Tuesday 21 August 2012

#OBSummer #Books - Ford 99 - Magnus Opum

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Genre - Humourous Fantasy 
Rating - PG
More details about this book
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I was intrigued when I first heard about this Ford 99 Test. It sounded like quite a bit of fun.

Only problem I had was, as Magnus Opum is currently only available as an ebook, I wasn’t exactly sure what my page 99 was.

I tried a few different ways to figure it out. I had noticed that when I viewed an epub file using Adobe Digital Editions, it used a page numbering reference system. So I took a quick look at an epub version of Magnus Opum, but I have to say I wasn’t hugely rapt with the page it turned out to be.

Then I figured the easiest thing would be to look at the original Word version. I wasn’t thrilled with that page 99 either. Then I had a brainwave. An A4 page in Word holds way more text than a book page. But if I changed the line spacing to 1.5, then you’d probably get a pretty good match-up – page 99 in the Word doc would be close to page 99 in a printed book. So I did that, and got a page I was really happy with. So here goes a breakdown of page 99 of Magnus Opum.

Our hero, Magnus, is toiling his way over the mighty Mounji Mountains with his loyal companion, the great Cherine warrior, Shaindor. They are on their quest to reach the Glurg city of Hargh Gryghrgr, where Magnus has a crucial espionage mission to complete. Having realised that the main road has been blocked by their enemies, they have chosen to take the high path over the mountains instead.

The third member of their troupe is Biddira, a young woman of the Pharsheeth, the people who live in the forest beneath the mountains. The Pharsheeth are skilled mountaineers, and she has been employed to guide them over the treacherous mountain paths. At this stage Shaindor has already made the fateful request that she find for them “the best path over the mountains.”

At this point in the story, the three companions have arrived at the top of a ridge. Before them is a wide valley, and at the far side Biddira points out the Parghwum Pass, the high point that will take them across to the other side of the mountains. Shaindor offers thanks for her guidance and begins to lead Magnus down into the valley, but Biddira calls out that this is not the best way. Shaindor is unsure how to respond but ultimately acquiesces to her guidance.

It is several weeks before Magnus and Shaindor arrive at the Parghwum Pass. In that time, they will have been led on a tortuous trek. However, they will also have borne witness to a number of spectacular natural wonders. It is only when they reach the pass that they discover that “the best path of the mountains” is a statement that can be interpreted in a number of different ways. And Magnus begins to see how small misunderstandings can lead to grave consequences, a lesson he is able to put to good use as his journey continues.

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