The Long Look (The Laws of Power Book 1)

Think you know evil magicians?The people of the Twelve Kingdoms do. Everyone agrees Tymon the Black is the absolute worst. He makes bad things happen to good people for no reason.Or maybe “everyone” doesn’t know the whole story.Tymon does, and cannot escape that burden. Now comes a horror from beyond the natural world which could destroy everything he has worked to achieve. Only he can stop it.But at what cost?Tymon has also seriously annoyed a vengeful goddess and scores of powerful people want him dead, including a bone-headed prince determined to be a hero. At any cost.Or, as Tymon might describe it, Monday.Daunting tasks, even for the greatest of heroes, but sometimes you don’t need a hero. Sometimes, what you really need is a first-class…Well, you get the idea.Now, in the first of The Laws of Power series, you can find out why.Praise for The Long Look“This book rocks!”— Edge SF“Parks' first full-length fantasy is equal parts dark comedy and fantasy adventure and should appeal to those who enjoy tales of derring-do that are ever so slightly off the beaten path.” — Library Journal“…a tale of multidimensional characterizations that is long on action, often-hilarious humor, introspection on the nature of good and evil, and the relation between cause and effect.“— Booklist“…its archetypes keep giving way to individuals, familiar tropes to something unexpected. A "dissident fairy tale" indeed!” —Locus“This is a fantasy novel that mixes adventure and mystery with an undercoating of wry humor.” — Critical Mass

From Publishers Weekly

At the beginning of this amusing but thoughtful sword and sorcery novel from World Fantasy Award finalist Parks (Worshipping Small Gods), evil magician Tymon the Black kidnaps Princess Ashesa and kills brave Prince Daras when he comes to rescue her. At least that's the official story. Tymon, blessed (or cursed) with an overabundance of foresight, is simply trying to prevent the damage a simple-minded, glory-addicted hero could do if he lived to become king, but even the magician's Sanchoesque dwarf companion, Seb, questions the magician's certainty that the ends justify the means. Tymon tries to make it right by helping Daras's bookish younger brother get together with spunky, guilt-ridden Ashesa, but initial intervention is increasingly complicated by the maneuverings of an exceptionally intelligent cast of characters. The tale doesn't overflow with crackling wit or moral complexity, but heroic fantasy fans will enjoy its clever tweaking of familiar clichés. (Sept.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Parks successfully conjures an evil magician with a difference. Tymon the Black, at heart a kind, gentle man, is the latest in a long line of magicians who suffer the curse called the Long Look, the ability to see future horrors that will occur unless action is taken. To prevent chaos this time, Tymon realizes he has to kidnap a princess; kill the headstrong, hot-tempered prince to whom she is unwillingly betrothed; and make sure a wedding takes place. All this sets in motion a complicated series of events involving not only the intrepid princess and the dead prince’s brother but also Tymon’s loyal companion, the dwarf Seb; an obscure and doddering pretender to a throne who is being used in a plot to take over a kingdom; an enigmatic goddess; a young man who becomes Tymon’s apprentice; and a fiend who must be banished. The upshot is a tale of multidimensional characterizations that is long on action, often-hilarious humor, introspection on the nature of good and evil, and the relation between cause and effect. --Sally Estes

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