Books: Castles, Pirates, And Dichrononauts

[woodwardiocom]

The last of 2017!

Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

Very different from the movie, but still a lot of fun. Recommended.

Gentlemen Of The Road by Michael Chabon

An attempt to do a swords & sorcery novel, but in the real world, with mixed success. I enjoyed it, but it's a bit tame. Note: Chabon's original title was "Jews With Swords", which is both entirely accurate and probably giving you the wrong mental picture. (And the art by Gary Gianni is a delight.) Recommended.

Pirate's Prophecy by Chris A. Jackson

Third in the "Pirate" trilogy, set in the world of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, and a lot of fun. I continue to admire Jackson's close fidelity to the rules of the RPG. Recommended.

The Stories We Tell, edited by Tobias S. Buckell

On our last trip to Bermuda, we popped into a local bookstore. Predictably, almost everything was identical to what you'd find in the US, but this "Bermuda Anthology of Science Fiction, Fantasy And Horror" hit my sweet spot with laser accuracy. It's got some predictable duds, but also some gems. Recommended.

Dichronauts by Greg Egan

Egan continues his explorations of arcane physics and biology in this universe where there are two dimensions of space, and two of time. This doesn't mean that the future lies in two different directions, but it does mean that if you turn too far to the left, your body will rip itself apart from the torque. Plus, the alien residents are two symbiotic species, with one living in the other's head, and the relationships between the pairs are terribly fraught. Not to mention the looming possibility of their city being burned to ash by the approaching sun. Recommended.