The Magicians - Quentin as a character

[Chuck]

No one likes Quentin.
I can only assume that was Grossman’s intent. Was he trying to put Quentin in the same category as Updike’s Rabbit (Rabbit, Run) and perhaps Pohl’s Robinette (Gateway)? That’s the way I read it.

Everyone wants to identify with the protagonist when they read a book and will give them every chance to redeem themselves through the book only to find the author just won’t give them the satisfaction.

I read the two sequels and found that Quentin’s character changes to more likable. (I have not read any of the sequels to Updike’s or Pohl’s books so I don’t know where those character’s went.)

[Ross]

Personally I liked how he seemed to mature as the book wound to a close. I was going to rate the book higher for redeeming him in spite of having him be such a self centred misery guts for most of it, but then the obligatory lead in to a sequel popped up and I gave up on the series which is a kick in the teeth since I foolishly bought into the hype and got the other 2 books which will now go unread.