The Powers of Fantastic Fiction | An IgnatiusInsight.com Interview with Tim Powers | September 7, 2005

The Powers of Fantastic Fiction | An IgnatiusInsight.com Interview with Tim Powers | September 7, 2005
      
Tim Powers is a unique, imaginative, and versatile author whose work has been compared to that of Michael Crichton, John le Carré, and Clive Barker. He has been described by Kirkus as "the reigning king of adult historical fantasy" and the Manchester Guardian writes, "Powers always goes the distance, never taking easy shortcuts that tempt authors with lesser imaginations." His novel Declare, a supernatural secret history of post-WWII espionage, won the 2001 World Fantasy and the  International Horror Guild Awards. He is also the two-time recipient of the Philip K. Dick Award for The Anubis Gates and Dinner at Deviant's Palace, and a three-time Locus Award winner for Last Call, Expiration Date, and Earthquake Weather.
      
Born in 1952 in Buffalo, New York, Powers has lived in California since 1959. He studied English Literature at Cal State Fullerton, where he first met collaborators James Blaylock and K. W. Jeter, as well as renowned science fiction author Philip K. Dick, who became a close friend and mentor. Powers’s first major novel was The Drawing of the Dark (1979), and his next novel, The Anubis Gates, won the Philip K. Dick Memorial Award and cemented his reputation as one of the finest contemporary science fiction/fantasy writers.
      
Powers describes himself as "a conservative Catholic who’s also fascinated with stuff that’s grotesque and weird and funny and dramatic." IgnatiusInsight.com recently interviewed Powers about his work, the world of science fiction and fantasy, and the relationship between literature and faith. Continue reading...

Comments

[MMark Brumley]

What a terrific interview!

Fascinating. The distinction between a Catholic novel and a novel written by a Catholic is a fairly common one. I supposed the same distinction can be made between a Christian novel and a novel written by a Christian.

If I understand the distinction correctly, a Catholic novel or a Christian novel isn't necessarily a didactic novel, but one in which Catholicism or Christianity is accepted as true and the story unfolds within that context.

Agreement? Disagreement? It would be great to have comment by fiction readers and writers.

[Mark]

Hmmmmmmm, it appears I have a new writer to check out.

Any suggestions from the readers on which book I should read first? To help, I grew up reading Carl Sagan(his science not lack of faith), King, Arthur C Clarke, Asimov, etc. This will pain a few people but I'm not a big fan of JRT. Hobbit was good Fellowship was ok, Towers was better, Return went downhill fast.

And no I've never read the code. ;-)

[Chris Burgwald]

Thanks for this interview, Carl; I read Declare after reading the interview with Sandra Miesel, and I was excited to see an interview with the author of the novel.

[Sandra Miesel]

DECLARE is the most Catholic of Powers' novels and truly superb besides. THE DRAWING OF THE DARK (set at the seige of Vienna)is one of his earliest and therefore less complex. If you're interested in Regency England, ANUBIS GATES is an unusual time travel story with great period detail.

[Jenn]

I second the recommendation for Anubis Gates. That is by far my favorite book by Powers.

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