Spellwright

by Blake Charlton

Book Overview

Nicodemus is a young, gifted wizard with a problem. Magic in his world requires the caster to create spells by writing out the text . . . but he has always been dyslexic, and thus has trouble casting... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0765317273
• ISBN13: 9780765317278
• Release Date: March 2010
• Publisher: Tor Books
• Length: 350 Pages
• Weight: 1.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 6.6" x 9.5"

Customer Reviews

Original, Refreshing, and Magical!

I'm one of those readers that doesn't want to feel as if I'm journeying through The Lord of Rings again, only with different costumes and names. These concerns left me when I began reading Spellwright. Blake Charlton has managed to write something new and original within the accepted framework of Epic Fantasy, and he does it flawlessly. I was enthralled with the magical world he created; its history, cultures, gods and demons. The intricacies of the different magical languages was like nothing I'd encountered before. Not only is this novel filled with magic, action and adventure--but it leaves you second guessing every character's motives. I experienced several OMG! moments throughout the book. Nothing is fully revealed till the end! I did feel a pang of disappointment for the main character, Nicodemus, but I know his journey has only just begun, and now I can't wait to read more!

Worth the wait

I like to let books stew and swirl around my brain when I'm done reading them before I decide how much I really liked them. It's been a day or two since I finished Spellwright, and I'm happy to report that it left a delightful aftertaste. I may have read more reviews of this book before reading it than I had ever read for any other book. So I knew going in what the consensus was regarding its strengths and flaws. But I had no idea how it mood and voice it created would sit with me. Blake Charlton obviously loves language. He loves books. He loves fantasy. And he unabashedly created a world where he could have all of his favorite things come together. You will definitely find here all of the common fantasy tropes: orphaned boy with strange abilities, wise old mentor, prophesies of the one who will save the world, big bad baddies who are unequivocally bad. And I won't say that he makes them fresh or new, which to me is pointless. Really, if you make an old trope new then it's no longer the same old trope. But what Charlton does do is infuse his enthusiasm and love of these things into his book so it can't help but be contagious. I couldn't help but smile a few times when his protag, Nicodemous, did something that Charlton must have lifted straight from life. The plot itself was pretty straightforward, which not a bad idea for a first novel. It's a bit of a mystery wrapped up with a fantasy. I could have done without the scenes from the bad guy's POV. I always enjoy the baddie to be a complete unknown, but that's just a personal preference. I think it robbed the book of some of its suspense. Much is written about his magic system in other reviews, so I'll just leave it to say that I found it challenging at times to follow. And that I liked. I had to reread several passages to grasp what Charlton was saying, and I found that very different for a fantasy novel. In many ways it struck me more like sci-fi in the way the magic was presented. I'm sure I won't be the only one reminded of The Matrix or Snow Crash. I will say that the book is a little heavy on exposition, especially in the beginning. But it's not so bad as to turn off a hard core fantasy fan. We're all used to exposition, and most of us enjoy it to an extent. Charlton uses it to keep the pace of the book going at a good clip. For only ~350 pages, a lot takes place. He could have eliminated much of the exposition, but then we'd be looking at a 500 page book. However, it really picks up toward the end, turning into one of those "can't put it down" reads which kept me up til sunrise. (And frankly, I'd like to see any author create a totally original magic system and then present it in the course of a short novel with little exposition and without slowing down the plot. Can't be done.) The biggest praise I can give Spellwright is that it left me wanting more. He's currently working hard on the sequel, and we can all only hope that he quits med school and devotes

One of the best new books in epic fantasy to come in quite some time

In Spellwright, Blake Charlton created a magical system unlike any I've read before, and it's refreshing to see a new take on a central theme found in most fantasy novels. I won't give away any of the plot for those like me who actually like going into a novel with little or no knowledge of what is going to happen, but I really want to say how excited I was to see such a novel magical system--one based on written words that you can make physically real--and how well it was developed throughout the story. As a long-time reader of fantasy novels I have to say that this book is one of the most unique and engaging stories I have read in quite some time. Not since reading The Sword of Shannara or The Wheel of Time have I been so excited to get involved in a new series. For those out there who enjoy the classic epic fantasy stories you won't be disappointed!

terrific fantasy

At Starhaven School for young mages, Agwu Shannon the great Magister thought the lad Nicodemus Weal could be the legendary Halycon of the ancient prophecy who will prevent the magical apocalypse Disjunction that is coming. However, though powerful with just a finger touch, Nico's spell casting never works properly. Instead what he touches turns into a misspelling disaster; leading to others fearing he might be the other side of the ancient prophecy, as the Storm Petrel who destroys magic. Now twenty-five and still at the school, Nico is a janitor apprenticed to Agwu. Someone murders Nora Finn the grammarian who was Agwu's fiercest academic rival. Amadi leads the investigation as to whom used a misspell to kill the dean. While Agwu fears his enemies from Astrophell have arrived to arrack him and his apprentice indirectly, others believe Nico killed Nora accidentally. As Nico dreams of a city under attack that proves accurate, others die mysteriously inside of Starhaven. Authorities believe Agwu and Nico went rogue. This is a terrific fantasy with a supporting whodunit amateur sleuth subplot. The story line is fast-paced, but the magic behind this delightful tale is the cast as every key player seems real and in turn makes the Charlton world feel genuine. Especially critical is Nico as his misspelling plays a double purpose. First it makes him the prime suspect in a strong storyline and second his blundering re gargoyles, chimneys, and other ilk enhance the believability factor as he is the magical Murphy's Law, but now must prove his worth. Fans will conclude that Blake Charlton is a gifted Spellwright as he enchants his audience. Harriet Klausner