Title: The Dueling Wizards of Simpletown
Author: Whitney Lee Preston
Publisher: XlibrisUS
ISBN: 978-1-7960-8675-1
Genre: Children’s Book/Young Adult
Pages: 116
Reviewed by: Suzanne Gattis
Pacific Book Review
In the simple town of simple people, magic does not dare to be mentioned. Hidden away from the world of simple folks live two magicians, two very different magicians, and we are about to be thrown headlong into their world. In Whitney Lee Preston’s The Dueling Wizards of Simpletown, we meet these wizards in all their glory and magical doings, as well as the masked servant who we quickly find has ulterior motives.
You could easily say these wizards are polar opposites. One is kind and has a sense of innocence (as seen by his animated following of stuffed animals and color of mouse skins); the other very dark in manner and words and quite perverted. (Yes, this may raise some interesting questions from your kids). When Bartimon Montinair seeks out another wizard, he has no idea what he is getting himself into by meeting his “rival” Mathesus Loton. Tricked into meeting, a game of wits and magic ensues in a far-off place.
“How can such magical characters be tricked?” one might ask. Leave that to their servant, whom hey both unwittingly employee. To one he is Dibble, the other Dobble, but to us he is manipulative servant looking to steal the wealth and the secrets of our unknowing wizards. His
one redeeming quality is that he does have a change of heart, although in the end this change of heart does not save him from his fate.
As far as the writing style, it is fairly easily comprehended, important in any children’s book. I would have preferred that it be broken up into chapters, giving the reader a little bit of a breather, but that is a personal preference. There is enough talk of magic in this story that those with imaginative minds will thrive into the adventure. Middle-grade readers and beginning young adult readers are sure to enjoy The Dueling Wizards of Simpletown.
