Monday, September 1, 2008

The Magicians of Night by Barbara Hambly

First sentence:

"'I think he's coming around.'"

Description:

"The two wizards, Jaldis and Rhion, had dared the dread Dark Well to answer the desperate call of a world without magic. Jaldis had not survived the dreadful Void. Now Rhion was alone in a world he could not imagine -- the world of Germany in 1940.
The four would-be wizards of the Occult Bureau welcomed him to their home in Schloss Torweg. They wanted his help desperately. But they would not heed his advice against the calling up of dark magic. They needed magic to overcome the enemies they claimed were trying to conquer their fatherland. To that high mission, nothing could be neglected, however dark and ugly.
They lied to him, claiming the Dark Well had been destroyed, removing his only hope of returning to Tally and his two sons. And soon he realized he was no more than a useful prisoner.
But he knew the Dark Well still existed. And somehow, despite whatever they did to him, he must find a way back across the Void!"-- from the back cover

My thoughts:

When I read the description, I wondered whether this fantasy featuring a wizard in early Nazi Germany would be clichéd with cardboard characters. However, Hambly skillfully creates great interactions between the wizard Rhion, his Nazi captors and the people he rescues. The only quibble I have is that the plot set in Rhion's homeworld seemed tacked on and not resolved very well.

Date read: 8/19/2008
Book #: 55
Challenges: Summer Reading Thing Challenge 2008, Celebrate the Author Challenge
Series: Sun-Cross #2
Rating: 3*/5 = good
Genre: Fantasy

ISBN-10: 0345362594
ISBN-13: 9780345362599
Publisher: Del Rey
Year: 1992
# of Pages: 354
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
LibraryThing Page

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