Medusa's Web

Okay, I lied. I said I was going to read a worthwhile book. But, my concentration was off due to some medical-foo going on, so I decided on more escapism.

I read Tim Powers' latest "Medusa's Web". Powers has made a living with stories involving odd forms of magic and mysticism and famous historical figures. This time the magic is "spiders": 8-legged mandalas that cause odd effects, including time travel and body jumping. The famous historical figures are Hollywood silent movie figures, including Rudolph Valentino.

The main characters are flawed "normal" people. They kind of reminded of the characters in my favorite Powers: "Last Call", which is a Fisher King story with Bugsy Siegel and other figures from the the founding of Las Vegas.

I've always enjoyed these stories. They are page-turners. But it's starting to seem a little like he's got a machine cranking them out. Still, an enjoyable read.

I also read "The Vital Abyss", by James S. A. Corey. This is a novella that provides more backstory in the world of The Expanse. I've watched the 1st season of the The Expanse on SyFy and I think it has been very good. It's nice to watch something that has an intricate yet logical plot that takes its time developing.