Title: The Magic Man
Author: Billie Bierer
Publisher: Telemachus Press
ISBN: 978-1-938135-82-8
Pages: 408, Paperback/Kindle
Genre: Fantasy
Reviewed by: Ella Vincent, Pacific Book Review
Book Review
Magic Man is a book that should cast a spell on readers. Billie Bierer’s novel tells the tale about Bluesy Figwater, a man with magical powers that impacts his life and the lives of everyone around him. The magical novel is told in a series of short stories that intertwine to tell stories about sorcery, family, and love.Laveeta Figwater had a baby named Jesus, nicknamed Bluesy, in Sparkleberry, South Carolina. Bluesy has supernatural powers, earning him the nickname Magic Man. Bluesy has great powers to cast spells on people to stop evil, which is important to Bluesy as an African-American man in the South. However, he meets his match in Sister, a sorceress who wants to usurp Bluesy’s powers. Throughout the novel, Sister is a tempting femme fatale who will stop at nothing to take over the world. Bluesy meets a fascinating cast of characters while evading Sister’s evil clutches and playing his music over a decades-long span of time. They range from a Native American shape shifter to a possible relative of Little Richard. They all help to guide him on an enlightening journey from Sparkleberry to New York and back home again.
Magic Man has Bierer’s trademark mix of magic, romance, and humor. The stories of the various characters also weave together the best elements of American folklore and fantasy. Bluesy is a sympathetic, complex character. Instead of being one-dimensional, Bluesy is a well-rounded protagonist that wrestles with the gifts and curses of his special powers. The cast of characters are also entertaining and add depth to the novel. One character that’s especially well-written is Zelma Mae, the woman battling for Bluesy’s heart along with Sister. Adult readers that are fans of Neil Gaiman’s American Gods or readers who want a Southern twist to their fantasy fiction would love this novel. Bierer has cleverly managed to take a tried-and-true formula of a magical protagonist and has given it a fresh edge with Bluesy’s compassion and sharp humor.
The novel manages to make the story magical through compelling storytelling instead of gimmicks and gore. Instead of relying on violence during the climactic elements of the story, Bierer relies solely on the moody setting of Sparkleberry and haunting dialogue to lure readers into the story. Sparkleberry captures the spooky elements of the story and makes a great setting for the novel. Magic Man is a novel that’s perfect for readers who want to be enchanted by fantasy fiction with a lot of heart.
