Mark Reads ‘The Wizard’s Dilemma’: Chapter 2

In the second chapter of The Wizard’s Dilemma, Kit reunites with a friend to work on a project, but has mixed feelings on the result. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to read Young Wizards. 

AHHHHH, I HOPE THIS IS SETTING A STANDARD FOR THIS BOOK BECAUSE IF SO, I WILL BE VERY PLEASED. Like, maybe this will be like High Wizardry, and we’ll get alternating chapters, and yes yes yes yes. Even if that’s not the case, this was still a satisfying experience. I loved getting to be inside Kit’s head as he worried about Nita and worked on the wizardry to start repairing the Great South Bay with S’reee. WHO I AM SO PLEASED IS ALSO IN THIS BOOK, AT LEAST FOR NOW.

I suspect I haven’t gotten to the main conflict in The Wizard’s Dilemma yet, but even so, there’s already a lot of conflict to keep me intrigued and desperate for more. It’s clever of Duane to switch over to Kit after the first chapter because we get a chance to see both his cluelessness and his concern, which is an important combination. He could have just been clueless about Nita’s behavior, but it’s obvious that he thinks highly of Nita and wants to keep her happy. That doesn’t negate how confused he is, of course. From his perspective, he’s treated her well, unaware that the way in which he’s been dismissing her wizardry is exacerbating the distance she already perceives between them.

And y’all, that’s why communication is so important in all relationships, sexual, romantic, or platonic included. It’s been the one skill of mine that I’ve continually honed over the years because I’ve seen the reward of talking through difficult, complicated shit. I bring that up here because Duane’s crafted a situation that allows us to see how internal narratives and experiences shapes the way we interact with one another. Nita perceived a meanness, a cruelty in the way that Kit dismissed her wizardry; Kit, however, is genuinely worried because he can’t figure out why Nita would react to him as she did. As they both get older, as the pressures of life build up and complicate them both, as they age away from their highest power as wizards, they’re going to keep changing. A lot. And if this friendship is going to survive, they need to talk about that, to check in with one another, to understand how they’re changing, too!

Duane then makes this even more complicated, and I admire that she does so. Why? Because just two chapters into this book, there’s an elaborate and emotion-rich canvas from which she can build a novel. Right from the start, there is angst and anger and confusion and concern, and we haven’t even gotten to the main plot yet. (Or have we??? DUN DUN DUN.) In that sense, there’s all the elements of a classic coming-of-age story here, but who knows if that’s what we’re gonna get? (You all know, of course. JUST LET ME SIT HERE AND BE WRONG.) As it stands, Nita is not around for the wizardry that needs to be worked in the South Bay in order to start removing the pollution in it.

What unfolds is elegant, and I don’t know a better word for it. I spoke about this in the video for this chapter, but there’s not a magic system I’ve ever come across like this, and “elegant” fits as a description for it. Magic is not about forcing will or power on things; it’s about conversations. (See? Even when it comes to the magical system in this world, having conversations is important! THEMATIC SYNCHRONICITY, Y’ALL.) The spellwork that Kit comes up with is approved by S’reee, which is most certainly awkward because it means that Kit was right. Nita’s wizardries were going to be way too complex for what needed to be done.

I’ll get back to that. Let’s talk about how Kit and S’reee come up with a way to change the way the ocean deals with pollution:

They were reminding the ocean how things had once been: a long discussion, setting aside for the moment its outrage over having been systematically polluted.

That’s how the conversation works! They persuade the ocean to react differently to the pollutants (well, the modern ones, that is; I loved that Duane pointed out that pretty much all the living organisms in the ocean were seen as pollutants in it) by turning them into inert salts, allowing the ocean’s natural cycles to take care of the excess salinity. IT’S BRILLIANT. Amazingly simple, and yes, achieved without the help of Nita.

Awkward, y’all. But it’s supposed to be. It was bad enough watching Kit remove Nita’s name from the spellwork, but it was necessary. It meant that she was wrong, and Kit knew that this was going to sting later. No one likes being wrong! Kit’s also the kind of person who doesn’t like reveling in someone being wrong, either, especially not Nita. How is he going to have that conversation with her? I appreciate that he cares so much about it because that’ll at least mean he’ll try to be respectful about it, you know?

But lord, it’s gonna be so uncomfortable. SO UNCOMFORTABLE.

vid

Mark Links Stuff

– I am now on Patreon! There are various levels of support, from $1 up to whatever you want! You’ll get to read a private blog, extra reviews, and other such rewards. I POST A LOT OF CUTE PHOTOS, OKAY. Think of it like a private Tumblr blog that only SPECIAL PEOPLE get to read.
– I have updated my list of conventions and events for the remainder of the year and much of next year.  Check the full list of events on my Tour Dates / Appearances page.
– My Master Schedule is updated for the near and distant future for most projects, so please check it often. My next Double Features for Mark Watches have been announced here.
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