Wizard

Gaean Trilogy, Book 2

By: John Varley

Narrated by: Allyson Johnson

One of the greatest science-fiction epics ever written, John Varley's Titan, Wizard, and Demon comprise a groundbreaking trilogy that will live forever. Human explorers have entered the sprawling mind of the alien Gaea. Now they must fight her will. For she is much too powerful. And definitely insane....Download more titles in John Varley's Gaea series, including book 1, Titan, and book 3, Demon.©1979 John Varley (P)2008 Audible

classic sci-fi for the ages

I could make my complaints, poking about why it wasn't absolutely perfect but the truth is I listened to the entire book in less than 30 hours. my life is better amd happier, I can rum faster and jump higher, due to this novel.

Loved it when I read it years ago

And loved the entire series again in audio. The characters are compelling and the world of Gaea is inventive and the creatures Gaea made inspired by Earth movies are wonderful. The Titanides are centaurs with a complex reproductive system involving up to 4 parents and they are particularly appealing. They use the names of the Greek musical modes (Aeolian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian) coupled with the words "solo", "duet", "trio" or "quartet" to describe the number of parents the individual has, and the ways in which genetic material is transferred between them. They are also brightly colored with intricate patterns.
I never forgot the Titanides or the Blimps or Cirroco Jones from my early reading of the trilogy and it was great fun to relive the experience in the audio version.
In this second part of the trilogy Cirocco is falling from grace after living for decades on Gaea and she's not as appealing as a drunken wizard but the world of Gaea is always fascinating and worth the trip.

The narrator is fine, story is unique, but...

For the love of Gaia, whoever put the loud music over the voice of the narrator at the beginning, randomly in the middle, and at the end should find a new line if work. This was the only thing I'd really complain about. I hope the do a new, better production. Oh and the chapters don't line up. In the middle, it seems like it's starting over but really it's just poor production.

Other than that it's definitely an interesting story that melds aliens, gender, sexuality, and mythology.

A sci fi masterpiece

I gave read the Gaean trilogy many years ago and loved it. It was creative and very well developed without being overly wordy or overly descriptive. The world is clearly painted without becoming dull in endless descriptions. Very interesting well developed characters that leave you wanting more. The narrator did an excellent job. Her voice is very clear. The characters voices are distinct and it is not difficult at all to tell which characters are meant to be speaking at the time. I highly recommend this book series.

Dissension on Gaea

John Varley's Wizard is the sequel to Titan. The story takes place 75 years after Titan. Cirocco has taken on the role of the 'wizard' and serves as an essential component in titanide reproduction. This function along with the inexorable cognitive decline of Gaea has made her an alcoholic. Gaea entertains selected 'pilgrims' who come to Gaea to be cured. In her sick joke sort of way she toys with them and promises a cure in exchange for some heroic deed. Two pilgrims accompany Cirocco and Gaby on a trek across Gaea where strange things happens while Cirocco appears to be planning something with the Gaean secondary brains.

Wizard suffers from the typical middle child syndrome common in trilogies. It comes off as a hodge-podge of themes and plot lines in an attempt to set up a more satisfying denouncement with some resolution of the evolving Gaean madness. The tale's specific characters, Robin and Chris (with intentionally ambiguous names) enter with weird illnesses and introduce lots of philosophical musings on religion and gender roles as well as an interspecies romance in addition more traditional' brokeback mountain interludes. Probably the most salient commentary is that Gaea's penchant for movies and film has led to her mental instability.

Narration is well done with good character distinction and reasonable pacing.