Speckled with puns, anachronisms, and literary references, this awkward fantasy novel struggles to link disparate elements into a believable story. In the year 2047, a “misguided spell” has set life back to the feudal era, and now a few powerful warlords and mages control the land. The Stolz, wizard-ruler of an out-of-the-way castle in Old Derbyshire, has hired a band of mercenaries led by Cmdr. Fitz Darcy to protect his treasure—but even Fitz isn’t prepared when a team of dancing girls led by would-be paleontologist Elizabeth “Beth” Bennet steals a spell book from the Stolz’s library. Blamed for the crime, Fitz goes on the run with Beth and the book, embarking on a dangerous cross-country journey to deliver it to a mysterious White Wizard. Despite its title, Tyson’s story merely cherry-picks Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice to provide the names of a pair of quibbling lovers for this slow-paced but lighthearted fantasy adventure. (BookLife)