The Garden Gnome (Theory of Magic #1) by Jeff McIntyre
@charlotte.butler.18,
@hotchoc84, @Jeff_M_McIntyre,
Where did magic go?
Our world is defined by science, but history tells us that the world was once a much more magical place. Every culture has tales of when the gods walked among us, when strange magical creatures dwelt in the dark, and when users of magic were respected and feared.
We tell ourselves that these stories are myth and superstition. But what if they aren’t?
What if magic were to return? And what does it have to do with a ten-year-old boy and his imaginary friend?
Daniel and Sophia Fitzroy are worried that their son Tony is being bullied in his new school and is struggling to cope.
Leo Schafer is reporting on a new and powerful particle accelerator experiment and the protestors who want it stopped.
FBI Special Agent Debra Kazdin is investigating the protests and trying to keep things from escalating.
Brian Cooke is being inducted into a secret society that knows the truth about magic and will stop at nothing to keep it from returning.
They will be drawn together in an extraordinary confrontation that will change the world forever.
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4 out of 5 (very good)
Independent Reviewer for Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
The Garden Gnome is a beautiful story. I love the way that the lives of so many are interwoven and work well together. The blend of past and present, magic and science is perfect. There's enough of everything to keep everyone intrigued and reading but without being bombarded with too much of the things you wouldn't normally be into. The descriptive balance is also good, enough to build a picture but still plenty of room for your imagination to play with the carefully chosen words of Jeff McIntyre.
I'm pretty sure Jeff has some magical powers which he's used to create a cleverly refreshing story.
You'll definitely need snacks for this one as you won't be wanting to put this down!
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Adventurous or cautious? cautious
Antique or brand new? antique
Asking questions or answering questions? answering
Bagels or muffins? Muffins (but there better be something sweet in them)
Black and white or colour? colour
Black leather or brown leather? Black leather
Books or movies? Ooh, both. I love reading, but I’m also a super movie nerd.
Boots or sandals? Boots, you don’t want to see my toes.
Bright colours or neutral tones? neutral
Cake or pie? Cake as long as it’s chocolate. For that matter, pie as long as it’s French silk.
Call or text? If it’s less than a 10-word conversation, text. Otherwise, call.
Chinese or Italian? Italian
Chocolate or vanilla? chocolate
Cowboys or aliens? aliens
Dancing or singing? singing
Dogs or cats? dogs
Drawings or paintings? paintings
Dress up or dress down? Dress down
Dresses or skirts? Trousers? I don’t think I’d look good in a skirt, but I do have nice legs.
Facial hair or clean-shaven? I can no longer envision myself without the van dyke I’ve worn for over 20 years. Shaved it all off once during covid and I frightened my friends and family. Never again!
Favourite colour? Purple!
Fiction or non-fiction? fiction
Football or Rugby? football
Freckles or dimples? freckles
Fruit or vegetables? fruit
Glasses or contacts? LASIK
Hardwood or carpet? hardwood
Hugs or kisses? hugs
Ice cream or yoghurt? Ice cream
Internet or cell phone? Internet
Introvert or extrovert? introvert
Ketchup or mustard? neither
Leather or denim? denim
Light or dark chocolate? Dark chocolate is the bomb
Light side or dark side? Dark side, they have cookies
Long hair or short hair? I like both, actually, and have had both at various times in my life.
Marvel or DC? Marvel
Morning, noon or night? night
Numbers or letters? letters
Orange juice or apple juice? Orange juice if there’s bacon involved. Otherwise, apple juice.
Pancakes or waffles? Waffles, waffles, waffles!
Pen or pencil? pencil
Pepsi or Coke? Mountain Dew
Personal chef or personal fitness trainer? Personal chef (but they would hate me)
Picnic or nice restaurant? Picnic
Raisins or nuts? Nuts with raisins
Rural or urban? rural
Sausage or bacon? Why not both? The answer is bacon
Saver or spender?Saver spender
Sci-Fi or fantasy? If you read my book, you’ll know that it’s both
Scrambled or fried? scrambled
Silver or gold? gold
Spicy or mild? mild
Spring or fall? spring
Tan or pale? tan
Tattoos or piercings? tattoos
Tea or coffee? Ugh neither
Think before you talk or talk before you think? Think before you talk. The other one always gets me in trouble.
Truth or dare? Truth
Washing dishes or doing laundry? Doing laundry
Whole wheat or white? Whole wheat (although sourdough is king)
Wine or beer? Neither. I’m not a teetotaller, I just don’t personally partake.
Winter or summer? Summer
Jeff McIntyre was introduced to science fiction and fantasy with a three-book collection of A Wrinkle In Time, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe when he was eight, but his love of the genres took off in high school when he was introduced to The Foundation and The Hobbit. He has been an avid gamer his entire life. Video games, role-playing games, and table-top wargaming. The list of games he’s played is very, very long. His day job is working in Telecommunications, and The Garden Gnome is his first novel.
He currently resides in Omaha, Nebraska, with his lovely wife Deb and 185 pounds of fuzzy dork named Magni and Zeus. They’re Hovawarts… Look it up.
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