Review of The Sci-magickal Adventures of Jeremy Cross by Teel James Glenn

BooksForABuck.com, March 2017

Sci-Magick is transforming Europe... and has become the hottest field of study in history. University student Jeremy Cross intends to become the best in this new area, even if it means leaving the comforts of Ireland's Academy Dar'c and going to Germany to study at the world's top school, the Mabon Academy.

Like many university students, Cross's interests in his studies are mixed with a sincere interest in finding the nearest pub and exploring the attractions of the local co-eds, but he also has a strong desire to use the vast power of Sci-Magick for the good of mankind. What he doesn't realize is that power attracts many types, including those whose interests are less noble.

One night, a combination of too much beer in the local rathskeller and trying to impress the beautiful Elke, leads Cross to propose an expedition into the nearby (officially off limits) castle in search of ancient occult treasures rumored to be hidden. Occult they were... whether they were treasures is another question. Either way, Cross finds his life transformed when magic from the past seizes hold of him. From that moment on, Cross must battle powers from the ancient past... and powerful Sci-magicians who intend to use Sci-Magick for their own ends. Plots against empire abound and Cross seems drawn into them. His relative inexperience and willingness to believe the best of those around him make him succeptible to manipulation, while his inherent honesty and good will gives him moral compass to help him find his way through these dangers.

In author Teel James Glenn's (see more BooksForABuck.com reviews of speculative fiction by Glenn) THE SCI-MAGICKAL ADVENTURES OF JEREMY CROSS, no Miracle of the Marne saved France and the British Empire in the Great War. Instead, German Sci-magickal creations rampaged through the French and British lines and drove a peace far different from the one attained in our time line. Now, the victorious Germans are the semi-magnanimous victors, dominating Europe and the world. In this world, Sci-magick had saved Edward VII in 1910 and Edward's negotiations with his nephew, Kaiser Wilhelm, in turn saved the British Empire, turning the German Empire and the British Empire into allies... and allowing a flow of magickal knowledge between the two empires. With Sci-magick at the core, German and British engineers are delivering airships, steambots, and a race of hooved servants to create a magic/steampunk universe.

Four stars

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