calistareads's review
5.0
I love this series. Johnny Dixon is great middle grade fiction. If you like gothic scary castles, wizards, ghosts, and the unexplained, then your kids will enjoy this.
At the end of the Spell of the Sorcerer's skull Professor Childermass had been possessed by a horrible demon. Johnny broke that spell and set him free. Now, the dead wizard has a bone to pick with Johnny and he becomes possessed. He goes all 'Exorcist' and the Professor now has to track down some ancient Jewish objects to break the possession. The professor and Fergie set off on an adventure.
The only problem with this is that Johnny is in a coma most of the book and he is not part of the story. Still, Fergie and the professor are entertaining and they get into some gothic style scary places suited for children. John Bellairs doesn't shy away from dark magic and the unexplainable in life.
John is a fantastic writer and it holds up well. I think young people will enjoy these fantastic books. They are a good kind of magic in themselves.
At the end of the Spell of the Sorcerer's skull Professor Childermass had been possessed by a horrible demon. Johnny broke that spell and set him free. Now, the dead wizard has a bone to pick with Johnny and he becomes possessed. He goes all 'Exorcist' and the Professor now has to track down some ancient Jewish objects to break the possession. The professor and Fergie set off on an adventure.
The only problem with this is that Johnny is in a coma most of the book and he is not part of the story. Still, Fergie and the professor are entertaining and they get into some gothic style scary places suited for children. John Bellairs doesn't shy away from dark magic and the unexplainable in life.
John is a fantastic writer and it holds up well. I think young people will enjoy these fantastic books. They are a good kind of magic in themselves.
bev_reads_mysteries's review against another edition
3.0
The Revenge of the Wizard's Ghost (1985) by John Bellairs is the fourth in a series of middle grade Gothic mystery/adventure books featuring thirteen-year-old Johnny Dixon and his friends, Professor Childermass and Fergie. In the previous story (The Spell of the Sorcerer's Skull), Johnny had helped break a spell that held the professor helpless. But now the wizard has a bone to pick with the boy who spoiled his plans and sends the evil ghost of one of his relatives, Warren Windrow, to possess young Johnny.
The professor calls on one of his friends, a priest, to perform an exorcism, but the evil spirit proves too strong. So, it's up to Professor Childermass and Fergie to discover the means to save their friend. Research into the Windrow family history reveals that the source of the wizard's power comes from ancient Jewish artifacts that are rumored to be buried on the family's abandoned estate. But they will have to decipher clues relating to the final resting place of one of the Windrow family. Will they be able to find the artifacts in time to save Johnny...and themselves?
This is the first book that I have read by Bellairs--I somehow missed him when I was a young reader. I noticed that many reviews on Goodreads say that this is not Bellairs at his best. But I must say that I thought this a very nice middle grade book and I'm quite sure I would have loved it when I was young. I love the cover and frontispiece by Edward Gorey. I enjoy the three main characters, even though we don't see as much of Johnny since he spends a great deal of time possessed or in a coma-like condition. And the action that takes place in the gloomy Windrow mansion is good and spooky. The only real issue is the ending--the way the artifacts are employed in order to save Johnny is a bit of a let down. After the wizardry that goes on in the house, one might expect a little more pizazz in the rescue. So, I'll give this one ★★★ and a half.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.
The professor calls on one of his friends, a priest, to perform an exorcism, but the evil spirit proves too strong. So, it's up to Professor Childermass and Fergie to discover the means to save their friend. Research into the Windrow family history reveals that the source of the wizard's power comes from ancient Jewish artifacts that are rumored to be buried on the family's abandoned estate. But they will have to decipher clues relating to the final resting place of one of the Windrow family. Will they be able to find the artifacts in time to save Johnny...and themselves?
This is the first book that I have read by Bellairs--I somehow missed him when I was a young reader. I noticed that many reviews on Goodreads say that this is not Bellairs at his best. But I must say that I thought this a very nice middle grade book and I'm quite sure I would have loved it when I was young. I love the cover and frontispiece by Edward Gorey. I enjoy the three main characters, even though we don't see as much of Johnny since he spends a great deal of time possessed or in a coma-like condition. And the action that takes place in the gloomy Windrow mansion is good and spooky. The only real issue is the ending--the way the artifacts are employed in order to save Johnny is a bit of a let down. After the wizardry that goes on in the house, one might expect a little more pizazz in the rescue. So, I'll give this one ★★★ and a half.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.
calistareads's review against another edition
5.0
I love this series. Johnny Dixon is great middle grade fiction. If you like gothic scary castles, wizards, ghosts, and the unexplained, then your kids will enjoy this.
At the end of the Spell of the Sorcerer's skull Professor Childermass had been possessed by a horrible demon. Johnny broke that spell and set him free. Now, the dead wizard has a bone to pick with Johnny and he becomes possessed. He goes all 'Exorcist' and the Professor now has to track down some ancient Jewish objects to break the possession. The professor and Fergie set off on an adventure.
The only problem with this is that Johnny is in a coma most of the book and he is not part of the story. Still, Fergie and the professor are entertaining and they get into some gothic style scary places suited for children. John Bellairs doesn't shy away from dark magic and the unexplainable in life.
John is a fantastic writer and it holds up well. I think young people will enjoy these fantastic books. They are a good kind of magic in themselves.
At the end of the Spell of the Sorcerer's skull Professor Childermass had been possessed by a horrible demon. Johnny broke that spell and set him free. Now, the dead wizard has a bone to pick with Johnny and he becomes possessed. He goes all 'Exorcist' and the Professor now has to track down some ancient Jewish objects to break the possession. The professor and Fergie set off on an adventure.
The only problem with this is that Johnny is in a coma most of the book and he is not part of the story. Still, Fergie and the professor are entertaining and they get into some gothic style scary places suited for children. John Bellairs doesn't shy away from dark magic and the unexplainable in life.
John is a fantastic writer and it holds up well. I think young people will enjoy these fantastic books. They are a good kind of magic in themselves.
manwithanagenda's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
This is the first, and only?, direct sequel in the 'Johnny Dixon' series, and it may be why I remembered not liking this one as a kid. Most of Bellairs' work can be read independently, but 'Revenge' jumps right into one of Johnny's patented freaky dreams. An old man threatens Johnny, saying he's done his family a wrong, and that the ghost of Warren Windrow still roams. Warren Windrow is the 'Sorcerer' whose bespelled skull caused so much trouble last time.
Of course, Johnny doesn't tell anyone about the dream. This series. They either keep supernatural events a secret because they're embarrassed, or they disbelieve each other. Johnny starts sleep-walking and acting ornery, and has strong visions of saloons and gambling dens. Eventually, he becomes comatose and even an impromptu exorcism attempt by Father Higgins doesn't help.
As a kid, this one left me a little confused. I didn't read these in order so the abrupt revenge-plot left me in the dark. Also, with Johnny out of the picture we have the Professor and Fergie on a multi-day expedition to the Windrow estate to find ancient magical talismans (straight out of the Bible) that may be Johnny's last hope.
The saving grace of this book, as with many others of Bellairs, are some genuine horror elements out of nowhere that keep a reader off guard, and the period details that evoke midcentury American boyhood and, in this case, Gold Rush-era California.
Johnny Dixon
Next: 'The Eyes of the Killer Robot'
Previous: 'The Spell of the Sorcerer's Skull'
Of course, Johnny doesn't tell anyone about the dream. This series. They either keep supernatural events a secret because they're embarrassed, or they disbelieve each other. Johnny starts sleep-walking and acting ornery, and has strong visions of saloons and gambling dens. Eventually, he becomes comatose and even an impromptu exorcism attempt by Father Higgins doesn't help.
As a kid, this one left me a little confused. I didn't read these in order so the abrupt revenge-plot left me in the dark. Also, with Johnny out of the picture we have the Professor and Fergie on a multi-day expedition to the Windrow estate to find ancient magical talismans (straight out of the Bible) that may be Johnny's last hope.
The saving grace of this book, as with many others of Bellairs, are some genuine horror elements out of nowhere that keep a reader off guard, and the period details that evoke midcentury American boyhood and, in this case, Gold Rush-era California.
Johnny Dixon
Next: 'The Eyes of the Killer Robot'
Previous: 'The Spell of the Sorcerer's Skull'
More...