Sharon Oliver (Children's Literature)
Eighth-grader Mercer Dickenson has a love of the game. He and his friends are immersed daily in the land of Zule, part of a fantasy role-playing game called Wizards of the Warrior World. When asked to help come up with ideas for a school fund-raiser, Mercer proposes a gaming tournament and fantasy bazaar ala Wizards of the Warrior World. The idea is well received until a student writes an article in the school newspaper decrying the game's potential connection to devil worship. The local paper picks up the article and soon a crusading minister is picketing the school. While visiting the homeless shelter that is the beneficiary of the fundraising, Mercer is mistaken for a real wizard by some very strange folks who appear to be real wizards from another world and trapped on Earth while sightseeing. Apparently, the real wizards need help getting home. Spells are cast, portals are opened and brief chaos ensues until a surprising hero rescues them. Relatively short and a reasonably fast read, this novel may appeal to hard-core gamers. However, it seems as though Lubar has tried to sandwich plots from two books into one and neither story is fully fleshed out. When the wizards appear halfway through the novel, the reader is already invested in the "David vs. Goliath" battle between students and school board, which is abruptly wrapped up to accommodate the "return the wizards home" plot. A few characters suffer from a lack of development, most notably Ed, the protesting student who begins the story as a religious zealot and suddenly changes his opinions of the game after playing a brief session himself. The appearance of horrifying demons during the climax seems almost to reinforce the naysayers' point that perhaps these kids shouldn't be messing around with witchcraft. A serviceable novel, but not a must-have. 2003, Philomel Books, $16.99. Ages 12 to 15.

Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, March 1, 2003 (Vol. 71, No. 5))
A role-playing game draws the ire of both a church group and a quartet of real wizards in this double-stranded, tongue-in-cheek tale from the author of Dunk (2002). To Mercer, a.k.a. Shath'dra the Warrior Mage, "Wizards of the Warrior World" is just a harmless after-school, weekend-and, OK, all-the-time-in-between-obsession. But his classmate Ed thinks otherwise, and after Ed's critical essay for the school paper is picked up by the local news, so do the anti-witchcraft picketers who appear outside the town's middle school. Mercer also finds himself being hounded by four ragged habitués of a nearby soup kitchen, who keep calling him "magus," and seem desperately upset. Lubar sets up the picketers as straw figures, summarily dispersed once Mercer articulates counter-arguments-but it's an expensive victory, for suddenly cautious school officials also prohibit playing the game on school property. Mercer's outrage changes to excitement, however, when the shabby four turn out to be weak but genuine magic workers, stranded in this dimension until they can find a fifth wizard to help them open a way out. Mercer's eagerness to oblige leads to a wild climax, in which the newly opened portal admits a lightning-charged monster-who is fought off only after the previously unassuming school janitor suddenly reveals himself to be a powerful guardian wizard in disguise. The multiple plots and subplots never do quite come together, but the tale moves along briskly to a rousing, twisty finish. Gamers and general light comedy fans will love it. 2003, Philomel, $16.99. Category: Fiction. Ages 11 to 13. © 2003 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

Paula Rohrlick (KLIATT Review, March 2003 (Vol. 37, No. 2))
Shortly, if the ancient maps were correct, I'd face my sworn enemy...But first, I had to make it through the rest of my third-period geography class." Eighth-grader Mercer lives for the fantasy role-playing game Wizards of the Warrior World, and he convinces his classmates and teachers to help him organize a gaming convention at his middle school as a fund-raiser for a local shelter. One student objects, however, on religious grounds, concerned that the game world is "filled with demons and spirits." The local media picks up the issue, protesters picket, and the school authorities decide to back off from holding the convention, to Mercer's dismay. Meanwhile, he encounters some real if somewhat hapless wizards at the shelter, who believe him to be a powerful magus who can return them to their own world. When Mercer's friend Jenna casts a spell to help them, a portal opens and demons and spirits appear. In an exciting climax, Mercer and his friends must battle these all-too-real creatures. Lubar, author of Dunk, Hidden Talents, and other novels for young readers, is also a designer and programmer of video games, and he conveys the lure of role-playing games well. The moral and religious issues raised are thought provoking, and the plot will keep readers turning the pages. There's humor here too, particularly in Mercer's wry narration and in the wizards' wacky rendering of the English language (e.g., "We are most mightily wizards... Our power is awkward and trupendous."). A fun, quick read; a good choice for reluctant readers. Category: Hardcover Fiction. KLIATT Codes: J--Recommended for junior high school students. 2003, Penguin Putnam/Philomel, 176p., $16.99. Ages 12 to 15.

Betty Stone (Library Media Connection, January 2004)
Fantasy and humor are wonderful elements to be found in David Lubar's book, despite the goofy dust jacket more likely to appeal to younger readers than middle schoolers. Main character, Mercer, works in eighth grade around his passion for the fantasy role-playing game of cards and dice called Wizards of the Warrior World. When Ed, a religious classmate, sees Mercer's bedroom decorated as the Land of Zule complete with demons, he concludes that Mercer is involved in devil worship. The column Ed writes for the newspaper draws protestors against plans made for a gaming convention as a school fundraiser. The funds are intended for a homeless shelter. Coincidentally, four strangers who recently arrived at this same shelter turn out to be real wizards. They seek a fifth wizard in order to return to their home. Fortunately, the patient, hard working school janitor is a real wizard. The tale ends with a real battle scene for the gamers when a portal is open and the wayward wizards depart for a happy ending. Recommended. 2003, Philomel/Penguin Putnam, 166pp., $16.99 hc. Ages 11 to 14.

Elizabeth Bush (The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, June 2003 (Vol. 56, No. 10))
Mercer is a passionate fantasy gamer, and his idea to turn the annual eighth-grade charity fundraiser into a gamers’ convention should make his Social Studies teacher very happy, bring him closer to luscious but unattainable committee member Michelle, and make him a hero among gamers throughout the region. The third committee member, Ed, vehemently objects to gaming and launches a newspaper campaign to rally protests against Mercer’s project. Here, on an authorial roll of the dice, the plot takes an abrupt twist as four residents of the homeless shelter that will benefit from the fundraiser turn out to be displaced wizards, and Mercer and his gaming buddies try to reopen a portal to return them to their home world. Having unleashed this plot monster, Lubar is hard pressed to tame it. What begins as a lively tale of level-headed kids standing up for their recreational rights spins into a health-class-styled admonition for safe sorcery, as the kids’ advertising statues take on evil lives, a monster emerges from the art-room kiln, Donny the janitor (also a wizard, and a heckuva nice guy, too) saves the day, and everyone learns a lesson: “I followed his gaze to the scattered statues, lying like broken corpses on a battlefield. In my mind, I saw what it would be like if they were flesh and blood rather than paper and paste.” In the end Lubar’s point may be ambiguous, but the battle scene pitting junior high against fantasy forces of darkness will probably make the game worth the candle. Review Code: Ad -- Additional book of acceptable quality for collections needing more material in the area. (c) Copyright 2003, The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. 2003, Philomel, 166p, $16.99. Grades 5-8.

Horn Book (The Horn Book Guide, Spring 2004)
Mercer's suggestion that his middle school run a gaming tournament is met with protests from religious members of the community, who don't want young people involved with the supernatural. Mercer's contention that gaming is a harmless activity is somewhat negated when real-life wizards appear, seeking his help in returning to their world. Though the message is skewed and some of the humor is labored, the story is fast paced and accessible. Category: Intermediate Fiction. 2003, Philomel, 166pp, $16.99. Ages 9 to 12. Rating: 4: Recommended, with minor flaws.

Virginia Gleaton (The Lorgnette - Heart of Texas Reviews (Vol. 16, No. 4))
A middle school wants to have a tournament to raise money for a homeless shelter. The students propose that they play a game called “Wizards of the Warrior World.” The students think all is going well until a group of people protests the playing of the game--they think it is about Satan. When the protesting begins, so does trouble for the students! Finally, after a board meeting, it is decided that the tournament will not be allowed. The reasoning from both sides is presented very well. I think students’ eyes might be opened a little. The ending of this book is very different, but good. Students who like to read this type of book should find it very enlightening. This book does a great job of presenting both sides of an argument. Fiction. Grades 5-7. 2003, Philomel Books, 166p., $16.99. Ages 10 to 13.

Walter Hogan (VOYA, April 2003 (Vol. 26, No. 1))
Noted for his light touch with horror, science fiction, and fantasy themes, Lubar populates his work with vampires, ghosts, and werewolves. His fine novel Hidden Talents (Tor, 1999/VOYA October 1999) features high school boys with paranormal talents. This latest novel draws on the author's experience as a computer game programmer. Eighth-grader Mercer Dickensen is a role-playing enthusiast who finds more excitement than he bargained for when he discovers that an odd group of foreigners in his town are really aliens. The final third of the novel develops into an action-packed science fiction adventure as Mercer and his schoolmates face a terrifying lava demon after opening an interstellar portal to try to help Nelda, Tortwaller, Hurko, and Zee return to Gliphidetsia. Lubar's comical aliens act and talk like human foreigners, coining accidental neologisms such as "sewerpuss," and malapropisms such as, "Give this Magus a detonation of your power." Mercer and his friends must also combat an earthbound challenge when conservatives "demonize" their fantasy gaming and pressure Oscar Wilde Junior High School to shut down the popular lunchtime activity. Realistic dramatization of this local censorship battle accompanies the novel's science fiction elements. Despite a few closed-minded adults, students on both sides of the issue come to better understanding of attitudes "alien" to their own. Lubar comes down strongly on the side of freedom of speech (and fantasy gaming) but not before presenting a thoughtful debate, complete with biblical quotations on both sides. This entertaining novel offers an unusual blend of science fiction, humor, and social commentary that will appeal to fans of Bruce Coville and Daniel Pinkwater. VOYA CODES: 4Q 4P M J (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses; Broad general YA appeal; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9). 2003, Philomel, 176p, $16.99. Ages 11 to 15.