magicians

This isn’t Hogwarts or Narnia, exactly. It’s more like a dark reflection of those popular magical fantasy novels. In the first season of The Magicians, based on Lev Grossman’s novel of the same name, Quentin Coldwater discovers magic is not only real, but potentially fatal. While studying at Brakebills University for Magical Pedagogy, Quentin and his classmates are attacked by a magical being that is linked to their favorite childhood fantasy series about the land of Fillory that the author never completed. 

Can they use magic to enter this other world and finish the story? The real question

When Le Cirque des Reves appears out of thin air, in the middle of the night, you can't help but be curious about what is inside. And once you step inside, you will not be disappointed. Intricately organized as an elaborate stage for two magicians - Marco and Celia - to compete on, the various tents and stages amaze the nightly visitors. However, the magicians don't know the full details of their competition, nor who they are competing against, and the story that unfolds is one of romance, magic and heartbreak. 

Erin Morgenstern has written a mesmerizing tale of forbidden love. The Night

Tagged as a magical crime thriller, the movie Now You See Me is about four magicians (illusionists) who call themselves the Four Horsemen who get together to pull off some of the greatest tricks the world has ever seen.  Unfortunately, most of the magic tricks happen to be of a criminal nature.  Thus, the scenario sets up a fast-paced plot of cat and mouse between an FBI super sleuth (played by Mark Ruffalo) and the Four Horsemen (played by Isla Fisher, Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, and Dave Franco).

Now You See Me is by far the most entertaining DVD I have seen in quite a while.  The

In a world where words are literally the most powerful magic around, Nicodemus Weal is at a big disadvantage.  You see, he is a cacographer—a dyslexic mage who cannot write magical words or touch the words of others without drastically changing the desired outcome, often dangerously. Once hailed as the long awaited Halcyon, prophesied to set things right in the world, Nicodemus is lucky if he can keep his disability from killing himself and others.  Haunted by terrible dreams, Nicodemus must fight against an evil that could destroy him and the world.

There is much that I loved about Spellwrig

In The Night Circus Morgenstern has crafted a wondrous tale of dysfunctional families, manipulative caretakers, impossible love, and the many facets of friendships. If, like me, you’ve been reluctant to read The Night Circus for fear it can’t possibly live up to its hype, fear not. It’s all that you’ve heard . . . and more. In a battle falling somewhere between cockfighting and afternoon tea, two crotchety old magicians engage their apprentices in a fight to the death. Unfortunately, the apprentice magicians don’t know what their challenge is, who their opponent is, or when the battle will end

I don't generally like reading negative reviews and I like writing them even less. But sometimes a book affects you so powerfully in all of the worst ways, you have to say something. This is how I feel about Lev Grossman's The Magicians.

I'm a fan of classic fantasy by the likes of J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, which are obvious influences on Grossman. (The magical land of Fillory is clearly influenced by Narnia.) I'm also a fan of "hidden magical world" stories (the most well-known example being J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series, which is referenced a number of times in The Magicians.) So