The Magician's Land

A Novel

By: Lev Grossman

Narrated by: Mark Bramhall

Length: 16 hrs and 27 mins

Publisher's summary

The stunning conclusion to the New York Times best-selling Magicians trilogy.

Quentin Coldwater has been cast out of Fillory, the secret magical land of his childhood dreams. With nothing left to lose he returns to where his story began, the Brakebills Preparatory College of Magic. But he can't hide from his past, and it's not long before it comes looking for him.

Along with Plum, a brilliant young undergraduate with a dark secret of her own, Quentin sets out on a crooked path through a magical demimonde of grey magic and desperate characters. But all roads lead back to Fillory, and his new life takes him to old haunts, like Antarctica and the Netherlands, and buried secrets, and old friends he thought were lost forever. He uncovers the key to a sorcerous masterwork, a spell that could create magical utopia, a new Fillory - but casting it will set in motion a chain of events that will bring Earth and Fillory crashing together. To save them he will have to risk sacrificing everything.

The Magician's Land is an intricate thriller, a fantastical epic and an epic of love and redemption that brings the Magicians trilogy to a magnificent climax, confirming it as one of the great achievements in modern fantasy. It's the story of a boy becoming a man, an apprentice becoming a master, and a broken land finally becoming whole.

©2014 Lev Grossman (P)2014 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“Richly imagined and continually surprising.... The strongest book in Grossman’s series. It not only offers a satisfying conclusion to Quentin Coldwater’s quests, earthly and otherwise, but also considers complex questions about identity and selfhood as profound as they are entertaining.... The Magician’s Land, more than any other book in the trilogy, wrestles with the question of humanity.... This is a gifted writer, and his gifts are at their apex in The Magician’s Land.” (Edan Lepucki, The New York Times Book Review)

“The strength of the trilogy lies...in the characters, whose inner lives and frailties Grossman renders with care and empathy.... Quentin[’s]...magical journey is deeply human.” (The New Yorker)

“Grossman makes it clear in the deepening complexity and widening scope of each volume that he understands the pleasures and perils of stories and believing in them.... The Magician's Land triumphantly answers the essential questions at the heart of the series, about whether magic belongs to childhood alone, whether reality trumps fantasy, even whether we have the power to shape our own lives in an indifferent universe.” (Gwenda Bond, The Los Angeles Times)

A beautiful ending to a great masterpiece

I have read all three books, and they all enthralled me.
I didn't know what this book would entail, and I was a bit skeptic it would be as good as the other books (moreover, I was very skeptic about the ending being good).

But once I started reading, the magic did come through, I was beautiful to see how mature the characters become.

And the ending... I loved it! it was perfect, unpredictable and magical.
I really hope to keep hearing from Lev G in the future...

Satisfying Closing to a Full-bodied Adventure

Book 3 of the Magicians Series
This novel was the fulfillment of the hopes and wishes of the pre-magical Quentin & Julia. Bibliophiles of the magical fantasy variety rejoice because Lev Grossman wrote this series for you. He understands you've seen it all, have read it all and are looking for something different. This novel ties up all the loose ends and yet leaves an antique door open for another series with a new set of characters.

A book and not a word out of place.

For all the dreamers looking for never never land or Fillory, here is a tale based on a true story.

best of the three with a fitting end

I feel the story summed up nicely, but there are cracks in the story. I feel like some necessary parts for edited out.

but a nice ending that wasn't a recycled idea.

Great Narrator, Great Story

He does a solid job on keeping voices distinct and not silly. I fell for this series from the SyFy show initially. This book is not represented at all (to date), but the story is very good. I really enjoy this brand of magic.

Way to wrap it up.

Great ending to the series. I thoroughly enjoyed the entire series. No ends left loosed.

Great book and narration

Another stellar performance! The book and the narrator made this a magical listen. Give it a shot!

I loved every second of it!!!

My only wish is that it didn't end. Alas all things must come to an end and what a fantastic way to do so.

Best of the series

This book was really entertaining. I was questioning its beginning, but Lev Grossman ties all the loose ends together in a way that gives you closure and explore a fillory of your own. I wish there was more of Penny because Penny is such a rockstar in the television show. I've only read the first and the third. I'll come back after I finish the second. There are still many questions I have about Ember and Umber motives.

Best of the three

I was disappointed with book 2, and book 3 redeems the series. Were it not for some major plot points, you could almost skip the second. But then you'd miss Bramhall's performance and be worse off. So power through #2 knowing that #3 will wait for you. It's a wonderful journey.