The Case of the Toxic Spell Dump
A fantasy novel where spells have toxic side-effects.
The Case of the Toxic Spell Dump is a fantasy novel by American writer Harry Turtledove, published by Baen Books in December 1993. It is mainly a work of science fantasy depicting a world where spells, pragmatically used to achieve the same results as technology, call upon a spectrum of deities and can have toxic side-effects on the environment. The book is set in a recognizable analogue of present-day Los Angeles and employs many conventions of the hard-boiled detective novel.
- author
- Harry Turtledove
- published
- December 1993
- publisher
- Baen Books
- genre
- Science fantasy
- setting
- Analogue of present-day Los Angeles
- protagonist
- David Fisher, EPA agent
Quick Facts
- Author
- Harry Turtledove
- Country
- United States
- Language
- English
- Cover Artist
- Stephen Hickman
- Genre
- Fantasy
- Published
- 1993 (Baen)
- Media Type
- Print (paperback & hardcover)
- Isbn
- 0-671-72196-8
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The novel is set in a world where magic functions like technology, with spells calling upon deities that can be local or omni-present. Spells are not toxin-free and can harm the environment if proper practices are not followed. The title refers to the need for a place to dump toxic magical byproducts, analogous to industrial pollution in our world.
Reader's Guide
The Case of the Toxic Spell Dump is significant as a work of science fantasy that blends alternate history elements with a hard-boiled detective narrative. It presents a recognizable United States where institutions have magical equivalents—for example, the CIA is staffed by literal spooks, and computers use imps instead of microchips. The novel was reviewed in Locus, Dragon Magazine, and Asimov's Science Fiction in 1994, and has been reprinted in ebook editions by Gateway/Orion and Open Road Integrated Media. Its legacy lies in its satirical treatment of environmental issues through a magical lens.
Did You Know?
- The novel was reprinted in June 2000.
- Ebook editions were issued by Gateway/Orion in August 2013 and Open Road Integrated Media in June 2015.
- The protagonist is EPA agent David Fisher.
- The book was reviewed by Carolyn Cushman in Locus #396, January 1994.
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