by Rajan Khanna

For some who don't like fantasy novels, what they don't like is the setting, and to be honest, medieval fantasies are a dime a dozen in the genre. While there are people doing interesting things in that milieu, George R. R. Martin to name one, even I have experienced this kind of setting fatigue.

That isn't the problem with the two examples I'm about to mention. These not only chose the modern over the medieval, they also draw on a different cultural background, Chinese to be precise. Both do it in their own way, and draw on that background while containing their own unique touches.

The Snake Agent

Recently I completed a novel by Liz Williams called, The Snake Agent. What initially drew me to this book was the stunning cover by artist Jon Foster. It is a work of art. When I learned that it was about a detective in a world of Chinese mythology with demons and gods and magic, I was snared.

I was familiar with Liz Williams through her novel, Poison Master, as well as some of her short work in places such as Electric Velocipede, so I knew she could tell a good story.

Snake Agent takes place in an alternate Singapore, where magic is real, as are the gods and demons of Chinese lore. Detective Inspector Chen Wei works for the police force, but unlike the majority of the officers, who deal with more mundane threats, Chen is an expert in the occult, possessed of his own spiritual powers.

Williams' Singapore is a blend of the mystical and the scientific, indeed blurring the genres. Not only are there demons and goddesses, but there are high-tech computers and human-based virtual networks. It's an interesting blend, familiar enough to remind us of our present world, but containing wonders of many kinds.

Williams draws heavily on pulp and noir influences here. The novel starts with a kind of cliffhanger and then goes back to explain how our characters got there. Detective Chen is a world-weary detective, torn between his duty to his patron goddess and his devotion to his wife, a demon who escaped Hell. His dance to try to honor both of those obligations, and those to his superiors on the police force is at times both humorous and dramatic.

Humor is something that this book has plenty of, by the way. Particularly when concerning another character, the demon Zhu Irzh. Zhu's path intertwines with Chen's throughout the book, but whereas Chen's path seems to be liberally strewn with guilt and drama, Zhu's part of the novel tends to the more whimsical and funny.

The plot moves quickly, and involves Chen investigating the death of a young girl who has become a ghost rather than moving on to the afterlife. In the course of his investigation, Chen travels to Hell itself, and meets Zhu Irzh. Meanwhile, a famed demon hunter comes on the scene and takes interest in Chen's demon wife, Inari.

The narrative jumps around, mostly between Chen, Zhu Irzh and Inari and the plot moves at a pretty fast clip. But it's easy to read and it's full of action and monsters and magic. There is depth here, but perhaps not as much as one might like. Still, it is the first in a series of novels (now numbering four) all featuring Detective Inspector Chen. In further novels Williams will no doubt delve further into the main characters, their pasts and their relationships.

And the book is just gorgeous to look at.

9Tail Fox

Jon Courtenay Grimwood's 9-Tail Fox is a different animal than Snake Agent. While Snake Agent concerns a fantastical world of magic and futuristic science, 9Tail Fox is rooted much more firmly in the present day.

Here the Chinese mystical element is much more subtle, more of a shading rather than a full-on color. But the central symbol, the nine-tail fox, is pulled right from Chinese mythology and plays a central theme here.

9-Tail Fox is set in San Francisco and the city inhabits all parts of the novel. In many ways it seems like a love letter to San Francisco, delighting in its peculiar corners. It follows Bobby Zha, a cop in San Francisco who seems to be on the fringes of everything, including his marriage and family life. Bobby is investigating the murder of a burglar, reportedly by a young girl, when he is killed.

To be honest, the first part of this book dragged for me. I found myself wondering if I indeed wanted to finish it. It was only when Bobby Zha died that things started to pick up for me. Especially when he wakes up in New York in another body. From that point on, I couldn't put it down.

The rest of the novel concerns Bobby, now in a new body, trying to track down his murderer while coming to terms with what has happened to him. He learns a lot about himself in the process as well, most of it not very flattering. These two tracks continue throughout the rest of the novel, and while the crime mystery is engaging, it is Bobby's search for what happened to him, what that means in terms of his identity, that is the most compelling.

Throughout the straightforward crime/cop story, the ghostly nine-tail fox constantly lurks in the background teasing us with its significance. There are fantastical elements underlying the story, but they are not accents or add-ons. They are pivotal to the story and yet almost invisible. Grimwood has done a great job of making everything feel organic.

Grimwood's style might not be for everyone. While he clearly knows how to write, I found his style initially off-putting. I don't know why, I don't know that I could describe my reaction, but I didn't take to it immediately. But I have to say that I was soon swept along and it eventually became almost invisible in the end.

Those who like their books neatly wrapped up might not like the way this book ends. While usually crime novels end with everything explained and some kind of victory, Grimwood implies a lot here and leaves a lot for you to figure out. That's not to say that things aren't resolved. The straightforward crime plot elements are resolved. Almost too quickly I would say. But the larger mysteries, the bigger picture, is left up to the reader. I actually enjoyed that, but your mileage may vary.

For more on Grimwood, see our previous interview with him.

Here, then, are two alternatives to standard fantasies, both of which I think would be worthy additions to anyone's library. Coincidentally, mind you, both books are published by Nightshade Books, a publisher that is doing some great work with book designs.

Next time, an anthology based around strange words and a look at the small press.

Column One: Welcome to My Fantasy