Joseph Swope's debut novel, Need for Magic explores the most powerful magic of all, peoples' needs. The beautiful Lilandra masterfully intuits the needs of everyone she meets and of the whole nation of Atani. By promising to meet those needs, she manipulates all she comes across. Even ancient wizards and a skilled Blademasters have needs. As a result, they too are played like puppets by her deft hand.

By refusing to conform to the role the Goodfolk of his village assign him, Keven, a maligned bastard stable hand shows he has a deep understanding of his own needs. A travelling wizard who has had hope magically stolen from him sees a chance for hope in Keven. When the travelling duo of Keven and the wizard are violently separated, Keven is thrust into the cult-like nation of Atani. Can a man who has few needs resist someone who controls all needs?

Need for Magic is also an academic examination of social psychology. By incorporating the concepts of cults, conformity and obedience, Joseph Swope shows how manipulation of individuals and groups is far too easy and far too dangerous. In fact, there has been no greater power in history than that shown by an individual who is willing to sacrifice for a group. Need for Magic contains a detailed index of the social psychology ideas used by Lilandra to bend a nation to her will.

Before writing Need for Magic, Joseph Swope earned a modest living as a costumed adventurer. Sadly, that career was ended in a barrage of circumstance that is still being untangled. In writing Need for Magic, Mr. Swope worked to make magic real. In between writing the second and third novel of the Need Trilogy, Mr. Swope is working on a religion that brings people with odd and even birthdays together. Due to the lenient agricultural laws in Maryland, he lives west of the Chesapeake Bay with his family. Author's website

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