Gentlemen of the Road by Michael Chabon

After reading several relatively dense and serious books in a row, I decided to lighten up, and this book fit the bill exactly. It is "an action-packed adventure" about two Jewish con-men and swords-for-hire in what is now Russia in about A.D. 950. Against their inclination, they find themselves helping a dispossessed young prince regain his kingdom, and in the process encounter sword play, exceptional elephants, and the answers to secrets. In language and sentence structure it reads much like The Three Musketeers, but it is much funnier. In fact, it is very funny.

I am much impressed by Michael Chabon. While some writers seem to write essentially the same book over and over again, he changes subject matter and tailors his writing style to match it. He never lets you forget that he is a Jew, however, much as most black writers never let you forget that they are black. I find that strange, but then, as a member of the majority, I can't totally empathize with how a minority group member feels. By the way, his working title for this book was Jews with Swords.

I recommend this book for times when you want to be amused, but you want masterful writing at the same time. It's a quick read, too.