A Wizard in Rhyme

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A Wizard in Rhyme is a series of fantasy novels written by Christopher Stasheff.

The stories in this series generally center around a main character named Matthew "Matt" Mantrell, a PhD student from Earth, snared into another universe by an enchanted piece of parchment.

After activating the enchantment, he found himself in the land of Merovence, an other-worldly analog of France where magic worked and fantastic creatures were quite real. In learning how to handle his own new-found ability to work magic by reciting poetry, he summoned and (eventually) befriended a dragon named Stegoman, and rescued the princess Alisande. Both remained his closest friends throughout the series.

Over the course of the series, Matt battled all sorts of evil and makes some pretty strange friends. In the third book of the series, one of his friends from his original world, Saul Bremener, entered the same world via the same method that transported Matt in the first book.

[edit] The lands of the realms

The following are domains of the realms covered in the novel, with the approximate geographical counterparts in the real world.

Allustria : (Germany/Austria) When introduced in Book 3, it was ruled by the witch-queen Suettay, and an army of scribes in an extensive bureaucratic network. The name Allustria is either derived from Allemagne (French for Germany) combined with Austria or Austrasia.

Ibile : (Spain) When introduced in Book 2, it was ruled by sorcerer-king Gordogrosso. The name Ibile seems to have been derived from Iberia.

Latruria : (Italy) When introduced in Book 4, it was ruled an evil sorcerer-king who was succeeded by his grandson, Boncorro. The name Latruria seems to have been derived from Latins or Latium. Its capital is Venarra.

Merovence : (France) When introduced in Book 1, it was ruled by recent usurper Astaulf, with his sorcerer henchman Malingo. The name is probably derived from Merovingian or Merovech. Capital is Bordestang.

[edit] The Realms of A Wizard in Rhyme

The magical world Matt found himself in was modelled after Medieval Europe, with some common history with Matt's original world, up to a point. It was also a world where the Christian church existed and had been founded through the same history at Matt's original world.

[edit] Differences between history in Matt's original world and the new realms

It was revealed to Matt in the stories that the evil he encountered was not new, but had once been held in check. Several centuries before, a hero by the name of Hardishane, had fought the forces of evil back from the realms and established an Empire of goodness and order.

Hardishane had been crowned in the year 862 in that world, and died in 925. Though a believer, he firmly rejected being crowned by the Pope, reasoning that neither the church should partake in governance, nor rulers in ministry. His descendants had continued to rule until the year 1084. The last reigning emperor, Lornhane, was unable to overcome the chaos that broke out in the empire. Lornhane did however have the wisdom to appoint kings to various regions of the empire, to Allustria, Merovence, Ibile and all the Northern Lands and Isles, to facilitate order in those parts.

After Lornhane, the empire was no more, but the kingdoms he left behind continued. Eventually, a number of the original Royal Houses fell to the challenges from evil forces. A number of books in the series focussed on winning the back the lands from evil.

In the fourth novel, it was revealed that in the new realms, Romulus and Remus were suckled by a wildcat. Later, Romulus lost to Remus, and the city of Reme instead of Rome was built.

Instead of being enemies, Horatius Cocles persuaded Lars Porsena and other Etruscan leaders to create a confederation of Etruscan and Latini states promoting peace and trade. Freemen fought with blunted weapons at the Circus like entertainers. The empire of Latruria was established, convincing Gauls, Goths (Germans), Greeks, Egyptians and even Carthagians to join, Hannibal Barca being instrumental in the latter's decision.

Judea was initially resistant, but menaced by Medes (Persian was conquered by Alexander), accepted Reme's offer of help.

The Huns invaded, but were roundly defeated by the Reman legions, and settled down instead as ranchers in the steppes instead of nomads.

Julius Caesar founded a line of emperors when the expanded territories required faster decisions than the Senate of Etruscans, Latini and Carthagians could cope with. Brutus supported Augustus to be heir, and the line of Caesars continued without needing to adopt the Claudians. One of the Caesars, Caesar Decembris, converted to Christianity and through example, led most of the empire to convert too.

Eventually, the northern islanders who accepted Reman way of life decided to secede from the confederation, thinking to "fare better by themselves". Other members gradually followed suit and Reme was left alone. Friends slowly turned into rivals and Reme was sacked by Vandals. Embittered, the Remans turned inwards to isolationism.

By year 653, the federated nations almost all broke up, but the empire was considered to end in the year 704 when the last of the Caesars died and Reme was attacked first by Visigoths, then by Ostrogoths.

The Mohammedans (Muslims), also known as paynims to the Europeans, also existed and held North Africa and the Middle East. During the time of Hardishane's grandfather, they held a portion of Ibile and invaded Merovenve through the mountains.

Cortshank the Hardy raised an army in Bordestang and fought against the Moors, using mountain terrain against the faster Moorish horsemen, allowing the heavier European knights to deploy their advantage of weight. The Moors were routed and their presence in Ibile survived when reinforcements from Africa arrived to support Emir at Aldocer, the sole remaining Moorish hold in Ibile.

Cortshank's victory made him popular enough for the people to make him the new king. In Ibile, the knights of Ibile were able to hold against the Moors, conducting mutual raids, until Gordogrosso came to power and made the Moors afraid.

The series currently consists of the following books: