A review by violetturtledove
With a Tangled Skein by Piers Anthony

adventurous mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

I think I had some expectations and apprehensions going into this book. The series so far seems to follow a certain pattern; a mortal taking on the role of an Incarnation, learning the various aspects of the job, and an eventual struggle with Satan. The stories don't occur chronologically (the 'Time' one is actually backwards) so there's not much of a feeling of progression towards the eventual 'show down'. Considering that there are five incarnations, and it was originally planned as a five book series, I can't help but wonder how it was meant to end.
However, in this book we do see a bit more of the overall plan, the backstoried and connections between some previously mentioned characters are explained in more detail so it's starting to feel more intricate. 
As the books are set in a sort of alternate history with science and magic, it's hard to tell when some bits are set.. some elements of the start of this story seem particularly old fashioned, and it's a little confusing when considering the technology used in later parts.
I also feel like this author doesn't write the most nuanced female characters, so I wasn't sure what to expect from a female-led book, and the start did have me groaning a bit, but I realised that really none of the characters are especially complex in their personalities, there are a lot of stereotypes.
What he does do really well are the mechanics of the various fantasy concepts, and some parodying of tropes; these are fun and generally are making the series very readable for me. On the other hand, there's a scene in a dojo which just seemed like an excuse to show off his judo knowledge.
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