Wizard

Wizard is one of several names given to practitioners of magic derived from supernatural, occult, or arcane sources. Wizards are common in fantasy works, and are common throughout the mythology and lore of human history. The archetypal wizard in the western tradition can be traced back to chivalric romances, where they were usually wise old men with long white beards, who wore robes and unorthodox hats. They usually acted as mentors to the main protagonists. Merlin is probably the most widely known example of this type of character. Not all wizards were forces for good; evil wizards are particularly common in more recent literary traditions. Moreover, the power of a wizard may vary, and few are truly omnipotent.

Literary comment

While numerous Harry Turtledove and Laura Frankos fantasies feature wizards, this article only deals with stories where the profession of wizardry itself is discussed.

Wizard in "After the Last Elf is Dead"

During the great war between the Dark Brother's empire and the Western Realm, both sides employed wizards among their combatants.

Wizard in The House of Daniel

Wizards were often as negatively impacted by the Big Bubble bursting as anyone else in the United States, and consequently took whatever work they could find. A wizard found Mich Carstairs for Big Stu Kesselring in May 1934, for example. However, the wizard didn't realize that Mich Carstairs was a woman.

See also

• Witch, a similar archetypical magic user, which is interchangeable with a wizard in some fantasy universes.