The Magicians: Meet the Spellbinding Young Illusionists (PHOTOS)

Master Class in Magic

Lev Grossman's Magicians book trilogy (with its homages to Harry Potter and The Chronicles of Narnia), about a group of misfit magicians whose lives intersect inside and outside of Brakebills University (a secret sorcery school located in upstate New York) gets a small screen adaptation by Syfy.

In the TV series, the students have been aged up to their 20s and new characters added, but the magic, mayhem and monstrous beings remain the same. While students learn to control and enhance their supernatural abilities, a dark being known as the Beast appears again to threaten their world. But if you haven't read the books, don't worry, we've got you covered with this character's guide to the six spell casters at the center of The Magicians.

Quentin Coldwater (Jason Ralph)

The melancholy and misanthropic magician-in-training has never felt like he fit into "the real world." Even though he has one close friend, his best friend Julia Wicker (Stella Maeve), Quentin often retreats into his favorite books, a children's series called "Fillory and Further," about siblings who discover a magic world through a grandfather clock. But when Brakebills University comes calling and he finds himself enrolled, his life suddenly seems to make sense for the first time.

Eliot Waugh (Hale Appleman)

Sarcastic and rarely serious, Eliot is the life of the party at Brakebills. He befriends Quentin and brings much-needed humor into the new student's life. Eliot is always well-dressed, with a witty retort and a glass of alcohol (or two) at the ready. His best friend is Margo (Summer Bishil).

Alice Quinn (Olivia Taylor Dudley)

The Quinns are a legacy at Brakebills, and Alice is just the latest in a family line of extraordinarily talented magicians. Despite being shy and socially awkward, Alice quickly stands out as a smart and natural magician. But her personal agenda at Brakebills is less about her studies and more about discovering what happened to her brother, Charlie, who mysteriously disappeared years ago.

William "Penny" Adiyodi (Arjun Gupta)

As Quentin's roommate, Penny is a misanthropic loner who doesn't care what others think of him. He has the ability to read minds and has certain psychic powers that allow him to predict what someone might want or need.

Margo Hanson (Summer Bishil)

Margo doesn't have a book counterpart, but on the show, she serves as Eliot's partner in crime, all-around party girl and an unapologetic hedonist. Much like Elliot, Margo has a sharp tongue that can skewer anyone with a few choice words, and she's always up for a good time and some gossip.

Julia Wicker (Stella Maeve)

In spite of finding herself taking a surprise entrance exam at Brakebills, Julia fails and is not accepted, unlike Quentin. Even though she has her memory wiped before going back to "the real world," she makes sure to never forget Brakebills and begins a journey down a dark, difficult path toward magic.