I mean, Quintin was so unlikeable I put the first book down and never went back. I've wanted to give it another try, because I have friends who adore the books. But... Quintin. So not arguing with you at all - more agreeing, but saying that however much Quintin hates himself, and however good the writing in the rest of the series may be, an unlikeable protag turned me away for good.
Not saying you're doing this, just to be clear up front. So many reviews on this series (and others) seem obsessed with the misconception that an unlikable protagonist is somehow a failure on the writer's part. It's a deeply weird assumption. If an author can create a narrative that's still compelling and compulsively readable with a self-loathing protagonist at it's core (like Grossman), that's a seriously impressive accomplishment. But yeah, fuck Quintin so much.
This is honestly the only series that has had me personally connected with every part of my being. The simple idea of the grass not being greener on the other side was executed so well and ruthlessly for me and was such a punch in the gut for where I was in life while reading this. I had joined the Navy after a rough couple of years back home and naively thought that most things in my life would magically get better, and just like Quentin I was thwarted from that idea at every corner. In fact there were many things that were actually worse because of how intense military life is. I definitely wasn't as annoying as Quentin (I hope lol) but I felt as though I was living the same life as him and was interacting with a very similar cast of people since many who enlist into the military come from very troubled homes looking for a way out. And I, just like Quentin, grew WAY up over the years. There were some aspects that actually felt real to me in my sleep deprived readings of this series and I honestly can't think of many books that have had such a profound impact on me.
Went through the same thing when I joined the Navy and stayed for 6 years lmaooo. One deployment was enough, I was on a SUPER toxic ship. I hope you're in a better place now! ❤
I would legit love to see you reacting to the whole show. its one of my favorite tv shows of all time, and there's so little content about it on youtube, and it would be great to see your thoughts relating to the ways the show alters the character arcs. like I found Q so hard to like in the books but in the show I adore him, and the show whole move with creating Margo and making her a really influential character in the plot.
Yep, i think thy actually are more creative while using stuff fffrom the books but also, their own thing, with the author, whil thy sem toplay it out ... . Yes ther is so much great dark humor and gurtpunches that , yes, reactions are a good idea XD
This was so amazing experiencing this trilogy through your reading. I absolutely love these books and agree with you on everything you said. It's so frustrating so often. I happened to read it when I was just finished with law school so I really connected to the idea of that idea that you're on top of the world and the world is your oyster ... except I graduated in 2012 when everyone did after the great recession and no jobs were available. It was so disheartening to say the least. This book really exemplified that feeling so well. I had to realize maybe I'm not so great like I thought, maybe that's okay, maybe I needed to grow some more. Seriously, this review/vlog took me back so much! Thank you!
This is my favorite series of all time, it was such a nice treat to see a 20 min video from you about it! Glad you like it (for the most part). The show is pretty good, but a LOT longer and with a lot of differences. I really see them as separate things, but I think you'll have fun with it too.
I love this format so much! Looking forward to the spoiler discussion too. Hope you enjoy the show and if you watch it I'm looking forward to your thoughts on that.
I really liked this themed vlog! It also makes me weirdly happy to see you talk about loving seeing Quentin fail. I wanna read this series and this made me more excited, even with the not great stuff happening.
When I read the first two books, I was fresh out of college and struggling to find work, so I found them pretty relatable. I could see why someone a bit further ahead in life would relate to the third book more, though I still feels like it kind of goes back on some of the themes from the first two.
Now that you mentioned it I’m like wait is he a good or bad actor. Imo it depends on the movie. For the most part he’ll at least be entertaining and it won’t ruin the movie
I'm reading the books because of my love for the show. The show resonated with me on a level that I've almost never felt. Will say that Fenn was my favorite character.
Really love this format and looking forward to it coming back. It's been a long time since I read the books, it must have been when the third book just came out and I remember them absolutely wrecking me. I think it's time for a re-read to see how I feel about it all some nine years later.
IMO this is one of those rare cases where the TV show is so much better than the books. The books were alright and I know the show changed a LOT of the way the story is structured and told, but GD the show hits hard and doesn't stop...
oh no, this is my favorite trilogy of all time I’m scared lol ETA: now I’m gonna be waiting impatiently for the spoiler review because I definitely went through the five stages of reading grief with this trilogy and I want to see where you landed on specific points in the story
This video perfectly captures my feelings on the whole trilogy. I always feared that maybe it was just me who had the wild ups and downs. Especially the book 2 ending.
Yeah I have had a complicated relationship with this trilogy I quit reading it twice. I read book one got to the end and was like ohh heck no I am out, then after a year or two I went back made it to the end of book two fully rage quit years passed I watched a bunch of the TV show and finally went back and reread and finished all three books. I like the TV show better personally, not being stuck in Q's head and the way they expanded on certain things like the Library.
I'm gonna start this by saying I have issues, and this trilogy is my favorite. I enjoy your takeaway at the end, and think you summed the polarizing nature of it all really well. Although, I very seldom got angry with Quentin. I always felt that tone of his shortcomings were more disappointing than frustrating, more inline with how fillory routinely disappointed. I mean the dude is awful, but in a tragically underwhelming way.
Q is a very tragic character. I have never had nearly as much of an issue with him as so many people seem to. I honestly love him. He’s tragic for me, not annoying. I was constantly rooting for him, and it was always painful and upsetting when he would stumble, again, and again, and again, but you know. I guess I just relate to him too much. I’m glad he got his happy ending. He fought like hell to get there. Even if most of that fighting was against himself.
Loved this reading vlog. I've only read the first one but I plan to reread it and finish out the trilogy this summer. I hope this video brings more subscribers to your second channel but I love your vlogs
It's so wild with Quentin, because in the television show he is one of my favorite characters, if not my favorite character, and yet looking at the comments he sounds absolutely revolting in the books!
Thanks so much for the video Merphy! I freakin' LOVED The Magicians! I 100% agree with a lot of your feelings on it.. Quenting sucks, and gets so old, so fast.. There are a good many odd scenes/ happenings that I just shook my head and moved on from, going back to loving everything else. I really look forward to your spoiler review! Also, please do a review when you finish the show, because it was SO HECKIN' GOOD! It just keeps getting better and better as it goes!
I was so excited to see what you think. I started watching the show over a year ago and had to quit during the second season because I couldn't stand ANY of the characters. I had head it was a book series, but I always like to watch before reading, because doing it the other way around usually brings disappointment. Based on your reaction, it seems like the books are better, but perhaps not by much. Thanks for always putting out amazing content.
Great video about a trilogy I love. It may be a contender for "rare trilogy in which the second volume is the strongest". I can understand your view that the second is better executed than the first, because it doesn't keep us in the head of Q, who perhaps should be executed.
"Yes, Yes, I agree with you Lynn but I still luuuuuuuuurve it" Worst buddy reader ever! 🤣 (Not really everyone before you all come after me, I had a blast sharing our thoughts together for books 1 & 2)
Strangely, though I liked these books, the ones I appreciated from Grossman the most were his two kids' books, The Silver Arrow and The Golden Swift. They are a little slow for me, but they hit my 5yo's love of trains and magic and animals, and I mostly love The Magicians for leading me to those books. Oh, and I know it's not the most popular opinion, but I also loved the show. So take my opinion with pinches of salt.
I love the books as well ! And indeed it has a lot of really high ups and REALLY low downs but it got me unbelievably addicted. The series is really good, but the story is completely different from the books, like a complete other universe different from the books, if you can deal with this go for it, but know that it's really another story. And yeah, Magician's Land really ended the trilogy magnificently, me liking Quentin at the end was probably the biggest plot twist that I didn't really expected lmao And I understand you a lot in the wish to read it all at once, I had that but at the time the third wasn't published yet, it was a sad time 'till I got the last one.
My experience with this trilogy was overall really good. But it really was "enjoying reading, some ups, some downs, and then the ending sucks, I hate you Lev Grossman" and then repeat for the second book, and then repeat for the third book, but I was left really satisfied at the end. It was weird how much I came out of the first two books so negative, but luckily I had a friend who convinced me to pull through, and that the third book came out a few weeks after I finished book 2😅
Your feelings on the series were shocking close to mine and it all makes me hopeful for what Grossman puts out there in the future. He's apparently been working on a retelling of King Arthur.
Hey Merphy, have you read the Scholomance books by Naomi Novik? You might like them. I highly HIGHLY recommend Spinning Silver also Novik, which is inspired by Rumpelstiltskin. It's got a really good folk fantasty feeling to it.
Murphy again I have to say thank you for giving it a try. I knew this series get alot of hate and even I didnt understand why going in just small bits off reviews. but knowing what its becomes with the show. the show just amps up everything in the best way. and gives time and conversations for things that happen in the story. the two female characters we felt we needed more time with for trauma. we definitely get that in show. the show gives time to things we dont get in book. and just doing that alone elevates the story to new heights. Im excited for watch parties to really successfully cover book one we gotta make it to episode 3 of season 2. and at that point truly would be a good spot to decide continue parties or whatever happens.
I haven't read the books but I watched the series (I think I finished it...) and totally agree. I'd love it then hate it then love it again and I think I even yelled at the characters a few times rofl. I had to take breaks between some of the seasons.
i loved the series first until the end of s4 (no spoilers i guess?) but since, i read the first two books and also have this very love hate relationship with the books. the ideas and themes at the core are really so great
I loved this series. I guess I can understand why a lot of people hate it, but this was a homerun for me. I even liked the show, which was pretty ridiculous. Lol. I may even reread this soon. I read it like 5 years ago so it's almost time.
Your reactions to this reminded me of my reactions to Clive Barker's Imajica. (I highly recommend this book, btw, a must read.) It was love, mostly, with a couple of moments of hate, a good amount of confusion, a time or two of "uh, no" and an extremely perplexing but strangely acceptable ending.
I really enjoyed the show and the book. Probably enjoyed the show a bit more. They definitely divert very quickly. One nice thing about the show was not entirely being stuck in Quentin's head and aging up the characters a bit. Stella Maeve as Julia was incredible.
If you arent penny XD And the actor are grat, but stella really carries easons one character engagement. Because tits a seaon one and julia is really making it easy to engage with her, when else they are complicated, easy star of season one. not that the oher are band in any way.
@@marocat4749 The book worked as a book, but, as a show, aging them up to grad school, letting them be messy, not rushing through their entire time in school, and showing Quentin and Julia’s stories simultaneously worked really well. Adding the Katie character (sort of, since she was kind of a combo of a few ppl in the book but actually flushed out) was also excellent. As the series goes on, the actress who plays Margot (Janet in the books) was also incredible.
I only read the first one. I found Quentin too frustrating to continue. I also read Soon I Will Be Invincible by Lev Grossman's twin brother, Austin. I remember liking Austin Grossman's novel better, but I gave both books 3 out of 5 stars on Goodreads.
7:14 what you described kinda reminds me of chainsaw man because the MC Denji is an incel but unlike what you described Chainsawman tends to have Denji realize that sexy things aren’t as satisfying as he had imagined
This was such a fun video! It made me nostalgic for my first time reading the series. I had similar feelings to you, and I still marvel at how I went from absolutely hating Quentin in book one to being totally baffled that I really liked him by book three. And I'm so glad you're starting The Magicians show- it's arguably one of the best examples of an adaptation being better than the books. I have such fond memories of so many moments in the show. My husband and I made it somewhat of a yearly tradition to binge each season around New Year's for the 5 years it was on the air and it was so disappointing to have to bring that to an end when the show wrapped up. I hope you enjoy as you keep watching and thanks for reminding me why I love the books once I got past the first one. You totally did it right by binge reading them. It reads so well as one complete story!
I just finished the chapter Alice in book 1 Im loving the book the only thing i dont like is somethimes there will just be a crazy long chapter and as someone with dyslexia it makes it REALLY long
Love the trilogy and the show. They both have problems but what they do well, they exceed at. I understand why people don't like it. No problems if the darker themes and trigger scene are something people don't like. I get it but I think this is a great series. Please finish the show. Very underrated
For just a second I thought you were referring to the old Magician Apprentice and Magician Master by Raymond E Feist, which not gonna lie brought me great excitement and glee for just a moment. Great vid, even if you were talking about an entirely different series.
That book is one of my faves. But I also read it as one. Just Magician. The rest of The Riftwar Cycle is pretty consistently fun except for The Serpent War Saga, that definitely missed some of what makes the other books good to me, mainly in the character work (I'm about 20 books in, including the books co-authored with other authors. This made me find Janny Wurts, really enjoy her Wars of Light and Shadow series even though the writing is a bit too wordy and flowery for me at times). How many of the books in the series did you read?
@@ammalyrical5646 I have read everything except the last 2 series (chaos and demon I think). I enjoy Feist and Thomas and Pug are one of the best duos of characters. I read most of them when they came out so many years ago and recently have been rereading the books I already read to hop back into that world and continue with the books I haven't read. It holds up a lot better than many books I read when I was young on reread.
@@robertblume2951 Empire Trilogy I can get, but how didn't you miss a lot of context by starting in the Serpent War Saga? Hmm. Maybe I can see it. My main issue is that the characters are insanely bland and the only new character that had and interesting POV when he was introduced was the main POV of Rise of a Merchant Prince but as you can see I didn't even remember the name and I was hoping he'd die throughout the rest of the books. Still sad he survived TBH. The redemption we had to accept at the end of that book was like 2 paragraphs and he was a cheating, raping, lying dick so that just wasn't enough. Especially considering he was right back to that behaviour in the next book. We're supposed to at least enjoy his POV even if he's unlikable but I couldn't stand most of it. The mercantile stuff was interesting though. To me that series felt like it was plotted and outlined by Feist and then written by a ghostwriter who knew the already established characters but not the new ones. Sorry for the rant. Empire trilogy is one of the best pieces of political fantasy I've read so that love will remain. I would've given all the books in it 5 stars if there wasn't a time line inconsistency between Magician and Servant of the Empire at some point. I remember where in the story it is but not really where exactly in the book, but it's spoiler territory for sure. Those books are amazing :D
I have to say I suspect you like the later books much more mostly because Quentin grows a lot - which I agree, seeing Quentin grow is probably the most satisfying part of the series. However, plot-wise, I feel like the first 2 book had more to offer, and the third was a bit weak, almost like a long slightly off-focus detour before the finale. I didn't feel like the writing was significantly better in the later books, imo it's just that Quentin POV was a bit (intentionally, probably) uncomfortable in book 1. The one big aspect that irked me a bit in book 3, though, (spoilers ahead btw) is that Quentin appears to convince himself of having been deeply in love with Alice, but I actually felt the whole point of book 1 is that in fact he probably was never _actually_ in love with her, even though he didn't even realize it _himself_ at the time. At least that's what I thought after reading that book. The series never says it outright, but hints at this several times both in book 1 and in book 2, so this turn of event felt like a retcon by the author (or Quenting fooling himself, but that appears strange given how much more of a positive character he has become). That being said, there is one aspect that really annoyed me in book 1 that no one seems to mention: in the epilogue, in the course of barely 10 pages of brief summarization, there is basically a massive spike in magic power level that kind of killed in minutes all my suspension of disbelief and with it the sense of mystery, and frightfulness even, that I felt around the dramatic dynamics of magic as portrayed in that world - feelings that had been slowly and carefully built up in the book - as if Quentin suddenly became a god just before basically rage-quitting magic because he was too jaded and disillusioned. Only to restore his power level down to the average of the series in the following books, as if that particular epilogue never actually happened.
I've heard the TV show diverges from the books. I haven't read the books but need to, the show is amazing imo. They were able to do quite a lot. I do want to see what was different in the books but I really liked the show.
The show actually gets much better from season 3. Seasons 4 and 5 are some of the best I have ever seen in fantasy television. Please give it another try.
I really like this style of video. I think you did a good job with this one. I’d love to see more like this. Have you gotten your hands on a copy of The Bone Shard War yet?? I can’t wait to read it and see what you think!
That’s good to hear because the show has zero emotional relation between the characters after the first two seasons. After that it’s just “how outrageously whacky can we be for shock value!!” I never read the books but I couldn’t finish the series. It was literally disgusting and annoying.
This mirrors my reading of these books almost 1 for 1. I enjoyed the books *while reading them* but I nearly hated each one after the last page. It's been awhile so I've kind of lost the articulation on my exact feelings but it felt like each book was just missing ONE THING from making it a 10 out of 10. But that one thing was so huge it almost made the books actively bad. Also yes book two should've focused *solely* on Julia. Shouldn't have had Quintin at all IMO and just fully fleshed out her thing. What she had going on was just so much more interesting than Quintin's journey at that moment.
I watched the show with my wife. At a certain point we gave up on the show because it got really stupid. The initial premise was good and the first season was interesting. But after I think the first season, it just starts getting really weird and really silly. Maybe I need to go back to it and give it another chance, but I don’t remember it being very good as the show went on.
7:10 I'd say a scene like that, even with that focus from Quentin could still be seen as a good scene, if the author goes into it with the intention of making it disconcerting. You as the reader might recognized the tragic nature of the scene and worry for the characters mental health and want to comfort them, but as you're reading, you're in the head of this guy that is more focused on her breasts than the tragedy she's obviously going through. If it was the intention to portray Quentin's character flaws in such a way then fine and it does that well. But it is a moment that if I were writing it, I'd want to revisit it in some way down the line to address the issues with Quentin's perspective.
I don't like Quentin as a person, but I really like him as a protagonist. He's self-pitying and myopic, but unlike most characters like that he doesn't become passive or boring. He's always getting up to new shit. And he does get things done, even he fucks up constantly along the way. Also, I do think that Julia is the actual main character and Quentin is oblivious to it. Until perhaps the very end of the trilogy.
People talk about how much they dislike Quintin but remember, you can always step away, unlike Quintin, who has to continue to live with himself.
What I mean is that nobody dislikes Quintin as much as Quintin does. I'd know.
@@Dwarf_Bard yah self-loathing on his level has horribly self fulfilling component. Its relatable
Quentin could never be a relatable character even 10 years ago. But now 50% of Americans are exact,y like him 😂
I mean, Quintin was so unlikeable I put the first book down and never went back. I've wanted to give it another try, because I have friends who adore the books.
But... Quintin.
So not arguing with you at all - more agreeing, but saying that however much Quintin hates himself, and however good the writing in the rest of the series may be, an unlikeable protag turned me away for good.
Not saying you're doing this, just to be clear up front.
So many reviews on this series (and others) seem obsessed with the misconception that an unlikable protagonist is somehow a failure on the writer's part. It's a deeply weird assumption. If an author can create a narrative that's still compelling and compulsively readable with a self-loathing protagonist at it's core (like Grossman), that's a seriously impressive accomplishment.
But yeah, fuck Quintin so much.
This is honestly the only series that has had me personally connected with every part of my being. The simple idea of the grass not being greener on the other side was executed so well and ruthlessly for me and was such a punch in the gut for where I was in life while reading this. I had joined the Navy after a rough couple of years back home and naively thought that most things in my life would magically get better, and just like Quentin I was thwarted from that idea at every corner. In fact there were many things that were actually worse because of how intense military life is. I definitely wasn't as annoying as Quentin (I hope lol) but I felt as though I was living the same life as him and was interacting with a very similar cast of people since many who enlist into the military come from very troubled homes looking for a way out. And I, just like Quentin, grew WAY up over the years. There were some aspects that actually felt real to me in my sleep deprived readings of this series and I honestly can't think of many books that have had such a profound impact on me.
Went through the same thing when I joined the Navy and stayed for 6 years lmaooo. One deployment was enough, I was on a SUPER toxic ship. I hope you're in a better place now! ❤
I would legit love to see you reacting to the whole show. its one of my favorite tv shows of all time, and there's so little content about it on youtube, and it would be great to see your thoughts relating to the ways the show alters the character arcs. like I found Q so hard to like in the books but in the show I adore him, and the show whole move with creating Margo and making her a really influential character in the plot.
Yep, i think thy actually are more creative while using stuff fffrom the books but also, their own thing, with the author, whil thy sem toplay it out ... .
Yes ther is so much great dark humor and gurtpunches that , yes, reactions are a good idea XD
This was so amazing experiencing this trilogy through your reading. I absolutely love these books and agree with you on everything you said. It's so frustrating so often. I happened to read it when I was just finished with law school so I really connected to the idea of that idea that you're on top of the world and the world is your oyster ... except I graduated in 2012 when everyone did after the great recession and no jobs were available. It was so disheartening to say the least. This book really exemplified that feeling so well. I had to realize maybe I'm not so great like I thought, maybe that's okay, maybe I needed to grow some more. Seriously, this review/vlog took me back so much! Thank you!
This is my favorite series of all time, it was such a nice treat to see a 20 min video from you about it! Glad you like it (for the most part). The show is pretty good, but a LOT longer and with a lot of differences. I really see them as separate things, but I think you'll have fun with it too.
I love this format so much! Looking forward to the spoiler discussion too. Hope you enjoy the show and if you watch it I'm looking forward to your thoughts on that.
“The hero pays the price”
I really liked this themed vlog! It also makes me weirdly happy to see you talk about loving seeing Quentin fail. I wanna read this series and this made me more excited, even with the not great stuff happening.
All I can say is that I really appreciate the effort that you go into showing your opinions about this series love it 🥰
When I read the first two books, I was fresh out of college and struggling to find work, so I found them pretty relatable. I could see why someone a bit further ahead in life would relate to the third book more, though I still feels like it kind of goes back on some of the themes from the first two.
This whole video reminds me of Abed from Community trying to understand if Nicolas Cage is a good or bad actor.
The perfect analogy hahaha
Now that you mentioned it I’m like wait is he a good or bad actor. Imo it depends on the movie. For the most part he’ll at least be entertaining and it won’t ruin the movie
IM A CAT, IM A SEXY CAT
Human of culture
Thanks for bringing more attention to this series. Excited to hear you spoiler-filled thoughts on this! 😊
I'm reading the books because of my love for the show. The show resonated with me on a level that I've almost never felt. Will say that Fenn was my favorite character.
“Could I maybe get some fairy toes?!”
Really love this format and looking forward to it coming back. It's been a long time since I read the books, it must have been when the third book just came out and I remember them absolutely wrecking me. I think it's time for a re-read to see how I feel about it all some nine years later.
Don't let her near the TV show guys... we'll loose her for good
😂😂 the show is really good.
@CourtVaderBooks I know it is but it's fucked up and depressing 😞 😕 😔 no hate to the show
The beginning has some strong scenes. Butterfly man is so creepy. It gets real dumb after season 1
@Marc Torres Yeah Martin was pretty creepy then u had the fox god
IMO this is one of those rare cases where the TV show is so much better than the books. The books were alright and I know the show changed a LOT of the way the story is structured and told, but GD the show hits hard and doesn't stop...
oh no, this is my favorite trilogy of all time I’m scared lol
ETA: now I’m gonna be waiting impatiently for the spoiler review because I definitely went through the five stages of reading grief with this trilogy and I want to see where you landed on specific points in the story
This video perfectly captures my feelings on the whole trilogy. I always feared that maybe it was just me who had the wild ups and downs. Especially the book 2 ending.
that ending 😫
@@merphynapier42 I look forward to your spoilery thoughts!
Yeah I have had a complicated relationship with this trilogy I quit reading it twice.
I read book one got to the end and was like ohh heck no I am out, then after a year or two I went back made it to the end of book two fully rage quit years passed I watched a bunch of the TV show and finally went back and reread and finished all three books.
I like the TV show better personally, not being stuck in Q's head and the way they expanded on certain things like the Library.
I absolutely LOVE reading vlogs especially from you so please feel free.
I'm gonna start this by saying I have issues, and this trilogy is my favorite. I enjoy your takeaway at the end, and think you summed the polarizing nature of it all really well. Although, I very seldom got angry with Quentin. I always felt that tone of his shortcomings were more disappointing than frustrating, more inline with how fillory routinely disappointed. I mean the dude is awful, but in a tragically underwhelming way.
Q is a very tragic character. I have never had nearly as much of an issue with him as so many people seem to. I honestly love him. He’s tragic for me, not annoying. I was constantly rooting for him, and it was always painful and upsetting when he would stumble, again, and again, and again, but you know. I guess I just relate to him too much. I’m glad he got his happy ending. He fought like hell to get there. Even if most of that fighting was against himself.
I loved this video. would be happy to have more of these kind of spoiler free vlogs about books you are passionate about every noe and then 😊
Grad school broke me for recreational reading, but I loved watching this series on Netflix...
Just had me wanting to touch base with this video...
Loved this reading vlog. I've only read the first one but I plan to reread it and finish out the trilogy this summer. I hope this video brings more subscribers to your second channel but I love your vlogs
I'm so glad you loved it! ❤ I was a smidgen nervous 😅.
I'm so glad you're watching the show!
You have sold me, series going on my TBR- no promises it will be soon though
Me; *relates to Quentin to an almost tragic degree*
Murph; “Thank goodness I’m not in Quentin’s head”
Me; “ whole mood 😂😂😂”
my reaction precisely 😅
I need to read this book #asap
So happy for this I didn’t know there was books I watched the tv series on Netflix and loved it
yeah it was based on a book series but the show does make alot of different choices but its fun to see where the bones of the show came from
A dedicated video for my 2nd favorite series!!! LETS GOOOO!!!
All I know about this story is the show I watched that I never even finished. Seated for the chaos😂
did you stop after that one character's death too? thats what I did lol
@@themangotango95 i think i watched past that but not much
Whatever gets more people to watch the show. I freaking adored this series!
P.S. Margo is bae.
bambi forever
I love these vlogs you do on books!!! They are so enjoyable!! Thank you for them 😃😃
There is a fan podcast for the show and book called Physical Kids Weekly that has some good interviews with the author, cast, and crew.
There are two graphic novels set in this world as well. Definitely worth the limited time commitment if you like the vibes of the books and show.
i read the first book, and the fact i wanted everyone to die made me not want to continue.
So I just finished this series just based on this video. Book 3was my favorite of all three. Thank you! I’m going to go watch the spoiler video now!
It's so wild with Quentin, because in the television show he is one of my favorite characters, if not my favorite character, and yet looking at the comments he sounds absolutely revolting in the books!
He is portrayed very differently in the two mediums.
I’ve been on the fence with this one for a while. You may have just talked me into reading it.
Thanks so much for the video Merphy! I freakin' LOVED The Magicians! I 100% agree with a lot of your feelings on it.. Quenting sucks, and gets so old, so fast.. There are a good many odd scenes/ happenings that I just shook my head and moved on from, going back to loving everything else. I really look forward to your spoiler review! Also, please do a review when you finish the show, because it was SO HECKIN' GOOD! It just keeps getting better and better as it goes!
I was so excited to see what you think. I started watching the show over a year ago and had to quit during the second season because I couldn't stand ANY of the characters.
I had head it was a book series, but I always like to watch before reading, because doing it the other way around usually brings disappointment.
Based on your reaction, it seems like the books are better, but perhaps not by much.
Thanks for always putting out amazing content.
Great video about a trilogy I love. It may be a contender for "rare trilogy in which the second volume is the strongest".
I can understand your view that the second is better executed than the first, because it doesn't keep us in the head of Q, who perhaps should be executed.
Perhaps I should watch the whole video first. I understand why you prefer the third.
"Yes, Yes, I agree with you Lynn but I still luuuuuuuuurve it" Worst buddy reader ever! 🤣
(Not really everyone before you all come after me, I had a blast sharing our thoughts together for books 1 & 2)
Thanks im now going to finally pick up the first book. Ive been putting it off for so long
This reminded me that I need to finish either the books or the show. Or both. I can't even remember if I finished book two. It was way too long ago.
Strangely, though I liked these books, the ones I appreciated from Grossman the most were his two kids' books, The Silver Arrow and The Golden Swift. They are a little slow for me, but they hit my 5yo's love of trains and magic and animals, and I mostly love The Magicians for leading me to those books.
Oh, and I know it's not the most popular opinion, but I also loved the show. So take my opinion with pinches of salt.
Bruh, had no idea it was a book! I love The Magicians TV series xD
I love your energy when you talk about these books :)
I love the books as well ! And indeed it has a lot of really high ups and REALLY low downs but it got me unbelievably addicted.
The series is really good, but the story is completely different from the books, like a complete other universe different from the books, if you can deal with this go for it, but know that it's really another story.
And yeah, Magician's Land really ended the trilogy magnificently, me liking Quentin at the end was probably the biggest plot twist that I didn't really expected lmao
And I understand you a lot in the wish to read it all at once, I had that but at the time the third wasn't published yet, it was a sad time 'till I got the last one.
Your friend’s rant at the beginning was so funny.
Books that make you genuinely happy, angry, tense, expectant, sad, etc etc... are sooo good. :)
My experience with this trilogy was overall really good. But it really was "enjoying reading, some ups, some downs, and then the ending sucks, I hate you Lev Grossman" and then repeat for the second book, and then repeat for the third book, but I was left really satisfied at the end. It was weird how much I came out of the first two books so negative, but luckily I had a friend who convinced me to pull through, and that the third book came out a few weeks after I finished book 2😅
I loved the show - it's one of my favorites - I think they handled SA really well - major tw for anyone wanting to watch
Your feelings on the series were shocking close to mine and it all makes me hopeful for what Grossman puts out there in the future. He's apparently been working on a retelling of King Arthur.
I adore this trilogy.
I look forward to a spoilerfull rant AYYYEE!!! I can’t wait
Hey Merphy, have you read the Scholomance books by Naomi Novik? You might like them. I highly HIGHLY recommend Spinning Silver also Novik, which is inspired by Rumpelstiltskin. It's got a really good folk fantasty feeling to it.
This makes me want to check them out. I really enjoyed the series, much to my surprise.
Thank you so much great work
Murphy again I have to say thank you for giving it a try. I knew this series get alot of hate and even I didnt understand why going in just small bits off reviews. but knowing what its becomes with the show. the show just amps up everything in the best way. and gives time and conversations for things that happen in the story. the two female characters we felt we needed more time with for trauma. we definitely get that in show. the show gives time to things we dont get in book. and just doing that alone elevates the story to new heights. Im excited for watch parties to really successfully cover book one we gotta make it to episode 3 of season 2. and at that point truly would be a good spot to decide continue parties or whatever happens.
I too loved a book but also equally hated for obscenes i.e shadow of the wind
As someone who likes reading about characters I like or can identify with I gave up on the series after book one, because I hated Quentin
Weirdly just picked up the second book today to read during breaks at work.
I haven't read the books but I watched the series (I think I finished it...) and totally agree. I'd love it then hate it then love it again and I think I even yelled at the characters a few times rofl. I had to take breaks between some of the seasons.
i loved the series first until the end of s4 (no spoilers i guess?) but since, i read the first two books and also have this very love hate relationship with the books. the ideas and themes at the core are really so great
I loved this series. I guess I can understand why a lot of people hate it, but this was a homerun for me. I even liked the show, which was pretty ridiculous. Lol. I may even reread this soon. I read it like 5 years ago so it's almost time.
Your reactions to this reminded me of my reactions to Clive Barker's Imajica. (I highly recommend this book, btw, a must read.) It was love, mostly, with a couple of moments of hate, a good amount of confusion, a time or two of "uh, no" and an extremely perplexing but strangely acceptable ending.
I really enjoyed the show and the book. Probably enjoyed the show a bit more. They definitely divert very quickly. One nice thing about the show was not entirely being stuck in Quentin's head and aging up the characters a bit. Stella Maeve as Julia was incredible.
If you arent penny XD
And the actor are grat, but stella really carries easons one character engagement. Because tits a seaon one and julia is really making it easy to engage with her, when else they are complicated, easy star of season one. not that the oher are band in any way.
@@marocat4749 The book worked as a book, but, as a show, aging them up to grad school, letting them be messy, not rushing through their entire time in school, and showing Quentin and Julia’s stories simultaneously worked really well. Adding the Katie character (sort of, since she was kind of a combo of a few ppl in the book but actually flushed out) was also excellent. As the series goes on, the actress who plays Margot (Janet in the books) was also incredible.
I agree Stella Maeve was awesome but I really loved Summer Bishil as Margot.
I love this series but I understand the frustations with it. I hope you let us know how you like the show!
as someone who only saw tv show i am always interested in hearing about the books, because i am hearing all these things about it I'm like damn
yeah its fun to see the bones of the show
Season 4 and season 5 of the show is going to make you lose your mind in the worse way possible lmao
season 5 felt like a love letter from the cast for me. and I was still into the chaos in that moment
Never read the books. Loved the tv series. Quentin is easy to not like, but by the end of the show you actually miss him
I only read the first one. I found Quentin too frustrating to continue.
I also read Soon I Will Be Invincible by Lev Grossman's twin brother, Austin. I remember liking Austin Grossman's novel better, but I gave both books 3 out of 5 stars on Goodreads.
I loved the show and forgot this was a book I read when I was like 17 lololol
7:14 what you described kinda reminds me of chainsaw man because the MC Denji is an incel but unlike what you described Chainsawman tends to have Denji realize that sexy things aren’t as satisfying as he had imagined
This was such a fun video! It made me nostalgic for my first time reading the series. I had similar feelings to you, and I still marvel at how I went from absolutely hating Quentin in book one to being totally baffled that I really liked him by book three. And I'm so glad you're starting The Magicians show- it's arguably one of the best examples of an adaptation being better than the books. I have such fond memories of so many moments in the show. My husband and I made it somewhat of a yearly tradition to binge each season around New Year's for the 5 years it was on the air and it was so disappointing to have to bring that to an end when the show wrapped up. I hope you enjoy as you keep watching and thanks for reminding me why I love the books once I got past the first one. You totally did it right by binge reading them. It reads so well as one complete story!
I just finished the chapter Alice in book 1 Im loving the book the only thing i dont like is somethimes there will just be a crazy long chapter and as someone with dyslexia it makes it REALLY long
Still the TV series tho… Watch it. It’s so fun. 👏
What a shocker, the book with a heist in it is Merphy's favorite lol
Love the trilogy and the show. They both have problems but what they do well, they exceed at. I understand why people don't like it. No problems if the darker themes and trigger scene are something people don't like. I get it but I think this is a great series. Please finish the show. Very underrated
For just a second I thought you were referring to the old Magician Apprentice and Magician Master by Raymond E Feist, which not gonna lie brought me great excitement and glee for just a moment. Great vid, even if you were talking about an entirely different series.
That book is one of my faves. But I also read it as one. Just Magician. The rest of The Riftwar Cycle is pretty consistently fun except for The Serpent War Saga, that definitely missed some of what makes the other books good to me, mainly in the character work (I'm about 20 books in, including the books co-authored with other authors. This made me find Janny Wurts, really enjoy her Wars of Light and Shadow series even though the writing is a bit too wordy and flowery for me at times).
How many of the books in the series did you read?
Same reason I clicked haha
@@ammalyrical5646 I have read everything except the last 2 series (chaos and demon I think). I enjoy Feist and Thomas and Pug are one of the best duos of characters. I read most of them when they came out so many years ago and recently have been rereading the books I already read to hop back into that world and continue with the books I haven't read. It holds up a lot better than many books I read when I was young on reread.
@@ammalyrical5646 Love the Daughter of Empire series but I also love the Serpent War Saga. Those two were my introduction to Feist.
@@robertblume2951 Empire Trilogy I can get, but how didn't you miss a lot of context by starting in the Serpent War Saga?
Hmm. Maybe I can see it.
My main issue is that the characters are insanely bland and the only new character that had and interesting POV when he was introduced was the main POV of Rise of a Merchant Prince but as you can see I didn't even remember the name and I was hoping he'd die throughout the rest of the books. Still sad he survived TBH. The redemption we had to accept at the end of that book was like 2 paragraphs and he was a cheating, raping, lying dick so that just wasn't enough. Especially considering he was right back to that behaviour in the next book. We're supposed to at least enjoy his POV even if he's unlikable but I couldn't stand most of it. The mercantile stuff was interesting though.
To me that series felt like it was plotted and outlined by Feist and then written by a ghostwriter who knew the already established characters but not the new ones.
Sorry for the rant. Empire trilogy is one of the best pieces of political fantasy I've read so that love will remain. I would've given all the books in it 5 stars if there wasn't a time line inconsistency between Magician and Servant of the Empire at some point. I remember where in the story it is but not really where exactly in the book, but it's spoiler territory for sure.
Those books are amazing :D
I have to say I suspect you like the later books much more mostly because Quentin grows a lot - which I agree, seeing Quentin grow is probably the most satisfying part of the series. However, plot-wise, I feel like the first 2 book had more to offer, and the third was a bit weak, almost like a long slightly off-focus detour before the finale. I didn't feel like the writing was significantly better in the later books, imo it's just that Quentin POV was a bit (intentionally, probably) uncomfortable in book 1.
The one big aspect that irked me a bit in book 3, though, (spoilers ahead btw) is that Quentin appears to convince himself of having been deeply in love with Alice, but I actually felt the whole point of book 1 is that in fact he probably was never _actually_ in love with her, even though he didn't even realize it _himself_ at the time. At least that's what I thought after reading that book. The series never says it outright, but hints at this several times both in book 1 and in book 2, so this turn of event felt like a retcon by the author (or Quenting fooling himself, but that appears strange given how much more of a positive character he has become).
That being said, there is one aspect that really annoyed me in book 1 that no one seems to mention: in the epilogue, in the course of barely 10 pages of brief summarization, there is basically a massive spike in magic power level that kind of killed in minutes all my suspension of disbelief and with it the sense of mystery, and frightfulness even, that I felt around the dramatic dynamics of magic as portrayed in that world - feelings that had been slowly and carefully built up in the book - as if Quentin suddenly became a god just before basically rage-quitting magic because he was too jaded and disillusioned. Only to restore his power level down to the average of the series in the following books, as if that particular epilogue never actually happened.
I've heard the TV show diverges from the books. I haven't read the books but need to, the show is amazing imo. They were able to do quite a lot. I do want to see what was different in the books but I really liked the show.
it uses the bones of the books to make new situations happen its interesting
I liked the show less and less over a season or two and quit, but I'm now very curious about the books! Even the critiquing sounded fun! 😂
The show actually gets much better from season 3. Seasons 4 and 5 are some of the best I have ever seen in fantasy television. Please give it another try.
@@SouravUldyssian I don’t own Netflix anymore, but maybe if I resubscribe someday! Good to know you thought it got better!
Personally, I'm not sure why people like seasons 4 and 5. The show just becomes more and more of a mess.
I really like this style of video. I think you did a good job with this one. I’d love to see more like this.
Have you gotten your hands on a copy of The Bone Shard War yet?? I can’t wait to read it and see what you think!
You should do a livestream for your spoiler chat of the trilogy. :D
The TV show became so much better than the books as they diverge. There are three scenes that are guaranteed to make me bawl.
The psych ward fucked with me so hard
That’s good to hear because the show has zero emotional relation between the characters after the first two seasons. After that it’s just “how outrageously whacky can we be for shock value!!”
I never read the books but I couldn’t finish the series. It was literally disgusting and annoying.
This mirrors my reading of these books almost 1 for 1. I enjoyed the books *while reading them* but I nearly hated each one after the last page. It's been awhile so I've kind of lost the articulation on my exact feelings but it felt like each book was just missing ONE THING from making it a 10 out of 10. But that one thing was so huge it almost made the books actively bad.
Also yes book two should've focused *solely* on Julia. Shouldn't have had Quintin at all IMO and just fully fleshed out her thing. What she had going on was just so much more interesting than Quintin's journey at that moment.
Merph you missed a perfect opportunity to go with "that's where the focus of the scene breasted".
It was a perfect shot!
speaking of magicians trilogys, I wonder if you have a video on something from Trudi Canavan
I watched the show with my wife. At a certain point we gave up on the show because it got really stupid. The initial premise was good and the first season was interesting. But after I think the first season, it just starts getting really weird and really silly. Maybe I need to go back to it and give it another chance, but I don’t remember it being very good as the show went on.
Hi! With you on this one. Have you read the Johannes Cabal series?
7:10 I'd say a scene like that, even with that focus from Quentin could still be seen as a good scene, if the author goes into it with the intention of making it disconcerting. You as the reader might recognized the tragic nature of the scene and worry for the characters mental health and want to comfort them, but as you're reading, you're in the head of this guy that is more focused on her breasts than the tragedy she's obviously going through.
If it was the intention to portray Quentin's character flaws in such a way then fine and it does that well. But it is a moment that if I were writing it, I'd want to revisit it in some way down the line to address the issues with Quentin's perspective.
For some reason I thought this was the black magicians trilogy by Trudi Canavan 😅
For once, I have to say the show is better than the books. I like the books but I LOVE the show!
loved the video
would you try naoki urasawa monster anime or manga i think you will enjoy it.
I don't like Quentin as a person, but I really like him as a protagonist. He's self-pitying and myopic, but unlike most characters like that he doesn't become passive or boring. He's always getting up to new shit. And he does get things done, even he fucks up constantly along the way.
Also, I do think that Julia is the actual main character and Quentin is oblivious to it. Until perhaps the very end of the trilogy.
This just makes me want to read them more 🤣
Oh i can think o the reason hats him in the serie irt is probably,oh he says he kinda i stuck to quntins head . XD