Tim Hunter, destined to become Earth's greatest sorcerer, defends the realm of Faerie from the deadly manticore while trying to maintain a normal childhood life. Is his real father the one-armed drunk in the front room or is he the man who can turn into a hawk? Is his mother dead and buried or is she Titania, Queen of Faerie? Plus Death herself weighs in on the subject of identity.

Collecting : The Books of Magic 1-4

Timothy Hunter, age 13, may become one of the most powerful magicians of all time. But that's only one of his problems.

In the five tales collected here, Tim must contend with:

A heartless sorcerer and the alluring teen succubus he keeps in a box.

Tea in Hell with a rogue angel and his junkfood-demon nemesis.

The Industrial Revolution and a murderous Victorian cyborg.

A Whirlwind family reunion with an insanely jealous Faerie Queen.

And perhaps the greatest terror of all - a first date.