Micheal F Flynn "Eifelheim"

[Fumesucker]

I liked this one a whole lot better than the Mieville book I posted about a couple of days ago.

Every bit as well written and probably more so, takes you back to the time of the Black Death in Europe and plays out a highly SF'nal concept along with some remarkably well drawn characters, there's a subplot set in modern times as well.

I think there's a bit of a nod to Poul Anderson's "The High Crusade" in there but the plot is very different.

Flynn is obviously someone who knows history well, I've been reading his stuff for about twenty years or so since I first ran across him in Analog and I've always liked his writing and storytelling ability.

[SheilaT]

1. Yes, very good book.

The science-fiction book club I belong to read it earlier this year. We had a very lively discussion about it. Flynn did such a good job with the book, that I felt as if, were I to go to that part of Europe, I'd find the location of the abandoned village, and the grave sites that he described so vividly. That part really felt like a documentary.

Speaking of s-f novels that take place during the Plague, have you ever read The Doomsday Book by Connie Willis?

[Fumesucker]

2. I've read a few Willis shorts in Asimov's I think..

But never any novels..

Flynn has been riffing on the cliology meme for a long time, "In the Country of the Blind" has Babbage actually creating his computing engine and then it's used by a secret society to control history in the manner of Asimov's Second Foundation.

[SheilaT]

4. Oh, you must

read some of her novels.

Doomsday Book and To Say Nothing of the Dog are delightful.

I'm now reading All Clear, which is brand new.

[Fire Walk With Me]

3. Although I typically despise period pieces with repressive cultures

I find this book to be very, very memorable. I care about the characters and was even considering just the other day, the described differences between species regarding music.

It's the sign of a very good book, that I'd reconsider any aspect of it at a later time, especially with some element of wonder and care.