Review of DRINKING MIDNIGHT WINE by Simon R. Green

ROC, 2001 (U.S. February 2002)

Toby Dexter follows a beautiful woman through a door that shouldn't be there and finds himself in the parallel world of Mysterie--a world where magic works, gods and werewolves walk, and where a terrible evil is trying to pull both our mundane Earth and Mysterie into a total destruction. Unfortunately for Toby, he has become the focus--the one man on whom the fate of the universe depends. And Toby is far from being a hero. Fortunately, however, he is a man in love--and he is willing to take quite extra-ordinary steps to keep the woman he loves.

Author Simon R. Green's version (see more BooksForABuck.com reviews of SF by Green) of the world of magic is intriguing. Although Mysterie may be a world of magic and powers, it is also a world circumscribed by ancient rules. A hero is a hero, a villain is a villain. Progress and change are difficult concepts for Mysterie. For this reason, our mundane Earth is the source of hope for those who seek more than what already is. It is also the source of fear and danger for those who enjoy their current status and wish only for more power. The ancient powers of the universe, the Snake in the Sun, Luna the Moon, and others, battle for the future--but find that that entire future hangs by the slender fulcrum of Toby Dexter.

Green writes an engaging story with a nice surprises and emotional twists. The tortured characters of Hob, son of the Serpent and Luna, and of the Angel in particular, stand out as strong and fine.

Three Stars

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