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Implied Spaces by Walter Jon Williams
01/04/2008 . Source: Geoff Willmetts 
pub: Night Shade Books. 265 page hardback. Price: $24.95 (US). ISBN: 978-1-59780-125-6. Buy Implied Spaces in the USA - or Buy Implied Spaces in the UK  check out websites: www.nightshadebooks.com
When I started reading 'Implied Spaces', I spent the first few chapters wondering if author Walter Jon Williams had switched to writing fantasy than SF. Lead character Aristide is a wanderer who joins a travelling group. After all, he has a talking cat and carries a powerful magical sword. In this reality of Midgarth, he faces trolls and other magically based creatures who seemed determined to do him wrong.
However, it later turns out that this is but one of several pocket universes available for people to have 'fun' in. Something is amiss in them and its Aristide's self-appointed job to find out what. People can rarely die forever and although there is a limitation of resurrection to the last time you had a copy made for such purposes and you can also transform your appearance as well. It seems a somewhat idealised set of realities to live in until Vindex appears and attacks by turning people into zombies who attack those who aren't. It is only when Aristide gets captured that he learns the truth and then assists in the orchestration of Vindex' downfall.
At this point, Aristide somewhat becomes a character on the sidelines offering suggestions but no longer centre stage. Considering how Williams does this, I can't help but wonder if he suddenly realised he was going to have a massive sized book and decided some areas had to be abbreviated down. As such, the depth somewhat goes at this point only to be picked up for one final sweep at the end.
The problem when bringing such power and seemingly omnipresence to a story is that it makes the this kind of utopia somewhat odd. With nothing to strive for, one has to create your own challenges. Things are done because they can be done with no hint of the cost that it might cost them. One can't really question how things are possible, just that they can be carried out. Williams doesn't always succeed in this but he does bring together some interesting characters which if you like his work you will still enjoy.
GF Willmetts
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