The title of his novel alone—"The Invention of the World"—indicates the extent of Jack Hodgins's ambition. Like Faulkner he wants to create an imaginary precinct within a real place. Like Márquez, he populates it with characters of mythic proportions—a 130-year-old visionary crone, a man sired by a black bull upon a crazy woman. Then like Joyce he sets about forging the uncreated conscience of the race he has conjured.

Conventional storytelling is of secondary, even tertiary importance. Using an impressive array of narrative techniques—soliloquies, interior monologues, taped conversations, letters and newspaper articles—Hodgins is more interested in exploring the nature of reality and truth….

Not surprisingly, the mystery about [Donal Keneally, the legendary founder of the Colony,] is never resolved to everybody's satisfaction, for Truth is not One. It is multitudinous. And, at times, platitudinous….

Given the magnitude of Hodgins's risk-taking, it also...