The New York Times bestselling novel about a young man practicing magic in the real world
Like everyone else, precocious high school senior Quentin Coldwater assumes that magic isn't real, until he finds himself admitted to a very secretive and exclusive college of magic in upstate New York. There he indulges in joys of college-friendship, love, sex, and booze- and receives a rigorous education in modern sorcery. But magic doesn't bring the happiness and adventure Quentin thought it would. After graduation, he and his friends stumble upon a secret that sets them on a remarkable journey that may just fulfill Quentin's yearning. But their journey turns out to be darker and more dangerous than they'd imagined. Psychologically piercing and dazzlingly inventive, The Magicians, the prequel to the New York Times bestselling book The Magician King and the #1 bestseller The Magician's Land, is an enthralling coming-of-age tale about magic practiced in the real world-where good and evil aren't black and white, and power comes at a terrible price.
Like everyone else, precocious high school senior Quentin Coldwater assumes that magic isn't real, until he finds himself admitted to a very secretive and exclusive college of magic in upstate New York. There he indulges in joys of college-friendship, love, sex, and booze- and receives a rigorous education in modern sorcery. But magic doesn't bring the happiness and adventure Quentin thought it would. After graduation, he and his friends stumble upon a secret that sets them on a remarkable journey that may just fulfill Quentin's yearning. But their journey turns out to be darker and more dangerous than they'd imagined. Psychologically piercing and dazzlingly inventive, The Magicians, the prequel to the New York Times bestselling book The Magician King and the #1 bestseller The Magician's Land, is an enthralling coming-of-age tale about magic practiced in the real world-where good and evil aren't black and white, and power comes at a terrible price.
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10
qrparker (Grade: A) A deceptively literary meditation on postmodern depression masquerading as a fantasy.
(Rated on Sep 3, 2013)
6
callioscopic (Grade: A+) Well-crafted characters, lovingly built magical system; loose plot. About growing up, dealing with forces bigger than yourself, blowing shit up, and figuring out how to be an adult--all without condescending to the reader. About very bright kids, appeals to the same.
(Rated on Sep 10, 2013)
5
dracey (Grade: B) This book is marketed as being an older, mature version of Harry Potter, but I'll be honest, this didn't quite work for me.
I loved seeing the whole magic-at-college thing, but I felt that there was something lacking. The main character was witty, but dry as well.
This is a good book, but I think it does itself a disservice with the Harry Potter comparisons.
(Rated on Jan 3, 2014)
5
RemusLupin
(Grade: A–) I was impressed with the realism in this book despite the magical and fantastical aspects. The characters' references and reactions were relatable to the reader, moreso than most fantasy stories. I was very invested in the story despite the often unlikeable protagonists, and the ending sets up well for a sequel. However the aspects inspired by fantasy classics such as harry potter and narnia sometimes seemed derivative instead of inspired.
(Grade: A–) I was impressed with the realism in this book despite the magical and fantastical aspects. The characters' references and reactions were relatable to the reader, moreso than most fantasy stories. I was very invested in the story despite the often unlikeable protagonists, and the ending sets up well for a sequel. However the aspects inspired by fantasy classics such as harry potter and narnia sometimes seemed derivative instead of inspired.(Rated on Feb 24, 2015)
5
Obie
(Grade: B) The characters are fairly well done, but a bit on the careless and self-absorbed side. They also feel like stressed students in high school more than college sometimes, which can be off putting. The plot held its own but dragged significantly in the middle third of the book. My largest problem with the book was the lack of good scene transitions and not stating which characters were part of the scene. This leads to characters that just seem to appear. Overall the book was very good though.
(Grade: B) The characters are fairly well done, but a bit on the careless and self-absorbed side. They also feel like stressed students in high school more than college sometimes, which can be off putting. The plot held its own but dragged significantly in the middle third of the book. My largest problem with the book was the lack of good scene transitions and not stating which characters were part of the scene. This leads to characters that just seem to appear. Overall the book was very good though.(Rated on Mar 20, 2014)
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