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Wizard in Rhyme #6
The Haunted Wizard
CAN THE WIZARD OF RHYME SOLVE A ROYAL CRIME?
There's little love lost between the kindly monarchs of Merovence and the scheming sovereigns of Bretanglia. But when the brutish Prince Gaheris--heir apparent to the Bretanglian throne--is murdered during a brawl in a Merovence tavern, any pretense of civility between the two kingdoms flies out the window faster than the mysterious brigand who committed the dastardly deed.
While the outraged king and queen of Bretanglia declare their intention to lay siege to Merovence, royal wizard Matthew Mantrell suspects the slain prince was done in by one of his own "loyal" subjects.
As both sides gird for battle, Matt sets out--with trusty dragon in tow--to catch the killer. But the road to royal justice is rocky indeed, and a powerful sorcerer, a sinister cult of false druids, and a mischievous spirit are just some of the obstacles Matt must conquer--by wit or wizardry--to save his enchanted land from unholy forces of darkness . . .
There's little love lost between the kindly monarchs of Merovence and the scheming sovereigns of Bretanglia. But when the brutish Prince Gaheris--heir apparent to the Bretanglian throne--is murdered during a brawl in a Merovence tavern, any pretense of civility between the two kingdoms flies out the window faster than the mysterious brigand who committed the dastardly deed.
While the outraged king and queen of Bretanglia declare their intention to lay siege to Merovence, royal wizard Matthew Mantrell suspects the slain prince was done in by one of his own "loyal" subjects.
As both sides gird for battle, Matt sets out--with trusty dragon in tow--to catch the killer. But the road to royal justice is rocky indeed, and a powerful sorcerer, a sinister cult of false druids, and a mischievous spirit are just some of the obstacles Matt must conquer--by wit or wizardry--to save his enchanted land from unholy forces of darkness . . .
384 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 4, 2000
17 people are currently reading
353 people want to read
About the author
Christopher Stasheff
105 books302 followersThe late Christopher Stasheff was an American science fiction and fantasy author. When teaching proved too real, he gave it up in favor of writing full-time. Stasheff was noted for his blending of science fiction and fantasy, as seen in his Warlock series. He spent his early childhood in Mount Vernon, New York, but spent the rest of his formative years in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Stasheff taught at the University of Eastern New Mexico in Portales, before retiring to Champaign, Illinois, in 2009. He had a wife and four children.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
May 12, 2020
One of Stasheff’s better written and entertaining read where the antagonist, Matt, plays detective to a murder and surrounds himself with a weird and engaging cast of characters as he pursues justice.
Makes one wonder if the author was fictionalizing some of his family members.
Makes one wonder if the author was fictionalizing some of his family members.
July 5, 2023
A rollicking good time for all who read this book and all the rest of the series. Lord Matt Mantrell wizard extraordinaire of Merovence and husband of Queen Alisande must find the assassin of his neighbors heir before they start a war. Off to Britanglia to find the killer and stop the war before King Drustan and Queen Petronille can start it. I enjoyed this book as well as I did those before it.
dnf
January 16, 2024I barely got 50 pages in and was so turned off by what happened in the beginning I couldn't force myself to continue. It is absolutely my own fault that I started on the sixth book in the series (got this from a free little library) but I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything.
December 25, 2018
Couldn't even finish it. Really flat, two-dimension characters. Little drama, magic system that makes no sense and feels like an ass-pull with every use.
February 27, 2025
Somehow, I hadn't read this one. But it was a good read and fun.
Merovence is hosting the very unpleasant royals from Bretanglia, who are trying to start a fight and a war. Or rather, looking for an excuse to start a war against Merovence. The heir to Bretanglia goes to an inn looking for trouble and finds it. In the ensuing fight (which he started) he is killed. In the uproar after the fight, the killer escapes. The Royal Wizard of Merovence, Matt (Queen Alisande's husband), begins to investigate using magic and finds a very confused trail. He runs into a sorcerer as he's tracking the killer who is extremely powerful and very suspicious. The tale is full of evil as in this world, one either allies with God or the devil. Some people are just rather mixed up.
There are overtones of Arthurian legend - easily recognizable - but no less enjoyable for that.
Merovence is hosting the very unpleasant royals from Bretanglia, who are trying to start a fight and a war. Or rather, looking for an excuse to start a war against Merovence. The heir to Bretanglia goes to an inn looking for trouble and finds it. In the ensuing fight (which he started) he is killed. In the uproar after the fight, the killer escapes. The Royal Wizard of Merovence, Matt (Queen Alisande's husband), begins to investigate using magic and finds a very confused trail. He runs into a sorcerer as he's tracking the killer who is extremely powerful and very suspicious. The tale is full of evil as in this world, one either allies with God or the devil. Some people are just rather mixed up.
There are overtones of Arthurian legend - easily recognizable - but no less enjoyable for that.
Want to read
March 28, 2013I would have liked to have given this addition to the series a higher rating, but Mr Stasheff made several errors that weren't caught.
They were relatively minor, but each one served to annoy me and reduce my enjoyment of the book. It's still a fun read if you can ignore them.
They were relatively minor, but each one served to annoy me and reduce my enjoyment of the book. It's still a fun read if you can ignore them.
April 2, 2008
Another tale of the Wizard who Rhymes, this series continues to impress me with its wit, characters, and warmth. GREAT STORY!!!!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews