The Magicians — series

Tropes & Themes

How it starts

Quentin Coldwater is brilliant but miserable, a high school senior still obsessed with a series of fantasy novels about a magical land called Fillory. His life takes a dramatic turn when he is unexpectedly admitted to Brakebills College for Magical Pedagogy, an exclusive school of magic in upstate New York. Here, Quentin receives a rigorous education in modern sorcery, but magic doesn't bring the happiness he expected. After graduation, Quentin and his friends discover that Fillory is real, but it's far darker and more dangerous than he ever imagined. As Quentin's childhood dream becomes a nightmare, he must confront the harsh truths about magic, power, and himself. For fans of 'Harry Potter' and 'The Chronicles of Narnia', 'The Magicians' offers a darker, more adult take on the magical school genre.