Jones has written two different linked sequences of novels which rely heavily on magic, just as Howl's Moving Castle does. The first, referred to as the "Dalemark" Cycle because it is set in the fictional world of Dalemark, is made up of Cart and Cwidder, Drowned Ammet, and The Spellcoats. Unlike Howl, the magic portrayed in these novels is derived primarily from supernatural sources; that is, magical powers are granted to the characters by the gods of Dalemark. This mythological approach seems to make the magic—and the action—more somber and heroic than that found in Howl. The "Chrestomanci" Cycle, on the other hand, is much freer and humorous in tone.

Comprised of Charmed Life, The Magicians of Caprona, Witch Week, and The Lives of Christopher Chant, the cycle concerns the adventures of Christopher Chant, the "Chrestomanci" (a government-appointed head enchanter whose job...