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mana:
Every thing contains mana. Mana is a mystical energy wizards can "tap" (=manipulate or use).
to shift:
to teleport, a kind of conjuring;
wizards:
Wizards have the ability to conjure things from one place to another. When wizards can touch things they can "tag" them. Wizards can summon things they tagged someday.
the helmet, the brain:
Ancient and powerful artifact. Created by some wizards in Lat-Nam. Can tag wizards and make them obedient.
Characters:
Gull, the Woodcutter:
His and his sister Greensleeves village was destroyed during an wizardly duel. Gull had nothing but grief from wizards. That's why he hates magic and fights against it. Gull used to be in love with Lily but they seperated. He is clumsy, quite stupid but nice and understanding.
Greensleeves:
Has been a simpleton because the magic of the Wispering Woods, her home, overpowered her mind. When she and her brother left the woods the first time she began to think clearly. Her greatest fear is to lose her mind someday again. She is an natural and unschooled wizard.
Lily, the White:
She is an unschooled wizard too. Lily has been a prostitute. Not very self-confident. She feels abused,unloved and not worth to be loved.
Chaney:
Teacher of Greensleeves. An old archdruid that manipulates mana to keep herself alive as long as Greensleeves needs her.
Norreen:
Former warrior, wife of Garth, Benalish hero. Her real name is Rakel.
Garth:
Husband of Norreen, one of the most powerful wizards in the Domains, planeswalker;
Story:
In a part of the Domains Garth, once Garth One-Eye, most dangerous man in the Western Realms, leaves his wife Norreen. He chases after more power. After he left his wife, some Benalish warriors kidnap Norreen and her son Hammen. A wizard teleports them home, to Benalia. A man she refused to marry is the haed of a caste that rules Benalia. The council accuses her of several crimes. The council finds her guilty. But because of a new policy, that grants condemned people one chance to redeem themselves, she is not killed. If she performs well in acting out one wish of the Speaking Caste she is pardoned. They expect her to assassinate the leaders of an army: Gull and Greensleeves. Norreen wants to win back her captured son who is used as a lever.
Gull, a general, feels helpless because his army wants him to make decisions but he thinks himself incompetent. And scouts found a marching party prepared for war. And a tornado, that spins so fast it can throw a house in the air, comes straight at the camp of Gulls army. Because Gull and his sister Greensleeves dedicated themselves to stopping wizardry they fight against every wizard they meet, supported by an army of volunteers. In the camp, that is situated in a big forest, the army defeats the first wave of enemies, creatures summoned by an evil wizard. But after a while the people in the camp are defeated. Karli, a bad wizard who lusts for power and kills other wizards to get stronger, arrives in the camp. While Karli ties to steal a magic box, that is supposed to be a mana vault, Norreen arrives and helps the army because she wants to appear trustworthy. With her help the army drives the enemies away. Norreen can't believe how low morale and discipline are in the army so she decides to help the army and show them how to organize. The army, that consists of victims of wizards who try to find their way home, tries to learn. Norreen would feel guilty if she would assassinate the leaders of this army, that united to help common folk. But she is undecided because otherwise her son would be killed.
Lily and Greensleeves are discouraged and afraid because they fear that magic itself changes the people. Greensleeves suffers from bad dreams but that night she wakes up because she hears a voice that calls her and that she has to follow. So she rides north. Gull is afraid that something happened to his sister. So he and some of his companions seek Greensleeves. They find her unharmed but years older. A druid, who is very old and alive only because of magic, teaches her magic and manipulated time to teach her magic faster. This druid, named Chaney, called Greensleeves to her. Althougt Gull thinks that magic is addictive and can only do harm Greensleeves studies magic because she wants to help others with it. During this time Norreen falls in love with Gull who fights for a good cause so she can't kill him and his sister. She even decides to teach Gull fighting, logistics and tactics. The old Archdruid tells Greensleeves everything about magic. One day Chaney recognizes that the box, which is thought to be a mana vault, is alive. It is some kind of artifact-creature. Nevertheless everyone is surprised when the vault comes to live, turns into something like a brain and runs away. But when it comes back it talks without an end. It tells them that it is very powerful and has the power to compel one wizard to obey another. They hope that the brain helps them to succeed in their crusade but don't know how to use it. Norreen reorganizes the army with strict orders and accomplishes a lot. Gull who is distrustful in magic has to admit that there are good uses for magic when Chaney heals Gulls stiff foot.
Because of her bad situation Norreen tries to kill herself but Gull prevents it. Norreen explains that the caste in Benalia might assume that she died attempting her duty and her son might stay alive. When she tells Gull the story he decides to help her free her son.
Because there is no game left and no bad wizard to fight they go north into the badlands. In the badlands they fight against Haakon, self-proclaimed King of the Badlands, another wizard. And because of Norreens training the army wins for the first time. And because they found out how the brain, which turned into a helmet, works, they try the helmet on on the wizard and can make him obedient.
Because Greensleeves can use the power of the wizard, Gull fears that she will start to quest after power like an evil wizard.
Benalish warriors kidnap Norreen because of her failure in killing Gull and Greensleeves. In this madness Haakon summons demons to escape but the demons hurt Haakon and steal the helmet.
So Chaney has to teach Greensleeves and Lily shifting, so they can try to rescue both, the helmet and Norreen. Both women manage to overcome their fears so they can shift. They rescue the tortured Norreen and her son and manage to gain back the helmet because Greensleeves is able to wear it for a short time without being hurt. So she can use the immense power of the helmet to defeat their enemies.
When they finally get home Garth appears and fights Gull but Norreen can stop them. Garth apologizes for deserting Norreen and his son. He gives his magic satchel, and thus his spells, to Greensleeves. Chaney dies and gives Greensleeves a lot of mana.
The defeated wizards contact Karli and join forces to stop the crusade....
I liked the book very much because it offers suspense as well as a fascinating fight between good and evil forces. I especially like this genre of books because the offer a world in which magic is not everyday but omnipresent. And i truely like the idea of a little more magic in normal life.
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