The Magicians by Lev Grossman

Title: The Magicians
Author: Lev Grossman
Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆
5/5 Stars

I think, perhaps, I give out too many 5 star ratings. Maybe I need to think more closely about what deserves such a perfect rating. Many books that I give 5 stars do have their flaws. Does that mean they deserve 4 stars? I don't want to put anyone off reading a book because I gave it a less than perfect score...but what does perfect really mean?

I'm asking these questions because I find myself wanting to give The Magicians 6 stars, simply because it was really that good. Don't get me wrong, I loved the Percy Jackson books, and some of them really are perfectly crafted, but this book. Well, I just don't know where to begin. It was one of the best fantasy books I've ever read. Please don't worry, all you purists; I wouldn't put this ahead of Lord of the Rings, Chronicles of Narnia, or even Harry Potter. However, as an adult fantasy novel, it was just incredible. I've never read something from the genre that I found so relatable. Perhaps it's the modern setting, perhaps it's the teen characters. I just connected with Quentin so easily and could not put the book down.

The Magicians begins in modern-day Brooklyn, with Quentin preparing for an Ivy League interview. As he makes his way home from the disastrous meeting, he finds himself in the gardens of prestigious school of magic, to which he is soon admitted. Quentin has been dreaming about magical worlds all his life and now he is one! Alas, the world of magic is not all he thought it would be, and soon Quentin learns that the trials he faced before magic are not so different from the one's he's faced with now. The book spans a 4-5 year period, in which Quentin goes to Brakebills school of magic and then enters the real world, culminating in a journey to the land of his favorite childhood books, Fillory. As I said, not everything in this new world is what Quentin expected, and the book chronicles not just his adventures, but also how he comes to terms with them.

I suppose The Magicians hit close to home because I too have always wished there was a world other than this one. No worries folks; I'm not about to go do anything crazy because I can't live in this world if there's no magic. I'm just saying I could relate to the idea that fantasy novels, though I love them and wouldn't have the same life without them, create a strange sense of hope for us loyalists. I go through my life thinking I'm just waiting for that something big to happen to me. If my experience of life turns out to be anything like Quentin's, maybe a big surprise won't make that much of a difference at all.

ISBN: 978-0452296299
Price: $16.00, paperback
Pages: 416

The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan

Title: The Red Pyramid
Author: Rick Riordan
Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆
5/5 Stars

Boy was I jonesing for some Rick Riordan this summer. I read all of the Percy Jackson books this time last year, and now, I've just developed this association with summer and Riordan's fast-passed, easy reads. When the weather gets warm, I want books I can breeze through, but who's stories I can really connnect to and reccomend to other readers. Well, Riordan does just that, so when I saw The Red Pyramid in my local Barnes and Noble (an establishment I should probably be banned from, considering my book-buying addiction), I just had to have it. And my goodness, it did not disappoint.

Pyramid is the first book in Riordan's new series, The Kane Chronicles, featuring brother and sister, Carter and Sadie Kane. Carter has grown up with their archealogist father, travelling the world, while Sadie staid in London with their grandparents, living a relatively normal life. When disaster strikes at the British Museum, Carter and Sadie are thrust together to save their father who disappeared at the museum. The story links Sadie and Carter to the traditions of ancient Egypt, and soon, they find themselves mixed up in an ages-old conflict between the gods and the magicians who keep them at bay.

It's clear that Riordan has a passion for the mythologies of the world, and he's continuing what he started with Percy Jackson's Greek heritage in the Egyptian siblings. He even gives a slight nod to Mount Olympus and the Empire State Building in this new book. He has a great ability to rejuvinate ancient stories for modern readers, and make classic myths come alive with lively young characters. I think he's doing something marvelous for his readership; introducing them to a deep literary history and, quite possibly, developing their interests in the history of our world. I'd like to think that after reading The Red Pyramid, kids might want to learn more about Egypt and would pursue more books on the topic. I know the book sparked my interest, and I can't wait (as usual) for the sequel.

ISBN: 978-1423113386
Price: $17.99, hardcover
Pages: 528

The Hound of Rowan by Henry H. Neff

Title: The Hound of Rowan
Author: Henry H. Neff
Rating: ☆☆☆(☆☆)
3/5 Stars

I have had this book on my shelf for quite some time now, but I wouldn't necessarily say it was worth the wait. The Hound of Rowan was, if I may say so, a bit of a knock-off of Harry Potter. A young boy with undiscovered magical talent is whisked away to an ancient private school to learn to hone his powers. He has abilities beyond those of his classmates and must use them to fight a powerful force of evil. Sound familiar? I thought so.

Despite its similarities to Rowling's beloved series, the book kept my attention. There were some interesting variations in the story, like mysterious connection each student has to a piece of art. This allowed Neff to include rich detail from Irish history, leaving a fair bit of mystery for the book's sequels. Whether the sequels will ever hit the shelves is a mystery to me.

For those looking for something to fill the Potter void, I would recommend this book. The feel of the Rowan Academy is so very like Hogwarts, I sometimes found myself thinking I was reading a Harry Potter book. For those looking for something new and fresh, however, I'd skip it.

ISBN: 978-0375838958
Price: $6.99, paperback
Pages: 448

The Castle of Llyr by Lloyd Alexander

Title: The Castle of Llyr
Author: Lloyd Alexander
Rating:☆☆☆☆☆
5/5 Stars

The Chronicles of Prydain first caught my eye when I was browsing through Barnes and Noble in the West Village. My sister and I love the Disney version of "The Black Cauldron," so I was immediately drawn to the books when I spotted them in the children's section. What I did not realize was that the Chronicles were a richly developed series with many more stories to tell than simply the one shown in the cartoon.

The Castle of Llyr has been my favorite in the series so far. At last, the romantic tension between Taran and Eilonwy is being recognized. This was something I found lacking in the last two volumes. Granted, the characters were younger than, and probably thought that members of the opposite sex had cooties. However, I am excited to see Taran jealous of Eilonwy's possible betrothal or willing to risk his life for her safety.

The plot, too, is much richer. The villain is more than just pure evil. These villains are more calculating and we actually "meet" them. In the other books, the villains are abstract, far away. This villain has interactions with the other characters.

All in all, I found Llyr to be a moving and incredibly well written story. I can't wait to see what comes next in the world of Prydain.

ISBN: 978-0805080506
Price: $6.99, paperback
Pages: 208