[Lawtan]

Huh...may need to read him (Philip). Surreal realism in characters is up my alley-cat.
(Is still in college)

That book, according to wiki, would be "The Gathering Storm"

...I just found out that the term "Kalachakra" is a similar term to "Wheel of Time" and is part of Tibetan Buddhism...this is mainly relevant as a game character was called the "Kalach-cha"...I dare say Obsidian Studios/Forgotten Realms games have that sort of humor...giving Red Wizards of Thay a play on Maxwell's Demon (Entropy problem...with Souls!)