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Young Wizards #1-5
The Young Wizards
Book club collection of So You Want to Be a Wizard; Deep Wizardry; High Wizardry; A Wizard Abroad; The Wizard's Dilemma.
Long before there was Harry Potter, there was Nita Callahan and her friend Kit. Nita doesn't have a highly significant scar on her forehead, nor does she live with abusive adoptive parents. She's a perfectly ordinary girl living with her perfectly amiable family (well, her younger sister, Dairine, is impossible, but that's the way younger sisters are) on Long Island, where she goes to public school and has problems with the class bully.
Then one day she runs across one of those little books that help young people decide on a career: So You Want To Be a Doctor; So You Want To Be a Plumber; So You Want To Be a Wizard...
Nita can't resist. She takes it home; she studies it; she recites the Wizard's Oath she finds inside--and she finds herself launched on a whole series of dangerously magical adventures. They take her to the depths of the ocean, to the moon and beyond, and to other dimensions entirely. She meets and befriends (and sometimes does battle with) wizards of all sorts and species. And every so often she, Kit and Dairine save the universe.
Long before there was Harry Potter, there was Nita Callahan and her friend Kit. Nita doesn't have a highly significant scar on her forehead, nor does she live with abusive adoptive parents. She's a perfectly ordinary girl living with her perfectly amiable family (well, her younger sister, Dairine, is impossible, but that's the way younger sisters are) on Long Island, where she goes to public school and has problems with the class bully.
Then one day she runs across one of those little books that help young people decide on a career: So You Want To Be a Doctor; So You Want To Be a Plumber; So You Want To Be a Wizard...
Nita can't resist. She takes it home; she studies it; she recites the Wizard's Oath she finds inside--and she finds herself launched on a whole series of dangerously magical adventures. They take her to the depths of the ocean, to the moon and beyond, and to other dimensions entirely. She meets and befriends (and sometimes does battle with) wizards of all sorts and species. And every so often she, Kit and Dairine save the universe.
758 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1991
6 people are currently reading
265 people want to read
About the author
Diane Duane
167 books2,416 followersDiane Duane has been a writer of science fiction, fantasy, TV and film for more than forty years.
Besides the 1980's creation of the Young Wizards fantasy series for which she's best known, the "Middle Kingdoms" epic fantasy series, and numerous stand-alone fantasy or science fiction novels, her career has included extensive work in the Star Trek TM universe, and many scripts for live-action and animated TV series on both sides of the Atlantic, as well as work in comics and computer games. She has spent a fair amount of time on the New York Times Bestseller List, and has picked up various awards and award nominations here and there.
She lives in County Wicklow, in Ireland, with her husband of more than thirty years, the screenwriter and novelist Peter Morwood.
Her favorite color is blue, her favorite food is a weird kind of Swiss scrambled-potato dish called maluns, she was born in a Year of the Dragon, and her sign is "Runway 24 Left, Hold For Clearance."
(From her official website)
Besides the 1980's creation of the Young Wizards fantasy series for which she's best known, the "Middle Kingdoms" epic fantasy series, and numerous stand-alone fantasy or science fiction novels, her career has included extensive work in the Star Trek TM universe, and many scripts for live-action and animated TV series on both sides of the Atlantic, as well as work in comics and computer games. She has spent a fair amount of time on the New York Times Bestseller List, and has picked up various awards and award nominations here and there.
She lives in County Wicklow, in Ireland, with her husband of more than thirty years, the screenwriter and novelist Peter Morwood.
Her favorite color is blue, her favorite food is a weird kind of Swiss scrambled-potato dish called maluns, she was born in a Year of the Dragon, and her sign is "Runway 24 Left, Hold For Clearance."
(From her official website)
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
November 13, 2007
The book to read and re-read. I wish SFBC makes a second volume with the new books that Diane Duane wrote recently. Although the synopsis compared this series to Harry Potter, it feels more like Narnia series minus the Christian allegory (although there is some, it's not meant to be didactic, I think).
December 26, 2012
Every time I read this series, especially these first five books, and MOST especially Wizard's Dilemma, I cry. Which wouldn't be so bad if it were the way I normally cry over books, which involves lots of tissues and is fairly cathartic.
With this, I do a bit of that, but mostly I just get choked up.
And this time, it's totally Jonathan's fault. And he knows why.
With this, I do a bit of that, but mostly I just get choked up.
And this time, it's totally Jonathan's fault. And he knows why.
May 12, 2009
I enjoyed this, but I have to admit I perfer the more mature viewpoint of this world found in Duane's The Book of Night with Moon series.
April 13, 2023
This book is actually 1-5 in the series of ten. Reading this was I think better than reading them individually. You can keep going without forgetting maybe details that are needed for the next book.
The book is perfect for children aged 12-15 yrs. of age. The fantasy of being a wizard and having battles seems intriguing to children. At this age they can use their imagination and role play. especially when they learn the creed of the wizard. They go through may years and experience lots of o different protagonists aka bad guys. If definitely lets their imaginations run wild.
The book is perfect for children aged 12-15 yrs. of age. The fantasy of being a wizard and having battles seems intriguing to children. At this age they can use their imagination and role play. especially when they learn the creed of the wizard. They go through may years and experience lots of o different protagonists aka bad guys. If definitely lets their imaginations run wild.
January 9, 2026
I love all of these! I read the first three when they came out and finished number five today. Duane writes compelling middle grade fantasy that still offers richness and insight to adult readers.
January 6, 2012
Book 1: So You Want to be a Wizard?
Evading the school bullies, Nita takes refuge in the local library. Nostalgia overwhelms her as she browses in the children's section. Running her fingers along a collection of "So You Want to be a . . ." books one snags on her finger: "So You Want to be a Wizard". Nita takes the book home without hesitation and takes the Wizard's Oath printed therein and thus gets thrust into the world of wizardry. Along the way she stumbles upon Kit Rodriguez in the middle of a spell and together they get thrown into a parallel universe and face the Lone One 9the source of all entropy) on the Ordeal that every new wizard must face. When the Lone One threatens Manhattan, it will take all the knowledge Nita and Kit possess, plus a great deal of luck to be able to come out victorious. At least they have a white hole to help them!
A promising start to a series, worth a look at least. Whether or not it is as poignant as Harry Potter is difficult for me to determine because I read HP long before I heard of this series so I am probably a little biased. However, if you like HP, you probably will like this.
Book 2: Deep Wizardry
Nita and Kit get put on assignment while on vacation and join whale wizards in an ancient wizardry to re-imprison the part of the Lone One that was trapped a thousand years before. Nita's parents become suspicious of her sudden and lengthy disappearances with Kit and thus the teen wizards are forced to reveal their secret. It takes a good deal of convincing on top of the countless lives at stake. Big old Shark in this one!
Like Harry Potter, Nita and Kit are growing up and so are their challenges. Life or death is a big one and one of the most fundamental a person must face.
Book 3: High Wizardry
There is a new Callahan wizard, Nita's kid sister Dairine takes the Oath in secret and sets off on her Ordeal. Starting at and excessively high power level, her journey takes her far off into space where she awakens a planet that then begins to form sentient life. With great power comes great danger and it is not long before the Lone One targets Dairine. Nita and Kit are hot on her tail, though the Lone One has other ideas. It will take all the combines strength of Nita, Kit and Dairine to overthrow him this time. And a surprise Power that Be makes itself known!
Honestly, it was only a matter of time, Dairine hungers for knowledge and, until now, planned to be a Jedi. While the danger is no less, this really is not the best book in this collection.
Book 4: A Wizard Abroad
Nita gets sent to her aunt in Ireland because her parents want her to spend some time away from wizardry (impossible) and from Kit, but that doesn't mean Kit doesn't teleport himself there anyway. On her adventures, Nita not only discovers a surprising wizarding connection, but befriends countless other wizards and she unwittingly gets pulled into an ancient battle. Nita and Kit, together with their new friends and the help of the Sidhe, they must first reawaken three elemental weapons and then they must traverse into a dangerous parallel world and take on an ancient personification of their old adversary, the Lone One. Plus there is a kitten bard!
While Ireland is nice and ancient rivalries are pretty much requisite in fantasy (good vs. evil and all). This really is more about characters and the acquaintance with other (human!) wizards that until now had been limited to Nita, Kit, Dairine, and their advisors/area seniors Tom and Carl.
Book 5: The Wizard's Dilemma
A good read with just the right amount of desperation and author Diane Duane expertly separates the heretofore undefeated Nita-Kit (and later on Dairine, to a lesser extent) team so the reader can assuage just how much these wizards can do on their own. Pride and then Nita's mother's brain tumor separates the team for most of the story. Nita takes on trying to heal her mother alone, as Dairine lacks experience for the delicate work and Kit is busy working on a project with his dog, Ponch (which isn't that sensational since wizard's pets tend to develop a bit of 'weirdness') Nita and Kit are growing up and so are their choices. Before this ends they will both gather some new wisdom from a surprising source. Also, there is a pig.
Possibly one of the best novels in this collection. It is not as enthralling as "So You Want to be a Wizard" which has the draw of the introductory world, nor as directly dangerous as the other three. But this book has a greater depth than anything we've seen before, this time it is not Nita, Kit, and/or Dairine's lives at stake, nor even countless innocents, but Nita and Dairine's mother. All of the wizards must learn some very adult lessons which makes the themes in this series comparable to "The Order of the Phoenix" or "Half-Blood Prince" in the Harry Potter series.
Evading the school bullies, Nita takes refuge in the local library. Nostalgia overwhelms her as she browses in the children's section. Running her fingers along a collection of "So You Want to be a . . ." books one snags on her finger: "So You Want to be a Wizard". Nita takes the book home without hesitation and takes the Wizard's Oath printed therein and thus gets thrust into the world of wizardry. Along the way she stumbles upon Kit Rodriguez in the middle of a spell and together they get thrown into a parallel universe and face the Lone One 9the source of all entropy) on the Ordeal that every new wizard must face. When the Lone One threatens Manhattan, it will take all the knowledge Nita and Kit possess, plus a great deal of luck to be able to come out victorious. At least they have a white hole to help them!
A promising start to a series, worth a look at least. Whether or not it is as poignant as Harry Potter is difficult for me to determine because I read HP long before I heard of this series so I am probably a little biased. However, if you like HP, you probably will like this.
Book 2: Deep Wizardry
Nita and Kit get put on assignment while on vacation and join whale wizards in an ancient wizardry to re-imprison the part of the Lone One that was trapped a thousand years before. Nita's parents become suspicious of her sudden and lengthy disappearances with Kit and thus the teen wizards are forced to reveal their secret. It takes a good deal of convincing on top of the countless lives at stake. Big old Shark in this one!
Like Harry Potter, Nita and Kit are growing up and so are their challenges. Life or death is a big one and one of the most fundamental a person must face.
Book 3: High Wizardry
There is a new Callahan wizard, Nita's kid sister Dairine takes the Oath in secret and sets off on her Ordeal. Starting at and excessively high power level, her journey takes her far off into space where she awakens a planet that then begins to form sentient life. With great power comes great danger and it is not long before the Lone One targets Dairine. Nita and Kit are hot on her tail, though the Lone One has other ideas. It will take all the combines strength of Nita, Kit and Dairine to overthrow him this time. And a surprise Power that Be makes itself known!
Honestly, it was only a matter of time, Dairine hungers for knowledge and, until now, planned to be a Jedi. While the danger is no less, this really is not the best book in this collection.
Book 4: A Wizard Abroad
Nita gets sent to her aunt in Ireland because her parents want her to spend some time away from wizardry (impossible) and from Kit, but that doesn't mean Kit doesn't teleport himself there anyway. On her adventures, Nita not only discovers a surprising wizarding connection, but befriends countless other wizards and she unwittingly gets pulled into an ancient battle. Nita and Kit, together with their new friends and the help of the Sidhe, they must first reawaken three elemental weapons and then they must traverse into a dangerous parallel world and take on an ancient personification of their old adversary, the Lone One. Plus there is a kitten bard!
While Ireland is nice and ancient rivalries are pretty much requisite in fantasy (good vs. evil and all). This really is more about characters and the acquaintance with other (human!) wizards that until now had been limited to Nita, Kit, Dairine, and their advisors/area seniors Tom and Carl.
Book 5: The Wizard's Dilemma
A good read with just the right amount of desperation and author Diane Duane expertly separates the heretofore undefeated Nita-Kit (and later on Dairine, to a lesser extent) team so the reader can assuage just how much these wizards can do on their own. Pride and then Nita's mother's brain tumor separates the team for most of the story. Nita takes on trying to heal her mother alone, as Dairine lacks experience for the delicate work and Kit is busy working on a project with his dog, Ponch (which isn't that sensational since wizard's pets tend to develop a bit of 'weirdness') Nita and Kit are growing up and so are their choices. Before this ends they will both gather some new wisdom from a surprising source. Also, there is a pig.
Possibly one of the best novels in this collection. It is not as enthralling as "So You Want to be a Wizard" which has the draw of the introductory world, nor as directly dangerous as the other three. But this book has a greater depth than anything we've seen before, this time it is not Nita, Kit, and/or Dairine's lives at stake, nor even countless innocents, but Nita and Dairine's mother. All of the wizards must learn some very adult lessons which makes the themes in this series comparable to "The Order of the Phoenix" or "Half-Blood Prince" in the Harry Potter series.
May 21, 2011
The Young Wizards series really does have it all. The stories are told with a sense of humour that never fails to amuse. The settings are delightfully dated, so if you remember the nineties, get ready! Nita’s forays into the world of miniskirts are a blast from the past. Above all the books are quirky, fun, and charming. The world is well-developed, the plots are exciting, the characters are well-rounded and develop as the series continues, and hard truths are dealt with in a mature, sensible way. Diane Duane is a master of her craft. You should read these books, even if you think you’re too old for them. Trust me, you’re not.
FULL REVIEW at http://darkladyreviews.tumblr.com/pos...
FULL REVIEW at http://darkladyreviews.tumblr.com/pos...
April 30, 2010
This is one of those books that I will never get rid of. I enjoyed it as a child and hope to one day share these amazing adventures with my own family.
Want to read
July 1, 2011My sister let me borrow this book and I will read it in approximately 3-4 months. So, the only thing that I can say about this probably amazing book is that I can't wait to read it!
June 15, 2015
Good solid 4 star series. I've currently read up to A Wizard of Mars (book 9, I think) as of June 2015.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews