Spellwright: By Blake Charlton

SPELLWRIGHT

SUMMARY

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 even the simplest of spells. And his misspells could prove dangerous, even deadly, should he make a mistake in an important incantation.

Yet he has always felt that he is destined to be something more than a failed wizard. When a powerful, ancient evil begins a campaign of murder and disruption, Nicodemus starts to have disturbing dreams that lead him to believe that his misspelling could be the result of a curse. But before he can discover the truth about himself, he is attacked by an evil which has already claimed the lives of fellow wizards and has cast suspicion on his mentor. He must flee for his own life if he’s to find the true villain.

But more is at stake than his abilities. For the evil that has awakened is a power so dread and vast that if unleashed it will destroy Nicodemus... and the world.

REVIEW

Spellwright just came out in mass market paperback and I personally can’t wait for it’s sequel Spellbound (September 13, 2011).

Spellwright tells a story of a wizard in training Nicodemus Weal who was once thought to be the great and powerful child of prophecy that was destined to save or doom the world of magic. Unfortunately unlike Harry Potter, Nicodemus is a cacographer, someone who is unable to spell things correctly. This is vastly important in Charlton’s debut novel as characters perform magic by spelling them and flexing them from their muscles.

This is one of the many things I loved about Spellwright, its original and fascinating take on the system of magic. Not only that but unlike most books, magic is not learned in minutes but is instead learned in decades and centuries. Not only that but Nicodemus has been studying for year sunder his master, and so it is not nearly the shock when he is forced to perform.

Of course besides its description/creation of magic, I thoroughly enjoyed the action that accompanied the book. The book is filled with exciting scenes that will keep readers glued to their seat and begging for more. Because of this and the many other reasons that make this a fun book I would easily recommend this book to fans of fantasy looking for something different, and I personally can’t wait for the sequel, Spellbound.

RATING

8.5 out of 10

INFO

Publisher: Tor Mass Market

Published: August 2, 2011

Price: $7.99