Wizards

In fantasy worlds, who is the most dynamic wizard character written?

  • Gandalf

  • Saruman

  • Albus

  • Merlin

  • Harry (Dresden)

  • Harry (Potter)

  • Allanon

  • Pug

  • Rand al' Thor

  • Snape

  • Kvothe

Results are only viewable after voting.
Eli Grey

Eli Grey

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I find myself putting more and more elements into my world that I didn't really want at first. But logically, it made sense. Wizards are one of those elements. My all time favorite wizard is Gandalf. He's more dynamic than most. He wants to get things done and he doesn't mind too much how they get done. He sends the most innocent of creatures on perilous journeys. But he's a good wizard fighting on the side of light, right?
 
I'm with you on Gandalf.

Whose Merlin, though? I like Mary Stewart's version best.

I'd also like to nominate Howl (Diana Wynne Jones - Howl's Moving Castle) as one of my all-time favourites, especially when he covers himself in green slime. DWJ's Chrestomanci - generally to be seen stalking around in an elegant dressing gown - is another favourite.
 
Snape is my favourite - but then, I have a soft spot for characters who've made mistakes but come back from them, and are willing to do whatever needs to be done. Snape is fallible, but heroic. :)
 
Wizards as mentor figures are usually more interesting for their character than the magic they do. Gandalf is a good example - he uses very little actual magic in Lord of the Rings.
 
Gandalf: He's versatile in that he has connections, is a counselor, has a wide breadth of knowledge and experience not related to magic, he has some powerful abilities in magic but it doesn't define him.
 
Vince W said:
Of the wizards listed there I would have to go with Gandalf. However, there are other wizards/sorcerers I would add to this list: Thoth-Amon, Rincewind, Belgarath, and Elric to name a few.
Click to expand...
If adding, I would suggest Sethra Lavode, from Brust's Vlad Taltos series.
 
Brian G Turner said:
Wizards as mentor figures are usually more interesting for their character than the magic they do. Gandalf is a good example - he uses very little actual magic in Lord of the Rings.
Click to expand...

Yes, and the trouble is, he's so powerful that he just can't be allowed to do any magic or else the plot will collapse because he'll just sort everything with his magic. So Tolkien spends a lot of his time inventing various decoys for Gandalf - captured by Saruman, falling into the abyss etc...it's amazing, given he's such a central character, how much of the time he isn't anywhere near the action.
 
What makes a wizard dynamic?


I'd add that Dumbledore seems more jawing than using magic on the mentor front.


For me, after a brief pause, I think Nevyn in the Deverry series by Katherine Kerr is one of my favourite wizards. I like how he's both mentor and protagonist (and everything else about him really, but that's the most interesting thing from a storytelling point of view).
 
Although his name is not in the list above, I will give my vote to Belgarath. He was funny, *dynamic* by the tasks he had to do for Aldur and he really didn't like to do things by himself once he knew better. :D
 
That reminds me - don't forget Raistlin! Too often, wizards are nothing more than a walking deus ex machina who exist to get the main character(s) out of trouble - Raistlin, however, is different. :)
 
Couple that could make the shortlist:

Abercrombies Bayaz, First of the Magi.
Brooks, Allanon, Last of the Druids.

I cast my vote for Gandalf.

With regards to Gandalf, posters above have mentioned that if Gndalf acted then it would be a Deus Ex Meachina type of intervention but we know that isn't the case. While Gandalf is very strong (one of the strongest beings left on Middle Earth) he was utterly terrified of the corrupting power of the Ring and he could not have stood against Sauron without the power of the One Ring which he ultimately feared would corrupt even him. Worth remembering that Galadriel was the most powerful being in Middle Earth (I suspect even more so that Sauron) and even she does not trust herself with the One Ring.

The true test of Power here comes not from blasts of magic or fireballs but from resistance to the corrupting power of Men.

At least that's how I see it with regards to Gandalf - he did everything he could, within the limited role he could take on Middle Earth. I never saw this as Tolkien restricting Gandalfs interaction but as Gandalf himself limiting his own powers for fears of repeating mistakes of others.
 
How about Throckmorton P Ruddygore ? He's the top wizard in Jack Chalker's Dancing Gods series. :)
 
I've got two candidates, one of them a multiple. First is Sparrowhawk/Ged from Earthsea. And any of the wizard children from Young Wizards are interesting; for sheer power, it would have to be Dairine. 11-year-old girl with literally universe-shaking power - eek!
 
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