Knots: A Novel of Fractal Magic

by Chuck Boeheim

M Resche crossed a bridge and can't go back. He can't even find the bridge. He was in Geneva, but now he's in a quaint town from a century past, with strange lands all around. A geomantic game gone wrong four hundred years in the past has scrambled the map. A local mage wants him dead and a rival wants him as a pawn. The Fractalist priest is enigmatic and the Jeweler may not be what he seems. And his cat just makes wisecracks about it.

A cast of strange and only conditionally-trustworthy people will appeal to readers of Zelazny or Gaiman, as will a magic system based on knots and fractals. If you love math, you’ll enjoy the puzzles. If you hate math, just tell yourself that it’s all magic.

Genres: Fantasy

212 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2020

About the author

Chuck Boeheim brings his career in science and technology to tales of science fiction and fantasy while leaning into the "sufficiently advanced technology" trope. He's prone to filling his notebook with celestial mechanics calculations and other research for accuracy before telling the human stories set against that background. (Don't worry, the math doesn't end up in the stories.) His debut novel Sellenria has appeared on the Amazon top Hard Science Fiction list, while Knots is an exploration of a magical world based on topology. His short story Charon recently appeared in the anthology "Of Gods and Globes III."

Chuck lives with his wife, Chidori, and two cats, Rumplethumpkin and Yomogi, on the edge of Cayuga Lake in Upstate New York. When not writing, he enjoys reading, gardening, cooking, and traveling the world. He's visited most places in the world with high-energy physics labs and is now busy filling in the gaps in between.

Reviews

[Bob Flynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

The world of topomancy was new to me. This review was based on a complimentary pre-release copy. Luckily, just before reading Knots, I'd learned about the discipline of math known as Topology from my daughter studying it in college. She has a well-ordered mind, much like the protagonist in Knots, only the latter takes knots, mathematical precision, patterns and order and turns them into powerful tools of magic which he uses to unravel this mystery of how he ended up in a strange land and to try to get home.

Knots is a compelling story filled with unexpected characters, plot twists, literal location twists, mystery and redemption. It was so unusual a read that I struggle with how to classify it. Is mystery,? Fantasy? Adventure? A math lesson? I can't decide. What it is is a fun journey for the mind. I enjoyed the characters so much that I read it twice. I hope Boeheim dreams up a way to tie them to future adventures.

[Stella Jorette · Rating 4 out of 5]

This unique novel mixes genres and interlaces humour into a mystery/adventure tale. Riffs off of the art of MC Escher, math, knots, and fractals transforming into magic, and a "geographical disaster" create a magical alternate Earth. But despite being written by a physicist and told from the point of view of a somewhat OCD character, the book isn't all "head." It also contains plenty of "heart," including a humorous cat sidekick and an energetic and intelligent love interest. The book is very well edited and the prose vivid and intelligent. Highly recommended.

[Lori Peterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Received as a review copy, this is an honest review. ML Resche finds himself trapped in a very bizarre world where magic can cross into dimensions and beautifully intricate. Getting home, this art thief will have to discover his own abilities to master the puzzles that will keep him trapped if he fails. A very mind bending read, highly recommended.

[Denzel Struchen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent tale

An engrossing story of magic and possibilities. When the world becomes fractured into islands that no longer represent the old hand in players who want to realign the pieces for thrown personal reason and a mystery included you have a fine read. Enjoy yourself and let the possibilities flow.