From Publishers Weekly
Best known for his Accelerando novels (
Singularity Sky, etc.) of an ever-speedier techno-Singularity, British author Stross mixes high-tech with medieval trappings in this highly entertaining science fantasy in the "misplaced modern" mode. Reporter Miriam Beckstein, recently fired for exposing a money laundering scheme and threatened by the criminals involved, finds that staring at her mother's antique brooch can move her from contemporary America to a Viking-settled parallel universe, where she discovers her true heritage as a countess among the world-walking, goods-smuggling Clan. Struggling to master the mores and politics of her new family, Miriam discovers trust to be the rarest commodity in which they deal. Earl Roland, her new love, may be too loyal to her uncle, Duke Angbard, while Roland's intended, the Baroness Olga, is much more than a silly heiress waiting to be married off. Miriam schemes to update the Clan's ancient business and make herself invaluable to their interests, before one of the many assassins after her succeeds. Stross makes much of the incongruity of modern technology alongside old-fashioned costumes and customs, and many will be reminded of Roger Zelazny's Amber books, which had similar dizzying intrigues.
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From Booklist
A fantasy employing the familiar device of a character from our world being zapped into what may be loosely called Faerie,
The Family Trade features investigative reporter Miriam Beckstein. Pursuing a matter that brings her death threats, she ends up having to use a locket left her by her mother, who was murdered when Miriam was an infant. Naturally, the locket transfers her to the kingdom of Gruinmarkt, where the six Families of the Clan vie for dominance, using methods that have a good deal in common with those of
The Sopranos and Mario Puzo's Corleones. Miriam is no more willing, however, to be a passive victim in Gruinmarkt than she was in our world, and she sets out to uphold her part in the Families' feud in appropriate style. Stross' world building isn't quite as vivid as that of Piper or Zelazny, to which the book's publicity compares it, but in all ways this is a solid page-turner and an uncommonly promising series launcher.
Roland GreenCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
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