Chasing the Phoenix Proves the Longevity of the Long Con
Darger and Surplus may or may not be the heroes we deserve, but they are without a doubt the heroes we need right now.
In Chasing the Phoenix, award-winner Michael Swanwick gives us another adventure of the swashbuckling con men—one with the roguish confidence of Errol Flynn, the other, a half-dog, half-human hybrid—who starred in his last book, Dancing With Bears, and previously appeared in a smattering of short stories. If this is your first dip into Swanwick’s elegantly crafted world, never fear; the duo’s previous adventures are referenced throughout, but no prior knowledge is needed to enjoy their witty banter, surreal encounters, or all-around mischief.
Chasing the Phoenix: A Science Fiction Novel
Hardcover $26.99
Chasing the Phoenix: A Science Fiction Novel
Hardcover $26.99
Much like its stars, the world of Darger and Surplus is utterly unique and easy to be seduced by. The setting is a distant future, long after our high-tech civilization has collapsed and the demons—literal—of the internet have been banished. It is a speculative fiction tour de force: a future dystopia populated with mythology and dealing in tropes of high fantasy.
The escapades of Aubrey Darger and Sir Blackthorpe Ravenscairn de Plus Precieux (Sir Plus, or Surplus, for short) have taken them around the globe, hopping continents and perpetrating myriad long cons. This volume finds them in China, no longer the unified country that we know, but a network of kingdoms, fiefdoms, warlords, and chieftains.
Perhaps nothing could better prepare you for what is to come than the first moment we see Surplus, dressed as a Mongolian shaman, and Darger, a corpse strewn on the back of a yak. Sometimes acts of skulduggery catch up with a person. But death, be not proud, for you have no hold on such a wily character. Or at least, that is Surplus’s hope, as he poses as a demi-god—having a dog’s head helps—on his way to find the Infallible Physician, the only one who can cure his friend.
As you might suspect, the Infallible Physician is not exactly as advertised, but still manages to get the resurrection job done. In fact, no one in this story is as they seem—not Capable Servant, the eager-beaver assistant who attaches to the pair; not Fire Orchid, the thieving warrior who betroths herself to Surplus (to his endless bewilderment); and certainly not the Hidden King, obsessed with locating his “Phoenix Bride” and uniting China once again under a single ruler.
Much like its stars, the world of Darger and Surplus is utterly unique and easy to be seduced by. The setting is a distant future, long after our high-tech civilization has collapsed and the demons—literal—of the internet have been banished. It is a speculative fiction tour de force: a future dystopia populated with mythology and dealing in tropes of high fantasy.
The escapades of Aubrey Darger and Sir Blackthorpe Ravenscairn de Plus Precieux (Sir Plus, or Surplus, for short) have taken them around the globe, hopping continents and perpetrating myriad long cons. This volume finds them in China, no longer the unified country that we know, but a network of kingdoms, fiefdoms, warlords, and chieftains.
Perhaps nothing could better prepare you for what is to come than the first moment we see Surplus, dressed as a Mongolian shaman, and Darger, a corpse strewn on the back of a yak. Sometimes acts of skulduggery catch up with a person. But death, be not proud, for you have no hold on such a wily character. Or at least, that is Surplus’s hope, as he poses as a demi-god—having a dog’s head helps—on his way to find the Infallible Physician, the only one who can cure his friend.
As you might suspect, the Infallible Physician is not exactly as advertised, but still manages to get the resurrection job done. In fact, no one in this story is as they seem—not Capable Servant, the eager-beaver assistant who attaches to the pair; not Fire Orchid, the thieving warrior who betroths herself to Surplus (to his endless bewilderment); and certainly not the Hidden King, obsessed with locating his “Phoenix Bride” and uniting China once again under a single ruler.
Dancing with Bears: A Darger & Surplus Novel
Paperback $14.99
Dancing with Bears: A Darger & Surplus Novel
Paperback $14.99
The quest for the Phoenix Bride is the device that entangles Darger and Surplus and allows them pull off their most complex trick yet: selling themselves as superhumans here to serve the Hidden King’s needs as, respectively, the Perfect Strategist and the Noble Dog Warrior.
The Phoenix Bride is also not exactly what you expect, and its true identity is one of the many reveals littering this clever work, ingeniously tying together elements of ancient mythos, steampunk sensibilities, and good old-fashioned science fiction. And yes, you’ll get to meet those demons of the Internet, if you aren’t already familiar with them in your personal life (hey guys!).
The story takes zero time to kick into gear (remember: shaman, yak, corpse), but questions linger throughout the narrative. Yet, as Surplus asks in a strategy discussion, “Is there not a classic of Chinese philosophy that advises patience?”
“All of them, I believe,” Darger replies. Indeed, and for good reason, at least when it comes to this particular confidence trick.
The quest for the Phoenix Bride is the device that entangles Darger and Surplus and allows them pull off their most complex trick yet: selling themselves as superhumans here to serve the Hidden King’s needs as, respectively, the Perfect Strategist and the Noble Dog Warrior.
The Phoenix Bride is also not exactly what you expect, and its true identity is one of the many reveals littering this clever work, ingeniously tying together elements of ancient mythos, steampunk sensibilities, and good old-fashioned science fiction. And yes, you’ll get to meet those demons of the Internet, if you aren’t already familiar with them in your personal life (hey guys!).
The story takes zero time to kick into gear (remember: shaman, yak, corpse), but questions linger throughout the narrative. Yet, as Surplus asks in a strategy discussion, “Is there not a classic of Chinese philosophy that advises patience?”
“All of them, I believe,” Darger replies. Indeed, and for good reason, at least when it comes to this particular confidence trick.