The Crooked Letter, 1

By Sean Williams

Book Overview

When mirror twins Seth and Hadrian Castillo travel to Europe on holidays, they don't expect the end of the world to follow them. Seth's murder, however, puts exactly that into motion. From opposite sides of death, the Castillo twins grapple with a reality neither of them suspected, although it has been encoded in myths and legends for millennia. The Earth we know is just one of many "realms", three of which are inhabited by humans during various stages of their lives. And their afterlives... In the tradition of Philip Pullman and Ursula K. Le Guin and inspired by numerous arcane sources, the Books of the Cataclysm begin in the present world but soon propel the reader to a landscape that is simultaneously familiar and fantastic.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 159102644X
• ISBN13: 9781591026440
• Release Date: April 2008
• Publisher: Pyr
• Length: 508 Pages
• Weight: 1.56 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.3" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Mind-Blowing Realities

I have just finished reading this novel, which is the weirdest end-of-the-world story I've come across so far. I like the surrealistic settings and situations depicted in the Crooked Letter. They give the novel a dreamlike aspect that I find enteresting. I also liked the exotic elements used in the world building. For instance, the afterlife of the Second Realm is the most exotic and unusual after death scenerio I've come across. What I found most unique about it is that it even has it's own ecology, which is alien to that of earth's. There is also a sci-fi aspect to the Second Realm, such as how it's laid out on the inside of a hollow sphere. There is also a Third Realm even more alien than the previous, which explores the multiple-histories idea of quantum mechanics. And, finally I found the alternate theoligy explored in the novel to be both unique and mind-shocking. All of the above, makes for a fascinating read.

A compelling beginning

The Crooked Letter is both the first in a new series and the first in the continuation of a well loved series (to those of us who have loved it), The Books of the Change. The journey into the underworld of twins Seth and Hadrian does more than press the boundaries of contemporary fantasy fiction. It also puts pressure, in the most compelling and page-turning way, on the things our culture values most closely: the concept of the freely determined self, the idea of 'natural justice', and most importantly, the line between body and spirit. Forming a segue between the Books of the Change and the Books of the Cataclysm, this is some of the most intelligent and gripping fantasy writing available. Start at the beginning, and don't stop.

An epic as sinuous and intoxicating as a double helix cocktail

Few writers can mix magic, spiritual philosophy and contemporary fantasy as well as Sean Williams. The Crooked Letter intertwines death, rebirth, mythic gods and ordinary teenagers in a spiraling story that tells the end and beginning of a world. The author doesn't shy away from the passion of new love, the shock of betrayal, the pain of separation and the path of redemption. It's an epic as sinuous and intoxicating as a double helix cocktail (if there was one). Like Julian May's Intervention, The Crooked Letter is an extraordinary watershed between the Books of the Change and the Books of the Cataclysm. I could not put it down.

A "must read" for any fantasy lovers!!!

Set in the future, in a world of ancient magic, and eschewing all stereotypical notions of fantasy, the characters in The Crooked Letter undertake an amazing journey in a world which would make Stephen Donaldson stand up and take notice. The characterisation in The Crooked Letter is excellent and the writing intelligent and engaging and I have no doubt that most people who read this book will love it. It is un-put-downable and you will not be able to stop until you finish and then you will be begging for more!!! Although this works as a perfect stand-alone book, luckily this book is the prequel to a further series so if you love this book, as I did, you will have plenty of enjoyable reading ahead. Enjoy!!!!