High Wizardry (Wizardry Series) (Paperback)

by Diane Duane (Author) "HEY, THERE'S SOMEBODY IN the driveway!..." (more)
Key Phrases: Lone One, Lone Power, Darth Vader (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
Don't take brilliant, shrewd Dairine Callahan for just any bratty younger sibling. Impatient for adventure, knowledge, and recognition, she finds her sister Nita's wizardry manual and reads the Oath aloud. Disappointingly, nothing happens. But when her family's new computer arrives, Dairene discovers more than the standard issue system software on it and launches herself on a reckless, universe-wide, high-voltage magical conflict with the Lone Power. Diane Duane's storytelling is skillfully mythic and wittily referential; Dairine's discovery and shaping of a new form of life is wondrous. For maximum enjoyment, read So You Want To Be A Wizard and Deep Wizardry first.

From Publishers Weekly
This continuation of the escapades of teenage wizards Nita and Kit centers on Nita's little sister, Dairine, whom Nita thinks is simply too smart for her own good. But when the family PC clones itself and suggests Dairine go to New York, Nita and Kit go along as chaperones, determined to keep her out of trouble. But they're too late: Dairine has read the book of wizardry and is on her wizard's test. There's nothing that the two girls can do to help her, as she must complete the difficult and dangerous test by herself. Duane is tops in the high adventure business, and her latest offering is no exception. Deftly pairing comic and sensitive scenes, this rollicking yarn will delight readers as they watch Dairine's transformation from pesky kid sister to strong-willed heroine. Ages 10-up.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Paperback: 337 pages
• Publisher: Harcourt Childrens Books (J) (March 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0152012419
• ISBN-13: 978-0152012410
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (54 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,406,987 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

• This is item 3 in The Young Wizards Series Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Almost the last book in the series - thankfully wasn't, February 28, 2000

By A Customer

The Wizardry series was intended to be a trilogy at first, this being the third and final book. It shows - but the events here lead up perfectly to the fourth novel.

In it, Nita Callahan's bratty but highly intelligent sister Dairine takes the Wizard's Oath without realising what she's getting into and, with a software version of the wizard's manual, finds herself on a journey into deep space - with the Lone Power itself chasing her. As Nita faces up to many changes in her life, she and Kit follow her to a strange planet where an alien intelligence, locked in a planetary computer chip, has been waiting indefinitely for a sentient being to wake it up. Dairine, of course, has never baulked at anything but when she gives the motherboard access to wizardry, the story rises to a stunning climax with a totally unexpected twist. You may think it's unbelieveable, but remember the youngest wizards have the most power . . .

A brilliantly constructed piece of storytelling, thoroughly enjoyable - all the more so when you discover there is a fourth book in the series.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is the Best Book I've Ever Read, April 25, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: High Wizardry: The Third Book in the Young Wizards Series (Paperback)

After reading So You Want To Be a Wizard and Deep Wizardry, the first two books in the Young Wizards series, and enjoying them, I expected High Wizardry to be really good, but not this good. High Wizardry is very well written, and the story is exciting and original. It kept me reading as fast as I could until the end, when I felt horrible because the book was over. The story has no lack of action, unlike Deep Wizardry, which got a little boring and repetitive after a while. It shows a new way for wizardry to work, through a laptop computer, and also what what a wizard can do when a they have almost limitless power. It also shows a species making its Choice (what it will do about the Lone Power and entropy), which is nice because the readers never actually got to witness a Choice before. I got a look at Ms. Duane's idea of aliens and alien planets for the first time, which were not only very original but also hysterically funny. The climax was wonderful, and wrapped the story up nicely.

I actually like it that Dairine is the main character of this book, even though Nita and Kit have less of a part. I find her more interesting and fun to read about than Nita, because she stands out to me from all the other characters I've read about. Nita seems a little boring to me, and Dairine has more character, which is necessary for a good story. After reading A Wizard Abroad and A Wizard's Dilemma, both of shich hardly included Dairine, I was very happy to see her getting a bigger part in Wizard's Holiday. Without her, I wouldn't have laughed nearly as much, and I found myself actually admiring her determination. Personally, I've never liked a character more.

High Wizardry and the other Young Wizards books all make a wonderful guess at the answer to the "life and death" question. The idea that all the bad things in the world could possibly be fixed, if the Power that made them could be persuaded to change, is an optimistic idea, and I often find myself wishing that Ms. Duane's world were real.

High Wizardry is a great book for anyone who wants to read an amazing, thrilling mix of fantasy and science fiction. I'm thirteen, but my dad read it and he liked it, too. I recommend reading So You Want To Be A Wizard and Deep Wizardry first, because this is the third book in the series, or else it might be confusing. Aside from that, if you're wondering if you should read this book, or the Young Wizards series in general, definitely do it. You won't be disappointed.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars In my next life, I wanna be Peach., December 11, 2000

By	"kamiko" (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews

I *LOVE* this series! Here in High Wizardry, we spend some time with Dairine's Ordeal, and the deeper nature of Macchu Picchu (Peach to her...friends) is at last revealed. Where the "So You Want To Be A Wizard" was largely about action, and "Deep Wizardry" was more interpersonal development and self-realisation for Kit and Nita, this one switches to bring Dairine in, and is much more about Kit and Nita's emotional relationship. I especially love the scene on the Moon, before they set off. Gigo is one of the best new characters (until Neet's aunt), Peach gets a great scene, but don't think this is the end of the line for our favourite wizards!