A Wizard in a Feud

Rogue Wizard #10

by Christopher Stasheff

When Gar Pike—the Rogue Wizard—and his traveling companion Alea land their ship on a planet harboring a lost colony to do some minor repairs to the ship's computer, they decided to take some time for shore leave, and explore. It's not long before they meet one of the indigenous life forms of the planet: Fairies.

As Gar and Alea explore more of the world and meet more of the inhabitants, they quickly come to realize that every clan is feuding with their neighboring clans. Though everyone secretly wants peace, nobody will listen to those with the courage to preach it, those who have been sent into exile for wanting everyone to get along.

Posing as traders and healers, Gar and Alea team up with the Fairies, the Wee Folk, the Druid priests, and two particularly courageous exiles to reintroduce the abandoned Druidic religious tradition to the people and, hopefully, reintroduce peace to all the clans.

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.

When Gar and Alea land their ship on a planet for computer system maintenance, they aren't expecting to run into Fairies, Wee Folk, Druid priests, and feuding clans transplanted from Scotland and then forgotten. Can they, along with two courageous exiles and the psychic powers of the Fairies, and Wee Folk, bring peace and order to this world?

Genres: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy

206 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

The 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.

Reviews

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the final volume of the Rogue Wizard series, in which Magnus, oldest son of Rodney Gallowglass, Graymayre's Warlock-in-Spite-of-Himself, roams the spaceways fighting for oppressed people on lost planets. This one has more of a traditional fantasy flavor than the previous books, as Magnus (who travels as Gar Pike) and his companion (and future lady love) Alea find themselves on a world of Wee Folk they've landed on for some ship repairs and a little R & R. Their relationship progresses nicely at last, and there are some clever adventures along the way. Readers hoping for resolution will be disappointed, as that will have to wait for their return to Graymayre for the fourth and final book in the Warlock's Heirs series from Ace Books. It's remarkable that Stasheff kept the three series and all of the overlapping characters balanced and brought all three scenarios to a terrific close as he did. He excelled at blending science fiction and fantasy flourishes, and brought a feeling of family to the adventures.

[Doni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book and I want to read more! I just happened upon this book at a used book store and picked it up some quick reading. I was hooked right from the start. I'll definitely be reading more of Stasheff in the New Year.

[Nathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Final book in the 'Rogue Wizard' series - focusing on Magnus (aka Gar Pike). Now on to the 'Warlock Heirs' series to see what the rest of the children have been doing, and then see how it all ends with "The Warlock's Last Ride".

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

And now, I am finished with the Rogue Wizard series.

A Wizard in a Feud tells the story of MagnusGar, Alea, and Evanescence who landed on a Celtic-inspired "lost" world that identified clans by tartans, holds extremely long grudges (feuds), and has native planetary life that are both faeries and imps.

This is a very short story and a quick read, and lacks the flesh on the story's bones that I am used to. In the end, there was no conclusion to either the romance with Alea nor the returning of Evanescence to her home. I was really hoping that these plotlines might reach resolution.

Good story +5
Needs more flesh -1
--------------------
Total +4

[C.G. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is probably the best of the Rogue Wizard series. Magnus has matured a along his travels, he now has a femaled companion - two actually, but he is not aware of the cat-like Goddess who is travelling with them.

[Abel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 9th in Rogue Wizard. I am trying to find the first book of the series to find out what started him down his path. This book I felt could of been fleshed out more. But still was good.

[Centauri · Rating 4 out of 5]

southern family feuds, future colonized worlds, wizards, machines, lasers, shotguns...it has it all and more