The Last Days of Magic

A Novel

De: Mark Tompkins

Narrado por: Sile Bermingham

“Fantastic . . . an honest, beautifully detailed book and an entertaining read.”
—DIANA GABALDON, THE WASHINGTON POST

"A fantastical treat."
—PEOPLE

“Simultaneously sweeping and intricate . . . Tompkins’s amazing debut novel conjures an epic battle for the soul of Ireland. Filled with papal machination and royal intrigue, magic and mayhem, faeries, Vikings, legates, kings and queens, angels and goddesses, this is one wild and breathless ride.”
—KAREN JOY FOWLER

“Plundering the treasure chest of human myths, from mysterious biblical giants to ferocious Celtic faeries, Tompkins has created a fantasy adventure with the shifting perspectives of dreamscape. A novel rich and strange.”
—GERALDINE BROOKS

What became of magic in the world? Who needed to do away with it, and for what reasons? Drawing on myth, legend, fairy tales, and Biblical mysteries, The Last Days of Magic brilliantly imagines answers to these questions, sweeping us back to a world where humans and magical beings co-exist as they had for centuries.

Aisling, a goddess in human form, was born to rule both domains and—with her twin, Anya—unite the Celts with the powerful faeries of the Middle Kingdom. But within medieval Ireland interests are divided, and far from its shores greater forces are mustering. Both England and Rome have a stake in driving magic from the Emerald Isle. Jordan, the Vatican commander tasked with vanquishing the remnants of otherworldly creatures from a disenchanted Europe, has built a career on such plots. But increasingly he finds himself torn between duty and his desire to understand the magic that has been forbidden.

As kings prepare, exorcists gather, and divisions widen between the warring clans of Ireland, Aisling and Jordan must come to terms with powers given and withheld, while a world that can still foster magic hangs in the balance. Loyalties are tested, betrayals sown, and the coming war will have repercussions that ripple centuries later, in today’s world—and in particular for a young graduate student named Sara Hill.

The Last Days of Magic introduces us to unforgettable characters who grapple with quests for power, human frailty, and the longing for knowledge that has been made taboo. Mark Tompkins has crafted a remarkable tale—a feat of world-building that poses astonishing and resonant answers to epic questions.

I'm confused

Was I missing chapters? It seemed as if there was only 2-3 chapters set in the modern world, almost like the book was originally just set in the past and as an afterthought, the first and last chapters were added. I couldn't really enjoy the story, because it felt like something major was missing, I'm sad to say. The narrator was good, but the story felt disjointed and as I said the first and last two chapters felt like a definite afterthought

Great fun

Great fun to spend a few evenings in the faerie world that Tompkins has created so masterfully. I was especially intrigued with the way he weaves his story into actual history. I look forward to learning more about the era. And I can't wait for the sequel! Ms. Bermingham read wonderfully.

Interesting book!

Brilliantly read, I would not have been able to pronounced many of the names and clans in this book.

A delicious escape

This book is the delicious escape filled with mysticism and a connection to the past It was the perfect summer read over the holiday. I'd recommend it to anybody. Tompkins did a lovely job of using history and stories of battles and passion to create a tale full of interesting characters and engaging subterfuges. I look forward to his next installment in the series!

Authentic

Wonderful perspective on magic and those who would kill it. Hated and loved the characters. Worthy read.