Subject: DESOLATION ROAD by Ian McDonald

From: [email-masked]
Date: Thu, 1 Apr 1993 16:32:49 GMT

DESOLATION ROAD by Ian McDonald
                     A book review by Evelyn C. Leeper
		      Copyright 1993 Evelyn C. Leeper

     Magical realism: it's not just for Latin Americans anymore.

     What we have here is a novel of magical realism set on Mars.  Dr.
Alimantando, Mr. Jericho, Grandfather Haran, Rael Mandella, Rajandra Das,
the Babooshka, Mikal Margolis, Persis Tatterdemalion, the three Gallacelli
brothers, and a host of other characters find their way, by chance or by
design, to Desolation Road, a most unlikely settlement where the most
unlikely things are likely to happen.  The names alone are enough to stir
the imagination of the reader, the McDonald provides the magical events to
go with the names.

     Magical realism is not the only influence on McDonald.  In his
afterword, in fact, he specifically mentions Bradbury as an inspiration--and
it's not just Bradbury's MARTIAN CHRONICLES but also such other works as
SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES as well.  But other sources have been woven
into the tapestry as well, and serve to make it impossible to categorize as
just this or just that.

     If you're looking for a book to stir your sense of wonder, DESOLATION
ROAD may be just what you need to rediscover the magic in everyday life.

%T      Desolation Road
%A      Ian McDonald
%C      city
%D      February 1988
%I      Bantam Spectra
%O      paperback, US$4.99
%G      ISBN 0-553-27057-5
%P      359pp

Evelyn C. Leeper   |   +1 908 957 2070   |   [email-masked]  <========
Note new address: [email-masked] will work only until April 30.