Description

I'm always interested in how a collaboration between authors works out. You take two different styles and attempt to play off the strengths of both people. It must be a hard thing to accomplish. In this case, it worked out quite well. I have been a fan of Neil Gaiman's for a while, but I was not aquatinted with Michael Reaves' work until now. I wasn't sure exactly what kind of spin he'd bring to the mix. Interestingly, they created a piece centered around achieving balance between the forces of science/technology and magic/fantasy. It's a perfect project for a first-class fantasy writer, like Gaiman, and a sci-fi writer like Reeves to play off each other's strengths. What was originally pitched as a pilot for a TV series, now makes a fun and fast read as a novel. There's a fair bit of talk about parallel universes, and time spent in places where Klein bottles and Mobius strips are the norm, but that's balanced by some suspenseful rescue attempts and a fair bit of character development for such a slim volume. It may be shelved in the young adult section, but it's a great ride for adults and kids alike. I know Gaiman fans will not be disappointed, and hopefully the same can be said of Reaves' fans as well.

Updated Jul 3, 2008