This may be Sean Stewart's best novel, though I have to admit that it is not quite my favourite. Here we see Stewart displaying full mastery of his prose, his characterization, and his depiction of a fully realized magical world. Be warned though, neither the characters, nor the world presented, are always pleasant to behold. We follow the story of Josh Cane, a young man with a chip on his shoulder due to the constrained circumstances of his life that are the result of his father's loss of a pivotal game of poker. Add to this the fact that Josh lives in a world after the occurrence of a magical apocalypse wherein everyone has to work hard to survive, not only due to their physical circumstances, but also due to the perilous proximity of the magical Otherworld, and you have the makings of a pretty downbeat story. Stewart himself has described this book as: "...your Basic "Boy Meets Girl, Boy Loses Everything, Girl becomes her Own Evil Twin, Boy Is Framed For Murder and Sent Along With Sidekick To Be Eaten By Cannibals, and Things Get Worse When The Weather Turns Bad" story." That about sums it up.Of course there's more to the novel than a simple encapsulation, even one given by the author, can provide. First of all we have, once again, Stewart's excellent characters: Our main character Josh is by turns repulsive and worthy of pity; a man who had expected a life of much greater comfort than the one he ended up with and who is unable to let go of the bitterness he feels as a result of his circumstances. The only person who seems able to stand Josh is his best friend Ham Mather, the gentle giant who loyally accompanies Josh in his exile that is brought about by Josh's infatuation with the third of our heroes: Sloane Gardner, the heir-apparent to both the political and magical leaders of Galveston whose desire to escape from her responsibilities leads to disaster. Standing in the background of the story like a looming spectre is the distorted and eternal carnival otherworld presided over by Momus, a godlike trickster who will give blessings to mortals courageous, or foolhardy, enough to pay the price. As always, be careful what you wish for.As noted, Josh's story goes from bad to worse and his circumstances, both physical and personal, can become hard to stomach. You think George R. R. Martin can put his characters through the ringer? He could pick up a few tips from Sean Stewart here. There are also no easy resolutions. Stewart always avoids the easy answer or pat conclusion. Our characters do get resolutions of sorts, and they certainly grow and change as people, but nothing is exactly as one might have expected and nothing follows the standard Hollywood paradigm for such things. This is all to the good I say and for all its difficulty, you'd be hard pressed to find a better told story than the one you'll find in _Galveston_.I wouldn't recommend this as a starting point for Stewart: go to Resurrection Man, or Night Watch for that. Both take place in the same world deluged by magic, though at different points in its history. They are a bit more friendly to their protagonists, though they never quite let them off the hook either. No matter where you start though, you're in for a real treat with Sean Stewart. He's truly an excellent writer of great talent.Also posted at Shelf Inflicted
I'm starting to love Sean Stewart's work--it's heartfelt and human, even as it deals in magic, mystery, speculation, and madness. Being from Texas, I especially love the works that are set here (Galveston, Perfect Circle, Mockingbird), but I've just started reading one of his Canadian novels (The Night Watch) and so far enjoying it almost as much, although the locations and cultural references aren't as familiar. Galveston may be my favorite so far, though--it's a sad novel, in many ways, but also one that's full of hope and courage. I found myself quoting lines from it during a very challenging period of my own life, so it really resonated with me. Stewart isn't always technically very focused--some of his stories tend to jumps around and leave out certain bits that I feel should be narrated more fully--but he makes up for this with brilliant moments of quiet insight and reflection that make you forget about mere plot. He also handles the presence of magic and fantasy elements with an almost casual grace--as if all of this was perfectly natural and familiar, rather than something that stops us in our tracks. I think one of his running themes is the idea that we've simply forgotten that magic is all around us, an everyday occurrence, and so we're surprised when it comes along and treats us like an old friend (or, in some cases, an old enemy). It's like a long-lost relative who just shows up one day and plops down on your couch as if he's always lived there. But the real essence of most of his novels is our ability to endure even radical and destructive change or loss. Like the island of Galveston, which seems to constantly be facing annihilation in one form or another, we somehow survive and rebuild and keep going.
What do You think about Galveston (2002)?
This fine work of magical realism is set in a fictional near future Galveston, TX. In this version of the world, magic started to seep into the world, and, in 2004, overflowed in and event referred to as The Flood. Ghosts became commonplace and palpable, some people mutated into fantastical beasts, some people gained magical powers, and all sort of miracles and metaphysical phenomena began manifesting. The authorities of Galveston have been able to hold the magic at bay for a couple of decades, an endeavor which has created an even deeper divide between the rich and the poor. Things are coming to a crisis point. In the midst of this are Sloane Gardner, conflicted daughter of the unofficial mayor Jane Gardner, and the apothecary Josh Cane, whose family started out in relative wealth and then fell into serious poverty.Stewart's world is a very interesting place, and his characters are very well-portrayed - they are complete people who are both sympathetic and exasperating. He does a great job of exploring themes of luck, dealing with what you have, and learning to accept responsibility without self-abnegation in the name of duty. I only had two complaints: I think Stewart made a misstep in the resolution of the romantic tensions between characters, and I wish he had dealt more directly and deeply with the way in which the authorities attempt to completely hold back and sequester the magic may have had a negative effect on Galveston.
—Carol
Galveston experiences the effects of magic during Mardi Gras, 2004. Creatures are born of survivors' happiness and sufferers' pain - dog-sized scorpions, a crying clown, and a widow who eats her victims. Part of the city is locked into a never-ending Mardi Gras. The heroine is Sloan Gardner who comes to the city to see her stepfather, Momus, and finds herself locked into the Mardi Gras, victim of a twisted prank by him. Meanwhile, what happens to the people on the other side can never be changed. Soo.....
—Rusty
I rated this book 8/10 back when I first read it in '04, and I remembered it being fantastic and intense, but somehow couldn't remember the ending. So, after a re-read, my rating stands (translated to Goodreads' more limited 4/5), but I can see why I didn't remember the ending. Up until about three quarters of the way through, I was prepared to give it a 9 or a 10. Most of the book is indeed fantastic, in the sense of being a great read as well as a near perfect example of contemporary fantasy. Yes, it reminded me a lot of my fave, Tim Powers, and not just because of the poker. The plot takes interesting turns that are unexpected and yet fitting. The characters are gritty and not entirely likeable, but that doesn't mean they aren't relatable. And I think that's what makes it so intense - there is a reality to the emotional power that's rare in this kind of story. As for the ending, well, I just wish Stewart had taken it in a slightly different direction. It's just not very memorable - a kind of a slow letdown following what's come before, with matters resolved in what seemed to me a half-hearted way, and the pun is intentional in the case of Sloane. There are a couple of brief flashes of the book's former brilliance at the very end, but it just doesn't end as powerfully as I would have preferred.Overall, I do recommend the book, and I think it's Stewart's best - of the others I've read, I'll probably revisit Mockingbird at some point, since I also rated that one 8/10 back in '06, and I have a similar memory of it.
—Chris Branch
