The Magician's Land

A Novel

By: Lev Grossman

Narrated by: Mark Bramhall

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)

I enjoyed every quirky moment.

I know a lot of people where annoyed by the Pevensie/Potter references in this series. But I've gotta tell you, that was probably my favorite part of these books. I loved every quirky minute of the Brakebills Academy description. And really, if you haven't always wanted to travel to a magical kingdom full of sentient trees and talking animals, I'm not sure if we can be friends.

Another complaint was the seriously flawed characters. And really, everyone of them behaved pretty badly at some point. But I think Grossman did an awesome job describing what real people would do in the the strange setting of living in the "real" world while knowing there is a magic side to life. By the end of the series, everyone of them had shown enormous growth. And isn't that what life is really about?

All in all, I loved this series. And I would recommend it to anyone willing to read PG-13 books. If your offended by swearing and a few (rather tame) sex scenes, then this is not the series for you.

good book

it was a book, and it was good. now I have to write seven more words.

Quentins competence

It’s good to see Quentin finally mature into himself and find his confidence and competence.

A good ending to an amazing trilogy.

Loved it overall! there are times the book was a little boring. but when it gets going its great!!

Great story. Satisfying ending to the series.

If you've read the other to you have to read this one. It most likey won't disappoint.

My official favorite book series

If the first two books in the Magicians series were stellar, this one is interstellar. With his characteristically gorgeous language and his unique blend of snarky humor, childlike wonder and bone-chilling horror, Lev Grossman weaves a story that steadily builds suspense without ever sacrificing character—in this (sadly) final installment, he delves deep into each main character’s inner life. And he has really created something truly special. It’s as exciting as it is deeply moving. I won’t be one of those people who writes a plot summary or gives out spoilers (and why the hell do people do that anyway?) If you’re invested in this series, it’s best to go into this masterpiece blind. It’s blazingly original, even as it proudly wears its influences (Narnia, Harry Potter, etc) on it’s embroidered sleeve, which it wears slightly ironically.

Excellent!!!

This is a fantastic fantasy novel. Grossman crafts sympathetic, complicated characters in a whimsical, often terrifying, realm. Grossman's voice is witty, sharp, and full of clever allusions to iconic stories in the canon.
The performance is absolutely stellar. Bramhall never misses a beat, creates vivid voices for the characters, and emphasizes the right word or sarcastic remark with elegance and ease.

I didn't want this to end.

the narrator was great and the story was fun. I loved how much Quentin developed through the books and this was an awesome send off!

perfect.

this review asks for twenty words but really the title of this review says it all. the addition of more praise is unnecessary and would ultimately detract from my review.

Loved it

It was really well done and I recommend it for anyone who is a fan of magic