ARS MAGICA

Rating:
Summary: Historical fiction
Review: If you don't read the author's note first, then you would think that this was a typical piece of fantasy. A boy shows a knack for magic, so he begins a long journey towards mastering the power. Along the way, he will meet a girl with similar abilities and will engage in the fight of his life. These are true, but the framework makes this an interesting read.

Judith Tarr did her research into the ancient days of the Catholic church and the Holy Roman Empire. The characters she chooses are Pope Sylvester and Emperor Otto. Each of these had rumors about them insinuating that they were practitioners of magic. Tarr takes this and posits "What if this were true?" Having an actual historical figure to borrow from adds a tinge of authenticity to the book.

At times, I feel that the narrative jumps a little bit. I don't know if Tarr was keeping to the history (for instance, perhaps no record exists of Sylvester at a certain age), or if she was try to keep the book flowing. I would have liked to know a little more about the school of magic he tried to found.

Nonetheless, this is a fairly good read. It is a quick book, so I would recommend reading this.

Rating:
Summary: Historical fiction
Review: If you don't read the author's note first, then you would think that this was a typical piece of fantasy. A boy shows a knack for magic, so he begins a long journey towards mastering the power. Along the way, he will meet a girl with similar abilities and will engage in the fight of his life. These are true, but the framework makes this an interesting read.

Judith Tarr did her research into the ancient days of the Catholic church and the Holy Roman Empire. The characters she chooses are Pope Sylvester and Emperor Otto. Each of these had rumors about them insinuating that they were practitioners of magic. Tarr takes this and posits "What if this were true?" Having an actual historical figure to borrow from adds a tinge of authenticity to the book.

At times, I feel that the narrative jumps a little bit. I don't know if Tarr was keeping to the history (for instance, perhaps no record exists of Sylvester at a certain age), or if she was try to keep the book flowing. I would have liked to know a little more about the school of magic he tried to found.

Nonetheless, this is a fairly good read. It is a quick book, so I would recommend reading this.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Historical Fantasy
Review: Judith Tarr's Ars Magica is wonderful tale of a young monk in the 10th Century who learns the secrets of magic while rising in power and influence within the medieval Church. The mixture of fact (the main charecters are almost all versions of real people) and fantasy is well-developed, and the author's essay on the historical basis of her work is informative and fascinating. Fans of Tim Powers, another master of historical fantasy, may well find much to enjoy in this great novel.