What do you think?
Archonate Universe
A Wizard's Henchman
Erm Kaslo is at the top of his game: a hardboiled confidential operative in the ultra-high-tech civilization of The Ten Thousand Worlds that spans the entire galactic arm known as The Spray. But the universe is about to arbitrarily change its fundamental operating premise from science to magic. Technology will cease to function and all of Kaslo’s hard-won skills and abilities will be useless.
As the change nears, a handful of would-be wizards are jockeying for position in the coming race for supremacy, squabbling over the few ancient books and paraphernalia that survive from the long-forgotten age when magic last ruled the cosmos. Kaslo goes to work for Diomedo Obron, a wealthy dilettante with more money than common sense who hopes to emerge as a powerful thaumaturge.
But there’s worse to come: an ancient evil has been biding its time for millennia, waiting for the age of science to end. Now, its moment finally arrived, it reaches out from another plane to strike with deadly force. And only Kaslo can stop it—if he can live long enough.
As the change nears, a handful of would-be wizards are jockeying for position in the coming race for supremacy, squabbling over the few ancient books and paraphernalia that survive from the long-forgotten age when magic last ruled the cosmos. Kaslo goes to work for Diomedo Obron, a wealthy dilettante with more money than common sense who hopes to emerge as a powerful thaumaturge.
But there’s worse to come: an ancient evil has been biding its time for millennia, waiting for the age of science to end. Now, its moment finally arrived, it reaches out from another plane to strike with deadly force. And only Kaslo can stop it—if he can live long enough.
235 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 2016
About the author
Matthew Hughes
204 books287 followersBorn in Liverpool, his family moved to Canada when he was five years old. Married since late 1960s, he has three grown sons. He is currently relocated to Britain. He is a former director of the Federation of British Columbia Writers.
A university drop-out from a working poor background, he worked in a factory that made school desks, drove a grocery delivery truck, was night janitor in a GM dealership, and did a short stint as an orderly in a private mental hospital. As a teenager, he served a year as a volunteer with the Company of Young Canadians.
He has made his living as a writer all of his adult life, first as a journalist in newspapers, then as a staff speechwriter to the Canadian Ministers of Justice and Environment, and, since 1979, as a freelance corporate and political speechwriter in British Columbia.
His short fiction has appeared in Alfred Hitchcock’s, Asimov’s, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Postscripts, Interzone, and a number of "Year’s Best" anthologies. Night Shade Books published his short story collection, The Gist Hunter and Other Stories, in 2005.
He has won the Arthur Ellis Award from the Crime Writers of Canada, The Endeavour Award for his historical novel What the Wind Brings, and the Global Book Award in the dark fantasy category for The Ghost-Wrangler.
A university drop-out from a working poor background, he worked in a factory that made school desks, drove a grocery delivery truck, was night janitor in a GM dealership, and did a short stint as an orderly in a private mental hospital. As a teenager, he served a year as a volunteer with the Company of Young Canadians.
He has made his living as a writer all of his adult life, first as a journalist in newspapers, then as a staff speechwriter to the Canadian Ministers of Justice and Environment, and, since 1979, as a freelance corporate and political speechwriter in British Columbia.
His short fiction has appeared in Alfred Hitchcock’s, Asimov’s, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Postscripts, Interzone, and a number of "Year’s Best" anthologies. Night Shade Books published his short story collection, The Gist Hunter and Other Stories, in 2005.
He has won the Arthur Ellis Award from the Crime Writers of Canada, The Endeavour Award for his historical novel What the Wind Brings, and the Global Book Award in the dark fantasy category for The Ghost-Wrangler.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
September 14, 2016
The main character in Matthew Hughes's new book "A Wizard's Henchman" is Erm Kaslo a confidential operative. We join Kaslo at the height of his career and at his peak performance.
The story takes place in Mr. Hughes's universe in the age of the Archonate universe. To those familure with these writings, which started with the books "Fools Errant" and "Fool Me Twice" and continued through the Henghis Hapthorn stories and the master criminal Luff Imbry's adventures no more need be said.
Those unfamiliar with those stories will have no problem with this standalone, yet filling out, of those previous books. What we have here is the events that take place as the physics based universe changes into a reality that is based in magic. This event is mentioned in previous installments of the oeuvre of stories, and with this book the transformation is detailed.
The amazing skills of Matthew Hughes are here on display, with perhaps just a bit more humor and humanity bringing the the stories forward and solidifying/enlightening the reader in events of the rich worlds previously sampled.
I for one hope we will see more adventures of Erm Kaslo.
This is a PDF copy of the book kindly supplied by Mr. Hughes. I have ordered a signed numbered from PS publishing, no sign of it yet.. But Tallyho !
Update 11/19/16:
Hardcover arrived today from PS Publications in the UK and I now own number 78 of 100 hardcover copies signed (initialized) by Matthew Hughes,
The story takes place in Mr. Hughes's universe in the age of the Archonate universe. To those familure with these writings, which started with the books "Fools Errant" and "Fool Me Twice" and continued through the Henghis Hapthorn stories and the master criminal Luff Imbry's adventures no more need be said.
Those unfamiliar with those stories will have no problem with this standalone, yet filling out, of those previous books. What we have here is the events that take place as the physics based universe changes into a reality that is based in magic. This event is mentioned in previous installments of the oeuvre of stories, and with this book the transformation is detailed.
The amazing skills of Matthew Hughes are here on display, with perhaps just a bit more humor and humanity bringing the the stories forward and solidifying/enlightening the reader in events of the rich worlds previously sampled.
I for one hope we will see more adventures of Erm Kaslo.
This is a PDF copy of the book kindly supplied by Mr. Hughes. I have ordered a signed numbered from PS publishing, no sign of it yet.. But Tallyho !
Update 11/19/16:
Hardcover arrived today from PS Publications in the UK and I now own number 78 of 100 hardcover copies signed (initialized) by Matthew Hughes,
May 25, 2019
Absolutely marvelous! I've enjoyed Hughes' other Archonate books, the Henghis Hapthorn stories the most, the Guth Bandar stories the least, but this short novel, composed I think from stories originally published in Lightspeed, brings things to a whole other level, as the long awaited change from science working to magic working finally hits with disastrous results. I look forward to more Kaslo.
October 16, 2016
Some people compare Hughes's books to Vance, but I think Hughes is much better, with far less tendency to drag in the middle of the book. This is another very enjoyable story in the Archonate series, that continues to move the plot along in an entertaining fashion. If you imagine Psmith in space, with wizards, you will have the flavor of the book. Highly enjoyable, highly recommended.
October 9, 2016
I have more than once called Matthew Hughes a national treasure, and regular Hughes fans won’t need me to urge them to pick up the latest collection set in the Archonate/Spray universe. Hughes is the Canadian/21st century Jack Vance, the oddly optimistic cynic, the seriously funny creator of a brilliantly original universe. This is the latest in the series which posits that the universe periodically swings between the fundamental principles of cause & effect and sympathetic association (magic). The book’s protagonist is Erm Kaslo, a top level confidential agent who suddenly finds that none of his skills are relevant when cause and effect no longer apply. As technology fails, civilization crashes, and powerful thaumaturges rise from the ashes, Kaslo falls in with one particular wizard as his henchman. If you are a fan of the Archonate or the adventures of Henghis Hapthorn, the collection of Erm Kaslo will be right up your alley.
I offer, however, two mild cautions: First. readers unfamiliar with the Archonate should start with another in the series, as the Kaslo stories are really the ultimate climax to everything else that has happened so far; better not to know how things end until you’ve read how they begin. But by all means, go find Fools Errant enter the marvelous universe of the Acrhonate.
Regular Hughes fans may find that—as a collection of shorts/serialized novel (in Lightspeed magazine—there is a certain amount of repetition as ‘chapters’ recap events in earlier ‘chapters’ because these were originally published separately. The repetition is only mildly distracting, however, and should not significantly detract from readers’ enjoyment.
Anytime Hughes puts pen to paper is a reason to celebrate and the Adventures of Erm Kaslo do not disappoint.
I offer, however, two mild cautions: First. readers unfamiliar with the Archonate should start with another in the series, as the Kaslo stories are really the ultimate climax to everything else that has happened so far; better not to know how things end until you’ve read how they begin. But by all means, go find Fools Errant enter the marvelous universe of the Acrhonate.
Regular Hughes fans may find that—as a collection of shorts/serialized novel (in Lightspeed magazine—there is a certain amount of repetition as ‘chapters’ recap events in earlier ‘chapters’ because these were originally published separately. The repetition is only mildly distracting, however, and should not significantly detract from readers’ enjoyment.
Anytime Hughes puts pen to paper is a reason to celebrate and the Adventures of Erm Kaslo do not disappoint.
May 23, 2018
Engaging story about an operative who joins forces with an up-and-coming wizard as their world transitions from tech-based to magic-based. The only part that I disliked was the climax, which turned out to be a kind of intellectual debate.
June 6, 2023
A very good book in which Hughes at last tells a story which bridges the period from when technology fails to when magic becomes dominant. The story - to some extent a follow-up of Majestrum - is told through two main characters: Obron, who becomes a wizard, and Kaslo, a top operative (detective) who initially feels useless in the changed world but who finds a role
As always, Hughes' storytelling style is a little flat, but the story is nonetheless engaging
As always, Hughes' storytelling style is a little flat, but the story is nonetheless engaging
January 3, 2018
I skimmed the last two-thirds. There are no women (besides a maid that runs away). There's not a single female speaking character. I guess that's fun for some people, but I'm not a fan of total gender marginalization.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews