Description
Fragile Magics
By Ryo Alfar
Rialli forms constellation-chords of paper stars, which bob through the air and enact his princely will upon the world (and also sound lovely). Yosh folds an ever-changing menagerie of paper animals, each of which has its own special ability. Xiaoji’s playing cards fly at the flick of his wrist, and cast effects on whatever they touch.
But almost the moment they meet, they’re set upon by silver-masked enemies, able to transform innocent people into not-quite-human creatures like themselves - on Rialli’s birthday, no less!
The trio flees from peril to peril, but hopefully toward truth, in the form of Aria, magician, leading magic scholar, and explicitly not Yosh’s girlfriend.
All they have to do is get to her—from Rialli’s native Alaya (famed for its vibrant colors and cosmopolitan culture), through Xiaoji’s Jiazhou (known for its nightlife and slightly sinister savvy), to Yosh’s Yakami (revered for its monasteries and deep-rooted tradition), and finally Beysit Halor, gleaming bastion of intellect and progress.
Not a problem, right? Right?
Publisher: Vibal Foundation, Inc.
Imprint: Paradox
Editor-at-Large: Dean Francis Alfar
Size: 6 x 9 inches
Number of pages: 432
Copyright: 2025
REVIEW:
"Ryo Alfar's writing blasts me into space, for it has grown and matured so well that I call dibs on being the first to publish this brilliant author's work. You can't put a good writer down, and you cannot deny greatness as it grows, either. This novel is proof of that."
-Alma Anonas-Carpio, editorial lead, San Anselmo Press Pamphlet Series
About the Author:
Ryo Alfar (he/she) has had his writing featured in the Philippine Graphic Magazine, New Philippine Speculative Fiction, and Fantasy: Fiction for Young Adults, as well as a number of indie video games.
He’s also working on another novel and several short stories, composing original songs, creating digital illustrations and comics, participating in multiple tabletop RPGs, and taking care of his two cats.
Ryo is bisexual, bigender, and has bipolar disorder, making him a triple bi-threat.