My Son, the Wizard

infobox Book |
name = The Secular Wizard
title_orig =
translator =


image_caption = My Son, The Wizard cover
author = Christopher Stasheff
illustrator =
cover_artist = Daniel Horne
country = United States
language = English
series = A Wizard in Rhyme
genre = Fantasy novel
publisher = Del Rey Books
release_date = 1997
media_type = Print (Hardcover, Paperback)
pages = 368 pp (paperback)
isbn = ISBN 0-345-42480-8
preceded_by = The Secular Wizard
followed_by = The Haunted Wizard

My Son, the Wizard is the fifth in the A Wizard in Rhyme series by Christopher Stasheff.

Plot summary

Matt never thought he could return to his original world until the arrival of Saul and their joint exploration of the possibilities of magick. From the visit resulted the discovery of his parents' dire straits, and Matt was prompted to bring them back with him to Merovenve.

Merovence, however, was not as safe as he hoped, for the royal palace came under attack by djinns. The Moslems had launched a major invasion from Barbary into Ibile, and Merovence seemed to be the next target.

Matt and Saul must find a long-term solution to the problem, but this time, they have the benefit of Matt's scholarly parents helping him; they turn out to be powerful wizards themselves in this new realm. And it was fortunate, for their opponent commanded powerful djinns and magicks.

In a sinister twist, the problems faced in this realms seemed linked to increased drug problems in Matt's original neighbourhood in his homeworld. His opponent could travel between worlds too.

Literary Cricitism

While the first two books of the series, Her Majesty's Wizard and The Oathbound Wizard, appeared uncompromising in attitudes in the realms towards God and Evil, the third and fourth books, The Witch Doctor and The Secular Wizard, were more relaxed towards supernatural powers not directly powered by God or the Devil.

In this book, the author further extended his ecumenical attitude towards the Muslims. The protagonist sought peace between the Muslims and the mostly Christian Europeans by negotiating with them on the premise they worshipped the same deity, though through different names and revelations.

Focussing on common teachings of doing good to each other, the real culprit was identified as those who would use religion for personal gain.

New Characters

* Joe - Name of bus driver of Route 34 which goes to Matt's neighbourhood in his original homeworld.
* Liam, Choy & Luco - three bullies from Matt's neighbourhood who grew up without improvements.
* Nirobus - the mastermind behind the new invasion of Ibile and Merovence, as well as new drug on the street in Matt's neighbourhood in his original homeworld.
* Ramón Rodrigo Mantrell - Father of Matthew Mantrell, son of Joachim Mantrell, a Spanish born near Cadiz. His mother is a French woman.
* Jimena Maria Garcia y Alvarez - Mother of Matthew Mantrell, Cuban exile in the USA.
* Achmed - First enemy sorcerer captured by Matt.
* Tafas bin Daoud - New leader of the Moorish invaders who rose to his position from a humble shepherd boy.
* Lakshmi - A djinna set to intercept Matt. She befriended him when he released her from the spell enslaving her.
* Doman - a soldier and messenger in Alisande's army.
* Lord Gautier - Military aide to Alisande.
* Kamar - A djinn sent to stop Matt.
* Callio - A looter encountered by Matt. He was a poor thief but excellent escape artist.
* Bedizam - Moorish commander of forces attacking Bordestang.
* Groldor - Distributor of drugs in Matt's homeworld.
* Ranudin - Prince of the Djinns.

Annotations

Chapter One

* "H.M.S. Pinafore, Act 1, No. 10," by Gilbert and Sullivan - "His nose should pant and his lip should curl..." adapted by Matt to deal with Liam, Choy and Luco upon his return to his neighbourhood.

Chapter Four

* "The Splendor Falls" from "The Princess" by Alfred Tennyson - "Blow, Bugle, Blow" adapted by Matt to counter hostile djinn's booming sounds.
* "In Memoriam A.H.H." by Alfred Tennyson - "He is not here, but far away" adapted by Matt to repel djinn attacks.
* "Casey at the bat" by Ernest Thayer - "The sneer is gone from Casey's lips" adapted by Saul to counter boulder missiles thrown by djinns.
* "Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair" by Stephen Foster - "I dream of Jeanie with the light brown hair" adapted by Matt to expel the attacking djinns.

Chapter Thirteen

* "She Walks in Beauty" by Lord Byron, adapted by Matt to deal with djinna Lakshmi during their first encounter.
* "She was a Phantom of delight" by William Wordsworth, adapted by Matt to flatter Lakshmi.
* "On a Distant Prospect of Eton College. Stanza 10" by Thomas Gray - “To each his suff'rings; all are men,” adapted by Matt to give Lakshmi empathy to weep.
* "To Althea, from Prison" by Richard Lovelace - "When Love with unconfined wings" adapted by Matt to release Lakshmi from the spell of enslavement.
* "The Prisoner of Chillon" by Lord Byron, "Brightest in dungeons, Liberty! thou art" adapted by Matt to release Lakshmi from enslavement spell.

Chapter Fifteen

* "The Arkansas Traveler (song)" - "Get busy on a day that is fair and bright" adapted by Saul to deal with an oncoming flood of water.
* "Henry V, Scene IV, Prologue" by William Shakespeare, - "Fire answers fire, and through their play flames" adapted by Saul to revive fire burning the enemy fleet.

Chapter Seventeen

* "Mandalay" by Rudyard Kipling - "Ship me somewhere east of Suez, where the best is like the worst" adapted by Matt to try to teleport out of the Moorish camp.

Chapter Nineteen

* "Verses on the Death of Mr. Robert Levet. Stanza 9" by Samuel Johnson - "with no throbs of fiery pain" adapted by Matt to free the djinn Kamar.
* "Lepanto" by G. K. Chesterton - "Cervantes on his galley sets the sword back in the sheath" adapted by Saul to conjure a champion to fight the Moors.

Chapter Twenty-One

* "Hymn In Honour Of Beauty" by Edmund Spenser - "That beauty is not, as fond men misdeem" adapted by Saul to discover actual leader of Moorish contingent attacking Bordestang.

References

*My Son, The Wizard, Christopher Stasheff, 1997