Witches and Wizards in Fiction

I have always loved reading about magic in books. When I was young, I loved Bewitched. I enjoyed I Dream of Jeannie.

But I didn't really have a lot of "magic" again until I started watching Charmed and reading the Harry Potter and Septimus Heap series.

Charmed is about sisters who use their powers to fight evil. It was a drama for the most part, and I enjoyed the plots and the inclusion of Mythological and Legendary characters, ranging from Greek Gods and Angels to Nymphs, Leprechauns and Banshees. The show ended its run by tying up loose ends and showing how things would be in 40 or so years.

Bewitched and I Dream of Jeannie were both on TV in the 1960s. They were both sitcoms and showed the funny side of magic. Both shows probably trace their genre back to movies like Bell Book and Candle and Blythe Spirit (which probably inspired both the movies and TV show Topper, about a banker who moves into a house haunted by a bon vivant young couple of ghosts). Both Bewitched and I Dream of Jeannie show the 60s ideal of domesticity within the framework of witchcraft or genie magic.

Harry Potter is a young orphan living with his aunt and uncle (who hate him and treat him very badly) when he finds out, after turning 11, that he is a wizard and that he will be starting Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry also finds out that when he was about a year old, the most evil Wizard in the Wizarding world, Lord Voldemort, murdered his parents in his quest to take over the world. But Lord Voldemort lost much of his power when he tried to kill Harry. In the process, Harry received a lightning bolt shaped scar on his forehead and also, it was revealed later, gained some powers. The seven book series, which ends with Voldemort's defeat, finished off with a glance into the future also.

Septimus Heap is the 7th son of the 7th son who inherited magical powers and becomes the apprentice to the "ExtraOrdinary" wizard, Marcia Overstrand. The books center around Septimus's home life and work life and the danger he faces.

"Art Now" is another "Print on Demand" site. They have a nice collection of products, including the one pictured here (with the Cosmos design on it). Click on the picture to see the entire site.