Aspects

Steampunk and magic combine in Aspects, Ford's final book, delivered incomplete to his editor before his passing. The story follows Coron Varic and Lady Longlight's relationship, beginning with a chance meeting at the Parliament House shortly before Longlight's petition regarding bandits is defeated again. Coerced by Brook, the chief parliamentarian, they find themselves at an embassy ball, then go their separate ways for the holiday, until Longlight's missed train results in an invitation to the appropriately named Strange House. The celebration at the house delves into the magic and lore of the land, including a masked play where the players must discover which traditional story they are participating in as it unfolds. As the celebration ends, Varic sends a friend with Longlight to evaluate her bandit problem while he returns to the City, drawn by Brook's sudden and potentially terminal illness. As they both address issues in their respective locations, the manuscript abruptly ends, leaving the rest to the reader's imagination with some hints in a series of sonnets that explores this brilliant setting.

Fans and sci-fi devotees unfamiliar with Ford (1957--2006) alike will celebrate the publication of his final epic fantasy, unfinished at the time of his death but nevertheless a showcase for the lambent prose and imaginative worldbuilding that put him on par with much-better-known authors. The plot starts with a bang, before easing into the political conflicts driving the well-crafted characters: the reader is thrown into a duel in the capital of the Lescoray Republic, between politician Coron Varic and cavalry officer Chase. The physical combat serves as prologue to much more subtle conflict in the halls of parliament. There, following prosaic motions "to demolish historical structures," Varic and his colleagues take up debate over subjecting sorcerers to damages, like any other provider of bargained-for services, if, for example, a spell to cause rain ends up drowning livestock or washing away crops. That sets up a clash between practitioners of magic and legislators, leading into a clever story line packed with action and intrigue. Neil Gaiman's moving introduction remembering his friend and his oeuvre is an added treat. George R.R. Martin and Avram Davidson fans should rush to catch up on this gifted writer's works. (Apr.)