Review: Modern Magic: A contemporary fantasy novel

Modern Magic: A contemporary fantasy novel by Beth Williams
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The shadow of the late lamented Sir Terry Pratchett looms over every humourous fantasy novel, and especially every British humourous fantasy novel; comparisons are inevitable. This one doesn't set out to imitate him too closely, though the influence is there, mainly in the more-than-Dickensian names, but also in the general feel of the world: diverse people doing their best to get along, noblebright main characters, a lot of imperfections in how things work day-to-day, and yet somehow it all manages to operate.

In a Terry Pratchett book, or even a Tom Holt book, to which this also bears some similarity because of the corporate bureaucracy, the nerdy auditor, Hop, would probably have been the main character or at least the love interest, and Ivy, the actual main character, would have been less capable and less attractive, but still have triumphed through sheer perseverance and good intent. (She does have perseverance and good intent, though.)

The identity of the people behind all the trouble sticks out half a mile, and no tropes were averted or even given a twist in that part of the storytelling.

It is, though, a generous and kind-hearted story, in which more-or-less ordinary, imperfect people trapped in a less-than-ideal system dare to challenge it and overcome at least the worst consequences of the fact that others are abusing it from selfish motives, and those people in turn get some comeuppance. I found it amusing rather than hilarious, but it was consistently amusing, and didn't try too hard for laughs (which usually fails). It was decently edited, too, with a few minor glitches, mainly vocabulary or simple typos.

It's a recommendation from me, and I'll be looking for more from this author.

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