Imagine a world that combines the medieval view of the sacredness of the the written word and the scarcity of texts with a modern library’s stance on access. Center it around a vast central library and set it in a magical, Arabian Nights-style country with a hint of dark magic and enter the world of the Kafna.
The main protagonist is a boy from the slums of a small town. His older sister labors ceaselessly so he can attend school and he devours knowledge—and books. However, his mixed heritage, giving him elf-like ears, pale skin, and blonde hair, makes him stand out from the darker-skinned villagers. They torment him constantly, as well as refuse him access to the library.
Enter the Kafna, or librarians, traveling from the massive and powerful Aftzaak Central Library. Sedona, a dramatic young woman, is from the Protections office, working to protect valuable texts. Anzu, a gentle middle-aged woman, is from the Liaisons office, working with the branch libraries to serve their patrons. PiPiri, who is of the Kokopa race, is a small, fairy-like creature with a short attention span and a hot temper. She comes along with, Nanako, a reserved, dark-skinned teenager and together the two represent the Restorations Office, working to restore and preserve even the most trivial of books as well as the most dangerous.
When the boy meets the Kafna, his life is forever changed. Through a series of exciting and dangerous events, they encourage him to continue seeking knowledge, open new doors for him, and give him the ambition to be a Kafna himself. The first volume ends with his name revealed as Theo Fumis, and a final chapter rejoins him seven years later, at the age of thirteen, ready to begin his journey to Aftzaak and take the challenging tests to become a Kafna.
In the second volume, readers are introduced to more of the mythology, magic, and scenery of Theo’s world as he journeys with his eccentric and tough mentor across wastelands to reach the city of Aftzaak. After many adventures, and gaining new companions that include a dramatic and somewhat spoiled young girl and a street-wise boy, Theo meets his first challenge as a Kafna hopeful, the written test. This lasts over three days and the book ends with a suspenseful moment as the test ends.
Throughout each book are mini comics introducing characters, landmarks, and the background story of the seven magi who fought the Emissary of Wormwood and created the countries as they are known today. There are many hints throughout that a great evil is returning and Theo, with his unique heritage and determination, may be the one to save the world. The story is heavily interwoven with reflections on the power of books and knowledge, the importance of continuing to work hard despite all odds, and very, very detailed explanations of book repair, book binding, making paper, etc.
The fantastic settings are a real draw for the story. Different races are shown, varying from the tall Rakna traders from the coast to the tiny, fairy-like Kokopa, who wear feathered head-dresses. Animals include mythical beasts with magical powers, massive, dinosaur-like beasts, and and more ordinary, but still mysterious creatures. Most of the diversity of the races is shown in their clothing, culture, and behavior. Part of Theo’s journey includes interacting with different races and encouraging others to learn more about different cultures instead of despising them. Theo is mostly a typical manga hero, with spiky hair, boundless energy and enthusiasm, and his own flair for the dramatic. The second volume is interleaved with famous landmarks from Theo’s travels, showing monuments, swamps, strange rock formations, and more. There are busy marketplaces, elaborate book stores, and, of course, more libraries to discover.
Besides the library theme, this is a fairly typical fantasy adventure. It’s most likely to appeal to librarians themselves (although I found the vocational awe more than a bit overdone) and teen readers who are voracious readers and believers in the power and importance of stories. While the lengthy digressions into book repair and the philosophy of libraries being likely to discourage the average manga reader, if you have a large collection and want some relatively tame teen manga for your fans, this is a fun series to pick up.
Magus of the Library
By Mitsu Izumi
Art by Wharton
ISBN:
| Volume | ISBN |
|---|---|
| 1 | 9781632368232 |
| 2 | 9781632368454 |
Kodansha Comics, 2019
Publisher Age Rating: T 13+
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NFNT Age Recommendation: Teen (13-16)
