From the Files of the Time Rangers

Upon completing my reading of a book, whether it be a novel, collection, or what-have-you, I am always left with a moment of consideration as I close the novel, a moment where I take everything in. A moment of scrutiny that I condense my thoughts, and pass judgment on a book based on what kind of bargain and exchange, I felt I received on my time. Depending on the book, this can be expressed in a number of words, this time, however, not only did I have to go to far to find a perfect From the Files of the Time Rangers. An introduction aptly named ‘An Appreciation’.

To come away from this read without an appreciation of Bowes’ display should draw looks of askance. His story of the fantastic, while at the same never losing a trenchant quality in his narrative that doesn’t undercut the element of reality contained in his backdrop. Bowes does not attempt to overwhelm with the absurd or make their occurrences over-abundant, instead of the fantastic being made prevalent by overuse, it is emphasized due to the contrast of what I found was Bowes’ strength; One that he wields with few peers, which is his depiction of settings, delivering a feeling of authenticity, offering his locales a seemingly tangible quality. Kage Baker points this out in a statement in her introduction:

From the Files of the Time Rangers features three stories, each bearing exclusive quality, however, are given even more value by Bowes adroitly interconnecting them. The stories fall in this in order, ‘The Ferryman’s Wife’, ‘The Young Macauley’, and “The Return of the pretender’. ‘ The Ferryman’s Wife’ was short-listed for the Nebula in the category recognizing the best novella of the year in 2002. These 3 stories take place in an alternate, but familiar earth. Familiar except in regards to the largely clandestine existence of the Greek pantheon, and Apollo’s appointed police force of the time lines, the Time Rangers. The objective of the Time Rangers is to police and maintain the time stream, a task that both alters, and prevents negative or the unwanted to occur. A task that is difficult enough if dealing with only the mundane that discern the nature of the time stream and attempt to exploit it for petty smuggling to murder, a task made even more operose by the often times less than desirable habits of some Gods, who do not always agree with each other, and other lesser beings of myth, who are no less fantastic or allegorically pleasing in their relevance.

Ferryman’s Wife introduces us to Nancy, Ed and Jake, three cadets and future Time Rangers who will play recurring roles in the stories. The Time Ranger’s are made up of denizens of numerous different realities made possible by the Time Stream. At the beginning of From the Files of the Time Rangers, Jake and Nancy have to deal with a curiosity at their daughter’s school, namely two janitors employed at the school who are more then they seem. A clurican (a more troublesome relative of leprechauns), and Red (a Tuatha de Dannan?), a being of legendary and forgotten power.

The first story is a fine introduction to Bowes’ overall story concept, coalescing a realistic mid-century New York, and North Eastern U.S., where the Gods still live, sprinkling Celtic myth in just the right places. We will be introduced to gods and the mortals whose descendants will bind the stories together.

The second story, ‘The Young Macauley,’ about a family favored by the gods, and whose legacy included a relationship with mystical keepers, who live on a section of their luxurious property in Maine, This relationship was aptly referred to as a “Boston marriage” by Bowes, a relationship that spans generations, these keepers are called Rex, and they diligently and faithfully serve as guardians of a ancient shrine of 12 portals. There is only one Rex at a time, as told by Alcier, a Rex:

We also learn more of Tim Macauley, both a descendant and product of this agreement whose destiny seemed assured, favored by many gods, and chiefly Apollo, Bowes’ describes Macauley:

The third story, ‘The Return of the Pretender’ is perhaps my favorite, mixing a multiple murder investigation that mimics one from the past, where the deaths lead to a 20th century troll. We see the progression of Macauley’s destiny that will have ramifications on the world effecting both mortals and gods alike, and the mysteries of “The Telling”.

Throughout these 3 segments we will meet other pantheon members like Mercury, Dionysus, Dianna, Ares, and there progeny. An assortment of characters with names like Trollo, a well-connected neighborhood boss, as much part of his surroundings as the Chelsea Hotel. Jess Quick whose segments perhaps draw out Bowes’ most thoughtful moments. Ed Brown, a dutiful, Time Ranger who ascends high in the organization’s hierarchy, whose workmanlike attitude not even death stopped. Robert Logue, gifted with the talent to sense death, investigates a homicide. Clooney, the aforementioned clurican, Sally something in-between, or perhaps both a gifted child, and the god’s gift to humanity. From the Files of the Time Rangers does not reach 300 pages, however, there is more here then what one could discern by page count alone. . At times, the large cast and the multitude of plot threads and character lineages, and back history, required me to flip a few pages back to double check some facts, which is more of a product of being an involving and cohesive read then being ambiguously written. It did happen to me a couple times, however. I think given so many options, regarding plot threads and characters to follow, worked as a bit of a double edged sword at times; as even in awe of the total work, one is going to find some threads less desirable then others. Bowes does fill the pages with constant relevance, however, there are no wasted sentences, much less pages, the work is seamless, and it gives the text a length not indicative of full of lines that are timeless no matter when they are stated:

Bowes' sense of humor is both timely and effective, for instance, Death’s former right hand man, spends his retirement selling insurance. He spins these 3 stories in the tradition of “Mosaic Novels”, the subject of the novel’s afterword. Citing examples and influences of the mosaic tradition as works like Jeff VanderMeer’s Veniss Underground, Neal Gaiman’s Sandman, Keith Robert’s ‘Pavane’, and Ovid’s Metamorphoses, Bradbury’s Martin Chronicles, and Gene Wolfe’s Fifth Head of Cerberus, It’s an extremely introspective essay, both of the mosaic tradition, and Mr. Bowes’ sentimental roots in speculative fiction, and coupled with Baker’s introduction, provide worthy bookends for From the Files of the Time Rangers.

From the Files of the Time Rangers is a delightful read, where the world’s myths are brought to life in the most realistic of settings, creating an effect like viewing a never seen before exhibit at a familiar museum and put his forthcoming collection from PS Publishing, Street Car Dreams, on my future buy list. My final grade for Rick Bowes’ From the Files of the Time Rangers is an 8.5.

I also want to note that I planned to have this review out before From the Files of the Time Rangers was released, however, Golden Gryphon Press, has announced it has been released early and is available now, although some retailers may wait for the September 1st release date.

Jay
The Bodhisattva

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