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MISSING MAGIC by Emma Laybourn

MISSING MAGIC

by Emma Laybourn

Pub Date: June 1st, 2007
ISBN: 978-0-8037-3219-3
Publisher: Dial Books

Another Harry Potter spawn, the twist here is that the central character, Ned, is the only one who doesn’t have magical powers. He’s sent to Leodwych School, where his Uncle Kelver is the governor, to learn magic, but he can’t. So Ned is miserable because the other students do their assignments by magic, play tricks on him with spells, target him in a flying food fight and resent his familial ties. They even play games of flyball, spinning and looping in the sky. Sound familiar? Many other elements are derivative: The terrifying Necromancers are kidnapping kids as galley slaves to use their spells to keep their giant airship afloat; the double trumpeted goosehorn menacingly writhes and coils around anyone who tries to play it by magic; and adored Uncle Trevor turns out to be the bad guy. On the plus side, it’s a younger read than HP, there are lots of humorous school scenes and it’s Ned, the good guy without any magical abilities, who comes to the rescue. (Fantasy. 9-12)