Althea M. (althea) reviewed on 2/18/2009 + 774 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 1

This book is an absolute must-read for anyone who makes a habit of attending sci-fi conventions. Everyone else may find it entertaining enough, but it's really for con-goers.
Rupert Venables is a magid - a member of a secret brotherhood of magicians assigned to to different worlds throughout the various planes of existence, who are supposed to keep things running smoothly. Unfortunately, his mentor has recently passed away (although he is still with Rupert in spirit, in an advisory sort of position), and it is now Rupert's job to find someone to step into the vacant position and start magical training. His mentor has given him a list of candidates from our Earth - people who may have some natural aptitude in that direction. Unfortunately, when Rupert starts investigating them, they all seem more hopeless than he could possibly imagine. The first candidate - a young woman that he has high hopes for (and some hopeful fantasies as well), disappoints him sorely when he finds her - and not only is she dumpy, plain and nerdy, but is holding up traffic to do a "witchy dance" in the middle of the road. The next candidates he tries to locate are even worse. Apparently people with such aptitudes also tend to be wack jobs, emotional cripples, or downright evil.
Through a series of coincidences - and a little bit of magical help, Rupert gathers all of his candidates for easier examination at a science-fiction convention - but nothing goes as simply as he hopes, and things progress from bad to worse when the complex politics - including assassinations - of the other world he's assigned to start breaking through into this world - and soon there's a centaur running around the hotel, evil magicians wreaking havoc, and nothing is running smoothly at all.

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