All copies of this title, including those transferred to portable devices and other media, must be deleted/destroyed at the end of the lending period.
Description
Book One in the Magic Kingdom of Landover Series
Landover was a genuine magic kingdom, with fairy folk and wizardry, just as the advertisement promised. But after he purchased it, Ben Holiday learned that there were a few details the ad had failed to mention.
The kingdom was in ruin. The Barons refused to recognize the king, and the peasants were without hope. A dragon was laying waste the countryside, while an evil witch plotted to destroy everything.
Ben's only followers were the incompetent Court Magician; Abernathy, the talking dog who served as Court Scribe; and the lovely Willow - but she had a habit of putting down roots in the moonlight and turning into a tree. The Paladin, legendary champion of the Kings of Landover, seemed to be only a myth and an empty suit of armor.
To put a final touch on the whole affair, Ben soon learned that the Iron Mark, terrible lord of the demons, had challenged all prospective Kings of Landover to a duel to the death - a duel which no human could hope to win.
The task of proving his right to be King seemed hopeless. But Ben Holiday was stubborn. . .
Ben has reached the pinnacle of success in his career as a trial lawyer, but he comes to believe that living the good life is not enough. He sees an ad for the position of king in a magic kingdom and decides to grab the opportunity to find new meaning in living. Dick Hill's lighthearted narration gives a dash of a tongue-in-cheek to an old-fashioned fairy tale. He charmingly portrays a motley crew of assistants who are almost incompetent but not hopeless and excels in his depiction of Ben, who more that once wonders what he has gotten himself into. J.E.M. (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine
About the Author
Terry Brooks published his first novel, The Sword of Shannara, in 1977. It was a New York Times bestseller for more than six months. He has published twenty-four New York Times bestsellers since. Two of those - the novels Running with the Demon and A Knight of the Word - were chosen by the Denver Rocky Mountain News as among the best fantasy novels of the 20th century. Brooks lives in Seattle with his wife, Judine.
