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Rogue Wizard #2
A Wizard in Mind
Magnus D'Armand was a SCENT agent like his dad Rod on Gramarye, and asked his ship AI Herkimer for "Oppressed peasants .. Someplace where my life might do some good". He has inherited gifts of telepathy, telekinesis, and finding trouble. On the lost colony world of Petrach, warring princes bring bloodshed, betrayal, and a past rival plots revenge.
288 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1995
21 people are currently reading
215 people want to read
About the author
Christopher Stasheff
105 books300 followersThe late Christopher Stasheff was an American science fiction and fantasy author. When teaching proved too real, he gave it up in favor of writing full-time. Stasheff was noted for his blending of science fiction and fantasy, as seen in his Warlock series. He spent his early childhood in Mount Vernon, New York, but spent the rest of his formative years in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Stasheff taught at the University of Eastern New Mexico in Portales, before retiring to Champaign, Illinois, in 2009. He had a wife and four children.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
February 22, 2021
This is either the first, second, or third book in the series featuring Magnus, oldest son of Rod & Gwen of the Warlock series from Ace, depending on how you look at it. Magnus, travelling under name Gar, has become an agent of SCENT, following in Rod's footsteps. Rather than a cybernetic horse companion, he has a spaceship, Herkimer, that he tells to take him to where he's needed to fight for the oppressed. We see many of the same organizations, themes, and values that have populated the Warlock books, but in this one the society is closer to a Renaissance-analog than the medieval civilization of Graymayre, home to the Gallowglass family where Magnus was raised. He really starts to come into his own in this one, which is an interesting and entertaining story framed with clever dialog and situations.
November 10, 2012
Okay, I'll admit it. I had a lot of trouble trying to get in to this book. I attempted at least three times before it "took". What I mean by trouble getting in to the book, is the inability to get past the rather dry discussion of economics and governmental structure that our dear protagonist Magnus/Gar is having with his sentient star ship. I suppose that I was in the correct state of mind the third time, and I'm glad that I was, because I found I actually enjoyed this little tale.
I came to this book not realizing that it was set well deep inside a well constructed universe of previous novels, all by the same author. My copy of the book identified it as the first book in the Rogue Wizard series, with the one that Goodreads lists as book #1 belonging to an entirely different series: Heirs To The Warlock. I suppose that since all these are spinoffs or sequel series to the original Warlock series (along with the Wizard in Rhyme series) and since there are a lot of character cross-overs, there also exists a lot of confusion about how things fit together.
So, then, had I read previous books in this universe, I might have been able to surpass the rather discordant prelude and jump in to the main story with ease, as the prelude might have made more sense. But I cannot go back and change the past.
A Wizard in Mind is the story of Magnus D'Armand, also known as Gar, and how he decided to keep a planet from being exploited by the more technologically advanced traders of an intergalactic empire. He does this by pageantry and incursion, entering the trust of a young man named Gianni, son of an influence welder. In this position and operating as the strong-man Gar, he drops hints, wields psychic influence, leads skirmishes, supplements technology, and outright demands that things go his way.
One would think that this would lead to a very boring novel since Gar/Magnus doesn't encounter any real opposition, except for the very real threat of death due to renaissance weaponry (pikes and cannon balls). One would be wrong. The novel is fantastic, likely because it is told from the perspective of poor, trusting Gianni who seems to want to do nothing more than hump the first female who crosses his path that isn't his mother. You root for Gianni's sewing of wild oats even as you hope that Magnus/Gar won't betray the trust that has been placed in him.
While most of this book came off as a light read, minus the oddly intellectual prologue, the descriptions of renaissance-era war are gripping and realistic. If you are a battle buff, you'll like this book for that, alone.
I recommend this book to anyone looking for some light beach reading, with the caveat that they have to tough out the prologue and understand that the rest of the book is nothing like that odd beginning.
(Minus one star for the prologue.)
I came to this book not realizing that it was set well deep inside a well constructed universe of previous novels, all by the same author. My copy of the book identified it as the first book in the Rogue Wizard series, with the one that Goodreads lists as book #1 belonging to an entirely different series: Heirs To The Warlock. I suppose that since all these are spinoffs or sequel series to the original Warlock series (along with the Wizard in Rhyme series) and since there are a lot of character cross-overs, there also exists a lot of confusion about how things fit together.
So, then, had I read previous books in this universe, I might have been able to surpass the rather discordant prelude and jump in to the main story with ease, as the prelude might have made more sense. But I cannot go back and change the past.
A Wizard in Mind is the story of Magnus D'Armand, also known as Gar, and how he decided to keep a planet from being exploited by the more technologically advanced traders of an intergalactic empire. He does this by pageantry and incursion, entering the trust of a young man named Gianni, son of an influence welder. In this position and operating as the strong-man Gar, he drops hints, wields psychic influence, leads skirmishes, supplements technology, and outright demands that things go his way.
One would think that this would lead to a very boring novel since Gar/Magnus doesn't encounter any real opposition, except for the very real threat of death due to renaissance weaponry (pikes and cannon balls). One would be wrong. The novel is fantastic, likely because it is told from the perspective of poor, trusting Gianni who seems to want to do nothing more than hump the first female who crosses his path that isn't his mother. You root for Gianni's sewing of wild oats even as you hope that Magnus/Gar won't betray the trust that has been placed in him.
While most of this book came off as a light read, minus the oddly intellectual prologue, the descriptions of renaissance-era war are gripping and realistic. If you are a battle buff, you'll like this book for that, alone.
I recommend this book to anyone looking for some light beach reading, with the caveat that they have to tough out the prologue and understand that the rest of the book is nothing like that odd beginning.
(Minus one star for the prologue.)
December 24, 2017
There are some interesting concepts in the book, but overall this is book about revolution and politics. Yes everything happens in distant planet and there are some hard scifi elements, but it needs more.
December 1, 2021
Cool book. I thought it was very out-of-the-ordinary, but definitely interesting. Good read :thumbsup:
February 9, 2017
И сам войнът в войн.
October 29, 2007
This is the first in a spin-off series. The original series is the Warlock series by this author. In that series, Rod Gallowglass becomes Lord High Warlock on the planet Gramarye, a planet founded by refugees from the SCA. Magnus D'Armand is his oldest son.
This series is this first in the series of adventures by Magnus as he travels to other planets with oppressive governments seeking to free the people from them.
Overall, this book is a little weaker than the first series which was fantastic. Having said that, this is still a good, fun book that is well worth reading. However, it doesn't quite measure up to the Warlock series. To get the most out of this book, you should read the Warlock series first. Or at least the first book in that series "The Warlock In Spite Of Himself." This book, like the earlier series, mixes magic with science fiction. The basic source of the magic in this book and in the earlier series is psychic powers. So the magic has a natural explanation rather than supernatural. If you're looking for a good fantasy mixed with science fiction, you'll like this book. It's a good book, but it just misses being great. So that's why I only gave it four stars, instead of five.
This series is this first in the series of adventures by Magnus as he travels to other planets with oppressive governments seeking to free the people from them.
Overall, this book is a little weaker than the first series which was fantastic. Having said that, this is still a good, fun book that is well worth reading. However, it doesn't quite measure up to the Warlock series. To get the most out of this book, you should read the Warlock series first. Or at least the first book in that series "The Warlock In Spite Of Himself." This book, like the earlier series, mixes magic with science fiction. The basic source of the magic in this book and in the earlier series is psychic powers. So the magic has a natural explanation rather than supernatural. If you're looking for a good fantasy mixed with science fiction, you'll like this book. It's a good book, but it just misses being great. So that's why I only gave it four stars, instead of five.
February 16, 2010
I wish I could give it 3 1/2 stars.
At first I was a little disappointed as I was expecting something different, something with lots more magic/sorcery involved. As I got further into the story, though, I found the action gripping and the story well-told.
The premise is interesting. Some worlds have fallen back into the dark ages and there are people who want to help them move toward democracy. There are also other groups of people who have a very different desire.
We begin the story with Magnus D'Armand, a rogue wizard. He learns that Petrarch is a world divided and decides he will give its inhabitants a nudge toward democracy. He soon learns that because of an outside group that opposes democracy he will need to do much more than nudge the world forward.
At first I was a little disappointed as I was expecting something different, something with lots more magic/sorcery involved. As I got further into the story, though, I found the action gripping and the story well-told.
The premise is interesting. Some worlds have fallen back into the dark ages and there are people who want to help them move toward democracy. There are also other groups of people who have a very different desire.
We begin the story with Magnus D'Armand, a rogue wizard. He learns that Petrarch is a world divided and decides he will give its inhabitants a nudge toward democracy. He soon learns that because of an outside group that opposes democracy he will need to do much more than nudge the world forward.
November 13, 2015
"Bad" guys named SCENT, PEST, AEGIS and DDT, a computer named Herkimer, a planet named Petrarch, and a 7-foot hero named Magnus. Groan. Too much like James Bond! I almost gave up on this book during the prologue! But I persevered. By chapter four, I was pretty well hooked. Except for Gianni wanting to hump any reasonably pretty female, it was a good story. Magnus had his work cut out for him, everything from fighting the above acronymed "bad" (or misinformed) rivals, to competition with things in poor Gianni's sleep, to a bonk on the head which caused him temporary amnesia. I'm looking forward to reading more about Magnus adventures. Good read!
October 5, 2009
Magnus D'Armand's adventures continue
September 12, 2011
I would rate it better if it was from Magnus's POV. Also, some of the action and dialogue seemed cheesy...
May 15, 2015
As a story, pretty flat with a lot of deus ex machina.
November 28, 2014
Too much of a lecture on how to properly turn barbarians into us, not enough of a story.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews