Places to Chat
I am on
Chatterbox: Blab About Books
Young Wizards Series by Diane Duane
I am on...
I am on errantry, and I greet you.
These books are terrific. If you haven't read them you ought to. The first one is called So You Want to Be a Wizard. They are rather impossible to describe, but imagine Madeline L'Engle with wizards.
They involve: Wizards (duh). Whales. A guy who invented death and entropy. A dog who creates universes. Inter-planetary travel. Inter-galactic travel. Autism. The end of the world. A white hole named Fred. Mythology. A scarlet macaw named Macchu Picchu. Ireland. New York City. Mars. Computers. More wizards. Giant bugs. Dark matter. Talking trees. Even more wizards (not all of them human). Ordeals. The moon. Chocolate. Televisions.
What, don't you want to read them yet?
There are currently eight, and she's writing book nine. She's going to keep writing them until she doesn't feel like it anymore.
WARNING! DO NOT READ PAST HERE UNLESS YOU HAVE READ BOOK EIGHT! THIS CONTAINS SPOILERS!
I just finished book eight, Wizards at War. Several things:
1. It was amazing. If it was any better I would've thought I'd died and gone to heaven.
2. Carmela is awesome. It takes a special kind of person to bribe homicidal aliens with chocolate. I was laughing so hard when she did that.
3. I almost cried when Tom and Carl lost their wizardry. My stomach kept hurting until I found out they were okay. I really like Tom and Carl.
submitted by ZNZ, age 12, Rirath B
(March 20, 2010 - 9:51 am)
(March 20, 2010 - 9:51 am)
I'm reading WaW and it's awesome! I completely agree about it. Of course, I haven't gotten to any of the parts you've mentioned about it yet, having started last night and been at at school all day (I'm on page 143, if you were wondering) but I love it.
Your summary of what the books involved was impeccable.
The only thing I didn't like were a few of the characters. Nita was all right before her Ordeal, but then she got pretty annoying. And I didn't like Tom or Carl too much, either, for some reason, but those people are mere minor flaws. No book is perfect, and these are definitely worth reading.
Actually, she has finished writing the 9th. It comes out very soon. Barnes and Noble starts selling it on April 12th, but I don't know whether that's the official date.
Have you been to the website? I have; there isn't much too see or anything, but I think it was worth visiting.
It has a forum, and I've considered posting something on it, but I'm not sure.
(March 22, 2010 - 3:47 pm)
Impeccable? Why, thank you! I liked Tom and Carl, actually. What didn't you like about them? I felt about them a little like I felt about Gandalf; they aren't your favorite characters, but with them around you feel, I dunno, a little comforted. They at least know what's going on. Plus they're just really cool. The first reason, I think, is why what happens to them in W@W upset me so much. And about Nita: I liked Dairine better. She's more interesting. HW was one of my favorite books in the series.
She's finished writing it?! Oh yay. And apparently, from what I've read, 10 is contracted and 11 is plotted but not contracted. So -- more yays!
Yes, I've been to the site. Tried to post it, actually, but it was Zapped by the Mighty Admins. Did you look at the Errantry Concordance? I spent quite a while searching around that. I tried to find information on grenfelzing (which I am consumed with curiosity about), but there wasn't anything, except on the forum, which was all just speculation. Of course, the real question is what emmfozing is, since, according to 'Mela, "'...it's just like emmfozing, but with chocolate.'" Emmfozing, therefore, must be grenfelzing without the chocolate. *grin* And re: forum: I doubt my mom would let me.
(March 23, 2010 - 6:24 am)
I finished it early this afternoon. I wanted to finish it yesterday, actually, but I had too much homework. Anyway, it was very good. The thing about Ponch was... interesting. And surprising. I'd say more, but if anyone sees this thread and decides to read these books, I wouldn't want to spoil it for them.
I wonder, did Diane Duane know about Ponch's identity from the moment she included him, or did it come to her later?
I'm not really sure exactly why I didn't like Tom or Carl... Someho, I've never been any good at explaining why I don't like characters. I guess they were just sort of... *strains to find a word*
HW was one of my favorite books in the series, too. That and SYWtbaW.
Actually, the 9th book can be pre-ordered online right now! The lowest prices I've found so far can be found on Google (just click on shopping and search for a wizard of mars). Or you could just wait until it comes out so that you don't have to pay for shipping.
I was also curious about grenfelzing. I even Googled it, as well as emmfozing. I couldn't find anything. I suppose it must be some alien thing...
(March 24, 2010 - 5:37 pm)
Yes. Yes it was. I think she thought of it rather early on, actually -- the universe-making was rather a clue, I thought. (Although no one picked it up.) My favorites were SYWtbaW, HW, and W@W.
Grenfelzing. You know, I wonder sometimes if she has a definition for it. Maybe it's just some random word she created. At first I thought it was something inappropriate, mainly based on Kit's reaction, but on re-reading, I think he was just ready to be scandalized. Even he doesn't know what it is.
(March 25, 2010 - 3:27 pm)
Yeah... Come to think of it, it was also a clue when Ponch wouldn't tell Kit his Cyene name.
That's also probably true about Kit.
I'm going to order AWoM tomorrow! I can't wait till it comes! That'll be a while, though...
(March 26, 2010 - 10:25 pm)
I hadn't even thought about that. You're right though. And that was in, what, Wizard Alone? Yeah, I think so. So she had thought of it that early, at least.
I'm probably gonna wait till AWoM comes in at the library, 'specially since I don't own any of the others. But it will take a while. Good thing I'm pretty patient.
(March 27, 2010 - 2:11 pm)