hen the novel Wizenbeak came out, you’d probably walk into any mall, look through the one or two bookstores housed there, go to the fantasy section which was greater than the current Barnes and Noble, pick through the many selections and buy it (likely with cash). That’s a period piece of when this book was released (1986, currently forty years ago). Well, most books either come from Massive Amazon, pathetic B&N, or, in this case, a used bookstore. But enough of that.

The titular character of this book is a wizard, complete with a troll-bat, who wishes to use his own water skills to locate and build a settlement way out in the dusty high plains. Everyone thinks he’s mad but he gets a sponsorship from a junior prince to do it. And while he’s away, a coup occurs, the  older prince takes the throne, the younger prince raises an army, witchburners get power from the new king and start burning witches, everything goes to hell. But because our wizard Wizenbeak kills a witchhunter or two (deservedly), the new king (having slain “the pretender”) now sends a small mercenary force to bring the unruly wizard to  justice. That force is slain, as is the follow-up army. And now our heroes (lead by the wizard and a young prince and princess) find themselves fighting their way towards the capital city to take back the throne that really isn’t theirs.

Okay, I hate to rain on other authors but there are a number of blind box canyons the writer takes us down. We painstakingly describe the defenses of the settlement, even through the enemy army never even gets there. Later, in the critical open battle, we are given all the details of the field, including the forces under each commander, only to have a fluke rout the enemy in about five minutes. As for the politics in the church, that was nice and all but it never really amounted to anything. After a lot of talk, the good guys forced their terms and so much for all that.

So yes, a kinda bland book with too many characters and no easy way to keep track of them. The pretender’s death was a nice surprise – hadn’t seen that coming.But overall, while it was an amusing read, it’s going into the bin after this review (mainly because the cover fell off, as many books do).

So, yes, an okay read, but don’t look for it on my best-of for 2026. Maybe for best of 1986 if I ever get around to it.

>>>OKAY, HERE’S MY BOOKS. HOPE NOBODY BASHES ME LIKE I DID ABOVE<<<