THE GREAT AND SECRET SHOW
Definitely an interesting and unique novel, but a complete success? No.
The Gray Zone
The concept of time travel is given a fascinating workout in this novella, a powerfully ominous tale that dimly recalls other such accounts (such as Alain Resnais’ classic film JE T’AIME, JE T’AIME) but is for the most part quite unique.
FREAKS AND FANTASIES
As for FREAKS AND FANTASIES, it’s the first Robbins publication in over sixty years, and for that reason alone deserves a look.
The Brahan Seer
An assured and compelling fictional account of “Scotland’s Nostradamus” Coinneach Odhar, a 17th Century man who allegedly possessed telekinetic powers that allowed him to see into the future. As this novel tells it, Coinneach foresaw quite a few assorted disasters, as well as the devastation of World War II and his own demise.
BIG AS LIFE
A definite oddity in the cannon of the late E.L. Doctorow, who specialized in historical fiction. In BIG AS LIFE, his second novel, Doctorow tried his hand at surreal fantasy, relating the highly speculative account of two giant humanoid figures who one day appear suspended in the sky over the New York Harbor, throwing the city into chaos.
THE ANUBIS GATES
As with all the Tim Powers novels I’ve read, THE ANUBIS GATES is a difficult book to summarize. At its simplest it’s about Brendan Doyle, an American professor thrust back in time to England of 1810.