John C. Wright, Orphans of Chaos

Orphans of Chaos

John C. Wright

Tor, Nov 2005, $24.95

ISBN: 9765311313

The five orphans (Colin, Quentin, Victor, Vanity and Amelia) are the only students at the school where they stay all the time being locked in their respective room every night. None know their real name, age, or their linage including where they come from as they chose their names when they were eight to ten years old. All that this quintet knows is the school where conditions are harsh and at times abusive at least for them.

Each has a unique talent. Amelia can observe and influence the physical world in four dimensions and perhaps more. Vanity locates hidden passages in locations where none seemingly existed before her finding them. Quentin is a warlock who has a familiar, Apsu that is a walking stick. Colin employs magic by mentally picturing what he wants to achieve and willing it to happen. Victor uses his mind to telekinetically control matter.

The staff is at least as weird as the pupils. When the Board of Visitors and Governors meet to discuss the pupils, Amelia and Victor listen in and learn somewhat about their origins, their Greek God keepers, and the war.

This is not Harry Potter's school as the students are abused by the staff including the spanking of Amelia and Professor Glum's lusting for her and somewhat for Vanity. The five youngsters have unique personalities and several of the faculty likewise have distinctive traits. The story line focuses more on their captivity and attempts to leave even if they just sneak into the nearby town rather than on the talents. Adult fantasy readers will appreciate this opening gamut of what appears to be the Prisoner locked away in a jail school in which discipline draws the line between the prevailing and the capitulated.

Harriet Klausner