Magic Manual

Author: Du An
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-01-01
Features: The Young Magicians is a newly introduced series of American young fantasy novels, including The Magic Grimoire, The Hero of the Deep Sea, The Space Hacker, The Irish Ghost, The Chilling Time, and The Last Magic Spell. The story follows a young American girl named Nita, who accidentally obtains a Magic Grimoire and befriends her magical companions—boy Kit and the fairy Fred. From then on, they embark on extraordinary adventures, traveling through the heavens and the earth, reversing time, communicating with all things, and fighting evil to promote goodness. They compete with the god of cosmic death, help their sister survive the trials of the space hacker, confront the malevolent forces that have been dormant for millions of years, dispel the shadows in their hearts, and break out of the death zone. Eventually, the magic disappears, and Nita and her companions also realize the true essence of life—love and responsibility are the source of humanity's continuity.
The British Harry Potter has arrived, the French "sister of Harry Potter" has arrived, and the American young magicians Nita, Kit, and Delin have also arrived. One is a little girl who excels in communicating with trees, holding a rowan magic wand; the other is a little boy who is good at dealing with stones and metals, possessing a magic antenna. Together with the white fairy they summon from the distant universe with spells, they engage in a fierce battle against the dark destructor who invented death, ascending and descending, reversing time, in a series of thrilling scenes. This not only tests the courage and wisdom of children once again but also adds a new whirlwind of black magic to the already flourishing fantasyism in children's literature. This is The Young Magicians, a newly introduced American fantasy novel by Zhejiang Children's Publishing House.
At the just-concluded book industry extravaganza—the 2004 Beijing Book Fair—the classic version of this American fantasy novel created a miracle of selling out its first print run of 20,000 copies and receiving orders for 30,000 copies. To stand out among tens of thousands of new books, attract attention, and quickly rank among the Top 10 Most Promising Bestsellers of 2004 in China Book Business Report, what magic does The Young Magicians possess? According to reports, the series novel The Young Magicians by American female author Diana Du An was first published in 1983, more than a decade earlier than Harry Potter. Three young children—Nita, Kit, and Delin—accidentally obtain the Magic Grimoire and become the youngest magicians in New York. In their multiple confrontations with the representative of the dark forces—the lone demon king—they demonstrate extraordinary strength and wisdom. Eventually, the magic disappears, and the young magicians also realize the true essence of life—love and responsibility are the source of humanity's continuity.
In addition to the commonalities such as clearly defined good and evil characters, thrilling and plots, a light and humorous tone, and imaginative journeys across time, The Young Magicians differs from Harry Potter in that it is closer to life and has a certain realistic significance. In the story, Americans seem to show a stronger sense of seriousness and a deeper sense of mission compared to the British. In J.K. Rowling's works, Voldemort is born as the embodiment of all evil, and Harry Potter is destined to be the greatest magician—their main connection is that Voldemort killed Potter's parents. However, in The Young Magicians, the lone demon king is not just the leader of dark wizards—he is the creator of entropy, responsible for environmental pollution, the depletion of energy, the death of life, and the aging of the universe. Correspondingly, the duties of Nita, Kit, and others are not just to defeat the villain but to fundamentally protect life and alleviate suffering.
"I use magic only to serve life, with nothing else in mind." This is the promise they must make before becoming magicians. In the novel, they go to great lengths—ascending and descending, risking their lives—to reduce sea pollution, maintain planetary, prevent tectonic collisions, and alleviate suffering from illnesses. The lone demon king is repeatedly helpless and retreats in defeat. However, he will inevitably return, because the death of life and the exhaustion of energy are unavoidable. Despite this, the magicians still press forward with their mission. To a certain extent, as a fantasy novel, The Young Magicians now resembles more of a grand allegory about life.