Jim C. Hines talks fantasy, fandom and fatherhood

Jim C. Hines's "Revisionary" ($26, Daw) hit shelves this week, bringing the final installment of his Ex Libris series. Fans of the series rejoin Isaac Vainia and his companions Lena and Nihidi as they deal with the fallout of the world coming violently to terms with the idea of magic and magic users.

Not only does Hines have an excellent grasp of characterization, all of his characters are brimming with humor, anger and a vibrancy that easily connects with the audience. Partly it's the characters themselves, but it's also part of the rich world he's created. Yes, it's built around the real world - but the problems that crop up around poorly thought out legislation and terrorist attacks that leave citizens in turns terrified and vengeful.

Hines deftly balances humor, gritty realism and a sense of whimsy and dread no mean feat when any one of those things could make the stories feel overwrought or bleed it of its gravity, but he deftly avoids those pitfalls. Hines proves himself to be a master of his craft with this latest book. Once you start, you will be rocketed forward and unable to stop.