[Isabo]

Shibumi is not typical of Trevanian, all his other books read like straight thrillers. It was Milu that gave it, the Carrol and the de Lint books to me, I think the books people like and recommend tell you an awful lot about them, Shibumi taught me an awful lot about Milu and clarified my ideas about some of my own values. (But in the end it's always a thriller).
You will find the Coyote theme in Trader and the Onion Girl, in de Lint's stories Coyote is more a joker than a liar, he's a good guy that allows people to fool themselves, (now who does that remind me of?)
Changes and personal power - Jonathan Carrol.
If you read them I'd love to hear your views.