The Third Magic
#6813.84 adjusted 3.93 for sample size in the official ranking · full ranking
Books 1 book Status Complete 1988 Reading commitment Low Welwyn Wilton Katz Last reviewed 2026-11-02
Overview
The Third Magic is a standalone young adult fantasy by Canadian author Welwyn Wilton Katz, first published in Canada by Groundwood Books (Douglas & McIntyre) in 1988 and in the United States by McElderry Books in 1989. Morgan Lefevre, a modern visitor to Tintagel, is pulled into the world of Nwm, where she is mistaken for an ancestor. With a boy named Arddu she is caught between two rival kinds of magic, the Circle and the Line, until the weapon of a third magic draws Earth into the conflict. The story is woven into the legend of King Arthur and Morgan le Fay. No sequel has been published.
Portal fantasy, Mythic fantasy · For YA
Core Canon: Reading Order (1 work) counts toward ranking
The Third Magic Welwyn Wilton Katz
| Work | Year | Internal chron. | Canon | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | The Third Magic; Published in the United States in 1989 by McElderry Books. Some early editions include a fourth part that was later removed. | 1988 | 1 | core | 3.84 (215 ratings) |
A standalone Arthurian fantasy in which a modern girl is drawn into the rival magics of the world of Nwm.
Quick answers
- How many books are in The Third Magic? The Third Magic's Core Canon is 1 book.
- Is The Third Magic finished? Complete (1988).
- How much reading does The Third Magic take? Low reading commitment (estimated from 1 Core Canon book).
- How is The Third Magic ranked? #681 in this site's official ranking, based on 215 reader ratings across 1 Core Canon book. See the full ranking for how this is calculated.
Why is it ranked #681?
Ranked #681 in the official ranking.
- Average reader rating of 3.84 across 1 core book.
- A smaller readership (215 ratings), so the score carries less weight of numbers.
- 0.09 behind #680, The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant.
- Below the top-10 average of 4.46.
Why explore this universe?
Rated · 1 book · Complete · 215 ratings · Ranks #681 overall
Good choice if you want a quick, low-commitment portal fantasy universe that's already finished, so there's no wait for the next book.
Reading order
A single Core Canon work: no sequencing question to resolve.
Awards (verified)
- Governor General's Award (Young People's Literature (Text)), 1988: won: The Third Magic
- Ruth Schwartz Award, 1988: finalist: The Third Magic
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- Elatsoe Urban fantasy / Mythic fantasy · Ongoing · Low commitment · 3.98
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- Mitsuko Historical fantasy / Mythic fantasy · Unfinished · Low commitment · 3.91
Official resources
Research details
Ranking metrics: weighted average 3.84 across 215 ratings on 1 Core Canon book. See Why is it ranked here? above for the full breakdown, or the full ranking.
How do we know this?
Admission: Canon Extension: 28 universes; 3 candidates ruled out accepted 2026-11-02
Sources: (see source tier definitions)
- Wikipedia: The Third Magic Tier 2
- Welwyn Wilton Katz author site Tier 2
- Encyclopedia.com: Katz, Welwyn Wilton Tier 2
Last reviewed: 2026-11-02
Rule: Core Canon = The Third Magic (1988).