Chock full of magic and adventure starting with the escape from Underhill to of all places, NYC by a young elf who didn't want to learn magic. His assigned Protector pursues him and is caught by an evil human's spell which transforms her into Bloody Mary. Eric learns he has a younger brother, Magnus, who is in the same boat Eric was in when he escaped their domineering parents. Eric wants to find him, but Magnus doesn't know he has an older brother. A government agency goes off the deep end and kidnaps a book store owner, then tortures him to get information he doesn't have. All in all, this is an excellent story and a fun read.