Who Is The Best Wizard Of All Time?

[Kyle]

It's a tie-up for me between Gandalf and Dumbledore.

[Lana Bradstream]

I wish I could say Gandalf, because he is awesome and a classic, but I just can't. I love Raistlin Majere from the Dragonlance books. He's the first wizard I encountered -- in sixth grade -- and he's stuck with me every since.

[Hazel]

Raistlin Majere. There is no argument.

[Howard]

Harry Copperfield Blackstone Dresdin, is my favorite Wizard. From "The Dresdin Files"

[Pratiti]

Tie between Gandalf and Christopher Chant from the Chrestomanci books by Diana Wynne Jones. Although I suppose Christopher/Chrestomanci is technically an enchanter...

[April]

That's a tough one... I love Gandalf, but I almost want to say Hesrahaddon from Theft of Swords by Michael J. Sulliavan. Or better yet, Howl from Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones. But then there's Kale from the Dragonkeeper Chronicles by Donita K. Paul. Agh, there are so many to choose from!!

[Lauren]

Gandalf the Grey is THE wizard to end all wizards. He fought a Balrog, died, came back to life as Gandalf the White, resisted the temptation to take the ring as his own, fought valiantly for thousands of years in Middle Earth. Oh yes, he's the coolest wizard EVER.

[Hazel]

Well, if you want the wizard to end all wizards, really, you have to go to Merlin. The most powerful sorceror to have ever been committed to legend. He can call dragons, see the future, throw fire, create glamours, take on fae, the legends go on and on, if you can think of it, he is said to have been able to do it. And on top of that, he's a bastard, and everyone loves a bastard ( AND he's a bastard in both senses of the word too)

[Will]

Hazel, have you read Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell?

[Hazel]

I have not. It was one that sort of passed under the radar.

[Will]

You must read it. I think you'd really enjoy it.

[Danita L]

I really LOVED Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. Have 2 copies, one for myself and one to loan out.

And the greatest Wizard of all time??

If you say any wizard other than Merlin, you are too young, lol.

Although I adore Gandalf as well.

[Hazel]

Will, I shall add it to the looooooong list of books that I have to read :P

[Will]

Nope! Move it right to the front! You'll thank me! XD

[Micaela]

I would have to go with Radagast the Brown from Lord of the Rings.

[Hazel]

Will wrote: "Nope! Move it right to the front! You'll thank me! XD"

first I have to find a copy, and then procure said copy, till then, its just at the end of the list. :P

[Bridget]

Hazel wrote: "Well, if you want the wizard to end all wizards, really, you have to go to Merlin. The most powerful sorceror to have ever been committed to legend. He can call dragons, see the future, throw fire,..."

Merlin will always be a great wizard to me. I've always had a soft spot for the Arthurian Legend, but was always more a fan of Arthur than Merlin. Still he is a great wizard.

My favorite would probably have to be Gandalf because when you say wizard, he's the one that pops into my head.

Wizards are like anything else, it's so hard to pick just one.

[Daniel]

Dr. Stephen Strange, the Sorceror Supreme

also

Elric VIII, 428th Emperor of Melniboné

[Lord]

Aberforth Dumbledore

[Chuck]

Mr. Norrell.

[Stepheny]

Definately Dumbledore.

[Rogue]

Duh! Gandalf the Grey!

[Lana Bradstream]

I think I'm seeing a Gandalf-Dumbledore-Merlin pattern here. :)

[Chuck]

So, I've read Lord of the Rings and I've read lots of King Arthur stories and neither Gandalf nor Merlin seem to do a lot of magic. Certainly not huge flashy battles like Harry Potter. Can anyone defend their votes for Gandalf or Merlin with some impressive examples of magical power (as opposed to leadership and organizing)?

[Will]

Dude, Gandalf battled a fucking Balrog for like 10 days straight. I promise he didn't do it with brute strength.

[Badgerlord]

Chuck wrote: "... neither Gandalf nor Merlin seem to do a lot of magic. Certainly not huge flashy battles like Harry Potter. Can anyone..."

Did Dumbledore actually do anything magically amazing etiher? I can't think of much.

[Chuck]

Beating the Balrog is awesome but, from what I remember, it wasn't really depicted in the book.

I didn't read the Harry Potter series but, I wonder what Dumbledore did, too. Harry Potter went toe-to-toe in a final battle but Dumbledore was already dead. These guys are living off reputation, alone, maybe.

I voted for Mr. Norrell up above but I meant to vote for Jonathan Strange (there goes my credibility), because he did a lot of magic, took down armies, and generally lived by magic rather than as the old sage in the background.

[Badgerlord]

True. I think a lot of 'great magicians' just knew how to look like they knew what they were doing. You know, by saying things that appear to make sense only to them. Also, wasn't much of Gandalf's fighting of the Balrog climbing lots of stairs?

Two magician/wizards who actually did stuff? Eragon and Aubrey Fitzwilliam.

[Will]

The fight with the Balrog is briefly described, but like I said, it happened over a 10 day period.

[Micaela]

I think that out of Gandalf and Dumbledore I think that Gandalf does more magic cuz he does a lot of little things like he lights up the way in the Mines of Moria, he opens the door to Moria, he fights Saruman using magic and does a lot of little things but in Harry Potter he transports to places and stuff like that but when it comes down to it all Gandalf does more. I did not include Merlin cuz I have never read any books on him I only know that he has something to do with King Arther and thats it, But when it comes down to it all Radagast the Brown is the best wizard.

[Dale]

Definitely Gandalf. He is the originator, not the imitator.

[Hazel]

things that merlin did...

he transformed Uther into the likeness of his enemy so that he could sleep with Igraine, thus producing arthur. He can see the future. He can produce glamours. The thing is Merlin is based more on stories of subtle magic, he doesn't do big bangs and flashes, because magic in the arthurian world includes a price. It ages you unless you sleep it off. Merlin slept for 9 months after transforming Uther into his enemy. Its a far more believable view of magic, that moving forces causes exhaustion. As such, it being so different to the form that other wizards are portrayed as using, he probably doesn't really count towards these comparisons... he was a sorceror anyway, not a wizard. He didn't need to sit and study stuff, he could just do it, studying just made him even better and more inventive.

So with that in mind, of Gandalf and Dumbledore, it has to be Gandalf, as lets face it, he's a demi-god, whereas dumbledore is just a wizard.

[Noor]

How about Pug from Magician or Ged from the Earthsea books? There's also Fizban (Zifnab) from the Dragonlance books and Rand'al Thor from the the Wheel of Time books.

[Hazel]

has anyone mentioned Belgareth yet? Or Beldin?

[Will]

Rand'al Thor, good call.

[April]

Ah yes, Ged! How could I forget him??

[Pratiti]

Dale wrote: "Definitely Gandalf. He is the originator, not the imitator."

Actually, Merlin was the original. Most wise, ancient wizards who have long white beards and are very powerful are based off of Merlin. Also, Tolkien tried to create a sort of British mythology, based off of Germanic myths (he used a lot of Norse stuff). Think about it: Aragorn and Arthur? It's not completely copied, but Tolkien kinda used certain elements in his own stories.
But, I do like Gandalf A LOT better than Merlin...

[Micaela]

I feel like I dont know anything most of thease wizards I have never heard of.

[Hazel]

wait a minute, what about Sauron? He's a damned good wizard, he takes over large areas of land, he bends mortals to his will, he may be defeated by a puny little hobbit, but he got a good innings in before that.

[Micaela]

But he's a villian!

[Hazel]

so what? So's Raistlin Majere, and he's been mentioned. He was a successful wizard, thus he was a damned good wizard, and surely that was the question, who's the best wizard. Well, centuries of rule suggest that maybe Sauron was :D

[Thomas]

chuck norris!!!

[Micaela]

I don't know who Rastlin Majere is and Sauron is a very good wizard. Even though he's bad.

[Liz]

Will wrote: "Dude, Gandalf battled a fucking Balrog for like 10 days straight. I promise he didn't do it with brute strength."

This might be the most hilarious thing I've read on a goodreads discussion

[Hazel]

Micaela wrote: "I don't know who Rastlin Majere is and Sauron is a very good wizard. Even though he's bad."

Raistlin's a character in the Dragonlance Chronicles. I really recommend them. They're brilliant, written by two lasses based on the roleplay game they ran, so everything in the books is what their players did. Raistlin has the voice he has because the guy playing him had a cold and sore throat when they started playing :P

[Liz]

Liz wrote: "Will wrote: "Dude, Gandalf battled a fucking Balrog for like 10 days straight. I promise he didn't do it with brute strength."

This might be the most hilarious thing I've read on a goodreads discu..."

And I should add that if I had to choose, I think Ged would be giving Merlin and Gandalf a run for their money. If I had a gun to my head, I'd interperet "best" as "strongest" and not "greatest" (which makes a big difference) - so I'd go with Ged (before he lost his powers) then Gandalf and then Merlin - though I'd probably reverse that order if the qualifier was "greatest".

[Micaela]

Hazel wrote: "Micaela wrote: "I don't know who Rastlin Majere is and Sauron is a very good wizard. Even though he's bad."

Raistlin's a character in the Dragonlance Chronicles. I really recommend them. They're b..."

Okay I'll add it to my list of books to read.

[Will]

Liz wrote: "This might be the most hilarious thing I've read on a goodreads discussion"

*takes a bow*

[Hazel]

Will wrote: "Liz wrote: "This might be the most hilarious thing I've read on a goodreads discussion"

*takes a bow*"

Just keep watching, Will's an almost constant source of "snort your drink out of your nose" comments :P

[Will]

In all sincerity, I hope I don't cause this reaction too much, it's painful when liquids ejaculate out of the nose...