The Silicon Mage (Windrose Chronicles, Book 2)

By Barbara Hambly

Book Overview

Continues the story of Joanna, a beautiful computer expert, and Antryg Windrose, a condemned wizard, who are linked by a Void between universes. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0345337638
• ISBN13: 9780345337634
• Release Date: March 1988
• Publisher: Del Rey Books
• Length: 338 Pages
• Weight: 0.44 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 4.2" x 6.9"

Customer Reviews

Searching For the Computer

The Silicon Mage (1988) is the second fantasy novel in the Windrose Chronicles trilogy, following The Silent Tower. In the previous volume, Suraklin -- the Dark Mage -- occupied the brain of the Emperor. Four years ago, he possessed the brain of Salteris -- the Archmage -- and performed some experiments. He found a way to generate electricity using teles -- crystal balls -- to draw energy by magical means from unprotected persons. Now a condition of hopelessness swept through both worlds. All seem to believe that this condition was subjective rather than objective. But Joanna believed that this condition was caused by Suraklin's magical generator. Apparently Suraklin was planning to transfer his spirit into a computer using this power. Joanna was faced with a dilemma on whether to trust Antryg. Since she loved Antryg, she erred on the side of caution and betrayed him to the Witchfinders. Then she dreamed of the torture and imprisonment of her lover. In this novel, Joanna finally discovers proof of Antryg's innocence. She has broken into Gary's hidden files on the Cray and found programs designed to transfer Suraklin's spirit into a stolen computer. She transfers megabytes of data to her computer and prints out everything. Then she reduces the font size and prints the routines double-sided. She keeps everything in a backpack, which never leaves her reach. Antryg is again imprisoned in the Silent Tower. This time the Church has formed a Sigil of Darkness on a collar and soldiered it around his neck. Even if he escapes the tower, he will not be able to perform or perceive magic. Caris firmly believes that Antryg's body is possessed by Saraklin's spirit. He blames his grandfather's death on Antryg. Now he is once again a sasennan in the service of the Mage Council. Prince Pharos is the regnant for his mindless father. He blames Antryg for the collapse of his father's mind. Pharos has married Pellicida, but still keeps a fancy boy for his own amorous pursuits. In this story, Joanna prepares for a trip through the Void. She sneaks back into the complex and then follows Gary to the computer room. When the darkness appears, Joanna follows him into the Void. But she loses him within the darkness and emerges somewhere else within the Empire of Ferrych. Joanna avoids a group of Old Believers and then waits to catch a ride. The oppressive hopelessness starts and a man refuses to give her a ride. Then he changes his mind and takes her to town to catch the next coach. When Joanna reaches Angelshand, she first tries to gain help from Caris, but he is not willing to free Antryg. She mentions her findings as well as the recurring spells of hopelessness. He takes her pistol and still refuses to assist in Antryg's release, but he doesn't report her to the witchfinders. Then Joanna approaches Magister Magus, but the dog wizard is too frightened of Suraklin to directly assist her. He does get a appointment for her to see Prince Ce

You wish you could invide them over for lunch!

OK. You pick up a book. You open it. The first sentence is:"The worst thing about knowing Gary was dead was seeing him every day at work."You want to know a little bit more, don't ya?Of course you have to read the Silent Tower first, but you won't be bored. Barbara Hambly is an excellent writer; she creates these Technicolor characters. They're priceless, detailed, 3-D and believable; I'd love to invite them over for lunch. (Especially Antryg; he's a corker. I can just see him waving his fork and expounding on turtle shells and Unreal Tournament and the Punic Wars and pretty much everything. I'd listen until my ears fell off.) In general, this is an exciting espionage-ish book; they're wrecked, lost, captured, escaped, imprisoned, etcetera--you certainly won't be bored. It's a complex, highly plotted book, with lots of twists and surprises. She creates some very Lovecraftian monsters as well, so you can get some exercize by letting your flesh crawl. And you *have* to meet NineTenTwo, who looks like an H.R. Giger Alien but talks like a cardigan-wearing physics prof.

A Great Story!

Joanna has betrayed Antryg to torture, imprisonment, and horrific torment - and she's back in Los Angeles, a universe away and unable to help him. Gary, possessed by the dark mage, can open the void for her to cross and rescue Antryg - if she can follow.What would YOU take with you if you were charging off to another world with the grand agenda of saving Antryg and stopping Suraklin from plunging both worlds into horrible, hopeless greyness forever to fuel his bid for immortality, once again constantly trying to evade capture, avoid monsters, and keep track of all the players?This truly excellent novel wraps up the story begun in The Silent Tower. Never predictable, the tale is taut from start to finish as Joanna, Antryg, and a few surprising allies fight the good fight against staggering odds. It doesn't seem possible that they could win.And what would it mean if they did?Buy this book!

A slight correction to the description

The heroine does NOT have a worn computer disk. She has a worm program on a disk. This is important in the story.My daughter and I love this book. Between us, we've gone through at least five paperback copies. The cover art for the paperback is absolutely fabulous and appropriate, too.

Stunning.

The sequel to The Silent Tower is extremely powerful, filled with emotions--fear, love, hate. This is the best book of Barbara Hambly's that I have read yet. Conflicts bring the characters to life. Suraklin himself is one of the most interesting characters, in his desire to live forever--and his forgetting why. Joanna takes it on herself to rescue Antryg, knowing that failure could mean the death of not only his universe, but all universes. Tension keeps suspense and anticipation high. Incredible writing. As a certified bookworm, I give this book five stars.