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A dark power is growing in the depths of two wizard kingdoms. The powerful Prospero and his sidekick Roger Bacon must navigate the magical realm to defeat their ancient enemy. "Authentic fantasy by a writer who knows what wizardry is all about." —Ursula LeGuin "The tale is rich, hilarious, inventive, filled with infectious good-humor, grisly horror, slithering evil, bumbling monarchs, and various & sundry menaces of the supernatural variety." —Lin Carter
A malevolent force emerges from the shadows of two wizard kingdoms, forcing two unlikely companions to confront an ancient, encroaching evil. Prospero and Roger Bacon, two wizards of varying temperaments, must navigate a landscape shifting between whimsical absurdity and genuine terror to neutralize a threat that defies conventional magic. The narrative follows their progression through a series of increasingly surreal encounters, utilizing a third-person perspective that balances the protagonists' internal anxieties against the external, often grotesque, manifestations of their adversary. Their objective is to identify the source of this dark power before it consumes the fragile stability of their respective realms.
Readers and critics frequently highlight the unique tonal balance of the work, noting how it shifts seamlessly from comedic banter to genuine dread. Discussion often centers on the author's ability to craft a world that feels both grounded in traditional wizard tropes and subversively strange. Many observers point to the chemistry between the two protagonists as the anchor for the narrative, preventing the more surreal elements from becoming overwhelming. The book is widely regarded for its distinct voice, which avoids standard genre conventions in favor of a more idiosyncratic and atmospheric approach to high fantasy.
Page Count:
174
Publication Date:
1991-01-01
Publisher:
Collier Books
ISBN-10:
0020165811
ISBN-13:
9780020165811