So You Want to Be a Wizard

Young Wizard Series, Book 1

By: Diane Duane

Narrated by: Christina Moore

Length: 7 hrs and 22 mins

Publisher's summary

Because she insists on fighting with words instead of her fists, 13-year-old Nita is regularly tormented by a gang of classmates. One day, running to escape their blows, she hides in the only safe place nearby: the library. When a book about wizardry catches her eye, Nita finds the help she needs in its pages. As she moves from chapter to chapter, Nita learns more sophisticated spells. Soon, stepping through a worldgate, she enters a shadowy city swirling with vicious taxicabs and carnivorous fireplugs. What begins as a simple quest quickly becomes a struggle to keep a powerful and ominous force from passing back into Nita's world.

Ranked with the best of Madeleine L'Engle and Diana Wynne Jones, Diane Duane's magical tale of wizardry and wisdom has become a modern fantasy classic. Christina Moore's delightful narration captures all the excitement and danger in this thrilling fantasy adventure.

You can listen to Diane Duane's entire Young Wizard series.

©1983 Diane Duane (P)2002 Recorded Books, LLC

Not quite Harry Potter ... better

This series has been compared time and time again to the Harry Potter books, and, though I love HP, these series are NOT the same. You have a set of young friends, who are wizards, who fight against dark forces and deal with life's issues. But that is where the similarity ends. The wizardry books are more imaginative, filled with different beings, different worlds, creative and twist turning adventures that will leave readers wanting more and waiting impatiently to download the next edition. Not only is the story incredible but the narrarator is the best I've heard yet. Each character's voice is distinct and believable and allows you to immerse yourself completely in the story. This is a great series for for children and adults alike. I love it.

My kids loved it, and so did I...

This is a wonderfully written story that I enjoyed read as a child. It is fast moving and stretches the imagination both fantastically and surprisingly scientifically. The reader is also very gifted with accents which made it a treat to listen to.

can't believe I never heard of it before

I started this book without such great expectations but was happily proven wrong. thus is a great start to a series I look forward to completing.

great experience

I read this book when I was a kid and spent some time a few years ago looking for it, but could never find the whole series. looking forward to listening to the whole thing, but for now this was a great performance of a great book.

Great Beginning to a Great Series

The Teen Wizard books have been among my yearly reads since I was the ages of the charactes. In this first installment, Diane Duane introduces us to the world of her Wizards -- people of every species who are given the power to join the ultimate battle against entropy and death. From the first moment that Nita's hand gets caught by a strange book in the library, we readers want everything for Nita that she wants for herself: the small desires that drive the plot, and the large desires that pull her and her friends into the fight in Life's name.

So You Want to be A Wizard is one of my favorites of this series. The beginning draws you in almost immediately, the characters are likeable, the premise is fascinating and surprising. There is a section in the middle that has a few too many consecutive action scenes for my taste, but the heart of the story comes back quickly. The ending is satisfying and poingant, the sort for which the clues have been laid all along, so you get to it and know that it couldn't have gone any other way.

I read this series before I listened to it, and I remember the shock when I first heard Christina Moore's voice -- it didn't match the voice in my head, and it was strange to hear it saying the same words I'd read so many times. But now, I always listen to these books rather than read them. Moore's narration brings the story to life. The main characters' personalities shine through their voices, and the skill with which she reads the climax makes it much more powerful than when I've read it silently.

One of the basic premises of the whole universe in these books is that words -- particularly spoken words -- have enormous power. The books themselves become the magic they contain when read aloud and heard.

A Little scary, a lot of science

For a book about magic there is an awful lot of real science in this book. That is not a bad thing at all.

I read this book when I was a freshman in high school and didn't remember how creepy some parts of the book are. There is a little bit of a Cthulhu mythos vibe to the story which i loved. I am glad i bought this through audible and got to listen to it. Christina Moore is the perfect narrator for this book and makes everything come alive.

Even though the the original publish date for this book in the early 80s the story holds up really well. I highly recommend this book.

First installment in my favorite wizardry series

I first encountered this series, much like Nita with her manual, at my local library, when I found a copy of Deep Wizardry on audio cassettes. I have since listened to the series many times, and it’s still one of my favorite series. Diane Duane has a way with words that would definitely make her a powerful wizard, and Christina Moore has a deep, steady voice that is a delight to listen to.

Favorite

Very much Love this series. An all time favorite. Listening to it again after a while!

Magical!!!

This is my dad's computer,my name is Zane.This book is great. I love it!!! My favorite character is Kit. You should buy this book!!!

good reading for kids of all ages

I chose this book for my nephews, Harry Potter fans, but listened myself before giving them the disks. I had read several of Diane Duane's adult s-f titles, but like these even better. There are elements of Christian allegory without heavy handedness. A word of caution--Nita and Kit find themselves in quite dangerous situations and this could be quite scary for younger children. But my 8 and 10 year old nephews are eager to hear the next installment, which I just gave them.