Madwand
A 1981 fantasy novel by Roger Zelazny, sequel to Changeling.
Madwand, a fantasy novel by American author Roger Zelazny, was published in 1981 and serves as a sequel to his earlier book Changeling. The story centers on Pol Detson, the son of Lord Det, who returns home as a sorcerer with immense natural talent. However, his abilities remain untrained, labeling him a "madwand." To gain control over his powers and assume his father’s role as ruler, Pol must undergo rigorous training and a ceremonial initiation into the customs of his society.
During this process, Pol realizes a powerful magician is watching him. He experiences recurring dreams about opening a gateway to another world, one dominated by dark, beastly, and erotic magic. Eventually, he is lured to a castle where two magicians are trying to make that dream a reality. They want Pol to take his father’s place in their plan, so they can all transform into gods within this new realm. Pol’s loyalty to his own world—which would be destroyed by the dark one—leads him to resist. With the help of a dragon, he prevents the portal from opening. One of his enemies is killed; the other escapes by flying away, leaving behind a garment with a label reading "Made in Hong Kong." The narrative implies that a sequel is needed to finish the story, and a sequel titled The Madwand was indeed written.
- published
- 1981
- author
- Roger Zelazny
- nationality
- American
- genre
- Fantasy novel
- sequel_to
- Changeling
Lore & Background
Pol Detson, son of Lord Det, returns home as a powerful but untrained sorcerer, a 'madwand'. To rule in his father's place, he must undergo arduous training and initiation into society's rites. During this process, he discovers he is being monitored by a powerful magician and has recurrent dreams of opening a portal into another world where dark bestial erotic magic reigns supreme.
Reader's Guide
Madwand is a 1981 fantasy novel by American writer Roger Zelazny, serving as a direct sequel to his earlier novel Changeling. The story centers on Pol Detson, a naturally gifted but untrained sorcerer who must master his powers to take his father's place. The plot involves a conspiracy by two magicians to open a portal to a dark world, with Pol resisting to save his own world. The novel ends with a label reading 'Made in Hong Kong' on a garment left by a fleeing enemy, and the story implies a sequel was needed but never written. Reception includes Greg Costikyan's comment that 'A bad Zelazny, to be sure, is considerably better than a lot of good others; but Zelazny will have to do some work to equal his previous books.'
Did You Know?
- Madwand is a sequel to the novel Changeling.
- The story ends with a garment label reading 'Made in Hong Kong'.
- A sequel titled The Madwand was written, continuing the story.
- Greg Costikyan reviewed Madwand in Ares Magazine #13.
More in Novels by Roger Zelazny 1-24
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