Lord Darcy by Randall Garrett
Lord Darcy is a fictional detective in an alternate history universe where magic is governed by mathematical principles. Created by author Randall Garrett, he appears in a series of short stories and novels, including *Murder and Magic* and *Too Many Magicians*. In this world, magic has replaced science, and key historical figures, such as King Richard I, have different fates, leading to a ruling Plantagenet dynasty in a vast Anglo-French Empire that includes territories in the Americas. Lord Darcy serves as a special investigator for the crown, called upon to solve cases involving the violent deaths of royalty.
His investigations often involve his companion, Sean O Lochlainn, a forensic sorcerer with expertise in magic. Together, they navigate a landscape filled with intrigue, black magic, and murder, often uncovering complex plots that challenge their skills. The stories are rich with detail, showcasing a society where white magic is sanctioned by the church, while black magic is strictly forbidden. The combination of mystery, fantasy, and historical elements makes Lord Darcy's adventures unique, inviting readers to explore a world where the boundaries of magic and reason are intricately woven together.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Lord Darcy
First published: 1983 (contains Too Many Magicians, 1967; Murder and Magic, 1979; and Lord Darcy Investigates, 1981)
Type of work: Collected works
Type of plot: Fantasy—magical world
Time of work: An alternate mid-to late twentieth century
Locale: The Anglo-French Empire
The Plot
The short stories contained in Lord Darcy (collected first in Murder and Magic and Lord Darcy Investigates) were published, many in Analog, over a period of almost twenty years. The novel Too Many Magicians appeared in print shortly after the earliest stories. Many of the stories refer to events that occur in other works in the series, and many characters reappear as well, including Dr. Pateley, a physician (but not a Healer); Father Patrique, a renowned “Sensitive”; and Sir Thomas Leseaux, the theoretical thaumaturgist and brilliant theoretical mathematician who lacks the Talent to test his own theories but who nevertheless enjoys discussing his work with those who can.
The stories all take place in an alternate history in which the laws of magic have been determined. The brilliant and influential St. Hilary of Walsingham outlined the mathematics of magic in the thirteenth century. Although the laws are theoretically understandable by anyone who can follow the mathematics, they may be put into practice only by those who have the Talent, and that Talent must be trained. A guild of masters, journeymen, and apprentices has been formed to provide guidance, because although white magic has the full sanction of the church and most priests have some Talent, black magic is strictly forbidden and its use is severely punished.
The fact that magic has the place held by science in the world of the reader is not the only major difference between Lord Darcy’s world and the real world. The other major difference is that Richard I, called the Lion-Hearted, did not die from a stray arrow during a battle in the late twelfth century. Instead, he survived and made his way back to England, where he served long and well as king. His brother John was exiled, and his nephew Arthur, son of Richard and John’s brother Geoffrey, became king as Richard’s heir. He was known as Good King Arthur.
The Plantagenets are still the ruling family in the twentieth century, ruling not only the Anglo-French Empire, which stretches to the Germanic countries, but also the vast lands of New England and New France, which constitute the continents of North and South America of the real world. Although wars with the “red barbarians” have taken place, the Mechicains are ruled by their “duke” of the family of “Moqtessuma,” under the crown held by King John IV.
Lord Darcy of Rouen, the title character, acts as a special investigator for the crown. Whenever there is a case involving the violent death of royalty, “whether intentional, accidental, or self-inflicted,” he is called in to investigate the circumstances. Darcy’s investigative talents have led Sean O Lochlainn, his forensic sorcerer, a master in the guild, to believe that Darcy has “a touch of the Talent” himself. Darcy possesses the ability to discover an answer and then to work back from his convictions to reconstruct what has taken place.
Master Sean is an expert in his own field, and his tools travel everywhere with him in a special “symbol-decorated” bag. He must be ready at all times to test materials of various kinds. Because his Talent is so strong, he is often able to overcome the spells of weaker sorcerers and to discover what they have done and how.
In “The Spell of War” (1979), young Lieutenant Darcy and Junior Sergeant Sean O Lochlainn meet for the first time, on the battlefield. The Anglo-French are assisting the Germans in fighting the machinations of the Poles who, having gone as far into Russia as possible, have turned their eyes west for more territorial gains. The works in Lord Darcy often involve intrigue surrounding the Poles, who lost the war but have refused to surrender completely.
In the two short-story collections, Murder and Magic and Lord Darcy Investigates, Lord Darcy and Sean demonstrate their respective talents in a series of adventures involving black magic, blackmail, and murder for profit. Lord Darcy must pick up on minute clues and examine all the possible evidence, from scraps of cloth (“The Muddle of the Woad”) to blackened pieces of rope (“A Matter of Gravity”) to flowerpots (“A Case of Identity”), to find murderers, missing documents, and suspicious persons. In Too Many Magicians, Lord Darcy and Sean (who is briefly and unfairly accused) have to find a black magician and a triple murderer at the Triennial Convention of Healers and Sorcerers, a meeting attended by a majority of the world’s Talented people. Lord Darcy must work with many Talented people and connect three apparently unrelated murders. The king himself takes an interest in the case and allows Lord Darcy the singular honor of entering armed into his sovereign presence.