Rupert Venables is a Magid (human magician), the youngest of three magic-working brothers. There are many Magids throughout the multiverse. Their task seems to be that of guiding the worlds in the right direction without too much overt action. Every time one dies, another must be trained in his/her place. Earth is one of the Naywards worlds (i.e. not very accepting of magic) and the whole multiverse is tending Naywards. That's a problem. The Koryfonic Empire, of which Rupert is official Magid, is about to self-destruct.The emperor has been assassinated and the heirs are missing. Closer to home, Rupert's
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friend and Magid Mentor, Sam, is dying, leaving Rupert with the task of finding and training the next Junior Magid.
Maree Mallory, a disastrous trainee vet, is one of the Magid candidates Rupert considers. She has no idea of her
possible destiny, nor does her “cousin” Nick, a handsome,
intelligent and extremely selfish teenager. Nick's horrible
mother Janine doesn't help, but Nick's father, an author,
is instrumental in bringing together many of the plot
strands at a fantasy convention at the Babylon Hotel.
Rupert is a loner, and in the course of the story he comes
to realise that he really wants to become more “human”.
Most of the story is told in first person through his written report but as honesty is a prerequisite, the events are truthfully presented. All the major characters have personality flaws, many of them imposed on them by circumstance or by active malice from the opposing forces of evil.
The review of this Book prepared by Sally Odgers
Rupert Venables is a computer programmer and a Magid - one of a group of people who oversee the proper functions of the multiverse and who guide all worlds towards eventual magic use. When Rupert's boss dies, it's up to him to find a replacement, but the candidates handed down from On High are impossible to find, so he makes arrangements to bring them all together at a science fiction convention. As if that wasn't enough trouble, he's responsible for the Koryfonic Empire, and problems begin there when the Emperor dies - and no one can find the heir. The Con scenes in this book are really funny; people who have been to one would probably love it even more than I did.
The review of this Book prepared by Ivy
