| A private detective is hired to track a magician who turns out not to be an expert at "tricks", but a real and powerful wizard. This is one of those works (see the "similars" list below) in which magic is mathematical. (Or, perhaps, math is magical?) Spells take the form of equations, that can be cancelled through addition. Consequently, the book makes many references to formulas and mathematicians like Newton and Leibniz.
Originally published under the title "Sine of the Magus" as a short story in the short lived magazine Beyond Fantasy Fiction (May 1954), it was later expanded to a full novel. Unfortunately, in the opinion of many readers, there is too little plot spread too thinly to make it worthwhile.
Thanks to Fred Galvin for bringing this work of mathematical fiction to my attention! |
