SOLVED. Adult Science Fiction/ Fantasy book set in the modern day and loosely based on the Epic of Gilgamesh. [s]

[thefourthvine]

I am pretty sure I read the book between 2000-2005. (I checked it out of the library, though, so that's no indication of publishing date.) The author was female (I think) and may have had a first name that started with either B or M; her last name may have started with J or M. I read it in hardcover. It was in English and published in the US.

The story is set in what I think is its own present -- 1990s? 1980s? The main character is a man who is married and has twin daughters who are about 18 months old. I don't remember the first part of the book well, but somehow he gets a jewel (?) associated with Gilgamesh, and starts acquiring magical abilities/psychic powers. At one point, I think he tests these by convincing people he's at work when he's not, but then there's a fire, they all believe he's still inside, and a firefighter dies trying to find the guy who isn't there.

Also around this point, he realizes his new abilities are affecting his twin daughters and he can't control it -- they start talking like adults, they become potty trained. And he's making his wife agree with him without meaning to. He leaves to avoid hurting them and to avoid causing more incidents like the firefighter death.

He becomes homeless. While he's wandering around the city where he lives, which I *think* might be Washington DC, he sees a man with a toddler feeding the kid a hot dog. The kid chokes and the man yells, "FORCEPS." The main character does the Heimlich and saves the kid's life, and the other guy thanks him and gives him his card. The other guy ends up being the Enkidu analog. I think his name begins with E, maybe Edward or Edwin? But I could be conflating that because of him also being Enkidu.(The toddler is not Not-Enkidu's kid, but like a nibling or something.)

During the incident, Not-Gilgamesh, who has read Not-Enkidu's mind, says, "Why didn't you do the Heimlich? You're a doctor" or something like that. Not-Enkidu admits that he panicked and could only think of using forceps to get the hot dog out.

Not-Gilgamesh uses Not-Enkidu's card to find him and ask for help with his abilities. Somewhere in there, Not-Enkidu might nearly die, and Not-Gilgamesh uses a gem or something to save him? And he ends up with powers.

I don't remember the ending very well at all. It's possible they end up going into space? Somehow?

There are definitely mentions of Gilgamesh and Enkidu in the story.

[Rainbowheart]

Does anything on the Books Inspired by Gilgamesh list look familiar?

[thefourthvine]

Rainbowheart wrote: "Does anything on the Books Inspired by Gilgamesh list look familiar?"

Omg yes! It’s there! It’s How Like a God by Brenda Clough. This has been plaguing me for YEARS and I am so pleased to know. Thank you so very much!

(Now I have to figure out what you do when your book is found.)

[Rainbowheart]

Awesome, glad you found it!

How Like a God for the link.

[Kris]

Glad you found your book, thefourthvine.

"Suburban Gods" series by Brenda W. Clough - https://www.goodreads.com/series/5079...