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Magic Kingdom of Landover #3
Wizard at Large
It all began when the half-able wizard Questor Thews announced that finally he could restore the Court Scribe Abernathy to human form. All went well until the wizard breahed the magic dust of his spell and suddenly sneezed. Then, where Abernathy had stood, there was only a bottle containing a particularly evil imp, who soon escapes.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 1988
204 people are currently reading
3926 people want to read
About the author
Terry Brooks
420 books77.8k followersTerry Brooks was born in Illinois in 1944, where he spent a great deal of his childhood and early adulthood dreaming up stories in and around Sinnissippi Park, the very same park that would eventually become the setting for his bestselling Word & Void trilogy. He went to college and received his undergraduate degree from Hamilton College, where he majored in English Literature, and he received his graduate degree from the School of Law at Washington & Lee University.
A writer since high school, he wrote many stories within the genres of science fiction, western, fiction, and non-fiction, until one semester early in his college years he was given The Lord of the Rings to read. That moment changed Terry's life forever, because in Tolkien's great work he found all the elements needed to fully explore his writing combined in one genre.
He then wrote The Sword of Shannara, the seven year grand result retaining sanity while studying at Washington & Lee University and practicing law. It became the first work of fiction ever to appear on the New York Times trade paperback bestseller list, where it remained for over five months.
A writer since high school, he wrote many stories within the genres of science fiction, western, fiction, and non-fiction, until one semester early in his college years he was given The Lord of the Rings to read. That moment changed Terry's life forever, because in Tolkien's great work he found all the elements needed to fully explore his writing combined in one genre.
He then wrote The Sword of Shannara, the seven year grand result retaining sanity while studying at Washington & Lee University and practicing law. It became the first work of fiction ever to appear on the New York Times trade paperback bestseller list, where it remained for over five months.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 270 reviews
April 3, 2012
Meh. Just, meh. Definitely a low point in the series. As with the previous book in the series, there are two story lines going on throughout the entire book.
1) Quester, the wizard thinks that he has found the magic that allows him to turn Abernathy back from the dog form, in which he is stuck, to his natural human form. The catch? It requires Ben to give Abernathy the medallion that makes Ben king of Landover. Surprise, surprise, something goes wrong and Abernathy is transported back to Ben's old world (our world), and in his place appears a bottle. Ben and Willow go back to our world to find Abernathy and get the bottle.
2) This bottle holds a Darkling, something of a genie in a bottle. It grants wishes, but it only draws on the wishers flaws. The bottle is stolen and is making its way around Landover, wrecking havoc. Quester is sent to retrieve the bottle.
Neither of these story lines are particularly strong, and they simply don't weave well together. Plot #2 feels plodding and gets in the way of the far more interesting, Plot #1. Both plots actually suffer from the way they are weaved together. The flow is broken repeatedly, and not in a "Oh! I want to know what happens next!" sort of way, but in a "Oh! Back to this now?" sort of way. Simply, no good.
I also felt as though I'd already read this story. Ben loses medallion. Ben searches for medallion. It's the same basic story as the last book. The last 40 pages or so saves the entire book, however. They really are the most interesting pages because it didn't feel like more of the same.
Ben's still a clueless idiot, but at least he's clever from time-to-time in this novel of Landover. Willow is still a sadly underused character. Quester has finally become half competent. Abernathy, well, Abernathy's still a sullen douche - which makes him the most well rounded character of the bunch.
1) Quester, the wizard thinks that he has found the magic that allows him to turn Abernathy back from the dog form, in which he is stuck, to his natural human form. The catch? It requires Ben to give Abernathy the medallion that makes Ben king of Landover. Surprise, surprise, something goes wrong and Abernathy is transported back to Ben's old world (our world), and in his place appears a bottle. Ben and Willow go back to our world to find Abernathy and get the bottle.
2) This bottle holds a Darkling, something of a genie in a bottle. It grants wishes, but it only draws on the wishers flaws. The bottle is stolen and is making its way around Landover, wrecking havoc. Quester is sent to retrieve the bottle.
Neither of these story lines are particularly strong, and they simply don't weave well together. Plot #2 feels plodding and gets in the way of the far more interesting, Plot #1. Both plots actually suffer from the way they are weaved together. The flow is broken repeatedly, and not in a "Oh! I want to know what happens next!" sort of way, but in a "Oh! Back to this now?" sort of way. Simply, no good.
I also felt as though I'd already read this story. Ben loses medallion. Ben searches for medallion. It's the same basic story as the last book. The last 40 pages or so saves the entire book, however. They really are the most interesting pages because it didn't feel like more of the same.
Ben's still a clueless idiot, but at least he's clever from time-to-time in this novel of Landover. Willow is still a sadly underused character. Quester has finally become half competent. Abernathy, well, Abernathy's still a sullen douche - which makes him the most well rounded character of the bunch.
February 18, 2023
3.75/5
This was a solidly fun adventure but it didn't feel quite complete.
This was a solidly fun adventure but it didn't feel quite complete.
July 19, 2021
Terzo capitolo della saga di Landover.
Questa volta il mago di corte, rinomato pasticcione, la combina grossa e costringe il gruppo a uscire dal regno e imbarcarsi in mille avventure alla ricerca di Abernathy, ovvero lo scrivano di corte in sembianze canine sempre ad opera del famigerato mago Questor.
Lo scenario si svolge allora sulla Terra, vecchio mondo di re Ben, che ritrova anche un vecchio amico con l'aiuto del quale cercherà di trarre d'impaccio la compagnia.
Nel frattempo Questor cerca invece di rimediare alle conseguenze della sua ennesima debacle: deve recuperare la bottiglia magica che dopo varie traversie si trova nelle mani della famigerata Strega del crepuscolo.
E sulla scena tornano il drago Strabo, con il quale Questor riuscirà a scendere a patti per farsi aiutare a riportare gli esuli in Terra di nuovo a Landover, e arriverà il Paladino o forse due?
Tutto può succedere nel magico regno di Landover.
Questa volta il mago di corte, rinomato pasticcione, la combina grossa e costringe il gruppo a uscire dal regno e imbarcarsi in mille avventure alla ricerca di Abernathy, ovvero lo scrivano di corte in sembianze canine sempre ad opera del famigerato mago Questor.
Lo scenario si svolge allora sulla Terra, vecchio mondo di re Ben, che ritrova anche un vecchio amico con l'aiuto del quale cercherà di trarre d'impaccio la compagnia.
Nel frattempo Questor cerca invece di rimediare alle conseguenze della sua ennesima debacle: deve recuperare la bottiglia magica che dopo varie traversie si trova nelle mani della famigerata Strega del crepuscolo.
E sulla scena tornano il drago Strabo, con il quale Questor riuscirà a scendere a patti per farsi aiutare a riportare gli esuli in Terra di nuovo a Landover, e arriverà il Paladino o forse due?
Tutto può succedere nel magico regno di Landover.
October 24, 2016
2.5 Stars
As my first taste of Terry Brooks… I have to admit this was probably a mistake. But once I realized it was the third book in the Landover series, it felt too late to simply stop. I thought perhaps it would be able to hold up on its own if I just hung in there long enough. On the whole though… I feel I missed out. And I remain unconvinced that reading the first two would make me any more invested in the fates of the characters or in the kingdom of Landover.
The story is definitely fantasy, and at turns, urban fantasy. (As we are shuttled back and forth between worlds due to the placement—or rather, misplacement—of the scribe character Abernathy.) But it was fantasy they never took itself too seriously. I would be tempted to compare the attempt to the clever whimsy of Terry Pratchett… but on the whole, less amusing and featuring characters I was less concerned over.
The wizard, Quester, was particularly frustrating. For the life of me, I couldn’t figure out why anyone would rely on him for ANYTHING—his level of incompetence is so astonishingly vast. He literally causes the entire conflict the plot centers around. And yet, he is not only allowed to continue on in his role as court wizard, but is actually put in charge of Landover while King Ben Holiday jumps dimensions to personally make an attempt to rescue Abernathy.
Though I can’t say it was predictable, exactly, nothing about the plot came as a surprise. A lot of it struck me as contrived. The pacing dragged often, but not so much because of the writing itself. (Please don’t misunderstand my lack of enjoyment as a railing against Brook’s writing—it is not.) I think the biggest detriment to the pace and flow was the fact that I was never truly convinced of the stakes. Not only did I keep forgetting that a world hung in the balance, but this didn’t strike me as the kind of book in which I need worry that any main character might actually die.
Just not quite my cup of drawn-out tea. But while I am not interested in any more of Landover, I am still excited to finally get my hand on anything in the Shannara series. Brooks can definitely write. I’d just prefer to read something with a very different tone and intent.
As my first taste of Terry Brooks… I have to admit this was probably a mistake. But once I realized it was the third book in the Landover series, it felt too late to simply stop. I thought perhaps it would be able to hold up on its own if I just hung in there long enough. On the whole though… I feel I missed out. And I remain unconvinced that reading the first two would make me any more invested in the fates of the characters or in the kingdom of Landover.
The story is definitely fantasy, and at turns, urban fantasy. (As we are shuttled back and forth between worlds due to the placement—or rather, misplacement—of the scribe character Abernathy.) But it was fantasy they never took itself too seriously. I would be tempted to compare the attempt to the clever whimsy of Terry Pratchett… but on the whole, less amusing and featuring characters I was less concerned over.
The wizard, Quester, was particularly frustrating. For the life of me, I couldn’t figure out why anyone would rely on him for ANYTHING—his level of incompetence is so astonishingly vast. He literally causes the entire conflict the plot centers around. And yet, he is not only allowed to continue on in his role as court wizard, but is actually put in charge of Landover while King Ben Holiday jumps dimensions to personally make an attempt to rescue Abernathy.
Though I can’t say it was predictable, exactly, nothing about the plot came as a surprise. A lot of it struck me as contrived. The pacing dragged often, but not so much because of the writing itself. (Please don’t misunderstand my lack of enjoyment as a railing against Brook’s writing—it is not.) I think the biggest detriment to the pace and flow was the fact that I was never truly convinced of the stakes. Not only did I keep forgetting that a world hung in the balance, but this didn’t strike me as the kind of book in which I need worry that any main character might actually die.
Just not quite my cup of drawn-out tea. But while I am not interested in any more of Landover, I am still excited to finally get my hand on anything in the Shannara series. Brooks can definitely write. I’d just prefer to read something with a very different tone and intent.
June 6, 2018
Ponte tra due mondi
Nulla che non si sia già letto/visto/subodorato da altre parti e forse, parlando di Terry Brooks, andrebbe accantonata l'idea di leggere contenuti rivoluzionari - un discreto mestierante all'interno del genere, niente di più.
Qua la trama si ravviva con i viaggi interdimensionali nonché la fisiologica simpatia che affiora nel momento in cui i mondi entrano in contatto (impossibile non provare un minimo di empatia tra Albernathy ed Elizabeth, tanto per fare un esempio).
Giusta la scelta di centralizzare la figura di Questor Twews, protagonista del trashissimo scontro magico con il drago Strabo.
Nulla che non si sia già letto/visto/subodorato da altre parti e forse, parlando di Terry Brooks, andrebbe accantonata l'idea di leggere contenuti rivoluzionari - un discreto mestierante all'interno del genere, niente di più.
Qua la trama si ravviva con i viaggi interdimensionali nonché la fisiologica simpatia che affiora nel momento in cui i mondi entrano in contatto (impossibile non provare un minimo di empatia tra Albernathy ed Elizabeth, tanto per fare un esempio).
Giusta la scelta di centralizzare la figura di Questor Twews, protagonista del trashissimo scontro magico con il drago Strabo.
January 20, 2020
There are two storylines in this book and the story is pretty much the same as the last book. Questor thought he had his magic figured out to turn Abernathy back. But to do the spell it requires Ben's medallion. Of course, it all goes wrong. And poor Abernathy is sent back to Ben's old world and the medallion with him. And then in place of Abernathy there is a bottle with an imp who grants wishes but it plays on the wishers flaws. It wreaks havoc all over landover. But it's still the same storyline from the last book. Ben loses medallion. Ben makes a personal discovery with help from his friends. Ben regains medallion. Boom book done.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 10, 2024
I give this a 2.5 ⭐️’s the story just didn’t grab me, the first two in the series were enjoyable!! But that’s me!!
August 26, 2025
It pains me to give this 3 stars, because I loved the story giving more context historically and Questor’s character development. It’d be 5 stars but all I’ll say is you can tell it’s written by a man…
March 14, 2019
Leído en 2003.
7/10. Tercero de la saga, y hasta aquí llegué. Conste que se lee agradablemente, pero no conseguí más de la saga. No se si ni están traducidos al español.
7/10. Tercero de la saga, y hasta aquí llegué. Conste que se lee agradablemente, pero no conseguí más de la saga. No se si ni están traducidos al español.
December 20, 2010
Wizard at Large by Terry Brooks was the third volume in the Kingdom of Landover series that began with Magic Kingdom for Sale: Sold. Until I recently read The Tangle Box, a later episode in that series, Wizard at Large had been the last book I had read in that series. I think I stopped reading the series because there was a sense of the formulaic being imposed upon the stories. In this one, the inept court wizard, Questor Thews, attempts to undo some of his previous calamitous efforts and, in so doing, precipitates a sequence of disasters. My memories of the novel were that even High Lord Ben Holiday had seemed rather inept in this one and that the whole adventure seemed like an episode that would end up with Abernathy, court scribe with the form of a dog, crying, “Help me, Mr. Wizard!” and Thews saying, “Twinkle, Trazzle, Twuzzle, Tome, Time for this one to come home!” [At least, that’s how I remember those old television cartoons ending.]
Indeed, as I re-read the book, I was anticipating the point where the wizard, heretofore relatively inept, to take control. What I liked about the book on this reading (that I appeared to miss on the first visitation) was the personal growth in Questor Thews. Questor realizes circa the middle of the book that matters rest largely on him and he moves to resolve matters in a surprising and risky way. He doesn’t just confront his doubts, but he places himself in a desperate situation where he has to depend upon what he can do. Those of us who merely took Thews for granted as being the well-meaning, but clumsy wizard had to accept him as something more as a result of this book. On the first reading, I thought this was something of a deus ex machina where Brooks temporarily gave Thews confidence. In the second reading, I sensed the personal growth and the sense of personal responsibility building in the wizard.
Once I had come to grips with my previous disappointment in the book, I could suddenly enjoy the macguffin borrowed from the fantasy literature of Robert Louis Stevenson and the, at first, comical (and later, tragic) consequences of unleashing this artifact on the world of Landover. I felt like Brooks handled the scenes with this artifact brilliantly, both in the manner in which it corrupted its owners and in the eventual means of defeating it. I suddenly discovered that what I had previously written off as a lightweight, comic novel that didn’t quite work for me was a marvelous addition to the fantasy universe I had enjoyed before. Maybe it’s a matter of mood, but where I couldn’t have recommended Wizard at Large before, I can say that those who want light fantasy with some intriguing threads of discovery (in terms of evil and personal character) should give it a try—or another one.
Indeed, as I re-read the book, I was anticipating the point where the wizard, heretofore relatively inept, to take control. What I liked about the book on this reading (that I appeared to miss on the first visitation) was the personal growth in Questor Thews. Questor realizes circa the middle of the book that matters rest largely on him and he moves to resolve matters in a surprising and risky way. He doesn’t just confront his doubts, but he places himself in a desperate situation where he has to depend upon what he can do. Those of us who merely took Thews for granted as being the well-meaning, but clumsy wizard had to accept him as something more as a result of this book. On the first reading, I thought this was something of a deus ex machina where Brooks temporarily gave Thews confidence. In the second reading, I sensed the personal growth and the sense of personal responsibility building in the wizard.
Once I had come to grips with my previous disappointment in the book, I could suddenly enjoy the macguffin borrowed from the fantasy literature of Robert Louis Stevenson and the, at first, comical (and later, tragic) consequences of unleashing this artifact on the world of Landover. I felt like Brooks handled the scenes with this artifact brilliantly, both in the manner in which it corrupted its owners and in the eventual means of defeating it. I suddenly discovered that what I had previously written off as a lightweight, comic novel that didn’t quite work for me was a marvelous addition to the fantasy universe I had enjoyed before. Maybe it’s a matter of mood, but where I couldn’t have recommended Wizard at Large before, I can say that those who want light fantasy with some intriguing threads of discovery (in terms of evil and personal character) should give it a try—or another one.
August 2, 2012
It's good to see that this series has remained consistent so far. I can think of a few that have gotten more and more disappointing as they carried on, but that's not the case with this one. If anything, it gets to be even more fun.
That's the good news...the bad news is, this thing is starting to feel formulaic. Uh oh! Ben has somehow lost the medallion again! We have to get it back! There's an evil creature on the loose in Landover! We have to stop it! Nightshade is making trouble again! Something must be done about this! We must call... *moment of breathless suspense* the Paladin!
What kept this from dragging down for me was the focus on Questor and Abernathy. When the attempt to turn the scribe back into a man backfires catastrophically, the wizard tries to set things right, and it's HIS turn for some self-discovery (which is good, because if I had to sit through Ben trying to figure himself out again, it wouldn't have ended well. It's getting old.) And we finally learn a little more about Abernathy, and that information just popped him up to the status of my favorite character so far. He's only in this mess because a long time ago, he tried to do the right thing. Now he's stuck as a talking dog on Earth in the company of his worst enemy. Not good!
Strabo made another appearance, and while I like the dragon's sarcasm and irritability, I could see that surprise coming just by reading the summary. I'll admit, I was cheering Questor on in his attempt to persuade Strabo to help him save Ben and the others, and frankly that scene was the highlight of the whole book for me. It was just too funny! The other bit that stuck out was the climactic battle in which we may or may not have seen the last of Nightshade. Really, it's too soon to tell. Anyway, how she was defeated was pure genius.
Can I just say that I might have predicted by the end of the book that Questor would suggest trying to change Abernathy back again? I think I'm too attached to him as a dog to want him changed back.
That's the good news...the bad news is, this thing is starting to feel formulaic. Uh oh! Ben has somehow lost the medallion again! We have to get it back! There's an evil creature on the loose in Landover! We have to stop it! Nightshade is making trouble again! Something must be done about this! We must call... *moment of breathless suspense* the Paladin!
What kept this from dragging down for me was the focus on Questor and Abernathy. When the attempt to turn the scribe back into a man backfires catastrophically, the wizard tries to set things right, and it's HIS turn for some self-discovery (which is good, because if I had to sit through Ben trying to figure himself out again, it wouldn't have ended well. It's getting old.) And we finally learn a little more about Abernathy, and that information just popped him up to the status of my favorite character so far. He's only in this mess because a long time ago, he tried to do the right thing. Now he's stuck as a talking dog on Earth in the company of his worst enemy. Not good!
Strabo made another appearance, and while I like the dragon's sarcasm and irritability, I could see that surprise coming just by reading the summary. I'll admit, I was cheering Questor on in his attempt to persuade Strabo to help him save Ben and the others, and frankly that scene was the highlight of the whole book for me. It was just too funny! The other bit that stuck out was the climactic battle in which we may or may not have seen the last of Nightshade. Really, it's too soon to tell. Anyway, how she was defeated was pure genius.
Can I just say that I might have predicted by the end of the book that Questor would suggest trying to change Abernathy back again? I think I'm too attached to him as a dog to want him changed back.
December 15, 2018
If you didn't see the spell at the start of this book going awry then you clearly didn't read the earlier two books.
The series is getting a little formulaic now. Oh noes, the medallion is lost. Again. This better not be the plot point in the next book. Or any future books really. I get the medallion is very important, but can i have some other stakes please?
On the plus side Questor Thews actually had a character arc in this one. I also finally got to emotionally connect with Abernathy. Also, I love the complexity we're really starting to see between Willow and her father and mother. There's some seriously messed up desire/obsession going on here brought into the forefront by the inkling.
There's also a decent amount of time spent in 'our' world as well as in Landover. I like this sort of stuff in my portal fantasy, not just using the transferred character as a foil for worldbuilding explanation ;p
A smidge longer than the other books, but still a relatively quick read for a fantasy novel.
The series is getting a little formulaic now. Oh noes, the medallion is lost. Again. This better not be the plot point in the next book. Or any future books really. I get the medallion is very important, but can i have some other stakes please?
On the plus side Questor Thews actually had a character arc in this one. I also finally got to emotionally connect with Abernathy. Also, I love the complexity we're really starting to see between Willow and her father and mother. There's some seriously messed up desire/obsession going on here brought into the forefront by the inkling.
There's also a decent amount of time spent in 'our' world as well as in Landover. I like this sort of stuff in my portal fantasy, not just using the transferred character as a foil for worldbuilding explanation ;p
A smidge longer than the other books, but still a relatively quick read for a fantasy novel.
April 4, 2019
4.5 Stars
So I know I read this book back in high school and yet in reading it now I realized I remember none of it. Made the reading that much more enjoyable. I particularly enjoyed Abernathy and his being stuck in our world. A talking dog would be a tad bit suspicious in today's world. ;)
I like that in this story Questor starts to really come into his own as a wizard, sure he's still a bit of a screwup, but he's definitely getting better. He really had to accept himself here and keep trying. He's not perfect, but he has good intentions and the best will to never quit. Ben also had to remind himself that he's capable and deserves to be king here too.
This was a fun story. It's still a little bit silly, but I enjoyed both sides of the plot. I appreciated trying to save Abernathy in the real world while a little obnoxious demon is wrecking havoc in Landover. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
So I know I read this book back in high school and yet in reading it now I realized I remember none of it. Made the reading that much more enjoyable. I particularly enjoyed Abernathy and his being stuck in our world. A talking dog would be a tad bit suspicious in today's world. ;)
I like that in this story Questor starts to really come into his own as a wizard, sure he's still a bit of a screwup, but he's definitely getting better. He really had to accept himself here and keep trying. He's not perfect, but he has good intentions and the best will to never quit. Ben also had to remind himself that he's capable and deserves to be king here too.
This was a fun story. It's still a little bit silly, but I enjoyed both sides of the plot. I appreciated trying to save Abernathy in the real world while a little obnoxious demon is wrecking havoc in Landover. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
July 6, 2022
So the synopsis seems to focus more on the second half of the book which I found a bit odd.
Not the journey of Questor as he tries to retrieve the bottle, or the Darkling that resides there, causing chaos along the way. Not Abernathy who is imprisoned be a cruel man and an enemy of Landover, and how he must rely on a young girl for assistance.
No, lets focus on the dragon and the witch; neither of which is even mentioned until the last quarter of the book!! And as for Ben and Willow taking a long time and Willow being sick, they aren't even focus characters so much in this.
I feel that Questor really grew in this book and I hope he stays on top of his new skills (doubtful). I am furious at Willow's father in this one. Utter disdain for him...
It is a fast, light read and very enjoyable!
Not the journey of Questor as he tries to retrieve the bottle, or the Darkling that resides there, causing chaos along the way. Not Abernathy who is imprisoned be a cruel man and an enemy of Landover, and how he must rely on a young girl for assistance.
No, lets focus on the dragon and the witch; neither of which is even mentioned until the last quarter of the book!! And as for Ben and Willow taking a long time and Willow being sick, they aren't even focus characters so much in this.
I feel that Questor really grew in this book and I hope he stays on top of his new skills (doubtful). I am furious at Willow's father in this one. Utter disdain for him...
It is a fast, light read and very enjoyable!
December 27, 2021
Ben Holiday does not get a break. 😂 In this part of the series, he loses his friend and scribe, Abernathy. Abernathy (a talking dog) is transported to Ben's old world (our world) wearing Ben's medaillon. He is exchanged for a troublesome demon in a bottle. Ben needs the medaillon to protect himself, and he wants his friend back, so Ben and friends need to find a way to bring Abernathy back and get rid of the bothersome demon wreaking havoc. A fun read, and good follow up to the previous parts in the series. There are some plot holes, but I imagine it's hard working out these kinds of ideas in a story.
September 21, 2018
I think this was my favorite of the series, although as a standalone it might have gaps. Spending half the time in our world (in the PNW!), the girl Elizabeth, and Questor Thews trying to decide if he really was a wizard were all things I enjoyed. Nothing went too deep; character development is fairly simplistic, but I've grown to like the characters and was happy I read the book. Overall, this is a series I would recommend. A bit sillier than the other Brooks series I've read, and so right up my alley.
August 31, 2011
Easily the best one in the series so far, IMO. The hope I expressed in my review of the first book of getting to see more of Abernathy, was fulfilled at last! Gawd, I love that grumpy old dog. :p
No really, this book was exciting, filled with tension, and I couldn't read it fast enough to see what was going to happen next! Perhaps even one of my all-time favourites, but it'll have to be reread at some point to determine that for sure.
No really, this book was exciting, filled with tension, and I couldn't read it fast enough to see what was going to happen next! Perhaps even one of my all-time favourites, but it'll have to be reread at some point to determine that for sure.
February 22, 2010
Evil again stalks the Magic Kingdom of Landover and the king has been snatched away...of course I wonder why he keeps "trusting" Questor. To say his spells don't always turn out right is much like saying that bricks seldom fly on their own.
Fun reads, and meant to be fun.
Fun reads, and meant to be fun.
April 12, 2015
Really liked the book,it focuses more on a couple of surrounding characters.The main character(Ben Holiday)does have to go back into his old world which does make for some good and entertaining reading.
March 15, 2018
2.5/5 stelle
recensione: http://thereadingpal.blogspot.it/2018...
Finalmente mi accingo alla recensione di questo libro, che devo dire mi ha un po' deluso nel complesso.
Questa volta Questor, mago "pasticcione" (per non usare termini meno genitili) prova a far tornare Abernathy in umano con una magia. Nel mentre starnutisce, e ciò provoca il fallimento dell'operazione. Non solo questo, ma il povero storico di corte viene mandato nel mondo originario di Ben Holiday, l'Alto Signore, e qualcosa proveniente da lì lo sostituisce a Landover: una bottiglia contenente qualcosa di estremamente pericoloso.
Partiamo dalle cose positive.
Intanto, ho trovato particolare la storia del Darkling nella bottiglia. A poco a poco veniamo a scoprire di più, e questo esserino malefico crea parecchi danni. Sembra avere anche una personalità propria, e ho trovato interessante vedere come i diversi personaggi reagivano al suo controllo. Forse questa parte è stata esplorata addirittura un pochino troppo rispetto ad altre cose, ma è una delle cose che mi ha attratto di più in questo romanzo poco soddisfacente.
In più c'è l'introduzione di un nuovo personaggio femminile, Elizabeth. Finalmente. Pare che a Landover ci sia penuria di donne, perché fin'ora gli unici personaggi femminili che si vedono spesso sono Willow e la Strega del Crepuscolo. Non penso proprio che Elizabeth comparirà ancora, ma è stato bello averla. Ha creato un po' d'aria fresca, e il suo rapporto con Abernathy era molto carino.
Parlando di Abernathy, poveraccio, finalmente diventa un personaggio che vediamo molto di più. Il nostro viene esplorato parecchio, di modo che veniamo a conoscere la sua storia e come sia stato trasformato in cane e perché (cosa che mi assillava dal primo libro). È sicuramente uno dei personaggi che preferisco di questa serie. Forse l'unico, assieme a Ben e ai coboldi.
Anche Questor diventa un personaggio "da prima linea". È lui che deve cercare di risolvere il problema del demone nella bottiglia, ma non è che faccia un bel lavoro. Almeno in questo libro migliora molto nell'ambito magico.
Veniamo alle cose negative, e partiamo direttamete da questo punto: mi è parso che Questor migliorasse all'improvviso durante lo scontro con Strabo. Il suo miglioramento non è stato mostrato durante la storia, è qualcosa che è accaduto tra il libro precedente e questo. Eppure all'inizio di questo libro pare lo stesso idiota di sempre. È una cosa che ho trovato piuttosto irritante, personalmente, perché queste sono cose che voglio leggere e "vedere" coi miei occhi. Non dovrebbe essere roba che accade al di fuori dei libri!
Per quanto riguarda il viaggio di Abernathy nel mondo di Ben, ovvero il nostro, sono rimasta un po' "meh" in quanto l'ho trovato poco realistico. Aberthany sembra trovare solo persone ben intenzionate e amichevoli con un cane parlante di un altro mondo, anche se a volte un po' increduli. L'unico che non è affatto gentile con lui è il suo nemico di sembre, Michel Ard Rhi, e anche qui è un punto dolente. Mentre la parte riguardante il demone della bottiglia prende gran parte della storia, Michel non viene visto quasi per nulla e mi è parso di arrivare a conoscerlo "per sentito dire" da altri personaggi. Dovrebbe essere uno dei maggiori antagonisti... E invece è tipo una leggera brezza.
Anche lo stile di scrittura e la traduzione non sono granché, e ho fatto un po' fatica ad andare avanti nella lettura, perché c'era davvero poco che mi spingesse a continuare.
Nel complesso, una lettura deludente, e aspetterò un po' prima di prendere in mano il quarto libro.
recensione: http://thereadingpal.blogspot.it/2018...
Finalmente mi accingo alla recensione di questo libro, che devo dire mi ha un po' deluso nel complesso.
Questa volta Questor, mago "pasticcione" (per non usare termini meno genitili) prova a far tornare Abernathy in umano con una magia. Nel mentre starnutisce, e ciò provoca il fallimento dell'operazione. Non solo questo, ma il povero storico di corte viene mandato nel mondo originario di Ben Holiday, l'Alto Signore, e qualcosa proveniente da lì lo sostituisce a Landover: una bottiglia contenente qualcosa di estremamente pericoloso.
Partiamo dalle cose positive.
Intanto, ho trovato particolare la storia del Darkling nella bottiglia. A poco a poco veniamo a scoprire di più, e questo esserino malefico crea parecchi danni. Sembra avere anche una personalità propria, e ho trovato interessante vedere come i diversi personaggi reagivano al suo controllo. Forse questa parte è stata esplorata addirittura un pochino troppo rispetto ad altre cose, ma è una delle cose che mi ha attratto di più in questo romanzo poco soddisfacente.
In più c'è l'introduzione di un nuovo personaggio femminile, Elizabeth. Finalmente. Pare che a Landover ci sia penuria di donne, perché fin'ora gli unici personaggi femminili che si vedono spesso sono Willow e la Strega del Crepuscolo. Non penso proprio che Elizabeth comparirà ancora, ma è stato bello averla. Ha creato un po' d'aria fresca, e il suo rapporto con Abernathy era molto carino.
Parlando di Abernathy, poveraccio, finalmente diventa un personaggio che vediamo molto di più. Il nostro viene esplorato parecchio, di modo che veniamo a conoscere la sua storia e come sia stato trasformato in cane e perché (cosa che mi assillava dal primo libro). È sicuramente uno dei personaggi che preferisco di questa serie. Forse l'unico, assieme a Ben e ai coboldi.
Anche Questor diventa un personaggio "da prima linea". È lui che deve cercare di risolvere il problema del demone nella bottiglia, ma non è che faccia un bel lavoro. Almeno in questo libro migliora molto nell'ambito magico.
Veniamo alle cose negative, e partiamo direttamete da questo punto: mi è parso che Questor migliorasse all'improvviso durante lo scontro con Strabo. Il suo miglioramento non è stato mostrato durante la storia, è qualcosa che è accaduto tra il libro precedente e questo. Eppure all'inizio di questo libro pare lo stesso idiota di sempre. È una cosa che ho trovato piuttosto irritante, personalmente, perché queste sono cose che voglio leggere e "vedere" coi miei occhi. Non dovrebbe essere roba che accade al di fuori dei libri!
Per quanto riguarda il viaggio di Abernathy nel mondo di Ben, ovvero il nostro, sono rimasta un po' "meh" in quanto l'ho trovato poco realistico. Aberthany sembra trovare solo persone ben intenzionate e amichevoli con un cane parlante di un altro mondo, anche se a volte un po' increduli. L'unico che non è affatto gentile con lui è il suo nemico di sembre, Michel Ard Rhi, e anche qui è un punto dolente. Mentre la parte riguardante il demone della bottiglia prende gran parte della storia, Michel non viene visto quasi per nulla e mi è parso di arrivare a conoscerlo "per sentito dire" da altri personaggi. Dovrebbe essere uno dei maggiori antagonisti... E invece è tipo una leggera brezza.
Anche lo stile di scrittura e la traduzione non sono granché, e ho fatto un po' fatica ad andare avanti nella lettura, perché c'era davvero poco che mi spingesse a continuare.
Nel complesso, una lettura deludente, e aspetterò un po' prima di prendere in mano il quarto libro.
November 18, 2022
Non leggevo Terry Brooks da alcuni anni. È stato un autore comfort zone durante tutta la mia adolescenza e apprezzavo la ripetitività dei personaggi delle sue opere e delle situazioni. Maturando, mi era venuta a noia la saga di Shannara e mi ero rifugiato a Landover, trovando terreno nuovo. Quest'anno, sono tornato lì.
Mago a metà è il terzo romanzo del ciclo di Landover: si tratta di una saga fantasy vecchio stile, con un protagonista maturo (l'avvocato vedovo Ben Holiday) che, dal nostro mondo, si ritrova in un universo fantastico - in questo caso il regno di Landover.
Insomma, il punto di partenza è diverso dall'high fantasy tradizionale; tuttavia, Mago a metà rivela che l'immaginazione di Terry Brooks è limitata anche in questo campo. Infatti, oltre ai personaggi ricorrenti (spassosi, ma molto macchiettistici: il burbero scrivano Abernathy, il mago imbranato Questor Thews, l'insipida silfide Willow, due gnomi cleptomani, il drago vanesio Strabo, la Strega del Crepuscolo cattiva-perché-sì), anche le situazioni, a cavallo tra mondo reale e mondo fantastico, iniziano a diventare ripetitive.
Salvo di questo romanzo il tentativo di rendere più sfaccettato il personaggio di Questor Thews, il mago pasticcione di cui parla il titolo. Inoltre, ne salvo la scorrevolezza, che mi ha tenuto compagnia nei miei viaggi in treno.
Mago a metà è il terzo romanzo del ciclo di Landover: si tratta di una saga fantasy vecchio stile, con un protagonista maturo (l'avvocato vedovo Ben Holiday) che, dal nostro mondo, si ritrova in un universo fantastico - in questo caso il regno di Landover.
Insomma, il punto di partenza è diverso dall'high fantasy tradizionale; tuttavia, Mago a metà rivela che l'immaginazione di Terry Brooks è limitata anche in questo campo. Infatti, oltre ai personaggi ricorrenti (spassosi, ma molto macchiettistici: il burbero scrivano Abernathy, il mago imbranato Questor Thews, l'insipida silfide Willow, due gnomi cleptomani, il drago vanesio Strabo, la Strega del Crepuscolo cattiva-perché-sì), anche le situazioni, a cavallo tra mondo reale e mondo fantastico, iniziano a diventare ripetitive.
Salvo di questo romanzo il tentativo di rendere più sfaccettato il personaggio di Questor Thews, il mago pasticcione di cui parla il titolo. Inoltre, ne salvo la scorrevolezza, che mi ha tenuto compagnia nei miei viaggi in treno.
March 14, 2025
While I like this one, it still felt like it was lacking something. It's split into two storylines, and I would have liked it more if it had developed the "meanwhile, back at Landover" plot. The darkling was more interesting than Elizabeth who acted 12 and spoke like she was 5. I enjoyed Questor finally starting to make some headway with his magic. I didn't care for any of Willow's contribution to the story.
October 1, 2022
Still so much wasted potential!!! this installment wasn't the worst, but ben is such a bitch! complain, complain complain!! christ, man! you're a goddman king of a magical realm, fucking live it up!
December 5, 2023
Mixed reviews for this but I found it an engrossing read, another nostalgia trip and an entirely satisfying denouement. It brings the fantasy into the real world, something that gripped me as a teen even though as an Adult I have still got nowhere nearer the USA than I have Landover.
April 19, 2017
I think this is my favorite Landover novel so far. Story surrounds Abernathy and he's a great character.
January 17, 2024
Barnbok men i viss mån intressant
March 29, 2025
Outstanding third installment of Terry Brooks' Landover series. A fantasy series including magical kingdoms, witches, dragons, sylphs, good vs evil like no other. Highly recommend!
January 17, 2018
Reading through the first three Landover novels, you get the sense that Terry Brooks set himself up very nicely to do a trilogy of books from the start. The first he focuses on Ben Holiday acclimating to Landover in the first place, the second has an enemy in the former court wizard Meeks who sold Ben the kingdom, and lastly we are dealing with the exiled prince Michel Ard Rhi, who became rich from the selling of his kingdom. It all seems like it is quite the nice setup from the start.
Overall I enjoyed the book, I think one of the strong points of the Landover series is the interaction with our world. The strength of the first book is Ben getting used to the way things are in Landover, with magic, dragons, witches, and all kinds of fairy creatures. The second doesn't really focus as much on that, but the third does quite a bit more. I think this aspect of the book really makes it enjoyable. Having people in our world run across the unusual characters of Landover is a fun experience. The ending in particular really clashes the worlds together in an enjoyable way.
I also like the development of Questor Thews in the book. He's been more than a bit of a failure as a wizard in the previous two books. While the book starts out with this being very much the case, Questor really steps up big in this book. Actually gaining control of his magic for a good portion of the book. Now I can't remember if this sticks in future books or not, but I do like his development in this book.
I also like the serious but light-hearted nature of the Landover books. They're not full on parody, but they also don't take themselves too seriously. I mean after all the events of this book are set into motion from a poorly timed sneeze. It's a nice balance that works well in my opinion.
Not all is great in this book though. I feel that many of the stories have a certain formula to them. They all involve some great round trip through Landover. In the first book it was Ben trying to procure pledges to the throne, in the second it was trying to get people to believe that his appearance had been changed by Meeks, and in the last it is Questor trying to hunt down the Darkling. They just all follow a lot of the same notes. Now admittedly that was only one half of this story, but it was still noticeable even so.
Overall, I enjoyed Wizard At Large. It's maybe not quite as good as the first book in my opinion, but I think it's better than the second book. It falls into the well worn path that the series has established so far, but brings enough different to set it apart. If you've enjoyed the previous Landover books, you'll enjoy it, but maybe find yourself wishing that the formula Brooks seems to be using would get mixed up a bit more.
Overall I enjoyed the book, I think one of the strong points of the Landover series is the interaction with our world. The strength of the first book is Ben getting used to the way things are in Landover, with magic, dragons, witches, and all kinds of fairy creatures. The second doesn't really focus as much on that, but the third does quite a bit more. I think this aspect of the book really makes it enjoyable. Having people in our world run across the unusual characters of Landover is a fun experience. The ending in particular really clashes the worlds together in an enjoyable way.
I also like the development of Questor Thews in the book. He's been more than a bit of a failure as a wizard in the previous two books. While the book starts out with this being very much the case, Questor really steps up big in this book. Actually gaining control of his magic for a good portion of the book. Now I can't remember if this sticks in future books or not, but I do like his development in this book.
I also like the serious but light-hearted nature of the Landover books. They're not full on parody, but they also don't take themselves too seriously. I mean after all the events of this book are set into motion from a poorly timed sneeze. It's a nice balance that works well in my opinion.
Not all is great in this book though. I feel that many of the stories have a certain formula to them. They all involve some great round trip through Landover. In the first book it was Ben trying to procure pledges to the throne, in the second it was trying to get people to believe that his appearance had been changed by Meeks, and in the last it is Questor trying to hunt down the Darkling. They just all follow a lot of the same notes. Now admittedly that was only one half of this story, but it was still noticeable even so.
Overall, I enjoyed Wizard At Large. It's maybe not quite as good as the first book in my opinion, but I think it's better than the second book. It falls into the well worn path that the series has established so far, but brings enough different to set it apart. If you've enjoyed the previous Landover books, you'll enjoy it, but maybe find yourself wishing that the formula Brooks seems to be using would get mixed up a bit more.
December 19, 2022
This was supposed to be the last book in the Landover series (though The Tangle Box came out 6 years later) and ends up coming to a nice, though somewhat abrupt, conclusion.
The adventure has some suspense for Abernathy and Elizabeth which was my favorite part of the whole book. Them and Miles. We, as the reader, are finally given some depth and growth to other characters besides Ben (who is nice all). Questor is designated to find the bottle and get it back and fights a dragon for it while Ben and Willow get transported (by Questor) to the USA to find Abernathy, but because Questor struggles with magic, he transports them to Las Vegas instead of Washington State. Oops. With the help of Miles though they are able to track Abernathy down.
I've noticed something, though. Maybe it's because it's a 1980s book or one of Terry Brook's first, but there is a lot more "telling" about things happening than there is "showing." We are told that Michel is a nasty bruit who is a mean runt and everyone was happy when he left Landover, but we never actually get to see him be awful. We're told he hurts animal, hence why Abernathy and Elizabeth are more scared of him, but we never actually get to see him being the bad guy. He puts Abernathy in cages and withholds food and drugs him, but making him dazed and hungry (even to a bad extent) didn't fill me so much worry as it probably could/should have, not that we need all the gory details.
I did enjoy Questor vs Strebo and them barging into the courtroom. That was probably the best plot part in the whole thing. Happy Halloween guys! lol By far this one was the best of the series. The next book, as I said, came out about 6 years later, so hopefully he's improved.
The adventure has some suspense for Abernathy and Elizabeth which was my favorite part of the whole book. Them and Miles. We, as the reader, are finally given some depth and growth to other characters besides Ben (who is nice all). Questor is designated to find the bottle and get it back and fights a dragon for it while Ben and Willow get transported (by Questor) to the USA to find Abernathy, but because Questor struggles with magic, he transports them to Las Vegas instead of Washington State. Oops. With the help of Miles though they are able to track Abernathy down.
I've noticed something, though. Maybe it's because it's a 1980s book or one of Terry Brook's first, but there is a lot more "telling" about things happening than there is "showing." We are told that Michel is a nasty bruit who is a mean runt and everyone was happy when he left Landover, but we never actually get to see him be awful. We're told he hurts animal, hence why Abernathy and Elizabeth are more scared of him, but we never actually get to see him being the bad guy. He puts Abernathy in cages and withholds food and drugs him, but making him dazed and hungry (even to a bad extent) didn't fill me so much worry as it probably could/should have, not that we need all the gory details.
I did enjoy Questor vs Strebo and them barging into the courtroom. That was probably the best plot part in the whole thing. Happy Halloween guys! lol By far this one was the best of the series. The next book, as I said, came out about 6 years later, so hopefully he's improved.
November 26, 2010
Book Review: 2 Treasure Boxes
There is a lot going on and I found the story to be interesting, exciting and well written. All the characters are interesting, but I did not think there was much development in their characters, they all are pretty much what they are. I liked the ending of the story. The book had a good build up to the final conclusion. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
This is a stand alone story which I always find satisfying, yet it is also clearly part of a larger story. I recommend you read the books from the beginning to get a better understanding of the world in which they live. The story also builds from one book to the other, yet each book can be read independently from any other. If you enjoy reading Terry Brooks, then you will enjoy this book, it is a good fantasy novel that is fun to read.
For my full review go to: http://books-treasureortrash.com/?p=825
There is a lot going on and I found the story to be interesting, exciting and well written. All the characters are interesting, but I did not think there was much development in their characters, they all are pretty much what they are. I liked the ending of the story. The book had a good build up to the final conclusion. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
This is a stand alone story which I always find satisfying, yet it is also clearly part of a larger story. I recommend you read the books from the beginning to get a better understanding of the world in which they live. The story also builds from one book to the other, yet each book can be read independently from any other. If you enjoy reading Terry Brooks, then you will enjoy this book, it is a good fantasy novel that is fun to read.
For my full review go to: http://books-treasureortrash.com/?p=825
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