Conrad's Fate

Rating: 6/6

Author: Diana Wynne Jones

Brilliant! This is what I like to call “Brilled to perfection”. I mean there’s nothing more to be said, that could further enunciate the genius behind this book. I couldn’t put it down all weekend! My conscience kept on telling me to put it down and study, but my curiosity wouldn’t let me.

Okay, this story is about a young Conrad Grant. He lives with his Uncle Alfred, mother and sister in a bookshop located in a place called Stallchester. He’s a very good willed boy, but things are always going bad for him in his life. So his uncle Alfred, who’s a magician, predicts that he has bad karma, from his past life. This is because he was supposed to get rid of someone in his past life but failed to. So he’s sent up to Stallery Mansion, a magical fortress which has power over the whole town, to find the person whom he was supposed to kill in his past life, and who is ultimately causing his bad fate.

Are you with me so far?

Well, he goes up to the castle where he competes for a job as a footman in search of the person he’s supposed to kill. He meets another young boy, Christopher Chant, and they embark on an adventure, to try and figure out the weird things that happen in Stallery which ultimately affect the whole town of Stallchester.

Now, this story was quite intelligently written. The way things turn out in the end; it’s a mind blower, I didn’t expect any of it. There are also quite interesting magical terms and ways that are quite creative and had me in awe of the author. Now if you are like me and you think that anything fantasy related that is quite excellent, ends with Harry Potter or whatever your favourite fantasy book is, check this out because you’re wrong!

There are more books which are sort of related to this one available, and I’d like to get myself acquainted with them. You see, the author has created a universe with many worlds. They are given the name “Related Series”, I think, and they are labelled Series 1 to 12. This book occurs in Series 7...I hope you understand what I’m trying to say here. Anyhowzer, go out there and get yourself a copy if you are into this sort of stuff.

Byeee!