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Wizards #1
Wizards
First in a wonderful series, the sequel, Jake's War is out now!This kind of power they don't teach in school.Jake grew up different, with a secret no one would understand. He finds missing people, most times too late, and the cops are suspicious. He rescues Jenny just in time and his world starts to change. That she instantly forms a relationship with Fluffy (his dragon) deeper than his own is just plain annoying.He uses his powers reluctantly and only when he has to. But maintaining a girlfriend can be expensive and he finds himself drawn into the problems of the worlds he visits so casually. A simple act of goodwill can have disastrous consequences. The fate of kingdoms now rest on his actions and war follows. Jake finds himself involved in chases, rescues, and a princess with an agenda who seems to know his every move. This time Jenny does not approve.Jake is a wizard and his life is about to get complicated.The sequel to this novel, Jake's War is now available on Kindle.
198 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 13, 2010
15 people are currently reading
201 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
May 9, 2011
Wizards by John Booth is a charming story about a young wizard named Jake. Jake is an average guy except he's, you know, a wizard and has a dragon for a pet, other than that completely average. Jake has a lot to learn about the wizarding world and makes a ton of mistakes learning how to be a wizard. Jake finds that he has the awesome power of traveling between worlds. This is where the trouble starts as well. You see nobody taught Jake how to be a wizard. He just has to wing it, which gets him into even more trouble.
Wizards is a unique tale. I really liked that Jake had to figure out things on his own. There was no 'Hogwarts' or mentor to show him the way. In fact in this book, wizards tend to kill first and ask questions later. This element added so much to the novel. Jake's character changes throughout this book. He has to 'grow-up' and find a way to rectify all the damage he causes in his journey to becoming a wizard. He has the help of his girlfriend,Jenny and his loyal pet dragon. One of my favorite things was the dragon. His name is Fluffy. Fluffy doesn't seem like a very suitable name for a dragon at all. However despite his name, Fluffy is full of attitude. I really liked the dynamics of the characters in this novel. They seemed to work okay together. Although there were times that I thought Jenny was a too hard on Jake. She's suppose to be in-love with him but at times she acted like she couldn't stand him or thought he was an idiot. Granted Jake had made quite a few mistakes but I thought she could ease up a bit.
The storyline in Wizards was entertaining. John Booth lets us in on Jake's earlier years as a young wizard but the book takes place mainly when Jake is an adult. The story is pretty fast paced. It has a lot of action and adventure, evil characters, a princess and a dragon. I can honestly say that this book was not predictable at all. I do hope there will be a sequel because I still have some unanswered questions.
Overall I thought this book was an enjoyable read. This book has a fresh outlook on the world of wizards. Parents, I wouldn't recommend this book for young kids. I would definitely say it's for an older YA audience. Wizards has violence, sexual situations and language.
Wizards is a unique tale. I really liked that Jake had to figure out things on his own. There was no 'Hogwarts' or mentor to show him the way. In fact in this book, wizards tend to kill first and ask questions later. This element added so much to the novel. Jake's character changes throughout this book. He has to 'grow-up' and find a way to rectify all the damage he causes in his journey to becoming a wizard. He has the help of his girlfriend,Jenny and his loyal pet dragon. One of my favorite things was the dragon. His name is Fluffy. Fluffy doesn't seem like a very suitable name for a dragon at all. However despite his name, Fluffy is full of attitude. I really liked the dynamics of the characters in this novel. They seemed to work okay together. Although there were times that I thought Jenny was a too hard on Jake. She's suppose to be in-love with him but at times she acted like she couldn't stand him or thought he was an idiot. Granted Jake had made quite a few mistakes but I thought she could ease up a bit.
The storyline in Wizards was entertaining. John Booth lets us in on Jake's earlier years as a young wizard but the book takes place mainly when Jake is an adult. The story is pretty fast paced. It has a lot of action and adventure, evil characters, a princess and a dragon. I can honestly say that this book was not predictable at all. I do hope there will be a sequel because I still have some unanswered questions.
Overall I thought this book was an enjoyable read. This book has a fresh outlook on the world of wizards. Parents, I wouldn't recommend this book for young kids. I would definitely say it's for an older YA audience. Wizards has violence, sexual situations and language.
July 9, 2011
Wizards is a typical candy-bar book. Amazon's summary describes it as Harry Potter without Hogwarts or other wizards, which is pretty accurate. The main character has always known he has powers but does not think too much of it, other than to keep them a secret from adults. He has no wizards or books to learn from, so stumbles along on his own making some niavee mistakes along the way.
Wizards is a simple book. The protagonist casts whatever spells he can think of without training or study, and easily over powers enemy wizards. Girls fall for him instantly, and a prophecy states that he will save the multiverse. It's Harry Potter on god mode.
The kindle version as of this writing also has editing errors. Small stuff like misusing 'too', dropping the 'y' off the end of an adejective, or even mispelling words. Not bad enough to be jar you out of the story, but annoying.
Despite its flaws, Wizards is a fun, quick read. If want to throw away an afternoon reading juvenile escape-ism fantasy, Wizards does the job. I'll probably even buy the sequel whenever it comes out. Sucker that I am.
Wizards is a simple book. The protagonist casts whatever spells he can think of without training or study, and easily over powers enemy wizards. Girls fall for him instantly, and a prophecy states that he will save the multiverse. It's Harry Potter on god mode.
The kindle version as of this writing also has editing errors. Small stuff like misusing 'too', dropping the 'y' off the end of an adejective, or even mispelling words. Not bad enough to be jar you out of the story, but annoying.
Despite its flaws, Wizards is a fun, quick read. If want to throw away an afternoon reading juvenile escape-ism fantasy, Wizards does the job. I'll probably even buy the sequel whenever it comes out. Sucker that I am.
May 13, 2011
What would happen if Harry Potter had to grow up without Hogwarts and Dumbledore to teach him the ways of the Wizard?
John Booth explores this very question through Jake Morrisey, an adult wizard who had to ‘make things up as he went’ throughout his life. A bit of a loser, Jake uses his power (and a version of ‘hopscotch’) to remove himself from sticky situations, along with Fluffy- his life-long dragon companion.
This is a more adult-oriented fantasy, written in the Young Adult style and Booth pulls this off “magically” with Wizards.
Romance, hormones and complex issues all conspire against Jake, forcing him to grow up before he’s really ready. The journey is well written and Booth paints a wonderful tapestry that introduces the reader to Jake’s world.
One warning: This is the first of a proposed series, so there are questions that will be answered in future tomes. I look forward to Jakes next adventure with bated breath.
John Booth explores this very question through Jake Morrisey, an adult wizard who had to ‘make things up as he went’ throughout his life. A bit of a loser, Jake uses his power (and a version of ‘hopscotch’) to remove himself from sticky situations, along with Fluffy- his life-long dragon companion.
This is a more adult-oriented fantasy, written in the Young Adult style and Booth pulls this off “magically” with Wizards.
Romance, hormones and complex issues all conspire against Jake, forcing him to grow up before he’s really ready. The journey is well written and Booth paints a wonderful tapestry that introduces the reader to Jake’s world.
One warning: This is the first of a proposed series, so there are questions that will be answered in future tomes. I look forward to Jakes next adventure with bated breath.
December 7, 2011
Bucking the trend for books about wizards who go to school to learn wizarding, this is a book about a wizard who has to figure it out for himself. It's written more as a set of linked short stories than a true novel. In itself, that's not a problem, but the author leaves many loose ends as Jake (the wizard) goes from one adventure to the next. I liked the secondary characters, especially Fluffy the dragon, Jenny and Princess Esmeralda, and the book is a quick and easy read.
The main thing I didn't like about the book was that Jake's magic seems to be able to do anything the plot requires. There are no spells as such; he just imagines what he wants to happen, and it happens. Sometimes he's not sure whether he can do something, but he usually tries it, and it works anyway. Spells never seem to go wrong, or have unexpected side-effects. Because of that, I seldom felt as though Jake or the people he cared about were in any danger, and so the book lacked suspense.
The main thing I didn't like about the book was that Jake's magic seems to be able to do anything the plot requires. There are no spells as such; he just imagines what he wants to happen, and it happens. Sometimes he's not sure whether he can do something, but he usually tries it, and it works anyway. Spells never seem to go wrong, or have unexpected side-effects. Because of that, I seldom felt as though Jake or the people he cared about were in any danger, and so the book lacked suspense.
October 1, 2014
A lighthearted story of a boy wizard with a dragon named Fluffy having fantastical adventures through playing hopscotch this is not. This is less similar to 'Harry Potter' and more to 'Odd Thomas' or 'Scott Pilgrim.' As with those, Jake is a young adult, with an emphasis on adult, and a hapless loser who resolves bizarre situations with his special powers. Contrary to other reviews, this book is not for children as it does have sex and sexuality, abuse and violence, and even deals with child rape. That being said, once I started reading and got into it, it was a page-turner. It starts as a collection of short stories introducing you to this character and his world and the second half is a more congruous adventure. It does feel like a teen narrating to the point that it feels like a teen wrote it. Although ending abruptly and unresolved, it does leave you expecting a sequel. An easy and fun read, I read it straight through.
August 11, 2016
First book is okay. I rated the rest of the series 5 stars and I am eager to read the future books. It definitely gets much better in my opinion. Stick with it and don't judge the entire series by the first book.
It's a silly book and stays that way, but the humor increases and the stupidity decreases after the first book imo. I'm not sure if the author decided to change directions while writing the series or if he always planned for the main character to just... mature more from lifes experiences. I'd say the series starts like a YA book but progresses into New Adult.
I'd describe the series best I think by saying its a combination of Rising of a Mage series by J M Fosberg crossed with Blood Destiny series by Connie Suttle. (no vampires but similar powers and medieval/modern/sci fi settings all in the same series)
It's a silly book and stays that way, but the humor increases and the stupidity decreases after the first book imo. I'm not sure if the author decided to change directions while writing the series or if he always planned for the main character to just... mature more from lifes experiences. I'd say the series starts like a YA book but progresses into New Adult.
I'd describe the series best I think by saying its a combination of Rising of a Mage series by J M Fosberg crossed with Blood Destiny series by Connie Suttle. (no vampires but similar powers and medieval/modern/sci fi settings all in the same series)
March 30, 2016
I found Fluffy/Retnor to be the most likable character in the series, Jake on the other hand seems to stumble stupidly from one crisis to the next without developing much. Most of the female characters are unfortunatly pretty one dimensional, being lecherous and bossy. Despite that the character interactions were often quite amusing.
The plot followed a general direction and had lots of side missions all woven together and keeping the story interesting.
The writing was ok, though it missed information on the surroundings, emotional state and body language. Also, there was little to no planning and reflection. On the one hand, the idea idea of the infinite worlds with different kinds of technology and races was quite interesting.
All in all, it was an ok start to the series.
Characters 2/5
Plot 3/5
Suspense 3/5
Writing 2/5
World Building 4/5
The plot followed a general direction and had lots of side missions all woven together and keeping the story interesting.
The writing was ok, though it missed information on the surroundings, emotional state and body language. Also, there was little to no planning and reflection. On the one hand, the idea idea of the infinite worlds with different kinds of technology and races was quite interesting.
All in all, it was an ok start to the series.
Characters 2/5
Plot 3/5
Suspense 3/5
Writing 2/5
World Building 4/5
June 20, 2011
My review at Amazon.com:
Wizards is upbeat and yet it expresses well the quandaries of a guy who is testing his own power. In this case it involves two worlds and two girls. His loyalty to his girlfriend in Wales causes much humor when Esmerelda from another world needs him.
Jake Morrisey is thrown from one dilemma to the next: a news photographer captures his secret dragon in a photo; other rare wizards take him into bizarre but illuminating conversations; a vanished girl is last seen with him.
All of these scenarios don't detract from Jake's prevailing issues with his identity and decisions as a guy who has a wage-paying job in the real world and as a wizard that the police have targeted for their own cases. It's a book that gathers reader affection as it unfolds.
Wizards is upbeat and yet it expresses well the quandaries of a guy who is testing his own power. In this case it involves two worlds and two girls. His loyalty to his girlfriend in Wales causes much humor when Esmerelda from another world needs him.
Jake Morrisey is thrown from one dilemma to the next: a news photographer captures his secret dragon in a photo; other rare wizards take him into bizarre but illuminating conversations; a vanished girl is last seen with him.
All of these scenarios don't detract from Jake's prevailing issues with his identity and decisions as a guy who has a wage-paying job in the real world and as a wizard that the police have targeted for their own cases. It's a book that gathers reader affection as it unfolds.
April 27, 2011
Even though I really, really enjoyed this book I could only read a few pages at a time. I am not exactly sure why. It was a really fun read though, and was almost exciting seeing how Jake would get himself out of certain situations. It was cool imagining how these worlds would really look, almost making up your own view of it all. The author added a nice touch of love to the book as well, and showed the situation between a boy and two girls in love with him, and what happens between all of them. Not to mention, I now want a dragon as a pet! Haha.
October 16, 2011
What does a dragon, exciting adventures and a young Welsh boy have in common? They are all in the delightful fantasy Wizards by John Booth.
Wizards is the story of a young boy named Jake , his pet dragon Fluffly and his first love Jenny. The story takes us on a marvelous adventure as Jake battles evil wizards and his own internal conflicts. I found this a fun read and truly enjoyed it and would recommend this to anyone who loves a good fantasy book. I am looking forward to a sequal.
Wizards is the story of a young boy named Jake , his pet dragon Fluffly and his first love Jenny. The story takes us on a marvelous adventure as Jake battles evil wizards and his own internal conflicts. I found this a fun read and truly enjoyed it and would recommend this to anyone who loves a good fantasy book. I am looking forward to a sequal.
June 20, 2015
I liked it quite a lot, at first I was a little skeptic about the main character.
But he and the other characters developed beautifully.
I really like the "he is practically almighty but still has all those Problem".
From, of cause, enemies that want to kill him, to his bossy GF/Wise(s).
This review is about the books 1-4 not only the first, the first one is more like a long "what happened until now", still interesting but it only really starts with the adventures at the end
But he and the other characters developed beautifully.
I really like the "he is practically almighty but still has all those Problem".
From, of cause, enemies that want to kill him, to his bossy GF/Wise(s).
This review is about the books 1-4 not only the first, the first one is more like a long "what happened until now", still interesting but it only really starts with the adventures at the end
July 10, 2011
Nice story for the most part. I would think of it as a YA book, but for the unneeded rape parts. Not good or bad, but found it to be rather ellipsoidal rather than being a single running story. Still a fairly enjoyable read.
July 4, 2015
love the series,jake is a bit a ass he cheats on his gf then barely gets in trouble even though he got both women pregnant, buy the last book jakes got 5 women and 3 off them have his children,over all a very good comedy book.
July 7, 2011
I liked it, except for the ending. There was absolutely no closure, and I don't know if there is another book in the making to make this a series or not...
March 10, 2012
Easy read, but what's with the ending?
April 18, 2017
The main character is a bit stupid but for a light read it's ok.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews