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The Magicians

For those of you who loved the whimsical and wish-it-was-darker Harry Potter series, or those of you who grew up on the stuff and are ready to move into more adult territory, Lev Grossman's The Magicians may be just what the doctor ordered.

The book moves at a comfortable pace.  Instead of wading through an entire book to finish one year of school (ahem - Harry Potter, we are glaring in your direction), The Magicians spends only half the book on schooling, allowing the lead character to descend to a surprisingly dreary and self-involved adulthood.  But seriously, if you could wave your hand and create cash, fly, etc... what would you have left to get excited about?

The final third of the story gives shocking resolution to that question.  We won't give away any more than the back cover here, btw.  The cast finds themselves between worlds, staring out at an infinite number of dimensions and realities.  One in particular turns out to be Fillroy, the author's playful stab at the Narnia Chronicles.  The trip to this magical land turns out to be a dark one and leads the characters down a path much different than their affected self-obsessed post graduation years has prepared them for. 

All in all, The Magicians was a fascinating read.  The characters are complex and real.  You get a feel of what modern day magicians would actually behave and process as.  There is enough magic to be interesting, but not quite enough to get played out.  We are looking forward to the follow up novel due out Summer 2011.

Say What?!?

Caption Time!  Send in your funniest ideas for bubbles 1, 2 and 3.  The most hilarious gut-clutching entry(ies) will be posted for all, like, 6 readers of this blog to see!  You could also post to facebook and be the envy of all your friends.

Just in time for creepy

Joshua Hoffine.  The name might not mean much to you now, but after a few nightmare inducing images caress your eyeballs, it should remained permanently burned into your grey matter.  Josh stages photos replaying childhood fears on brilliant and spooky sets full of costumes, monsters, Spielberg-esque fog and usually a terrified little girl.  He claims the pieces are a study on horror, the instinctual fear we have of the dark, impending danger, being eaten, etc.  Whatever his reasoning, the final pieces are marvelously creepy.