Customer Reviews

Spellwright

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Blake Charlton has done the extraordinary with Spellright. He has managed to use all the tired tropes of classic Epic Fantasy (magical books, dragons, a school for wizards, and a boy who didn't fulfill his destiny) and make them all feel fresh and engaging. Plus he does it with a main character, Nicodemus Weal, who you can't help but to root for.

The dragons, although they happen off screen, are quite inventive as are the various animated helpers that swarm the keeps and grounds of Starhaven, which is the school in question. Nicodemus is an apprentice spellwright also known as authors who suffers from a form of magical dyslexia known as Cacography, which is based off the authors own battles with it. Of course the story also involves prophecies about a special Wizard who could be a a great hope to the land or harbinger of the demons of the past who wish to control the world.

There are a few bumps in the road, but most are forgivable in the name of fun escapist Fantasy. The pacing was a little stop and go, especially in the first third. The magic systems while also the strongest and most original part of the book are initially a bit confusing, but about 100 pages in a much clearer explanation is given. This could have come a tad sooner, but it probably would have slowed down the pacing of the story if it had. Also, at one point the main villain comes off a a little too much like a bad Bond nemesis by over explaining himself and the plot, which was on the excessive side. More than one soliloquy happens like this. This problem may stem from the author trying not to drag things out. Lastly, the fight at the end of the story was worth waiting for, but the very last section felt a little tacked on and Eragon-like. Still Charlton at least condensed a fairly long time frame in a short number of pages instead of stretching a training story into a whole other book as Paolini did.

There are many different wizard factions each with their own view points and magics. The histories shared from each group were quite fascinating, although there is plenty left to reveal in future installments. Charlton has also sneaked in one of my favorite and criminally underused mythical constructs, which I'd love to mention but he went through pains to make it a big reveal. The style is heavily influenced by the likes traditional Epic Fantasy from Feist, Le Guin, and Tad Williams so don't go expecting some gritty, harsh Fantasy. Blake is being evocative of something more playful yet every bit as Epic as all the aforementioned names. A whole lot of foreshadowing goes on, which was expected given it is planned trilogy.

Even though Spellwright is Charlton's debut it certainly doesn't show many freshman jitters, but he has left himself room to grow. If you're a fan of classic style Epic Fantasy this will be a must for you. I give Spellwright 8 out of 10 Hats. Spellwright is definitely in the running for debut of the year so far and it would be surprising if it wasn't still near the top by the end. Now he's gotten me all in the mood to read some classic Robin Hobb.

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!

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!

"Spellwright", the first novel by Blake Charlton, is a fun and often inventive read that will remind many extensive fantasy readers of writers such as Brandon Sanderson and Raymond Feist. Charlton combines a unique magical system with an interesting cast of characters to create a story that, while sometimes afflicted with "new writer" issues (like some troubles with pacing), is still an entertaining addition to the fantasy genre.

Charlton sets his novel in a fictional world where words have power, and spellwrights (the wizards of this world) can use magical languages to change their environment and even imbue inanimate matter with life and thought. In the world, he sets his main character, Nicodemus, a boy once thought to be a prophesied savior until it was discovered that he is plagued by a condition familiar to Charlton and one that is utterly devastating for magic based on the written languages - dyslexia (called "cacography" in the novel). However, there is more than meets the eye regarding his condition, and as other forces converge on his home (the academy of Starhaven), Nicodemus uncovers truths about himself and the rest of the world that will change his life and that of others forever.

As mentioned above, this is Charlton's first novel, and it shows at times. The beginning of the book has some issues with pacing and structure - chapters end a little awkwardly, the characterization varies a bit in quality, events don't entirely seem to flow. It's not bad, but it is noticeable. That said, the book noticeably improves in quality as you continue reading it, until by the end of the book the prose and characters are a match for more established fantasy writers like Brandon Sanderson (who shares a similar style of prose in his "Mistborn" trilogy).

Nonetheless, it is a solid read, and a particularly accessible one - I would especially recommend it to those looking for fantasy novels for first-time fantasy readers, young adults (Charlton's book does not have profanity or any real sexual content), or both. While it is not the equal of some of the fantasy "greats" (like George RR Martin, or Robert Jordan), it is a good fantasy novel, and well-worth your purchase.

Nicodemus Weal is a student at the magical academy of Starhaven, where students are taught how to use magical languages to forge spells of great power. However, his grasp of magic is uncertain due to his cacography, which corrupts his spellwriting and distorts sorcery. When a powerful magician is murdered, suspicion falls on Nico and his mentor, Agwu Shannon, a former radical. As the authorities continue to question Nico and Shannon's loyalties, they in turn learn of a threat stalking the corridors of Starhaven...

Spellwright by Blake Charlton is the opening volume in a trilogy which is based heavily around the use of magic. Many fantasy novels use spellbooks and sorcerers muttering incantations in mystical tongues, but few go deep into the languages and techniques used. Here it is a central theme of the novel and Charlton's use of cacography (a real term, referring to deliberate misspelling for comic effect) as a sort of magical dyslexia is inspired. Certainly this magic system, with its use of spelling and English Lit. terms to describe how it works, is the book's greatest triumph. I can certainly picture Brandon Sanderson reading this book and thinking, "Damn! I should have thought of that!"

Elsewhere, the book is more of a mixed bag. At its heart the book is an attempt to subvert standard fantasy tropes about prophecies and chosen ones, with the introduction of counter-prophecies and some musings on the reliability of prophecies in the first place. None of this is particularly new, but some of the ideas are well-presented and followed up on.

The book's biggest problems focus on pacing and characterisation. The former is problematic as the entire book (more or less) takes place in Starhaven and there's the definite feeling of wheels spinning as the characters run around the place learning more about history, magic and backstory in a fairly expositionary manner. This isn't helped by some breakdowns in logic (particularly the secret of a certain bridge, which should be fairly obvious to people who've looked at the thing for more than ten minutes) and some wince-inducing dialogue (the villain's tendency to explain his key weakness - he can't cast spells within Starhaven's walls - to everyone he meets). The prologue gives the impression that the book might be a long, tense hunt thorough the academy to uncover the villain, but instead he fairly turns up every few pages to mutter some cartoonish threats and then vanishes again.

Nico has the makings of an interesting character. In his youth, certain birthmarks indicated he might by the Halcyon, the prophesied saviour of the human race from the demonic hordes lurking on the western continent. However, his cacography and the marring of the birthmark has convinced the authorities that he isn't the Halcyon after all. Nico, who loves stories about great warriors saving the world from evil, is frustrated by this thwarted chance at greatness, which makes him prime material for manipulation (by both sides) and leaves him a conflicted character. His mentor Shannon is a shady figure with his own agenda and dark past, not quite the typical benevolent teacher-figure normally beloved in fantasy. As our primary protagonists, they succeed in capturing the reader's interest. Other characters, unfortunately, fall a bit flat, such as the druid Deirdre who never really seems to develop, despite major character revelations about her late in the book.

Spellwright can be a frustrating novel. It has all the ingredients of being a successful, if not hugely original, fantasy piece. Unfortunately the mix isn't quite right. Enormous chunks of the book are given over to detailed descriptions of the magic system which is original and interesting, but these bog down the pacing elsewhere. There's an enormous amount of story and background that we are told about in major info-dumps rather than learning about organically. The villain is cliched and uninteresting. On the flipside, the book's take on prophecy is an interesting minor subversion on standard fantasy tropes and some of the revelations towards the end of the book open up the story to something more interesting.

Spellwright (***) ultimately overcomes its shortcomings to end up as an enjoyable fantasy tome, intriguing enough that I'll be giving the sequel Spellbound a shot when it arrives next year. The novel is available now in the UK and USA.

I read Spellwright a couple of weeks ago and found it not only exciting and fresh, but also a far more mature read than many of the other "magic-school" novels.

As a fan of the more in-depth fantasy, such as Feist, GRRM and Weeks, I found the mythology believable, interesting and completely immersive without distracting from the equally fun plot.

The protag feels much more real than many characters of late, and his day-to-day coping of "magical-dslyxia" was only the more inspiring because the writer based it on his own life.

Admittedly this is Blake's first novel and it does show at times, but this is by far one of the better fantasy debuts I have read in a long time.

Overall, fun, witty and immersive with great world building and a truly unique magic system.

So move over Rowling, Charlton is Headmaster now.

This is a strong opening to a new fantasy series which takes the power of language literally. One of the things I most enjoyed was how complete the worldbuilding is and the many different cultures that populate the novel. Nicodemus is a deeply sympathetic character whose cacography (think of dyslexia but with magical ramifications) not only keeps him from being able to cast spells but also makes it difficult for him to even handle magical artifacts. Too often a character is given a disability which is unrelated to the larger quest, but in Spellwright it is deeply connected to the larger quest.

If you are looking for a new voice in fantasy, give this a try.

Length:: 3:26 Mins

Hi, I really liked Spellwright, and here is a video review of me talking about the book and how much I liked it.

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 his full energies to writing.

First, our main protagonist Nico, although young in terms of being a spellwright, was a man in his mid 20's. This is not a story about a youth growing into an adult, though it is about an adult that definitely comes of age. Our hero suffers from a disability; you see he is a cacographer...

Dictionary.com lists this noun as:

"ca*cog*ra*phy

' '[kuh-kog-ruh-fee]

noun

1.bad handwriting; poor penmanship.

2.incorrect spelling."

This impediment is really significant for one that strives to perform spells that are nothing more than words...spelling counts. Cacographers not only misspell, but when they touch words, books, spells, or other writings, they can cause them to become misspelled. Charlton treats this disability like any other and we get to see a world filled with prejudice, misconceptions, and bigotry. If not for our heroes mentor Shannon (He is a champion of cacographers), he and the other cacographers would be imprisoned, mentally destroyed, or even killed.

Nico' mentor Shannon believes him to be the Halycon, a linguistic champion that is prophesized by his people. As a result he has taken a special interest in his growth and development; he makes him into a "pet project". They have a relationship that we can see has resulted in the two men becoming very fond of each other and they genuinely care about each other's well being. Their relationship is the heart of the story.

Second, Charlton has created a beautiful world that is easily visualized through his wonderful prose. This is a place that I would wish to see. He dedicates time to worlbuilding and backstory to make this place seem real. Charlton's prose is detailed, colorful, and often of a very high quality. I love the fact that in a book about words themselves that the author demonstrates what a grasp on vocabulary that he himself has. I was reminded of a China Mieville book at times when I would have to stop to look up an interesting new word to me...I love that. There is some great witty dialogue in this book as well. The scene with Nico and the Chimera is one great example. I love how through their dialogue together they were testing each other and saying wry remarks like: "Is that supposed to be profound or cynical?" The plot moves forward quickly and it builds up the tension to palpable levels. The book has a good ending point as this is the first book of this new series. There are not many plot twists, and some outcomes are apparent early on, but that is all ok, because you end up really caring about our heroes.

Third, the magic within this book is among the best I have ever read. It ranks up there now with the allomancy of the Mistborn trilogy, the source Saidin/Saidar, of WoT series, and of course "The Force" from Star Wars. Charlton has crafted a system of magic that to me works on so many levels. We all know about tomes, scrolls, and spells. He has found a way to take them and put them into a system where they really mean something. I loved it... Parts of the magic also reminded me of Peter Bretts the Warded Man series and could easily fit in to that world as well.

Finally, this is a story that had me vested in our characters outcome. Nico, Shannon, and Deidre are all memorable, and I look forward to reading more about them. Nico learns a lot, grows a great deal, bears witness to many atrocities, and comes to grip with his place in the world. Nico is a very different man by the end of this book and we the reader are better for it.

So, enough of my gushing for one day... This is a book that I will make my wife read tomorrow. I will tell my fantasy friends and family to buy it. I will preorder book 2 today...Great fun, Great read. Although there is a great deal for the YA crowd to like in this one, I actually think much of it would be lost on them, but overall it would still be an appropriate read.