Gods and Pawns

by Kage Baker

Book Overview

These eight stories, reprinted for the first time in this collection, delve further into the history and exploits of the Company.

The book opens with the novella, "To the Land Beyond the Sunset," starring Lewis and Mendoza, and involving a strange tribe in Bolivia whose members claim to be gods. "Standing in His Light" features Van Drouten's role in the career of the artist Jan Vermeer. Other stories include "Welcome to Olympus, Mr. Hearst,"...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 076531553X
• ISBN13: 9780765315533
• Release Date: January 2008
• Publisher: St. Martins Press-3PL
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 0.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 9.0" x 6.0"

Customer Reviews

Great stuff, though you need some background

The most recent couple of novels in the "Company" universe have been a little bit disappointing to me - in fact, in my review of one of them, I stated that it would have been a better book had it been short stories. Well, in this book, Baker proves she is still really good at the stories! I was much happier with these than I had been with the "Machine" books. The stories in this one mostly involve Lewis. There are references in the stories to things that have happened in the earlier novels; the stories are best enjoyed if you've already read "In the Garden of Iden" although you don't have to have read the rest of the novels - that one will provide enough background. That's not to say you shouldn't read the rest of the earlier novels - all four of the first four Company novels are great! The first story, "To the Land Beyond the Sunset," contains allusions to a particular disaster that happened to Lewis in another book. The indigenes in this story are very funny. (The dust jacket illustration is probably supposed to refer to this story, but it's not accurate.) The third story, "Angel in the Darkness," is the one that will provide you with some background about how the Company universe works and who are these cyborgs, anyway?, if you haven't read the novels. The last story, "Hellfire at Twilight," may particularly appeal to readers of Georgian and Regency romances, who will be familiar with the idea of Hellfire clubs. Several of the stories have already appeared in magazines, particularly Asimov's, but I didn't mind; I enjoyed re-reading them. All in all, her best in a while!

Being an immortal cyborg is not a fulltime party

The beauty of the universe created by Baker is that the characters may appear in any place and any time (after their own birth). In these seven stories we see Literary Preservationist Lewis, Botanist Mendoza, Facilitator Joseph and others in a range of times and locales. A recurring theme is that they carry out the will of the Company without always knowing the reasons for the assignments and often with any particular joy. Such is the life of these immortal cyborgs, serving the entity that created them. Personally, I think the short form is Kage's strongest area and this is some of her best. To The Land Beyond The Sunset. Mendoza and Lewis in the New World of the seventeenth century The Catch Concerning the Company's early and imperfect efforts to create an immortal The Angel In The Darkness Set in 1990s Los Angeles - a cyborg watches over family members Standing In His Light The life of the painter Vermeer - and the desires of a cyborg for something different A Night On The Barbary Coast Set in early San Francisco Joseph and Mendoza on an errand for the company Welcome To Olympus, Mr. Hearst Set in 1933 at Hearst Castle. Joseph and Lewis on an errand for the company Hellfire At Twilight Lewis on an errand for the company Does it sound like the cyborgs spend a lot of time running errands for the Company? You are correct.

Wonderful, as always!

For those of you who read "The Company" novels, but avoid "The Company" short story collections because you dislike short stories, I highly recommend that you read ALL of the books. The short stories have many important clues that flesh out the many sub-plots, characters, their backstories and motivations in the novels. Without the short stories, you are missing out on a much richer experience. For instance, in this last collection, I wonder about Mr. Hearst! (Intriguing, isn't it?) As always, I can't wait for the next installment!

Every one of these stories is a winner

I dare say that you found this collection of stories (mostly novellas and long short stories) because you -- like me -- discovered Kage Baker's marvelous universe of The Company, in which cyborgs serve a huge corporation of the future. If you haven't yet read the series, I strenuously recommend that you begin with In The Garden of Iden. You can probably follow each of the stories if you start with this collection (the author does a brief arm-wave in each one to tell you the basics), but your experience will be vastly enhanced if you read these in a larger context. (You don't have to read EVERY one of the full novels, but I think you need the character understanding from the first one or two.) I tend to be uncomfortable reading most short story collections, because there are predictably a few really excellent tales, a couple that are pretty good, and the rest... ho-hum or worse. I'm happy to say that Gods & Pawns is a remarkable exception. Every one of these stories is excellent, shows an aspect of history (through the eyes of Dr Zeus Inc.), and lets us vicarously enjoy the experiences of characters we've grown to love (Mendoza, Lewis, and Joseph). They're funny, thoughtful, surprising... everything I want from short fiction. If you like Kage Baker's "Company" universe, this is definitely worth your time and money. If you haven't yet discovered this marvelous author, then you should read her stuff... but please don't cheat yourself. Read In the Garden of Iden first, so you can appreciate the depth she brings to even a short story.

excellent time traveling tales

These seven "stories of the Company" are reprints from other publications but brought together under one book for the first time to the delight of fans of the series who will understand the title while newcomers will enjoy these excellent time traveling tales. "To the Land Beyond the Sunset". Company men Lewis and Mendoza amongst others encounter a seventeenth century tribe in Bolivia who claim to be immortal and provide evidence to support their God-like assertion. "The Catch". In 1958 a family of five allegedly died in a car crash. The Company sends Clete and Porfirio to clean up a problem caused by the ten year old boy previously saved from that crash; instead of joining as operatives as all of the rescued do, Bobby Ross has become a problem for the Company to fix. "The Angel in the Darkness". In 1991 forty-six years old insurance underwriter Maria Aguilar has problems as she expects the new owners of her firm to downsize. However, she soon finds bigger troubles for her and her family. Only Company Security Technical Uncle Porfirio can keep them safe from an immortal. "Standing in His Light". In the seventeenth century Netherlands Agent Van Drouten meets Jan Vermeer, considered by twenty-fourth century aficionados as the greatest artist of all times as she tries to rescue his masterpieces. "A Night on the Barbary Coast". In 1850 Joseph and Mendoza explore the local flora because something of interest caught Dr. Zeus' attention in the future. "Welcome to the Olympus, Mr. Hearst". In the 1920s and 30s William Randolph Heart informs Mr. Denham he knows about the Company and wants to buy stock as a full player in the game of "correcting" history. "Hellfire at Twilight". In 1774 Lewis joins the aristocratic notorious Hellfire Club because of a toxic alert from a document once belonging to them. Harriet Klausner