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Cover by Lauren Halkon

Published by Cosmos books.
ISBN:1-58715-409-9

Review by Ian Braidwood

This novel is a delight. It follows the exploits of four teenagers who were 'lucky' enough to be playmates of Prince Edgar and for their troubles are now likely to be banished to the far reaches of the kingdom.

They all live in Iridia, which was isolated from the stream of time when a group of magicians got together and stopped the clock of Cloridan; the mages had hoped to preserve the golden age of magic forever. Instead the magic and people Iridia have gone into a slow, if comfortable decline.

For our four young people, the future seems settled: Adam is reconciled to becoming a soldier and Francis a servant; but Sophie wants to be an archivist, a career not open to girls and Michael is too adventurous to be a gardener's boy.

When Sophie borrows an old book from old Morgendal the magician, little do they realise it's the beginning of a great adventure, which will change their lives forever.

Are Sophie and the others acting according to their own will? Or does evil the influence of Khrohr and Ostrac reach beyond not only the grave, but over the hundreds of years since their death?

Put simply, if it's a choice between this, The Wine of Dreams or Pawns of Chaos, this is the one to get. It's much more fun.

The Brian Stableford Website