The Magician's Apprentice reads like a tale from The Arabian Nights, in which wise men wander desert sands that conceal wonders and villainy alike.
Baz's turn had finally come. He'd watch his brothers go off one by one to learn a trade and see the world, and now, as the stranger approached across the desert--seemingly out of nowhere--Baz knew someone had finally come for him. "[T]he promise became a sort of roaming vision to Baz, a mysterious open door, imbued with the power to propel him into the future, to see himself as something more than he was." For all his anticipation, 16-year-old Baz soon sees that there is more to life than work. His fate becomes entwined with that of a traveling magician, and he begins to probe the mysteries of life and to cut through illusion, to discover his true self.
This is not a story of action, however, so do not expect any spell-flinging showdowns. Rather, it is a meditative novel that draws readers in with its Zen-like, hypnotic quality. It is as much an inner journey as a physical one, and will appeal to reflective readers who enjoy tackling life's "big questions." Throughout, Kate Banks's (The Baby) language is simple and luscious--and at times enigmatic--as she paints her landscape of desert and mountains, and show us the people who reside there. Peter Sís's (The Wall; Tibet Through the Red Box) illustrations further add to the pages' beauty and deepen the mystical quality of the tale. --Julia Smith, blogger and children's bookseller emerita