The Anubis Gates (original 1983; edition 1997)

I really enjoyed Tim Powers' DECLARE so much I went to library to grab a couple more. LAST CALL and THE ANUBIS GATES looked good.

I was a few pages into THE ANUBIS GATES when I realized I had read it a few years ago.

But it was so good, I read it again. Just finished. Yep, just as good as I remember.

I am beginning to get a handle on Tim Powers, I think. I have a feeling he does an awful lot of historical research, and then works his stories around the historical facts of the time. In DECLARE, he created a story that would wrap around the facts known about the famous traitor spy Kim Philby, yet leave room for the existence of djinns.

The Anubis Gates is a fantasy story about a scholar who gets sucked into a plot to restore the Egyptian gods, set in 1983, 1802 and 1685. It's got the massacre of the Mamelukes, and the Duke of Monmouth's rebellion, and Coleridge giving lectures on Milton, and the St. Giles rookery.

I sort of wonder if Tim Powers reads up on interesting times and places to write about, and then comes up with a novel plot that will allow him to justify the research.

Anyway, it's on to LAST CALL now. So far it's only about Las Vegas in 1948, but I'm sure that will change. ( )

At this point, it's hard for me to experience a time travel story without pretty much guessing everything that's timely-wimey about it, but I just can't hold that against The Anubis Gates. One reason? This book precedes a LOT of the timey-wimey fiction and film that I've encountered over the years. Also, it's damn good writing, with plenty of interesting characters and period detail. The explanation for magic working in our world is smart, and while I could see the broad plot, the details of how things unfold remain interesting. If you like time travel or 19th century settings, give it a try. ( )

At this point, it's hard for me to experience a time travel story without pretty much guessing everything that's timely-wimey about it, but I just can't hold that against The Anubis Gates. One reason? This book precedes a LOT of the timey-wimey fiction and film that I've encountered over the years. Also, it's damn good writing, with plenty of interesting characters and period detail. The explanation for magic working in our world is smart, and while I could see the broad plot, the details of how things unfold remain interesting. If you like time travel or 19th century settings, give it a try. ( )

Brendan Doyle is a biographer and researcher specializing in poetry and prose of the early 19th century. In fact, it's his knowledge of Coleridge and the obscure contemporary William Ashbless that leads Doyle into his time traveling adventure. An eccentric named Darrow has discovered a method of time travel. To secure venture capital for his personal scheme, he sells tickets to a Coleridge lecture in 1810. Doyle is hired as the Coleridge expert brought along to prep the audience.

The party arrives successfully in London in 1810 and convinces Coleridge to give an impromptu lecture. Darrow had misinformation about the date of the "real" lecture. At the conclusion of the lecture, Doyle is sent to fetch the carriages and is kidnapped.

His kidnappers are ancient Egyptian priests with a master plan to destroy the English (and the French) in order to restore the Egyptian gods (and their powers which provide the source of their sorcerous endeavors).

We follow Doyle as he barely escapes with his life and his efforts to return to 1983 (where he came from originally). He is continually confronted with danger and mysteries, especially in his hunt for Ashbless. He even manages to contract pnuemonia, but his "saved" from that fate when his body is snatched by one of the Egyptians who is cursed with a werewolf-like malady after a failed attempt to force the return of the ancient Egyptian gods.

Eventually, Doyle (in a different body now) is drawn into resisting and actively battling the Egyptians and their master (confined in Cairo).

I had some difficulty connecting with most of the characters in this story. I had hopes that I would at least be drawn in by Elizabeth because of her efforts to disguise her gender and avenge her fiance' but the different points of view was disrupting. The action was exciting and the horror elements weren't overdone or overwhelming. Perhaps by not staying with one character or one location or even one time for very long, I just didn't have time to connect with the characters.

An interesting twist to the time travel formula with some good action, horror and a bit of humor and irony.

( )

steampunk.
own this now. *note to self. Copy from A. ( )