I like the more ambiguous ending of the original version. ( )

1951 The Magus a revised version, by John Fowles (read 29 Oct 1985) The first version of this book was published in 1965--this written revision in 1977. I must say that it caught my total interest, and for a time at least I thought it a major event in my fiction-reading history. It tells of Nicholas Urfe, who is an immoral heathen, about 24, who in 1953 goes as an English teacher to a Greek island where there is a boys' school. He comes to know Maurice Conchis, a kind of god-like impresario who does all kinds of magical things. There is no supernatural element to the story, though Conchis' effort is to make Urbe believe he--Conchis--is all-powerful. Allison is Nicholas' Australian girl, but at Conchis' villa he meets Lily and her twin sister June. There follow numerous events, much immoral eroticism, and an up-in-the-air classy modern ending. The ending was too arty for my simplistic, literalistic mind--as was much of the book. But readable it was, and also far more memorable than most fiction I read. I believe John Fowles may e a major living English writer, and his stuff is good enough I believe I'll read more. ( )