• The Magicians

  • The Magicians, Book 1
  • By: Lev Grossman
  • Narrated by: Mark Bramhall
  • Length: 17 hrs and 24 mins
  • 4.0 out of 5 stars (274 ratings)

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The Magicians  By  cover art

The Magicians

By: Lev Grossman
Narrated by: Mark Bramhall
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Publisher's summary

In a secret world of forbidden knowledge, power comes at a terrible price....

Quentin Coldwater's life is changed forever by an apparently chance encounter: when he turns up for his entrance interview to Princeton, he finds his interviewer dead - but a strange envelope bearing Quentin's name leads him down a path very different from any he'd ever imagined.

The envelope, and the mysterious manuscript it contains, leads to a secret world of obsession and privilege, a world of freedom and power; and, for a while, it's a world that seems to answer all Quentin's desires. But the idyll cannot last - and when it's finally shattered, Quentin is drawn into something darker and far more dangerous than anything he could ever have expected....

©2016 Lev Grossman (P)2016 Penguin Audio

What listeners say about The Magicians

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    113
  • 4 Stars
    90
  • 3 Stars
    44
  • 2 Stars
    20
  • 1 Stars
    7
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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  • 4 Stars
    61
  • 3 Stars
    26
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    5
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Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
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    100
  • 4 Stars
    62
  • 3 Stars
    54
  • 2 Stars
    24
  • 1 Stars
    11

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing!

Got hooked up after the show. Can't wait to get ahead to the next ones.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Tediously captivating

A wonderful performance of the embodiment of tedium and chasing happiness beyond the horizon. Annoyingly depressing and yet the story sucks you in and along the dark and gloomy alley towards the blackness at the end.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Nice Adult Magicians Story

I found The Magicians through a search of stories similar to Harry Potter and I found it quite entertaining.

It’s not Harry Potter but it has magic in it, it’s not Narnia but it has different realms in it.

It’s all of that combined with lots of swearing, lots of wine and some sex!

The story is well written and the performance is very good!

Can’t wait to start the second book!

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Fine, but don't let the tag line fool you

This isn't anything like 'Harry Potter for adults' if you're looking for anything more than Magic performed by ignorant young men with drinking problems.

The world building isn't on par. The story could use some heavy editing. There are too many unnecessary references to irrelevant other big franchises. The sex and alcohol is plentily available but random and forced and also very unnecessary to aid the story.

If it didn't try to harp onto Harry Potter fame it would have been great fun, but in the forced comparison it doesn't hold up.

The narration however is perfect.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

great story, poorly written

the story is amazing, the main character is really bad. the author has a great idea and no clue

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

The Show was better

It was a bit of a struggle to get through at times. I like the way the show revealed some information about characters better than the book which just sort of haphazardly plopped things in.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing!

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Magicians, Book 1?

It's the same magical concept as Harry Potter, but for older people. It's better than harry potter for adults. Brilliant. The writing, the story, the characters. I loved it and can't wait to listen to the others.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

If I could have listened to it in 1 sitting, I would have. I'm happy that it was as long as it is. The interruptions made it better, I would think about the book when I wasn't listening.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Was awesome don't listen to the crap reviews

This book was surprisingly awesome. Good fun, good magic good characters and nice and rough around the edges

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

entertaining

I did like it, but the stereotypes about women were a bit much. I've heard people say it's Harry Potter for older people, with the swearing and the drinking and such, but I do not agree. I like the concept of what it is to go on an adventure as an adult, but it lacks depth, and the story isn't the best. but it is entertaining.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

i don't understand what this book is about

nothing happeneds in this book
it mostly a rant of the other about haw much he loves his own voice and nothing happened

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