If it were possible to lock C.S. Lewis, J.D. Salinger, Terry Pratchett, and J.K. Rowling into a room and force them to collaborate on a book, the result might possibly be a lot like Lev Grossman's The Magicians and The Magician King. These are, strictly speaking, fantasy, but they do seem to bridge the gap between that genre and regular fiction.
The Magicians introduces the reader to the character of Quentin Coldwater, who is a familiar figure -- a teen with no clear direction. Through an odd sequence of events, he lands at Brakebills, a Hogwarts-like institution of magic. However, the similarity to Hogwarts is quite superficial -- Grossman's books, while lighthearted (and really funny) at times, lack the fairy tale/happy ending/hope for the world moods that underlie the Harry Potter series. The sequel, The Magician King, builds on the foundation of the story told in the first book, and has its share of surprises. These books are about people who seem real in their characters and have a greater share of flaws and faults, and while their choices do have a great impact, there are situations in which the characters cannot win, and simply have to deal with in their own ways.
I don't really give a blanket recommendation for these books, even though I have reread the first one several times and intend to do so with the sequel. If you really don't like fantasy, these books aren't for you. These books can be graphic at times, disturbingly so for some readers. This is not crossover kids' fantasy; these are real grownup books. But if you enjoyed any of the writers listed in the first paragraph of this post (with the possible exception of Rowling) you will probably enjoy these books as well.
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