Synopsis:
A real, live wizard cloaks his magic in the trappings of homelessness on the streets of modern-day Seattle, as a dark evil stalks him and threatens to destroy him.

Review:
Wizard of the Pigeons really needs to come back into print. It’s a wonderful character study filled with subtlety, ambiguity, and plain old-fashioned good storytelling.

Wizard lives on the streets, but his homelessness is just a disguise for his powerful magic. He is able to Know the truth about people and tell them the words they need to hear to effect positive change in their lives. A dark force seems to be stalking him and threatening him by tempting him to break the rules of his magic, and all of Seattle may fall if he gives in.

This is not a straightforward urban fantasy; nothing is as it seems. Everyone, not just wise Cassie, is some kind of shapeshifter, either literally or metaphorically, and Lindholm explores every facet of that concept to wonderful effect. The book is thought-provoking and doesn’t yield its secrets easily, and the fantasy elements aren’t meant to be taken at face value. If you can get your hands on a copy, you’re in for a real treat.