You can follow the plot of this book without the first in the series [[Jinx, the Wizard's Apprentice by Sage Blackwood|Jinx, the Wizard's Apprentice]], but you'll miss a fair amount of the background and humour, especially as the irascible but occasionally kindly Simon doesn't feature as much here. And once you've read that, try [[Curse of the Dream Witch by Allan Stratton]], another story about magic, thoroughly horrid villains and impending doom—great fun!