So you want to be a wizard

Name: So you want to be a wizard
ISBN: 9780547545110

by Diane Duane · first published 1983

7mentions

5recommended by

6HN commenters

2010–2020first – last mentioned

83% recommend17% neutral

Why HN recommends it

YA fantasy set in a recognizably modern world, with a wizardry system that feels science-based and rule-driven. It avoids common fantasy tropes and suits younger and older readers alike.

Summarised by Claude from recommending comments

Fiction & Literature Fantasy

Thirteen-year-old Nita, tormented by a gang of bullies because she won't fight back, finds the help she needs in a library book on wizardry which guides her into another dimension.

BuyBookshop.org Amazon

Affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

View on Open Library ISBN 9780547545110

Mentions per year

What Hacker News says

eli_gottlieb · Mar 26, 2015 · Recommends

…Time" series. Why does everyone keep recommending books for teenagers that I read in elementary school? I mean, hell, if we're going for epic high fantasy set in the (recognizably) modern world, try So You Want to be a Wizard by Diane Duane. And to those of you who tried taking the Oath when you were a child, yes, the rest of us did, too. Pity it didn't take.
on “What Would You Recommend to a Bright 14 Year Old?” ↗
JoshTriplett · May 23, 2015 · Recommends

…about the everyday problems and situations of twentysomethings or thirtysomethings either. Another good example of YA fantasy I've enjoyed that manages to dodge the trope: Diane Duane's Wizards series ("So you want to be a Wizard", "Deep Wizardry", "High Wizardry"), which seems to mostly stay away from typical teenager problems. The premise is not that novel, but in this case I found the execution quite satisfying, particularly…
on “Fantasy must shake off the tyranny of the mega-novel” ↗
WCityMike · Feb 10, 2019 · Recommends

The title makes me wonder whether she was a fan of Diane Duane's "So You Want to Be a Wizard" series, which predated Harry Potter and shows a remarkably science-based wizardry with much the same mindset towards learning.
on “So you want to be a wizard” ↗
Izkata · Jul 3, 2019 · Recommends

Diane Duane sells her books directly, as DRM-free epubs [0]. Was quite happy when, a decade after first reading it, I found out So You Want To Be A Wizard wasn't standalone and wanted to continue the series. [0] https://ebooksdirect.co/
on ““The books will stop working.”” ↗
Eliezer · Mar 29, 2020 · Recommends

"So You Want To Be A Wizard". I don't know if it's too late to read it as an adult, but make sure any kid you know has a chance to read it early. In life's name, and for life's sake.
on “Ask HN: Great fiction books that have had a positive impact on your life?” ↗
protomyth · Apr 8, 2010 · Mentions

I guess this would be a good time to point out which came first (Windows 3.0 = 1990). This kinda thing reminds me of the Amazon comments about Diane Duane's "So You Want to be a Wizard - 20th Anniversary Edition" being a "ripoff" of Harry Potter. Time is hard.
on “NeXT logo by Paul Rand - Interview with Steve Jobs” ↗
Izkata · Jul 3, 2020 · Mentions

…_Young Wizards_ [0], where wizards exist in-universe to fight entropy, so that the universe can continue to exist as long as possible. The series is possibly best known by the name of the first book, _So You Want to Be a Wizard_, which for a long time I thought was the name of the series. (Another interesting thing about this series is that magic is treated as a programming language for reality, a few books in going so far…
on “The Idea of Entropy Has Led Us Astray” ↗