Softcover

ISBN 10: 0812541685 ISBN 13: 9780812541687

Publisher: Tor Fantasy, 2001

Under the nom de guerre of Gar Pike, renegade psychic wizard Magnus D'Armand travels the stars fighting injustice and oppression, like his father, Rod Gallowglass, the Warlock in Spite of Himself. But unlike his famous father, Magnus refuses to play by the rules, sowing the seeds of freedom and revolution throughout the galaxy.

A Wizard in the Way

When his longtime traveling companion settled down and got married, Gar Pike?the Rogue Wizard?had thought it would be even better to work alone: no distractions, no disagreements, no one to care about but himself. But he wasn't alone for long. He recently managed to saddle himself with a new companion: Alea, a young woman with a certain amount of psychic ability and a heavy dose of attitude to boot. The funny thing is, he's beginning to like having her around?particularly when they land on the planet of Oldeira.

The problems Gar and Alea encounter on Oldeira include not only the tyrannical Wizard Lords who rule the provinces, but also the attitude that has been beaten and bred into their serfs. To complicate matters, Gar and Alea adopt two desperate peasants who are perfect examples of the mind-set of the entire lower class. How to raise morale and shape these people into a force that will overcome their oppressors while not getting caught or killed themselves?these are all questions that Gar and Alea must answer fast. And the only way to do it is: The Way.

About the Author:

In addition to his Rogue Wizard novels, Christopher Stasheff is the author of the popular Warlock series, beginning with the bestselling The Warlock in Spite of Himself. He lives in Champaign, Illinois, with his wife and four children.

From Publishers Weekly:

The latest chapter in Stasheff's ongoing Rogue Wizard fantasy series about well-meaning renegade Magnus d'Armand (aka Gar Pike) and his quest to free lost colony worlds from oppressive local governments stumbles in the execution, but is still likely to satisfy fans. Gar and his plucky female sidekick, Alea (introduced in A Wizard in Midgard), arrive on the forgotten Terran colony world of Oldeira to discover a medieval society in fear of its magician oppressors. These psychically talented men came to power in the void left centuries ago when Earth stopped sending supplies. They rule by force of minor psychic talents, commanding ghosts (the psychic remnants of dead colonists) and cleverly disguised technology to frighten the unruly into obedience. With help from runaway peasant girl Mira and young "ghost-leader" Blaize, Gar and Alea introduce the population to Taoism and the idea of balance in interconnecting life forces. Blaize's ability to lead ghosts and Mira's burgeoning talent as a wyvern wrangler come in handy as the team faces increasingly larger armies sent by wizard lords to quell the uprising. Fortunately, the peasants and ghosts are all willing and quick studies; most absorb Gar's version of the Tao in a few weeks or less. Evanescent, a catlike psionic who secretly stowed away in Gar's ship at the end of A Wizard and a Warlock, also manages to help the do-gooders without giving itself away. While Stasheff treats Taoism as lightly as learning to ride a bicycle, his fans are likely to forgive that in favor of his usual fast-paced storytelling, light humor and well-meaning heroes. (Sept.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.