Mention My Name in Atlantis
Encyclopedia
Mention My Name in Atlantis, being, at last, the true account of the calamitous destruction of the great island kingdom together with a narrative of its wondrous intercourses with a superior race of other-worldlings, as transcribed from the manuscript of a survivor, Hoptor the Vintner, for the enlightenment of a dubious posterity is a humorous fantasy
novel written by John Jakes
purporting to give the "true" history of the sinking of the lost continent. It was first published by DAW Books
in October 1972, and was reprinted twice through 1976; the later printings featured new cover art by Michael Whelan
. The most recent edition was published by Bart Books in 1988.
The book combines a number of cliches of the literature and pseudoscience regarding Atlantis
, such as extraterrestrial visitors, as well as of the fantasy genre in general, most notably the ambitious barbarian brute Conax of Chimeria, a satire on Robert E. Howard
's sword and sorcery
hero Conan of Cimmeria
.
Hoptor the Vintner, a fast-talking operator with all the right contacts who is convinced in the face of mounting evidence to the contrary that he can smooth over anything. "Mention my name" is his tagline, meant to assure his auditors that dropping it in various quarters is their ticket to getting whatever they want.
described the satire as "good-natured and sometimes amusing," but felt the idea of writing a humorous sword-and-sorcery novel was misconceived.
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
novel written by John Jakes
John Jakes
John William Jakes is an American writer, best known for American historical fiction.-Early life and education:...
purporting to give the "true" history of the sinking of the lost continent. It was first published by DAW Books
DAW Books
DAW Books is an American science fiction and fantasy publisher, founded by Donald A. Wollheim following his departure from Ace Books in 1971. The company therefore claims to be "the first publishing company ever devoted exclusively to science fiction and fantasy." The first DAW Book published was...
in October 1972, and was reprinted twice through 1976; the later printings featured new cover art by Michael Whelan
Michael Whelan
Michael Whelan is an American artist of imaginative realism. For more than 30 years he worked as an illustrator specializing in science fiction and fantasy cover art...
. The most recent edition was published by Bart Books in 1988.
The book combines a number of cliches of the literature and pseudoscience regarding Atlantis
Atlantis
Atlantis is a legendary island first mentioned in Plato's dialogues Timaeus and Critias, written about 360 BC....
, such as extraterrestrial visitors, as well as of the fantasy genre in general, most notably the ambitious barbarian brute Conax of Chimeria, a satire on Robert E. Howard
Robert E. Howard
Robert Ervin Howard was an American author who wrote pulp fiction in a diverse range of genres. Best known for his character Conan the Barbarian, he is regarded as the father of the sword and sorcery subgenre....
's sword and sorcery
Sword and sorcery
Sword and sorcery is a sub-genre of fantasy and historical fantasy, generally characterized by sword-wielding heroes engaged in exciting and violent conflicts. An element of romance is often present, as is an element of magic and the supernatural...
hero Conan of Cimmeria
Conan the Barbarian
Conan the Barbarian is a fictional sword and sorcery hero that originated in pulp fiction magazines and has since been adapted to books, comics, several films , television programs, video games, roleplaying games and other media...
.
Plot
The story is told by the unreliable narratorUnreliable narrator
An unreliable narrator is a narrator, whether in literature, film, or theatre, whose credibility has been seriously compromised. The term was coined in 1961 by Wayne C. Booth in The Rhetoric of Fiction. This narrative mode is one that can be developed by an author for a number of reasons, usually...
Hoptor the Vintner, a fast-talking operator with all the right contacts who is convinced in the face of mounting evidence to the contrary that he can smooth over anything. "Mention my name" is his tagline, meant to assure his auditors that dropping it in various quarters is their ticket to getting whatever they want.
Reception
Lester del ReyLester del Rey
Lester del Rey was an American science fiction author and editor. Del Rey was the author of many of the Winston Science Fiction juvenile SF series, and the editor at Del Rey Books, the fantasy and science fiction branch of Ballantine Books, along with his fourth wife Judy-Lynn del Rey.-Birth...
described the satire as "good-natured and sometimes amusing," but felt the idea of writing a humorous sword-and-sorcery novel was misconceived.