A brilliantly executed novel by an author with boundless potential.
It’s the first day on the job for Harris Reed at the Site, a secret facility near Seattle where magic is practiced and honed. All the jitters and anticipation are replaced with awe and fascination as he begins a career as a professional Conjurer. Of course, there are a few rules and procedures and certifications and authorizations, but all of this pales in comparison to the big project. The Site is about to conjure a real-life fire-breathing dragon to assert military dominance on behalf of the United States. Things fall apart when the dragon, Zoth-Avarex, proves to have different goals and takes a hostage.
The Conjuring of Zoth-Avarex: The Self-Proclaimed Greatest Dragon in the Multiverse is part fantasy, part satire but entirely irresistible! The silly scene on the cover sets the tone for the entire book. The book is humorous from the start, but hilarity truly ensues when a greedy dragon starts laying out his demands to the government. Lest the task be jeopardized by cumbersome bureaucracy, a group of novice magicians working without authorization take on the task of saving the girl from the super intelligent, but highly sarcastic beast.
This spicy novel is to Harry Potter what hard cider is to apple juice. There are tons of genre-deprecating references, like sparkly Vampires and timely TPS reports, to remind readers of everything they love about fiction. The familiar theme, guy has to slay the dragon to save the girl, is told in a completely new way, with a particular shine to current events. If you love a fantastical adventure, or are just a sucker for a book with a few great punchlines, The Conjuring of Zoth-Avarex is a brilliantly executed novel by an author with boundless potential.
