Uknown Armies Suggested Reading

[Rick Neal]

I'm home, now, so I will add a few sources as I promised.

First, the second Sean Stewart book is "Night Watch", not "Night Music". 
Sorry.

Other stuff:
- "Drawing of the Dark" by Tim Powers. I think it's his first book, but 
you can see the threads that are picked up in "Last Call" and the other 
two. The Fisher King vs Suleiman in Vienna, with Merlin and Arthur 
guarding the true Holy Grail: a vat of special beer. Do you think Mr 
Tynes read this one before coming up with dipsomancy?

- Neil Gaiman. Damn near anything by him, but "Neverwhere" is a good look 
at a very extensive occult underground, with some cool characters. For 
those of you who have read the book, yes, the pun was intentional.

- A case can be made for the Alvin Maker series by Orson Scott Card. 
Hexes and knacks during the settlement of the US.

- For a look inside the mind of people who deliberately manipulate others 
to great effect, pick up anything by Robert A. Nelson, but especially 
"The Art of Cold Reading" and its sequel. Among other things, I'm a stage 
magician, and these are the handbooks for faking psychic powers. Some of 
my friends are employed by psychic hotlines, based solely on the things 
they learned in these two books. Be warned: they are hard to find and 
rather expensive for the size of them. You will have to go to a _serious_ 
stage magic dealer, but you won't regret it. Just do me a favour, and 
don't tell anyone what you learn from them.

- Similarly, Eugene Burger's video "Eugene Goes Bizarre", deals with 
Bizarre Magick, a school of stage magic that is presented as mysteries 
instead of tricks. It deals with creation of atmosphere, and the thinking 
behind creating magic that looks like magick. There are a couple of 
performances by Eugene, a conversation with one of the movement's 
founders, the late Tony Andruzzi, and one of the most startling effects 
I've ever seen: Jay Inglee doing his Book of Ghosts. I know how it's 
done, and it still creeps me out. It teaches one trick on the tape, and I 
will warn non-magicians: it's easy to do and real, real hard to do well. 
Don't do it unless you're willing to put in the practice. You'll look 
like an idiot.

- "Someplace to be Flying" by Charles de Lint. An amazing look at the 
society of animal spirits living in a medium-sized city. Any of his 
books, especially his Newford stuff would also be good. Oh! "Memory and 
Dream"! I've developed an idea for an archetype just remembering the book.

- Alan Dean Foster's "Mad Amos" stories. If nothing else, you'll get a 
chuckle out of them.

That's my list. Please feel free to add, delete, contest, flame, or 
contact me with questions.

Rick Neal

ps Just kidding about the flames. Please don't. Please?


It is always best to be a little improbable.
     - Oscar Wilde