Wizarding Times

The science fiction/fantasy novel Epic, by Conor Kostick, is five years old (and it has a sequel, Saga). I don't know why I had never heard of it, but it was given to me recently — and a great gift it is! Kostick teaches medieval history at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland, and was also "a designer for the world's first live fantasy role-playing game" (inside back cover). So, when he sets up a plot involving a society where everyone is judged in their real lives by how well they do in a fantasy world role-playing game, he knows whereof he speaks! The society seems modeled on Norse life and legends — including many names, such as Harald (Harry is a derivative of that name!), and Freya, Svein, Ragnok, Bjorn, etc.

This scenario creates many dilemmas for the characters. They may not have much material wealth in the real world, but in order to get more they have to challenge and defeat role-players who likely have much more — almost impossible to do — so the general standard of living in their real world has headed downward for many years. (Of course, "the rich get richer.") The rich also gain in power and that creates a "ruling committee" whose members carefully hoard their goods and powers. When suddenly a team of "commoners" challenges and "ties" one of the committee's most powerful dueling teams, there are severe consequences. Then, when the children of this team defeat a long-lived and powerful dragon, becoming instant millionaires as well as heroes, the committee seems about to smother by having its own powers thrown back into its face. Solution: have an "executioner" eliminate the competition. The suspense rises like a geyser when it seems the killing is not happening totally in the role-playing!

I was slightly annoyed with the naming of some of the characters (such as "Anonemuss" — Really, even if the character is going incognito, could a more unsubtle name be given?), but overall, this is one fine read! I had some trouble determining, at first, what were role-playing events and dialogue and what was happening in the characters' real lives, but that got much easier as I went along. I stayed up late to finish the book because I couldn't stand not knowing if the children survived (let alone, "won"). I definitely will look for the sequel. Happy Reading!