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I remember reading this book some years ago, probably like ten or twelve.

In it, two magicians: I think it was a mind magician and maybe a necromancer, are on the run from some big bad (probably a monster of some sort), and they travel to and from many different worlds, while trying to get away. In the end, I think they decide to face off with said monster and defeats it.

Which book is this?

Other recollections

  • It was not part of a series.
  • I think it was high-fantasy (the monster may have been a dragon)
  • I read it at least ten years ago, but I may have been published a lot earlier
  • Mind-swapping or body-swapping may have been part of the book. Though I might be confusing this with something else I read at the time.
  • The different worlds were called planes, and those able to travel between them were called something along those lines as well.
  • I recall one of the magicians summoning a monster to duel another magicians summoned monster. I think it was a semi-friendly duel, or perhaps a test of skill. (This sounds like pokémon, but it is not).
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    Some elements are similar to John Bellairs' The Face in the Frost, but the two protagonist wizards only travel to one other world (IIRC), and they are not pursued by a monster, but rather a powerful rival wizard. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Face_in_the_Frost – Klaus Æ. Mogensen Oct 26 '18 at 11:52
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    If not for the idea that both travelers are magicians, and that it isn't part of a series, I might have suggested one of C.J. Cherryh's books about Morgaine and her loyal henchman Vanye. They went through gates from world to world, and met people who could transfer their own minds from an old body to a younger one. – Lorendiac Oct 27 '18 at 2:21
  • There's some similarities with A Darkness at Sethanon (wizards, an ancient enemy, travelling to different worlds), but that was part of the Riftwar Saga series and IIRC they were searching for someone rather than fleeing the enemy.. – user22478 Oct 29 '18 at 1:21
  • Thank you for the suggestions, but none of them is correct, unfortunately. I'll see if I can remember something else, and update my question. – user106467 Oct 29 '18 at 8:39
  • Could this be a Magic: The Gathering novel? I know they exist, but haven't read any. But I recall from the game that the different worlds are called Planes, and the beings that can travel between them are called Planeswalkers. – Gunnar Södergren Nov 2 '18 at 11:54
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This sounds like Agents of Artifice: A Planeswalker Novel (based on Magic: the Gathering)

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Most of the points match up pretty closely to your description:

two magicians: I think it was a mind magician and maybe a necromancer, are on the run from some big bad

The book focuses on the character Jace Beleren, a "mind mage," whose love interest in the book is a necromancer named Liliana Vess. During the course of the book, Jace is first involved in, then crosses, a group run by another mage (Tezzeret), and spend time on the run and in hiding from him.

and they travel to and from many different worlds, while trying to get away.

All three characters I named above are "Planeswalkers," who are able to travel between worlds.

In the end, I think they decide to face off with said monster and defeats it.

At the end, Jace finally faces off with Tezzeret and is able to defeat him.

I think it was high-fantasy (the monster may have been a dragon)

At one point, Tezzeret takes Jace to a deal with another character, Nicol Bolas, a large dragon (who is also a planeswalker); the deal falls apart and ends with Jace and Tezzeret being forced to flee to save their lives.

I read it at least ten years ago, but I may have been published a lot earlier

The paperback is listed as published in 2009 on Amazon, which is close enough to your timeline.

Mind-swapping or body-swapping may have been part of the book.

Body/mind-swapping is a major plot point in this story; Jace has a close friend (Kallist) who is not a planeswalker, and when he and Liliana decide to flee their current plane, he conceives an idea to carry Kallist's mind in his own in order to save him, too. This naturally goes terribly wrong and results in the aforementioned body/mind-swap.

The different worlds were called planes, and those able to travel between them were called something along those lines as well.

Magic: the Gathering uses "Planes" and "Planeswalkers" extensively in their lore.

I recall one of the magicians summoning a monster to duel another magicians summoned monster.

This is also a common element in the Magic stories, based around the mechanic of the actual card game (where players themselves are the ones summoning the creatures).

In fact, the only point where it doesn't match is:

It was not part of a series.

While I've included the current book cover as shown by Amazon, the earlier printing I own has a considerably smaller and more subtle "A Planeswalker Novel" heading, making it very easy to miss that it's part of a series.

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  • Although it is a Plainswalker novel, it need not be part of a series - it could be one of several unconnected stories based on Magic:the Gathering. – Verdan Nov 29 '18 at 18:20
  • @Verdan true, but the "Planeswalker novel" header makes it look like part of a series (and it focuses on several of the major characters in the current lore, which to me at least suggests it as part of a series). – Allison C Nov 29 '18 at 18:26
  • yes, I see that it can look that way. But it is ambiguous. Generally, books in a series include some number reference so that they can be read in proper order. – Verdan Nov 29 '18 at 18:29
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    Yep, this is right! Thank you so much! No wonder I couldn't find, I didn't even know it was a MtG novel when I read it. :D – user106467 Nov 30 '18 at 12:54
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    @ThorneNich glad I could help! It was definitely written in a way that it works as a stand-alone novel, with relatively subtle branding, so it would be easy to miss that it was if you weren't familiar with the characters from the game. – Allison C Nov 30 '18 at 13:47

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