Nicholas Urfe accepts a teaching post on a beautiful, remote Greek island, in order to escape an love affair gone sour. He meets the enigmatic Maurice Conchis, who introduces him to the exquisitely lovely Lily, his ideal of the perfect woman. But is she flesh or fantasy? As the past bleeds into the present, he finds it increasingly difficult to distinguish reality from imagination. Under the spell of this magic isle and its presiding spirit, he struggles to understand the rules of the mysterious game into which he is drawn ...
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Nicholas Urfe accepts a teaching post on a beautiful, remote Greek island, in order to escape an love affair gone sour. He meets the enigmatic Maurice Conchis, who introduces him to the exquisitely lovely Lily, his ideal of the perfect woman. But is she flesh or fantasy? As the past bleeds into the present, he finds it increasingly difficult to distinguish reality from imagination. Under the spell of this magic isle and its presiding spirit, he struggles to understand the rules of the mysterious game into which he is drawn.
Read Less
I had read "The Magus" in college and was really caught up in its thrall, but now revisiting it years later, it seems somewhat pedantic with not terribly interesting narrative thrust. It almost seems too academic to me. If you read the foreword by the author, I'm tending to think his initial impulses were correct -- that it was the creation of an immature writer. Anyway, I couldn't slog beyond a few pages of it. Much better and worth your attention is "The Collector," which starts purring right out of the gate. Maybe I've read too many detective novels. First deadly sin committed against your reader -- lack of dramatic thrust.
rm80
Dec 17, 2009
A Wonderful Read
A great fast paced, entertaining read. This is the first John Fowles book that I've read, and after reading it I see why he is so highly heralded as a writer.
kimberly29
Oct 23, 2008
Definately intriguing
This book is one which leaves you confused, reading on just to understand exactly what is happening. It's definately a different sort of book, but i loved it and definately recommend it to friends.
