A Landmark Fantasy AdventureInspired by the legends of the Dark Ages, The Phoenix and the Mirror is the story of the mighty Vergil — not quit the Vergil of our history books (the poet who penned The Aeneid), but the Vergil conjured by by the medieval imagination: hero, alchemist, and sorcerer extraordinaire.Hugo Award winner Avram Davidson has mingled fact with fantasy, turned history askew, and come up with a powerful fantasy adventure that is an acknowledged classic of the field.

The Last Manuscript of a MasterIt began with an accident, as if Fate had a plan for Vergil Magus…After his trials in the Very Rich City of Averno but before his crowning achievement of a certain magic mirror, the great sorcerer and alchemist finds himself on a journey nothing short of epic. Sure he is slated for death in Rome, Vergil seeks safety in the far reaches of the Empire — and finds a world teeming with wonders and magical oddities.The “unhistoric” sea adventure is a deft mix of fantastic fact and fable, showcasing the author’s keen attention to the often forgotten connections between them.