The Face in the Frost (Magill’s Guide to Science Fiction and Fantasy Literature)
At a glance:
- Author: John Bellairs
- First Published: 1969
- Type of Work: Novel
- Type of Plot: Fantasy—magical world
- Time of Work: The Middle Ages
- Setting: The imaginary North and South Kingdoms
- Genres: Long fiction, Fantasy
- Subjects: Magic or magicians, Other worlds, Middle Ages, Fairy tales, Talisman or magical object
- Locales: Mythical lands
The Plot
Prospero and his friend Roger Bacon, both wizards, embark on a journey to save humankind from the evil spell of their former colleague, Melichus. Melichus has found an old book, written in curious ciphers, which provides glimpses of some basic formulas of power when he tries to translate the strange writing. The more Melichus pursues the translation, the more entranced he becomes; what begins as intellectual curiosity quickly becomes an obsession with the power the spells might bring him. The formulas contain the secret to another reality, and whoever masters these...
[The entire page is 912 words long]
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