This 2024 Fantasy Book Sounds Like The Magicians Replacement I've Been Waiting For

Summary The Magicians offers a dark twist on the beloved fantasy series, C.S. Lewis' The Chronicles of Narnia.

The Lost Story, released in 2024, also tells a mature fantasy tale, blending similarities with Narnia alongside adult characters.

The Lost Story is a potential replacement for The Magicians, offering a similar dark and adult take on a beloved fantasy world.

Years ago, The Magicians offered a dark twist on a beloved fantasy book series, and now, I think this new 2024 novel is doing the same exact thing. Many know The Magicians as a five-season fantasy drama that aired on Syfy, but I know it as a set of three fantasy books written by Lev Grossman. Whether on-screen or on the page, The Magicians follows Quentin Coldwater, a student who is given the chance to study at a magic academy where he learns that his favorite book series, and the magic world inside it, are real.

One of my favorite parts of The Magicians is how it connects to C.S. Lewis' The Chronicles of Narnia. The Magicians' Fillory is exceptionally similar to Narnia, and Quentin, like the Pevensie children, is transported to this magical place in need of protection. What I really love about The Magicians, though, is how it blends The Chronicles of Narnia with fandom. Quentin is a fan of Fillory before he even goes there. In this way, he is more like a Chronicles of Narnia fan than a character.

Related Where To Watch The Magicians Seasons 1-5 The Magicians is a captivating fantasy show that is full of magic and mystery. Here's where the popular Syfy original series can be streamed.

The Lost Story By Meg Shaffer Promises A Mature Take On The Chronicles Of Narnia

How The Lost Story Connects To Narnia

Now, The Magicians isn't the only popular fantasy book series inspired by The Chronicles of Narnia. Released in July 2024, The Lost Story tells the story of Jeremy and Rafe. When they were children, the two best friends disappeared into the forest for six months. Once they returned, Jeremy remembered everything, whereas Rafe's memory had been seemingly wiped. Jeremy vowed to keep the magic they encountered to himself, yet when a woman's sister goes missing in the same forest, Jeremy and Rafe must finally face what they experienced together.

Chronicles of Narnia Book Title Release Year Notes The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe 1950 The first book in the series, but not in the universe's timeline. Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia 1951 Set 1,300 Narnia years after the events of the first book. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader 1952 Set 3 Narnia years after Prince Caspian. The Silver Chair 1953 Set 50 Narnia years after Dawn Treader. The Horse and His Boy 1954 Takes place during the events of the last chapter of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. The Magician's Nephew 1955 Set long before the events of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. The Last Battle 1956 Set 200 Narnia years after The Silver Chair.

To me, the parallels to The Chronicles of Narnia are immediately obvious. Like in Lewis' writings, a pair of children get pulled into a world of magic, only to be spit back out again after an unforgettable adventure. What I think is truly great about The Lost Story though, aside from its Narnia similarities, is that Jeremy and Rafe are now adults. The Lost Story reimagines the classic Chronicles of Narnia story with adults and memory loss. In some ways, it is even more touching as Jeremy and Rafe rediscover themselves and the experience they had together.

Shaffer's 2024 Fantasy Book Sounds Like The Magicians Replacement I've Been Waiting For

The Lost Story Is Similar To The Magicians Too

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The Lost Story is Meg Shaffer's second book. Her first is 2023's The Wishing Game.

Considering its Chronicles of Narnia commonalities and dark framing, I can't help but think that The Lost Story is The Magicians replacement I've long been searching for. Though The Lost Story lacks certain details that are vital to The Magicians, including the magic school, both books seem to have the same throughline: the main characters enter (or reenter) a magical world that they know and love, but perhaps find something darker than they expected. Since The Magicians ended in 2014, I've always hoped for another mature Narnia retelling, and now I think I've finally found it in The Lost Story.