Book summary

Diana Wynne Jones's hilarious fantasy tale of a world under siege by tourists, Mr. Chesney's Pilgrim Parties, who come to do battle with the locals disguised as good and evil armies, is wildly funny and packed with realistic human emotion. Derk, a wizard considered to be a freak by the magical community for his many well-publicized failures, must take on the role of the Dark Lord. Havoc ensues as the household--consisting of talking griffins, flying pigs, man-eating flowers, and the like--prepares to take on the challenge, while the powers-that-be secretly plot to bring down the whole enterprise.