Midnight Magic

Rating:
Summary: Magic indeed!
Review: Avi weaves an intricate web of political plots and magical suspicions. In a Renaissance country that resembles Spain or Portugal, a reported magician named Mangus and his servant boy Fabrizo are brought to the king. A ghost is haunting the young Princess Teresina, who is to be wed to villainous Count Scarazoni in a few days time. All the while, the possibility that the ghost is the murdered Prince Lorenzo hangs over them.

Fabrizo soon is submerged into a twisting tale of treachery and power, spirituality and trickery. Avi's characters are intriguing and real, especially weary Mangus, independent Fabrizo, and mischievous Teresina. Some of the characters are a bit flat, including the queen and Scarazoni, but it does not detract much from the story; Lorenzo's whereabouts are somewhat obvious after a while. However, Avi's imagery and dialogue are wonderful, and the magic woven into the words makes this an interesting and enjoyable read.

Rating:
Summary: A Unique and Suspenseful Story
Review: I came across this great little story in an airport in Ft. Lauderdale this past September. I was on my way to North Carolina to visit my granparents and found myself with about two hours to kill while waiting to board my plane. Being the insatiable bookwyrm (<--not a typo) that I am, I was naturally drawn like a magnet to the book shop in the terminal (I swear I knew it was there before I even saw it...must have a book radar). I browsed the shelves, not intending to buy anything, really, but a book on the bottom shelf in a corner somehow caught my eye. I was first attracted to the cover art. Then the title jumped out at me "MIDNIGHT MAGIC"...sounding fascinating, so I picked it up. I read the description on the back, and thought it would be a really good read. It was only about $6.00, so I considered buying it. I skimmed the first page..."In 1491, in the kingdom of Pergamontio, there lived a twelve-year-old boy by the name of Fabrizio. He was the sole servant of Mangus the Magician." Here I began drooling. "One sweltering summer eve, near midnight,a violent storm broke over the city where Fabrizio lived." I was hooked. I took it straight to the cashier and bought it.
It wasn't exactly what I expected, but I enjoyed it very much. It was exciting and unique and full of good suspense and mystery with a wonderful setting. This is fun and easy to read, yet you really get into it and you're kept wondering and guessing right up until the very end. The ending seems to hint to a sequel, or suggest that a sequel is possible, and I certainly hope that is the case.

Rating:
Summary: We've got the villan, we've got the hero , and it's Italian!
Review: I got this book for a "Secret Jesus" gift [don't ask] and dug into it with the enthusiasm of a jackhammer who had eaten too much sugar. I was expecting standard, mabye a bit above or below average fare, but what I got was much, much, better. Avi is perhaps one of my favorite writers and he really put out this time.
This book is about a pre-pubescant boy named Fabrizio! Wow! Nice name! Unfortunately for Fabrizio, he happens to be a magician's apprentice, and here, unlike in other fantasy books, magicians are not trusted. Fabrizio's master was nearly executed for his "horrible sinning", when, in reality, he has no magic, just sleight of hand and a few good tricks.
But, one night, the Count Scarazoni comes to Mangus's house and enlists him to help him get rid of the ghost that has been plauging the princess. But, however, when Mangus and Fabrizio arrive, they learn that the ghost is more than what it seems.
A must-read for anyone with a bit of spare time.
Grade: A-
Adieu!


Rating:
Summary: Midnight Magic
Review: Midnight Magic is a terrific book filled with mystery, suspense, and magic. I enjoyed the book very much, I could never put it down! I would recommend this book to everyone. This book is about a boy named Fabrizio who is the servant of a magician named Magnus. Magnus was under house arrest because he admitted that he was a magician. One night, Magnus was called to see the king at the castello. Fabrizio, loyal to his master, joined him. When they got there, they found out that the king wanted them to save the princess from a ghost that had been haunting her. The story was written very well, Avi did a fantastic job. As you read, the story gets better and better and you won't put it down unitl you find out what happens in the very end!!!!!!!!

Rating:
Summary: An Awkward, But Yet Excellent Book
Review: Midnight Magic
By: Avi
Reviewed by:D. Patel
Period: 6

This is an excellent book, even though there are many twists and turns. There is a servant, who's name is Fabrizio. He likes to do magic tricks. His master's name is Mangus, who is also called Mangus the Magician. He was summoned to the castello for a consultation with the king. Fabrizio wanted to go, but Mangus told him that he wasn't allowed to go. After a lot of convincing, Mangus allowed Fabrizio to come along, but only as a servant. Mangus knew that Fabrizio would do some magic, so he told Fabrizio not to do any magic. After they got there, the count, Scarazoni, said that there is a ghost who is haunting the princess. Mangus' job was to get rid of the ghost, but the problem was that he did not believe in ghosts. No matter what, Mangus would have to accomplish this goal, or else it would lead to death. One night, Fabrizio was asked to fetch water for his master. Not knowing where the kitchen was, Fabrizio was walking along, hoping to find it. Instead of going to the kitchen, he wandered off into the niche, which was near the king and his families' rooms were. As he was looking around, he saw the princess , and she was trying to get away from the ghost! Fabrizio had to do something, or else something might happen to the princess. As he was yelling to the ghost, it started to go away. The princess, Terisina, and Fabrizio got to know each other and they became good friends, and they decided not to tell anyone about them meeting each other. The princess thought that the ghost was her brother, but she couldn't say for sure. After a while, the two met a couple of times, before Mangus saw the ghost himself. One day, Fabrizio overheard a conversation, and Scarazoni was talking about a marriage of him and Terisina, due to the disappearance of the prince. The marriage was to be held in two days, or else the they wouldn't be able to get married fro another two years. After seeing and hearing the ghost a couple of times, Mangus started to figure things out. He found out that the ghost wasn't real, and someone was after this. Scarazoni didn't think that the ghost was real. Terisina didn't want to get married to him, because he was going to bring evil to the palace once he would become king. Mangus and Fabrizio found out that the ghost was being done by the queen and the princess. All four of them together planned a way to make Scarazoni believe that there is a ghost, so they all decided to make to ghost appear in front of him, and they planned to have the ghost tell Scarazoni that it was he who mudered the prince. This was done all in the night and none of them got any sleep for a few days. It was Fabrizio's job to help with the ghost. Extremely tired, Fabrizio fell asleep, accidently. When he woke up, he didn't know what time it was, but all he new was that the candle burned out, which made it obvious that he had been sleeping for a couple of hours. As he was rushing to get to the niche, where the ghost was to be seen, he was going through the secret doors. When he figured that he was almost there, he ws going through the last door, when someone started groaning in pain, and it was the prince! He was supposed to say the part of the ghost. Prince Lorenzo couldn't do the part because of his broken leg, so Fabrizio said the part, and made Scarazoni confess that he murdered the prince. Now he was put in the dungeon, and Teresina married Prince Lorenzo. Fabrizio was asked to be the servant, and he accepted it. Now everything was fine, and all the things went the way they were supposed to go.
I really liked this book, because it was like a mystery book. The book made twists and turns in the end of the book, and all the important things happened really quickly, probably because I kept reading the book. You wouldn't want to put this book down, because it would keep you attached. That made me actually want to read the book.
"In a glance he saw who lay upon the floor: It was Mangus." This quote was important, because if Mangus was dead, then there would be no one to help with the ghost. "I did order the murder of the prince." This was said when Scarazoni was forced to confess that he murdered the prince.
My favorite part of the book was when Fabrizio and Teresina met at the niche in the night, and kept it a secret, until later. It is fun to read a book that is very different from other books. I think this book is like the "Harry Potter" books, because those have a lot of magic, and there is a lot of solving to do. I hope to read many other books, just like this.

Rating:
Summary: The Barn
Review: Set in medieval times in a fictitious kingdom, this story reads easily, with a pace that moves as swiftly as superstition in a dank castle. Despite the young protagonist's distinct lack of sleep, this tale is characterized by an abundance of dialogue and many plot twists. Elementary readers will delight in guessing who is to be trusted and who is not, as conspiracies abound concerning the throne.

Ten-year-old Fabrizio is the devoted servant of an old and
respected magician named Mangus, who was previously forced to recant his sorcery and is now living under house arrest. Summoned to the castle under dark and stormy circumstances both master and boy immediately feel dread in the presence of the King's most influential minister, Count Scarazoni. The nervous King commands Mangus to use his dark arts to free the young princess from the cursed haunting of a ghost. The midnight apearance of this wispy spectre has been seen by others as well--causing the superstitious King to demand an end to these ghostly visitations.

But Mangus has sincerely given up all dabbling in Magic,
despite the King's recent order. How can a man who does not believe in ghosts confront one and lay him to rest? What does this spectre want of the Princess anyway--this slender girl who seems to have two personalities? Should Fabrizio trust the princess or the friendly kitchen boy? Or No One, since spies are lurking everywhere? How many hoaxes are being perpetrated in the castello? A delightful Castle Who-Dunnit, MIDNIGHT MAGIC stresses the true magic of friendship and loyalty. A fun read for kids of all ages.

Rating:
Summary: Midnight Magic
Review: The book I read all starts in the Kingdom of Pergamontio. There is a twelve yaer old boy named Fabrizio. He goes to answer the door and there is a soldier standing there saying that Mangus the Magician is under house arrest. Then he goes to the king and the king says he wants Mangus to save his daughter, Princess Teresina, from a ghost that haunts her.So Mangus decides to go,but he takes Fabrizio, his servant, with him. they go through many obstucles. Then Fabrizio goes out and gets lost,the princess helps him get back to Mangus. [thats how Fabrizio and the princess become friends.] Then Mangus and Fabrizio go through a secret passage that only the king and queen are allowed to go through. Its very dark. Then the soldier comes through the opposite way with the princess and asks what are you doing here. Then the soldier says that Fabrizio was spying and listening to their plans. then the princess told the soldier the same thing. So Fabrizio got put in the dungen. the princess only did this for his safety. after a while she goes to get him, leads him through a secret passage to Mangus. she had told Mangus that the ghost that haunts her could possibly be her brother.he looks suprised.then it is her brother in the end, he haunts because of his wrongful death. if you would like to know what happens then i recomend this book for anyone.

Rating:
Summary: A truly amazing book with with everything a great book needs
Review: This book is about a boy named Fabrizio who is an apprentice to a magician master named Mangus. He was given a pardon from the king which saved his life, he was charged with witch-craft which was illegal. So when the king's daughter is being taunted by a spirit he calls on good old Mangus thinking that he can just snap his fingers and rid the spirit of the princess for good but it's not that easy. Also to put even more pressure on Mangus, the King's adviser count Scarrzoni, whom everyone in the counrty knows has the real power at court, threatens Mangus that if he doesnt' rid princess of the ghost he will kill him and Fabrizio.but why would count scarrzoni go to so much trouble to protect the princess who hates him?

Rating:
Summary: Midnight Magic
Review: This story is about a servant boy who knows more than his magician master and a mischievous Princess who teams up with the two out siders to solve a ghost and murder mystery. They soon find out that everything is fake and uses it to trick the King and Queen to hold off an event that is soon to happen. They teams soon finds out who is doing it and why they are doing it. I thought that Midnight Magic was an excellent book. I would give it five stars. You could never tell what was going to happen next. It's a book that I would read over and over again. Also in some places I loved how it was funny. I would reccommend this book to anyone who is eight and up and who likes medieval realaistic/fantasy stories. Also any one who likes Avi.