My favorite type of books are the ones that I never want to end. When I close a book and am upset that I don’t get to spend more time with the characters in it, I’m happiest. I know I’ve experienced a connection, and ultimately that’s what all art is about, making a connection. I’m lucky that I’ve felt this way two books in a row now. This should make sense, however, as this review covers a sequel. I loved A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians, and its sequel, A Radical Act of Free Magic, worked for me just as well if not better. H.G. Parry ended this duology in a way that was unexpected yet earned. Since she worked with historical figures, I wondered how she would deviate and where she would remain true to their lives. In the end, Parry found a way to stay true to history, true to the story, and true to her readers.
Warning: There will be spoilers for A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians. If you haven’t finished that book, stop reading this and go read the first book.
Disclaimer: The publisher, Redhook, provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Any and all opinions that follow are mine alone.
© PrimmLife.com 2021
TL;DR
A Radical Act of Free Magic continues where A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians left off. This wonderful blend of history and the supernatural delighted me until the end. Highly recommended.
From the Publisher
A sweeping tale of revolution and wonder in a world not quite like our own, A Radical Act of Free Magic is the conclusion to this genre-defying series of magic, war, and the struggle for freedom in the early modern world.
The Concord has been broken, and a war of magic engulfs the world.
In France, the brilliant tactician Napoléon Bonaparte has risen to power, and under his command, the army of the dead has all but conquered Europe. Britain fights back, but Wilberforce’s own battle to bring about free magic and abolition has met a dead end in the face of an increasingly repressive government. In Saint-Domingue, Fina aids Toussaint Louverture as he navigates these opposing forces to liberate the country.
But there is another, even darker war being fought beneath the surface: the first vampire war in hundreds of years. The enemy blood magician who orchestrated Robespierre’s downfall is using the French Revolutionary Wars to bring about a return to dark magic. Across the world, only a few know of his existence, and the choices they make will shape the new age of magic.
Review: A Radical Act of Free Magic by H.G. Parry
A Radical Act of Free Magic closes the Shadow History duology. Robespierre is dead. The Concord is broken. Saint Domingue is still a battle for freedom. William Pitt the Younger and William Wilberforce’s friendship is bruised and tenuous but not broken. Slavery is still the law of the land in England. The Enemy has found a new person to operate through, one Napoleon Bonaparte.
A Radical Act of Free Magic begins shortly after A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians ends. Parry continues to seamlessly blend actual historical events with supernatural elements. Political machinations continue to take a central role in the book, but this time we see a separation between Pitt and Wilberforce. The two contrast the possibilities for politicians. Wilberforce works diligently to remain true to his principles; Pitt, on the other hand, has learned to compromise and delay in order to balance the needs of the country. Fina continues to keep Jamaica in her heart as she learns about the sacrifices made for treaties and peace.
The writing is fantastic as usual, and I think this is a stronger story than Declaration. Fina’s story in the first book felt a bit tacked on, but she becomes more central to the plot here. Fina is a great character and has been from the start; so, it’s good to see her soar in this book. Her viewpoint has given the reader insight into slave and rebellion life. In this book, she continues to provide excellent commentary on her world.
Freedom
A Radical Act of Free Magic is as much about abolition and freedom as Declaration was. Fundamentally, these books are about the legal control of another person. The aristocracy seeks to control commoner magicians for fear of an uprising. White people seek to control black people to extract economic benefit. These methods of control were codified into law, and as such, they separated humans into castes. While commoners were still considered human, slaves were not. Slaves were biological machines for extracting economic benefits. And again this was legal. Not moral, just legal.
I found very interesting the excuses used to perpetuate the slave trade. Even anti-abolition people had to admit that the conditions of the Middle Passage and everyday slave life was horrendous. But they remained opposed to abolition because of the economic impact it would have on their country. This is an evergreen sentiment among humans. In my nation, children owe school lunch debt while billionaires run an orbital pissing contest. For a large portion of the population, economics matters much more than life. We, as a nation, could provide free school lunches that feed hungry children; we could provide a national healthcare system so that people don’t have to choose between life or bankrupting their family. Yet, the biggest detractors worry about the effects these programs would have on our economy. Cruelty and callousness suffuse our society in the name of the dollar now just as much as it did during the slave trade.
Now, no, I’m not equating the slave trade to someone not having insurance. Obviously the slave trade was an active horror where no government option for insurance is a more passive cruelty. But the point is that to many people, some must suffer so that a few can launch rockets in space.
Can One Be Idealistic and a Good Politician
William Wilberforce’s lifework in this book is to abolish the slave trade. It’s no spoiler to say that he accomplished that work. Through it all, he sticks to his ideals. In this book, he is a shining example of an idealistic person, but Parry doesn’t allow him to be that shallow of a character. He struggles with all the failures to abolish the slave trade. He struggles when he must oppose his friend, and he struggles when he must keep quiet to support his friend. He is allowed to be human and a politician when too many trade the former for the latter. Throughout the two books, Wilberforce remains the ideal politician: dogged, loyal to his beliefs, and willing to continue in the face of loss.
William Pitt the Younger, however, has a different role. As Prime Minister, he has more on his agenda than simply abolishing the slave trade. He helped make England financially better (though he couldn’t do that for himself) and had a war to fight. Because he was pulled in more directions, he learned to form consensus and to put certain of his wants on hold to get actual work done. He, in this book, was not an idealist but a pragmatist. He had to compromise to find support to pass his bills. But it cost him. He knew he wanted to abolish the slave trade but allowed himself to talked out of it, time and again. He even persecuted the rebels of Saint Domingue, knowing that if he won, slavery would have been restored to the island. Yet, his success at governing England is undeniable. He may not have got what he wanted on abolition but he made headway in other areas.
A Radical Act of Free Magic puts the idealist and pragmatist together and, at times, against each other. While Pitt accomplished more, Wilberforce led a happier life. I believe it was because he stuck to his idealism that Wilberforce enjoyed his life as Pitt becomes stretched to the breaking point. Ultimately, is it better to be an idealist or pragmatist is a personal question. Are you happier accomplishing your goals even if it means compromising yourself? Or are you content to fight for what you believe in even if it never comes to pass?
Conclusion
H.G. Parry’s A Radical Act of Free Magic brings the Shadow History duology to a wonderful conclusion. It brings more of everything I liked from A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians and adds a kraken. When I turned the final page, I sighed contentedly and immediately began to miss the characters. This was a great end to a wonderful story.
A Radical Act of Free Magic by H.G. Parry is available from Redhook on July 20th, 2021.
© PrimmLife.com 2021