Wizard Books

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 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.

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.

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.

If you liked The Brazen Gambit and The Darkness before the dawn then you will love this book and you will read it over and over again. This book is superb for all you DARK SUN lovers.I mean Sorak, Ryann, and Cricket make this book great. When you read this book you can see with your own eyes see the carecters do thier actions and see the gift sight and what is really happening at the same time, and thats just the begging i mould tell you the rest but you have to read the book and if you find the book you should by it and happy hunting and reading.

Great book that is a joy to read. The characters were very interesting,
although some might argue that they weren't described in enough detail.
The ending was very powerful and finished the book wanting you to read more about Sorak and his future fate.

Highly recommended to any Fantasy and Dark Sun fans.

I don't understand how some people can't like this book. I mean what an ending! Some thin kof the character as a super character, no he is not, he had a lot of history and background and in Dark Sun world, even he is not _that_ supreme. This book very good, and no it's not your regular book where the hero destroys all, he loses as much as he wins. I wish the author wrote some more on the story. I hope to see TSR put Dark Sun back to life.

I sat down on Friday night to read this book and I was very amused. It was an incredibly fun experience, and the course of the adventure held my attention. There were lots of amusing scenes and twists and turns in the plot line. At this point, after having read this gamebook, I plan to read all the books in the series. I wished that there would be a massive return of gamebooks of the 80's. These really are enjoyable.

I was about elleven when i read this book. It took me a while because I always had to look up words in the vocabulary! But that reading experience was awsome, up there with the Lord of the Rings. It is very hard and challenging too, not one of these walk-through Fighting Fantasy. Give it a try!

This fifth title in the series, along with Warlock of Firetop Mountain(1), Forest of Doom(3) and Deathtrap Dungeon(6), helps form the bedrock of the Fighting Fantasy world of Allansia. The sense of being in a wild, dangerous, exotic city filled with adventure is very well described by Livingstone. One cool aspect is that many later books in the series refer to Port Blacksand and it's dark denizens in passing. It gives a nice sense of continuity and familiarity with the FF world to be able to say, 'Yeah, I know. I've been there.'

Anyway, this is a must-have if you really want to have a good sense of the world-building that Livingstone and Jackson were doing with this series. Plus it's just a crackling good adventure!

Adrian

I read/played through this adventure probably about 15 years ago and still remember it vividly. It is a well written, challenging and original representative of its genre. A great deal of the originality comes from the players inability to control the bestial savagery of the "creature of havoc" the story is based around. This deepens the players immersion and helps overcome some of the limitations inherent in "pick-a-path" books.

Creature of Havoc has a well-earned reputation as one of the best and toughest gamebooks. It's longer than most Fighting Fantasy books; there's a small degree of filler between set pieces, with many dead ends and red herrings. Meticulous note-taking is a must -- as is a fair dose of luck.

The detailed backstory is integrated beautifully into the main story. You play a monster trying to master its instincts and gain understanding of its nature and control of its fate. This is more than just a gimmick; it sets the scene for a masterful adventure and memorable climax.

Newcomers to Fighting Fantasy will find a more forgiving intro elsewhere -- I recommend City of Thieves, Citadel of Chaos or Steve Jackson's Sorcery! series. Aficionados who haven't yet played this one are in for a treat.

Creature of Havoc has been on the top of many fighting fantasy lists, and is well deserving of this recognition. However, this is also one of the most difficult fighting fantasy books and beginners to the series may be frustrated. Nonetheless, this book has a very intricate storyline which is set up by many pages of background material. Even with the background material, you start off as a creature unknowing of the world, and begin a quest for identity. There are a diverse number of environments that you will traverse. This updated book does correct a glaring error in the previous edition which made the book extremely difficult to solve. Also, the production value of this book is top notch, from the wonderful cover to the quality of the paper. A must for any fighting fantasy or gamebook fan.