#WizardWeek
Who is your favourite wizard in fiction and what can they teach us about wizards, magics and wizarding?
Mine is hands down Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden. He teaches us that magic is mostly hard work, that DiY Magic with playdo and rubber ducks is hell’a cool and that wizards can be athletic and in your face.
One of mine: Quick Ben, who always has an ace in the hole, can manipulate magical forces in ways most people (including other mages) cannot comprehend, but never reveals the full extent of his abilities, and always finds a position to negotiate from, even when his strengths seem non-existent.
The Wizards and Witches of Discworld, who show that magic generally doesn’t help the situation, and being a magic-user is all about knowing when not to use it.
Limper.
John Constantine. He brings arrogance, chaos and general over-the-top awesomeness. He teaches that, if you’re dealing with major demons, insulting them is not the smartest option, but probably the funniest one!
Also: sacrifice all your friends for personal gain.
What are friends for if not to be sacrificed for personal gain? You can’t very well sacrifice your enemies…
you see, that way bonds just write themselves! 😀
Will have to duck a little but I do like Belgarion from the David eddings books. A classical initially-reluctant destined hero whose power is untempered by wisdom.
I will also throw a +1 to pug / milamber from “magician” for similar reasons.
Ged, also known as Sparrowhawk, from Ursula Le Guin’s Earthsea novels.
Jack Vance’s Murgen, archmage from Lyonesse. Nimbed in plot, mystery and quasi divine power he seemed himself to be lost in. He is the magic of the land.
Sprague de Camp’s Mulvanian magician, the saintly Dr. Karadur, which rolls 7-9 a lot and even sometimes a good 6-
I have also a special affection for Vance’s Dying Earth Wizards (they’re crazy, paranoiac and wicked…).
Kvothe from the Kingkiller chronicles (actually my favorite is Dresden, but Kvothe is my favorite non-modern wizard).
Three Wizard:
– Rincewind from Discworld saga, who teach us that happines is more important than power and everyone can be an hero
– Ice King from Adventure Time who teach us that power always come for a cost
– Hari Seldon from Fundations saga who teach us that true power will survive you and last for thousands years
Bayaz from The First Law trilogy.
Jafar, because he teaches us that a mortal having all the cosmic power will still use it to get laid.
Drusas Achamian, from R. Scott Bakker’s Prince of Nothing series. Power has a price, and despite said power, wizards can be failures as people.
Kvothe, because he uses magic like science and is cunning even without magic
Howl from Diana Wynne Jones’ Howl’s Moving Castle, who portrays himself as the most over-the-top, flashy, appearances-obsessed wizard, and uses it to hide his advanced wisdom and his true humanity.
Rincewind. Or Ponder Stibbons.
Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden:
Fuck subtlety.
Also quick to anger.
Quick Ben is a masterful mage with heaps of roguish charisma.