Spirits in the Wires

Rating:
Summary: This One Just Didn't Grab Me
Review: In his latest novel featuring an ensemble cast of Newford-ites, Charles DeLint attempts to explore the idea that Cyberspace is the modern equivalent of the Hollow Hills -- an otherworld that can be physically accessed -- and that some of the older denizens of the spirit world may have already become interested in this psychic real estate. Or, at least, that's what he says he's doing in his introduction.

When a virus disrupts the Wordwood site and a whole lot of people disappear into virtual reality, a disparate group of magic users and mundanes must use whatever means they can come up with to go to the rescue. Christy Riddell is one of the central characters, as his partner Saskia is one of the ones who has disappeared. We also get to see Holly Rue, Robert Lonnie, Geordie and a supporting cast of Newford's literary citizens (as opposed to Newford's painting citizens) as well as the usual faeries, sprites and elemental spirits.

And that's what kind of bothered me about this book. We had the usual suspects doing the usual things in pretty much the usual way; only the setting was somewhat altered, and that not by much. I think the question of spirits in cyberspace, so much a part of a lot of cyberpunk fiction, is a really interesting one. But I didn't find it addressed here in any interesting way. Rather, the idea seemed taken for granted and from there the novel read like a Michael Crichton action piece, with lots of fireworks and explosions, told from so many points of view that it was hard to care about any of them.

I'm also disappointed that DeLint's books seem to have lost the edginess that grabbed me in many of his earlier works. There aren't any great villains here, so the conflict is a little pale. There isn't any real sense of danger. Although the characters constantly must remember that "The otherworld is dangerous place," we don't see any real danger. Nothing really bad happens to anyone. It's all a walk in the park and the ending no surprise. We're told anything can happen, but it rings false. In reality "anything" CAN'T happen, because the heroes always come through safe and sound with very few scars. Call me bloodthirsty, but I think at this point DeLint's work could benefit from killing someone dead -- someone major.

This is another book that will probably be lost on anyone who hasn't read several of DeLint's short story collections. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone new to this writer or this genre. Although it's always interesting to see what's going on in Newford with these characters, I considered this one of their less thrilling adventures. Get it out of the library or wait for paper.

Rating:
Summary: Not bad, but not de Lint's best
Review: This book wasn't that bad. However, I found it lacked some of the excitement of de Lint's other books. The ending sort of fell flat for me. Although I liked the premise (a spirit that takes over a website and begins to literally suck people in), I thought that it could have been done a little better. De Lint has left the ending open for a sequel (I don't know if that's what he has planned), but I think the loose ends could have been tied up a little better, and with more excitement (I'm used to more explosive crescendos from de Lint).

I'd recommend de Lint's "Trader", "Yarrow", or "Jack of Kinrowan" over this book. None of the three feature the Internet as a main player, but they are better examples of the urban fantasy for which de Lint is famous.

Rating:
Summary: A good choice for de Lint fans
Review: This is a solid novel, set in Newford but mostly featuring characters not much developed thus far. It displays de Lint's excellent tight pacing and explores some interesting ideas about magic and the electric/digital world he's alluded to in short stories but never really gone for. Unfortunately, after a wonderful build up, it resolves...just a little too easily. Stephen King occasionaly displays the same weakness. It's as if the author tires of the game and sweeps the board clean just when things are as engrossing and fantastic as they can get. The story does advance the development of some great characters, including the two living Riddel brothers and the delightful Holly Rue - who gets a love interest! If you're a fan of this author and of urban fantasy, pick this one up - in hardback, even. Not his best - I can only give it four stars, he's so much better than this - but still very, very good.