Customer Reviews

Wizards and Witches (The Enchanted World Series)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is really a beautiful, well-designed book. The cover is blood red with gold lettering- with a insert of a classical wizard. The full color illustrations from a variety of artists and sources are especially fine. This volume even has marbled end papers! In my opinion it would make a marvelous gift for anyone, young or old, with an interest in the legends of wizards and of magic. It certainly held my interest.

The first part of the book (Singers at the World's Dawn) deals with the greatest of the archetypal wizards from the dawn of time: Vainamoinen, Math, Manannan, Taliesin, Merlin, Volga Vseslavich, etc.

The second part (Masters of the Forbidden Arts) deals with more recent historical practioners: Roger Bacon, Nostadamus, Faust, Albertus Magnus, Michael Scot, Etc.

The third part (The Shadowy Sisterhood) is a general and mostly anonomous history of witchcraft- black and white.

There are even introductory sections on the tarot, astronomy, and magical creatures included.

this was the very first book i came across dealing with the enchanted world series. Every story in here is very good, not to mention some pretty good artwork to go with. my favorite story portion was the tale of the old wizard faustus who made a deal with the devil. next favorite story is baba yaga, a witch folklore tale in russia. this book is well worth your time to purchase if you like the enchanted world series.

This is truly a magnificent volume, the illustrations are like medieval illumination, they jump off the page like jewels. It's not really a history book, there isn't really any history involved. Instead, its a collection of folklore, mostly from northern Europe and the British Isles. If you're looking for a history of wizardry and witchcraft, try something else. But if you're interested in the stories our ancestors told around the hearth, this is the book.

This series was very entertaining to me as a child. I repurchased some of these books looking to re-experience the thrill. Unfortunately, this series is written poorly - and I can see it entertaining to youngsters - but as an adult the writing lacks depth and is annoying. It almost reads like a dungeons and dragons overview of worlds - than actual short stories or mythology.