Customer Reviews

Witch & Wizard

5 star:		(75)
4 star:		(51)
3 star:		(35)
2 star:		(63)
1 star:		(103)

 

 

I absolutely love dystopian, end-of-life-as-we-know-it, type of novels. George Orwell's 1984 (Signet Classics) and Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale happen to be two of my favorites. This novel started with great promise...And then it fell short. Very short. The novel is about Wisty and Whit Allgood, two teenage siblings who are kidnapped by the New Order, a form of government that has taken over the world. During this time, Wisty and Whit discover that they have magical powers, and that is why the New Order considers them a threat. The story opens up with Wisty and Whit being led to the gallows in a sports arena, with thousands of people cheering on their hanging. As the proceedings commence, Wisty and Whit take us into the backdrop of the story, how they found themselves condemned to death.

In a trite and oversimplified manner, we learn that our political system crumbled overnight and was replaced by the New Order headed by "The One Who Is the One." As Wisty and Whit continue to battle some of their challenges, they become more aware of the magnitude of their supernatural powers. The story crosses over from Wisty and Whit's time in prison, over to other worldly dimensions (such as the Shadowland where spirits dwell) back to an unrecognizable world overwrought with despair, war, and hopelessness. But none of this is captured with any depth.

What I thought would be a great dystopian story seemed more like a cat-and-mouse fantasy under a dystopian backdrop. I do enjoy fantasies and stories of magic along with mayhem, but there was something missing in this story. It was entertaining in some areas but it lacked the thrilling suspense I would expect in a novel written by Patterson.

This is the first book in a new series and unfortunately, it leaves readers with a rather weak cliffhanger. This series may have some promise and hopefully, the next book will delivery on that.

"Dystopian fluff" -- it sounds kind of oxymoronic, doesn't it? It also perfectly describes James Patterson's young adult fantasy "Witch and Wizard," which basically transports the Harry Potter aesthetic to a totalitarian near-future. It's one of those stories that is overflowing with potential and/or promise, but in this case it's just a bone-thin plot clothed in 2-D characters and indifferent plot.

Wisty and her older brother Whit are dragged from their beds by New Order soldiers (and no, I don't mean the band), and accused of being a witch and a wizard. Unfortunately, their denials are sabotaged by Wisty suddenly bursting into flame. Soon the siblings find themselves being dragged into a living nightmare -- interrogation, absurd trials, a prison filled with similarly talented kids, and finally a sentence of execution.

But in a cruel New Order prison, Wisty and Whit's powers begin to expand exponentially (think more flames, drifting through solid walls, transformation, bug-summoning, etc). To escape, they'll have to take a trip into the world of the dead (which isn't too different from the world of the living) and join up with a secret resistance -- and discover the terrible plans of the New Order's leader, The One Who Is One.

"Witch and Wizard" is one of those books where it feels like the author just sat down over a long weekend and banged out a quickie manuscript. Patterson makes a few lame references to Harry Potter and Percy Jackson stories, but it's obvious that there was little enthusiasm in this story -- the entire Evil Dystopian FutureWorld sketched out here is no more than a series of blurry outlines and cliches, with no backstory and little development. Throw in some magical powers and a Big Magical Prophecy.

Patterson's lack of passion extends to the writing -- it's bland, pedestrian, and trickles along the outline of a rather boring plot. Whit and Wisty just sort of drift from one place to another, mostly with little description and not much humor. There's always a magical deus ex machina waiting around the next corner (apparently Wisty's MegaMagicalPowahz can literally do anything), and Patterson even weaves in a contrived cliffhanger that literally extends through the entire book.

What's more, his prose is tepid and humorless -- when the characters aren't talking like idiots ("It was like, boom--flamesicle!"), they're sounding like melodramatic TV actors ("you can't save them anyway...if you're dead!"). As for that "Tricks are for kids!" joke... not funny.

And the characters aren't much better. Wisty and Whit are utterly generic WASP teenagers who somehow never noticed that oh yeah, they're a witch and wizard. Everyone else is either good and pure (rebels against the New Order) or evil and sadistic trying to justify their nastiness (people working for the New Order), with the required Tattling Weasel and Evil Bald Tall Overlord.

"Witch and Wizard" is a bland, boring stretch of dystopian fantasy that makes you wish you could be entertained and excited, and feel vaguely disgusted that you're not.

My daughter loves the Maximum Rides stories so I put this latest book by James Patterson at the top of her Wishlist. After reading it though, I'm feeling bad for the giftgiver -- it's just not good. The plot is skeletal and overly simplistic, and there is none of the sarcastic humor that peppered the Maximum Ride stories. It feels like it was written over a long week-end while the author was thinking of something else.

I am a big fan of James Patterson - Alex Cross, Maximum Ride, you name it. However, Witch and Wizard was a big disappointment to me. I tried to keep an open mind as I read it, but I found it disjointed and not well thought out. I would go so far as to say this may be the worst book i've read in years. (Sorry, Mr. Patterson!) I will not buy any more of this series...

This was possibly the worst 150 pages I have ever read. I tried to keep reading but eventually I put it down and picked up the Sky Mall Magazine on the airplane. There was no character development, you have no idea where this story is taking place or what time period. Each chapter is less than 2 pages and goes back and forth from one characters point to the other. I don't get what all the hype is about. Don't waste your money on this book, I think I might try to take mine back...

There is no depth to the characters or the plot. The plot is unbelievable and filled with holes. I can't believe I wasted my money on this book. I don't intend to continue with the series.

I love the author's writing, usually, but this book would fail a junior high writing course....terribly trite and shallow...I couldn't even finish it. I gave it away to a used book store...maybe someone will get some good from it. Very disappointed.

I bought this book for my 11 year old. Neither of us liked this book at all. The whole thing reads as if Mr. Patterson was merely going through the motions of writing a book before selling out for a TV movie. Each of the chapters is extremely short (2-3 pages), flipping between viewpoints of the two main characters, and worst of all, each chapter ends with a contrived cliffhanger! It is as if they expected to have commercials in between and wanted to make sure the reader would come back. There is absolutely no character development. Nothing is resolved. It feels like Patterson just got bored, knew how bad it was and decided to cut it short in the hopes that he could do better on the sequel. Lame book. The comparison to Harry Potter is ludicrous. I wish I could get my money back. I urge you to save yours.

...because Amazon won't allow zero stars. Harry Potter marries 1984 and has a horribly deformed, unlikable, and boring child. The jacket cover says "this is the story I was born to tell." If that's true, this book should be an add for contraception.

"Dystopian fluff" -- it sounds kind of oxymoronic, doesn't it? It also perfectly describes James Patterson's young adult fantasy "Witch and Wizard," which basically transports the Harry Potter aesthetic to a totalitarian near-future. It's one of those stories that is overflowing with potential and/or promise, but in this case it's just a bone-thin plot clothed in 2-D characters and indifferent plot.

Wisty and her older brother Whit are dragged from their beds by New Order soldiers (and no, I don't mean the band), and accused of being a witch and a wizard. Unfortunately, their denials are sabotaged by Wisty suddenly bursting into flame. Soon the siblings find themselves being dragged into a living nightmare -- interrogation, absurd trials, a prison filled with similarly talented kids, and finally a sentence of execution.

But in a cruel New Order prison, Wisty and Whit's powers begin to expand exponentially (think more flames, drifting through solid walls, transformation, bug-summoning, etc). To escape, they'll have to take a trip into the world of the dead (which isn't too different from the world of the living) and join up with a secret resistance -- and discover the terrible plans of the New Order's leader, The One Who Is One.

"Witch and Wizard" is one of those books where it feels like the author just sat down over a long weekend and banged out a quickie manuscript. Patterson makes a few lame references to Harry Potter and Percy Jackson stories, but it's obvious that there was little enthusiasm in this story -- the entire Evil Dystopian FutureWorld sketched out here is no more than a series of blurry outlines and cliches, with no backstory and little development. Throw in some magical powers and a Big Magical Prophecy.

Patterson's lack of passion extends to the writing -- it's bland, pedestrian, and trickles along the outline of a rather boring plot. Whit and Wisty just sort of drift from one place to another, mostly with little description and not much humor. There's always a magical deus ex machina waiting around the next corner (apparently Wisty's MegaMagicalPowahz can literally do anything), and Patterson even weaves in a contrived cliffhanger that literally extends through the entire book.

What's more, his prose is tepid and humorless -- when the characters aren't talking like idiots ("It was like, boom--flamesicle!"), they're sounding like melodramatic TV actors ("you can't save them anyway...if you're dead!"). As for that "Tricks are for kids!" joke... not funny.

And the characters aren't much better. Wisty and Whit are utterly generic WASP teenagers who somehow never noticed that oh yeah, they're a witch and wizard. Everyone else is either good and pure (rebels against the New Order) or evil and sadistic trying to justify their nastiness (people working for the New Order), with the required Tattling Weasel and Evil Bald Tall Overlord.

"Witch and Wizard" is a bland, boring stretch of dystopian fantasy that makes you wish you could be entertained and excited, and feel vaguely disgusted that you're not.