Product Description

The fifth book in the Megan Lindholm (Robin Hobb) backlist. Seattle: a place as magical as the Emerald City. Subtle magic seeps through the cracks in the paving stones of the sprawling metropolis. But only the inhabitants who possess special gifts are open to the city's consciousness; finding portents in the graffiti, reading messages in the rubbish or listening to warnings in the skipping-rope chants of children. Wizard is bound to Seattle and her magic. His gift is the Knowing -- a powerful enchantment allowing him to know the truth of things; to hear the life-stories of ancient mummies locked behind glass cabinets, to receive true fortunes from the carnival machines, to reveal to ordinary people the answers to their troubles and to safeguard the city's equilibrium. The magic has its price; Wizard must never have more than a dollar in his pocket, must remain celibate, and he must feed and protect the pigeons. But a threat to Seattle has begun to emerge in the portents. A malevolent force born of Wizard's forgotten past has returned to prey upon his power and taunt him with images of his obscure history; and he is the only wizard in Seattle who can face the evil and save the city, his friends and himself.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #290260 in Books
• Published on: 2002-08-05
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 304 pages

Review
Praise for Megan Lindholm: 'A bright new talent in the fantasy field' Charles de Lint 'Lindholm has created a refreshingly different magic' Locus 'Fascinating, absorbing and well written' Fantasy Review

About the Author
Megan Lindholm was born in California in 1952 and majored in Communications at Denver University, Colorado. A winner of both the Hugo and Nebula Award, she wrote a number of successful fantasy novels, including Cloven Hooves, The Windsinger trilogy and Wizard of the Pigeons before taking the name, Robin Hobb. Assassin's Apprentice was Robin Hobb's first novel, and was followed by the equally successful Royal Assassin and Assassin's Quest. She lives outside Seattle, Washington.

Customer Reviews

Skid Row magic
A wonderful book, which is great to see reprinted. The concept is that wizards are real, and live on the fringes of modern society as street people. The magic is subtle and believable, the characters and their relationships convincing. A lovely, wise, compelling work of urban fantasy, with some great moments. Look out for the little scene with Euripides' last wish.

Read this book, read it now.....
What can I say. One of the smallest books I've read, being used to the epic 800 pager fantasy type. It's not even what I would normally head for, being set in the hear and now, the modern world, so to speak, but I have never been so profoundly affected by such a seemingly 'simple' story. It has so many layers, each one unfolding so unexpectedly, but so gently. You are unaware that human subconcious and conciousness can be so intertwined until it is laid before you in this book. In a way, you wish 'Wizard' could be carried on in further stories but he is so perfectly depicted in this story that he could never be improved upon. Read it, read it now......

Not much happening.
A book that seems to have potential, but never seems to go anywhere.If your looking for a good fantasy novel I recomend one of her later books!