Recommended by J because I liked Edwards’ Tarot Sequence, and I can definitely see the similarities – except whereas Edwards’ books are a warm hug, Powers’ book is more of a morbid chill. Yes, there’s a found family; yes, there’s magic tied to cards; yes, there’s a mysterious magic cabal that runs everything… but the engine that runs it all is fueled by deception, death, and sacrifice, and everything is dark and creepy and full of pain. The inevitability of the characters’ paths brings to mind Seanan McGuire’s Seasonal Fears, in which everyone has a predetermined role to play, and their only choice is how wholeheartedly to embrace it; there’s no way to sit out the game, and the only way to survive is to win.
Tag: author-tim powers
Declare, by Tim Powers
This book peers into the corners and shadows of established history and unfolds into an absolutely stunning and fantastical premise. It’s not the first time I’ve read a book about shadow intelligence agencies focused on the supernatural, but this is by far the most ambitious and dare I say successful insertion of magical weird (in this case, djinn with almost alien psychologies) into actual history. The characters, both real and imagined, are established beautifully; their interactions are layered and tense; the descriptive writing is gorgeous. I did find the plot development to be a bit confusing and the pacing uneven; for a while the book didn’t seem like it didn’t know where it was going (or didn’t bother to tell you) and basically let you flounder around for a while. The last quarter or so was the best though and it absolutely stuck the landing. Fantastically good finish.