MagicianMagician
Score Classic
What it's about
Pug is an orphan kitchen boy in a castle on the edge of the Kingdom of Midkemia, and he's apprenticed to the court magician without much talent for it. Then an alien army called the Tsurani comes through a rift from another world, and Pug and his best friend Tomas are swept up in a war that will take Pug to the enemy's world as a slave, and turn him into something far more powerful.
Why it's worth reading
It was voted onto the BBC's Big Read and is one of the classic fantasy epics of the 1980s. It's an old-fashioned, big-hearted adventure about growing up.
You'll love it if you liked
The Lord of the Rings
The Eye of the WorldGood to know
It's long and in some countries was split into two books, Magician: Apprentice and Magician: Master. It begins a long series, but this book stands on its own.
By the numbers
- Readers93 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller54 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #22 of the 219 young adult books we rank
- #54 of the 459 fantasy books we rank
- #142 of the 762 classics we rank
- #445 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Adventurous, Epic
If you like this, read next
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
The Hobbit
This Present Darkness
The Pilgrim's Progress
Seventh SonExplore the best-of lists
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Quick answers
Is Magician worth reading?
Yes. It was voted onto the BBC's Big Read and is one of the classic fantasy epics of the 1980s. It ranks #445 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 79.1 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Magician about?
Pug is an orphan kitchen boy in a castle on the edge of the Kingdom of Midkemia, and he's apprenticed to the court magician without much talent for it. Then an alien army called the Tsurani comes through a rift from another world, and Pug and his best friend Tomas are swept up in a war that will take Pug to the enemy's world as a slave, and turn him into something far more powerful.
How long does it take to read Magician?
About 13 hours (528 pages), or about 4 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Magician?
If you liked it, try The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien or The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan.