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A Forthcoming Wizard

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After the events that occurred in AN UNEXPECTED APPRENTICE, smallfolk Tildi Summerbee possesses the Great Book. She knows the responsibly is awe-inspiring as the guardian of the tome that includes the Runes that control the Runes of every living thing or object; a species can be extinct with a simple written deletion. Tildi vows to keep the sacred icon safe while the Knights of the Word vow to keep the guardian from escaping their surveillance of her.

However though Tildi understands she holds something incredibly powerful, she remains ignorant of the awesome supremacy of the Great Book until a knight dies while trying to alter his individual Rune. Tildi's so-called protector Abbess Sharhava wants to take the Great Book from her to bring to her order's scriptorium while Knemet the Maker has other plans for using the tome; their motives vary as does their means, but both plan to take the Great Book from Tildi in some way. Although frightened with her responsibility and filled with doubts that a halfling smallfolk like her can do the job, Tildi surrounded by a loyal protective circle of friends especially Rin the centaur and her former mentor Serafina the wizard, refuses to yield the tome to anyone; instead she keeps the Great Book under her control to insure it is used with moral principles and not to further someone's corrupt affluence.

Although this engaging fantasy takes a bit long to get past the introduction to Tildi's new world order, A FORTHCOMING WIZARD is a fascinating thriller. Once the stage is set, the story line accelerates into a fast-paced read. Tildi remains the center holding the plot together as she has come a long way from her days disguised as her late brother serving as AN UNEXPECTED APPRENTICE to Serafina. Fans with some patience will appreciate Joy Lynn Nye's second Great Book saga.

Harriet Klausner

The Forthcoming Wizard (2010) is the second Fantasy novel in this series, following An Unexpected Apprentice. In the previous volume, Edynn leads the eight pursuers. Tildi rides Rin and the others ride horses. They follow the thief through the air, but the thief keeps ahead of them.

Eremilandur brings back a description of the thief and the dangers of the Great Book. His father then sends him to apologize to his fiancee. Later Eremilandur sees signs of the Great Book and rides away from his betrothal feast.

In this novel, Tildi Summerbee is a Smallfolk. She is also the apprentice of Olen the Wizard.

Olen is a very ancient wizard. He lives in the great Silvertree.

Serafina is a wizard and the daughter of Edynn. She was greatly upset when her mother died protecting them, but remembered her promise to teach Tildi.

Magpie is a vagabond minstrel. He is also Eremilandur, the third prince of the Orontae royal family. His father is always displeased with him.

Inbecca was a princess of Levrenn and heir to the throne. She was also betrothed to Eremilandur before taking vows as a Knight of the Word.

Sharhava is Abbess of the Scholardom and the Knights of the Word. She is also Inbecca's aunt.

In this story, Abbess Sharhava offers to escort the Great Book to the Scriptorium. She orders Tildi to give her the book, but the Smallfolk refuses. Then Sharhava tries to take the books and severely burns both hands.

Serafina heals one hand, but Sharhava snatches her other hand away from the wizard. Since no one else can handle the Great Book, the Abbess offers to escort Tildi southward. The Knights of the Word leave the castle with Tildi and her friends.

Tildi has used the book to restore some of the damage to the castle, but much still remains. They also leave behind the body of Nemeth. But Edynn has vanished behind the closed door.

Inbecca has trouble learning her new role. When she argues with her Aunt, Sharhava puts her in her place. Inbecca is angry at the snub, but she has sworn the vows and is determined to be faithful to them.

Nemeth had cast a spell to hide the Great Book, but now he is dead and his spell died with him. Serafina tries to restore the spell, but is stopped by the Knights. Tildi and Serafina convince Sharhava to let them renew the spell so that they and the Book are hidden from the Thraiks.

Magpie had ridden through the area many times as a boy and knows something about the terrain. Although the land has been greatly changed by Nemeth using the Great Book, some places are much the same. Magpie guides them as best he can.

The group carefully rides through the disrupted landscape. Then they discover that the Great Book is changing its surroundings. The Great Book has also increased Tildi's powers, so she starts using her magic to maintain the trail.

The Great Book also provides magical powers to the Knights. One studies his own rune and makes small changes. Despite warnings from Serafina, he changes his body to be stronger. Bertin uses his new strength to allow the party to pass an obstacle, but the effort kills him.

The party wends its way toward the Scriptorium. They pass by several small towns, but Sharhava tries to hide the group from casual notice. She only sends a few Knights into the villages to buy supplies.

But the Knights are not unobserved. Someone is watching them as they travel. Eventually they attack the Knights.

This tale teaches Tildi something about independence. It also teaches Inbecca a lot about patience. Serafina learns that she is capable of leading the group in her own way. Even Sharhava learns a lesson from the journey.

This volume seems to end the story. The immediate plotline is closed with few loose threads. Yet one can't help wanting to learn more about Tildi. If the readers want more, maybe a sequel will be forthcoming.

Highly recommended for Nye fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of small folks, dire circumstances, and magical quests. Read and enjoy!

-Arthur W. Jordin

In my humble opinion, Jody Lynn Nye is one of the most undeservedly underrated fantasy and science fiction novelists currently writing. Just look at what she's done with "A Forthcoming Wizard" and its prequel, "An Unexpected Apprentice." She has built a world that has the variation of Middle Earth crossed with Earthsea, where there IS a big bad sorcerer behind it all, and "words mean." Tildi Summerbee was devastated to learn in "An Unexpected Apprentice" that her people, the smallfolk, were actually created by the cabal of sorcerers who built the world the way it is, as a scientific experiment. But for some reason, the Great Book, which contains all the world, one rune at a time, wants to be _her_ book.

When you analyze the themes in the book, you can see Middle Earth distinctly, like Abbess Sharhava for Saruman, and the like. But when you're reading it, the sheer joy embedded in the narrative sweeps you along completely suspending (in fact, tying it up and putting it in a closet) your disbelief.

Jody Lynn Nye deserves more recognition. I dunno why these books haven't been nominated for World Fantasy Awards, because they certainly deserve consideration.

If you haven't read either "An Unexpected Apprentice" or "A Forthcoming Wizard" march over to your computer or out to your favorite bookstore and do so right now.

Following the creation of a wizard, enduring the terrors and trials of life while growing up.
Plenty of imagination and emotion.