The Drawing of the Dark, by Tim Powers
Good European fantasy
(Review posted 27 Dec 2003 18:42:32)

I liked the first half of this book the best; when mysterious things are happening, hinting at interesting hidden orders of Being, and we don't actually know what's going on. Once we find out what's going on it's somewhat less satisfactory; although nominally a big Good vs Evil spiritual thingie, it really boils down to the two teams hacking at each other with swords, and that's Been Done.

(The whole "West good, East evil" thing, while entirely legitimate European-mythology-wise, also gave me a bit of a XXIst century qualm, as did the throwaway destiny of the only real female character.)

Powers is a very good writer, though, and the book is engaging.