The Wizard of Is And the Power of Not

You will believe in magic. "Why?" you ask. The Wizard of Is is why. Meet Albert Pintergrass, future wizard, at forty-three-at least he could be, if he can manage to survive long enough-in a magical land called Eez where the mystery of magic is at work and where there is power in magic. The power of magic works through a pair of simple gemstones called reds and nots, in realms with names like Is and Siss, Dakks and Melrose, and a former realm called Ultra, in a place all wizards call home, Eez. In Eez, we find brooms for flying-if you want to clean the floor, use a sweep; brooms are for riding, not cleaning. There are wands for zapping out magic on command, medical miracles performed by angels. And winks for shifting ahead or back through time or space-choose one please, because you can't do both at the same time, you know. Flyers to transport one from point A to point B, so much better than any airplane ride. Spells to cast for just about anything, Potions whose motions can help, or hurt, depending on the turn on one's wrist, for whatever ails you, and, of course, there is the School. That is right, I did say school-a really, awesome school. A university in fact, called Marvels & Mirth - School of Wizardry & Witchcraft-a magic-filled learning center for anyone who qualifies as a potential future witch or wizard. "So how did a forty-plus outsider qualify to become a wizard?" you ask. It's in the blood. Albert Pintergrass has a bloodline tie to magic. He doesn't know it and doesn't want to know it. So distantly removed is that connection that even his parents probably wouldn't have known about it. Isn't that how it always happens? The important part is that he is related. So he is qualified to "try out." He is needed to continue as the last in a line of rulers called guardians. When the last ruler of Is dies of natural causes-she was a hundred years older that Moses you know-an heir must be produced to take her place. Otherwise, the Realm of Is will be no more. Our hero doesn't care a wit about a place he has never known. That is one of the reasons he isn't on anybody's list as a first choice, that and the fact that there are five other closer relatives who were already informed of the impending end and were being trained for their possible ascent to power should one of the nearer relatives not be able to serve. Unfortunately, for Albert, all five heirs die suddenly from unexplained causes in unusual circumstances, leaving guess who. "What happens?" you ask. Well, a little expedition goes out to find the next heir, who also happens to be the last of the line, Albert. The problems encountered when attempting to secure his trust and bring him up to speed fill this first volume. Several attempts are made by others to end his life, while the three special investigators known as the Evers, who are Whatever, Wherever and Whenever-unfortunately a fourth Ever, Whyever, didn't live long enough to make the trip-take on the task of protecting him. You need to understand the innermost workings of wink technology, a subject I'm still deciphering, to understand why the Evers have the challenges they do: exhibiting memory loss, showing up at the wrong time in the wrong place, often appearing confused and, from all outer appearances, suspiciously mimicking insane men. Nevertheless, they continue their search. When we finally discover their world, which is parallel to ours but held apart by a sphere induced by combining the powers of a heart-shaped stone called The Black, a magical science called wink technology, the powerful Realm Guardian Wizards, and, of course, a little unicorn magic, we are at one with the place, familiar with our surroundings, through myth and legend. "But isn't magic, well, magic?" you ask. Yes and no. Magic has different qualities just like ice cream or cheese or soda having their own smoothness, creaminess, or fizz-I bet you have your favorites. So it is with the magicks.