Yesterday's Magic (Paperback)

~ Pamela F. Service (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5–9—This book follows Winter of Magic's Return (1985) and Tomorrow's Magic (1987, both S & S). In a post-nuclear-disaster world 500 years in the future, teens Heather, Welly, and Merlin (freed from enchantment and newly rejuvenated) are working with King Arthur (returned from the Otherworld of Avalon) to unite what remains of humankind in Britain. The story begins with Arthur's wedding to Queen Margaret of Scotland, after which Heather is kidnapped by Morgan Le Fay. Merlin sets off to save her along with Welly and their troll friend, all on the back of a somewhat reluctant dragon. With the emergence of Heather's ability to converse telepathically with select youngsters around the world, this novel explores the possibility that other pockets of humanity have survived besides those in Britain. This is a solid fantasy that will appeal to fans of Camelot stories, but it can also be enjoyed by readers who have little or no interest in Arthurian legend. Characters, particularly Merlin and Heather, are well developed, and the plot is well paced. A brief prologue establishes the setting and recounts major events in the first two books. While it's not necessary to have read the earlier works, readers may be interested in seeing the whole story arc and watching the characters and their relationships develop.—Amanda Raklovits, Champaign Public Library, IL
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Description

Heather, Merlin, and Morgan LeFay are back!

When Heather McKenna is kidnapped by the sorceress Morgan LeFay, it is up to Heather’s friend Welly and the wizard Merlin (yes, that Merlin) to rescue her. Set five hundred years in the future following a nuclear devastation, the technological world has ground to a halt but magic is beginning to take hold again, and the powerful icons of myth are starting to fight over control of the world. From the Russian witch Baba Yaga, to the Native American trickster god, Raven, the most ancient magical forces are beginning to awaken, and they have very different ideas about the future of the earth.

This riveting sequel to Tomorrow’s Magic continues Merlin and Arthur’s quest to reunite the world.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Yearling; Reprint edition (May 12, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0375855785
• ISBN-13: 978-0375855788
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 5.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #872,541 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, August 4, 2008

By	F. Levy (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Yesterday's Magic (Hardcover)

I was so excited when I discovered that this sequel was being written to "Winter of Magic's Return" and "Tomorrow's Magic." It picks up only a year after where "Tomorrow's Magic" left off, which creates a great sense of continuity after such a long real-time gap between the books! Honestly, I didn't love "Yesterday's Magic" as much as "Winter of Magic's Return," but that's probably because I imagined the story continuing differently; I first read this series when I was a kid about 8 years ago, so I've had a lot of time to imagine a different plot-line since finishing "Tomorrow's Magic." My reading proficiency and tastes have also changed so much since I was a child that I'm reading this 3rd book from a much different perspective than the ones I first read 8 years ago. Overall, this book is an excellent continuation of the "Tomorrow's Magic" series, and I hope that Ms. Service doesn't wait another 20 years to write a fourth installment!

5.0 out of 5 stars Courtesy of Teens Read Too, July 27, 2008

By	TeensReadToo.com "Eat. Drink. Read. Be Merrier." (All Over the US & Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Yesterday's Magic (Hardcover)

The sequel to TOMORROW'S MAGIC packs a definite punch. Hundreds of years into Earth's future, humanity has lost control of its nuclear weapons and destroyed much of the planet, plunging the world into another ice age and killing off most of the human population. Years later, civilization is starting to rebuild in those few pockets of human life that remain, but this civilization looks very different from the one that preceded it. For one thing, the high levels of radiation have mutated numerous plants, creatures, and even humans, and those who have escaped extreme mutations have still been changed by their surroundings. But the other, more significant development is the resurgence of magical power into the world and the appearance of new forms of magic.

In the previous novel, British schoolchildren Heather and Welly opened up a portal to the Otherworld known as Avalon and brought back King Arthur with the intent of reuniting Britain. They also discover Merlin, who as a result of a spell he has used to cheat time is now a young boy again, the same age as Heather and Welly. Unfortunately, the return of magic into the world also heralds the return of Morgan Le Fay, evil sorceress bent on uniting the world to much darker purposes.

The conflict in YESTERDAY'S MAGIC begins when Morgan, thought to have been defeated, rigs an elaborate trap to kidnap Heather in order to drain her of her magical powers. Merlin, who is in love with Heather, runs to her rescue despite the caution of his friends that he may be Morgan's real target. The resulting chase leads Merlin around the world, where he encounters other civilizations that have survived the Devastation and are beginning to rebuild, all the while attempting to save Heather and protect these fledgling civilizations from Morgan's evil.

I hadn't read the previous novel in the series before picking this one up, but the richness of backstory present within the book had me itching for a copy of its predecessor within chapters. The author does a good job of presenting characters and their relationships with a sense of depth, giving not just an idea of who they are now, but who they were in the previous book and how their relationships have developed over the course of time. I also enjoyed her small details about the setting that helped me get a sense for the time--Heather's two-headed, two-tailed "mutie" dog comes to mind, as does a schoolchild's plastic lunchbox that is revered as treasure because plastic can no longer be manufactured and so much of it was destroyed during the Devastation. Service's blend of a new world and old magic makes for a compelling read.

Reviewed by: Candace Cunard