NEBULA AWARD FINALIST - 2003
Also available at Fictionwise
Magic's Price is another coming of age stories about a young man's desire to become a magician and the price he pays for achieving that. There is a love interest (for Asaro fans), some rather nasty violence, a mystery or two, and a grand scheme behind it all. I don't think anyone will be disappointed.
This started with a simple image of a boy anxious to see the magician, who is to arrive at the local spring festival. From there I imagined a few characters, the locale, and let nature take its course. This was started in early 1999 and was finished in February 2000. It was one of three novellas and two short stories I tried to write in my spare time from Y2K work.
I was so intrigued by the setting and characters that I continued the story to its conclusion when Jacob finally achieves his dream of becoming a magician and changing the world forever.