The Magicians by Lev Grossman

Just started this yesterday on the recommendation of a friend and came upon the following:
The main character is discussing his favorite series from his childhood
"it's like he's opening the covers of a book, but a book that did what books always promised to do and never actually quite did: get you out, really out, of where you were and into somewhere better."
The implied promise of a book is escape ... uh huh ... but is there more? Why read??