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Blaze of Glory
By Michael Pryor

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Blaze of Glory

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Blaze of Glory
The First Volume of The Laws of Magic
By Michael Pryor
Read How You Want, 2009
EasyRead Large Print, in 16 Point Font
(Originally Published by Random House Australia)
ISBN: 9781442957985
Reviewed by Rochelle Caviness - August 3, 2009

Although he is a bit on the pale side, and tires a bit easier than in the past, Aubrey Fitzwilliam looks rather good for being dead. Well, not exactly dead. Granted he did die, but he was able to pull his soul back into his body and is holding it there with a mix of determination, will-power, and some remarkable magical skills. So while he died, he's still alive. However, it was all his own fault. Aubrey 'killed' himself when he improperly constructed a spell while delving in the forbidden realm of Death magic. To make matters worse, if he should lose his grip on his soul, he'll be dead, permanently! This is but one of the many challenges facing Aubrey in this non-stop, action packed, thrilling adventure that is resplendent with scientifically based magic, spies, murderous golems, magically manufactured beasts, political intrigue, and even a little bit of romance.

Blaze of Glory is the first volume in Michael Pryor's series, The Laws of Magic. In this installment, Aubrey, and his best-friend and school mate, George Doyle find themselves trying to thwart a plot to assassinate the Crown Prince of Albion, who just happens to be Aubrey's cousin. Along the way they discover that someone is killing the countries leading sorcerers. Concurrently, Sir Darius Fitzwilliam, Aubrey's father, is running for election to become Prime Minister, a post that he had held in the past. To his dismay, Aubrey discovers that someone is trying to sabotage his father's election bid, and perhaps even aiming to plunge the country into war.

As events transpire, the burden of getting to the heart of these matters falls to Aubrey and George, in large measure because they just happen to have a knack for turning up in the wrong place, at the right time. Aiding them in their search for the truth is Caroline Hepworth, a beautiful and talented young woman who is on a quest of her own, to discover who murdered her father. What makes this whole story so amazing is that Aubrey and George are only sixth formers (high school seniors), yet they find themselves placed in such a situation that should they fail, they could well be responsible for the downfall of their own country - a very heady burden for a couple of teenage boys to carry. Complicating matters is that Aubrey must be constantly on guard to keep his soul from slipping away, while also searching for the solution to his deadly predicament.

Although written for young adults, like the Harry Potter books, Blaze of Glory will delight readers of all ages. Aubrey and George are likeable and memorable characters. Despite coming from an aristocratic family, Aubrey is down to earth and thinks nothing of being friends with George, a country boy whose major pastime is reading the Agony columns in the newspaper. As well, while Aubrey is obviously the smarter of the two, he is well aware of his own failings and the fact that George has skills that Aubrey lacks. Consequently, they work together as a team rather than as leader and follower. When Caroline joins the group, she is readily accepted as another member of the team with her own unique abilities. Another aspect of this story that I really liked is that the boys face real life decisions, such as what to do after high school. For example, should they go into the army or to university? Most important, the boys face a plethora of problems during the course of this story, and as in real life, they are not able to solve every problem that crosses their path. As well, the romantic interest that develops between Aubrey and Caroline also has a down-to-earth and realistic feel to it. Best of all, Caroline is a strong willed and independent young woman, who will serves as a viable role model for young women. Most important, the 'magic' that permeates this book is scientifically based. Students of the art must study math and physics, and craft spells that are more akin to scientific theorems rather than hocus-pocus.

Blaze of Glory is set in a Victorianish setting, complete with gas lamps and horses, but one that also has dirigibles, motorcars, floating magical lamps, and ornithopters (a magical cross between a helicopter and a bird). Magic is ingrained in the society. Everyone has access to it, although some, such as Aubrey, are more adapt at its use than others. Magic is used to better the lives of people, and it is used extensively in the realm of manufacturing.

From beginning to end, Blaze of Glory is a non-stop read that will keep you glued to the book as you follow Aubrey and George's quest to get to the bottom of an avalanche of mysteries. While magic has a role in solving these mysteries, it is the boy's wit and detective skills that play the biggest role in getting to the truth. If you are a Harry Potter fan, or like Kenneth Oppel's books, you'll love Blaze of Glory, and you'll be on the edge of your seat waiting to get your hands on Heart of Gold, the second volume in the thrilling Laws of Magic series.

Blaze of Glory is available from Read How You Want an on-demand publisher that makes books available in a variety of formats including Braille, DAISY, and five different large print formats. This range of formats makes this, and other books, available not only to visually impaired individuals, but also anyone with a reading or physical disability that makes reading standard print books difficult.

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