Books: Alternate Routes By Tim Powers (2018)

 

“Something weird is happening on the Los Angeles Freeways—phantom cars materialize, lanes appear from nowhere, and unmarked off ramps lead into another world known as the Labyrinth of Forever. As a driver for a supernatural-evasion car service, it’s Sebastian Vickery’s job to avoid these anomalies. But when a secret government agency tries to have him killed for knowing too much, Vickery must plunge headlong into that plane of ghosts, myths, and legends. There he’ll discover that he has much more to fear than death: something lurks in that otherworldly realm—and it has designs on our world.” 

While not a huge fan of Urban Fantasy, I generally do dip my toes into the genre from time to time. Tim Powers is by far the weirdest writer of these books, though. Alternate Routes is mostly set within Los Angeles and surrounding cities, his prose is strong, vivid, and captivating. He’s also very original, which is not something I can say a lot about fantasy writers these days. As usual, Powers mixes a lot of ideas and genres, like history and mythology and poetry (the works of John Dryden play important role here, as does Ovid and Greek legends of Daedalus). But this tale of ghost uprising that is tied the American highway system (locally, the 110 and 710 freeways), while underneath it all, is the Minotaur's Labyrinth proves Powers can command a image.

Vickery and woman who helps him, Ingrid Castine, are great, quirky characters –sort of proto-type Mulder & Scully without all the sexual tension—but because of this, lacking this  emotional connection, does distract me, the reader, but I still found the book worth reading (and sequel, which is up next).