Gods and Pawns (Company)

Gods and Pawns (Company)
by Kage Baker

Gods and Pawns (Company)
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Book Summary Information

Author: Kage Baker
Edition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2007-01-23
ISBN: 0765315521
Number of pages: 336
Publisher: Tor Books

Book Reviews of Gods and Pawns (Company)

Book Review: Ms Baker reporting to Dr Zeus with a new tale
Summary: 5 Stars

I've come to the conclusion that there are only two ways of interpreting the stories of The Company. The first, and the one I prefer, is that Ms. Baker is actually an operative for Dr Zeus (surely from the Elizabethan court) and this is her idea of a joke on us. The stories seem so genuine, the characters so alive and the dialogue so authentic because they all ARE real. Ms Baker and Mendoza are probably reading this review in 2234 and having a chuckle over a mug of steaming chocolate.

Well, that is one way of looking at it. The other is that Kage Baker is one of the greatest writers of our era. It is not simply the imaginative creativity that has taken a singular story and built it into a saga of depth and wonder. It is the literary aspect of these tales that beg to be praised. The language, the nuance, the humor (Connie with her Bronx accent - "Ya don't say!") and the ever-present irony merge in a rare combination. Some writers excel in plot structure, some in characterization, others in dialogue and a few actually conduct research in preparation for their writing. Ms. Baker handles all of these deftly and seamlessly. You know there will be no wrong dates, historical settings or customs of the times.

This is not a duplicate of "Black Projects, White Knights", perhaps the finest set of short stories since O'Henry. These tales are longer, more subtle and mainly feature well-known operatives - Lewis, Mendoza and Joseph with the determined Porfirio making two appearances. One is struck by the different moods Ms. Baker invokes. The hilarious "Hearst" contrasts with the lush, dark "Land Beyond the Sunset". The almost childlike story of Bobby plays against the poignant "Angel in the Darkness", a mystery involving a woman without hope. For sheer virtuosity the story of the artist, Vermeer, is unsurpassed. The final scene encompasses both the title and the spirit of the book in a way I would never have imagined as the term "Gods and Pawns" suddenly takes on a new meaning. Needless to say, my grade - A+++

Summary of Gods and Pawns (Company)

In the Company, you're either a God or a Pawn, but sometimes you have to be both. The eight stories, reprinted for the first time in this collection delve further into the history and exploits of the Company and its operatives, including Mendoza, Lewis, and Alec. 
 
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. Their ability to grow a small tropical paradise in the middle of the desert certainly seems godlike, and it's Mendoza's job to figure what their secret is."Standing in His Light" features Van Drouten, and her role in the career of the artist Jan Vermeer. The story illustrates how, with a little help from the Company, lost masterpieces can be found (or created) easily. Other stories include "Welcome to Olympus, Mr. Hearst," which opens up intriguing questions about The Company, and the original novelette, "Hellfire at Twilight," which concludes the volume and tells of Lewis infiltrating the famous Hellfire Club in the England of the 18th century.
 
This book is a compelling read for every Baker fan, and essential for Company addicts

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