Wizard by John Varley, 0441900674, Lowest Book Price Finder

Customer Reviews:

I don't like sequels

This is "Volume two of the Gaean Trilogy. It was a disappointment after "Titan" the first volume. "Titan" was a complete novel and was original and there were certain essential ingredients like a plot that kept you wondering what would happen next. Unfortunately, this sequel is just "The Further Adventures of ...." and there is little suspense or anticipation. We found out all we needed or wanted to know about Gaea in "Titan".

The story is written in Varley's usual readable style and it is a pity the content is so unambitious. In my opinion, this is good example of why trilogies are a bad thing - the author had nothing to add to the original but was probably pressured by publishers/money/greed into writing sequels.

A classic SF trilogy in the tradition of Well of Souls

I hate trilogies. I really do. Most of the time, the author barely writes anything interesting in the first book, let alone those that follow.

Having said that, let me tell you that John Varley has written one of the great SF stories of the last twenty-five years. "Titan" (with its companion volumes, "Wizard" and "Demon") tells the story of Cirocco Jones and the crew of the NASA spacecraft DSV Ringmaster as they meet, are changed by and ultimately must fight Gaea, the living planet. The characters are vivid and well-drawn; Varley has justifiably drawn praise for his strong, realistic female characters.

Like Jack Chalker did in "Well of Souls", Varley gives us a powerful story of humanity lost and regained in the face of epic struggles. His reach sometimes exceeds his grasp -- especially in "Demon" -- but I recommend this trilogy wholeheartedly.

Loved the series: Titan, Wizard, Demon

This is a series of books I've read multiple times. They are well-written, nicely plotted and there are many memorable characters in this story who stick with you after you are done reading about them. I'd love to find out more about what happens to Cirocco Jones and her friends after the events described in Demon.

Increasing sophistication but increasing bias

For those of you who liked Titan, Wizard will not disappoint. But for those of you who thought some of Varley's editorializing in Titan was annoying, you will also encounter more of it in Wizard. While Titan tells us that humanity is vicious and animalistic, and abortion is a sensible option for any career-minded woman, Wizard lets us now that smart people are atheists and all the males of any species want to do is rape the females. That said, it's still a great book. Varley introduces a number of new characters, particularly Chris, Valiha, and Robin, who invigorate Gaia's landscape.

Wizard meets the level of excellent set in "Titan"

Wizard is easily as good as its prequel, Titan; the two are among the best books I have ever read. The fall into alcoholism (and subsequent recovery from it) by the main character, one of my personal role models, is touching. The story is compelling, offering both emotion and action. It is a must-read for all lovers of great writing, whether they are sci-fi fans or not.

View more reviews or product details from Amazon.co.uk