The Condition of Muzak

Infobox Book |
name = The Condition of Muzak
title_orig =
translator =


image_caption = Dust-jacket from the first edition
author = Michael Moorcock
illustrator =
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country = United Kingdom
language = English
series = Jerry Cornelius
subject =
genre = Science fiction novel
publisher = Allison & Busby
release_date = 1977
english_release_date =
media_type = Print (Hardback)
pages = 313 pp
isbn = ISBN 0-85031-044-X
preceded_by = The English Assassin
followed_by =

"The Condition of Muzak" is a novel by British fantasy and science fiction writer Michael Moorcock. It is the final novel of his long running Jerry Cornelius series. It was first published in its revised form in 1979. [http://www.complete-review.com/reviews/moorcock/cmuzak.htm]

This novel won the 1977 Guardian Fiction Prize.

In his review in The Times Tom Hutchinson wrote that 'The Condition of Muzak considers the process of living as a harlequinade and is, for me, a most moving summation... Here we move through Mr Moorcock's obsessions, the serials of Fantomas, the Beatles, Bob Dylan, the Arthurian legend, through chronos-zones - behold the pun! - to bi-sexuality, with a small sideswipe at Stanley Kubrick on the way. The realisation comes that Jerry is seeking sanctuary in different universes of Time in separate private mythologies. As indeed, is the implication, are we all.' In a piece in The Guardian, Barry Cole was 'struck by the singular fact that out of science fantasy or science fiction has emerged (J G Ballard and Kurt Vonnegut have similarly developed) a writer who has managed to supersede conventional science fantasy and yet make of traditional fiction something wholly new.' [http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~jimthing/jerrycornelius.html]

The chaos and decay which permeated A Cure for Cancer and The English Assassin has devolved further into a surreal Europe of splintered city states. Jerry Cornelius, increasingly morphing into his role as Harlequin, has lost the power to change or even affect events and narrows his quest to an everlasting search for his true love, his sister Catherine.

Writing in The Observer, Angus Wilson called it "One of the most ambitious, illuminating and enjoyable works of fiction published in English since the war."

References

*cite web
last =
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title = Internet Speculative Fiction Database
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date =
url = http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/pl.cgi?THCNDTNFMZ1977
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accessdate = 2007-12-16
*cite web
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title = Moorcock's Miscellany
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url = http://www.multiverse.org/imagehive/v/bookcovers/books/mikebooks/tcom/
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accessdate = 2007-12-16
*cite web
last = Brown
first = Charles N.
authorlink = Charles N. Brown
coauthors = William G. Contento
title = The Locus Index to Science Fiction (1984–1998)
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date =
url = http://www.locusmag.com/index/b341.htm#A4880.39
format =
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accessdate = 2007-12-16