"Auric was a water wizard, against his best wishes. He could flood valleys, bring devastating waves crashing down on enemy castles, and supply enough rain to the kingdom to water every inch of its land. He did none of these things. In fact, he would so much rather not be a water wizard at all that it was laughable."

Unfortunately for Auric, Rajeh, the Wizard of Age, needs his assistance with a particularly wet and even more foolish task. After resisting and resisting and at last making a fool of himself, Auric finds himself begrudgingly indebted to Rajeh, who leads an expedition over Hralldea's harshest sea, joined by the Queen of Horses (who is, in fact, a horse), a farm boy, and a pony (who is just a regular pony). With no plan, no crew, and no aim besides finding some Old Thing, the group partakes in endless tomfoolery and encounters danger at every turn. Good thing Someone out there is guiding them.

They certainly don't know what they're getting into.

Against His Best Wishes, The Wizard of Water is Holly Hilsabeck's debut novel. Inspired by C.S. Lewis's imaginative blending of Christian ideals and the fantastical, The Wizard of Water takes readers on a whimsical journey across continents, from the rural farmland of Carlisle to the pagodas of Shana. Along the way, the characters must confront what they once knew in order to build their trust in one another and weather the journey's many storms. With an unapologetic twist of satirical wit, The Wizard of Water is the perfect novel for those who have outgrown children's fantasy but long for a slightly more mature return to its characteristic playful prose and loveable characters.