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    The Last Days of Magic: A Novel
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    The Last Days of Magic: A Novel
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    The Last Days of Magic: A Novel
    Audiobook14 hours

    The Last Days of Magic: A Novel

    Written by Mark Tompkins

    Narrated by Sile Bermingham

    3/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    What became of magic in the world? Who needed to do away with it, and for what reasons? Drawing on myth, legend, fairy tales, and Biblical mysteries, The Last Days of Magic brilliantly imagines answers to these questions, sweeping us back to a world where humans and magical beings co-exist as they had for centuries.

    Aisling, a goddess in human form, was born to rule both domains and--with her twin, Anya--unite the Celts with the powerful faeries of the Middle Kingdom. But within medieval Ireland interests are divided, and far from its shores greater forces are mustering. Both England and Rome have a stake in driving magic from the Emerald Isle. Jordan, the Vatican commander tasked with vanquishing the remnants of otherworldly creatures from a disenchanted Europe, has built a career on such plots. But increasingly he finds himself torn between duty and his desire to understand the magic that has been forbidden.

    As kings prepare, exorcists gather, and divisions widen between the warring clans of Ireland, Aisling and Jordan must come to terms with powers given and withheld, while a world that can still foster magic hangs in the balance. Loyalties are tested, betrayals sown, and the coming war will have repercussions that ripple centuries later, in today's world--and in particular for a young graduate student named Sara Hill.

    The Last Days of Magic introduces us to unforgettable characters who grapple with quests for power, human frailty, and the longing for knowledge that has been made taboo. Mark Tompkins has crafted a remarkable tale--a feat of world-building that poses astonishing and resonant answers to epic questions.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateMar 1, 2016
    ISBN9780147524539
    Unavailable
    The Last Days of Magic: A Novel

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    Reviews for The Last Days of Magic

    3/5

    54 ratings15 reviews

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    • 4/5
      Offering a fascinating blend of history, myth, religion and research, Mark Tompkins’ The Last Days of Magic combines a brief present-day mystery with the long-buried past. In an Ireland of fairy powers, Celtic alliances, and Roman oppression, political machinations (some real, some imagined) combine with witchly perseverance (seriously anti-Catholic) and mythical powers, while half a goddess (Celtic, maybe Druidic) struggles to save her world. There are lots of twists and turns, unexpected allusions to the Dead Sea Scrolls and other ancient words, and plenty of cynicism toward the powers and beliefs of Catholicism. But the combination is truly fascinating, the story is absorbing, and the mystic realm is offered with cruelly enticing conviction. Rights and wrongs are found on all sides (and there are many sides) in a tale that confuses, delights, and ultimately satisfies, offering a long, truly intriguing read.Disclosure: The anti-Catholic stance was a bit grating at times, but I enjoyed the novel.
    • 3/5
      Really good, if a little depressing...
    • 2/5
      The Last days of Magic by Mark TompkinsThe Last Days of Magic is a quasi-historical fantasy set in Ireland. Drawn from the legends of Ireland and from (believe it or not!) the Dead Sea Scrolls, The Last Days of Magic tells the story of the Nephilim, the hybrid offspring of angels and humans, and the Sidhe ("shee"), the Irish faeries of whom much has been written. I wanted to like this book. No, I wanted to love it. As someone with a lifelong interest in Druids, Faeries, and books like The King of Elfland's Daughter, The Mabinogion and Thomas the Rhymer, I was looking forward to a magical tale of otherworldly beings. And this book tries so hard. The erudition of Mark Tompkins is beyond question, and his passion and love of this subject matter is evident on every page. Faeries, Nephilim, Sidhe, Gnomes, Brownies, Sluaghs, Pixies, Fire Sprites, Leprechauns, Dryads, Woodwoses, and other creatures drip from the pages. That's kind of the problem. Every time the story works up a bit of momentum, we stop for a diversion into another creature, another king, another tribe, another history, and by the time that's done, you've forgotten what was happening. I'm surprised an editor didn't rein this in. If you are deeply interested in the history and lore of faeries, you will find this book interesting and informative. If you're just looking for a good historical fantasy with Druids and Faeries, there are easier ways to get it. (I received a free ARC from Edelweiss in return for an honest review)
    • 2/5
      I received a copy of this book through Penguin's First to Read program. The premise sounded great -- a synthesis of myth, legend, fairy tales, and Biblical mysteries? Sounds like a fun time. I can't fault the writer, as it is exactly what it says on the tin, a bend of all of those stories, exhaustively researched and stitched together so that even as a history the fictional threads are hard to discern, even a bit exciting to see. Oh, Chaucer makes a cameo? Gutenberg? It's like some great historical figure mash-up!But I think it's the exhaustive part that wore me down, eventually. All that research and detail makes it into the book, which starts out in modern day with a compelling plot line, disappears into the 1300s for 375 pages, and then returns to the modern day for the last few pages, and I can't help but wish we'd stayed more in the modern day. The book is well written and everything, and I'm sure you could go fact-check every single reference Tompkins makes, but I just found it too much like reading a historical register and began skimming pages about 150 pages in. Characters' motivations seemed to be explained over and over again and I felt like each and every group of them were held at an arm's length for inspection, explication, until the color wore out of them.But the world is very detailed, the writing pretty good, and the facts are there to be enjoyed (as well as those cameos), so I'm sure that maybe I'm just not the right audience for the book.
    • 4/5
      Some authors have the ability to blend fact and fiction in such a way that it becomes nearly impossible to untangle the threads. Even more impressive is when the author can use historical facts woven with fantasy elements from myths and legends to create a narrative that rings true. ( I've said it before and I'll say it again; if a book makes me want to do further research at its conclusion then it was a good book.) Mark Tompkins has this unique ability and he's illustrated it perfectly with his debut novel The Last Days of Magic. The story is set in the Middle Ages (excluding a bit from the beginning and end) in Ireland. These are the days when everyone knew that magic was real and that there were creatures that roamed the earth that possessed skills unimaginable to any mere human being (Grogochs seem familiar somehow). Tompkins took this a step further by incorporating the Dead Sea Scrolls which brought an edge of religious fanaticism to the tale. A cast of characters is introduced and at different points in the story my allegiance ebbed and flowed among them. I did a complete 180 on one character in particular that still has me scratching my head. It was an enjoyable read that had a steady pace and it was more than obvious that the author did his homework. It's well researched and imaginative. I have to warn you, however, that this is not a book for children. There are graphic sex scenes (two words: Imp erection) as well as coarse language and lots of gore. So reader beware!
    • 3/5
      Not what I had hoped for, but still had moments of enjoyment. Did get a little ponderous I the historical bits, but it was kinda interesting to see how the author wove the tale around known history without changing the historical facts. Would have liked the book better if it had more of modern day sandwiching the story and if I hadn't been snookered into buying the book at full price, since my library didn't have it available.Tags: 2016-read, color-me-disappointed, creatures, e-book, fantasy, first-novel-or-book, great-title, made-me-look-something-up, magic, mixed-feelings, ok-but-not-great, read, read-on-recommendation, rounded-up-in-star-rating, secret-history, skim-read-til-the-end, thought-i-was-gonna-like
    • 4/5
      I was surprised by the originality of this plot - a deft blend of history and fantasy, with plenty of world-building to create a plausible world of magic, witches, and other creatures existing within medieval Europe. While the heart of the story takes place in Ireland, I was amused by the take on French and English history and enjoyed the appearance of several well-known historical figures. I would highly recommend this book to those who enjoy fantasy.
    • 3/5
      I was super excited to read this story. Yet, I was somewhat disappointing. Multiple stories that blend together as the book goes on, that made it a bit difficult to follow. Yes, I did like it, however it didn't live up to the hype.
    • 3/5
      If I knew this was a trilogy or a series, and that another book was available or coming soon, my rating would be 4 stars. As a stand alone. the ending left me wanting.
    • 3/5
      Loved the Irish part; really got confused with all the faeries and other creatures known as Sidhe, Nephilim, and Eliouds. This book is a combination of Irish fantasy, Irish history, Biblical mythology, and some church history all mixed together. Set in the 13th century, the story mThere are so many strange names for the fantasy creatures, it is hard to keep track of. And, the many battles between these creatures, and between the Celts, Norse, and English become very complicated with the infusion of magic spells, iron axes, and enchantments. Loved the cover.
    • 4/5
      It was ok but it took awhile to get into it because they introduced a lot of characters really quickly.
    • 4/5
      Very interesting premise - that the faerie folk of Ireland are the last remnants of the nephillim. Note that this is a pretty gory book - at least to my eyes. Detailed descriptions of medieval torture and means of execution abound.
    • 1/5
      Boring characters and boring plot. I got halfway through and purposefully left the book in a shopping cart.
    • 4/5
      This book was advertised as utilizing both all the supernatural beings of the Celtic world and the ones from the Bible; that intrigued me. A tale that combines the Dead Sea Scrolls, Vikings, a Celtic goddess, and Vatican scheming? Sign me up. The fact that it takes place in both the present day and in the late 1300s made it even more interesting to me. The story begins in 2016, when Sara Hill is contacted by her grandmother. Telling Sara that they are both in danger, she instructs her to cut open some old books. Hidden inside the covers are complete copies of the Dead Sea Scrolls- including the books that the Vatican has destroyed because they don’t fit with their philosophy. She tells Sara that she must come to Ireland immediately. From those half dozen pages the story jumps to 1387. The story revolves around twin girls who are born periodically in Ireland who are half goddess, and a plot that combines the Vatican’s wish to erase all magical beings and the English king’s desire to rule Ireland. The next 360 pages are about the training the girls have, the scheming of the various kings and nobles, a marshal from the Vatican who isn’t quite what the Vatican thinks he is, witches in royal households, and lots of battles, big and small. The author goes into great detail about all of these things- sometimes a little too much detail and the story bogs down. The cast of characters is huge- at times I had trouble remembering who was who- and lot of them didn’t get enough stage time to let us get to know them; they enter, speak their piece, and leave. The ending left me completely hanging; this is pretty obviously going to have a sequel or two. We only got the story in the past; we have less than a dozen pages of the present day story. While we find out that all the supernatural races are descendants of the angels who came to earth and mated with humans, we don’t find out why this is so important that anyone who finds this out is in danger. In the end, while the story interested me and I liked the writing, it badly needs some editing. The story seemed to get away from the author.
    • 5/5
      ***This book was reviewed for the Manhattan Book Review.***In The Last Days of Magic Mark Tompkins has woven together a beautiful tapestry, the warp and weft a tumultuous crossing of pagan faith and Christian fervor, of all that was, and all that would come to be. This epic story, spanning centuries, lies nested within the story of Sara, a young college student whose family is more special than she knows. The inner, larger story concerns Aisling and Anya, two aspects of the triple goddess, Morrigna. Annan is the third, the deep heart of the sunder-souled goddess.Yet, like the goddess herself, there are more parts to this story. We also follow the mercenary Jordan, who works for the Vatican. Charged with eliminating the faerie-folk from Ireland, and establishing the rule of the Pope in those lands, Jordan has secrets of his own. Most of the story switches between Aisling and the Irish, as distinct storylines play out, and Jordan as he helps prepare an invasion force to Ireland. Aisling and Anya, as human aspects of the Morrigna, must learn to harness and channels Annan’s energy, and they must do so before invaders arrive. Trouble strikes, though, crippling the twins’ power. Meanwhile, Jordan and his masters enlist the aid of traitor fae to breach the magical protections surrounding Ireland, as well as in getting past the Fomorians who guard the waters. What follows is a clash of cultures unlike any other, with reverberations echoing down through the ages.This cover is beautiful, in stunning simplicity. I also loved the fact that one of the main characters bears the Gaelic version of my Welsh name. Aislynn= Aisling. Pretty neat since both are rather uncommon. While I am unsure of the historical accuracy, even for an alt world, I found the dispersal of funds for the Irish campaign fascinating. It makes a perfect logical sense for the time frame. It’s the type of small detail that I find isn't usually taken into account and I rather enjoyed it. I really liked that Patrick, while Christian, still respected the Old Ways, and did not berate the Irish their pagan roots, unlike Colmcille. One thing I did find a bit puzzling was Ty’s brief inclusion. It seemed a little random, with the sole purpose of serving one goal that could have likely been achieved in a different fashion. I thought he was a neat character, and would have welcomed the chance to know him better.Tompkins has created an epic myth, couching the seed of truth regarding the destruction early Christianity wrought on the native faiths of the British Isles, and other places they encroached upon. This story makes me think of the movie Knowing, where people have encountered these beings through time, and seen them as fae, angels, demons, or even aliens depending on cultural perspective. I highly recommend this book to any fan of epic fantasy.