8. The Drawing of the Dark - Tim Powers

First published in 1979, The Drawing of the Dark is one of Tim Powers earliest works and his first entry in the Fantasy genre.  The novel takes place in Vienna in the early 1500's.  Brian Duffy is a soldier of fortune, who after a confrontation along a venice canal with 3 swordsman, is offered a job as a bouncer at the legendary Herzwestern brewery.  It's an improbable start to a fresh take on the Fisher King legend.  Duffy finds himself protecting the leader of the western world against a siege of Vienna from Suleiman 1st, leader of the Turkish Ottoman empire.  Plenty of sword fighting, along with vikings, Swiss mercenaries, and of course lots of beer! 

If you've read Tim Powers before you'll recogonize many of his familiar themes, especially his tendency to keep you a bit confused in the beginning as snippets of remembrances and conversations eventually begin to make sense as the story progresses.  My only criticism of the novel is that Duffy's love affair with Epiphany never really makes a significant contribution to the novel.  It just seems to labor along without adding much to the story.  

This is a great introduction to Tim Powers work and a great story overall.  Highly recommended.