The Cradle

Classic quest story, with a twist (or two or three). Matt Bishop is sent by his pregnant wife to find The Cradle, but he finds much more. Don't look for linguistic pyrotechnics–this is just a nice story, told in a mostly straightforward way (there is a time warp that may not be apparent at first reading, but that's not critical to know). Along the way there are some stunning scenes–Matt doing chores for a crazy woman, Matt negotiating with Joe's grandmother, Matt and Joe at the diner. It's a quick read, and very enjoyable.