THE LAST WIZARD

A dwarf, an elf, and a young soldier arrive in the mystical town of Springdale looking for quests, which leads them to the dark center of an underground world in Mizgailo’s fantasy novel.

In the Lands of Amun, the aftermath of the Total War has “decimated most of the intelligent species or driven them to the brink of extinction.” After the war,humans, dwarves, elves, and orcs “now dominate this world” in which bandits, villains, and general unease prevail. Banded together by necessity, a trio comprises an “elf in pursuit of knowledge, a youngster in search of himself, and a burly dwarf embarked on his own mission to change the world.” In the story’s first half, the action is centered in Springdale’s sole tavern. As the trio become familiar with its patrons and proprietor—who’s also the leader of the village—they pick up mapmaking jobs and other odd quests in exchange for money, beer, and meals. Unbeknownst to the three, the titular unnamed wizard secretly oversees their quests and other local activities. Occupying an abandoned house, he’s prevented from materializing in the flesh, due in part to his ailing health: “My best tactic is to remain invisible, all while quietly pursuing the most unique artifact—the Aard of Being—deep within the dungeons.” With a Blood Moon on the horizon, a missing villager returns as a zombie that heralds necromancers and other dark forces converging. The trio discover a hidden dungeon entrance and embarks on their most dangerous quest yet, with the help of a fallen, a satyr, and a healer, to discover hidden artifacts and origins of evil.

Mizgailo’s presents readers with a lengthy read that’s divided between accounts of village life and tales of subterranean exploration. The scenes in Springdale’s tavern are full of banter and bawdy characters, lending the characters’ relationships a greater depth. Grampy, the oft-disgruntled dwarf, provides much of the humor in his desires for riches and alcohol: “Any free beer makes me happy.” The plucky boy soldier is engaging as he questions the elders in an attempt to learn more than the Warrior Guild permitted. In an addled dream sequence, his mind inspires some of the novel’s stronger prose: “His flame reflected from the moon, illuminating the tortured continent that was slowly devoured by darkness, calling for dawn.” The elf’s loss of faith is also a brief but compelling plot point. As the explorers descend into different dungeon levels, they encounter room after room of unholy creatures—each as deadly as the last. Readers familiar with role-playing games, such as Dungeons & Dragons and Warhammer, will enjoy reading about grisly battles and learning the complex, unfolding rules of the Lands of Amun. For others, the scenes may become somewhat repetitive, particularly when a second troop is dispatched to investigate the same area. The wizard provides an effective anchor for exposition, but this long and sometimes-convoluted tale may not engage some casual readers.

A sprawling story of fantastical creatures whose greatest strength lies in the comedic exchanges between its core cast members.