Whilst this reviewer may be new to the world of Long London, they are not new to the works of Long London’s creator, the brilliant Alan Moore. And so it’s with giddy excitement that I get to jump straight into a world I know little about, with I Hear A New World. Can you in fact jump into this series from any point? Let’s find out…
The world of Long London exists due to The Great When – an alternative, somewhat magical version of London, also the title of Moore’s 2024 novel which preceded I Hear A New World. The brilliantly-named Dennis Knuckleyard has been desperately trying to outrun his past run-ins with this magical portal, even passing off its key to another poor soul. But when the new owner unleashes its power again and furthermore puts Knuckleyard’s first true love, Grace, in danger, he realises he hasn’t in fact escaped The Great When… and may never.
It’s classic Alan Moore. His brilliance lies in his obsessive worldbuilding: he seamlessly blends historical reality with occult philosophy, creating multi-layered universes where the heroes are everyday, flawed human beings just like us. At first, it was a challenge to immerse myself in the author’s dazzling alt-London, and yes – one should, ideally, start with The Great When. All the same, it’s entirely possible to dip in via I Hear A New World, and once in you can’t help but become consumed by the world in question. You can also bask in the knowledge that there’s at least one more book to come starring these wonderful characters.
