text: "Ha ha ha hah ha hah!"  That's Stirling laughing all the way to the bank.  Or at least I hope that's what he is doing.  But sadly I suspect he more likely feels his Wiccan/SCA/DnD-infused vision of a post-apocalyptic society is a reasonable, nay, likely path we'll follow should selective physical laws break down.  Quick!  Stop me!  I feel the need to wave my sword, sing a Gaelic song, and break out my cauldron!  The genre requires we make a leap of faith.  And as a fan of the genre, I do so willingly.  But having made the leap, it is annoying at best to be forced through this "Tolkein as faith" drivel.  But as I will likely read the entire series (remember, I love the genre) I have to hope that Stirling leans towards the "thanks for the buck buddy" and is himself laughing at us all.  But a picture is worth a thousand words and his mug on the inside cover tells me he believes this nonsense!
  
  My recommendation?  Read the book.  Laugh a bit.  Maybe laugh a lot. But do this with the library's copy, not one you paid for
  