The Wizard (Gollancz S.F.)
and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle .
Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Plus, get an extra £5 Gift Certificate when you trade in books worth £10 or more before June 30, 2012. Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. |
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
|
More About the Author
Product Description
Review
"The Knight"" and "The Wizard," included on""Publishers Weekly" "The Best Books of 2004"
"Wolfe's words wash over the reader with transparent grace and charming playfulness as he spins his profoundly imaginative, metaphysically complex, yet ever-entertaining tale with astonishing naturalness.. . . Wolfe proves one can tell an epic, myth-based story of honor, loyalty, courage and faith relevant to our own dark times. This is fantasy at its best: revelatory and inspirational."--"Publishers Weekly," " Starred Review
"There is hardly a piece of northern European heroic literature from which Wolfe doesn't borrow with his usual scholarly flare and in his exquisitely turned prose (in Wolfe's hands, even dialect works). Arising from the same sources as &I, "The Wizard Knight" is one of the few fantasies that can justly be compared with it."
"--Booklist"
""The Wizard" is a brilliant Celtic knot of a book. It demands a great deal from the reader, but it repays that investment man
"Wolfe's words wash over the reader with transparent grace and charming playfulness as he spins his profoundly imaginative, metaphysically complex, yet ever-entertaining tale with astonishing naturalness.. . . Wolfe proves one can tell an epic, myth-based story of honor, loyalty, courage and faith relevant to our own dark times. This is fantasy at its best: revelatory and inspirational."--"Publishers Weekly," " Starred Review
"There is hardly a piece of northern European heroic literature from which Wolfe doesn't borrow with his usual scholarly flare and in his exquisitely turned prose (in Wolfe's hands, even dialect works). Arising from the same sources as &I, "The Wizard Knight" is one of the few fantasies that can justly be compared with it."
"--Booklist"
""The Wizard" is a brilliant Celtic knot of a book. It demands a great deal from the reader, but it repays that investment man
Product Description
The wizard knight is in the rare company of those works that spring from the myth and literature of past ages. A teenager passed from Earth to a magical realm of seven worlds, where he was soon given a hero's adult body and the name Able. Forced to act as a man, inside he remained a boy, even as he set off to find his destined sword and become a knight. In "The Wizard", Sir Able returns to the world of Myth-garthr following his fight with the dragon Grengarm. Twenty years older, with a unicorn steed named Cloud, Able has special magical powers he was sworn not to use, in return for the hope of meeting his beloved elf queen again. He battles giants; meets gods, heroes, and a sorceress who tries repeatedly to seduce him; and serves the mercurial dragon king Arnthor in a final war with the Osterlings.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
Browse and search another edition of this book.
Browse and search another edition of this book.
First Sentence
I was not going to put in another list of names, but I thought what if he does not get the first part? Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt
I was not going to put in another list of names, but I thought what if he does not get the first part? Read the first page
Explore More
Concordance
Browse Sample PagesConcordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt
Suggested Tags from Similar Products(What's this?)Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product)
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I have always enjoyed Gene Wolfe's fluent and somewhat ethereal style of writing and, while the Wizard has all the hallmarks of Wolfe I was little disappointed. There was just not enough narrative - the whole thing was very slow moving. Half way through I found myself asking "Are we still in the Giants' castle?" I think the both the first two books could have been reduced to one volume.
That said there are (as always in a Gene Wolfe book), excellent writing, some interesting ideas and reworking of myth. I will certainly want to read the Wizard Knight.
That said there are (as always in a Gene Wolfe book), excellent writing, some interesting ideas and reworking of myth. I will certainly want to read the Wizard Knight.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
41 reviews
17 of 19 people found the following review helpful
What goes on in your mind?
21 Oct 2006
Format:Hardcover
This is better than anything else I have read in the last two years. I will not summarize the plot because you will find that elsewhere, but I prefer to check the negative feedback. I feel sorry for the people who read this book and seek a linear, easy-to-discern story. Just because the plot is disjointed, convoluted, complex, and yes, perhaps contradictions abound, (all revealing many different emotions and levels of maturity) does not translate to "a mess." Go read some milk-toast fantasy to satisfy your mundane literary aspirations! There is a bountiful "mess" of galant adventure and introspective sophistry to be found within these novels. The prose is magical. The story is invigorating. Satisfaction is assured. Gene Wolfe's body of work shames most want-to-be masters of sci-fi and fantasy. Give these novels a read with a steady mind. Perhaps a second or third read will find new, overlooked insights. You may find within these novels a plethora of goodness which changes your perspective on the world around you. Or at least takes you upon a journey of chivalry and courage. Cheers!
18 of 21 people found the following review helpful
Worthy, but not excellent, Successor to the Knight
15 Nov 2004
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
The Wizard, the concluding part two of "The Wizard Knight" duology, is a strong read. It does not, however, meet the lofty level of excellence that its predecessor, The Knight, met. Whereas "The Knight" will retain its place on my shortlist of best fantasy novels ever written (and the top one of 2004), The Wizard is (merely) a good read.
Gone, in my estimation, are the intricacies of The Knight-- the striving to attain (or have accepted) Able's Knighthood; the heart-wrenching moments associated with the absence of Disiri; the subtle nuisances flowing through the text as a result of the protagonist's youth (but not Able's).
In its stead, are near-standard fantasy fair battles: Jotunland, RedHall, the Five Fates (description only) and the concluding sequence. And of them all, only the concluding, final chapter of the book (comprising, of course, the final battle) is exemplary. And, as with many Wolfe novels, the end rushes in: a swift wind undeterred by a readers desire for a less abrupt cessation. Additionally, the swift rise and sudden disappearance of Toug (and his centric views) and Mani (gotta love that Cat) were both hearteningly fresh and sorely noticed.
Nonetheless, this book is better than all but the finest of fantasy (or other fictional) work. Its highpoints are very good: the ruinous portrayal of Morcaine; the torn relationship between Idnn and Svonn; the tattered mind of Etela's mother; Baki and Uri.
I can only hope that Wolfe returns to this universe. It's worthy of more of his time just as The Wizard was worthy of mine.
Gone, in my estimation, are the intricacies of The Knight-- the striving to attain (or have accepted) Able's Knighthood; the heart-wrenching moments associated with the absence of Disiri; the subtle nuisances flowing through the text as a result of the protagonist's youth (but not Able's).
In its stead, are near-standard fantasy fair battles: Jotunland, RedHall, the Five Fates (description only) and the concluding sequence. And of them all, only the concluding, final chapter of the book (comprising, of course, the final battle) is exemplary. And, as with many Wolfe novels, the end rushes in: a swift wind undeterred by a readers desire for a less abrupt cessation. Additionally, the swift rise and sudden disappearance of Toug (and his centric views) and Mani (gotta love that Cat) were both hearteningly fresh and sorely noticed.
Nonetheless, this book is better than all but the finest of fantasy (or other fictional) work. Its highpoints are very good: the ruinous portrayal of Morcaine; the torn relationship between Idnn and Svonn; the tattered mind of Etela's mother; Baki and Uri.
I can only hope that Wolfe returns to this universe. It's worthy of more of his time just as The Wizard was worthy of mine.
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Dark, sometimes obscure, but compelling
21 April 2005
Format:Hardcover
After living in Skai for thirty years, Sir Able is back in Mythgarthr (only a few months passed in the Mythgarthr dimension). One condition of Able's return is that he not use his magical powers. Instead, he must fight as a knight. Fortunately for him, the Valfather has given him one of the great dogs of his own hunt, as well as a young unicorn to ride. Together with Able's bowstring made of severed souls, and his sword--equiped with dead knights prepared to join in battle, although only sometimes in aid of Able, he hardly misses those magical powers.
Able returns to a complicated political situation. The frost giants are restive and attempts to placate them bog down when the frost giant king is attacked. Even when he escapes the frozen lands of the north, Able is unable to find peace. There is a dragon to fight, and a message to take to the king. The result of that message, when finally delivered, leaves Able in prison while the kingdom falls into horrible war and defeat.
Author Gene Wolfe creates a powerful and fascinating world--with strong ties to Germanic myth. Able, and the squire Tong, try to understand what is happening around them, make decisions that might not always be wise, and face a world where good and evil are vague terms--and making the choice between them is often difficult.
THE WIZARD is a compelling and fascinating read. Often dark, sometimes obscure, filled with so many characters that the list of players at the beginning comes in very handy, THE WIZARD is still hard to put down. WOLFE has become one of the major literary authors of contemporary Science Fiction/Fantasy. With THE WIZARD, it is easy to understand how he's achieved this popularity.
Able returns to a complicated political situation. The frost giants are restive and attempts to placate them bog down when the frost giant king is attacked. Even when he escapes the frozen lands of the north, Able is unable to find peace. There is a dragon to fight, and a message to take to the king. The result of that message, when finally delivered, leaves Able in prison while the kingdom falls into horrible war and defeat.
Author Gene Wolfe creates a powerful and fascinating world--with strong ties to Germanic myth. Able, and the squire Tong, try to understand what is happening around them, make decisions that might not always be wise, and face a world where good and evil are vague terms--and making the choice between them is often difficult.
THE WIZARD is a compelling and fascinating read. Often dark, sometimes obscure, filled with so many characters that the list of players at the beginning comes in very handy, THE WIZARD is still hard to put down. WOLFE has become one of the major literary authors of contemporary Science Fiction/Fantasy. With THE WIZARD, it is easy to understand how he's achieved this popularity.
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
|
|
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
|
