Wizard Books

I am so happy this book is still in print! I received this book as a birthday gift when I turned 9. I read it once a year - and always have. My copy is wearing thin and I want one that I don't have to be so delicate with. I will keep the original and pass it on to my children. It is a true delight and a fantastic journey!

This is one of my absolute favorite books from when I was a little girl. My dad used to read it to us at night, and then I reread it when I got older. Very hard to find but worth every penny, this book is BEAUTIFUL and I hope it goes back into print someday.

Although I read many books when I was a kid, there were only about four or five that I would return to year after year- ones that gave me a thrill no matter how many times I entered their worlds. This is one of those books. It is the tale of two spoiled and thoroughly modern American children who accidentally follow their caretaker and gardener on a journey back in time to ancient Ireland. Upon arrival they meet a boy named Finn MacCool, who will go on to become one of the greatest figures in Irish mythology. Lonely from being raised in isolation, he decides to take them on his quest to become a man and claim the leadership of the Fianna, the legendary defenders of Ireland. Besides, he needs someone to compose an epic poem about his travels, and the two children have a knack for rhyme. Tannen makes the heroes and monsters of Irish lore utterly fascinating, yet accessible to children. I would spend hours and hours imagining myself questing around the Emerald Isle after reading this book. You and your children will be enchanted.

My mother would read this book to me and my sister before bed when we were about seven/eight yrs old. We both really loved this book and I think it helped our minds develop to a higher level of thinking and creativity. I read the book again in highschool and as an adult and got just as much enjoyment from it. I look forward to reading this book to my children. I would recomend this book for anyone :)

my grand son loved this book, and so did the adults who read it to him..! wonderful..! Thank you Mercer Mayer

Oh my gosh, I can't tell you how excited I am - I'm fit to burst! I remember a creepy little book with fab drawings from when I was about 7ish (I'm now 34 years old!). I read it with my mother repeatedly in our local library when I was little. It even became a bit of a family tale as one of the characters says 'nothing to concern yourself with' and I used to say that to my mum in a joking way. Anyway, I could never remember what it was called and for about the past ten years have been trying to trace it (I've even paid money to net websites to try to trace it!). Today I looked up to top shelf of a bookshop and there it was! It's such a brilliant story and the illustrations are beautiful. I instantly bought two copies - one for my mum and one for our future child. What a brilliant book.

I found this book at the library last week and read it with my 5-year-old. The story itself - how a landlady rids herself of a nuisance tenant - is enjoyable, and is well complemented by the illustrations. The end of the story brings a nice commentary on human nature (the other tenants are bored once the wizard is ousted), and a wonderful closing in which a new wizard appears at the boardinghouse door.

Evan has made up many endings to this story - following different decisions by the landlady, a variety of personalities and actions by the new wizard(/?s), etc - and it has really helped him grasp the concept that the world is affected by branches of decision and action. Best of all is the light in his eyes when he comes up to me and says, "What if...?" It's refreshing to see a book that leaves so much to little readers' imaginations.

When I was small this was my favorite book of all time. I recently was given a copy and it rekindled many good memories. Mercer Mayer's illustrations are great, the details are amazing. I can't say enough nice things.

I'm not going to do a synopsis of the story. You can read that in the other reviews. I just want to say that I found Wizard's Bridge a delightful tale. It's a fast read, it entertains and it has a wizard and dragon in it. What more could you want?

Courtesy of CK2S Kwips and Kritiques

This was a fascinating fantasy romance by the talented Karen McCullough that will carry readers away into another world where dragons live and wizards dream.

Alsa feels the stirrings of wizardry within her and makes a desperate bargain with a reclusive wizard to expand them. She needs to learn to use her magick to aid her village in winning a battle against amassed enemies who could wipe out everything she has ever known. She asks the wizard Korlen to teach her in the ways of magick and in exchange, she will bear him the son he desires, so as to pass his powers on to the next in his line.

Her adventure thus begins when she learns magick is not what she thought, nor is training in her abilities anything she ever would have expected. In the months spent with Korlen, she discovers many hard lessons about his way of life, soon to become hers once her training is complete. Never in a million years though, did either of them expect what the greatest lesson of all would be... that of sacrificing all for love. Can he help her learn what she needs to help her village survive? Can she finally begin to comprehend the choices he has made in his life, and how they will change her forever?

This is a delightful story and Ms. McCullough proves once again why she is a rising star in the world of romance. The world-building is vivid and has so many facets to it that readers will feel as though they are in the village with Alsa and her family, or in the castle where she learns wizardry. Landscapes are so beautiful that one senses the faint stirrings of Breath, the air elemental whom Alsa befriends, and feels the pillowy softness of the rainbow bridge under her feet as she crosses into the wizard's lair.

Most of the characters are skillfully rendered and full of life, from Dragon, the sulky, yet satisfied guardian of the castle and rainbow bridge, to Dortee, the wizard healer, to Adam the precocious child of Korlen and Alsa. Alsa comes across as a brave and selfless young lady willing to do anything to help the village she loves, yet vulnerable enough to cry over the accidental damage she causes in her lessons in magick.

Korlen is a complex individual. He is a loner; having withdrawn from others after something scarred him emotionally in his past, and is afraid to speak of his feelings, even if he's not afraid to show them in other ways. One will love him for his vulnerability at the same time as being frustrated with his refusal to interact with others. The only thing this reviewer would have liked to see regarding him is a look into the events in his past that is alluded to many times throughout the story, but never explained. That is left out and this reviewer can't help but feel that may have made her understand him even more.

In short, this is a very satisfying and quick read that will captivate readers from the first page all the way through to the beautiful happy ending. Karen McCullough is a wonderfully talented up and coming author who is guaranteed to have quite a future in the fantasy romance genre.

© Kelley A. Hartsell, October 2004. All rights reserved.

Hoping to turn her talent into power enough to save her people from raiders, Alsa dares cross the wizard's bridge and strike a bargain with its owner. The wizard will train her in his art and she will bear his child. To make the latter easier for her, he wears a handsome mask with such ease she must wonder if the hideous face she first beheld is the lie, or if both are. Despite the difficult monotony of her training and hard taskmaster, Alsa grows to love her new home and all of its occupants, yet believes that the wizard is incapable of returning that feeling, even after she gives birth. When the truth comes, it may be too late and too painful.

**** With all the wonder of Beauty and the Beast, a truly magical tale about the greatest enchantment of all will capture your heart. Truly, it is regretable it finishes so neatly that a sequel seems impossible. The most endearing character is not one of the protagonists, however. The dragon who guards the bridge makes it worth reading to meet him. ****

Her village is in trouble from hostile neighbors so Alsa, who has elementary wizardry skills, decides she must save her town. However, though she has latent talent she has no training to focus her flair. Alsa knows her only hope for mentoring comes from the nearby wizard, who lives in a castle on the top of a mountain across a bridge of light particles guarded by a dragon.

Frightened by the rumors she has heard of the hermit wizard, Alsa crosses the bridge and meets face to face the dragon, who sends her onto the castle following her explanation. Inside the castle she meets her host who wears a mask to hide what Alsa assumes is his hideous face from her. The wizard listens to her plea without displaying any emotion. Instead he offers to train her if she bears his child. She agrees. As she learns how to use her talent under the tutelage of a difficult harsh instructor, Alsa falls in love with her teacher and the other castle minion, but believes she will be sent home once she gives birth because though she knows her wizard cares he hides his feelings from himself.

WIZARD'S BRIDGE is a beautiful retelling of the classic Beauty and the Beast story enhanced by fantasy elements. The lead couple is a delight as both will soon learn that they received much more than their original deal's considerations. The action starts right away when the "Little Mortal" meets the dragon and never slows down until Alsa finally learns the first rule of wizardry on what ingredient casts the most powerful spells. Adult fairy tale fans will want to read this delightful romantic fantasy.

Harriet Klausner

this was the very first book i came across dealing with the enchanted world series. Every story in here is very good, not to mention some pretty good artwork to go with. my favorite story portion was the tale of the old wizard faustus who made a deal with the devil. next favorite story is baba yaga, a witch folklore tale in russia. this book is well worth your time to purchase if you like the enchanted world series.

This is truly a magnificent volume, the illustrations are like medieval illumination, they jump off the page like jewels. It's not really a history book, there isn't really any history involved. Instead, its a collection of folklore, mostly from northern Europe and the British Isles. If you're looking for a history of wizardry and witchcraft, try something else. But if you're interested in the stories our ancestors told around the hearth, this is the book.

This book is one in Time Life Books' The Enchanted World series. Each of these books covers a different aspect of folklore and mythology, and they are an excellent set. They tell stories in a similar format and complement each other well without repeating the content. Each is about 140 pages.

This is a beautifully illustrated well printed volume. Artists include James C Christensen, John Jude Palencar, Kinyuko Y Craft and Alicia Austin. Older depictions of wizards and witches are mixed in for history. These include work by Arthur Rackham, John Waterhouse, Gallen-Kallela, Sidney Lanier, Mel Odom, M L Breton, Harry Clarke, Ivan Bilibin and Judy King-Rieniets.

Stories are retold in a style that makes for a good read. These stories come from all over the world. Often there will be smaller illustrations and captions in the margins to the main story. These tell variations of the story and related stories from other cultures.

This is a beautifully bound and printed book. The binding is just cloth to collectors, but it is printed to look like a wizard's book. The cover shows a dragon holding a picture of a wizard complete with staff and crystal ball. I think it was the cover that got me reading this when I was child (this would be for older children because of the spooky nature).

Chapters include:
Singers at the World's Dawn: The Welsh Enchanter's Fosterling
Masters of the Forbidden Arts: Tidings of the Heavens
The Shadowy Sisterhood: Haunter of the birch forest

This is a well researched nicely produced series. For me one book in the series (I think it was Fairies and Elves) had me hooked. If you are interested in mythology and all things magic then it is definitely worth trying out the series. High school and middle school libraries should consider the series. Some books might cause issues since they are about the occult, but some like The Legend of Camelot book will be completely Kosher.

This is really a beautiful, well-designed book. The cover is blood red with gold lettering- with a insert of a classical wizard. The full color illustrations from a variety of artists and sources are especially fine. This volume even has marbled end papers! In my opinion it would make a marvelous gift for anyone, young or old, with an interest in the legends of wizards and of magic. It certainly held my interest.

The first part of the book (Singers at the World's Dawn) deals with the greatest of the archetypal wizards from the dawn of time: Vainamoinen, Math, Manannan, Taliesin, Merlin, Volga Vseslavich, etc.

The second part (Masters of the Forbidden Arts) deals with more recent historical practioners: Roger Bacon, Nostadamus, Faust, Albertus Magnus, Michael Scot, Etc.

The third part (The Shadowy Sisterhood) is a general and mostly anonomous history of witchcraft- black and white.

There are even introductory sections on the tarot, astronomy, and magical creatures included.

I loved the characters and they sure were characters. Each one was beautifully drawn. They were as crazy a bunch of misfits as I've ever come across and yet they managed to pull off a great scam. I loved the conclusion. It was perfect.

A friend turned me on to this story and author. I loved this book and the characters. I cheered for the protagonists and jeered the antangonists, just like you're supposed to with a well-written novel. The author's colorful descriptions are great. My friend and I are still talking and laughing about Wizards of Awes, and it's been over two weeks. This is a funny and suspenseful tale. I loved it!

A great story line about what lengths corporate America will do to win in the end. It was a rollercoaster ride from beginning to end. The book is very discriptive and colorful. It leaves you with the feeling that Paul and Chicago are the guys next door. I have never laughed so hard in my life.

Normally, I don't buy books written by unknown authors, but after reading the review from California, I decided to try and I,m glad I did. This is a great story full of twists and turns. The author has an ear for real dialogue and his characters are well developed. I always wondered if every survivor of the '60's is now wearing a three-piece suit. Glad to have met some who aren't. By the time I was halfway through the book I couldn't put it down. I agree with the reviewer from Perris, Ca. and add--READ THIS BOOK!-You'll be happy you did. The terrific last chapter will remiain permenantly etched in your memory. This book should be made into a molvie.

I found this book did a great job of clarifying some "Seth" ideas. I would recommend reading some Seth books before reading this one. This book is encouraging and hopeful. Worth the time it takes to read it.

I am so glad Lynda wrote this book! I'd read her first two, and they helped me enormously. But it was Wizards of Consciousness that made the philosophy behind creation "click" in my mind. Her descriptions about before life/after death and probabilities are the best I've ever read.

This book was okay... mostly gave anecdotes of people consciously creating their realities. Somewhat of a rehash of her first 2 books. I have all 3 of her books, and the one I turn to regularly is "Ten Thousand Whispers"

I've read a lot of New Age stuff about consciousness. This book in one of the best. No fluff, no sweetness and light. Simply concrete information with the feel of truth.

Lyman Frank Baum (1856-1919) is best known today as the author of "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz," a children's story written in 1900. But following the success of that book, Baum wrote thirteen other Oz stories before his death from a stroke in 1919. Moreover, Baum wrote dozens of other children's tales, plays, and general stories. He was extraordinarily prolific, churning out five books in the year 1907 alone. In addition to this immense body of work, Baum worked as a journalist, a printer, a chicken breeder, an actor, a theater manager, an oil salesman, a playwright, and many other equally esoteric occupations. Despite this litany of accomplishments, it is that one little story about a Kansas girl and her dog that people remember, and even that is due to the 1939 film adaptation with Judy Garland as Dorothy. This Penguin Classics volume compiles three of Baum's Oz stories, "The Wizard of Oz," "The Emerald City of Oz," and "Glinda of Oz." With a dandy introduction by Jack Zipes, a bibliography of pertinent literature about Baum, and explanatory endnotes, this is an excellent introduction to a marvelous trio of stories written by an enormously talented individual.

The introduction outlines the highpoints of Baum's life as well as academic analyses on his Oz stories. According to Zipes, these stories reflect personal aspects of the author's life as well as social aspects of American society. Zipes's own analysis is that Oz represents a matriarchal utopia based on socialist principles. In Oz, women rule as witches and princesses while magic and good deeds serve the denizens without relying on capitalistic tendencies of competition and money. The introduction also refers to academics that saw "The Wizard of Oz" as a thinly veiled allegory concerning the Populist movement of the late 19th century, which was the reason I decided to read the stories. Regardless of academic analysis or cultural insights, these stories turned out to be a fascinating and entertaining read, full of puns, irony, and wacky creatures. I had fun reading these stories.

The first story in the collection, "The Wizard of Oz," should be instantly recognizable to most people. It differs considerably from the film version, however. Dorothy and Toto do meet the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion just as they do in the movie, but there are more adventures in the book version. There are differences too: in the story, the winged monkeys only obey the wicked witch because she can summon them with a magic cap. The witch also holds Dorothy and the Cowardly Lion in bondage for a period of time. I understand why the movie made several changes in the tale, but reading the story is as much if not more fun than seeing the film.

"The Emerald City of Oz," published in 1910, recounts several more adventures of Dorothy in the Land of Oz. Baum used this story to expand this mysterious realm by having Dorothy bring Uncle Henry and Aunt Em to live in Oz permanently after the bank forecloses on the Kansas farm. Young Dorothy then acts as a tour guide for her family, setting out on an exploration of unknown regions of Oz. The author throws in some great puns in this installment, little jokes that surprisingly made me laugh out loud. For example, Dorothy's adventure in Utensia (where she stands trial in a dwelling full of animated cutlery, pots and pans, and utensils), her trip to Bunbury (a town inhabited by living pastries, buns, breads, and rolls), and her meeting with the Fuddles (people who literally fall to pieces when surprised by outsiders; Dorothy and her companions have to put them back together like a puzzle) are amusing to read. The best scene in the story has to be the Flutterbudgets, a town full of people who worry incessantly about nonexistent dangers. All of these explorations take place against the backdrop of an invasion of Oz by the evil Nome King and his evil allies the Growleywogs, the Whimsies, and the Phanfasms. This Oz story is quite amusing and tremendously clever.

"Glinda of Oz," released to the public in 1920 a year after Baum's death reunites nearly every character from the other Oz stories. Dorothy, now a princess of Oz, sets out with her friend and monarch Ozma to stop a war between the Flatheads and the Skeezers. When Dorothy and Ozma get trapped in the fighting, Glinda the Sorceress leads a ragtag group of characters to rescue the two. Along for the trip are the Wizard of Oz, who returned to Oz after the first book and is learning magic, the Tin Man, the Scarecrow, and the funniest character, Button Bright, a boy whose sole attribute is his ability to constantly get lost. Glinda and company step into the situation and bring it to a resolution. Arguably the most interesting theme in "Glinda of Oz" is the limitations Baum places on the uses of magic in Oz. There are different types of magic and no one character (The Wizard, Glinda, Ozma) has a grasp on infinite stores of magic. Moreover, magic can only be used to assist people, not to harm them. Ozma and Glinda punish anyone who uses magic as a weapon.

These are great stories whether you pay attention to the social and cultural subtexts or not. Fans of the MGM extravaganza will find much here to expand on their knowledge of Dorothy, Tin Man, Scarecrow, Lion, and Glinda. Moreover, the addition of scads of other characters adds a richness and depth to the fantasy world of Oz beyond the scope of the film. I enjoyed these three stories so much I am considering reading a few of the other Oz stories, and hopefully you will too.

Anything by L. Frank Baum is going to be a good book for a person of any age to read. Oz is a fairy land that is full of imagination for any girl or boy. This is one of the best Oz books I've seen.

Penguin Twentieth-Century Classics presents a nice selection of L. Frank Baum's Oz books with The Wizard of Oz, The Emerald City of Oz, and Glinda of Oz. It is a nice way to visit Oz beginning with the excellent essay, notes and bibliography by Jack Zipes to set the reader on the right foot along the Yellow Brick Road. After that the stories themselves will delight the reader in their own way with the versatile imagination of the author and will hopefully lead the unintiated to read more about Oz and to the more seasoned explorers it will bring back the joy felt when first going to this wonderful, wonderful land. A nice package.

These stories are sheer genuis and a blessed light in our sometimes dark world. I read them to my children, ages 4 and 6, and we all are transported to a place over the rainbow, where things somehow turn out wonderfully happy. In the Emerald City and Glinda, we enjoyed hearing more adventures of Dorothy's friends. Ozma is indeed a great heroine for her people and for my two bright-eyed children. I could just picture where each land was that Dorothy visited with her aunt and uncle in the Emerald City book. And the eccentric rules each place had were enchanting.

Very few modules allow the DM to easily create a storyline, aid low level players with a helpful but limited non player character, make use of rangers and druids in wilderness foray, and a creepy dungeon crawl complete with an interesting boss.
The town and temple require players to investigate not only what is happening, but where to sleep (in safety at least). The NPC is a powerful but old wizard who can add some comic effect if played well. Players are forced to make interesting alignment decisions (is a cursed or twisted priest of a good diety fair game to attack?). The wilderness requires guides or tracking skills. The dungeon is simple and there is actually a plan for rescuing people and destroying the entire dungeon.
One of the best modules of all time.

This adventure has it all, but I still think (T1-4) The Temple of Elemental Evil is the best of all time. This gives players a chance to roleplay in a well thought out and developed town where they attempt to discover what is terrorizing the poor sleepy community. Once they discover what is going on the adventurers get to dive into a fun dungeon that has the right balance of good creatures and well deserved treasure. This can be fun even for those dimwitted players that couldn't solve a mystery to save their lives(and it usually does). Design some subplots around the meaty town or use the kidnappings setup in the module. You may find yourself wanting to stay in this town for quite some time! Hey eventually everyone has to figure it out right?

This rare module is the finest introductory-level module ever made for Greyhawk. (I know that's sacrilege, but it's even better than T1; and, your heroes will be much better prepared for T1-4 after they survive this!) You get a perfectly detailed starting base in the northern heartlands, and a wonderful mystery - the reptilian creatures of the Rushmoors are becoming more insidious and organized with every passing week. What is going on? In order to re-establish the trade routes, the heroes must plunge into the depths of the mire, and into a seeping subterranean hell they will never forget... highest recommendation.

This AD&D (2nd edition) Forgotten Realms book is an excellent resource for any Dungeon Master (DM) running an AD&D campaign, especially one set in the Forgotten Realms. The book contains some 35 (if I counted correctly) mini-adventures, all entirely self-contained, that a DM can slip into an existing campaign, perhaps as a chance encounter while the party is traveling. The mini-adventures range in party difficulty level from 1st level up to 16th level, and range from outdoor to indoor adventures, including any different terrains.

So, if you are a DM, running an Forgotten Realms campaign, then this is an excellent resource for you to get, one that you will find yourself using throughout the years. I highly recommend this book.

This book is a great supplement for any campaign. It contains dozens of minitature scenarios each focused on a particular Forgotten Realms monster. The scenarios are vague enough that they can be usually be fit into any realms location but contain enough plot bits that you should be able to wing it if you have to. Whenever I'm running short on time and need to come up with an adventure quick, this book is indispensible.

Here it is, the DM's Bible... over 70 mini-adventures for all levels, all places, and all play styles, arranged by creature type. This book is the saving grace for DM's blessed with those players who love to do their own thing and wander off into the wilderness of the Forgotten Realms. So, when the encounter dice read "Bhaergala," and you say, "Uhhh..." here's the ideal way to handle it! The adventures are all well-written, original, and intense. One of TSR's finest, highest recommendation.

It's been a while since I last read a book in the Oz series but I just couldn't get enough of them as a child. I can't think of a more underrated series of books than those set in the wonderful land of Oz. There is so much more to Oz than the movie that we have all seen. Don't make a huge mistake and think that since you've seen the movie that you know what the books are about because I guarantee that you have no idea. These fantastic books are filled with adventure, danger and excitement and each unique book seems better than the last. This set is a great way to introduce yourself or your child to Oz. I promise you that once you start reading the Oz books, your bookshelf will soon be lined many, many more of Frank L. Baum's masterpieces. Harry Potter may be all the rage with kids these days but as someone who has read both the Harry Potter books and just about every Oz book there is I honestly believe that there is no doubt which series is better. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the Harry Potter books a great deal but they fail to compare to these absolutely delightful works of art.

Each time I read the story of the little girl named Dorothy and her dog Toto being swept off to the land of oz, I fall in love. These books are great for younger readers because they are easy to understand and are even better for the adult who is young at heart. Through the words of L.Frank Baum I get transported into the wonderful land of oz, which is full of excitement, friendship and good times. Not only is this boxed set at a great price it is also a beautiful collection. The covers and drawings are all original and all truly reflect the amazing story it accompanies. If you haven't yet read an Oz book, you are missing out.

These books are timeless classics.

The Wizard of Oz. Is probably the most beloved story in the world. However, allot of people seem to forget there's of the wonderful series. This is notably because of the musical. However, you really can't blame that.
Even so this is a beautiful series. All about Dorothy and her friends. The wizard story and a lot more then most people remember.
Truly one of the greatest stories out there.