During the 16th and 17th centuries, a period known as the Scientific Revolution, a conflict emerged between science and religion. One prominent figure at the center of this conflict was Galileo Galilei, an Italian astronomer, physicist, and mathematician. Galileo's groundbreaking work challenged the traditional beliefs of the Catholic Church, particularly in the field of astronomy. His observations and experiments using the newly invented telescope led him to support the Copernican heliocentric model of the solar system, which claimed that the Earth revolved around the Sun. This contradicted the Church's geocentric view, which held that the Earth was the center of the universe. As Galileo's ideas gained popularity, he faced increasing opposition from the Catholic Church.
"Fights and flights are non-stop in Maximum Ride. The writing is visual and cinematic--things that kids expect from their video games, TV cartoon shows and action movies."
--USA Today "Patterson is not just for adults anymore. With the Maximum Ride series he has created edgy, taut thrillers that teens won't be able to put down. The characters are easy to identify with and I can't wait to see what happens to Max and her family next!"--Cathy, Bookseller, Blue Willow Bookshop
When a dystopian government controls every aspect of society, siblings Wisty and Whit Allgood may be the world s only hope in this magical beginning of James Patterson s Witch some have been accused; many others remain missing. For 15-year-old Wisty and her older brother Whit, life turns upside down when they are torn from their parents one night and slammed into a secret prison for no reason they can comprehend.
As Galileo's ideas gained popularity, he faced increasing opposition from the Catholic Church. In 1616, the Church declared heliocentrism as heretical and prohibited the teaching or defense of the Copernican theory. Galileo was subsequently warned not to promote these views and was placed under house arrest for the remaining years of his life.
Book Review: Witch & Wizard by James Patterson & Gabrielle Charbonnet
Why did I read this book: I’ve actually never read a James Patterson novel, for all his bestsellers and apparent domination of the thriller genre, so when we received an ARC of Witch & Wizard, I have to admit I was very curious. I hadn’t read a good thriller in a while, and the synopsis of Witch & Wizard sounded delightfully fun…
Summary: (from amazon.com)
The world is changing: the government has seized control of every aspect of society, and now, kids are disappearing. For 15-year-old Wisty and her older brother Whit, life turns upside down when they are torn from their parents one night and slammed into a secret prison for no reason they can comprehend. The New Order, as it is known, is clearly trying to suppress Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Being a Normal Teenager. But while trapped in this totalitarian nightmare, Wisty and Whit discover they have incredible powers they’d never dreamed of. Can this newly minted witch and wizard master their skills in time to save themselves, their parents–and maybe the world?
Review:
By Order of the New Order.
and the Great Wind – The One Who Is
THE ONE –
let it be known that as of
NOW. THIS MOMENT. or
TWELVE O’CLOCK MIDNIGHT.
whichever shall arrive first, following the
SWIFT TRIUMPH of the ORDER of the
ONES WHO PROTECT, who have obliterated the
BLIND AND DUMB FORCES of passivity and
complacency PLAGUING this world,
ALL CITIZENS must, shall and will abide by
THESE THREE ORDERS FOR ORDER:
1. All behaviors NOT in keeping with N.O. law, logic, order, and science (including but not limited to theology, philosophy, and IN PARTICULAR the creative and dark arts, et cetera) are hereby ABOLISHED.
2. ALL persons under eighteen years of age will be evaluated for ORDERLINESS and MUST COMPLY with the prescribed corrective actions.
3. The One Who Is THE ONE grants, appoints, decides, siezes, and executes at will. All NOT complying shall be SEIZED and/or EXECUTED.
by THE ONE WHO IS THE ONE
N.O. The New Order has seized control of the country, and no one is safe – especially not Wisty Allgood and her older brother Whit. One night, N.O. goons march down the Allgood’s street and force their way into their home, apprehending the Allgood children on account that they are a Witch and Wizard. Whit and Wisty are enraged and terrified – there are no such things as witches or wizards, after all, so why should they go along with these horrible soldiers? Overpowered and with their parents’ safety threatened, the two teens have no choice but to be taken into custody…but soon they realize how hopeless their situation is. Without a proper trial, without due process, Whit and Wisty are convicted as GUILTY by The One Who Judges, and are thrown into a maximum security prison (that is actually a mental institution) with “power dampening” spells to stop the teens from using their magical abilities.
But then, they actually discover that they DO have magical powers. Wisty is able to transform objects, people and animals, and when enraged bursts into flame. Whit is incredibly fast and strong, impervious to weapons like stun guns. Together, the brother and sister must figure out a way to escape their prison, and to bring to fruition a prophecy – a certain prophecy that foretells their rise to power and make right the wrongs of the world.
From a purely theoretical standpoint, the actual story for Witch & Wizard is freakin’ fantastic. The absurdity of the New Order (so poetically reduced to the word “N.O.” on flags and insignias) is pure gold, and the concept of an all-powerful dictator on a determined witch hunt is social satire at its best. The concept of two very powerful siblings, oblivious to their significance to the world as protagonists is also solid gold, and could have made for some fascinating character development.
But, unfortunately, as wonderful as all these concepts seem, they wre never brought to life on the page. There is no soul to this book – it’s written in an entirely simplistic manner with absolutely no skill or subtlety. The entire book, told from alternating viewpoints of Whit and Wisty, is written in episodic, extremely brief 1-2 page chapters. The overall impression I was left with was that Witch & Wizard read like a really bad made-for-tv movie; the ridiculously short chapters equivalent to reading ADD. Heck, in one of the later chapters, Wisty actually gives a bullet point recap of the novel so far. Seriously.
In addition to the simplistic writing, there also was a sad lack in terms of character development (beyond the fact that Wisty is the smart-alec younger sister to Whit’s golden boy/hunk persona). This is probably due to the fact that the chapters were so very short, and entirely focused on the next chase scene. The plotseed of strain between the siblings’ relationship evaporates almost as soon as it is mentioned, and you can forget about any deep, soul-searching thoughts about their newly developed powers or any questioning of the New Order world they live in. Needless to say, I was extremely disappointed.
Overall, Witch & Wizard had a great core concept and an intriguing potential for plot and character development. A Great Idea, but really shoddy execution. Top the bad writing with a really crappy, sell-out of a cliffhanger, and you’ve got some frustrated readers on your hands. Perhaps I’ll give Mr. Patterson’s Maximum Ride books a try, but Witch & Wizard disappointed me on so many levels. I’ll give book 2 a read, but there’s a lot of ground that has to be made up to win me over.
Notable Quotes/Parts: The Prologue…
YOU’RE NOT IN KANSAS ANYMOREWisty
IT’S OVERWHELMING. A city’s worth of angry faces staring at me like I’m a wicked criminal—which, I promise you, I’m not. The stadium is filled to capacity—past capacity. People are standing in the aisles, the stairwells, on the concrete ramparts, and a few extra thousand are camped out on the playing field. There are no football teams here today. They wouldn’t be able to get out of the locker-room tunnels if they tried.This total abomination is being broadcast on TV and the Internet too. All the useless magazines are here, and the useless newspapers. Yep, I see cameramen in elevated roosts at intervals around the stadium.
There’s even one of those remote-controlled cameras that runs around on wires above the field. There it is—hovering just in front of the stage, bobbing slightly in the breeze.
So there are undoubtedly millions more eyes watching than I can see. But it’s the ones here in the stadium that are breaking my heart. To be confronted with tens, maybe even hundreds of thousands, of curious, uncaring, or at least indifferent, faces…talk about frightening.
And there are no moist eyes, never mind tears.
No words of protest.
No stomping feet.
No fists raised in solidarity.
No inkling that anybody’s even thinking of surging forward, breaking through the security cordon, and carrying my family to safety.
Clearly, this is not a good day for us Allgoods.
In fact, as the countdown ticker flashes on the giant video screens at either end of the stadium, it’s looking like this will be our last day.
It’s a point driven home by the very tall, bald man up in the tower they’ve erected midfield—he looks like a cross between a Supreme Court chief justice and Ming the Merciless. I know who he is. I’ve actually met him. He’s The One Who Is The One.
Directly behind his Oneness is a huge N.O. banner—
THE NEW ORDER.
And then the crowd begins to chant, almost sing, “The One Who Is The One! The One Who Is The One!”
Imperiously, The One raises his hand, and his hooded lackeys on the stage push us forward, at least as far as the ropes around our necks will allow.
I see my brother, Whit, handsome and brave, looking
down at the platform mechanism. Calculating if there’s any way to jam it, some means of keeping it from unlatching and dropping us to our neck-snapping deaths. Wondering if there’s a last-minute way out of this.
See my mother crying quietly. Not for herself, of course, but for Whit and me.
I see my father, his tall frame stooped with resignation, smiling at me and my brother—trying to keep our spirits up, reminding us that there’s no point in being miserable in our last moments on this planet.
But I’m getting ahead of myself. I’m supposed to be providing an introduction here, not the details of our public execution.
So let’s go back a bit….
You can read more excerpts from Witch & Wizard online HERE.
Additional Thoughts: If you’re looking for a simliar series about two young protagonists fighting a totalitarian nightmare of a government, I *highly* recommend you check out Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials series.
Thought-provoking, intelligently written, and with enough depth to satiate even the oldest, most seasoned readers, His Dark Materials is amazing. Start with The Golden Compass (UK Title: Northern Lights), then go on to The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass. If you’ve seen the movie adaptation and are (understandably) hesitant, please do not be! The movie was NOTHING compared to the book’s greatness; it was a mere paramecium to the book’s complexity.
Verdict: Excellent idea marred by truly horrendous execution. Witch & Wizard is all action with no soul – a skelleton of plot with no muscle, sinew or flesh to cover it. Perhaps dedicated James Patterson fans will enjoy this book, but it was a disappointment for me.
Rating: 5 – Meh
Reading Next: A Rush of Wings & In the Blood by Adrian Phoenix
Wisty IT’S OVERWHELMING. A city’s worth of angry faces staring at me like I’m a wicked criminal—which, I promise you, I’m not. The stadium is filled to capacity—past capacity. People are standing in the aisles, the stairwells, on the concrete ramparts, and a few extra thousand are camped out on the playing field. There are no football teams here today. They wouldn’t be able to get out of the locker-room tunnels if they tried. This total abomination is being broadcast on TV and the Internet too. All the useless magazines are here, and the useless newspapers. Yep, I see cameramen in elevated roosts at intervals around the stadium. There’s even one of those remote-controlled cameras that runs around on wires above the field. There it is—hovering just in front of the stage, bobbing slightly in the breeze. So there are undoubtedly millions more eyes watching than I can see. But it’s the ones here in the stadium that are breaking my heart. To be confronted with tens, maybe even hundreds of thousands, of curious, uncaring, or at least indifferent, faces…talk about frightening. And there are no moist eyes, never mind tears. No words of protest. No stomping feet. No fists raised in solidarity. No inkling that anybody’s even thinking of surging forward, breaking through the security cordon, and carrying my family to safety. Clearly, this is not a good day for us Allgoods. In fact, as the countdown ticker flashes on the giant video screens at either end of the stadium, it’s looking like this will be our last day. It’s a point driven home by the very tall, bald man up in the tower they’ve erected midfield—he looks like a cross between a Supreme Court chief justice and Ming the Merciless. I know who he is. I’ve actually met him. He’s The One Who Is The One. Directly behind his Oneness is a huge N.O. banner— THE NEW ORDER. And then the crowd begins to chant, almost sing, “The One Who Is The One! The One Who Is The One!” Imperiously, The One raises his hand, and his hooded lackeys on the stage push us forward, at least as far as the ropes around our necks will allow. I see my brother, Whit, handsome and brave, looking down at the platform mechanism. Calculating if there’s any way to jam it, some means of keeping it from unlatching and dropping us to our neck-snapping deaths. Wondering if there’s a last-minute way out of this. See my mother crying quietly. Not for herself, of course, but for Whit and me. I see my father, his tall frame stooped with resignation, smiling at me and my brother—trying to keep our spirits up, reminding us that there’s no point in being miserable in our last moments on this planet. But I’m getting ahead of myself. I’m supposed to be providing an introduction here, not the details of our public execution. So let’s go back a bit….
This conflict between Galileo and the Church symbolizes a clash between science and religion, with Galileo representing the pursuit of knowledge through empirical evidence and the Church representing religious doctrine and authority. Galileo's work challenged the Church's power and authority in matters of science, and the Church responded by suppressing his ideas and limiting his influence. However, despite the Church's attempts to suppress Galileo's ideas, his work ultimately had a profound impact on the development of modern science. His observations and experiments laid the foundation for the scientific method and our understanding of the natural world. Galileo's courage and determination to pursue scientific truth despite the opposition he faced serves as an inspiration to future scientists and thinkers. In conclusion, Galileo's forbidden magic refers to his revolutionary ideas and observations that challenged the traditional beliefs of the Catholic Church. Despite facing opposition and persecution, Galileo's work paved the way for modern science and our understanding of the universe. His story serves as a reminder of the importance of questioning established beliefs and pursuing knowledge through empirical evidence..
Reviews for "Revisiting Galileo's Forbidden Magic: Unearthing Forgotten Elements"
1. John Doe - 2 stars - "I was really disappointed with 'Galileoo Forbidden Magic'. The writing was subpar, filled with grammatical errors and awkward sentence structures. The plot seemed promising at first, but quickly fell apart with inconsistent character development and a lack of depth. The world-building was weak and it felt like the author didn't put enough thought into their magical system. Overall, I found the book to be a frustrating read and would not recommend it."
2. Jane Smith - 3 stars - "I wanted to like 'Galileoo Forbidden Magic', but I found myself struggling to get through it. The pacing was too slow, with large sections that felt meandering and unnecessary to the overall plot. The characters were underdeveloped and lacked depth, making it hard to connect with any of them. Additionally, the dialogue was often stilted and awkward. While I appreciate the author's attempt at crafting a unique magical world, the execution fell flat for me. Overall, it had potential, but it was ultimately a disappointing read."
3. Michael Johnson - 2 stars - "I found 'Galileoo Forbidden Magic' to be a tedious and confusing read. The writing style was convoluted, with excessive description and a disjointed narrative structure. The author attempted to create a complex magical system, but it was poorly explained, leaving me feeling lost and disconnected from the story. The characters were forgettable and their motivations were unclear. The plot lacked cohesiveness, with too many subplots that went unresolved. I struggled to stay engaged and ended up skimming through large portions of the book. Overall, I was left feeling frustrated and unsatisfied with this novel."
4. Sarah Thompson - 1 star - "I regret picking up 'Galileoo Forbidden Magic'. The writing was amateurish, with numerous spelling and grammar mistakes throughout. The dialogue was cringe-worthy, filled with cliches and unrealistic conversations. The plot had potential, but it was poorly executed, with plot holes and a lack of satisfying resolution. The characters were one-dimensional and lacked complexity. Reading this book felt like a chore, and I would not recommend it to anyone."
5. David Brown - 2 stars - "I had high hopes for 'Galileoo Forbidden Magic', but unfortunately, it didn't deliver. The world-building was weak and felt underdeveloped, leaving me wanting more. The plot was slow-paced and meandering, with too many tangents that didn't add anything to the overall story. The characters were difficult to connect with, as their motivations were unclear and their actions felt inconsistent. While the concept of forbidden magic was intriguing, it was poorly explored and left me wanting a more satisfying exploration of the magical system. Overall, I was left feeling disappointed and unsatisfied with this book."