Wizrd [Hardcover]

Steve Zell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 11, 1994

Bryce Willems, the fourteen-year-old son of a New York artist who has joined in the revival of an Arizona arts colony at Pinon Rim, discovers eerie and deadly secrets about the town's haunted past.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this uneven, but ultimately effective first novel, 13-year-old Bryce Willems and his 10-year-old stepsister Megan move with their parents to Pinon Rim, a once booming Arizona mining town in the midst of a "renaissance" caused by the influx of artists like Bryce's father. But strange things are starting to happen in the sleepy community: a Navajo boy is found drowned, an old man and his dog go berserk, killing a sheriff's deputy. Then Megan, exploring a cave behind the Willem house, inadvertently unleashes the full fury of a powerful ancient spirit of the underworld. Bryce learns the Navajo legend of the spirit and also discovers that the spirit's wrath and not the failure of the Wizard mine, made Pinon Rim a ghost town a century before. He must find a way to stop the cycle before history repeats itself. The novel's first half drags, burdened by too many characters and too much exposition, so that the ominous events that are meant to build suspense are nearly buried in verbiage. Nonetheless, all the laboriously spun threads furiously unwind in a hair-raising, fast-paced climax that makes the rest worthwhile. Zell has a sure touch when presenting Navajo lore, and his young characters are exceptionally well drawn and engaging.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

YA?A seemingly quiet little town harbors all of the favorite YA hobgoblins?possession, ancient curses, daring teens willing to risk all, and a semi-ambiguous ending that allows readers to breathe a sigh of relief that it's finally over, or imagine the mayhem just around the corner, as they please. Bryce Willems arrives at Pinon Rim with his artist father; stepmother; and younger stepsister, Megan, who envisions herself as a competent spelunker, which leads to trouble, and of course, those creepy, drippy, dark caves are such a perfect horror setting. Readers can feel the evil flowing out toward them even before Zell begins to describe it. Bryce and his friends are reasonably good portraits of typical young teens, but Megan as demon-seed is more problematic. This is not a great book, but it is an enjoyable one, and a step to offer to YAs ready to venture beyond Pike'n'Stine. If only the story were as terrific as the cover art!?Cathy Chauvette, Fairfax County Public Library, VA
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Headline Book Publishing (August 11, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0747211426
• ISBN-13: 978-0747211426
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.3 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WiZrD is GrEaT!, January 4, 2005

By 

A Reader (Portland, OR USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wizrd (School & Library Binding)

From the title "WiZrD", I assumed I would be reading a fantasy book. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that this is a horror novel set in modern day Arizona, includes a cast of humans (alive, dead, and undead), and incorporates colorful, actual legends from both the Navaho and Anasazi cultures. The book gave me many of the positive impressions I had while reading "It" by Stephen King, e.g., teenagers battling supernatural forces, characters you care about, and some spine-tingling imagery. However, unlike "It", "WiZrD" builds, from the start, to a thoroughly fitting and imaginative ending. Zell has a real talent for creating a large cast of characters, each of whom are unique, each fitting like a puzzle piece into the overall story, and each contributing to the eerie climax. In general, I was very impressed with this book and highly recommend it. Zell shows great storytelling skills that I hope will only improve in his next work.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A great book you haven't read!, March 30, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Wizrd (Wizard) (Mass Market Paperback)

The story was suspensful and fun. The characters were well defined and the surroundings and events were very well described. I could taste the warm, Indian bread! I seriously could not put the book down. I truly enjoyed this book!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars BRILLIANT!!!, October 3, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Wizrd (Wizard) (Mass Market Paperback)

I am very choosey when it comes to horror books and usually only read the big names (Stephen King, Clive Barker...), but when i picked this up i couldn't put it down. His style of writing, the characters, the plot and the slow building horror in this book make it, in my view, unmissable.