"Dinner at Deviant's Palace" by Tim Powers is a post-apocalyptic science fiction novel set in a near-future dystopia in Southern California. The story follows Greg Rivas, a musician and deprogrammer, who is hired to redeem his first love from a charismatic cult leader named Jaybush. As Rivas delves deeper into the cult, he faces trials and tribulations, uncovering strange alien lifeforms, bizarre drugs, and a world filled with religious zealotry. The writing style is described as inventive, clever, and humorous, with the author's unique ability to draw readers into his bizarrely constructed world.

Characters:

The characters are intricate, with Gregorio Rivas as the flawed protagonist who struggles with personal demons, supported by a cast that enriches the story but may not be fully developed.

Writing/Prose:

The prose is characterized by a dry wit and dark humor, incorporating extensive interior monologues that enrich character development and display intricate wordplay.

Plot/Storyline:

The narrative is a post-apocalyptic adventure focusing on Gregorio Rivas and his attempt to rescue his long-lost love from a sinister cult, tying in themes of redemption, sin, and the consequences of aging.

Setting:

The setting is a creatively imagined post-apocalyptic Los Angeles, filled with haunting remnants of civilization and dark cultic elements that create a distinct atmosphere.

Pacing:

The pacing is generally fast, particularly in the latter portions, though the initial setup can feel slow, with some aspects of the plot appearing stretched.

Notes:

Dinner at Deviant's Palace is a post-apocalyptic adventure, different from Tim Powers' usual secret histories.

The book features classic themes like the attraction of sin and the hazards of adventuring.

It is set in a future Los Angeles, called Ellay, after a nuclear war.

Ellay is depicted as a trading center in a largely agricultural landscape.

The protagonist, Gregorio Rivas, is a musician and former redeemer, living a comfortable life.

Greg's quest is to rescue Urania, his long-lost love, from a cult called the Jaybirds.

Powers uses the term 'sport' as an insult in a genetic sense in the novel.

The book has a dry and witty narrative but also contains dark themes and touches of horror.

Greg Rivas is portrayed as a flawed character, sometimes viewed as an unlikable protagonist.

Alcoholism is a common theme in Powers' works, reflected in Greg's character as a rock star.

The novel includes elements like maiming and body-switching, typical of Powers' storytelling style.

Greg learns that his obsession with Urania may be rooted in his inability to attain her.

Powers creates an engaging setting with run-down but functional aspects of post-apocalyptic society.

Characters are interesting and fully developed, enhancing the novel's themes.

There are references to cults and deprogramming within the storyline.

The climax involves a peculiar banquet at the Deviant's Palace.

Readers find the setting eerie yet familiar, and Powers is noted for his unique world-building.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

The book contains themes of addiction, violence, cult behavior, and psychological manipulation, which may be disturbing to some readers.

Has Romance?

While there are romantic elements, particularly involving the protagonist's past love, the focus is more on the adventure and inner conflicts.

From The Publisher:

A Philip K. Dick Award Winner from "a brilliant writer": In a ravaged California, a man tries to rescue his lost love from a soul-devouring religious cult (William Gibson).

In the twenty-second century, the City of Angels is a tragic shell of its former self, having long ago been ruined and reshaped by nuclear disaster. Before he was in a band in Ellay, Gregorio Rivas was a redeemer, rescuing lost souls trapped in the Jaybirds cult of the powerful maniac Norton Jaybush. Rivas had hoped those days were behind him, but a desperate entreaty from a powerful official is pulling him back into the game. The rewards will be plentiful if he can wrest Urania, the official's daughter and Gregorio's first love, from Jaybush's sinister clutches. To do so, the redeemer reborn must face blood-sucking hemogoblins and other monstrosities on his way to discovering the ultimate secrets of this neo-Californian civilization.

One of the most ingeniously imaginative writers of our time, Tim Powers dazzles in an early work that displays his unique creative genius, earning him a nomination for the Nebula Award. Alive with wit, intelligence, and wild invention, Dinner at Deviant's Palace is a mad adventure across a dystopian future as only Tim Powers could have imagined it.

This ebook features an original introduction by the author.

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Dinner at Deviant's Palace

Tim Powers