Magic, Mystery and Mayhem. What more could you ever want in a book?

Any and all fantasy lovers will be thrilled with this historical fantasy adventure, overflowing with goddesses, faery creatures, Celts, fallen angels, witches and demons!

Magic was real once. Not just an idea used in fairy tales or stories but something which was used as an everyday resource… but if it was real, what became of it?

In medieval Ireland, twins, Anya and Aisling are due for their coronation to fully awaken their goddess powers. One will rule mankind; the other will preside over the magical kingdoms. Things don’t quite go to plan though… Dark otherworldly creatures want control of the island and the Vatican poses a dangerous threat to all magical creatures. A battle between magic and religion is brewing and there are no good outcomes to be had.

Tompkins creates a story rich in biblical mysteries, myths and legends, fairy tales and Irish folklore. The story is complex and the action begins from the very first page, just the way I like it, where we arrive in present day London…

‘When Sara Hill’s body washed up on shore, the police concluded – logically, given the lack of injuries – that she must have accidentally fallen overboard and drowned.’

The intensity doesn’t stop there, continuing all the way until the very end. For the first time, I found it unbelievably difficult to predict how the story would progress; making a delightful change from the stereotypical structure of storytelling I’m used to! Tompkins does a sterling job of turning traditional fantasy on its head. Commonly, it is the magical creatures which tend to be the dangerous beings of the story, whereas in The Last Days of Magic this idea is completely reversed and it is us humans, who pose the biggest threat to civilisation.

If you’re becoming weary of reading about the same old stories of vampires, werewolves or dragons, then here is potential to discover something refreshingly new and unexplored!  I can guarantee that you will love the unpredictable story line, the imaginative world building and the historical elements which mix so realistically with the varied magical allusions.

A vast and dazzling display of characters and creatures come together, along with their history and lore in this audacious and fantastical adventure; if you can decipher all of those things successfully, then you’re in for one exhilarating and epic ride!

Praise from New York Daily News on The Last Days of Magic

“Mythology, magic, and medieval history mix marvellously… The history and Celtic mythology seem expertly researched and the fantasy world is imagined in rich, realistic detail… The Last Days of Magic is intricate, bold and memorable.”

—New York Daily News

The Last Days of Magic by Mark Tompkins is published by Penguin Random House on 9th March 2017

(£13.99, p/b, 400pp, 9780143110019)

Post by Sarah