The Wizardry Cursed

Wiz #3

by Rick Cook

Once upon a time, Major Mick Gilligan, USAF, didn't believe in Magic. Nor, had he been told of it, would he have believed in the elf Lisella, or cared that she had cursed master programmer Wiz Zumwalt, later of Cupertino and now of an alternate world where magic works like a computer program.

But that was before he took his F-15 out over the Bering Sea on a top-priority intercept, came out on the losing end of a dogfight with a dragon, and found himself caught in a climactic battle that pitted Wiz and his fellow Silicon Valley hackers against a couple of computer criminals in alliance with the forces of primal chaos.

Before he was done, Major Mick Gilligan would join with an unlikely gang of programmers, wizards, elves, dragon cavalry, gremlins, demons and a stolen Russian super-computer in a desperate effort to save both the world of magic and his own.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Urban Fantasy, Wizards, Science Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy, Magic

1 pages, Audio CD

First published April 1, 1991

About the author

Rick Cook is a journalist, computer hacker, and fantasy author best known for his "Wiz" series of books. Since his hospitalization in 2000 he has not resumed fiction writing.

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Reviews

[Ashish · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rick Cook's books are very easy reading. They go fast, they follow most standard tropes of fantasy making them a very familiar environment where almost nothing needs to be explained, apart from the one core idea of magic as a mathematical, programmable resource on which silicon valley has been let loose. All that follows, essentially writes itself; that's what makes the premise, and the the stories themselves, so fun to read.
But this is strictly YA; don't look for any deeper subtext or hidden meanings, other than what may have unintentionally been carried in from the author's subconscious. It's pure and simple entertainment - no more, but definitely no less. It's fun, furious, grand, and this time with the introduction of a nearly Time Bandit-esque troupe of dwarf assassins, hilarious as well - and this was the element that was missing in the earlier books, the out-and-out comic relief.
It's no Terry Pratchett, but it shares some of that spirit.

[Andrew · Rating 1 out of 5]

The first book was really good, the second was was pretty good, this one not so good, the way he writes out his characters is so infuriating, I hate almost every character in this book aside from WIZ. The unrealistic thought process is so disappointing, the author forced the story out completely and I cannot believe that someone from the real world would act like some of these characters.

Aside from the characters, I thought this series was very good, I really liked the romance but not the character development. Things almost felt rushed, and pieces of WIZ's life are missing, I wanted to read everything about him.

I'de recommend for people to stop at the second book and finish the series.

[Zaphied · Rating 2 out of 5]

I felt this was an okay book. Not great and not bad. Some bits were interesting to figure out the references to other games. Battletech/Mechwarrior and a rts similar to C&C or more likely considering it was released in '91 Dune II (though yes that came out in '92) were pretty obvious. But overall I found I was just reading to finish it for the 2018 challenge.

I had read the first 2 books in the series more than a few years back and remembered it as being somewhat similar to a wizard in rhyme series by Cristopher Stasheff. This felt dated by my reading habits now. Soviets, a mention of the cleaning prowess of japanese housewives, some programming code in BASIC, and just how characters interacted with each other. I'll go on in the series but I hope it doesn't end up quite the same as this.

[Carlos · Rating 4 out of 5]

The third release of the saga of Wiz, the Computer Sorcerer. In my opinion this part is better than the previous two: the story is more complex and rich, with more characters and subplots, which makes the reading more appealing.
I'll doubtlessly go for the next one.

[Wrenna Ptak · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the immortal words of Duke Aelric, this book was "not boring". Good enough that we're still game to read the other 3 we own.

[Ryan Veasman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Programmers can have a dirty mind. The story wasn't too bad.

[Scott Vout · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is the third book in the series
about a computer programer who was ported to this fantasy realm and how
he becomes the most powerful wizard of all

i enjoyed the first two books in the series but this one i could not put down.
dont know why i just had to keep reading it
the characters were livlier then ever, the story faced passed
this one just grabbed me

hope the next one can do the same

[Kevin Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great addition to this universe and the hidden plans of one Duke Elf come into the light. This is the first book that I've ever read that made me feel sympathy for the villain.
I did a complete video review of it HERE. And followed it up with an examination of the series as a whole in two parts. Here and for part two Here

[Librivore · Rating 2 out of 5]

Probably the best book in the series, mostly due to the interludes with sergeant something-or-something-else, Karin and her dragon. Too bad they disappear about half-way through the book and only reappear at the end to do... nothing.

Dialogue is still awful, characterization is still non-existent and whatever interesting plot development is destroyed but inept writing.

Pass.

[Sean Randall · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another good one and no mistake. The humour's all still there, and even if the enemies are contrived and the tropes a little silly, the dwarves are fun and the characters are light and great to read about.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

The third in the series, this one might appeal to computer gamers, of which I am not one. Still, I enjoyed it for its computer references and its characters, and will go on to the fourth.

[Bryan457 · Rating 3 out of 5]

My least favorite so far, though Wiz is back in fine form, and I love the Kamikaze dwarves.

[Steve Markham · Rating 3 out of 5]

Again, another good book and fairly goot but only as light reading in my oppinion.

[Eko Prasetyo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Long, meandering, with copped out ending....but many interesting things in between...

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one lost some of the fun of the previous entries.

[Danny · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very bad. Did not finish