Customer Reviews

Magic, Mensa & Mayhem

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I knew from the first page that I was going to love this book. Well...to be honest, I knew it before that, from all I'd been hearing about it all over the place, but let's not split hairs, all right? One of the main characters having the same name as me is pretty darn cool, too. Doesn't happen as often as you might think. And while fantasy's not usually my thing, this is definitely not your usual fantasy.

Okay, so we have the dragon and the nun, working together as private investigators. The bishop sends them to accompany a bunch of faeries to a convention, a prospect that doesn't exactly thrill Vern - though Grace is unruffled. But not long after their flying circus leaves the ground, mischievous magicals are already causing trouble. Minor incidents escalate until one of the head elves decides to conquer the state of Florida while his sense of proper oratory etiquette is impaired by a chemical high.

In true intellectual style, many topics are sideswiped, considered, and passed by on the helter-skelter ride to the climax - issues such as temporal philosophy, interspecies morality, the Inner Child, and even semi-professional counselling as Vern comforts a failed wannabe actor. Other gems include quips from TV and movies, a talking purse, respectful nods to Doctor Who and Star Trek (among others), enchanted dancing, dodging the paparazzi, naiads eliminating a case of littering, obsessively tidy brownies, artificial sweeteners, and multifaceted cultural misunderstandings.

Vern the dragon detective is a magnetic character despite his demonstrative cynicism. He made me laugh just about every time he opened his mouth. His partner the nun is almost as funny again, and the two of them make sport of bouncing puns off each other and anyone who happens to be in earshot. Not just any puns, mind you - not the painful kind, but puns that are woven into the story and thus are a force of hilarity to be reckoned with - in any of the numerous languages you'll find in the book.

All in all - a tall tale destined to become a part of modern legend if the reading public has any sense, and a real-world fantasy with a kick that's as funny as it is preposterous.

Magic, Mensa and Mayhem by Karina Fabian is not a good book to read in a library. Last week I read through the book in my library, receiving disapproving looks from the librarian with every snicker. I rarely laugh out loud when I am reading, but the antics of the characters in this book did it for me.

Magic, Mensa and Mayhem is part of a series of stories written by Fabian, featuring Vern, an immortal dragon cursed by St. George to do good works. Most recently, he has been doing those good works in New Mexico as a private detective specializing in crimes related to magic. A portal between our world and the world of Faerie opened up creating a commerce between the two worlds. Vern, along with Sister Grace of the Faerie Catholic Church, fights evil on both sides of the portal usually resulting in saving one of the two worlds.

Vern's most recent (nonpaying) job is to babysit a bunch of "magicals" on a trip to a Mensa convention. Riding herd on pixies, brownies, fairies, an Indian trickster named Coyote and a Valkyrie named Brunhilde, may be in Sis. Grace's words: " the toughest job we've not gotten paid for."

From there the romp includes averting a dozen crises from invisible brownies to averting an interdimensional war sparked a rivalry between two fairies.

The strength of Fabian's writing lies in creating memorable characters populating improbable plots that seem perfectly credible as you read them. She has the unique ability to wrap a parody around a strong believable plot.

The stories are written in such a way that they can be read and understood easily without having read any of the other books in the series. However, in some ways, this leads to the only flaw in the story. Fabian frequently interrupts the flow of a scene by a long aside about something which took place in a previous story. Sometimes this works, but many times it is not necessary to know that bit of the backstory to understand the current plot. This is a hard balance for the writer of a series to strike. I suspect that as more books and stories about Vern emerge, Fabian will find that balance.

I can recommend this book heartily, but be warned: Don't read it in a library!

When my copy of Magic, Mensa & Mayhem arrived, I was excited. I've read Karina's work before, and I hoped to be delighted. I figured this would be the kind of book that would have me laughing and thinking and enjoying myself.

Oh, the satisfaction of being SO right!

MM&M gives us our first full-length novel featuring Vern, the private eye dragon from the world of Faerie. Did I mention that Vern's Catholic? Well, he is now. You'll have to read for yourself to find out how he, uh, converted. Did I mention parallel universes? Did I mention Vern works with a nun? Did I mention laughing out loud at a rate that had my husband asking me to consider reading in another room? (OK, I'm exaggerating. He never actually said anything.)

That all seems unlikely to me too. But MM&M is unlikely, just the way that all your favorite novels are. You can't guess what's going to happen next, even if you excel at that and regularly throw books over your shoulder in disgust. Is it Fabian's wit? Is it her storytelling? Is it the world she's created that has you looking around your house a little closer, hoping for a chink in the plaster that makes it all real?

I don't know. I'm a busy mom who doesn't read as much as I'd like. I've already passed one of my copies on to a friend, and I think I'll keep it in circulation -- I can think of a few people who can use a good novel. The other copy...well, I think I'll be rereading it sometime in the future, perhaps to a budding reader in my house, perhaps on an evening when I just need something, well, good.

Magic, Mensa, and Mayhem is a good example of truth in advertising. Karina Fabian has written a merry romp through a world where social, political, and economic concourse between mundane Earth and the realm of Faerie has become routine, so there's nothing particularly odd about magical creatures participating in a Mensa conference in Florida, affinity among brainy people being a common denominator in both dimensions.

However, sinister forces are afoot, so it's up to dragon detective Vern d'Wyvern and his partner, Sister Grace McCarthy of Our Lady of the Miracles, to make sure everything goes smoothly.

As if.

Ms. Fabian peppers her story with wry social commentary and puns galore, assuring a chuckle on almost every page. No ox is left ungored, from Magic Kingdoms(tm) to environmental protesters to nefarious corporate profiteers, to bloviating politicians. Everybody gets a heaping helping of Vern's sardonic wit, and despite all manner of obstacles, including drunken pixies, obsessive-compulsive brownies, starstruck dwarves, lovelorn valkyries, and the master of disaster himself, Coyote the Trickster of Native American lore, Vern and Grace prevail with style and, well, grace. It's lighthearted, diverting entertainment for everyone from eight to eighty (though some of the puns and double-entendres may fly over the heads of younger folks).

I'd recommend this book on its entertainment merits alone, but something else struck me as I finished the last few pages. Underneath all the yuks and puns and magical farce is a very profound story of personal transformation illustrated by an unlikely character-Vern himself.

Without going into a lot of Vern's backstory (read the book for that), Vern was, for millenia, a typical, fire-breathing, knight-noshing engine of intimidation and destruction, until he was captured by the Faerie version of Saint George, stripped of most of his dragonly powers, and dragooned (sorry, the puns are contagious) into the service of the Faerie Catholic Church, the dominant faith in Fabian's Faerie realm. To regain his former magnificence, Vern must cultivate a life of good works and service to others.

Despite his protestations to the contrary, Vern is a dragon in need of salvation, and his downfall is pride. He has a traumatic conversion experience and enters God's service. He discovers the power of humility, loyalty, and friendship. He adopts spiritual disciplines. He learns how to control his anger and solve problems cooperatively, not depending on his own strength and abilities. He learns to put others before himself.

As Vern grows spiritually, he also grows physically, slowly regaining the powers he surrendered at his conversion, but he is now able to use them humbly and responsibly. It is the reverse, but not the opposite, of the "un-dragoning" of Eustace in C.S. Lewis' The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Vern is re-dragoned, becoming the truly noble creature of God's imagination he was always meant to be.

Ms. Fabian is a Catholic writer, so it's not surprising that references to her faith emerge in this story. They are handled in a simple, unselfconscious manner consistent with the universe she has created. She's not shy about expressing her faith, but her story is not in any way a Catholic tract in disguise. The themes are universal--everyone, on some level, is looking for redemption and transformation.

Vern's metaphor speaks most poignantly to Christians, I think, because it lies at the very heart of what we believe is true about our relationship with God. He reaches out to us and changes us, though we've done nothing to deserve it, and then He leads us on a lifelong journey in which we become conformed to that divine image which was our original birthright. We become the people we were always meant to be. Maybe this is why I found Vern such an appealing character. I can see a lot of me in Vern.

Whew, all this depth in a funny little story about a dragon. Who'd have thought?

Humor, mystery, and fantasy combine to create an outstanding story in "Magic, Mensa and Mayhem" by Karina L. Fabian.

This was not going to be one of those STUC (Save-the-Universe Cases). Just an all-expense paid trip to Florida to chaperone a group of Magicals at a Mensa convention for Vern the dragon detective and his partner, the mage Sister Grace.

Well, someone forgot to tell the pixies. They start pulling their pranks. Then the Brownies start cleaning and organizing things they aren't supposed to and a hyped up elf who is behind the times might declare war on Florida. And as if that's not bad enough, there's a Native American Trickster who can change forms and a Valkyrie heroine of legend who has turned her attention to bodybuilding and fashion design, both of whom create a little chaos of their own.

So much for that cushy job!

If you are looking for a deep fantasy novel, this isn't it. "Magic, Mensa and Mayhem" is, however, one of the most uproariously funny books you'll ever read. Honestly, I laughed so hard that my husband thought I had found my decades-long missing sense of humor.

Fabian proves once again that she is a master storyteller. Who else could combine a dragon detective, a magical nun, a host of other bizarre characters and Oprah, and make it work so well?

Now, keeping in mind that I am not a huge fan of the fantasy genre, this book hooked me from the very first sentence. Actually, the Acknowledgements section caught my eye first, and I rarely read those. Fabian shares how the book came about, the origin of Vern, how she entered into a relationship with publisher Dindy Robinson of Swimming Kangaroo Books and talks about where you can find Vern online.

Included at the end are two appendices. The first is "Uncle Vern's Glossary of Faerie and Mundane Terms" and the second contains the "Pronunciation of Elvish Names" found in the book and includes brief comments about each elf. Both appendices are as devilishly funny as the rest of the book.

"Magic, Mensa and Mayhem" is a must read for anyone who enjoys a funny, offbeat story.

I leave you with a Vern quote that is also included at the back of the book:

"...Wisdom of the Ages, Knowledge of Eternity, and I end up a babysitter at the Smart Humans' Convention."

This novel had me from the title and cover, much less the first chapter. Honestly, it's more fun than a barrelful of pixies. What's not to like? The story is told by Vern, a snarky dragon who was cut down to size and brought over to the light side ages ago in his world of Faerie, a kind of parallel world to ours. God has a much better following their than He does here, including with the fey folk. Somehow this gap opened up so that the inhabitants of Faerie and Mundane (that's us) could travel back and forth, and with it many unusual adventures opened up. In this adventure, Vern and his super-nun sidekick Grace are sent to a Mensa convention in Florida. Grace is a presenter, but the real purpose is for them to ride herd on the Magicals who will be mixing with unsuspecting humans. There's some crazy cleaning going on, naiads in the fountains, pranking pixies, a voluptuous Valkyrie, dramatic dwarves, and the tricky but charismatic Coyote, not to mention the indignities that a dragon has to put up with when he can't eat the ignorant!

I read a lot of this book while waiting in various doctor's offices and in restaurants. In a way it was advertisement, I guess, because I constantly chuckled out loud at the passages. Mrs. Fabian has a marvelous gift (?) of punning and creating hilarious scenes. Vern's asides and snarky comments are real gems. Her characters are memorable and well-defined; each one is uniquely memorable. This cast and premise should carry the Dragon Eye PI series on as long as she wants to. I look forward to more.

This author is as funny as Robert Asprin on one of his good days. Who else could come up with a twelve foot Sam Spade named Vern and get away with it so brilliantly? His partner is no Miles Archer; Sister Grace is a lot sharper, more honest, and carries a mean tune. Her shootout with a muse during a con panel is priceless.

Fabian's take on elves is a good corrective to the near adoration of some portrayals. And, who knew elvish names could be so much fun when translated into English?

The only problem is going to be waiting for the next installment of this three-way collision of Hammett, Tolkien, and Chesterton.

With the opening of the Gap (an interdimensional gateway between Earth and Faerie Earth) everything changes. Earth finally gets the chance to meet real live dwarves, high elves and at least one dragon, while Faerie Earth discovers technology, eBay and junk food. For both worlds, cultural interactions become tricky. This sets an interesting stage for the two main characters.

Grace is a Nun in the order of Our Lady of the Miracles in the Faerie Catholic Church. She partners with Vern, a Faerie dragon bespelled by St George to serve humanity and the Church in penance for his past. Together, they solve fantastic mysteries, with the fate of the earth (both of them) at stake.

In this adventure, it's Sister Grace and Vern vs quantum elves, mundane lookeeloos, bulls and brownies as Karina Fabian brings to life an interdimensional clash of cultures at, of all places, a Mensa World Gathering Convention in Florida.

This thoroughly charming book successfully enmeshes fun, innocence,interdimensional Catholicism, mysterious happenings and truly magical creatures. The tale itself is well thought out and cleverly written in Noir style. I found myself openly laughing at the story's twists and turns and even some of the names.

I very much enjoyed th

Vern the dragon detective is a snarky, wonderful character - a Sam Spade with scales. How he interacts with the "mundanes" and their world it a total riot. The universe is well thought-out, detailed, believable and doggone funny!

The 'religious' aspect is simply a part of Vern's world, rather than an attempt to drive home a message. Beaten by the legendary Saint George, Vern was forced to serve the Faerie Catholic Church and now has a nun for a partner. Kind of hard to avoid religion in his situation and it certainly makes his world more interesting.

This book is an raucous romp along the lines of Asprin's MythAdventures. If you liked MythAdventures, you'll love this book.

During a recent bout of illness I was left with almost nothing to do but read, but even my old favorites didn't give me the comfort I was seeking. Fortunately, I'd acquired a copy of Karina Fabian's MAGIC, MENSA, AND MAYHEM. It seemed the perfect literary comfort food; light, amusing, and a quick read. And it was. I very much enjoyed this adventure of Vern, the dragon doing penance and his partner, Sister Grace of the Faery Catholic Church. One doesn't have to be Catholic to enjoy and appreciate this marvelous little book.
We learn there has been a rift created that allows the magical beings of Faerie and our mundane world to travel between the two, and problems and dangers come along as part of the baggage. Fabian has a fine command of myth, legend, and fact and intertwines them beautifully. I particularly enjoyed her windbag elves and the choice of a Mensa convention was the perfect setting for this lively little tale.
I highly recommend this very entertaining book.