Castleview Author:Gene Wolfe Now, in Castleview, Wolfe opens up yet another unique vision for us, of a collision between the contemporary world and the mythological in small-town Illinois: Tom Howard is murdered at the small factory he manages on the same day that Will E. Shields, his wife the writer Ann Schindler, and their daughter Mercedes, newly come to Castleview, arri... more »ve with a real estate agent to see the Howard house. From an attic window, Shields glimpses the phantom castle that has given the town its name. They are discussing the house with Sally Howard when the police call. Then, driving to a motel, Shields nearly hits a giant horseman in the rain. We find ourselves caught up in a mysterious intrigue involving figures from Arthurian mythology intruding into the daily lives of ordinary people.
And just as we expect from a Gene Wolfe novel, we are enchanted. When asked to describe the book, Wolfe replied, "Horses, cars, pretty women and frightened men are involved in large numbers; so are a sly dog and part-time plastic surgeon, a tough tomcat (formerly of the FBI and CIA), an occasionally French girl in training as a vampire, and an actual vampire. There are a lot of chases and fights, and a good deal of shooting."
What more could we ask for? It's Gene Wolfe at his best.« less