# Looking for modern fantasy books/stories including magical apprenticeship **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 14, 2013, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-modern-fantasy-books-stories-including-magical-apprenticeship/661017 "2013-06-14T19:36:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2013, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-modern-fantasy-books-stories-including-magical-apprenticeship/661017/1 "2013-06-14T19:36:31Z")
Title says it all. I’m looking for works set in modern times that go into decent detail about the process of apprenticing as a mage (western/hermetic variety) and the relationship between mage and apprentice. Preferably not romantic. Anyone know any? Thanks in advance! ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2013, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-modern-fantasy-books-stories-including-magical-apprenticeship/661017/2 "2013-06-14T19:44:50Z")
How about: [http://www.amazon.ca/The-Night-Circus-Erin-Morgenstern/dp/0385671717](http://www.amazon.ca/The-Night-Circus-Erin-Morgenstern/dp/0385671717) Edit: or better: > **[Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell: A Novel: Clarke, Susanna: 9780765356154:...](https://www.amazon.ca/Jonathan-Strange-Mr-Norrell-Novel/dp/0765356155)** > > Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell: A Novel: Clarke, Susanna: 9780765356154: Books - Amazon.ca ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2013, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-modern-fantasy-books-stories-including-magical-apprenticeship/661017/3 "2013-06-14T20:02:17Z")
> [@Malthus](#): > > How about: > [Amazon.ca](http://www.amazon.ca/Jonathan-Strange-Mr-Norrell-Novel/dp/0765356155/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1371239147&sr=1-1&keywords=jonathan+strange+and+mr+norrell) Interesting thought…I actually own that book, and have tried to read it before and never gotten very far. But isn’t it set in the 1800s? I’m looking for something a bit more modern than that, like mages in our modern world. I should probably give _Jonathan Strange_ another go, though. Lots of people seem to be quite taken with it. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2013, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-modern-fantasy-books-stories-including-magical-apprenticeship/661017/4 "2013-06-14T20:27:53Z")
Okay, what about this one: > **[The Magicians: Grossman, Lev: 8601400956939: Books - Amazon.ca](https://www.amazon.ca/Magicians-Lev-Grossman/dp/0452296293)** > > The Magicians: Grossman, Lev: 8601400956939: Books - Amazon.ca Set in modern times. Has people learing magic. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2013, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-modern-fantasy-books-stories-including-magical-apprenticeship/661017/5 "2013-06-14T20:37:31Z")
The Darwath Trilogy by Barbara Hambly. It’s set within the past 20 years or so, but a couple of the characters cross over from our world into a parallel world, where magic works and various prehistoric critters are not extinct. There’s some romance in the books, but not between mage and apprentice. One of the sequels, _Mother of Winter_, shows the second generation of apprenticeship, where the former apprentice takes on an apprentice of his own, and gets payback. Also, Jim Butcher’s Harry Dresden series has the main character take on an apprentice. The series is set in this world, in modern times. I slogged through the first book, and I think that Butcher’s writing has become better. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2013, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-modern-fantasy-books-stories-including-magical-apprenticeship/661017/6 "2013-06-14T20:58:52Z")
A certain J.K. Rowling did a whole 7 book series on this. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2013, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-modern-fantasy-books-stories-including-magical-apprenticeship/661017/7 "2013-06-14T21:04:55Z")
> [@Malthus](#): > > Okay, what about this one: > > [Amazon.ca](http://www.amazon.ca/The-Magicians-Lev-Grossman/dp/0452296293/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1371241546&sr=1-1-fkmr0&keywords=jthe+magician) > > Set in modern times. Has people learing magic. Oh, yeah! I’d forgotten about that one. Thanks! That one should be helpful. ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2013, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-modern-fantasy-books-stories-including-magical-apprenticeship/661017/8 "2013-06-14T21:06:12Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > The Darwath Trilogy by Barbara Hambly. It’s set within the past 20 years or so, but a couple of the characters cross over from our world into a parallel world, where magic works and various prehistoric critters are not extinct. There’s some romance in the books, but not between mage and apprentice. One of the sequels, _Mother of Winter_, shows the second generation of apprenticeship, where the former apprentice takes on an apprentice of his own, and gets payback. > > Also, Jim Butcher’s Harry Dresden series has the main character take on an apprentice. The series is set in this world, in modern times. I slogged through the first book, and I think that Butcher’s writing has become better. Oh, cool. I didn’t know Dresden took an apprentice. I too tried slogging through the first book and didn’t get far (I suppose I should try again). Do you happen to remember the title of the book where he took the apprentice? I’ll check out the other ones and see if they’re what I’m looking for too. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2013, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-modern-fantasy-books-stories-including-magical-apprenticeship/661017/9 "2013-06-14T21:07:15Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > A certain J.K. Rowling did a whole 7 book series on this. 😉 Heehee! Yep, I’ve definitely read (or listened to, or watched movies of) the HP series more than I can count! But I’m specifically looking for a modern-day one on one mage/apprentice relationship rather than a magic school. Thanks, though! ---
**Author:** ![Barking\_Dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Barking\_Dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barking_Dog)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2013, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-modern-fantasy-books-stories-including-magical-apprenticeship/661017/10 "2013-06-14T22:03:24Z")
> [@Infovore](#): > > Oh, cool. I didn’t know Dresden took an apprentice. I too tried slogging through the first book and didn’t get far (I suppose I should try again). Do you happen to remember the title of the book where he took the apprentice? Proven Guilty, book 8. But he doesn’t really do any Yoda-ing until the next one, White Night. The first two books of the series can be a bit of a slog, but Butcher really does hit a good stride through the rest. If you really like the non-romancy/porn urban fantasy, I’d highly recommend giving it a second chance. As for the OP, there’s this: [http://www.amazon.com/Magic-Malice-Mairelon-Magician-Magicians/dp/156865684X](http://www.amazon.com/Magic-Malice-Mairelon-Magician-Magicians/dp/156865684X) It’s set in Regency england, so it doesn’t fit the OP exactly, but you might have a gander all the same. ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2013, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-modern-fantasy-books-stories-including-magical-apprenticeship/661017/11 "2013-06-14T22:14:36Z")
Jonathan Stroud’s Bartimaeus books might qualify. ---
**Author:** ![nachtmusick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ac91a4/32.png) [@nachtmusick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nachtmusick)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2013, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-modern-fantasy-books-stories-including-magical-apprenticeship/661017/12 "2013-06-15T06:22:14Z")
> [@Infovore](#): > > Title says it all. I’m looking for works set in modern times that go into decent detail about the process of apprenticing as a mage (western/hermetic variety) and the relationship between mage and apprentice. Preferably not romantic. Anyone know any? > > Thanks in advance! I’ll read it if you write it. But if there’s no romance you’ll never get a movie deal. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2013, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-modern-fantasy-books-stories-including-magical-apprenticeship/661017/13 "2013-06-15T06:29:03Z")
There _Mort_ which is the fourth book in the Discworld series. Mort becomes one of Death’s apprentices. There is some romance but none of it between Mort and Death. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2013, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-modern-fantasy-books-stories-including-magical-apprenticeship/661017/14 "2013-06-15T06:40:04Z")
> [@Infovore](#): > > Title says it all. I’m looking for works set in modern times that go into decent detail about the process of apprenticing as a mage (western/hermetic variety) and the relationship between mage and apprentice. Preferably not romantic. Anyone know any? > > Thanks in advance! [Robert Lynn Asprin’s _Myth Adventures_](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Literature/MythAdventures?from=Main.MythAdventures) series is entirely **about** that trope, but not set on our Earth, let alone “in modern times”. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2013, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-modern-fantasy-books-stories-including-magical-apprenticeship/661017/15 "2013-06-15T07:05:09Z")
Oh, and there’s more from the Discworld series. The Tiffany Aching books are _The Wee Free Men,_ _A Hat Full of Sky,_ _Wintersmith_ and _I Shall Wear Midnight._ ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2013, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-modern-fantasy-books-stories-including-magical-apprenticeship/661017/16 "2013-06-15T08:19:16Z")
There’s the manga and anime series [Someday’s Dreamers](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Someday%27s_Dreamers), set in present-day Tokyo. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Butterfly\_s\_Ghost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_butterfly_s_ghost/32/3462_2.png) [@The\_Butterfly\_s\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Butterfly_s_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2013, 9:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-modern-fantasy-books-stories-including-magical-apprenticeship/661017/17 "2013-06-15T09:58:26Z")
Ben Aaronovitch’s “[Peter Grant](http://www.the-folly.com/books/)” series pretty much fills your bill. The books are set in modern London: Peter Grant is a young Police Constable who is taken on as an apprentience by the last wizard in England. The books focus quite a bit on the process of learning magic and there’s definitely not much romance (and none at all between Peter and his Master!). The style reminded me a bit of the Dresden files, with a rather laconic first-person narrator full of dry one-liners and pop cultures references but I personally enjoyed these books more than the Harry Dresden books. YMMV of course… . 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2013, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-modern-fantasy-books-stories-including-magical-apprenticeship/661017/18 "2013-06-15T14:51:11Z")
> [@nachtmusick](#): > > I’ll read it if you write it. > > But if there’s no romance you’ll never get a movie deal. I kinda already [did](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=685901). 🙂 (At least I kind of explore the relationship in those two books, but I’m writing another one where I’d like to go into a bit more detail about what the teacher actually _teaches_ the apprentice, since that wasn’t the focus of the other two but it will be more the focus of this one). No romance, though, sorry. 🙂 The mage is a straight male and the two apprentices are a gay female and another straight male. I’ve never been much of a romance writer. ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2013, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-modern-fantasy-books-stories-including-magical-apprenticeship/661017/19 "2013-06-15T14:52:35Z")
> [@The\_Butterfly\_s\_Ghost](#): > > Ben Aaronovitch’s “[Peter Grant](http://www.the-folly.com/books/)” series pretty much fills your bill. > > The books are set in modern London: Peter Grant is a young Police Constable who is taken on as an apprentience by the last wizard in England. The books focus quite a bit on the process of learning magic and there’s definitely not much romance (and none at all between Peter and his Master!). > > The style reminded me a bit of the Dresden files, with a rather laconic first-person narrator full of dry one-liners and pop cultures references but I personally enjoyed these books more than the Harry Dresden books. YMMV of course… . 😉 Ooh, those sound good, and right about what I’m looking for. Thanks! I’ll check them out. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2013, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-modern-fantasy-books-stories-including-magical-apprenticeship/661017/20 "2013-06-15T16:33:55Z")
> [@Infovore](#): > > Oh, cool. I didn’t know Dresden took an apprentice. I too tried slogging through the first book and didn’t get far (I suppose I should try again). Do you happen to remember the title of the book where he took the apprentice? > > I’ll check out the other ones and see if they’re what I’m looking for too. Thanks! _Proven Guilty_. As noted, the man’s writing skills have improved markedly over the course of the series. I found the first two books enjoyable because he follows both his genres, fantasy and film noir-style detective novels, so faithfully. I enjoyed the later books because his writing skills improved so drastically. But some of the books in between were almost unreadable because he begins to abandon the hard-boiled private eye thing in favor of his created world, but his writing skills haven’t improved enough yet to make that work. In particular, I think that _Grave Peril_, _Blood Rites_, and _Death Masks_ are pretty bad, and if my local library hadn’t been out of them when I was picking up the series, I might not have kept reading. _Death Masks_ in particular has a really terrible sex scene, something that Butcher has wisely refrained from repeating in later books. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-modern-fantasy-books-stories-including-magical-apprenticeship/661017.md?page=2)