Wow. I really liked Kafka on the Shore, but this one is even better. Like Kafka, Wind-Up Bird deals a lot with perception, reality, and where the two meet. Intriguing mix of history, the supernatural, and personal relationship struggles. Fate rolls along and "ordinary" people get caught up in it. I felt transported to Murakami's world, which is always the top factor for me in determining how good a work of fiction is.