The great master weaves a tale that takes some brain power to get into. I love the idea of a hidden London existing beyond time.

The opening is wild with convolutions, cool ideas, and characters that make for a slow read when there isn’t a lot to grab onto plot-wise. The vignettes seem disconnected without context and it’s hard to grasp where things are going to go.

With patience, treasures are ahead. When the character Dennis appears it’s easy to lock onto him. Then the plot begins to gel and the pace quickens, turning pages. There are some fabulous characters created—Coffin Ada is memorable. Expect (as you would) lots of intriguing ideas, laugh out loud humor and beautiful descriptions.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury USA for an advance reading copy in exchange for a fair review.

The Great When is a story about a young man who ventures into an Alternate London.
I like Alan Moore writing comic books. He’s written some really good and thought provoking stories.
I wish I could say the same for this novel. The premise intrigued me. The world building and creation was interesting. I just had a hard time getting into the stream of consciousness prose that Alternate London used. That threw me out of the story most of the times I read it. It did seem to get somewhat better towards the end of the book, but still was problematic for me.
Some may really enjoy it and that’s fantastic. This one, wasn’t for me.

There are a lot of familiar elements to the portal fantasy being told (down on his luck young, ordinary boy wanders into a secret alternative London) that recalls Neverwhere among others. The joy is that Alan Moore seems to have swallowed an eldritch thesaurus that turns even the familiar London into an absurdly horrific playground. I enjoyed that, though I never fell in love with it.

I was excited to read another alternate London book, but this one was extremely descriptive and convoluted. I had trouble engaging with the text and was turned off by the cleverness that made me feel like I was an outsider when all the cool kids were having inside jokes. The touch of magic was also a turn off. I think this just wasn't my novel. I imagine this book will find its audience - and perhaps cult-like adoration, but it was not for me or at least not for me right now.

This is a neat little romp of alternate universe Londons that can be accessed by a book written in one world and bought to the other, weird old London people and sexual misadventures, and small magics. Definitely worth a read when it comes out this fall.

Stylish, strange, and often utterly incomprehensible. I loved the ambition and the concept here (and the character names, shan't lie; Coffin Ada is perfection). Unfortunately, for me, I think I've just read so many "alternate London" stories that landed better than THE GREAT WHEN, I couldn't summon much enthusiasm. I found myself skim-reading, eyes glazed, and didn't feel much of an urge to read the sequels--which, alas, is pretty damning. But Alan Moore's newest is clever and boiling with brilliant ideas, so I'm interested to see how other reads react--I'm certain it will end up being someone's favourite.

Return to form for the great storyteller. Comparatively shorter than previous novels of his, but amazing nonetheless.

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Bloomsbury USA for an advance copy of this novel about magic, reality, books, real people, fictional friends, and the joy and excitement of learning how big and wonderful the world can be, and the dangerous this knowledge might bring.

A few nights ago, about one-third of the the way through this book, I saw a house that shouldn't have been where it was. I have driven this route twice a day for almost twelve years, boy that's way too long. Anyway its a rural route, one that has more stop signs than stop lights, takes a little longer, but gets one there with less aggravation. There is one strip that is just McMansions, house to big to exist, that all have the same look. Driving home, on a humid day, well before sunset I saw a green Victorian house on a corner that I have never ever seen before. One I have not seen since. Was it the humidity, a day that people were acting weird on, including myself that made me see the house? Did I pass through to another world, where the politics is not as strange as the world I had left? Or was it just Alan Moore, whose writings open up a world of possibilities, magical and otherwise, and I was caught in the eddy of his creativity. I'm happy with all these answers, just as happy as I was with this book. The Great When is the first book in a new quintet about different Londons, esoteric knowledge, different possibilities, and of course great writing and big ideas.

The book begins with two mystics sharing tea in a garden during the Second World War. One of the them is the Great Beast, now older, tired and dying., who discusses the falling V2 rockets with someone who becomes more clearer later. We than move to a street riot well before the war between facists, antifacists, police and a great woman who people don't see, but who has an effect on a poet who goes to Spain to fight in the revolution. And finally we meet Dennis, the main character, who on first appearance is crawling around houses whose owners have fled to bomb shelters during the Blitz, stealing coins from gas meters. Dennis is caught in a bombing, and in the midst of it, sees something that haunts him, something that shouldn't be. After the war Dennis is working as a book scout who has come across a book, that also should not be. A book that belongs not to this world but to another world, with another London, that exists behind a thin wall of reality. Dennis has to return the book or suffer penalties of pain, death or much worse. As Dennis tries to, he finds himself among other mystics, collectors, criminals, both real, imagined and something more. With the fate of both Londons on his thin shoulders.

A big sprawling book full of ideas, characters, jokes, Easter eggs, and more. Being Alan Moore the novel is well written, with a good plot that moves well. However there is a bit of a learning curve. This is not something to start on a hot day at the beach. This takes a little work, a little focus and a lot of oh I think I see where Moore is going. However the book does seem to lock in once Dennis appears. So be patient. There are a lot of familiar aspects, characters, situation, that Moore has drawn on, and is very good at mixing into a story. And once this book gets going it really is hard to pull away from. And while reading things just seem different, in a very good way.

I have been reading Alan Moore since he started in America on Swamp Thing, and have followed his career and works with interest and great enjoyment. Moore's books have a different feel to them, and it is interesting to wonder where this quartet of books might take readers. However I am very glad to be taking this ride. Fans will enjoy it, new readers who are patient will be in for a treat.

The storytelling style wasn't my cup of tea, and the characters didn't resonate with me. Nonetheless, I can see others enjoying it.

Alan Moore (Yes, that Alan Moore) has written a fantastical work of fiction. The Great When is indeed great. Its a book which combines the historical London we know with a magical London which was unknown to most citizens of that city. The book requires a bit of patience at the start while Moore introduces us to the cast of characters. However, once all the seeds have been planted, you won't put down the book. It's wonderfully written and in Dennis Knuckleyard he gives us the most unlikely of heroes. The late, great Christopher Fowler was a genius with his use of London's history. Moore is the one to pick up that mantle with this epic new series. Thank you to Bloomsbury USA, Bloomsbury Publishing, & NetGalley for the advance reading copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Great When is an epic work from a voice that I have enjoyed both in graphic novel and prose format. Alan Moore has a unique vision of the world that includes an artistic delicacy. This is fantasy and speculative work, but also literary in its detail — I’ll gladly read more from the series.

Really interesting, trippy book. Moore is a genius. I did struggle to get into it at first and the ending wasn't my favorite, but definitely don't regret reading this.