Have you ever played any Elder Scrolls game where you can find books you can actually read in a digital chamber? It makes the mythological world feel richer, doesn't it? Though the majority of players would probably just skip it and go on with the quest, I'm one of those literary types who would take the time to devour its marvels. Well, Mulogo's Treatise on Wizardry by Joseph J. Bailey, reminds me of that: a fantasy metafiction that would make readers feel like there's a real wizard somewhere in reality, and guess what? You can be too!
After the introduction of the wizard archetype Mulogo, the book opens up with the question: "So you want to be a wizard?" (Nods). Who wouldn't? Wizards are cool! But would you really want to be a wizard after Mulogo presents a list of his dangerous experiences? (With second-thoughts: Still nods...)
Its lengthy subtext pretty much summarizes the witty tone that Bailey establishes in the whole book:
Being a Succinct Guide to a Magician's Survival in a World of Frequently Misguided but Well-Intentioned Knights, Wise but Often Hungry Dragons, Hordes of Rampaging Extradimensional Interlopers, Treacherous Backstabbing Rogues, Far-reaching Nefarious Plots, and Random Calamity Brought by Sorcerous Error
Written in second-person POV, in a lighthearted tone that makes the book seem to be geared for teenage audience or to an audience new to the world of epic fantasy, the treatise is focused on the point: "To be an exceptional wizard, you have to be subtle and focus on the effort of acquiring knowledge." Being the ideal wizard also means being "un-wizardly".
The author also describes the three types of wizards: selfish, hermetic, and alphas --Types which I thought are very-generalized. It made me question, "Could a wizard possess qualities of two or more types?". Often times, it sounds like a self-help book, telling us the obvious advice: "Failing is inevitable" or "Take the safer route. It's not about being in a dangerous situation, but being wise to assess a situation". Bailey portrays an ideal wizard to be the Gandalf-type--stealthy, wise, calm, almost like a ninja, minus the mask. The book also presents a lot of interesting scenarios that wizards may face.
Because of its poetic tone, "Your Place in the World" is probably my favorite chapter. However, I think the real gem here is the glossary of "wizardly" terms found at the last
section.
After the introduction of the wizard archetype Mulogo, the book opens up with the question: "So you want to be a wizard?" (Nods). Who wouldn't? Wizards are cool! But would you really want to be a wizard after Mulogo presents a list of his dangerous experiences? (With second-thoughts: Still nods...)
Its lengthy subtext pretty much summarizes the witty tone that Bailey establishes in the whole book:
Being a Succinct Guide to a Magician's Survival in a World of Frequently Misguided but Well-Intentioned Knights, Wise but Often Hungry Dragons, Hordes of Rampaging Extradimensional Interlopers, Treacherous Backstabbing Rogues, Far-reaching Nefarious Plots, and Random Calamity Brought by Sorcerous Error
Written in second-person POV, in a lighthearted tone that makes the book seem to be geared for teenage audience or to an audience new to the world of epic fantasy, the treatise is focused on the point: "To be an exceptional wizard, you have to be subtle and focus on the effort of acquiring knowledge." Being the ideal wizard also means being "un-wizardly".
The author also describes the three types of wizards: selfish, hermetic, and alphas --Types which I thought are very-generalized. It made me question, "Could a wizard possess qualities of two or more types?". Often times, it sounds like a self-help book, telling us the obvious advice: "Failing is inevitable" or "Take the safer route. It's not about being in a dangerous situation, but being wise to assess a situation". Bailey portrays an ideal wizard to be the Gandalf-type--stealthy, wise, calm, almost like a ninja, minus the mask. The book also presents a lot of interesting scenarios that wizards may face.
Because of its poetic tone, "Your Place in the World" is probably my favorite chapter. However, I think the real gem here is the glossary of "wizardly" terms found at the last
section.
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