Declare, by Tim Powers

Tim Powers (from what few reviews I have read) has been compared to John Le Carré; I agree that there is something of a likeness in there, but I enjoyed Powers more.

This was another one in a series of authors I gleaned from another author. Why not? =) The book started really slow. In fact, I almost gave up on it several times. For the record, I did give up on Russia House. The spy genre is not really my cup of tea, I guess. But given that, I thought the book was tremendously well written. It is not often I appreciate the quality of a book without enjoying the story. Is that the difference between objectivity and subjectivity? Jazz is pretty much the same way, no matter how great the performers are, I hate Jazz. And I always give up on Jazz. =)

I really found Power's character development to be powerful, and classically paradoxical - the spy who falls in love with a spy. I loved his command of different cultures, use of languages and regional influences. The best part, in my opinion, about story telling is not forcing a fantastic, perhaps unbelievable, world upon a realistic canvas, but rather allowing (or rather, persuading, urging, beckoning) the reader to voluntarily extend his unbelief to the point that the story could potentially be real, no matter how fantastic it is. Or to put it a bit differently, I would grade a story by how thin the veil is between our world and the universe being fashioned by the author; how smoothly does it draw me in? Tim Powers painted a such a poignant, believable and livable world. Of course, my "standards" are constantly in flux, but, hey, that is my perogative.... *grin*

The "sci-fi" diversion is a bit interesting. I think this is perhaps what drew me on. I call it a diversion but this is what separates Powers from Le Carré - the point at which this is an utterly different and independent excursion. The exploration of a group of deities bound by archaic symbols and responsibilities, sentient, perhaps malevolent, beings that have no place in the natural order of things, but exert such a heavy influence upon that natural order so as not to be completely ignored.

I am glad I finished the book, and I now am firmly convinced I do not like spy books. I am glad I read Tim Powers.