Critics' Opinion:
Readers' rating:
Published Aug 2011
416 pages
Genre: Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Speculative, Alt. History
Publication Information
The Magicians was praised as a triumph by readers and critics of both mainstream and fantasy literature. Now Grossman takes us back to Fillory, where the Brakebills graduates have fled the sorrows of the mundane world, only to face terrifying new challenges.
Quentin and his friends are now the kings and queens of Fillory, but the days and nights of royal luxury are starting to pall. After a morning hunt takes a sinister turn, Quentin and his old friend Julia charter a magical sailing ship and set out on an errand to the wild outer reaches of their kingdom. Their pleasure cruise becomes an adventure when the two are unceremoniously dumped back into the last place Quentin ever wants to see: his parent's house in Chesterton, Massachusetts. And only the black, twisted magic that Julia learned on the streets can save them.
The Magician King is a grand voyage into the dark, glittering heart of magic, an epic quest for the Harry Potter generation. It also introduces a powerful new voice, that of Julia, whose angry genius is thrilling. Once again Grossman proves that he is the modern heir to C.S. Lewis, and the cutting edge of literary fantasy.
BookBrowse Review
"While The Magician King is another example of Lev Grossman's agility in the field of magical entertainment for adults, I would not say he is "the modern heir to C. S. Lewis." He might be the anti-heir or at least the tongue-in-cheek heir.
This sequel to The Magicians picks up where the former left off. Quentin, now a King of Fillory, is as usual fixated on his own desires, in this case his quest to become a real hero. But Julia is the shining star of the tale. She was Quentin's former unrequited love; the one who did not get into Brakebills.
Her personal journey in search of magic, which is revealed as the current story unfolds, proves that true sacrifice is rewarded with the blessing of what her inmost heart desires." - Judy Krueger
Others Say
"Grossman's flawed characters struggle for what they want and often lose their way, a refreshing twist. Fillory's pointed resemblance to Narnia gets a bit tiresome, however." - Library Journal
"Starred Review. Fabulous fantasy spiked with bitter adult wisdom - not to be missed." - Kirkus Reviews
"Grossman effortlessly injects innumerable pop culture and literary references... into the fantastical storyline. Mainstream fiction and fantasy fans alike will find this fairy tale for adults rewarding." - Publishers Weekly
This information about The Magician King was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Photo: Lev Grossman - Elena Siebert
Lev Grossman is a senior writer and book critic for TIME magazine and author of the international bestselling novel Codex. He has written for The New York Times, Wired, Salon.com, Lingua Franca, Entertainment Weekly, Time Out New York, The Wall Street Journal, and The Village Voice. He has served as a member of the board of directors of the National Book Critics Circleand as the chair of the Fiction Awards Panel. He is also the creator of the Time blog Nerd World.
His other works include Warp, The Magicians, The Magician King, and The Magician's Land.
Grossman holds degrees in comparative literature from Harvard and Yale. He lives in Brooklyn, NY.
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