Plague Doc Inc. transports readers to a time and place where magic is real and ominous. Formerly a manageable source of healing, power, and beneficence, magic has turned rabid. Anyone infected by magic goes mad or becomes a monster. Villages that are even suspected of being tainted by magic are put to the torch. Ironically, the only way of combatting dangerous magic, other than by burning and killing everything in the affected zone that moves, is to enlist the services of magic-tainted plague doctors. Most of these unfortunates are carefully monitored and controlled by The School of Pestilence. They only venture out from the confines of their wards when an outbreak has been detected, or to attend (mandatory) church services, where they are segregated and ostracized. Also, since they are insane and unreliable, plague doctors must be supervised by handlers, persons responsible for their good behavior, when they go out in public.

However, there is one unaffiliated plague doctor, a mercenary with combat skills as well as training in "alchemy" (essentially biochemistry) and medical procedures. Rook and its handler, the dainty Nemo, eke out a precarious existence, bartering medical services to the poor for food and supplies, taking the occasional mercenary assignment from the School of Pestilence or the Guild. Nemo would like a better life, and even Rook would like more regular meals, but not at the price of its independence. Their one hope is to make a name for themselves and win the patronage of someone powerful.

The best place to be noticed is at the annual tournament, where fighters compete in several categories and potential patrons come to place bets and scout for talent. Outbreaks of magic are on the rise in the outlying areas, and plague doctors who can fight are a rarity, so as long as Rook doesn't behave too oddly, there just might be a patrol captain willing to take on the unconventional pair. But Rook is a very odd bird….

Reading this book vividly reminded me of Renaissance Fairs, back when they were still the creation and venue of SCAdians, when the emphasis was on realistically recreating an era, complete with mud, insults, and meat pies. Each year the tournament reenacted the unfolding drama of King Henry the Eight's quest for a wife who could bear England a son. The pubs had wandering minstrels or bawdy singers, and there were tables with period-authentic games to play. And yes, plague doctors roamed the pathways, wearing black robes and bird masks.

A heady mix of macabre, horrific, and humorous, with a touch of pathos, Plague Doc Inc. is fantasy with a sharp edge. And apparently, there is more to come with at least one sequel already in the works, says the author, who attended TusCon in November. - Chris Wozney