Wizard's Holiday

This has to be my favorite of the Young Wizards series, although others come close. The premise, the story, the characters, the places; everything Duane did fantastically in her other books gets stepped up a notch.While Kit and Nita's journey was strange and eye-opening (and seeing the depths of the Lone One's ambiguous deviousness was fun--especially as a girl this time!) But it has to be admitted; it was the events with the foreign exchange wizards back on Earth that stole the show.I like watc [...]

The first 70% of this wizard-exchange holiday was everything you'd expect of alien wizards visiting and getting to know other worlds and cultures: good, wacky fun; some clashing of worlds; and nice, relaxing kickback time at the beach. The last 30% proves that there's no such thing as a holiday for our poor wizards.The pacing did feel a little off on this one, and with Nita and Kit's half of the story in particular, the resolution almost feels like it comes out of nowhere. I'm sure there are hin [...]

This was different in some ways. It was nice to see Dairinne being smacked down by the planetary wizards. And by her coworkers. However, while her ego may have been cut down some, I don't think it affected her basic self confidence. Nita and Kit are sent off on a "holiday" that of course, turned out to be anything but an actual holiday .Dairinne's wizardly guests turned out to be just different enough to drive her nutse had to stop one in all innocence from eating part of their house and lets no [...]

Another good book in this series. In this one, Nita and Kit go on holiday to a paradise planet where people live long, simple lives and die in peace, remaining afterwards as whispers that comfort those left behind. Only problem? They've permanently locked themselves in this state. They can't evolve any further and they need to.Meanwhile, back at the ranch, three alien wizards are visiting. Yes, it's all a big student exchange program. One's a tree, one's a gigantic bug and the other's a stuck up [...]

Dear Diane Duane,Who told you you could do that? Because you shouldn't be able to do that. Just sayin'.Much love (and fist-shaking),Nancy

It was an exception book just like the rest of the series. I definitely would recommend it.

it's just dusty in here no big i'll get the pledge it's fine

I think this marks the point where the series, or perhaps Nita and Kit themselves, begin to mature. Before I begin the spoiler part of this review, I'll say this much: nobody gets a holiday. Bet you'd never guess that…(view spoiler)[The really interesting part of this book, to me, anyway, is that it implies that the Lone Power is actually necessary to spur races/civilizations on towards growth. Previous to this, at least in the books I've read of this series, It's invention, death, has been pl [...]

One of my favorites in the series so far. It's funny to see something as ordinary as a student exchange program be entirely different with wizardry. Who would expect a giant centipede, a talking Christmas tree, and a prince to be lounging in their living room?This book probably was the funniest so far. Some of it was in the dialogue, and some in the situation. Picture the aforementioned Christmas tree wearing a baseball cap.On thing that I thought was cool was how the author developed Roshaun's [...]

This series just gets better and better. Diane Duane has some pretty deep things to say about entropy and choice which I found very interesting and will continue to ponder. Most fantasy series don't go this deep while still staying this entertaining and enjoyable to read. I also enjoyed going back and forth between Nita & Kit's story with Quelt on Alaalu and Dairine's story at home with Sker'ret, Filif, and Roshaun. I don't always enjoy books that go back and forth between two different stor [...]

A re-read to prep me for new book coming out soon. I tend to forget just how good Diane Duane's "Young Wizards" series is! Highly recommended for all children and young adults who like to read fantasy. (I personally think this series is better than Harry Potter and almost on par with Dianne Wynne Jones. Be sure to start with the first one So You Want to Be a Wizard and to read them in order.)

My favorite out of the series by a honking mile--not that the others are bad, this one is just that good. It's not often when the A and B plots are almost equally as enjoyable, and the balance here is phenomenal (though I confess to liking Dari's story a bit more than Nita's, simply because I prefer--and relate to--Dari better than Nita). And the Sun Prince? Hoo-yeah.**Wizard's Holiday, rated 14+, rated 5/5 stars.

Dairine's dealing with no longer being the kid wizard prodigy, Kit and Nita feel like real grown ups now, and the wizard cultural exchange program is a brilliant premise. Plus every scene between Roshaun and Carmela is PURE GOLD.

While I enjoyed reading this book, I had some very mixed feelings about one of the two main plots in it. I also got a bit confused by some of the details.The main idea of the story is that Nita and Kit end up partaking in what was explained to be a sort of wizard exchange program; wizards visit other cultures, and in return, their home is used to house exchange wizards from other planets. However, the math of it didn't make any sense to me. I figured Nita and Kit would go to a home where one or [...]

While I enjoyed the premise of the book, I feel that there are a few too many things that were lacking to give this story a better rating.First the things I liked. I loved how very varied the alien species are throughout these series. They're not just humanoids with extra bits tacked on and with the widely different species, the dangers and fears and cultures are tailored to show that. I particularly enjoyed the parts where human culture was shown as kind of terrifying to other species.And Ponch [...]

"Young Wizards" book 7.If a people is stagnant, does an outsider have the right, or even an obligation, to disturb the waters and make them move forward?Nita's sister Dairine applies, without permission, for a sort of interstellar exchange program. Her punishment when caught is that Dairi is restricted to the Solar system, while Nita and Kit (the titular Young Wizards) take the trip. The planet Alaalu seems a paradise, a place where the people rejected the Lone Power and Its gift of entropy. The [...]

Dairine signs herself and Nita up for an 'excursion', but gets in trouble for it and is grounded. But Nita and Kit are allowed to take advantage of it for a trip to Alaalu, and Ponch goes too. Since it is an exchange program, Dairine is left at home to cope with the three alien 'exchange students' assigned to them. Initially with hilarious consequences, but later things become serious when the Sun begins to show signs of major problems. Meanwhile on Alaalu, the family with which Kit and Nita are [...]

The title is obviously a reference to "Busman's Holiday", the idea being that people ostensibly go away on holiday and then wind up doing the same thing that they'd do at home. That's slightly unfortunate for the characters, but good for us as readers.This book introduces several new characters, but it works well: they all get enough time to stand out and become memorable. There are also 2 plots going on, with a thematic link but no real interaction between them.(view spoiler)[Interestingly, 1 o [...]

This was good, although I’m getting tired of the Wizard books the longer they go on. The one before this was really boring, so unless the next book is terribly exciting and has more character development, I don't know if I’ll read it. The new characters in this book were awesome though, and Dairine’s part of the story was exciting. I always thought Nita liked Kit, but this seems to be ignored in the book.

Nita's ready for a vacation. A real vacation this time. Not something forced on her by her parents or The Powers That Be. At least Spring Break has arrived. Two whole weeks off from school, with nothing but voluntary wizardry to take up her time. Still, even that might be nice to get away fromGood thing Dairine has done her research. Apparently there's a sort of Wizard Exchange-Program in place so that wizards can witness other species' techniques of wizardry without having to deal with the Lone [...]

Wizard’s Holiday is the seventh book in the Young Wizard series by Diane Duane, a YA fantasy series which starts with So You Want to Be a Wizard. I generally recommend reading the series in order. The plot of this installment is basically wizards’ student exchange program – with aliens! Nita and Kit head off to stay at a strange planet where everything seems like it should be perfect, but there’s a lingering sense of unease. Dairine plays host to three alien visitors.““Uh, popi,” K [...]

The story itself was a good one, but I almost always find myself wanting more of an epilogue with these books. They just end too abruptly for my tastes. I want to hear Nita and Kit telling her family and Tom and Carl what happened on their trip, and I want to hear Dairine, their dad, and their guests telling Nita and Kit what they missed. I want to see Nita and Kit meeting their guests. I want reactions!

After the events of the last few errantry assignments, Nita, Kit, and Dairine are pretty exhausted. Dairine decides to apply for a wizard's vacation without permission and gets grounded to the solar system; she can't go outside our little circle of planets. Bummer! but Nita and Kit (and the dog Ponch!) are accepted to go, and they're sent to the lovely world of Alaalu, where people are tall and sunburned-looking and the entire planet is basically a beach. Nita and Kit make their plans and get to [...]

I read this back when it came out, but remembered very little of it. Reading a retrospective of the series (at online SFF magazine Strange Horizons) made me want to catch up on the last few entries, and this was suggested as a good point to step back in and catch up.Dairine, wanting to get away from the tense atmosphere that still hangs in the Callahan household after the events of The Wizard's Dilemma, signs herself and Nita up for an exchange program that would send them halfway across the uni [...]

Note: this is the 7th in the Young Wizards seriesNita, Kit and Dairine are hoping for a break from the craziness of their lives. Dairine signs up for a wizardly intergalactic exchange program- Kit & Nita head for the planet Alaalu, while 3 wizards come to stay at with Dairine & her father. But this turns out to not be as much of a vacation as they'd hoped. Nita & Kit relax on the peaceful planet, getting to know the friendly family they stay with. But they slowly begin to realize tha [...]

The latest in the Young Wizards series. Dairine, Nita, and their father are all still coping with the death of Mrs. Callahan in a previous book, and not doing it all that well yet. Dairine signs herself and Nita up for a wizards' cultural exchange program, unfortunately without first consulting Nita, their supervisory wizards, or their father. When the truth comes out, Mr. Callahan and the senior wizards ground Dairine. Nita and Kit go off on the cultural exchange program, while Dairine stays ho [...]

"There are moments in the lives of people, of nations, of cultures, of worlds, on which everything to come afterward hands, or turns – like the hinge of a door. If intervention comes at one moment, the door swings one way. If it comes a moment early, a moment late, the hinge swings another. And sometimes no intervention, regardless of its size, is enough to change the way the door swings."For a minute, I thought this was going to be a light-hearted Young Wizards book, after the last two book's [...]

Oh, how I love my little wizards.I really enjoyed the introduction of these new characters for this book and, as I understand it, they will be coming along for the ride in the next, so I get to spend more time with them. Filif is my new buddy and I am not ashamed to say that one of my favorite characters is basically vegetation. The plotline of this one was far more engaging than many in the past and was a welcome departure from the more clear, black-and-white mentality of Kit and Nita's adventu [...]

So this one is marked as read before on Shelfari, but I'm almost positive this was my first read. These books fell off my radar at some point and I just never got around to finishing the series, well, catching up, really.Anyway, another fine offering by Diane Duane. I like the fact that the books still feel innovative and fresh, even after such a long time and a somewhat repetitive story arc (though much better than most of fantasy).I also find it interesting that they're moving towards cliffhan [...]