The House of a Thousand Floors / / Jan Weiss.

• Superior document: Title is part of eBook package: De Gruyter Central European University Press eBook-Package 2016
• VerfasserIn: Weiss, Jan,
• Place / Publishing House: Budapest ;, New York : : Central European University Press, , [2022]; ©2016
• Year of Publication: 2022
• Language: English
• Series: CEU Press Classics (formerly Central European Classics)
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (276 p.)

The House of a Thousand Floors is one of the earliest science-fiction novels in European literature, published first in 1929. Besides being a pioneer in its genre, the book is highly regarded for its general merits as psychological literature. The novel tells the story of a dream in fever of a soldier wounded in World War I. He finds himself in the stairway of a gigantic (and kafkaesque) tower-like building, which is a metaphor for modern society. He learns that his task is to rescue Princess Tamara from Muller, the lord of the edifice. After a number of surrealistic encounters in the building, during which he is hailed as a liberator by many and is hunted by the cruel security guards, the main character finds Tamara and faces the cruel lord of Mullerdom. The novel makes fine use of a range of experimental styles and techniques. At times, linear storytelling gives way to a collage of incongruous elements: excerpts from fictitious books, encyclopedia articles, radio broadcast transcripts are used as a shortcut to describe places or events; other narrative ingredients include fanciful advertisements, ludicrous administrative documents or political slogans which highlight the idiosyncrasies of this decadent world.

Table of Contents

Frontmatter -- Contents -- Translator’s note -- The House of a Thousand Floors -- I It started with a dream · A man on the staircase · The red carpet · Who am I? -- II A terrifying discovery · Hands · Face? · What was written in the notebook · The possibility of being a detective · Princess Tamara -- III The secret of the first mirror · The house of a thousand floors · The man who had lost his memory · At last a door in the marble · News about Muller -- IV Who was Muller? · Metal lighter than air · Human being no. 794 · What did people eat in Mullerdom? -- V West-Wester, the city of adventurers · Gedonia, the city of bliss · How pleasure is produced in Gedonia -- VI The young old man · What the mirror told Brok · At the end of the corridor · The state of ‘dispersion’ -- VII Again the dream with the yellow lamp · Windows and people · The inn at the end of the world · The dream merchant -- VIII The shops in Tiger Street · Hotel Eldorado · A clean-handed joint venture · Revolution in Mullerdom -- IX Garpona · Mr Perker · Poisons · KAWAI serum · SIO gas · Glass lenses on the temples of the blind man -- X Astronomer Galio, master of the stars · The first ship to travel into space · Muller’s hunger for the stars · How Galio became a big zero · Sudar Chulkov, the king of fifty thousand stars -- XI Petr Brok’s curiosity and what came of it · The poison master’s nose · Battle in the cube · Armless Garpona raged more than anyone else -- XII The treacherous lenses on the blind man’s temples · Petr Brok was trapped · Escape · The lift – and the dream again -- XIII Chapter about stars · Planetary trade and industry · Advertising · Seashell as a talisman -- XIV The terror of darkness · The export and import company · UNIVERSE – transport to the stars · Petr Brok can’t remember · A Dutch colony on the moon -- XV The different categories of emigrants · The impoverished millionaire · The lecherous Lothario · Alva, the missionary · Abbé Lar · Frank Farani -- XVI The lady in black · The treacherous necklace · “Keep your face hidden…” · Brok takes a close look · “So I will become a princess among dwarfs…” -- XVII The waiting room at the gate to the universe · A pointless debate · “…the land of our Lord is everywhere…” · The velvet hall · Brok wants to rescue the princess -- XVIII The dream · Old man with a kind smile · Fates of the emigrants · Lousy material · “And that road sweeper, too!” -- XIX …and now the girls… · The princess lost and found again · Muller’s gallantry · “… give me your smiles, please…” -- XX The first mention of Achorgen · The purple gazebo is a lift · The old procurer comforts the princess · Madame Veroni -- XXI Elvira Karp Street · Villa Tamara · Petr Brok decides to follow the admiral · “I’m leaving you just for a short while…” · Berta Bretard Street · Anna Dimer Street -- XXII The golden ant hill · Chubby god under a canopy · The crystal mouth of the loudspeaker · Stock exchange technolog y · Petr Brok learns something about himself · “You can call him – a divine socialist…” -- XXIII I’ll buy it! · Two voices have clashed here! · Petr Brok introduces himself to Muller · A meeting in Alice Moore Street -- XXIV Ohisver Muller’s inner sanctuary · “Ascension” wine · Petr Brok tries Ohisver Muller’s patience again · Three shots into the carpet -- XXV Prince Achorgen’s face · Muller’s eye in the princess’s bedroom · To Gedonia by lift · The yellow lamp again -- XXVI Monte Carlo in Gedonia · Prima ballerina · “I don’t believe in your stars…” · Caesar Marlok, God of the Great Sun · The princess raises her stakes · “This’ll be for the journey!” -- XXVII The bedroom of blissful dreams · Pleasures of the six senses · Heavenly creatures under a transparent ceiling are concerned… · The bitten-off finger -- XXVIII White darkness · Scent and memories · Again it ends with the little lamp · “This is my past!” -- XXIX About the star Achorgeneterramolistergen · Princess Tamara prepares for lovemaking with Prince Achorgen · “…our bed is ready” · Petr Brok uses his invisibility again -- XXX Princess Tamara provokes the darkness · All that’s missing here is a stream… · Beware, Petr Brok! · A hand can only be held by another hand -- XXXI Petr Brok is telling lies · …I don’t have a face yet… · Muller reminds Petr about the 354th floor · “…I’m waiting for you…” -- XXXII Doors white and black · Hall of the hollow mirrors · Electric signals · Filigree of infinity · Blissful vertigo -- XXXIII A million giants… · Crazy chase inside the globe · The captured nothing · A small window on top of the globe · “Is he alive?” · What’s important to remember… -- XXXIV “…afraid of a captured devil!” · How Petr Brok appeared under the lenses of blind Orsag · “What shamelessness!” · “Is he handsome?” -- XXXV Once again it starts with the little lamp · Petr Brok keeps his word · Night, plans, escape · The disintegrating kingdom · There will be no happiness in the world as long as Mullerdom stands -- XXXVI Aviators Street · Seagull Lord Humperlink · The sun over Mullerdom · Brok bid the Princess farewell · The seat next to her remained empty -- XXXVII Sirens and alarms · A warrant is issued for Petr Brok’s arrest · Muller’s residence · Brok comes close to Muller · First, one must bathe -- XXXVIII God Muller’s original · Barricades on the 490th floor · … I will retreat another sixty floors… · Vítek of Vítkovice is alive! · Old Schwartz and his gas · At night, when the enemy falls asleep… -- XXXIX Achorgen again · He blew a white feather off Muller’s shoulder · Orsag to the rescue · The fight collapsed on the floor · “Catch him!” -- XL Petr Brok wants to save Vítek’s workers from ageing · “The drink of victory!” · The battle on the staircase · Old Schwartz on the back of a monster -- XLI The prophet number 794 · “…I will then destroy the living Moloch!” · The headquarters · Brok introduces himself to Vítek of Vítkovice · “Postpone your attack until tomorrow…” -- XLII The sacks will leak from underneath… · The red triangle · Old Schwartz’s boredom · Before I grow old… · Button number 100 -- XLIII The 100th floor · “You fell for it, Seagull!” · Above all, find Muller · These were Muller’s bodyguards · His library -- XLIV On torturing flowers · Ohisver Muller is playing in the children’s room · The jewellery case · Rubber larvae made of human skin · The orang-utan again! -- XLV The omniscience machine · This, if you please, is Him! -- XLVI “Herr Erlebach!” · The hunchback holds court · “I am no longer a packhorse!” · Arrest hunchback Chulkov! · As if a pack of dogs moulted here – · “Death to parasites!” -- XLVII General Ox · “…trap for a trap!” · Muller offers Brok the position of God in Mullerdom · “My answer!” · Brok under the keyboard – -- XLVIII The red triangle remained on the ceiling · “Be well then!” · The dream of a thousand floors -- Afterword