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Tim Powers
Nebula 1996 Nomination, Locus 1996 df

Another Tim Powers virtuoso performance turning the most unbelievable, improbable, far-fetched events into a story that seems as common place and ordinary as today's newspaper. One dialog goes, "... how've you been?" "Not so good," said Bradshaw heavily. I died in 1975." You probably have to read the book to believe this; but, in context this discussion makes perfect sense and seems completely believable.

Each chapter starts with a Lewis Carroll quote from either Alice in Wonderland or Through the Looking Glass. As the book develops, the perceived meaning and purpose of the quotes changes. At first they seem like quaint mood-setting touches. Deeper into the story however, the events and characters start translating as commentaries on the quotes, the whole book as an explication of the deeper significance of these two classics. In fact, the book's population of ghosts relate to them as Holy Scripture.

The underlying psychological theme of dealing with guilt and shame ("getting emotional accounts settled") adds depth and symbolism. We all have our own psychological ghosts to deal with and perhaps this story can help the process along.

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