RU, UA, EN. Novel, 2003-2004.

Adventure ironic fantasy.

Shmagic is a whimsical fantasy novel that follows the brooding hero Andrea Musculus, a wizard-malefic from Rettia Kingdom, who is pushed to investigate the disappearance of some children from the small town of Yatritsa. Andrea questions the brash locals, flirty witches, and resolute demon hunters who inhabit the town and surrounding forest, and he comes across local people with a weak power called “shmagic.” When a missing child returns all alone and talks of a strange place where a little girl was playing, Andrea’s investigation extends into another world, where supernatural powers threaten Yatritsa locals and Rettia alike. But just as the mystery of the missing children deepens, Andrea becomes obsessed with the “shmagic” of the local people, uncertain what it might mean for wizards like him. Before he can focus on battling the forces that are responsible for the missing children, he must overcome an internal struggle — a wizard’s existential dilemma.

“Shmagic” is an adventure fantasy novel mixed with irony. Andrea Musculus, a wizard-malefic, comes to Yatritsa – a small provincial town. He is on an important mission: to bring three virgins into town so he can have covers made from their skins for his magical manuscripts. Strange events happen in Yatritsa, and Musculus is forced to take part in investigation of the events.

Little children, kidnapped from the town, suddenly came back again. Upon their return, they talk of a weird place, where a strange little girl played with them. Young lad Janosh and old dyer Leonard Shveller, who look like true magicians, turn out to be shmagicians, people with a magic “break”! Malice, a local witch, keeps big secrets about the attempt on the King’s life that happened near Yatritsa five years ago...

After participating in many strange events in the town Andrea Musculus tries to solve the puzzle. He learns about the syndrome of “fake mana” or “break”, derogatorily called “magic-shmagic” by the common folk. Andrea Musculus meets Fortunate Nail – a qualified magician and a demon hunter; and Lilliputian Zizi – a girl-acrobat who also has a magic “break”. Andrea collects a lot of new interesting information about the nature of demons and events that had happened in Yatritsa five years ago...

“Shmagic” is the first and absolutely independent novel from “Pure Fantasy” cycle by Henry Lion Oldie, The Best European SF & Fantasy Writer of 2006 by EuroCon (ESFS) version. The novel “Shmagic” was published 7 times in Russia and Ukraine during 7 years.

Published 7 times from 2004 to 2011 (Ukraine, Russia, English)