Warp

By: Lev Grossman

Narrated by: Kirby Heyborne, Lev Grossman

Length: 5 hrs and 25 mins

Publisher's summary

The lost literary origin story of best-seller Lev Grossman - including a new foreword about how and why he wrote his first novel: "It is the intense, concentrated, boiled-down essence of the unhappiest years of my life".

Twentysomething Hollis Kessler languishes in a hopelessly magician-less world (with the exception of a fleet-footed nymph named Xanthe) not too far from where he graduated college. His friends do, too. They sleep late, read too much, drink too much, talk too much, and work and earn and do way too little. But Hollis does have an obsession: There's another world going on in his head, a world of excitement and danger and starships and romance, and it's telling him that it's time to stop dreaming and get serious.

This republication of Lev Grossman's debut novel, Warp, shows the roots of his Magicians hero Quentin Coldwater in a book that is for anyone (and everyone) who has ever felt adrift in their own life.

©2016 Lev Grossman (P)2016 Random House Audio

Very personal

This book felt like I was witnessing something I shouldn't have. It seems like a very personal and private story to the author. Honestly, it was very slow and did not seem to flow well. I had a hard time following along, because I kept thinking I missed something but really not much ever happened.

However, this book does show a proto Quinton in that Hollis has the same bleak, wandering demeanor as the aforementioned Magicians protagonist.

Overall, I would say you should read it/listen to it if you love Lev Grossman's work (like I do) and crave more, because it certainly has the same tone. But in skipping this one you won't be missing too much.

Not a bad book, but...

What did you like best about Warp? What did you like least?

Interesting read, interesting characters. No idea whatsoever why this was listed as Sci-fi/Fantasy. Would have enjoyed it more without the misdirection; kept waiting for the 'other' to kick in. It never does.

First World Problems, the novel

Would you try another book from Lev Grossman and/or Kirby Heyborne and Lev Grossman ?

I really enjoyed Grossman's Magicians books, so I started working backward and read Codex (mediocre) and now Warp (don't waste your time). In the foreword Grossman talked about not being able to let this book go so I'm at least glad he got it out of his system so he could move on to write much better books.

Warp reminds me of Catcher in the Rye because practically nothing actually happens and you end up resenting the privileged protagonist for whining about things that aren't real problems. It falls into the "pretentious people sitting around talking about things" genre. Nothing ever seems to produce change or even consequences for the participants or the listener.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Disappointment, even for a first novel.

Any additional comments?

Try the Magicians books instead (MUCH better than the TV series). Lev's twin brother Austin has also written some really entertaining books.

written for those who feel stuck

if you've ever felt stuck in life, like the sun just refuses to shine as brightly on you as it does everyone else, then this book was written for you. I can relate to Hollis so well. just as in the magicians Lev has captured the feelings of anxiety, depression, and disassociating in ways that I didn't quite know it was possible to. and it's nice to know there's more of us out there going through the same thing, and that it can get better.

Don't waste your money!

What would have made Warp better?

Anything but the rambling nonsense it was.

Has Warp turned you off from other books in this genre?

Yes

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

Not really

Any additional comments?

Huge Magicians fan and this was absolute garbage. Just a bunch of ramblings about a bunch of slackers. Only the second review I've ever given but had to warn folks.

Loved Magicians, but this was unbearable

I am a huge huge fan of the entire Magicians trilogy, so I thought I'd give this early book from Lev Grossman a shot. To be perfectly honest, it was one of the most boring uninteresting books I've ever read in my life. The characters were all formulaic and generally unlikeable, and absolutely nothing happened. On top of that, I found the split voice narration style quite annoying. I strongly urge you to avoid this book. If you're desperate for more Magicians, just go back and re-read The Magicians!

Stick with the Magicians

In line with the other reviewers, I loved the Magicians series and consider Lev Grossman to be one of the best authors I can ever remember reading. And then I bought Warp. It was a huge disappointment. I can't believe these works are by the same author. The book starts out with a boring and hard-to-follow conversation between two characters and I was sure it was simply the cryptic beginning of the novel that was destined to lead to so much more. I listened to the same pointless drivel for about 45 minutes before realizing that wasn't going to happen. Someone else compared this book to the Catcher in the Rye, but that's an insult to the American classic by Salinger. The difference, I think, is this protagonist is NO Holden Caulfield.

Don’t buy this book

I am a huge fan of Lev Grossman, and the magician series is awesome. Having read all three books I figured I would give this one a try. This was a disaster, and I could barely get through the short novel. The book is his first novel, therefore I will cut the author some slack. However the cutting in and out of the story to the thoughts in the protagonist head often not make any sense. They were often more annoying than insightful. The story really didn’t go anywhere, and I feel like I wasted my money. Stay away, but try his other magicians series books. They are fantastic.

Bad doesn't even begin to describe this book

powered through about 2 hours and really wish I hadn't. It was like watching grass grow, accept you would care more about the grass.

Slow

I got bored. I tried to push on but I was bored with hearing about the main character's daily life. I didn't finish and maybe something awesome was around the corner, but I stopped waiting for it.