The Magicians

The Magicians certainly gave me something that can relate to me in several ways.  Quentin is going to college for Sorcery of all things, and though it did remind me of Hogwarts, it did have something else.  Having the drugs, alcohol, and parties really made me think of the typical college life people would hear about, except the twist is that they're sorcerers.  The book did seem to take a while to actually get anywhere, though it kept my interest throughout the first half. The angst was good, though maybe a little much after a bit.  Even though they might have magical abilities and such, Quentin and his group of friends find out that they have no real way of using for anything of much worth.  I think that that's probably true since this is an urban fantasy, the world wouldn't have to necessarily have any use for magic to accomplish daily tasks.

The Golden Compass

The Golden Compass, for a children's book, had a few religious factors surrounding it.  It really reminded me of Narnia in that sense in which they both elude to religion/god.  Though, it didn't seem to stand out too much until the end and what was trying to be accomplished by the heroine. I don't think that children would probably understand most of the religious content on a deeper basis, and just enjoy it for the story.  Thoguh, the story is quite dark in some respects. The main heroine was really related to her name. As discussed in class, she really was good at lying, her name Lyra even sounds like liar.  The use of daemons was really different and interesting.  It kind of went back to folklore of familiars that people could have.  I like how the daemons are the external spirit of a person and form into an animal of which is based on that person's personality. Having a child's daemon not takes it form until later was quite true to how a child develops.  They aren't just born with a certain personality, it can change and form through their lifestyles and through meetings with people, as well as experiences they go through. Also have people have ghosts adds the third part of the person, which eludes to some other religious connotations.   Even though there is religious content in the book, it's anti-christian.  The Gyptians are like gypsies, but in the end, save children and others from danger and in a way are saviors.  Usually gypsies were never seen as such and have always been the lower-brand of society in history.

The Hobbit

 The Hobbit definitely was something a bit new for me.  The sort of folksy talk throughout the book was a kind of writing I wasn't so familiar with reading.  Since seeing the LOTR movies, I now understand what had happened previously.  Gandalf always takes center stage at the crucial and needed moments throughout the book and I always liked him as a character.  Bilbo was different than the most heroes since he was somewhat forced to help the dwarves take back their treasure from the dragon, Smaug.  Bilbo continues to have an effect on what happens throughout the book, like finding the ring and tricking Gollum and as to talking to Smaug and finding his weak point.