Conference noted::sf

971.0. "Rick Cook: Wizardry Cursed" by ANGLIN::KIRKMAN (Yeah, I get StarTrek jokes.) Mon Apr 08 1991 19:46

    I'm about half way through "Wizardry Cursed" by Rick Cook.  This book
    has the *feel* of a first publication.  There also is no list of
    previous publications in the front pages of the book.  However, there
    are repeated references to events that occur to the characters prior to
    the start of the book.  Does anyone know if other books do exist, and
    if so what the titles are?
    
    This book has been an enjoyable read up to this point.  Not real deep,
    and the author has difficulty tying up all the minor lose ends in the
    action. (A character shows an arrow to a companion, and says `don't
    touch`, but in the next paragraph the companion hands the arrow back to
    the original character.)  However, the author has a wonderful sense of
    humor and develops the characters reasonably well.  The author is not
    above taking pot shots at IBM, the military, or using some *groaners*.
    
    Basically, this story is about a parallel universe in which magic can
    either be performed in the *traditional* forms or by writing programs 
    contisting of simple magic spells.  There is interaction with our
    universe, and the main characters are Silicon Valley programmers which
    were pulled into the alternate universe, wrote a magic compiler, and
    became major wizards.  The author seems familar with the software
    development environment.
    
    Scott

    I haven't read/seen Wizardry Cursed yet but I assume it is a
    continuation of other books of the same flavor:
	1.  Wizard's Bane (Baen) ISBN 0-671-69803-6 FEB 1989
	2.  Wizardry Compiled (Baen) ISBN 0-671-69856-7 JAN 1990

    Not too heavy and predicatable but I enjoyed them.  Guess I will have
    to get Wizardry Cursed.

    Bob

    re: -1
    
    Thanks for the titles.  
    
    Now I'll need to go back and read the prevous books.  I dislike reading
    a series out of order, but the book was worth the read.  As a
    programmer, I enjoy the humor.
    
    Scott

Just finished reading all three book within the past two days.  A fun series,
especially if your into computer folklore....