enormous ink drawings made with Nibbus Maximus, a functioning six-foot dip pen he designed and built. His large, painstakingly-rendered charcoal drawings of bizarre tableaus are in collections all over the world. He also makes machines that address his perceptual difficulties, such as the sinister Looty and the nerve-shredding Foot Grinder. As of this writing he is just finishing up his 400-page Frank magnum opus One Beautiful Spring Day, due out in 2022. He lives in Washington State with his wife.

Alan Moore may be the most celebrated comics author of all time, with countless renowned and beloved works to his name, including WATCHMEN, V FOR VENDETTA, FROM HELL and many more.

Also by David Lindsay

View all
  • A Voyage to Arcturus
    A classic of intergalactic, metaphysical science fiction and one of Philip Pullman's favourite books. After journeying across the stars, a man from Earth finds himself lost among the scarlet deserts, black cliffs, and semi-sentient oceans of Tormance, a world lit by the star Arcturus. Pulled northward by the sound of drums, and undergoing strange physical transformations, the Earthman's adventures with...
    Paperback
    $2800
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Scientific Writing = Thinking in Words
    Telling people about research is just as important as doing it. However, many competent researchers are wary of scientific writing, despite its importance for sharpening scientific thinking, advancing their career, obtaining funding for their work, and growing the prestige of their institution. This second edition of David Lindsayโ€™s popular book Scientific Writing = Thinking in Words presents a way of...
    Paperback
    $3999
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks

More from Sci-Fi & Fantasy

View all
  • The Sixth Nik
    New Release
    The Sixth Nik
    Daniel Kraus, 2026 Pulitzer Prizeโ€“winning author of Angel Down and soon-to-be-a-film Whalefall, returns with The Sixth Nik, a galaxy spanning, genre-blending scifi literary horror, for fans of Ursula K Le Guin and the Alien franchise. Deep into space, far past the triworld outposts, beyond range of the lethal trollbot internet, soars The Sickness: a ship woven from biomatter and capable...
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Massif
    New Release
    Massif
    Caught me a mountain Rode it to the stars It's business as usual for Ship Leader Parnell Shi-Sawahla and the crew of the corvette Sassafras. Ride a Massif to a new system, fight the enemy, repeat. For more than two hundred years, humans have been hitching rides on these sentient, starfaring mountain ranges, colonising planets and exporting an on-again, off-again...
    Paperback
    $3299
    Elsewhere:
    $3799
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • He Who Fights With Monsters: Adventurer
    New Release
    He Who Fights With Monsters: Adventurer
    He Who Fights With Monsters: Adventurer Book Two in Shirtaloon's wildly popular LitRPG series. The path from retail middle management to interdimensional wizard adventurer wasn't easy, but Jason Asano is settling into his new life. Now, a contest draws young elites to the city of Greenstone, competing for a grand prize. Jason must gather a band of companions if he...
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3800
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    Scion
    โ€˜Scionโ€™ is an electrifying sci-fi thriller that follows a contract killer tasked with protecting a scientist from assassination, only to find himself in the crosshairs. My nameโ€™s Azure. I kill rich idiots for a living. All completely legal, of course, even if it does still make the old-fashioned crowd a bit uncomfortable. Once the ultra-wealthy realised they had a way...
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3800
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Project Hail Mary
    Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir, the SUNDAY TIMES and NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author of The Martian, offers a gripping new adventure in hard science fiction. With endorsement from notable figures such as Barack Obama and a slew of five-star reviews, this novel promises a thrilling and intellectually stimulating journey. Ryland Grace, a lone astronaut, finds himself on a...
    Paperback
    $2399
    Elsewhere:
    $2400
    (5)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • On Sale
    10% off
    The Strength of the Few
    The highly anticipated follow-up to The Will of the Manyโ€”one of 2023's most lauded and bestselling fantasy novels. The Hierarchy still call me Vis Telimus. They still, as one, believe they know who I am. But with all that has happenedโ€”with what I fear is comingโ€”I am not sure it matters anymore. I am no longer one. I won the...
    Paperback
    $2600
    Elsewhere:
    $3800
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Red Rising
    The first book in the incredible New York Times bestselling series Darrow is a Helldiver, toiling beneath the surface of Mars. As a member of the Red caste, he performs grueling labor in the belief that his sacrifice will enable future generations to one day inhabit the surface of the Red Planet. The Reds are humankind's lowest caste, living in...
    Paperback
    $2200
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    (2)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Crossroads of Ravens
    THE GLOBAL PHENOMENON RETURNS... Every legend has an origin - and Geralt of Rivia's begins here. In this brand-new chapter of Andrzej Sapkowski's Witcher series, follow Geralt in his earliest days as a Witcher, as he faces monsters and humans alike. Discover the untold stories and encounters that shaped the iconic character known today. Crossroads of Ravens brings readers into...
    Paperback
    $2899
    Elsewhere:
    $3799
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Wind and Truth
    The long-awaited explosive climax to the first arc of the Number One New York Times bestselling Stormlight Archive. Wind and Truth by Brandon Sanderson sees Dalinar Kholin challenge the evil god Odium to a contest of champions with the future of Roshar on the line. The Knights Radiant have only ten days to prepare, and the sudden ascension of the...
    Paperback
    $3100
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    (1)
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The Ministry of Time
    One of the 18 best novels of the year for the Sunday Times A book of the year for the New York Times, Guardian, Independent, Evening Standard, Spectator, Red, NPR, Vanity Fair, People, Slate, Advocate, Sydney Morning Herald, Globe and Mail, Den of Geek, Good Housekeeping, Goodreads, NetGalley and Smithsonian Magazine 'A sparkling delight' Observer 'Make room on your bookshelves...
    Paperback
    $2399
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    (2)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Assassinโ€™s Apprentice
    Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb marks the beginning of an extraordinary adventure in the rich and immersive world of the Six Duchies. Set against the backdrop of a kingdom teetering on the brink of civil war, this gripping tale introduces readers to FitzChivalry Farseer, a royal bastard whose existence threatens the stability of the crown. When the crown prince's secret...
    Paperback
    $1900
    Elsewhere:
    $2299
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • I Who Have Never Known Men
    A haunting, heartbreaking tale of female friendship and intimacy that evokes the chilling atmospheres of The Handmaid's Tale and the desolate landscapes of The Road, I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman is a story that lingers long after the last page is turned. This gripping narrative takes us deep underground, where thirty-nine women are held in isolation...
    Paperback
    $2800
    Elsewhere:
    $3299
    In Stock
    Ships today

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.

Sci-Fi & Fantasy lists from the team

Explore our curated lists from our heroes to find your next read!