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Spirits in the Wires

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Spirits in the Wires (Newford -13) by Charles de Lint

Spirits in the Wires (Newford #13) by Charles de Lint — Hardcover, 2003 by Tor Books

Spirits in the Wires (2003) — The thirteenth book in the Newford series by Charles de Lint. 

Description[]

It doesn't matter where we come from, or even what we look like. The only thing that matters is who we are now.... Ancient magic and the Internet weave a spell, in the latest Newford novel from urban fantasy master Charles de Lint.

Charles de Lint's "Newford" novels, loosely-linked tales with overlapping characters, set in an imaginary modern North American city, are the gold standard of modern urban fantasy. De Lint tells tales of magic and myth afoot on today's city streets, but at the center of every de Lint story is the miracle of the human heart.

And at the heart of Spirits in the Wires are Saskia Madding and Christiana Tree, both of whom are tied to perennial Newford character, the writer Christy Riddell. Are either Saskia or Christiana real? Christy's girlfriend, Saskia, believes she was born in a Web site, while Christiana is Christy's "shadow self"—all the parts of him that he cast out when he was seven years old.

At a popular Newford on-line research and library Web site called the Wordwood, a mysterious "crash" occurs. Everyone visiting the site at the moment of the crash vanishes from where they were sitting in front of their computers. Saskia, disappears right before Christy's eyes.

Now Christy and his companions must journey into Newford's otherworld—where the Wordwood, it transpires, has a physical presence of its own—to rescue their missing friends and loved ones, and to set this viral spirit right before it causes further harm. ~ Charles de Lint: Spirits in the Wires (2003) Description

✤ BOOK 13 BLURB—Spirits in the Wires (2003): At a popular Newford online research and library Web site called the Wordwood, a mysterious crash occurs. Everyone visiting the site at the moment of the crash vanishes from where they were sitting in front of their computers. Christy Riddell's girldfriend Saskia disappears right before his eyes, along with countless others. To rescue their missing friends, Christy and his companions must journey into Newford's otherworld, where the Wordwood, it transpires, has a physical presence of its own… ~ Goodreads | Spirits in the Wires (Newford, #13)

✥ What happens when a very powerful spirit gets a virus and begins to self-destruct? And what about all the folks who happen to be logged onto the site at the time?

Excerpt[]

Charles de Lint: Spirits in the Wires (2003) Excerpt

Themes[]

  • Cyberspace developing a personality (or personalities) of its own

Tag Line[]

"A novel of myth and magic- on the streets and on the net"

World-Building[]

Settings[]

  • Newford
  • Otherworld (faerie)
  • Meadhon: "borderlands"
  • Woodforest Plaza Mall

Supernatural / Mythical Elements[]

LIST: "shadow self", viral spirit, technological voodoo, gods, Legba, unicorn woman . . . 

Glossary:

  • Wordwood: popular Newford on-line research and library Web site—a mysterious "crash" occurs
  • Legba: crossroads spirit from the voudoun tradition

World[]

Saskia Madding has a difficulty making friends, perhaps because she's not from around here. The friends she does make, like Christiana Tree, are very special, some might even say weird, but mostly they're just otherworldly.

The spiteful revenge of a self-absorbed book editor Aaran Goldstein on Saskia triggers a meltdown of The Wordwood site. The cascade effect that follows threatens the WorldAsItIs?, the BorderLands? and even "disappears" people from in front of their computers. One of the "disappeared" is Saskia who vanishes before the horrified eyes of her lover Christy Riddell.

With the quest to rescue the disappeared and prevent meltdown of mythic proportions, the ensemble cast weaves the story in Newford (city), the BorderLands, the OtherWorld, but most especially, through the Internet to The Wordwood. Other CdL's characters make cameo apperances such as Jilly Coppercorn, Meran and Cerin, and Tallulah.

Characters[]

Characters What About
Christy Riddell Newford resident writer segment of the Internet’s spirit incarnated in a woman’s body; literally sprang full-grown from a computer and was already suffering an identity crisis when sucked into oblivion—disappeared before Christy's eyes
Saskia Madding Poet; avatar of sorts Christy's girlfriend; believes she was born in a Web site
Christiana Tree, aka "Mystery" Christy's "shadow self" —all the parts of him that he cast out when he was seven years old; "Mystery": given herself the name Christiana Tree (Miss Tree=Mystery);
Borrible Jones tinker aka Bojo
Holly Rue bookstore owner one of the creators of the WordWood; (in “Pixel Pixies”, Tapping the Dream Tree; dog: Snippet;
Geordie Riddell musician Christy Riddell's brother;
Dick Bobbins hob originally lived in Devon, England
Mother Crone, Galfreya seer holds court at Woodforest Plaza Mall; subject to Titania and the seelie court
Snippet Dog pet to Holly Rue
Aaran Goldstein book reviewer works for newspaper; discovered Suzi (Suzanne Chancy) living on the streets
Meran Kelledy Oak King's daughter
Cerin Kelledy
Raven who-made-the-world
Malicorne unicorn woman
Suzanne Chaney, aka 'Suzi' homeless woman found living on the streets by Aaron Goldstein; born in the Wordwood; starlingly optimistic person; responsible for Aaron's transformation into a decent human being;
Robert Lonnie
Pappa Legba
Mumbo
Raul
Estie
Claudette
Librarius

To expand the table, right-press on a row of the table or (Control-press on a Mac)—choose add

Cover Artists[]

Spirits djart-Spirits in the Wires

pirits in the Wires cover art

  • John Jude Palencar

~ Source: Bibliography: Cover: Spirits in the Wires

Publishing Information[]

Publishers: Tor Books

  • Hardcover, First Ed., 448 pages, Pub: August 1st 2003 by Tor Books—ISBN: 0312873980
  • Paperback, 448 pages, Pub: September 1st 2004 by Tor Books—ISBN: 0312869711

Awards[]

First Sentence[]

"I feel as if I should know you," Saskia Madding says as she approaches my chair. ~ Shelfari

Quotes[]

Goodreads | Charles de Lint Quotes

According to Jung, at around the age of six or seven we separate and then hide away the parts of ourselves that don’t seem acceptable, that don’t fit in the world around us. Those unacceptable parts that we secret away become our shadows.
“That happens to everybody,” I tell her. “It happens whenever someone decides what someone is like instead of finding out for real.”
We’re like ghost words. People can appropriate us and give us meanings, too.”

Notes[]

Trivia[]

Goodreads | Lists That Contain Spirits in the Wires (Newford, #13) by Charles de Lint

See Also[]

External Links[]

Book:

World: 

Artist: 

Reviews:

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