Key to Havoc (Book One of the ChroMagic Series)

Piers Anthony
Mundania Press LLC (2003)
ISBN 9780972367073
Reviewed by William Phenn for Reader Views (6/07)


Who better to tell a tale such as this except Piers Anthony.  The man has written a series of best-selling books:  The Pornucopia Series, Dragon’s Gold Series, Of Man and Manta Series and many more. He needs no introduction to readers of fantasy and the magical realm. To those that don’t know him, his books have appeared on the New York Times’ Best Seller List twenty-one times. Mr. Anthony has written much more than just fantasy and science fiction. His literary prowess has extended into books about martial arts and horror as well.

Presenting a fantasy world of Dragons, Mystics, Queens and Kings, this book reads like an RPG (Role Play Game). Magic abounds, sex runs rampant and two innocents are in for the adventure of their life, as this mystical tale of a young barbarian (Havoc) and his sweetie (Gale) unfolds.

Havoc is a young man that lived for the freedom of the woods and nature. You could almost call him a Dr. Doolittle of sorts. He was just a carefree young lad who enjoyed the outdoors and the life he led, till that fateful day when the King’s men came and took him away -- took him away to a land far away, and he was thrown into an environment that was totally alien to him, the city.

What happens to young Havoc and his pretty little Gale is just so traumatic, from the time he is forced to take a mistress instead of having Gale by his side, to her having to role play having sex with a young lad and not him. All this must be done and is expected of them for the position that Havoc has been put into.

The plot thickens with attempts on his life, demons trying to steal souls and a mystery surrounding the demise of the man Havoc replaced. All this, while trying to fight the evil soul-snatching demons that live in a land far away.

“Key to Havoc” is well written and nicely presented in a way that there is never a dull moment. I gave it an A because it is fast moving and intriguing. It will keep you in its spell from the first chapter to the last. I really enjoyed it and would recommend it to all fantasy readers.

Make comment on weblog