Playing sorcerors can be lots of fun. IMHO the key is to pick spells that:
1) get better with age, and/or
2) have multiple uses.
Another important thing is to spread attack spells around different levels. So if you already have Magic Missile, you'd pick Acid Arrow instead of Burning Hands.
Ignore the magic armour spells; plan on getting good bracers (or a nice robe).
My first level spells are:
Magic Missile
Chromatic Orb
Spook (high saving throw penalty at high levels -- have you ever seen a dragon with a yellow circle? great fun!)
Protection from Evil
You do NOT need Burning Hands or Identify -- Chromatic Orb will do acid damage after level 10, so that's your cheap troll killer, and there's an early item which gives you free Identify thrice daily.
Second level must have spells:
Melf's Acid Arrow (ages very well)
Glitterdust (see invisible + group blindness in one)
Invisibility
Horror (if you're good)
Third level spells:
Melf's Minute Meteors (my sorceror used mostly this spell to get 60% of the kills in the early dungeons -- through chapter 5 or so. They last for days; go in a building and cast this spell before wandering around the city. With fire resistance makes a good anti-mage tool. Ages very well.)
Vampiric Drain (if you're good)
Haste
Dispel Magic (vital, but not in first dungeon)
Fireball OR Skull Trap (Skull Trap ages better) OR Slow
Fourth level choices:
Spider Spawn improves mildly, which is more than can be said for Monster Summoning II.
Stoneskin is vital later. Not a first pick.
Greater Malaison -- very useful preceeding Glitterdust, Spook, Slow and ...
Emotion
Hints for Fifth Level spells:
Chaos
Breach -- depends on if you are going to be battling groups or mages
Animate Dead (near level 15)
Higher level spell stragegies:
Warding Whip, Lower Resistance, Spell Thrust, etc. can all be emulated with repeated castings of Pierce Magic. And repeated casting is what sorcerors are all about so skip those others.
Other specific spells to avoid: Strength becomes useless mid-game, obsoleted by items; Agablahblah's Scorcher does not improve with age; Sleep is eclipsed by Emotion and later Chaos; Charm spells -- perhaps I just don't know how to use them right; anything a cleric and druid can cast -- true sight, hold foo, detect/purge invisible; Knock unless you're going solo.
Once you near level 15, Animate Dead ought to be a priority. Several hasted Skeletal Warriors can prod much posterior.
You'll only get one 8th level spell (if you leave the XP cap on) and IMHO Abi-Dalzim's Horrid Wilting is the only sensible choice.
I had much fun in a magic-centric party (Sorceror, Jaheira, Jan, Yoshimo -> Imoen) with these choices.
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