What if the myth of Dædalus, the Minotaur, and the Labyrinth was real and furthermore explained Los Angeles' tornadoes? This is a fantasy novel by Tim Powers, who specializes in novels of the form "What if we explained this weird event in history by conjecturing magical forces that behave in this precise manner, and then extrapolate the real story behind the rest of the secret history?" Alternate Routes is in that form, albeit set in modern times. It's a fun read.