The Orphan's Tales: In the Night Garden

coniraya loaned me his copy, and I'm about half way through. It is beautiful and sad and joyful and anguish. It is probably the best shit I've read in years (though, admittedly, I don't read much fiction).

I love the way it plays the gender issues, like recursive mirror images, each story spiralling a little deeper, telling you more about the world and the people in it. I love the way it breaks off imperialism, hateful, petty war, and the things it does. I love the way it paints the blindness of the oppressors, how blind they are to their own cruelty and those around them. I love the way there is magic in every chapter, but it always a thing of great, terrible power, that comes at a price.

Basically, this book is the shit.

I also must say, this book is a must-read if you plan on playing In a Wicked Age or Polaris.