Magic schools are a super common trope, but its usually magic middle/high school and the characters are kids. I want something like that, but aimed at adults. Doesn’t have to be fantasy, science fiction is also good. I’ve read Ninth House and Atlas Six, something like that would be great.
by look-at-your-window
9 Comments
The Magicians trilogy (Lev Grossman)
{{Vita Nostra}} by Dyachenkos
I think by far one of the most “literary” books in this genre and squarely aimed at adults is *Babel* by RF Kuang. It’s heavy on linguistics and the politics of imperialism so fair warning but it’s also a really good story with great characters.
The author of Ninth House has part two out – Hell Bent.
You might look at Catherine House by Elisabeth Thomas
*Magic for Liars* by Sarah Gailey and *Nevernight* by Jay Kristoff
The Kingkiller Chronicle. Umf. So damn good… even if the 3rd one never gets released 😭
Naomi Novik’s Scholomance series may fit
The **Valdemar series** by **Mercedes Lackey** has teens and young adults being trained in the use of the Mind-Arts among other things. More traditional magic also features in the books, but due to an anti-Mage barrier covering it for several centuries, the titular country lacks Mages and thus develops the more psychic-type skills.
It’s noted in-series that while the Mind-Arts are far more limited than Magic, they are also far, far harder for Mages to counter as in doing so, they prevent themselves from being able to act either.
[The Empyrean Series by Rebecca Yarros](https://app.thestorygraph.com/series/1289281) (Fourth Wing, Iron Flame)
It’s about a dragon rider’s war college. Once the cadets bond with dragons, they begin channeling magic and each person channels a different type of power.
The characters are in their early twenties, definitely “new adult” genre. The second book *just* came out, so you may be waiting a while for the next.