Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell

I liked how the story started. Magic in the XVII century England is gone, however a group of theorists call themselves magicians because they dedicate their lives to the study of the art.

Then comes a real practitioner of magic, Mr Norrel, and demands the society to be disbanded. He finds them to be too presumptuous in calling themselves magicians, when in reality their nothing but scholars of magic. Why couldn't they just change they're name? They never claimed to possess any magical powers.

Up until now, there were two main characters, and it turns out that Mr Norrel is the actual protagonist, and the other two disappear all of a sudden. And this is where things starts to get really boring.

I was expecting to read magic/fantasy, but all I got was the struggles of a magician to get his art appreciated and put to good use in society. That is, social parties, political meetings, etc.