Inkworld trilogy

Infobox Book
name = Inkworld
title_orig = Tintenwelt
translator = Anthea Bell


image_caption =

Covers for the three volumes of the orignal edition of "Inkworld", designed by Martina Petersen and author Cornelia Funke.

author = Cornelia Funke
illustrator = Cornelia Funke
country = Germany
language = German
genre = Fantasy, Bildungsroman
publisher = flagicon|Germany Cecilie Dressler Verlag
flagicon|UK Chicken House Publishing
flagicon|USA Scholastic Corporation
pub_date = Sep. 23 2003 – Sep. 28 2007
english_pub_date = October 6 2003 – October 2008
media_type = Print (Hardback & Paperback) and audiobook
pages =

"Inkworld" is a series of three fantasy novels written by German author Cornelia Funke, comprising "Inkheart" (2003), "Inkspell" (2005), and "Inkdeath" (2007). The books chronicle the adventures of teenager Meggie Folchart whose life changes dramatically when she realizes that she and her father, a bookbinder named Mo, have the unusual ability to bring characters from books into the real world when reading aloud. Mostly set in Northern Italy and the parallel world of the fictional "Inkheart" book, the central story arc concerns the magic of books, their characters and creatures, and the art of reading.

Originally released in German-speaking Europe, beginning with the first novel "Inkheart" in 2003, the books have since gained popularity, critical acclaim and commercial success worldwide. The English translation of the third book, entitled "Inkdeath", by Anthea Bell was released in October 2008. In 2004, Funke sold the film rights to all three books to New Line Cinema; thus far, the first book has been made into a motion picture, with a January 2009 release in North America. [http://www.slashfilm.com/2008/01/03/release-date-changes-be-kind-rewind-27-dresses-inkheart/ "Release Date Changes: Be Kind Rewind, 27 Dresses, Inkheart"] ]

Plot summary

"Inkheart"

In "Inkheart", the life of twelve-year-old heroine, Meggie, discovers that her father Mortimer, a professional bookbinder, has the unusual ability to transfer characters from books into the real world when he reading aloud. Scared by his own talents, Mo once brought four characters of a book entitled "Inkheart" to life while reading from the novel, including Dustfinger, a fire eater; his pet marten Gwin; Capricorn, the book's villain; and Basta, Capricorn's right-hand man — in bitter exchange of his wife Resa, who disappeared tracelessly into the so-called Inkworld of the book. After many years Dustfinger returns to pay Meggie and her father a visit, advising them to flee the country to escape Capricorn and his following who are in search of Mo and his "Inkheart" copy. The three of them eventually leave to hide at Meggie's great-aunt Elinor's house in Northern Italy but end up being dragged off by Basta and his companions to the near village of Capricorn where Mo is forced to read both treasure and an evil creature, The Shadow, out of the book, using Meggie as his hostage. Soon Meggie discovers she has the same talent as her father, and with the help of "Inkheart" author Fenoglio, her re-read mother, and "One Thousand and One Nights" character Farid she helps killing Capricorn and his with the power of her reading talent.

"Inkspell"

"Inkdeath"

Achievements

Awards

The first volume, "Inkheart", won the Phantastik-Preis der Stadt Wetzlar for children's fiction in Germany in 2004,cite web|title=Winners of the "Phantastik-Preis der Stadt Wetzlar"|work=SF-Fan.de|url=http://www.sf-fan.de/phantastik-preis-der-stadt-wetzlar.html|accessdate=2008-01-07] and was selected as the best novel of the year in children's literature by the Jury der jungen Leser in June of the same year.cite web|title="Sommergruß mit Vorgeschmack"|work=Jury der junge Leser - Official website|url=http://www.juryderjungenleser.at/?PID=68,0,0&LNG=de|accessdate=2008-01-07] It was also awarded the Kalbacher Klapperschlangecite web|title="Tintenherz"|work=Lesen.de|url=http://lesen.de/books/detail/-/buchnum/103282271/rk/books/rsk/browse.html|accessdate=2008-01-07] and the Silberner Griffel, receiving nominations for the Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis and the Rattenfänger-Literaturpreis. In June 2007 "Inkheart" was voted, in a composite online and phone poll-show named "Unsere Besten", organized by the ZDF network, as the eleventh best book of all time by the general public. [ [http://www.zdf.de/ZDFde/inhalt/7/0,1872,2181735,00.html "Unsere Besten" ranking] ]

Follow-up "Inkspell" won the Book Sense Book of the Year Award in the category "Children's Literature."

Adaptions

In October 2004, a series of various theatrical version of the first two books started with the world premiere of "Inkheart" at the Schauspielhaus Hannover. It has since been staged in several cities in Germany, notably at the Staatstheater Stuttgart, and the Wuppertaler Kinder- und Jugendtheater. In September 2006 a musical version premiered at the Junges Theater Bonn, involving over twenty actors and actresses and a live band. [ [http://www.corneliafunke.de/en/film/film-80.html Musical] ]

In 2004, New Line Cinema bought the film rights to all three books for a cinema adaptation, beginning with the production of the first novel, "Inkheart". Funke specially-moved to Los Angeles, California in May 2005, having previously accepted the offer to participate as the film's producer alongside Barry Mendel. Principal photography on "Inkheart" began on location in Liguria, Italy on November 8, 2006, before moving to Shepperton Studios in Surrey, England. Directed by Iain Softley, the film is based on a screenplay by David Lindsay-Abaire and involving an ensemble cast, that includes Brendan Fraser, Helen Mirren, Paul Bettany, Jim Broadbent, Rafi Gavron, Andy Serkis and newcomer Eliza Bennett, among others. [http://www.corneliafunke.de/en/film/film-82.html "Inkheart - The Movie"] ] "Inkheart" is currently in the post-production stage, with a 2009 release yet to be announced.

References

External links

* [http://www.corneliafunke.de/en/index.html Official Cornelia Funke website]
* [http://www.scholastic.com/corneliafunke/ Cornelia Funke on Scholastic.com (U.S. publisher)]