The Supernatural Horrors of Peter Straub's Magical Amulet Explored

The Magical Amulet, written by Peter Straub, is a captivating book that blends elements of fantasy, mystery, and adventure. The story follows a young protagonist, Jack Sawyer, who embarks on a quest to find a magical amulet that can save his dying mother. As Jack delves deeper into his journey, he discovers a hidden world known as the Territories, where he must navigate through dangerous landscapes and confront malevolent forces. Through his encounters with various characters, both friend and foe, Jack learns about his own strengths and weaknesses. One of the main themes in The Magical Amulet is the power of belief. As Jack faces numerous obstacles and setbacks, his unwavering belief in the amulet and its ability to heal his mother fuels his determination to press on.

Within the menu, there are also other tasks to try. Rainbow Run is the most significant of these. You can choose two types of run through levels you have completed in the main game. The first sees you trying to reach the goal in the shortest possible time, the second sees you trying to reach the goal using the least possible ink from your magic brush. These are great fun and more than just a momentary diversion. All in all, I think you’re looking at upwards of 20 hours to see all that this game has to offer. Even then, you’ll return to beat your best scores, or run through the game again with one of the secret unlockable characters.

Honest Gamers gave the game a solid 8 10, saying I realized that it was exactly because Luminous Arc refused to take itself seriously that it was so much fun. It is important to note that, while normal attack skills can damage allies and healing skills can restore enemy HP, the effects of Flash Drives are limited to their intended targets; for instance, it is impossible for a recovery Flash Drive to heal opponents.

As Jack faces numerous obstacles and setbacks, his unwavering belief in the amulet and its ability to heal his mother fuels his determination to press on. This belief is not only a driving force for Jack, but it also resonates with readers, who themselves may find solace in the notion of a magical object that can bring about miracles. Straub's writing is rich in detail, allowing readers to vividly imagine the fantastical worlds and characters he has created.

How did witches who aren't Warren-descended vanquish demons?

The power of three spells is what allowed the Charmed Ones to vanquish demons.

How do you suppose other witches who aren't descended from Melinda Warren did it?

If I recall, potions only worked on lower level demons.

The only one I could see being able to vanquish demons on her own was Vivian, the witch who had the power of deflection.

Post by Esmeralda on Oct 25, 2015 9:47:16 GMT -5

That's what I always took the Power of Three to be able to do that other witches couldn't - vanquish upper level ones. Once they knew how to do potions, those seemed to work on most others. Plus I think other spells probably would've worked on lower level ones. But upper level ones were safe until the Charmed Ones showed up.

10 Fave Characters (no order):
LH1, S2, FH3 Prue
S1, FH2 & S5 Piper (not counting ‘Oh, My Goddess!’, which I count as part of S6)
S1-FH3 Phoebs
S4 & S8 Paige
S1 Leo
S1-S3 Patty
Mark Chao
Maggie Murphy
Drake
Zankou

Fave Episode:
Morality Bites

Fave Writer:
Sheryl J. Anderson

Fave Romantic Pairings:
Prue/Bane
Piper/Mark
Phoebe/Drake
Paige/Henry

Deleted
Deleted Member

Post by Deleted on Oct 25, 2015 10:15:24 GMT -5

I just remembered an episode where two young witches(male & female) vanquished an upper level unvanquishable demon by using potions.

It slips my mind which episode it was. All I remember of significance from it was little Wyatt actually speaking a sentence.

Post by adzpower on Oct 25, 2015 11:43:41 GMT -5

My new fanfiction, "Charmed Reborn", an alternate reality season four with Prue is now available!

Post by Deano on Oct 25, 2015 12:56:07 GMT -5

If I remember correctly, wasn't Penny Halliwell a bit of a pioneer in potion-making? Perhaps she, and possibly her ancestors, helped other witches with taking on demons. However, from what I can gather, most non-Warren witches would only have come into contact with Warlocks and lower-level demons. Upper-level demons such as Barbas, Belthazor, Zankou and Tempus were feared for centuries by Witches and even other demons, so if they went after a Witch he/she would probably stand no chance. Although, there would probably be non-Warrens who were upper-level witches, such as the man, Andrew, who Belthazor was contracted to kill.

Post by yinsoul on Oct 25, 2015 13:29:06 GMT -5

Its a shame really. You only got to see other witches who weren't Warrens be cannon fodder. Like that Buddhist witch in Fear to Eternity- seems like she would have been something to reckon with if it wasn't for Barbas' fear hax. But they cant just be fodder, else there wouldn't be any other witches anywhere.

Even though the Charmed Ones did come to pass, they were concentrated in a very very small area. What about witches in New York? London? Zimbabwe? They had been taking care of themselves for generations before the sisters and would likely continue to do so. So I agree that aside from the very threatening upper level sort, they probably did potions and spells in their own fashion to defend themselves. And though the Power of Three they are not, I'm certain that a coven could do some damage. Not to mention the lone, powerful practitioners like the one who cursed that Captain guy, or the one who flayed that youth demon from Season 2. And Grams, despite her flaws, was practically a force of nature.

Post by Deano on Oct 25, 2015 13:41:08 GMT -5

Its a shame really. You only got to see other witches who weren't Warrens be cannon fodder. Like that Buddhist witch in Fear to Eternity- seems like she would have been something to reckon with if it wasn't for Barbas' fear hax. But they cant just be fodder, else there wouldn't be any other witches anywhere.

Even though the Charmed Ones did come to pass, they were concentrated in a very very small area. What about witches in New York? London? Zimbabwe? They had been taking care of themselves for generations before the sisters and would likely continue to do so. So I agree that aside from the very threatening upper level sort, they probably did potions and spells in their own fashion to defend themselves. And though the Power of Three they are not, I'm certain that a coven could do some damage. Not to mention the lone, powerful practitioners like the one who cursed that Captain guy, or the one who flayed that youth demon from Season 2. And Grams, despite her flaws, was practically a force of nature.

Very true. Outside of the Warrens, the most competent witches we know of in the Charmedverse are:

> The witch from Glasgow, who Eames murdered for her power of cloning in 1989.
> The witch from Kenya, who Eames murdered for her power of transmogrification in 1991.
> Vivian, the witch who Eames murdered in San Francisco (presumably) for her power of deflection in 2001.
> Kevin, the witch with the power of thought projection who became an Elder in 2002.
> The witch mentioned in 'Witch Wars' who good shoot fire from her hands, but was killed during 'Witch Wars' in 2004.
> Billie; telekinesis and projection; and Christy; a Firestarter and telepath.

Although, as Prue pointed out in 'Blinded by the Whitelighter', the timing and geography involved in Eames killing those witches for their powers (the Glaswegian, the Kenyan and Vivian) suggests that powerful, upper-level witches are fairly rare.

I too was annoyed that more often than not Witches were shown in the stereotypical, earthy 'Practitioner' way.

Post by ljones on Oct 27, 2015 21:30:31 GMT -5

That's what I always took the Power of Three to be able to do that other witches couldn't - vanquish upper level ones. Once they knew how to do potions, those seemed to work on most others. Plus I think other spells probably would've worked on lower level ones. But upper level ones were safe until the Charmed Ones showed up.

I think it was a lot of nonsense that the show hardly ever allowed other witches being capable of killing powerful demons, warlocks or other supernatural beings. And I find it equally ridiculous that they allowed only witches descended from Melinda Warren to be capable of this. And the powerful witches either shown or mentioned are usually killed. It's ridiculous and it's limiting. And they're trying to give the Charmed Ones and their ancestors too much credit.

“Without the darkness, how would we recognize the light? Do not fear your negative thoughts. They are part of you. They are a part of every living being, even Vulcans. To pretend it does not exist is to create an opportunity for it to escape.” – Tuvok (“Star Trek Voyager”)

Fave Writer:
Sheryl J. Anderson

The author's ability to create suspense and build tension keeps readers engaged throughout the book, eagerly anticipating what will happen next. The Magical Amulet is a thought-provoking novel that explores themes of sacrifice, courage, and the strength of love. It serves as a reminder that sometimes, the greatest journey one can undertake is not physical, but rather a journey of the heart and soul. Peter Straub's masterful storytelling and intricate plot make The Magical Amulet an enchanting read for fans of fantasy literature..

Reviews for "The Sublime Beauty of Peter Straub's Magical Amulet"

1. Jane - 1/5 - I was sorely disappointed with "The Magical Amulet" by Peter Straub. The story was incredibly convoluted and confusing, making it difficult to follow and fully immerse myself in the plot. The writing style felt disjointed and lacked cohesiveness, making it even harder to connect with the characters. Additionally, the pacing was way too slow for my liking, and I found myself losing interest in the story halfway through. Overall, I would not recommend this book to others looking for a captivating and well-written fantasy novel.

2. Mark - 2/5 - As a fan of Peter Straub's previous works, I had high expectations for "The Magical Amulet," but unfortunately, it fell short. The storyline had potential, but it felt underdeveloped and lacked depth. The characters were dull and uninteresting, making it difficult to care about their fates. I also found the dialogue to be stilted and unrealistic, which further detracted from my overall enjoyment of the novel. While there were a few intriguing moments sprinkled throughout, they were not enough to salvage the overall disappointment of this book. Sorry, but I would advise skipping this one.

3. Sarah - 2/5 - "The Magical Amulet" was a confusing mess from start to finish. The author introduced numerous subplots and characters without providing enough context or explanation, leaving me feeling lost and frustrated. The pacing was also extremely slow, making it a struggle to stay engaged with the story. The lack of character development made it difficult to connect with any of them, and their motivations often felt forced and contrived. Overall, I found this book to be a tedious read that failed to deliver on its promised magical adventure. I would not recommend it to anyone.

The Mystical Origins of Peter Straub's Magical Amulet