I recently re-read Tim Powers' absolutely fantastic, 1985, Dinner at Deviant's Palace, where troubled musician Gregorio Rivas struggles to extract his former love from the clutches of a mad cult in the ruins of post-apocalyptic 22nd century Los Angeles. It is purely fantastic!
True to his style, Powers takes a quasi-familiar Ellay, some few generations after the fall of our current society into feudalism, and builds just enough familiarity with the environment to get you filling in the blanks on your own. THATS when things get odd! Again and again, expect the unexpected. Hemogoblins, a booze based currency and Venice, California as you've never-seen-it-before but always suspected-it-must-be are just a few of the twists.
Truly a favorite!
