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The Last of the Magi: Book I: The Devouring
When a tarot card reading warns of ancient evils and a coming darkness, Mila, an orphaned Gypsy, is forced to confront his true destiny. When he recklessly ignores the prophesy, a sinister twist of fate brings two American teenagers into his world: Mila is instantly infatuated with Casey, a beautiful heiress, whose piercing blue eyes hide an inner pain, but much to his dismay, Jack her clever and resourceful classmate seems to be the object of her affection. The three teens accidentally plunge into a world of dark secrets within Berlin’s abandoned underground tunnels. There, they uncover a magical artifact of immense power once wielded by some of history’s cruelest tyrants. Looking to possess these powers, a sinister cult unleashes a shadow army to hunt for this unholy relic. Mila and his new friends must flee across the German countryside now burdened with unlocking the mysteries of the artifact’s powers and uncovering the lost history of an ancient gypsy tribe and it’s war with the Third Reich. Our heroes’ epic journey takes them through a world of characters straight from the mind of a gypsy mystic: a disgraced ex-Mossad agent, twin boys who bring light and joy to an otherwise bleak gypsy ghetto, A coal miner’s son drawn into a nationalist cult, a priest recklessly meddling in gypsy affairs, a streetwise pickpocket from the slums of Romania, A washed up, arm-wrestling fortune teller, and an elusive hermit who hides forbidden knowledge. The Last of the Magi weaves action and fantasy together with true history and authentic Gypsy spiritualism leaving the reader to wonder what’s real and what’s not.
- GenresFantasy
476 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 13, 2022
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
July 3, 2026
3.5
Reading this urban fantasy set in modern-day Berlin and inspired by Roma folklore felt like what I imagine a trip on Mila's motorcycle would be: speeding through dark streets, turning corners fast enough to give the boldest rider whiplash, and doing it all with a smile on your face because you're having such a darn good time.
There is a tradeoff, I think, for such a breakneck speed--there were moments I wanted to linger, breathe in the atmosphere of the unique setting. I think the villains would have been more compelling if the reader had more time to get to know them.
The characters and action sequences all feel larger than life, almost like blocks of a comic book painted into motion with words. Sure, the dialogue felt less than fluid, and there were moments that stretched my suspension of belief near the breaking point, but it was also thrilling to see the extremes of power and human ability in play.
Roma culture plays a vital role in shaping the plot, which is unique in the world of fantasy literature and also quite lovely to see. As a folklore enthusiast, I loved how a certain legend underpinned the plot. For the sake of consistency, I feel I must note that the magic system is built partly on tarot and other divination, practices I disagree with in the 'real world.' However, given the cultural context of this novel, I think it was an appropriate choice--not a romanticization of the occult, which I don't care for, but a genuine exploration of culture in an urban fantasy setting.
To tie things off, 'The Last of the Magi' may not be a perfect novel, but it sure is a fun ride, and one I'd recommend to anyone looking for a unique and compelling entry into the long and muddied catalogues of fantasy fiction.
Reading this urban fantasy set in modern-day Berlin and inspired by Roma folklore felt like what I imagine a trip on Mila's motorcycle would be: speeding through dark streets, turning corners fast enough to give the boldest rider whiplash, and doing it all with a smile on your face because you're having such a darn good time.
There is a tradeoff, I think, for such a breakneck speed--there were moments I wanted to linger, breathe in the atmosphere of the unique setting. I think the villains would have been more compelling if the reader had more time to get to know them.
The characters and action sequences all feel larger than life, almost like blocks of a comic book painted into motion with words. Sure, the dialogue felt less than fluid, and there were moments that stretched my suspension of belief near the breaking point, but it was also thrilling to see the extremes of power and human ability in play.
Roma culture plays a vital role in shaping the plot, which is unique in the world of fantasy literature and also quite lovely to see. As a folklore enthusiast, I loved how a certain legend underpinned the plot. For the sake of consistency, I feel I must note that the magic system is built partly on tarot and other divination, practices I disagree with in the 'real world.' However, given the cultural context of this novel, I think it was an appropriate choice--not a romanticization of the occult, which I don't care for, but a genuine exploration of culture in an urban fantasy setting.
To tie things off, 'The Last of the Magi' may not be a perfect novel, but it sure is a fun ride, and one I'd recommend to anyone looking for a unique and compelling entry into the long and muddied catalogues of fantasy fiction.
Displaying 1 of 1 review