Jack Massa

Magic vs science; science vs magic. Earth 6000 years in the future has fallen back to a pre-industrial state, and magic (actually more like psi-powers) has risen to fill the vacuum, but unlike science, the magicians hold themselves aloof from the rest of humanity. One mage, rebelling against the separation, has left the sub-arctic enclave and headed to warmer climes. However, a war-like people has started re-discovering science and has started on a campaign of world domination.

This is the show more story of how a lone mage brought down an empire.

Yes, there are elements of Gene Wolfe and Jack Vance here (and from the somewhat cheesy cover you would be forgiven if you thought Flash Gordon was also involved), but the world-building is excellent. I would have preferred greater prominence for the female characters but the story is written from the PoV of the hero and by and large the female characters are his love-interest even though they are (technically) powerful characters in their own right, especially the Infanta. show less

I received a copy of Mazes of Magic by Jack Massa from LibraryThing. This is a great book for someone with a background in Egyptian and Greek culture or good google skills. Luckily, I fall in the first category, having been a classics major and worked in the Egyptian Department of a major NYC museum. I loved how the author set the novel in the period of the Ptolemies, so the combination of cultures was realistic. Korax is a fascinating main character, very human in his hubris and interest in show more all things magical. His stint as a scribe, while frustrating as a slave, nonetheless teaches him many things that will help him on his journey set by the gods. As with any engrossing series, my only complaint is having to wait for the next two books! show less

It’s been a long time since I read a ghost story that captivated me from the start, but this book had it all: ghosts, magic, and a snarky main character. When Abby starts to have visions, she has the feeling the bayou by her granma’s place is important. Seizing on opportunity, she goes to visit and finds out that she’s right. Something is weird in the small town, something linked to the bayou and Abby is the key to fixing it all.

I loved just about every aspect of this book. The show more characters were three-dimensional, the setting was nicely described, and the story was written in a way that it had no dull moments. I will definitely continue reading the series to see what other adventures are in store for Abby. show less

Actual rating 4.5.

Cloak of the Two Winds is an excellent fantasy book. The world is imaginative and distinctive. The characters, for the most part, are complex and complement one another. The prose is good and the story is entertaining.
For me, the best part of Cloak of the Two Winds is the world itself. Magics abounds in it, much of which is by turns subtle and overt. This makes the world feel real, and builds a desire to see more of it realized, to experience what other wonders the author show more has envisioned.
The characters are well-developed and distinctive from one another, with the exception of the core groups less active members. They each occupy a certain emotional spectrum and compliment one another with varying opinions, reactions and view points. That two of the core group are a little under-explored is one of my few, and very minor complaints with Cloak of the Two Winds.
My only other complaint is there are moments where the story drags just a little, where the events feel more humdrum than exciting. There a few and minor, though they can extend a decent span of time.
My quibbles aside, I highly recommend this book. show less