- Hardcover: 375 pages
- Publisher: HarperCollins Canada / Juvenile B B; 1 edition (April 13 2005)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0060747439
- ISBN-13: 978-0060747435
- Product Dimensions: 21 x 14.8 x 3.6 cm
- Shipping Weight: 558 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #1,820,893 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Amazon
Devotees of The Chrestomanci Quartet and Mixed Magics will pounce on this sixth title in the series by Diana Wynne Jones, whose reputation as a fantasy writer is also enhanced by Archer’s Goon and Howl’s Moving Castle (soon to be an animated film). In this Chrestomanci tale, the nine-lived enchanter Christopher, who fans will remember from other books, appears as a dapper and self-possessed 15-year-old, and the narrator is young Conrad Tesdinic, who at the age of twelve has just finished school in the mountain village of Stallchester in the English Alps. He yearns to go on to Stall High, but his tight-fisted Uncle Alfred has other plans. With the help of magical spells and a story of bad karma, he intimidates Conrad into going off to serve on the staff at Stallery Mansion, burdened with a secret about an unknown person he must kill. Conrad makes the best of his new life, especially after he meets his elegant new roommate Christopher, who is, he explains, the heir in a different time level to the job of Chrestomanci, an enchanter appointed by the government to control the use of magic. Conrad joins him in his desperate search for his friend Millie, who has vanished from a parallel time track. Amusing scenes of life below stairs in the highly stratified servants’ quarters alternate with the boys’ strange adventures as they seek through other realities within the castle on their day off, glimpsing Millie but never able to reach her. With Wynne Jones’ characteristic skill at plotting, the finale is a whirlwind of revealed alter-identities and just desserts for villains, ending with as many satisfying romantic pairings as a Shakespeare comedy. (Ages 10-13) --Patty Campbell
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From School Library Journal
Grade 6-10–Jones is a master of British fantasies that are hilariously droll and totally heartfelt at the same time. This is a new novel in the series that began with Charmed Life and The Lives of Christopher Chant (both 1998, HarperCollins), the story of how Christopher, the "nine-lifed enchanter" who regulates the uses of magic throughout 12 sets of alternate worlds, began his career. This book introduces Conrad Tesdinic, a boy who lives in one of the Series Seven worlds and has been told throughout his youth that he has bad luck, an Evil Fate, bad karma. When he graduates from lower school at the age of 12, his magician uncle reveals that Conrad's black Fate has been caused by his failure to kill a depraved evildoer in a previous life. The reincarnated evildoer, he is told, dwells in nearby Stallery Mansion, which generates so much magic that no one living nearby gets any TV reception. Conrad must take a job as a servant at the mansion and kill the villain, whose identity he must discover. Once hired, he meets his roommate and fellow servant, a smug, handsome young man named–aha!–Christopher. Almost all the players–including Conrad–conceal their true identities as they dash from one alternate Stallery Mansion to another, solving several interlocking mysteries. This witty, satisfying story can be read on its own, but is much richer when read as part of the series. It's a must for all Jones fans.–Walter Minkel, New York Public Library
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most helpful customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Funniest Chrestomanci Book,
By
This review is from: Chrestomanci Series 6 - Conrad's Fate (Paperback)
There is no need to have read any other book in the Chrestomanci series to enjoy this as each book can be read seperately.In my opinion, this is the funniest book in the series. Christopher Chant as a teenager is something you don't want to miss, he's quite as weirdly adorable (and insufferable) as Howl from "Howl's Moving Castle" (another better-known book from the same author).
4.0 out of 5 stars
Christopher Chant -- simply charming!,
By yvette "starlet" (Vancouver, BC) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Conrads Fate (Hardcover)
To continue the excellent Chrestomanci series, Diana Wynne Jones has published Conrad's fate. It fills in a bit of the time in between the young Christopher we see in "The Lives of Christopher Chant" and the charismatic, impeccably dressed, and mysterious Chrestomanci we see in the other books and short stories in the series. In Conrad's fate, we are reintroduced to Millie and Christopher through the eyes of another young boy, Conrad. He is sent up to the local rich family's mysterious castle by his uncle (beware of DWJ's uncles!) to relieve himself of a curse. This, I believe, is the first Chrestomanci book written in the first person, and Conrad narrates the tale. Although not as exciting and surprising as her other books, this is still a solid good read with lots of humour, exceptional situations, and of course, the classic DWJ whirlwind ending. The time fault concept introduced was a bit difficult to wrap my mind around and wasn't as intriguing as some of her other ideas. Lots of funny side characters and I really loved reading more about Christopher. I can't get enough of him! He, along with Howl (from "Howl's Moving Castle"), are so very charming and charismatic!
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great new Chrestomanci book!,
By A Customer
This review is from: Conrads Fate (Hardcover)
I have to admit how surprised i am at the lack of publicity this book is getting, especially considering how good it was. It isn't Ms. Wynne Jones' best--in my opinion, that honour goes to Fire and Hemlock, although it's definitely for older readers than this is--but it's a strong and enjoyable addition to the Chrestomanci titles. The story centers around Conrad, a young boy with a horrible Fate, who is told by his uncle that the only way not to bring disaster upon himself is to kill someone up at Stallery mansion. In order to infiltrate the mansion, Conrad becomes one of two Improvers, or valets in training, in competition with--hurrah!--Christopher Chant, whose effortless aplomb and superior attitude annoy Conrad immensely. There are suspicous goings-on at the Mansion, and soon Conrad and Chrisopher are right in the middle of them. Of course, because this is a book by Diana Wynne Jones, the plot becomes distinctly twisty and funny as the book proceeds!
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