The Magicians
The Magicians by Lev Grossman.
Hardcover: 416 pages
Publisher: Viking Adult; 1 edition (August 11, 2009)
ISBN-10: 0670020559
From Publishers Weekly
Harry Potter discovers Narnia is real in this derivative fantasy thriller from Time book critic Grossman (Codex). Quentin Coldwater, a Brooklyn high school student devoted to a children's series set in the Narnia-like world of Fillory, is leading an aimless existence until he's tapped to enter a mysterious portal that leads to Brakebills College, an exclusive academy where he's taught magic. Coldwater, whose special gifts enable him to skip grades, finds his family's world mundane and domestic when he returns home for vacation. He loses his innocence after a prank unintentionally allows a powerful evil force known only as the Beast to enter the college and wreak havoc. Eventually, Coldwater's powers are put to the test when he learns that Fillory is a real place and how he can journey there. Genre fans will easily pick up the many nods to J.K. Rowling and C.S. Lewis, not to mention J.R.R. Tolkien in the climactic battle between the bad guy and a magician.
Oh boy.. ok, so.. I finally finished the Magicians...
It's rare that I don't find that review from Amazon isn't spot on but in this case there is one word I find way off base... they say the book is a "fantasy thriller".. well it is a fantasy, but if anything comes close to "thriller" it's near the end of the book, and to be honest the last 100 pages was the (quote) adventure (unquote) of the whole 416 pages.
I did finish the book without giving up! I kept thinking it was going to get better and be a surprisingly good book. Then I found myself skimming in many areas. To be honest ..overall.. I found this book boring.
The last 100 pgs were so -so but not enough to want me to get excited about it. There were many things used that made you say, "ah..that idea was taken from Harry Potter"..but even that wasn't enough. I didn't feel I got to know the characters so well that I cared about them.. and that's unusual ...
In defense I will say that I did read it all and didn't give up on it.. so I am sure there are others out there that will like this book tremendously! I'm guessing this just wasn't a book for me.
posted by DesLily | 7:28 AM
14 Comments:
Sorry you didn't like it! I can see how you would find it boring - I liked it better than you (though not unreservedly), and I struggled with some of the middle bits too. :\
This is a book I had on my 'interested in list'. I think I will definitely move it over to my 'get from library' list. That way if I don't like it I'm not out anything.
The description from Amazon had made me think it would be a book I would like, but.....
Jenny: it was very slow..it read like it told you what was necessary to know for the last 100 pages.
JJ: oh yes! get it from the library!! I can't believe I was bored by it! It sort of read as: so and so did this and so and so did that over and over and I kept thinking "ok so when does something happen?!" argh!
I've heard some so-so reviews on it, and I'm a bit scared to read it. I thought the premise sounded pretty interesting, but I guess the execution was not up to par. :/ I have it on hold at the library so we'll see! ;p
she: yeah it hurts more when you spend money and it's a let down. but I do encourage others who, like me, thinks it would be good to give it a go from the library!
I keep going back and forth on wanting to read this one. Just when I read a stellar review, another one pops up saying it wasn't all it was cracked up to be. Guess I'll shove it down to the bottom of the TBR list for a while. (It's not as if I don't have plenty of other things on there to choose from!)
Never have bought a book from Amazon. In fact, I don't think I have ever even looked at it on the computer. Like browzing through books stores too much. Also like to read a bit of a book first to see if it grabs me. Usually when a books interests me right away I generally find myself liking it. It is rare that I don't finish a book once I start it but have been more willing to do that as I have gotten older. Don't want to waste time forcing myself to read something when there are so many good books out there. Vala3
Oh, darn. I wish you'd liked it better because the cover makes me want to pick it up. Guess I'll give my lame little library a try. Maybe they'll surprise me.
cjh
Oh that sucks that it's boring. I was really intrigued by the synopsis too.
If you want something kind of like Harry Potter but with mythological roots instead of magic, try Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson and the Olympian series. The first book The Lightening Thief is going to be released as a movie soon.
I'll take your word for it Pat. You read so many great fantasy novels that you would know a good one when you read it! It was good of you to stick it out and give it a full chance.
I'll reiterate Ladytink's rec. I haven't read the Percy Jackson books but all three of my eldest daughter's family have and they love them to bits.
Sorry this one didn't capture you though. It's annoying when you've paid good money for something and it ends up being dull.
I am reading a John Grisham book right now called "THE STREET LAWYER"...it is very very good...!
I like his books and this was one I had not read....And it could make a very interesting film---I'm surprised they haven't adapted it.
I had this book out from the library but I didn't get a chance to read it. I am not sure if it is my book, but I am going to give it a try eventually anyways.
Oh crap, I'm sorry to hear this! I've really been looking forward to this one. Oh well, not like there aren't 50 billion other books out there I'd like to get read. Finding I might not need to read one after all sure isn't going to leave me lacking for things to do. :)
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