A Practical Guide to Wizardry

by
Susan J. Morris

writing as
Archmage Lowadar

Mirrorstone, August 2008, 80 pp.
ISBN: 978-0-7869-5042-3

Genre: Young Reader
Subgenres: Fantasy / Instructional

World: Dungeons & Dragons
Reviewed: 9/4/2010

Reviewed by: Conan Tigard

Book Cover

Excerpt

Synopsis

Archmage Lowadar is the Headmaster at Aldwyn's Academy, a premier school for the study of magic for talented girls and boys in the world of Dungeons and Dragons. He has compiled A Practical Guide to Wizardry, which is sent out to all candidates before they arrive at the school. This book tells a candidate what to expect at school and what to bring to school.

Archmage Lowadar writes and draws pictures about the following subjects:

Wizardry Essentials

A Wizard's Wardrobe

     Footwear, Hats & Belt

A Wizard's Wand

     Shaft, Carvings, Focus, & Charms

Magic Items

     Goggles of Minute Seeing, Heward's Handy Haversack, Phoenix Cloak,

     Ring of Bright Eveningstar, Slippers of Spider Climbing, Map of Unseen 

     Lands, Wand Bracelet, & Scarab of Aradros

Banned Magic Items

     Weapons, Amulets, & Cursed Items

 

A Wizard's Familiar

Calling a Familiar

     No Room for Mistakes

     Find Your Familiar

A Wizard's Bond

Familiar Care

 

Inside Aldwyn's

Aldwyn's Academy for Wizardry

Student Dormitory

The Library

Aldwyn's Alchemical Gardens

The Mail Room

     Rings of Communication, Ring Gates, Crystal Balls, & Portals

 

Types of Wizardry

Destructive Magic

     Sample Destructive Magic

     Courses in Destructive Magic

          Destruction Magic 101: Elemental Spells

Illusion Magic

     Courses in Illusion Magic

          Illusion Magic 101: Light and Sounds

          Illusion Magic 102: Invisibility

     Sample Illusion Spell

          Silent Image

Enchantment Magic

     Sample Enchantment Spell

          Sleep

     Courses in Enchantment Magic

          Enchantment Magic 101: Curses

          Enchantment Magic 102: Love Spells

Summoning Magic

     Courses in Summoning Magic

          Summoning Magic 101: Animal Friends

          Summoning Magic 102: Teleportation

     Sample Summoning Spell

          Summon Monster

Information Magic

     Courses in Information Magic

          Information Magic 101: Detection Spells

          Information Magic 102: Scrying

          Information Magic 103: Communication Spells

     Sample Information Spell

          Identify

     Cards, Crystal Balls, & Fire

Change Magic

     Courses in Change Magic

          Change Magic 101: Transformation

          Change Magic 102: Movement Spells

          Change Magic 103: Enchantments

     Sample Change Spell

          Reduce Person

Protection Magic

     Courses in Protection Magic

          Protection Magic 101: Shields and Wards

          Protection Magic 102: Counterspells

     Sample Protection Spell

          Shield

Death Magic

 

Practical Wizardry

Alchemy

     Potion Making & Cataloging Your Potions

Wizard Words

A Wizard's Spell

Spellwriting Equipment

     Enchanted Rowanwood Ink, & Magic Quill

Spellwriting

Basic Ruins

     Types of Wizardry Ruins, Intent Ruins, & Effect Ruins

Wandwork

Grand Wizardry Games

     Ultimate Flying Disc Competition, The Great Treasure Hunt, Splatter Ball,

     & Wizard Duels

Wizardry Etiquette

A Practical Guide to Wizardry is the informational book all about Aldwyn's Academy in the world of Dungeons & Dragons. It is written by Susan J. Morris as Archmage Lowadar, the Headmaster at Aldwyn's Academy. This book is intended for young readers 10 and up.

Review

When I picked up A Practical Guide to Wizardry and started reading the first few pages, I found that I did not want to stop. I was hooked. The book is crammed full of wonderful information that is necessary to know if you are a candidate for Aldwyn's Acedemy, a school for young wizards. Even though I wound never be able to go to this school, I found myself wishing that I could. Ah . . . to be a wizard, like my daughter's favorite character Harry Potter, would be the greatest thing in the world. How I would enjoy living in the fantasy world of Dungeons & Dragon practicing magic. Sounds quite wonderful to me. How about to you?

No one knows Aldwyn's Academy like the headmaster of the school, Archmage Lowadar. In this book, he talks about all the things you will need to know to be a successful student at his school. He talks about the eight different types of magic, but doesn't say much about Death Magic because it is forbidden to be studied. It is an evil magic, you know. He also talks about items that a young wizards will need, about practicing magic, and about the different types of familiars a wizard may earn.

Susan J. Morris has done an terrific job at writing this book as Archmage Lowadar. The text flows well and the information available to the reader kept me highly engrossed with every page I turned. All of the artwork in the book is spectacular and I only have high praise for all of the artists involved. This is the best of the Practical Guides.

Any young reader, or even and older reader like me, who loves a great Fantasy novel, will get a kick out of this informational book. As I said before, it makes me wish that I could live in the world of Dungeons & Dragons and that I was going to be a first year student at Aldwyn's Academy. Maybe if I click my heels together three times, close my eyes tightly, and chant, "Take me to Aldwyn's Academy," a few times . . . Darn, that didn't work.

Overall, A Practical Guide to Wizardry is a excellent book that I absolutely and thoroughly enjoyed. I only hope that the first companion novel to this instructional book will be out soon. I cannot wait to read about a first year student at this wonderful school.

I rated this book a 9½ out of 10.