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Rating: 
Summary: Lord Darcy does it again
Review: Sadly, this is the last book that Randall Garrett wrote in the Lord Darcy series. Like MURDER AND MAGIC, it is a collection of short stories that can be read separately. Michael Kurland wrote two later Lord Darcy novels, A STUDY IN SORCERY and TEN LITTLE WIZARDS, continuing the play on titles from famous mystery authors' works that Mr. Garrett did with his own novel, TOO MANY MAGICIANS. Lord Darcy lives on an alternate Earth where a 13th century monk formulated the laws of magic so the laws of physical science have never been discovered. The scientists here are the sorcerers. In fact, Lord Darcy's assistant is a Forensic Sorcerer. They are in the service of Richard, Duke of Normandy, younger brother of his Imperial Majesty, King John IV of the Anglo-French Empire. On this Earth the Plantagenets still rule. The book will explain, so I won't. There is no USA, by the way, just the duchies of New England. The chief enemy of the empire is the King of Poland, who has been unable to annex any more Russian states and looks to take over King John's territory. This brings in the spy story element in a series that already combines the fantasy, science fiction, and detective genres. Also, Mr. Garrett does not neglect his chance to poke gentle fun at our world. Some of his characters are just as skeptical of what we would consider scientific facts as our people are of magic. This allows the reader to feel smug when a character scoffs at something we know is true. Fans who love both mysteries and SF should not neglect their opportunity to savor both combined. The stories are: "A Matter of Gravity": A count stands in the way of his son marrying the beautiful daughter of his captain. The count goes through the window of the topmost room of the Red Tower. Did he jump, or was he pushed? A classic locked room puzzle. "The Ipswich Phial" The phial was stolen from the Ipswich Lab, where secret research in magic is conducted. The agent who pursued the thief is found murdered. Now Special Agent Sir James le Lien is asking Lord Darcy's help in recovering the phial before Poland gets it. (Yes, "Sir James le Lien." He was in M&M, just as TOO MANY MAGICIANS contained Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin tributes in the persons of Lord Darcy's equally brilliant cousin, the fat and lazy Marquis de London and his Chief Investigator, Lord Bontriomphe. Wolfe fans should be sure to catch the de London quotes in this and the following story. BTW, I am indebted to my friend, Charles Groak, for pointing out these tributes to me.) "The Sixteen Keys": The late Lord Vauxhall has aged 50 years and died in less than an hour. Who did this terrible deed? And where are the important papers Vauxhall took with him? "The Napoli Express": That vital treaty MUST get to Athens on time. Lord Darcy can't afford to be delayed by a murder investigation. He must solve the crime before the train reaches Rome.
Rating:
Summary: Lord Darcy does it again
Review: Sadly, this is the last book that Randall Garrett wrote in the Lord Darcy series. Like MURDER AND MAGIC, it is a collection of short stories that can be read separately. Michael Kurland wrote two later Lord Darcy novels, A STUDY IN SORCERY and TEN LITTLE WIZARDS, continuing the play on titles from famous mystery authors' works that Mr. Garrett did with his own novel, TOO MANY MAGICIANS. Lord Darcy lives on an alternate Earth where a 13th century monk formulated the laws of magic so the laws of physical science have never been discovered. The scientists here are the sorcerers. In fact, Lord Darcy's assistant is a Forensic Sorcerer. They are in the service of Richard, Duke of Normandy, younger brother of his Imperial Majesty, King John IV of the Anglo-French Empire. On this Earth the Plantagenets still rule. The book will explain, so I won't. There is no USA, by the way, just the duchies of New England. The chief enemy of the empire is the King of Poland, who has been unable to annex any more Russian states and looks to take over King John's territory. This brings in the spy story element in a series that already combines the fantasy, science fiction, and detective genres. Also, Mr. Garrett does not neglect his chance to poke gentle fun at our world. Some of his characters are just as skeptical of what we would consider scientific facts as our people are of magic. This allows the reader to feel smug when a character scoffs at something we know is true. Fans who love both mysteries and SF should not neglect their opportunity to savor both combined. The stories are: "A Matter of Gravity": A count stands in the way of his son marrying the beautiful daughter of his captain. The count goes through the window of the topmost room of the Red Tower. Did he jump, or was he pushed? A classic locked room puzzle. "The Ipswich Phial" The phial was stolen from the Ipswich Lab, where secret research in magic is conducted. The agent who pursued the thief is found murdered. Now Special Agent Sir James le Lien is asking Lord Darcy's help in recovering the phial before Poland gets it. (Yes, "Sir James le Lien." He was in M&M, just as TOO MANY MAGICIANS contained Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin tributes in the persons of Lord Darcy's equally brilliant cousin, the fat and lazy Marquis de London and his Chief Investigator, Lord Bontriomphe. Wolfe fans should be sure to catch the de London quotes in this and the following story. BTW, I am indebted to my friend, Charles Groak, for pointing out these tributes to me.) "The Sixteen Keys": The late Lord Vauxhall has aged 50 years and died in less than an hour. Who did this terrible deed? And where are the important papers Vauxhall took with him? "The Napoli Express": That vital treaty MUST get to Athens on time. Lord Darcy can't afford to be delayed by a murder investigation. He must solve the crime before the train reaches Rome.
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