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| Wizards: Magical Tales From the Masters of Modern Fantasy | 
 enlarge | Creators: Kage Baker, Neil Gaiman, Garth Nix, Eoin Colfer, Jack Dann, Gardner Dozois, John Jude Palencar
Publisher: Berkley Hardcover
Category: Book
List Price: $25.00
Buy Used: $1.32
You Save: $23.68 (95%)
New (15) Used (27) Collectible (1) from $1.32
Avg. Customer Rating:  8 reviews
Sales Rank: 134121
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 416
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.4
Dimensions (in): 9 x 6.2 x 1.4
ISBN: 0425215180
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.0876608377
EAN: 9780425215180
ASIN: 0425215180
Publication Date: May 1, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Help save a tree. Buy all your used books from Green Earth Books. Read -> Recycle -> Reuse!
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Product Description
Never-before-published stories by Neil Gaiman, Eoin Colfer, Garth Nix, and a magical lineup of writers.
Throughout the ages, the wizard has claimed a spot in human culture-from the shadowy spiritual leaders of early man to precocious characters in blockbuster films. Gone are the cartoon images of wizened gray-haired men in pointy caps creating magic with a wave of their wands. Today's wizards are more subtle in their powers, more discerning in their ways, and-in the hands of modern fantasists-more likely than ever to capture readers' imaginations.
In Neil Gaiman's "The Witch's Headstone," a piece taken from his much-anticipated novel in progress, an eight-year-old boy learns the power of kindness from a long-dead sorceress. Only one woman possesses two kinds of magic-enough to unite two kingdoms-in Garth Nix's "Holly and Iron." Patricia A. McKillip's "Naming Day" gives a sorcery student a lesson in breaking the rules. And a famished dove spins a tale worthy of a meal, but perhaps not the truth, in "A Fowl Tale" by Eoin Colfer.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 3 more reviews...
 Masters of Fantasy in perfect form. May 3, 2007
7 out of 10 found this review helpful
A great short story is a gem, a perfectly shaped, intriguing work of art, crafted by a master. You may think writing a full length book is harder, but the short story form is the rock that's sunk many a lesser author's creative ship. And then, there's this collection. Each story is written by a master at his peak; Neil Gaiman, Kage Baker, Jane Yolen, etcetera. I couldn't tell you each one is better than the last, as it would imply somehow there was a lesser tale in the bunch. Instead, I'll say that this is a lovely necklace of wonderful tales about wizards written by people who are wizards in their own right. Prepare yourself to be amused, charmed, delighted and transported.
 High quality fantasy collection September 28, 2007
4 out of 7 found this review helpful
"Wizards" is an outstanding collection of fantasy stories featuring some of the best known authors working in the genre. Some of the authors (Card, Kress, Gaiman), I was pretty familiar with. Some I knew only by reputation and a few were completely new to me. I found these stories were a great way to get at least a small feel for an author's style, although obviously it would be folly to judge an author on the basis of one story.
This collection is a nice mix of contemporary stories and more traditional fantasy. They range from the fairytale-like "Zinder" by Tanith Lee to the ultra-modern "Stone Man" by Nancy Kress. I personally enjoyed almost every story in "Wizards." I believe any reader of fantasy fiction would find several stories to appreciate.
 Meh. August 29, 2007
2 out of 5 found this review helpful
Many stories in this book were insultingly sexist. There are a couple of great stories, notably Kage Baker's, but there are many mediocre ones and many that simply cannot imagine women as anything but staging for men's lives. Gene Wolfe's story is notable for its ineptitude in this vein. The anthology would have benefited from better editing and a wider understanding of "wizard" than "white male main character."
excellent nineteenth story fantasy collection May 2, 2007
1 out of 10 found this review helpful
Gandalf the Grey fans will want to read this nineteenth story fantasy collection that star wizards in fresh tales not printed before. The authors are a who's who of the genre with no pretenders and none providing a clinker though the better tales seem to involve coming of age. Especially enthralling is Neil Gaiman's "The Witch's Headstone" starring Bod, a lad being raised by a dead witch amongst other deceased adult supervision. Even the biblical prophet Elijah shows up as a wizard in Jane Yolen's contribution. Notables like Garth Nix, Mary Rosenblum, Kage Baker, Eoin Coffer, Tad Williams, Patricia McKillip, Elizabeth Hand, Andy Duncan, Peter Beagle, Nancy Kress, Jeffrey Ford, Tanith Lee, Terry Bisson, Terry Dowling, Gene Wolf and Orson Scott Card contribute tales that will prove to the targeted young adult audience that a wizard by any other name is still a wizard.
Harriet Klausner
Not Free SF Reader January 6, 2008
1 out of 8 found this review helpful
Looks like a case of trying to sell to more people for what is basically a book for younger children in the main, and even when I was 8 I would have thought a bunch of these stories were lame.
A few do stand out, Gaiman's is amusing enough to interest adults. Card's story has more depth. However, the clear best story is easily Elizabeth Hand's tale of supernatural Icelandia in Maine. The only one that veers close to the dark end of the specturm, anyway, along with Beagle and Card to a lesser degree.
If you want something for young primary school kids, this is likely ok, but not much of interest to anyone else. Too much kid, magic, repeat cheesy child story again.
Dark Alchemy : The Witch's Headstone - NEIL GAIMAN
Dark Alchemy : Holly and Iron - GARTH NIX
Dark Alchemy : Color Vision - MARY ROSENBLUM
Dark Alchemy : The Ruby Incomparable - KAGE BAKER
Dark Alchemy : A Fowl Tale - EOIN COLFER
Dark Alchemy : Slipping Sideways Through Eternity - JANE YOLEN
Dark Alchemy : The Stranger's Hands - TAD WILLIAMS
Dark Alchemy : Naming Day - PATRICIA A. MCKILLIP
Dark Alchemy : Winter's Wife - ELIZABETH HAND
Dark Alchemy : A Diorama of the Infernal Regions or The Devil's Ninth Question - Andy Duncan
Dark Alchemy : Barrens Dance - PETER S. BEAGLE
Dark Alchemy : Stone Man - NANCY KRESS
Dark Alchemy : The Manticore Spell - JEFFREY FORD
Dark Alchemy : Zinder - TANITH LEE
Dark Alchemy : Billy and the Wizard - TERRY BISSON
Dark Alchemy : The Magikkers - TERRY DOWLING
Dark Alchemy : The Magic Animal - GENE WOLFE
Dark Alchemy : Stonefather - ORSON SCOTT CARD
Visibly grave talk.
4 out of 5
Shapeshifter surprise.
3 out of 5
Puking First Born.
3 out of 5
Married and boring.
2.5 out of 5
Tastes like chicken.
3 out of 5
Passing over magician.
3 out of 5
Dangerous wizard desire.
3 out of 5
Possibly useless studying.
2.5 out of 5
A rocky end for local entrepreneur's saga.
4 out of 5
Canvassing a wizard.
3 out of 5
Wizard swap.
3.5 out of 5
Everywhere you go the kid wants to rock.
3.5 out of 5
Beast removal.
3 out of 5
Astral surprise, ducky.
3 out of 5
Sissy magazine has 2-D devil.
3 out of 5
One shot Sam.
3.5 out of 5
Once and future advice.
2.5 out of 5
Live to rock.
3.5 out of 5
2.5 out of 5
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