The Stranger: The Labyrinths of Echo, Part One (The Labyrinths of Echo, 1)

Plenty of books have magic, even magical mysteries (Dresden Files, etc) but few combine these aspects with zany humor and fish-out-of-water misunderstandings to such a wonderful effect. I have seen several people comment that this book is like "Harry Potter for grown ups" but I haven't seen anybody notice the similarities between The Stranger and Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. Both involve denizens of our world who inexplicably become involved in otherwordly adventures, politics, romance, etc and both are desperately funny. Magic here is also a conceit that has to be believed. The Harry Potter books focus far more on how magic works, specific spells and so on. In "The Stranger," as in "Hitchhikers Guide," random magical things happen without a lot of explanation. Max develops the ability spit deadly venom much in the same way Arthur Dent learns to fly by forgetting to hit the ground. You will only be irritated by the lack of internal logic if you are the sort of person who is fixated on how things work rather than the story itself. You won't by the end of this book, really understand why or how Max ended up in this new World at all or even who Max was before he arrived. Knowing that, it is a wonderful ride that is definitely worth taking. Oh, and yes, this book has a strange fixation with food. I don't think a page goes by where someone isn't talking about a certain meal or restaurant they enjoy. Perhaps the universal comforts of a good drink and a hardy meal span Worlds. Sometimes life is going through the day to day routine of a regular cup of coffee (or kamra) a bath (or 8) and a good nights sleep (hopefully avoiding awkward encounters with ghosts or coworkers). You can't battle Magicians every day, after all.

This book has been getting a ton of buzz online and I picked it up when I heard that Max Frei is a beloved literary icon and bestselling author in Russia. I am a fan of Russian literature and humor, and this book definitely has plenty of it! Also, for those of you who are not big SciFi readers, don't make the mistake of shying away from this book. It really is more accessible than your usual science fiction fare, and while it's undeniably a fantasy book, it's extremely readable and I think it should have a wide appeal beyond its genre. THE STRANGER is a funny, quirky book filled with magic and imagination. Max's character is so endearing (the bad boy Harry Potter!) from page one that it was easy for me to follow him from one off-the-wall adventure to another. This really was an addictive book and I'm excited for the next installment, which is rumored to be set for Fall 2010.

This is a very original new voice in fiction. A dark fantasy with incredible power. Highly recommended.

Enthralling, twisted, dark, magical...just a few of the words I would use to describe this totally "strange" book. I loved reading it and can't wait for the next in the series...long live Max Frei!

This book is fantastic, wonderful, full of surprises and a must read. You won't be able to put it down and you will be wanting more even before you are done with it. I cannot wait for the next one. You too are going to be a number 1 fan!