This is a beautiful story. I just luxuriate in the descriptive quality of your writing, and the fine attention to detail. Something in the idea of the weary traveller Salazar wandering through the ancient city in a search for knowledge casts a potent spell of mystery and suspence. Already, there’s something of Umbert Eco’s ‘the name of the rose’ in the atmosphere. You seem to know a great deal about history and religious studies

When I first read the philosophers stone, I would frequently think about the founders. There seemed to be a powerful story there, and a tragic one at that. I look forward to seeing how you will set the scene up.

I’m not wholly clear on the relation of the church to the magical world. The abbot seems to know, yet its unclear if the bishop does. The entrance Salazar seeks is concealed. Could you please illustrate what the relationship between the two is a little more??

Author's Response: Apologies for the delay in responding, and thanks for the review - as a fan of 'The Name of the Rose', I'm deeply flattered by the comparison... To answer your question, I was working on the basis that although the church as a whole would be as in the dark as everybody else about the magical world, there could still be some communities of monks or nuns from magical families in out of the way places. I hope that helps!

Ooh! I love the Merlin part, its really good! The first chapter is really vivid in detail, the chapter doesn't lack anything.