Witch & Wizard [Hardcover]

"Dystopian fluff" -- it sounds kind of oxymoronic, doesn't it? It also perfectly describes James Patterson's young adult fantasy "Witch and Wizard," which basically transports the Harry Potter aesthetic to a totalitarian near-future. It's one of those stories that is overflowing with potential and/or promise, but in this case it's just a bone-thin plot clothed in 2-D characters and indifferent plot.

Wisty and her older brother Whit are dragged from their beds by New Order soldiers (and no, I don't mean the band), and accused of being a witch and a wizard. Unfortunately, their denials are sabotaged by Wisty suddenly bursting into flame. Soon the siblings find themselves being dragged into a living nightmare -- interrogation, absurd trials, a prison filled with similarly talented kids, and finally a sentence of execution.

But in a cruel New Order prison, Wisty and Whit's powers begin to expand exponentially (think more flames, drifting through solid walls, transformation, bug-summoning, etc). To escape, they'll have to take a trip into the world of the dead (which isn't too different from the world of the living) and join up with a secret resistance -- and discover the terrible plans of the New Order's leader, The One Who Is One.

"Witch and Wizard" is one of those books where it feels like the author just sat down over a long weekend and banged out a quickie manuscript. Patterson makes a few lame references to Harry Potter and Percy Jackson stories, but it's obvious that there was little enthusiasm in this story -- the entire Evil Dystopian FutureWorld sketched out here is no more than a series of blurry outlines and cliches, with no backstory and little development. Throw in some magical powers and a Big Magical Prophecy.

Patterson's lack of passion extends to the writing -- it's bland, pedestrian, and trickles along the outline of a rather boring plot. Whit and Wisty just sort of drift from one place to another, mostly with little description and not much humor. There's always a magical deus ex machina waiting around the next corner (apparently Wisty's MegaMagicalPowahz can literally do anything), and Patterson even weaves in a contrived cliffhanger that literally extends through the entire book.

What's more, his prose is tepid and humorless -- when the characters aren't talking like idiots ("It was like, boom--flamesicle!"), they're sounding like melodramatic TV actors ("you can't save them anyway...if you're dead!"). As for that "Tricks are for kids!" joke... not funny.

And the characters aren't much better. Wisty and Whit are utterly generic WASP teenagers who somehow never noticed that oh yeah, they're a witch and wizard. Everyone else is either good and pure (rebels against the New Order) or evil and sadistic trying to justify their nastiness (people working for the New Order), with the required Tattling Weasel and Evil Bald Tall Overlord.

"Witch and Wizard" is a bland, boring stretch of dystopian fantasy that makes you wish you could be entertained and excited, and feel vaguely disgusted that you're not.

Sleeping, unaware of what they are capable of and how they are seen as threats, siblings Whit and Wisty are woken up one night, arrested. They have been charged with witchcraft. Of course they never knew it, but their parents did. They are thrown into prison, with a drum stick and a book, awaiting interrogation and a trial.

Turns out the New Order government, headed by The One Who is the One, have taken over and is capturing everyone, especially children, who they believe are witches and wizards. Already with a sentence to be executed, Whit and Wisty's powers are accidentally summoned at the wrong places, during the wrong times.

With the help of Whit's girlfriend, Celia, the siblings are told of Freeland, where their powers would not be seen as threats. Making their escape, they begin their journey of saving their kind, finding their parents, and trying to overthrow the new government.

Readers will be wondering how all of this will turn out, as the beginning of the novel is where the siblings and their parents are being led into an arena where their execution will commence.

A great beginning to a new and promising series. James Patterson, along with co-author Gabrielle Charbonnet, continues his style of short chapters and now with alternating narration between brother and sister. With their amazing powers, a thrilling climax, a great cast of supporting characters, and an ending that will leave you wanting more, WITCH & WIZARD is another series that fans of Patterson will enjoy.

Reviewed by: Randstostipher "tallnlankyrn" Nguyen

I bought this book because my oldest son (age 12)and I enjoyed the hunger games trilogy so much that we decided to start buying books we both can enjoy. We both decided to continue reading the series. As a bonus, this book was quite a bit less violent and the chapters are short so when my youngest son (age 6) asked if he could read it too, I said "sure".