Overview

"Orpheus Rising is a sparkling immersion in adventures of great beauty, danger, and the unexpected, with a climax that will move anyone to a sense of joy. A daring retelling of the Orpheus legend in modern guise, Sam and his father, John, set off to rescue Sam's lost mother, Madelyn, from ""The Far Land of Fear"" and ""Dread City"", a startling, imaginative view of the afterlife. A fantasy set in terms of Sam's 10 going on 11 imagination, they are joined by Lepanto, a very wise Elephant who likes to dance, dressed in Edwardian elegance, through a series of adventures with a most unexpected ending. Children will enjoy the sheer inventiveness of the story-telling, and adults the unexpected depths of Sam and his father's journey to the completion of their hearts' desire... Lee is also a poet whose output has been called ""visionary"" ""vibrant"" ""a voice beyond epoch"" variously compared to Browning, Auden, and in its freedom, Neruda. A playwright too, he has brought characters to life as diverse as Rasputin and the last fox in Los Angeles... His texts of screenwriting and drama remain popular in their fields as well."

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Lee's curious, myth-touched adventure, which reads like a blend of The Phantom Tollbooth, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and a modern-day Orpheus story, finds a lonely boy named Sam stuck in the middle of nowhere with a father, John, who grows greyer by the day. The two spend their time silently doing chores, and every night they share the same terrifying nightmare, though neither speaks of it. One day a mysterious book arrives, and Sam discovers that what happens in it can come true in real life. Inspired, he uses its strange power to change everything for himself and his father, opening the door to a dangerous world where nothing is as it seems. With the help of Sam's imagination they team up-John somewhat reluctantly-with a wise and distinguished elephant who loves to dance. Together, the three embark on a quest to save Sam's mother from the afterlife. Though aimed at middle grade readers, Orpheus Rising at times feels like a mature philosophical contemplation of death, steeped in magical realism. There are also moments of true terror, and some of the imagery- coupled with the book's fantastical yet ominous illustrations-might be unsuitable for readers who scare easily. At the same time, the stakes can be almost comically low, as when an enchanted object renders any conflict avoidable. Elements of the plot require a thorough understanding of the rules of poker and the intricacies of sailing. Real emotion powers Sam and John's adventure, their journey as much about the relationship between father and son as it is finding Sam's mother. Sam and John begin the novel torn apart by her absence, which John spent his entire childhood refusing to explain. Their quest to save her teaches each about the power of honesty, trust, and love. Lee's vivid imagination shines through each chapter of their quest, and his quirky characters will keep readers who appreciate fabulist adventure hooked throughout. Takeaway: Imaginative and emotional, this underworld adventure offers thrills, chills, and insightful lessons. Great for fans of: Neil Gaiman's Coraline, Roald Dahl. July 6, 2021

Lee's curious, myth-touched adventure, which reads like a blend of The Phantom Tollbooth, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and a modern-day Orpheus story, finds a lonely boy named Sam stuck in the middle of nowhere with a father, John, who grows greyer by the day. The two spend their time silently doing chores, and every night they share the same terrifying nightmare, though neither speaks of it. One day a mysterious book arrives, and Sam discovers that what happens in it can come true in real life. Inspired, he uses its strange power to change everything for himself and his father, opening the door to a dangerous world where nothing is as it seems. With the help of Sam's imagination they team up-John somewhat reluctantly-with a wise and distinguished elephant who loves to dance. Together, the three embark on a quest to save Sam's mother from the afterlife. Though aimed at middle grade readers, Orpheus Rising at times feels like a mature philosophical contemplation of death, steeped in magical realism. There are also moments of true terror, and some of the imagery- coupled with the book's fantastical yet ominous illustrations-might be unsuitable for readers who scare easily. At the same time, the stakes can be almost comically low, as when an enchanted object renders any conflict avoidable. Elements of the plot require a thorough understanding of the rules of poker and the intricacies of sailing. Real emotion powers Sam and John's adventure, their journey as much about the relationship between father and son as it is finding Sam's mother. Sam and John begin the novel torn apart by her absence, which John spent his entire childhood refusing to explain. Their quest to save her teaches each about the power of honesty, trust, and love. Lee's vivid imagination shines through each chapter of their quest, and his quirky characters will keep readers who appreciate fabulist adventure hooked throughout. Takeaway: Imaginative and emotional, this underworld adventure offers thrills, chills, and insightful lessons. Great for fans of: Neil Gaiman's Coraline, Roald Dahl. July 6, 2021

Author Information

Lance Lee's selected poetry, Elemental Natures, appeared in the fall of 2020, capping 40 years of poetry publications. He is a past Creative Writing Fellow of the National Endowment for the Arts. His work includes his poetry, works on screenwriting (A Poetics for Screenwriters), plays (Time's Up and Other Plays), novels (Second Chances), and various essays (in On The Waterfront, Cambridge Film Handbooks). As a dramatist has range of characters runs from the last fox in Los Angeles to Rasputin... An environmentalist, he was central in establishing the State Park system in the Santa Monica Mountains behind his home in the Los Angeles area. Half his family lives in North London where he and his wife routinely spend extended periods each year. Ellen Raquel LeBow has illustrated among others Robert Finch's Special Places.... LeBow finds certain archetypal icons deeply compelling be they personal, ancient, or contemporary and draws what awes her. Much of the art in Orpheus Rising was made by carving through black India ink brushed over a board coated in white kaolin clay to expose the white clay. The lines are meant to give the illusion of drawing with light. She coordinates ART/MATENWA, a project that brings sustainability through art to women in Mat�nwa, Haiti. On the founding board of Wellfleet Preservation Hall, she splits her time between Wellfleet and Cambridge, MA with her long-time partner Seth Rolbein and their two goddaughters Hernitte Riviere and Woodmyha Rafa Lima.

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