The Yiddish Policeman's Union - Chabon

This was the Hugo winner for 2007.

All great books stem from one great central idea, which the writer then polishes until it gleams.

The central idea behind 'The Yiddish Policeman's Union' is based on an alternate history. In this timeline, the Jews were soundly kicked out of Israel in 1948 and were then offered a 60 year settlement in Sitka Alaska. They became known as the 'frozen chosen'. The story takes place a few weeks before the 60 year agreement is over and no one in Sikta knows what the future is going to hold.

The story centers on a police detective named Meyer Landsmen. In great police-story tradition, the man is incredibly talented even though his life is a shambles. He suffers from great guilt, alcoholism and the fact that his ex-wife has become his boss.

The story opens as he's woken from his flophouse apartment by his landlord asking him to look at a freshly killed renter. Landsmen is offended that a murder would take place in his building while he is there and begins to investigate. Little does he know how important this case will end up being. It takes him all through this newly imagined territory and into very surprising places.

This is an incredibly well told story. The writing is hard boiled in the best Raymond Chandler tradition. It crackles and catches at you. There is insight in every paragraph. It's a great book. The only flaw is a somewhat cliched ending.

But (and this is kind of an important question, giving that it won the Hugo award) is it a 'science fiction' novel? It's clearly an alternate history novel, and I'm sure that's the hook that brought it under the sci-fi label but I don't think it fits well. There isn't any real science or even fantasy to be found here. I'm surprised that it was honored this way. It also won the Nebula Award (another big sci-fi prize) so the Hugo voters didn't really go out on a limb by themselves.

It's a great book.