ISBN: 0380772531 Order from: Amazon.com
An excellent, luminous fantasy about magic in a small modern town, written in a original and warm way.
Reviewed by David on June 05, 1998
Genre: Fantasy (Rural Fantasy)
Synopsis: A drifter in a small Northwestern town runs into a clan of folks with some extraordinary gifts.
Full Review: Nina Kiriki Hoffman has not published many full-length books. This is a pity, since the ones she did are superb. As far as I know, this is one of only two novels that she published by herself, and the original paperback is out of print.
It, and several other books are available from Hypatia Press, a small (and expensive) publisher.
Tom, a janitor trying to escape strange visions, drifts into a small town. After a few weeks as a taxi-driver, he gives a ride to Laura, a young woman reluctantly returning home for her brother's wedding. However, she, and her clan that lives just outside the city, turn out to be gifted with strange, magical powers. Many of them view normal humans as amuzing baffons at best, or cheap labor once enchanted into service. The struggle of decency and kindness against malice and cruelty turns out to be vital to both the town and the magical clan, and Tom the janitor is far more than cheap labor.
The characters are superbly drawn, the magic is fresh and original. The character of the magical enclave next to the town reminds me of the fairy hills. There is even some hints of Tam Lin-like kidnapping and changelings. The tone of the novel reminds me of Zenna Henderson (Ingathering). However, unlike Henderson's People, Hoffman's clans have their dark side.
Hoffman has written a related novel, The Silent Strength of Stones, which is also quite good, but not as good as this one.
The Thread is highly recommended. Perhaps if more people ask for it, one of the major publishers will reprint it.
Universe: Family Threads
Overall: 8.5; Plot: 8; Characters: 9; Style: 8; World-building: 6; Originality: 7;
AvoNova, 1993, Mass-market
ISBN: 0380772531 Order from: Amazon.com