The Magician King

A Novel

By: Lev Grossman

Narrated by: Mark Bramhall

Length: 15 hrs and 49 mins

Publisher's summary

Return to Fillory in the riveting sequel to The New York Times best-seller and literary phenomenon of 2009: The Magicians.

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 at the cutting edge of literary fantasy.

©2011 Lev Grossman (P)2011 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“[A] serious, heartfelt novel [that] turns the machinery of fantasy inside out.” (The New York Times [Editor’s Choice])

“[The Magician King] is The Catcher in the Rye for devotees of alternative universes. It’s dazzling and devil-may-care.... Grossman has created a rare, strange, and scintillating novel.” (Chicago Tribune)

“Fabulous fantasy spiked with bitter adult wisdom—not to be missed.” (Kirkus Reviews [starred review])

Excellent continuation of Grossman's story

Any additional comments?

The Magician King is in some ways superior to The Magicians--the main character has his sh*t together a little more, leading to a more fun atmosphere, as with the first book, the Narnia references are splendid and everywhere. The narration is great, each character has a distinct voice, female characters are done well, and accents--especially the Australian, are done with skill.

Excellent Sequel

This series is full of surprises. I really enjoyed this book, and I am hoping for there to be a next one.

Great sequel

I don't know what age group this is intended for, I don't recommend for young readers but it is good. As another reviewer said, it's better than the first.

good read

great story great language great second part to the story more words to make twenty characters

a good magical journey

A good magical journey through the end with lots of surprises. narrative focuses hard on the story and moves quickly. a pleasure to read.

Excellent reading!

Loved it! Looking forward to the next book. Well written and narrated! Very intelligent writing!

Better then the tv show

What did you love best about The Magician King?

I liked the character development of the main character, Quentin Coldwater. Felt like he was lacking in some areas so it was nice to see him grow a pair.
Also it great that the author filled in some of the gaps about Julia's past in the book

Any additional comments?

I felt like the beginning scene with the prophecy was over dramatized considering how the story ended. Ending was a decent wrap up though and somewhat showed heroes don't get everything they want.

Excellent story continuing an excellent series

This series really hold up to as many revisits as you care to make. I've been through it several times now and have always been amazed by it, finding new things in it each time through. Mark Bramhall's performance is masterful. I've no doubt I'll be making another visit to Fillory!

Not as good as the first one.

The narration was just as good as the first book.

While the story thankfully lacked the desert of slow pacing and scarce dramatic relief which existed in the middle part of the first book, it introduced its own pacing issue. Alternating chapters would cover the backstory of a specific character. These chapters were rich with detail and interesting, but their impact was undermined by the fact that we know they were in the past and were interrupting the action. They were important, but every shift between past and present was jarring.

I would feel cheated by the ending if I didn't know there was a third installment I the series.

I really enjoyed the book, I don't have any specific things to say about what the book did right. That is only because the things I perceive as flaws stick out in a sea of things I like.

I highly recommend the title.

Decent.

A very long and winding story, not unlike the first book. It's was engaging but you never felt things were utterly fantastic. It is almost like a real world story, set in a magical setting. It's very interesting and a good follow up from the first book. Just as long but didn't feel like the stories kept continuing. Ready for book 3.