"The Magic Thief" is a captivating fantasy novel written by Sarah Prineas and was published in 2008. The book follows the story of a young boy named Connwaer, commonly known as Conn, who lives in the city of Wellmet. In the city of Wellmet, magic is an essential and integral part of the daily life of its citizens. However, the magic is disappearing, causing great concern and turmoil among the people. Conn, a street child struggling to survive, discovers that he possesses a powerful and rare kind of magic called "welling." Welling is the ability to draw and use magic from magical objects.
Executive producer and showrunner Esta Spalding
That first book is 1,000 pages, so it s pretty daunting, says Ashford, executive producer-writer of the eight-episode series Anne Rice s Mayfair Witches , which premieres January 8 on AMC and AMC. We really wanted to focus on Rowan, and it felt like having two men beside her took away from her agency, and in combining them we could be more focused on her journey and her drive, Spalding says.
" Welling is the ability to draw and use magic from magical objects. Conn's life takes an unexpected turn when he attempts to steal a magical locus stone from a powerful wizard named Nevery Flinglas. However, instead of punishing Conn, Nevery realizes the boy's unique power and decides to take him under his wing as his apprentice.
Witchcraft wealth producer
Alexandra Daddario as Rowan Fielding in Anne Rice's Mayfair Witches
Alfonso Bresciani/AMCTongayi Chirisa as Ciprien Grieve in Anne Rice's Mayfair Witches
Alfonso Bresciani/AMCJack Huston as Lasher in Anne Rice's Mayfair Witches
Alfonso Bresciani/AMCExecutive producer and showrunner Esta Spalding
Denise EstesExecutive producer Mark Johnson
Courtesy of Mark JohnsonExecutive producer Michelle Ashford
Courtesy of Michelle Ashford Fill 1 Fill 1 January 04, 2023 Online OriginalsFinding Riches in Mayfair Witches
A trio of executive producers take on a behemoth book series and transform it into Anne Rice's Mayfair Witches for AMC and AMC+.
Paula HendricksonAdapting a novel into a television series is challenging enough. It's even trickier when the source material spans 2,000-plus pages, like horror author Anne Rice's trilogy, The Lives of the Mayfair Witches.
Wisely, executive producer Mark Johnson (Better Call Saul) — who'd been looking for a reason to collaborate again with Michelle Ashford (Masters of Sex), with whom he had previously worked on the short-lived '90s series L.A. Doctors — only sent her one novel, The Witching Hour.
"That first book is 1,000 pages, so it's pretty daunting," says Ashford, executive producer-writer of the eight-episode series Anne Rice's Mayfair Witches, which premieres January 8 on AMC and AMC+. Ashford brought in her fellow Masters of Sex scribe Esta Spalding to serve as showrunner, executive producer and writer, and they started reading.
Spalding was especially taken by the book's middle section, which chronicles thirteen generations of healers and midwives persecuted for using their life-saving powers.
"The world that Anne built, this family of witches she created, felt so compelling and of-the-moment as we're talking about women's power and women's bodily autonomy — subjects she really wrangles with in the book," Spalding says. "We were gripped by the idea that this character, Rowan Fielding (Alexandra Daddario), is a descendent of these healers, and we meet her as this amazing neurosurgeon."
Rice's death in December 2021 made the writers keenly aware of the need to preserve her legacy while expanding the Mayfair world to a new medium.
"It's always a very delicate balance," says Ashford, who once visited Rice at her iconic First Street home in New Orleans, the real-life inspiration for the Mayfair house. "You understand there's a huge fan base. The books were written in the '80s, however, so the world is very different now. We needed to really look at that, and it became this back-and-forth of, how do you honor the intention of what Anne created while making it relevant?"
Having Rice fans in the writers' room helped.
"They would say, 'The airplane has to be in the show,'" Spalding says, referring to a scene involving an interaction with a ghost that anyone who's read The Witching Hour will remember. "I can't write what every fan wants, but I can write what I as a fan love and want."
Condensing so much material led to hard decisions, like combining two characters — Michael Curry and Aaron Lightner.
"We really wanted to focus on Rowan, and it felt like having two men beside her took away from her agency, and in combining them we could be more focused on her journey and her drive," Spalding says. "We love both of those characters, so we weren't going to choose one over the other."
They combined Michael's ability to touch an object and see the past with Aaron's role as a member of the Talamasca, a mysterious organization that monitors all things paranormal, to create a new character, Ciprien (Tongayi Chirisa).
Another challenge was depicting the otherworldly Lasher so he's both terrifying and beneficent.
"Deirdre [Annabeth Gish] values him, but we want him to be scary when he's with Rowan. How is he both of those things?" says Spalding, noting that those questions, and more, were answered once Jack Huston was cast as Lasher.
Johnson loves that nearly every character on the show is hard to gauge.
"We don't truly know what any one of them wants," he says, "There's a subtext to all of them. On one hand, they seem to be who they are, but they're not that at all. Everybody wants something different. To juggle that many balls in that much storytelling is hard — you don't really know what success for any character is, but somehow you want to see them get there."
By now, all three have read The Witching Hour more times than they can count.
"That's true of almost every adaptation," Ashford says. "You read it once, you read it again, then it becomes this weird thing that you devour in all these different ways. It's hard to explain how the text becomes so integral to your thought process of trying to break the story."
Johnson also executive produced Anne Rice's Interview with the Vampire. "I went from one set of books to another — and more — since AMC has eighteen of her books with which we get to, in one form or another, play. So I'm a little confused," he says with a laugh. "Honestly, the most important thing to remember when you're adapting a book is you're never going to get all the details right, you're never going to be an exact translation. You want to make sure you have the spirit, the essence of it. That's what Esta and Michelle pulled off."
Anne Rice's Mayfair Witches is executive produced by showrunner Esta Spalding, Mark Johnson, Michelle Ashford, Michael Uppendahl and Jeff Freilich.
It’s also interesting because this notion of our true safety and wealth resting in our value to the other people we know harkens back to the ways that indigenous gift economies operate, which the scholar Lewis Hyde explains in his book, The Gift.
As Conn becomes Nevery's apprentice, he learns about the different kinds of magic and the workings of the magic in the city. He soon realizes that the disappearance of magic is not a coincidence but a deliberate act of a mysterious force aiming to seize control of Wellmet. Conn embarks on a thrilling adventure to unravel the secrets behind the disappearing magic and save his city. Along the way, he encounters various challenges, including dangerous magical creatures, magical tests, and conflicting alliances. "The Magic Thief" is an enthralling tale of friendship, bravery, and the power of magic. The story delves into themes of trust, self-discovery, and the importance of fighting for what is right. The vivid descriptions and well-developed characters make the book a compelling read for both young and adult fantasy lovers. Sarah Prineas's writing style brings the magical world of Wellmet to life, immersing readers in its enchanting atmosphere. The book's fast-paced plot keeps readers engaged from start to finish, with unexpected twists and turns keeping them on the edge of their seats. "The Magic Thief" is the first book in a series, with subsequent sequels delving deeper into Conn's adventures and the world of Wellmet. The book has received critical acclaim and has become a favorite among fantasy readers. In conclusion, "The Magic Thief" is an enchanting and spellbinding fantasy novel that takes readers on a thrilling journey through a magical world. With its well-crafted plot, memorable characters, and captivating writing style, it is a must-read for fans of the genre..
Reviews for "The Magic Thief: A Captivating Story of Heroism and Redemption"
1. Emily - 2 stars - I was really excited to read "The Magic Thief," but I was so disappointed with it. The main character, Conn, was annoying and lacked depth. The plot was predictable and unimaginative. Overall, the book left me feeling unsatisfied and wishing I hadn't wasted my time on it.
2. John - 1 star - I cannot understand what all the hype is about this book. The writing was mediocre at best, and the story was poorly executed. None of the characters were likable or relatable, and I found myself struggling to finish it. "The Magic Thief" just didn't live up to my expectations.
3. Sarah - 2 stars - I found "The Magic Thief" to be incredibly boring. The pacing was slow, and the world-building lacked detail. The magical aspects of the story were underdeveloped and didn't make sense. The book failed to draw me in and left me disinterested throughout the entire read.
4. Michael - 2 stars - I found the plot of "The Magic Thief" to be unoriginal and derivative. It felt like a mishmash of other fantasy books I've read before and nothing stood out as truly unique or interesting. The character development was lacking, and I couldn't connect with any of them. Overall, the book fell flat for me.
5. Emma - 1 star - I can't believe this book has such positive reviews. The writing was juvenile, and the dialogue was cheesy. The world-building was weak, and the magical system was poorly explained. I struggled to find any redeeming qualities in "The Magic Thief" and regret wasting my time on it.