The Case of the Toxic Spell Dump
Encyclopedia
The Case of the Toxic Spell Dump (Baen, 1993) is a novel
by Harry Turtledove
. While having some aspects of an alternate history, it is mainly a work of fantasy
depicting a world where magic works and is used instead of modern technology, and in which the various deities of present and past religions are unquestionably real (as are numerous kinds of lesser magical creaturs).
Having this as a proven fact does not make everybody religious. Some people worship a particular deity and others worship none of them. The general attitude toward gods is pragmatic, as they are a concrete and real part of the environment, whether or not anyone worships them. Each region has its own deities, and urban planning which does not take local deities into consideration could lead to disaster, just like planning which ignores other major ecological factors. (This is exactly what very nearly happens at the book's climax.)
Unlike the majority of fictional worlds where magic works, which tend to be set in Archaic or Medieval societies, "Toxic Spell Dump" is set in a recognizable present-day United States (specifically, in a very recognizable analogue of Los Angeles
), with many present-day technologies and institutions having a magical equivalent (for example, the analogue of the CIA is staffed by actual, literal spook
s, and computers use a multitude of imp
s instead of microchips).
The Toxic Spell Dump of the title, which plays a key role in the plot, refers to magic spells having toxic side-effects, like industrial processes in our world, and needing to have a special dump where these effects would not harm the environment.
The book also employs many of the conventions of the hard-boiled detective novel, transposed to this setting. The protagonist, EPA (Environmental Perfection Agency) agent David Fisher, starts on what seems a simple case but which soon becomes complicated and highly dangerous. Following clues to the toxic spell dump of the title, he discovers that the city is threatened by the imminent resurgence of a malevolent Mesoamerican god. The situation is saved due to the surprise appearance of the Lithuanian god Perkūnas
- whose worship still flourishes in this 20th century - who heeds the prayer of a Lithuanian American devotee and lends his assistance to defeat the bloodthirsty local god.
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
by Harry Turtledove
Harry Turtledove
Harry Norman Turtledove is an American novelist, who has produced works in several genres including alternate history, historical fiction, fantasy and science fiction.- Life :...
. While having some aspects of an alternate history, it is mainly a work of fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
depicting a world where magic works and is used instead of modern technology, and in which the various deities of present and past religions are unquestionably real (as are numerous kinds of lesser magical creaturs).
Having this as a proven fact does not make everybody religious. Some people worship a particular deity and others worship none of them. The general attitude toward gods is pragmatic, as they are a concrete and real part of the environment, whether or not anyone worships them. Each region has its own deities, and urban planning which does not take local deities into consideration could lead to disaster, just like planning which ignores other major ecological factors. (This is exactly what very nearly happens at the book's climax.)
Unlike the majority of fictional worlds where magic works, which tend to be set in Archaic or Medieval societies, "Toxic Spell Dump" is set in a recognizable present-day United States (specifically, in a very recognizable analogue of Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
), with many present-day technologies and institutions having a magical equivalent (for example, the analogue of the CIA is staffed by actual, literal spook
Spook
Spook is another word for a ghost or apparition. It may also refer to:* A term used to describe espionage agents or spies, originating in the United States of America* Spook Jacobs, a Major League Baseball player in the 1950s...
s, and computers use a multitude of imp
Imp
An imp is a mythological being similar to a fairy or demon, frequently described in folklore and superstition. The word may perhaps derive from the term ympe, used to denote a young grafted tree.-Folklore:...
s instead of microchips).
The Toxic Spell Dump of the title, which plays a key role in the plot, refers to magic spells having toxic side-effects, like industrial processes in our world, and needing to have a special dump where these effects would not harm the environment.
The book also employs many of the conventions of the hard-boiled detective novel, transposed to this setting. The protagonist, EPA (Environmental Perfection Agency) agent David Fisher, starts on what seems a simple case but which soon becomes complicated and highly dangerous. Following clues to the toxic spell dump of the title, he discovers that the city is threatened by the imminent resurgence of a malevolent Mesoamerican god. The situation is saved due to the surprise appearance of the Lithuanian god Perkūnas
Perkunas
Perkūnas was the common Baltic god of thunder, one of the most important deities in the Baltic pantheon. In both Lithuanian and Latvian mythology, he is documented as the god of thunder, rain, mountains, oak trees and the sky.-Etymology:...
- whose worship still flourishes in this 20th century - who heeds the prayer of a Lithuanian American devotee and lends his assistance to defeat the bloodthirsty local god.