Puss Reboots: Blog: August 2009: Economancer

Recent posts

Reviews:
Adaptogenia by Wayne Wightman personal collection
And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell library book
The Cat Barked? by Lydia Monks library book
Cat Skidoo by Bethany Roberts and RW Alley personal collection
City Above the Sea by Stephen Alan Saft review copy
City Lullaby by Marilyn Singer library book
Corona Centurion™ by Terry Bisson personal collection
Economancer by Carolyn Ives Gilman personal collection
A Field Guide to Monsters by Johan Olander library book
Grey Seas Under by Farley Mowat bookcrossing
Grimm's Grimmest by Tracy Arah Dockray bookcrossing
Grumpy Cat by Britta Teckentrup personal collection
Handy Farm Devices and How to Make Them by Rolfe Cobleigh bookcrossing
Harriet's Recital by Nancy Carlton personal collection
I Feel Skitty by Tracey West personal collection
Kin by Holly Black review copy
The Loved One by Evelyn Waugh bookcrossing
Mama, Don't Go by Rebecca Wells library book
No, Never! by Sally O. Lee review copy
Oh, the Things I Know! by Al Franken bookcrossing
Over Sea, Under Stone by Susan Cooper library book
Paradiso Lost by Albert E. Cowdrey personal collection
Project Anastrophe by George Karnikis review copy
The Publishing Game: Publish a Book in 30 Days by Fern Reiss bookcrossing
The Shipwreck of a Nation by H Peter Nennhaus review copy
Skim by Mariko Tamaki review copy
Sooner or Later or Never Never by Gary Jennings personal collection
Talk to the Hand by Lynne Truss bookcrossing
The Thirteenth Tale by Dianne Setterfield bookcrossing
The Yellow-Lighted Bookshop by Lewis Buzbee bookcrossing
The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon library book
Yoko Writes Her Name by Rebecca Wells library book

Previous month

Economancer: 08/29/09

Told in letters from Simon Messiter, Barclays economist, to a Jane, "Economancer" proposes an explanation for why the dollar has fallen so much in recent years. Apparently a sovereign state in the fictional nanoesian islands has developed a very specialized form of magic based on economics and local tribal spiritual beliefs. They call it "economancy" and have hired Simon Messiter to bring the dollar down to make repayment of debts easier.

When Simon though incredulously tries to bluff his way out of this impossible situation things only get worse for him. The letters get longer and the dialogue more frequent in these later sections. The explanations for these fantastic accounts of things is that Simon has a lot of time on his hands.

In true short horror fashion made popular by the Twilight Zone, the last letter to Jane turns everything on its head. It all hinges on the question that is never fully answered: who is Jane?