The death of the necromancer

Wells, Martha ~ The Death of the Necromancer ~ EOS, 1999 ~ 513 pages ~ Adults, some teens.


"The most nerve-racking commissions, Madeline thought, were the ones that required going in through the front door. This front door was simply more imposing than most."

Nicholas Valiarde will do almost anything to avenge the death of his god-father, an academic natural philosopher and inventor. Although now reasonably affluent, Nicholas was once a child of the slums and his mother died in tragic circumstances. Nicholas is bright, using his wit, organizational skills, and several disguises to steal from the rich. He plans to use his wealth and skills to kill Count Montesq, a powerful and corrupt noble responsible for the death of his godfather.

In fact, the major character in the story is the city itself -- Ile-Rien. The city is placed in the 19th Century, has French characteristics, but with a different history. The world-building seen here is a major achievement. The details are nearly overwhelming yet each seems appropriate, creating an unusually persuasive setting. Similarly, the culture is well drawn and matches the environment nicely.

The story begins when a theft of gold coins by Nicholas and his cohorts encounters threatening strangeness that eventually leads to the realization that someone with powerful magical skills is practicing necromancy. Not just using the dead to reveal needed information, but using the dead to animate unworldly creatures and enhance cruel magical powers. Nicholas turns to this new riddle and finds himself and his colleagues in a race to find and defeat the necromancer before he can accomplish his terrible goals. Nicholas finds unexpected allies, but even then success seems unlikely.

There is a large array of interesting and thoughtfully created characters, especially those associated with Nicolas. A bit more might have been done with both the Count and the Necromancer. Nicholas is a strong character as is his actress friend and colleague Madeline who is also bright, tough, and seasoned.

There is no lack of action, especially in the second half of the book. The plot is complex with unexpected turns and consequences. The pace quickly picks up and the story is a genuine page-turner

Recommendation:
Wells has a solid reputation as a sophisticated and accomplished story-teller. This may be her best, especially in creating Ile-Rien as the setting. The mass market edition is typical in its adequate readability but no more. The attractive cover art shows the city through a fanciful iron gate.