The Phoenix and the Mirror (Magill’s Guide to Science Fiction and Fantasy Literature)
At a glance:
- Author: Avram Davidson
- First Published: 1969
- Type of Work: Novel
- Type of Plot: Fantasy—alternate history
- Time of Work: The first century
- Setting: Italy, the Mediterranean Sea, and North Africa
- Genres: Long fiction, Fantasy, Alternate history
- Subjects: Africa or Africans, Magic or magicians, Kings, queens, or royalty, Italy or Italians, First century, Mirrors or lenses, Mediterranean
- Locales: Africa, Italy, Mediterranean
The Plot
An Ace Science Fiction Special, with appropriately enigmatic cover art by the husband-and-wife team of Leo and Diane Dillon, The Phoenix and the Mirror: Or, the Enigmatic Speculum was the first book in a projected series titled Vergil Magus. The second and only other book, Vergil in Averno, was published in 1987. Its events precede those of The Phoenix and the Mirror. In both novels, Avram Davidson expands on the medieval conceit that the Roman poet Vergil was a magician.
Lost in a labyrinth of tunnels and pursued by manticores,...
[The entire page is 1007 words long]
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