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Witch and Wizard (Witch and Wizard Series #1) [NOOK Book]
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A string of gripping standalone mysteries followed, but it was the 1992 release of Along Came a Spider that elevated Patterson to superstar status. Introducing Alex Cross, a brilliant black police detective/forensic psychologist, the novel was the first installment in a series of bestselling thrillers that has proved to be a cash cow for the author and his publisher.
Examining Patterson's track record, it's obvious that he believes one good series deserves another…maybe even a third! In 2001, he debuted the Women's Murder Club with 1st to Die, a fast-paced thriller featuring four female crime fighters living in San Francisco—a homicide detective, a medical examiner, an assistant D.A., and a cub reporter. The successful series has continued with other numerically titled installments. Then, spinning off a set of characters from a previous novel (1998's When the Wind Blows), in 2005 he published Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment. Featuring a "flock" of genetically engineered flying children, the novel was a huge hit, especially with teen readers, and spawned a series of vastly popular fantasy adventures.
In addition to continuing his bestselling literary franchises, Patterson has also found time to co-author thrillers with other writers—including Peter de Jonge, Andrew Gross, Maxine Paetro, and Howard Roughan—and has even ventured into romance (Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas, Sam's Letters to Jennifer) and children's literature (santaKid). Writing at an astonishing pace, this prolific author has turned himself into a one-man publishing juggernaut, fulfilling his clearly stated ambition to become "the king of the page-turners."
Two of Patterson's Alex Cross mysteries (Along Came a Spider and Kiss the Girls) have been turned into films starring Morgan Freeman; in 2007, a weekly television series premiered, based on the bestselling Women's Murder Club novels.
IT’S OVERWHELMING. A city’s worth of angry faces staring at me like I’m a wicked criminal—which, I promise you, I’m not. The stadium is filled to capacity—past capacity. People are standing in the aisles, the stairwells, on the concrete ramparts, and a few extra thousand are camped out on the playing field. There are no football teams here today. They wouldn’t be able to get out of the locker-room tunnels if they tried.
This total abomination is being broadcast on TV and the Internet too. All the useless magazines are here, and the useless newspapers. Yep, I see cameramen in elevated roosts at intervals around the stadium.
There’s even one of those remote-controlled cameras that runs around on wires above the field. There it is—hovering just in front of the stage, bobbing slightly in the breeze.
So there are undoubtedly millions more eyes watching than I can see. But it’s the ones here in the stadium that are breaking my heart. To be confronted with tens, maybe even hundreds of thousands, of curious, uncaring, or at least indifferent, faces… talk about frightening.
And there are no moist eyes, never mind tears.
No words of protest.
No stomping feet.
No fists raised in solidarity.
No inkling that anybody’s even thinking of surging forward, breaking through the security cordon, and carrying my family to safety.
Clearly, this is not a good day for us Allgoods.
In fact, as the countdown ticker flashes on the giant video screens at either end of the stadium, it’s looking like this will be our last day.
It’s a point driven home by the very tall, bald man up in the tower they’ve erected midfield—he looks like a cross between a Supreme Court chief justice and Ming the Merciless. I know who he is. I’ve actually met him. He’s The One Who Is The One.
Directly behind his Oneness is a huge N.O. banner—THE NEW ORDER.
And then the crowd begins to chant, almost sing, “The One Who Is The One! The One Who Is The One!”
Imperiously, The One raises his hand, and his hooded lackeys on the stage push us forward, at least as far as the ropes around our necks will allow.
I see my brother, Whit, handsome and brave, looking down at the platform mechanism. Calculating if there’s any way to jam it, some means of keeping it from unlatching and dropping us to our neck-snapping deaths. Wondering if there’s a last-minute way out of this.
I see my mother crying quietly. Not for herself, of course, but for Whit and me.
I see my father, his tall frame stooped with resignation, smiling at me and my brother—trying to keep our spirits up, reminding us that there’s no point in being miserable in our last moments on this planet.
But I’m getting ahead of myself. I’m supposed to be providing an introduction here, not the details of our public execution.
So let’s go back a bit….
Continues...
Excerpted from Witch & Wizard by Patterson, James Copyright © 2011 by Patterson, James. Excerpted by permission.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
This book is insulting on so many levels, not only is the story uninteresting, but it has spelling errors everywhere! Do not let the synopis fool you the book is not as good as it sounds. Its told in mini chapters from different point of views and you never really know what is going on, its not descriptive and it feels rushed. Also feels as if the vocabulary is forced and not relatable. You can tell an adult wrote the story trying to write from a childs point of view unsucssefully! And dont believe the commercials of how its just like harry potter...its not. Dont waste your money. Keep the 17 bucks.
80 out of 163 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Merrily17
Posted February 13, 2010
I'm a 7/8 grade English teacher and have read Mr. Patterson's previous young adult novels the Maximum Ride series. They started out interesting and edgy with the first two books and then turned into a series that was hurriedly published with out care for the quality. Unfortunately Witch and Wizard was even worse. This was written on a 5th grade reading level, and does not have a modern young adult voice. Witch and Wizard was hard to get started, with no character building nor any work to develop a relationship with the characters. You really don't care about them at all. The situations are unrealistic and the time frame is not well thought out. I was very disappointed, but continued to finished the book before returning it, always hoping it would get better. I am sorry to say that I would not recommend this to anyone no matter what your reading level. It was a waste of paper and time! They could have save a ton of trees by not publishing this mess. There were no redeeming qualities to speak of.
63 out of 92 people found this review helpful.
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Posted August 17, 2011
I Also Recommend:
The book is definitely a must read. I have enjoyed reading it from start to finish. Anyone who loves to read about witches or wizards, should try it.
57 out of 72 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted May 8, 2010
I Also Recommend:
So, this book sounded intriguing at first. But I ended up being diappointed. The characters and terribly written, flat, and unrealistic. Patterson doesn't know how to write a 16 year old girl, or even an 18 year old boy. I couldn't connect with the characters at all. The idea is far-fetched and got crazier with every chapter. Which is another problem. There's, like, a hundred chapters, but they're all one to two pages each. With the way the Maximum Ride series is going, I wasn't too surprised that this wasn't that great. But I definitely won't be reading the next book in this series.
46 out of 84 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted March 11, 2010
This book written for the "junior" reader has a double first person writing style which quickly loses its novelty. (The two lead characters take turns describing what is going on in a flashback covering the ground before they are being lead to an arena for their execution.) The story, what appears to be a first book in a series, involves an alternate earth where an extreme government has taken over the US. Its major enemies are the members of its own society (kids in particular) who have special powers and are therefore deviant and non-conformist.
How the kids struggle to survive (some don't but are around anyway as ghosts) and rebel sets the stage for the future books' plots. But the chracters aren't interesting enough to draw me back. The scary bits and the interactions with other characters can't hold a candle to any of the Potter books.
I enjoy Patterson's other books and thought I would check this out as something to give to some younger friends. But afraid not...
27 out of 50 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted February 17, 2010
Along the lines of many writers today, Patterson takes the witches and wizards theme in a different direction. The first in a series was a fun and easy read. It kept my attention and left me wondering what would happen next.
20 out of 30 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.I couldnt get into this it was tacky to me. Done over predictable, kinda of bland in my opinion Patterson is a great writer but this is not where he belongs in my opinion its awkward. There are far better fantasy tales to delve into.
20 out of 40 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.KatieBaby101
Posted May 25, 2010
This to me is a five star book! If you enjoy fantasy, witchcraft, tragic love stories, twists, turns and, an ending that leaves you speechless, this is the book for you! This is a fantasy book about two kids who grew up thinking they were normal kids with over strange, hippie parents. This all changed on day when the siblings are put under trail for using witchcraft. The kids are left in the worst situation or their lives but all changes when they figure out, they in fact aren't normal. Whitney and Wisteria Allgood take you on an adventure with plenty of twists and turns. The ending starts the beginning and the beginning starts the end. This is an amazing book, great for teens and adults. This book is good for anyone, even those who don't particularly enjoy fantasy. Somehow, in the middle of all this wreck, there's a messed up love story and a tale about a girl who thought little of herself. It definitely had me wanting to read and not stop. It seems the only bad part about this book for me was: it was hard to follow at times but, it was worth it and everything got explained further on in the story. Overall, I'd recommend this book to everyone! It's a must read that keeps you guessing. Expect the unexpected.
19 out of 26 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted February 20, 2010
I have to say, this could possibly be one of the worst books I have read in awhile. The book is so short and it seems that the characters are never developed. The ending just stops with it says "to be continued". I don't think I will be reading hte follow up book unless THEY PAY ME to read it.
17 out of 32 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.cairnterrier2
Posted February 25, 2010
I am generally not a James Patterson fan or should I say a fan of murder plus. So when he wrote "When the Wind Blows" I was elated. This sci-fi mystery departure from his norm was thrilling (sans blood and gore) and well written.
I could not wait to read the sequel "Lake House" but, I found myself greatly disappointed. It seemed that he relied on the success of the first book to carry the second book.
I was hoping that with the "Witch and Wizard" Patterson had gotten is sci-fi mojo back but no such luck. Just as you think this book will finally end, and with hopefully with more interest that the rest of the book (including the worst character names in writer's history), the book abruptly ends with a way to obvious "you have to read the next book non-ending"!
13 out of 30 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.This is one of the worst books I have ever subjected myself to. Seriously, words cannot even begin to describe how bad this book was. The premise is poorly rendered, the characters are flat, the plot flatter yet, and a conclusion so unsatisfying it makes the rest of the book look like Shakespeare. It seems obvious to me that Patterson and his co-writer pushed this thing out as thoughtlessly as a middle school book report the night before its due!
DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME ON THIS ONE. If you're a young reader or just looking for a light read, look elsewhere because this books easiness is perhaps its ONLY redeeming quality (if you consider being easy a virtue!).
13 out of 26 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.I know a lot of people gave this book a bum rap because of how short the chapters were and how sometimes they stopped mid-sentence but I liked it. For a fast reader like me it didn't long to finish. Sometimes there was a lull in the story which made it difficult to keep my attention, but once the story picked up it was hard to put down. All and all it was still a fun read, and I am still kind of curious to see where the story goes in the next installment.
11 out of 13 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.vienna76
Posted December 18, 2009
It seems to me that James Patterson just wanted to cash in on the Harry Potter Money train. This book was awful, and that's putting it nicely!, No character building, no attention to detail, wishy washy plot, terms are thrown in there but not explained, jumps from scene to scene with out warning. I'm really disappointed in this book and I feel like I'm dumber for having read it. I want back the time and money that I spent on it.. James, stick to what you're good at .. guess what? it ain't this!
10 out of 20 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted November 16, 2009
i'm just read book 1 and it sucked me in. this is a great book and i am currently awaiting for the whole book to be released. i wouldn't recommend this book for the realistic-fiction lovers.
10 out of 19 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted January 1, 2010
I did finish this book ONLY because I hoped it would improve. I will NOT be reading the 2nd one.
8 out of 19 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.I hate to give a bad review but in this case honesty is the best policy. I really didn't like this book at all. I expected so much more from Patterson. I didn't really care about the characters or felt sorry for them. I think the plot was not explained fully and I was left wondering what or why things were happening. The language used was very immature and even though I'm not a young adult I really didn't think it was how YA's talk. It made the story line and plot seem flippant and it didn't make the book entertaining.
7 out of 14 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted February 23, 2010
Witch & Wizard is a refreshing teen novel opposed to James Patterson's former adult writings. The characters would be: Whitford, Wisteria, Benjamin, and Eliza Allgood, Celia, Byron Swain, Matron, and Sasha. The setting is in present-day suburbia with a New World Order. The themes include: Discrimination, Evil, Power, War, and Teamwork. I recommend this book to children from the ages of 12-16.
Wisteria (Wisty) and Whitford (Whit) Allgood are brother and sister with special powers, but they're not fully aware of that until the New Order (N.O.) abruptly breaks into the Allgood household accusing them to be Wiccans. Wisty and Whit were appalled at the ridiculous claim the New Order has made. They plead innocent, but the N.O. knows better. They kidnap the children from their parents in the middle of the night leaving the house a chaotic mess. Wisty and Whit are held captive in a prison until their trial, where they will be hung until death. While the children are locked in there grimy cell, they soon learn they truly are magic. They discover their powers and use them to their advantage to escape from the prison, and help the other children escape also. On their adventure, they find Whit's missing girlfriend, Celia, but sadly Celia is only a spirit and was killed because of the New Order. Celia helps the children escape and leads them to a safehouse where children like them go. While staying at the safehouse they discover that they are the children of the prophecy, who will take down the N.O. Will Whit and Wisty fulfill the prophecy and bring down the New Order?
I think this was an excellent book! It was very descriptive and adventurous. The one thing I did not like was the switching of point of views and the very brief chapters. At the end of the novel you'll notice the words, "To be continued." Obviously this book is going to be turned into a series. I hope he publishes the next book very soon. I can't wait!
Overall I believe this book was enjoyable. I honestly can tell you I couldn't put it down. If your one who likes magic, mystery, and rebellion you will certainly enjoy this book!
7 out of 9 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted February 15, 2010
This is one of the worst books i have ever read. It was honestly terrible. I would not recommend it to anyone.
7 out of 18 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted December 31, 2009
Patterson proposes an interesting concept in this book but does very little to sustain it. I am an avid fantasy reader and I have come to expect certain things to be laid out. He gives no premise for the magic these kids wield, and gives no explanation as to why The One Who Is The One is trying to eliminate magic when he wields it himself. Those problems plus some extremely cheesy dialogue throughout the book left me unsatisfied at the end.
7 out of 14 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.at first I wasn't interested in this book, but then I saw it on sale at Sam's one day and took a chance and brought it. I'm glad I did. this is a wonderful book. it's like what would happen if the salem witch trials happened again in this time period. The One Who Is The One is seriously creepy and is trying to destroy music, art, and reading ( which would be a total nightmare!!!) Wisty and Whit are thrown into jail for being a witch and wizard and have to learn how to use their powers fast to break out and join their parents who are on the run. They make some friends and some enemies on the way to that goal. Full of a great mixture of horror and comedy. Totally loved it!!! I didn't know that it'll be a series though, now I can't wait for the next book!!!
7 out of 9 people found this review helpful.
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Overview
The world is changing: the government has seized control of every aspect of society, and now, kids are disappearing. For 15-year-old Wisty and her older brother Whit, life turns upside down when they are torn from their parents one night and slammed into a secret prison for no reason they can comprehend. The New Order, as it is known, is clearly trying to suppress Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Being a Normal Teenager. But while trapped in this totalitarian nightmare, Wisty and Whit discover they have incredible powers they'd never dreamed of. Can this newly minted witch and wizard master their skills in time to save themselves, their parents--and maybe the world?