This article is about the novel by John Fowles. For the book on the occult, see The Magus (book). For other uses, see The Magus (disambiguation).
The Magus
Themagus cover.jpg
First UK edition, cover painting by Tom Adams
Cover artist Tom Adams
Country United Kingdom
Language English
Publisher Little, Brown and Company (US)
Jonathan Cape (UK)
Publication date
1965 (revised version 1977)
The Magus (1965) is a postmodern novel by British author John Fowles, telling the story of Nicholas Urfe, a young British graduate who is teaching English on a small Greek island. Urfe becomes embroiled in the psychological illusions of a master trickster, which become increasingly dark and serious. Considered a metafiction, it was the first novel written by Fowles, but the third he published. In 1977 he published a revised edition.[1] In 1999 The Magus was ranked on both lists of Modern Library 100 Best Novels, reaching number 93 on the editors' list, and 71 on the readers' list.[2] In 2003, the novel was listed at number 67 on the BBC's survey The Big Read.[3]