Tomes of Spellcasting--The Haunted Wizard

Tomes of Spellcasting

Welcome to the land of mystery, where the impossible is possible, and the improbable the reality. Join me as I investigate worlds filled with magic and meet the souls that wield this wondrous powers.

W A R N I N G !

This review does not represent the opinions of the general public. It reflects my personal thoughts and opinions on the book.

That said, on to the review!

Title: The Haunted Wizard
Author: Christopher Stasheff
Publisher: Del Rey/Ballantine Books
Format: Paperback
Copyright Date: 2000

Matthew Mantrell and his parents abandoned his home universe for another parallel Earth where the gift of poetry makes you a magician, Remus beat Romulus, and a man named Hardishane (not Charlemagne) united most of Europe into one empire. Now, once again with the safety of his beloved wife and the kingdom she rules threatened once more, the Lord Wizard must find a way to keep the peace. But just when things might be heading towards a peaceful solution, someone up and murders the Crown Prince of Bretanglia (land of the Bretons and the Angles, no doubt), causing the feuding monarchs of that land to find common purpose against Merovence; only their private squabbles prevent them from immediately attacking. It's up to the Lord Wizard to solve the mystery of who killed the prince before Bretanglia and Merovence plunge into war, before a native spirit of Bretanglia kills Matt with his attempts to help...and before the prince's ghost takes up permanent residence in Matt's mind!

The Haunted Wizard provides another chapter in the wondrous life of Matthew Mantrell. Having rescued most of Europe from the grip of evil already, it stands to reason that the only threat that could drag Matt away from Merovence is something from within, such as the need to solve a murder mystery. It gives him (and us) a perfectly valid reason to explore the lands of that other universe that we haven't seen yet.

It's difficult to say what I like about this book, except that I do like it. Maybe it's the presence of the annoying bauchan who is alternately successful and unsuccessful in getting Matt into trouble. Maybe it's the parallel between the legend of Arthur and what happened to Prince Brion. Maybe it's the story of the druids...who's to say that there aren't still druids in this world, too? Or maybe it's the way all these subplots unite to carry the story along to its tremendous conclusion. Yeah, that's probably it...although I could always contribute it all to the presence of other native spirits, like the pouka.

All in all, The Haunted Wizard does a terrific job of continuing the Wizard in Rhyme series. My only question is this: why in the world is this alternate universe becoming so much more like the one Matt left behind?

Rating: Thumbs up! A wizard haunted by a ghost and a spirit is a wizard with problems indeed!

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