Three Monkeys, Ten Minutes

...don't force it. Did anybody ever tell Charles de Lint that. De Lint has a common universe for a lot of his fantasy - a lot, but not all, of it is set in the city of Newford. These stories have a connected set of characters and a kind of fantasy setting that fits together into a pattern of sorts. All except Someplace to be Flying*. It is set in Newford but the story uses a different mythos. Not totally different - first animals instead of alternate spirit existences. But distinct enough that it does not really fit with the other stories. It just does not seem right. Taken individually, I like the characters and the story but it just does not work all that well in the setting. It should be in its own distinct setting I think. I suspect de Lint sees it that way too - why else would he introduce a character for just one scene who tries to reconcile the different myth systems. A character that bears a strange resemblance to the author himself. I think this shows through in other ways - the author is struggling with this. I does make me wonder if this shoe horning job was done at the insistence of his editor. Whether it was or not it is a pity - it was almost something really special.

*well on my experience so far. There are many more Newford books for me to read.