Little, Brown and Company – December 14, 2009
The New Order has taken control of the government. The One Who Is The One has passed new laws that severely inhibit the citizens. Art, music, free expression, imagination, and magic are illegal and if you are caught participating in any of these activities you will be put in prison for rehabilitation or, worst case scenario, executed.
Whit and Wisty, brother and sister, are roused out of a good night’s sleep when the police bust into their home and arrest them. They are taken to a prison where they find it filled with nothing but other children. Whit and Wisty are pushed to the limit and their magical abilities are revealed without them even knowing they possessed them. It turns out that Whit is a wizard and Wisty is a witch. For this, they should be executed, but The One Who Is The One wants some information from them first.
Whit and Wisty find out their parents have been sentenced to death, but have managed to escape from capture. The make it their mission to break out of prison and find their parents. With the unexpected help, they manage to get out of their cell and begin their life on the run.
Basically, this is the rest of the book. The reader never gets to witness, which I was really hoping to, the condition of the outside world for the everyday citizens. I wanted to see what their lives were like under the oppression of the new leader. Instead, all we get to read about are Whit and Wisty running from authorities through secret passageways – away from the eyes of the townspeople.
The ending of WITCH & WIZARD leaves it COMPLETELY open for a sequel – so much so that it doesn’t even come full circle and solve even one problem, but just leave off for the next installment.
This is officially my last James Patterson book. I really had high hopes for WITCH & WIZARD. The sample chapter in the back of DANIEL X: WATCH THE SKIES sounded so good. The problem is, the first chapter is about the only good part of the book.
FYI – Gabrielle Charbonnet has published many books, but mostly for Disney and Baby-sitter’s Little Sister books.
I read this book in a day, and think it’s pretty good adventure story for young adults. It keeps the plot moving, but leaves you hanging for a sequel.Does anyone know whether there will be a sequel? It certainly seems so.
It looks like the second book is called WITCH & WIZARD: BATTLE FOR SHADOWLAND and comes out Oct. 12th, 2010. Then, there is WITCH & WIZARD: THE GIFT due out in December 2010.
I loved this book. It was a fast paced long prolouge lol. I can’t wait until the next ones come out to read them.
i loved this book. I can’t wait for the sequels!!!!!!
I loved this book. The only problem I had with it was that it was too short, as I am a slow reader and read it in about a day and a half.
I don’t think that Karin’s comments are fair or founded. This being the first book in the series, there is a lot of introduction to be done, yet some problems ARE solved. Whit and Wisty break out of prison, learn of their powers, and find out that their parents are not dead.
There are a lot of problems left off, but if they solved all of the problems in the first book there would be no point in a sequel, much less an entire series.
I think that it is foolish and a bit hasty to proclaim that this is officially your last James Patterson book. At least read the next one in the series before making such a huge decision.
Thank you. I hope to finish the series, It’s such a creative idea.
Though, this was rather short. I’m a really slow reader and it only took me about a day and a half, maybe two days.
Just a small correction: WITCH & WIZARD: BATTLE FOR SHADOWLAND is not the direct sequel to the first book. It’s an all-new, original graphic novel that takes place between the events of book 1 and book 2 (I’m the author of the graphic novel). The individual issues of the comic book started shipping in May, with the collected edition coming out in October. I hope you’ll check it out, as it features a fun, action-packed story, a couple of new characters, and dynamic art by Spanish artist Victor Santos.
Love the book, is there going to be another?
I’m so confused now. WITCH & WIZARD: BATTLE FOR SHADOWLAND isn’t the next part to the first book? He obviously HAS to make a sequel(s) considering on the last page it said “to be continued”
No, as stated above, my “Battle for Shadowland” graphic novel is a brand new story set between the first book and the second book.
The second book (i.e. the sequel) is called Witch & Wizard: The Gift” and comes out in December. I’ve read the advance review copy and it picks up the action right from where the first book left off. Good stuff.
i think is the best book i stayed up until 2 in the morning to read the whole book. and i am only 14 i would hate to be put in the situation as witch and wizard. but for me a 14 year old reading a book until two that says a lot. James Patterson
rulz i meant to put on the end of James Patterson
i read the book, simply because it was written by James Patterson. I have read many of his books and loved them all. I really liked the Witch and Wizard but I find myself in limbo waiting to find out how it ends, lol. I am not a teenager, nor am I a young adult. Just a big fan.
you should try Maximum Ride, you wont be disapionted
I think the book started out a little too much like harry potter with a witch and wizard finding out they have powers and an evil force called the one who is the one sounded a bit like he who should not be named. The book turned out better then i expected and I am looking forward to the next but like someone else said if you like this one you should totally check out the maximum ride series. thats my all time favorite series at the moment
I hope the 2nd part come out!!! They say it would come out october 12, 2010 but it hasn’t yet. I also found that the book was really short. I am a really a fast reader and I finished it in like 3 hours. It was really fast pacing!!!:)
I was quite disappointed with this James Patterson book. I’ve read, and reread, and re-reread the Maximum Ride series and was hoping for the same exhilarating and intriguing characters and plot in Witch & Wizard. Instead all I got were very 2 dimensional characters and a very boring, childish plot-line…and I’m only 14! Overall it was decent, but I will definitely not be reading it again!
Perhaps this is entertaining for young adults who are the focus audience. I had it recommended by an adult and found it very ho hum and pedestrian.
This book sucks gigantic monkey balls. May I quote a direct line from the book?
“TRICKS ARE FOR KIDS!”
Yes, the main villain shouts “tricks are for kids”. It’s really f*****g stupid.
Can someone tell me where the setting of this book is? Lol. It’s cute.very fast reading.
i loves this book i am reading it and so far it’s the best i hope they make a movie cuz this book is realy coooool
i liked his book witch & wizard too much
is there going to be another book after “the Gift”
Uhm. I’m not really sure what to say. I’ve never read James Patterson. I’ve seen his books a lot. One of my co-workers handed this to me yesterday. I read the first 75 pages or so. The writing is deplorable. The story is black and white. The characters are caricatures. Every good character has no flaws. Every evil character has no redeeming qualities. There is no opportunity for true conflict or inner struggle.
I recently read “The Knight” by Gene Wolfe. I thought the story was rambling and incoherent. It was at the time one of the worst books I had read. But the writing was passable by comparison to this horrific novel. I don’t know if I have found the worst novel ever written but I’m pretty sure I’m getting close to the bottom with Witch and Wizard.