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The Library at Mount Char: A Novel Paperback – March 15, 2016

by Scott Hawkins (Author)

4.5 9,350 ratings

Goodreads Choice Award nominee

See all formats and editions

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“Wholly original . . . the work of the newest major talent in fantasy.”—The Wall Street Journal

“Freakishly compelling . . . through heart-thumping acts of violence and laugh-out-loud moments, this book practically dares you to keep reading.”—Atlanta Magazine

A missing God.
A library with the secrets to the universe.
A woman too busy to notice her heart slipping away.

Carolyn's not so different from the other people around her. She likes guacamole and cigarettes and steak. She knows how to use a phone. Clothes are a bit tricky, but everyone says nice things about her outfit with the Christmas sweater over the gold bicycle shorts.

After all, she was a normal American herself once.

That was a long time ago, of course. Before her parents died. Before she and the others were taken in by the man they called Father.

In the years since then, Carolyn hasn't had a chance to get out much. Instead, she and her adopted siblings have been raised according to Father's ancient customs. They've studied the books in his Library and learned some of the secrets of his power. And sometimes, they've wondered if their cruel tutor might secretly be God.

Now, Father is missing—perhaps even dead—and the Library that holds his secrets stands unguarded. And with it, control over all of creation.

As Carolyn gathers the tools she needs for the battle to come, fierce competitors for this prize align against her, all of them with powers that far exceed her own.

But Carolyn has accounted for this.

And Carolyn has a plan.

The only trouble is that in the war to make a new God, she's forgotten to protect the things that make her human.

Populated by an unforgettable cast of characters and propelled by a plot that will shock you again and again, The Library at Mount Char is at once horrifying and hilarious, mind-blowingly alien and heartbreakingly human, sweepingly visionary and nail-bitingly thrilling—and signals the arrival of a major new voice in fantasy.

Praise for The Library at Mount Char

An engrossing fantasy world full of supernatural beings and gruesome consequences."—Boston Globe

"Vivid . . . the dialogue sings . . . you'll spend equal time shuddering and chortling."—Dallas Morning News"

Editorial Reviews

Review

“A spellbinding story of world-altering power and revenge . . . Hawkins has created a fascinating, unusual world in which ordinary people can learn to wield breathtaking power—and he's also written a compelling story about love and revenge that never loses sight of the human emotions at its heart. A wholly original, engrossing, disturbing, and beautiful book.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“An extravagant, beautifully imagined fantasy about a universe that is both familiar and unfamiliar. . . . Hawkins makes nary a misstep in this award-worthy effort of imagination. You won't be able to put it down.”—Booklist (starred review)

"A bizarre yet utterly compelling debut . . . might remind readers of Robert Jackson Bennett's or Neil Gaiman's horror/fantasies.”—Library Journal (starred review)

“A terrific book, full of dark mystery and genuine beauty.”—Richard Kadrey, New York Times bestselling author of Sandman Slim

“A first-rate novel… a sprawling, epic contemporary fantasy about cruelty and the end of the world, compulsively readable, with the deep, resonant magic of a world where reality is up for grabs. Unputdownable.”—Cory Doctorow, New York Times bestselling author of Little Brother and Makers

"Funny, horrifying and original…the kind of story that keeps yanking you off in ridiculous new directions every time you think you know what's coming next."—David Wong, New York Times bestselling author of John Dies at the End

"The most genuinely original fantasy I’ve ever read. Hawkins plays with really, really big ideas and does it with superb invention, deeply affecting characters, and a smashing climax I did not see coming."—Nancy Kress, Hugo and Nebula Award-winning author of Beggars in Spain

“This book is batshit crazy. From the very first pages, the story grabs you by the guts and doesn't let go. It mashes together fantasy and thriller, love stories and dark comedy, into a wild trip at once unpredictable and unforgettable. You'll never look at a librarian in quite the same way.”—Keith Donohue, New York Times bestselling author of The Stolen Child

“A pyrotechnic debut...The most terrifyingly psychopathic depiction of a family of gods and their abusive fathersince Genesis.”—Charles Stross, Hugo and Locus Award-winning author of Accelerando and The Apocalypse Codex

"Don't pick up this book unless you want to read something you've absolutely never read before. The Library at Mount Char is funny, bizarre, moving, frightening, and surreal. The most original work I've read in ages."—Walter Jon Williams, New York Times bestselling author of Destiny’s Way and This is Not a Game

About the Author

SCOTT HAWKINS works as a software engineer for Intel. He and his wife live in Atlanta, where they spend much of their time playing Olympic-caliber fetch with their large pack of foster dogs. THE LIBRARY AT MOUNT CHAR is his first novel.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Crown; Reprint edition (March 15, 2016)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 400 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0553418629
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0553418620
Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ HL590L
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 10.4 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.22 x 0.83 x 7.97 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #24,791 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #188 in Contemporary Fantasy (Books)
- #283 in Dark Fantasy
- #421 in Action & Adventure Fantasy (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.5 9,350 ratings

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Scott Hawkins

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I'm a computer programmer. I live in the Atlanta suburbs with my wife and a lot of dogs. I write fantasy set in the modern world.

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9,350 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book engaging and memorable. They describe the story as captivating, interesting, and gripping with a unique twist on mythology. The book is described as imaginative, quirky, and clever. Readers appreciate the humor and sense of humor. They enjoy the characters and their development. Overall, they praise the writing quality as well-written and concise. However, opinions differ on the violence level, with some finding it brutal and terrifying, while others consider it cruel and unpredictable.

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Readability Story quality Creativity Humor Character development Writing quality Violence level Pacing

273 customers mention "Readability"265 positive8 negative

Customers find the book engaging and memorable. They describe it as a well-written, original read that is worth their time. The writing style and content are described as captivating and compelling.

"...Still, really strong, fascinating, original read. Unexpected." Read more

"...I found it joyously fun to read. Scott Hawkins did a great job coaxing me eagerly to the next page and next chapter...." Read more

"...Chilling, witty, graphic. Witty. Hopeful. Highly recommended." Read more

"...It’s such a beautifully written and well executed read. This is Scott Hawkins’ first book?..." Read more

243 customers mention "Story quality"216 positive27 negative

Customers enjoy the engaging story with its unique twist on mythology. They appreciate the gripping plot with excellent character development and world-building. The dialogue keeps readers guessing throughout, keeping them engaged and guessing until the end.

"...It’s surprisingly funny, twisted, horrifying and mysterious, with heart, wit and charm. It’s as breezy to read as it is difficult to categorize...." Read more

"...Still, really strong, fascinating, original read. Unexpected." Read more

"...Let the story unfold before you. This story transcends all limitations. Chilling, witty, graphic. Witty. Hopeful. Highly recommended." Read more

"...It tells a wholly complete story, though does feature an epilogue that sort of sets up a sequel were the author to want to revisit the world in the..." Read more

224 customers mention "Creativity"201 positive23 negative

Customers find the book imaginative, unique, and amusing. They appreciate the clever writing and interesting ideas. The book is described as a satisfying take on modern fantasy with magical realism elements.

"...While the concept warrants great praise (it is largely unique, multi-layered, and interesting), the execution leaves much to be desired...." Read more

"...every chapter is infused with humor, a little bit of slap-stick, and thoughtful, truly mind-blowing revelations. Alright, and some gross stuff...." Read more

"...novel, if you can get past the violence, it will take you somewhere very clever, emotionally satisfying, unique, sometimes wise, and very, very odd." Read more

"The Library at Mt. Char was a superb and very strange read. Nothing like what I had expected at all...." Read more

165 customers mention "Humor"157 positive8 negative

Customers enjoy the humor in the book. They find it amusing, engaging, and thought-provoking with witty dialogue. The book is described as exciting, hard to put down, and satisfying.

"...It’s surprisingly funny, twisted, horrifying and mysterious, with heart, wit and charm. It’s as breezy to read as it is difficult to categorize...." Read more

"...I found it joyously fun to read. Scott Hawkins did a great job coaxing me eagerly to the next page and next chapter...." Read more

"...This story transcends all limitations. Chilling, witty, graphic. Witty. Hopeful. Highly recommended." Read more

"...Ultimately, "The Library at Mount Char" is a really fun book. It's very well written, filled with a number of very interesting characters...." Read more

127 customers mention "Character development"114 positive13 negative

Customers enjoy the interesting characters and dialogue in the book. They find the three protagonists entertaining and complex. The story flows smoothly between characters and events, with a realistic portrayal of Caroline. Readers appreciate the author's skill in depicting the female psyche.

"...The characters are fun and interesting...." Read more

"...It's very well written, filled with a number of very interesting characters...." Read more

"...It manages to be both detached and heartwarming, at turns, and its voice is darkly humorous." Read more

"...There is great character development and a gripping story. There are some elements of horror, thriller, action and even science fiction...." Read more

119 customers mention "Writing quality"84 positive35 negative

Customers find the writing quality of the book engaging and well-crafted. They appreciate the tight prose and understated dialogue. The author conveys bizarre ideas and concepts with ease, and the narration is straightforward without being simplistic. The interactions feel believable and realistic.

"...It’s as breezy to read as it is difficult to categorize. It’s a violent delight and gave me what I couldn’t tell I was looking for...." Read more

"...And also straight up compulsively readable. I don't generally think I like dark books, but sometimes they pull me in really strongly...." Read more

"...Most glaringly, the dialog often feels stilted, with normal "American" characters asking questions that seem out of place merely to move..." Read more

"...Dialogue is well-written and there's nothing extraneous in the narration. Pacing is perfect...." Read more

145 customers mention "Violence level"85 positive60 negative

Customers have different views on the violence in the book. Some find it brutal and fantastic, with elements of horror, thriller, action, and science fiction. Others describe it as disturbing and horrific, with graphic violence, including necrophilia, and video game-like death scenes.

"...It’s surprisingly funny, twisted, horrifying and mysterious, with heart, wit and charm. It’s as breezy to read as it is difficult to categorize...." Read more

"...reviewers have said, this book is a lot of weird and strange and horrifying. And also straight up compulsively readable...." Read more

"...The characters are fun and interesting. They're terrifying because of their human characteristics and sometimes sociopathic behaviors acquired..." Read more

"...There are some elements of horror, thriller, action and even science fiction. It is one of my favorites of the year!" Read more

123 customers mention "Pacing"84 positive39 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the pacing. Some enjoyed the slow reveal and natural language pacing, while others found it confusing at times, unbelievable, and underdeveloped. The timelines were also mentioned as confusing.

"...elements (and fantastically described gore) that it fits into both genres perfectly. I will be thinking about this book for a long time...." Read more

"...The end is tied up quite nicely for you, and I appreciate that. I want to know what the author thinks he’s written! Tell me a story...." Read more

"...Regarding "confusing timelines", the book is not absolutely linear. There are flashbacks...." Read more

"Such a fast and interesting read. Unlike anything I’ve ever read. You will love it- so give it a try!" Read more

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Cody Duckworth
Unique concept, fresh and unwavering
Reviewed in the United States on October 19, 2024
Verified Purchase
I’m not one to write reviews so I’ll keep it brief. It’s positioned as a horror novel, but that’s not what it is. It’s positioned as a story about a girl who’s father may be god and a petty thief who gets wrapped up in a scheme he doesn’t understand and isn’t prepared for. That’s only part of what it is. So what is it? I don’t know. But I enjoyed every page. It’s surprisingly funny, twisted, horrifying and mysterious, with heart, wit and charm. It’s as breezy to read as it is difficult to categorize. It’s a violent delight and gave me what I couldn’t tell I was looking for. Read the damn book.

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3 people found this helpful

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K Reviews
Dark, Disturbing and Compulsively Readable
Reviewed in the United States on December 25, 2020
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As many other reviewers have said, this book is a lot of weird and strange and horrifying. And also straight up compulsively readable. I don't generally think I like dark books, but sometimes they pull me in really strongly. This book certainly did.

In a way this can be classed as urban fantasy. It's set in fairly modern day America, but if certain kinds of magic were real but only available to a very limited number of people who had been carefully groomed for the roles to fulfill certain purposes. It's not urban fantasy in the noir-detective-but-with-magic vein.

This is a tough book to review without getting caught up in explaining myriad insane details. Suffice to say, our story centers on one "librarian" named Carolyn whose specialty is languages. And by languages, we mean ALL the languages. Carolyn started out as a fairly normal childhood, but when she was orphaned she was adopted by a very strange Father. A Father who was incredibly powerful, but not a gentle and caring figure, and only took on a handful of children to learn the various catalogs in the library - catalogs that focused on things like language, war, healing, mathematics, and more tenuous things like the realm of death and futures that never were.

Father has gone missing and Carolyn and her fellow librarians are trying to figure out where he is, what happened to him, and what forces are in play. The plot-twists and deep laid plans abound.

All that being said, I really felt like this story could/should have ended at about 80% of the book. All the of the "wrapping up" and conclusion after that point just seemed to muddy the waters for me. Still, really strong, fascinating, original read. Unexpected.

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16 people found this helpful

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Tracy C
WOW!! Such an amazingly fun read!!
Reviewed in the United States on May 10, 2017
Verified Purchase
This novel is broadly about children raised by a god in a vast library, each child tasked with learning their own "catalogue" (healing, violence, animals, mathematics, languages, etc.) and all the resultant harrowing things that happen to them as they mature. It's about revenge and love, and it raises questions about self-determination versus "destiny". The settings include mundane, familiar places and a strange universe that is a "superset" of ours. I found it joyously fun to read. Scott Hawkins did a great job coaxing me eagerly to the next page and next chapter. He answered my "reader's questions" shortly after I read certain portions, or answered them later, but almost never left a natural question unaddressed. He gave the main character, Carolyn, a character arc that was satisfying to see constructed and fulfilled. Maybe the best part for me was that, even though this is a fantasy novel, I did not have to work too hard to suspend disbelief. Immersion was easy.

I'm picky about what I read from the fantasy genre, and consequently wind up starting, but not finishing quite a few books as a result. I like Gaiman, I like hard sci-fi. And I have come to detest the hackneyed gimmick of "chosen", special twenty-somethings who are going to change their dystopian worlds. Thankfully, refreshingly, this is very different, very wonderful. The story demonstrates appreciation of old mythological archetypes (like Gaiman has) with just enough introduction of exotic mathematic and philosophical theories to ground the fantasy but not confound or distract readers.

The characters are fun and interesting. They're terrifying because of their human characteristics and sometimes sociopathic behaviors acquired during apprenticeships in godhood. When they surprise us with certain actions, the actions are not wholly out of their character UNLESS it is the result of purposeful third-dimensional development.

Scott teased out the correct kind of honest details about growing up and being a young child in the late 70's to make certain settings and interactions between characters feel authentic. Dialogue is well-written and there's nothing extraneous in the narration. Pacing is perfect. I want there to be a sequel, but at the same time I want this to be the only thing of its kind forever, and I am putting off reading it again as a treat to myself when I finish other books in my to-read pile. Can't recommend it highly enough. And I'll be checking out the writing links Scott provided in his acknowledgements in a bid to improve my own work.

A note regarding one-star reviews I've read that are critical of violent scenes and sexual content: This book is not (IMO) overly gory or graphic, and the rape that occurs is described by the character it happens to in the course of a dialogue with another character in what I would consider tasteful terms, the nature of the thing itself considered. There are gunshot wounds described well and appropriately; there is a scene of devastation in a jail when the Mars-like character David comes in to abduct someone, but there is nothing described in here gratuitously. It is all part of the plot and character development. Regarding "confusing timelines", the book is not absolutely linear. There are flashbacks. They are well-placed, IMO, and hell, for a story about a god and his wards who have mastery over things like time and death and small universes, I would feel a little confined if the story was absolutely linear. I have 99% confidence that WRITERS will love this book.

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187 people found this helpful

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Axel Kohagen
Amazing.
Reviewed in the United States on October 3, 2024
Verified Purchase
You won't find the same old villains here . . . or the same old heroes. The Librarians are in disarray. Father may be gone. I won't tell you any more than that. Let the story unfold before you. This story transcends all limitations. Chilling, witty, graphic. Witty. Hopeful. Highly recommended.

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Top reviews from other countries

Abhijna Yashwanth
Incredible book
Reviewed in India on October 23, 2024
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It’s chaotic, but wonderful

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Martin Pagan
No redeeming qualities whatsoever
Reviewed in Poland on June 10, 2021
Verified Purchase
For some reason I saw this book recommended on reddit to fans of HP Lovecraft, so I decided to give it a try, but there is nothing Lovecraftian about it. It felt more like a cross between "American Gods" and "A Song of Ice and Fire", except missing the literary capability of either of their authors. Granted, I gave up approximately 20% into the page count, which is rare for me. I just couldn't find anything appealing about this novel.

The setting is incomprehensible, the characters, including the protagonist, completely unlikable and immoral. The characters all supposedly speak some arcane language but they sound like typical American young adults, using slang and expletives. The author tells us that the protagonist has learnt all languages, human and beast, past and future, real and imaginary, but contradicts himself on the next ten pages by describing three instances in which she hears languages she doesn't recognise. What finally put me off, however, was the completely pointless and gratuitous violence against humans (including children) and animals, abuse, implied rape, and torture.

I wish I hadn't bought it.

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LiviaLuna
This book is amazing
Reviewed in Italy on August 24, 2020
Verified Purchase
Seriously,

the best book I have read in a while. It is dark and twisted, but it has humor.

Worth a reading, knowing it is WEIRD

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Sevm
Mixed feelings
Reviewed in Spain on August 6, 2019
Verified Purchase
This book is good, it slowly captivated me. After having read the first few chapters I was about to stop reading because the crude violence depicted was so gratuitous that it made me very uncomfortable. It eventually makes sense (at a literary level) that what is so heartbreakingly unexplainable to us is a triviality for the powers that be, just a move in their master plan.

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Tj Gardner
Immaculate writing and creativity
Reviewed in Australia on March 15, 2024
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I wouldnt normally pick up a “fantasy novel” but the reviews piqued my interest. This was a fascinating book - immaculately written. Deep, varied characters in a semi-fantasy storyline that sweeps and turns and comes together beautifully. Highly recommended.

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