The Traveler in Black (Magill’s Guide to Science Fiction and Fantasy Literature)
At a glance:
- Author: John Brunner
- First Published: 1971
- Type of Work: Novel
- Type of Plot: Fantasy—magical world
- Time of Work: Indeterminate
- Setting: A parallel universe where chaos reigns
- Genres: Long fiction, Fantasy
- Subjects: Folkloric or magical people, Magic or magicians, Other worlds, Witches or witchcraft, Resurrection, Zombies or living dead, Reason or reasoning
- Locales: Mythical lands
The Plot
The Traveler in Black, a novel formed from interconnected stories, concerns Mazda, a magician ordered to transform chaos into order. When his task is finished, the world, like Mazda, will have one nature, united with the totality of existence. The essence of Mazda’s power is the ability to grant people their expressed desires. His power confirms the adage, “Be careful for what you wish, you may receive it.”
In the first tale, “Imprint of Chaos,” Mazda travels to Ryovora, a city of highly rational people. He finds Ryovora gripped by chaos because...
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