Boxall's 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die discussion

I'm currently reading John Fowles's The Magus.

I started the print version some months ago and stalled out on it because it was slow, and last week I switched over to an audio version.

Last night, I got out the print version and read along for a few pages, and nearly every paragraph had words and phrases changed - some words missing, other words added. Then I noticed where the audio called the mysterious woman "Lily", the print calls her "Julie".

The changed words completely changed my interpretation of why Nick met Allison in Greece during that first break.

By the next chapter, the book and audio versions were back to matching word for word again.

I re-read the introduction to the print version, and Fowles explained he'd rewritten a few scenes and changed the ending somewhat, because it confused some people.

Does anyone have experience with the two versions of The Magus? Is there a particular version that is considered "better"?

My read of The Magus © 1965 was in the early 70's. I was fairly young for the first reading and was fairly blown away by the head games. Around the same time I read The French Lieutenant's Woman and John Fowles became one of my favorite authors. Fast forward to mid 1990's and in a humanities class we read the revised edition © 1978. I think you will do well to concentrate on the later edition. But this may be my prejudice of having the advantage of a professor led discussion of the book.