On Tue, 8 Feb 2005, Johne Cook wrote: > The novel was "When Gravity Fails" and I remember thinking it was very > uneven, kind of depressing, and wildly original. I liked it > immediately, warts and all. I had hoped to read more from this > author, but alas, never tracked down anything else by him. Oh, man, are you in for a treat. Those are three of my most treasured books. Everything you said about them goes. Marid and the Budayeen are an amazing, vibrant place, and Effinger's early death was a sore loss for the genre. The parable that the Prophet (peace be unto him) tells Marid about his moment of greatest danger is among my favorite moments in the series. pe