Wells, Martha
THE WIZARD HUNTERS: Book One of The Fall of Ile-Rien
Martha Wells
EOS 2003
Pb 443 pages
ISBN#
0-380-80798-X
Ever try to give a dog a soda [Coke, Dr. Pepper, or similar sweet drink]? The
bubbles bother the poor creature but it can’t resist the sugar. So--I’m not
crazy about stories full of ghouls, but I can’t leave Martha Wells’ books alone
because her characterization, world-building, and story-telling style are all
very good.
THE WIZARD HUNTERS picks up a generation after THE DEATH OF THE NECROMANCER [and
it doesn’t have as many ghouls in it either, thank you]. THE WIZARD HUNTERS
approaches the invasion of Ile-Rien from two major angles: that of a primitive
culture near where the enemy Gardier hale from, and that of Nicholas Valiarde’s
daughter who lives in war-torn Ile-Rien. Nicholas is missing and presumed dead.
His daughter is now the only one in Ile-Rien in possession of a Damal sphere [an
artifact that enhances magic]. The tone of this place reminds me of World War I
Europe. The enemy Gardier attack from dirigibles. Their magical weapons destroy
everything mechanical. Ile-Rien is falling.
Tremaine Valiarde takes her sphere on a mission with the Intelligence Service
across the magical barrier between their world and that of their enemy. They get
captured, of course, and must ally with the natives for survival. The story is
high in tension and first in a series that looks to be a good read.
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