Critics' Opinion:
Readers' rating:
Published Mar 2010
352 pages
Genre: Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Speculative, Alt. History
Publication Information
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.
"Charlton's baroque prose perfectly mirrors the central role of language and the byzantine politics surrounding the Convocation and the potential prophecy, and the innovative spell craft will please fantasy readers weary of more traditional magics." - Publishers Weekly
"Starred Review. Charlton's debut presents a refreshingly new look at magic and the power of words. Nicodemus is a strong protagonist, but the supporting cast is equally as memorable, two qualities that will make this series opener resonate in the reader's mind. Highly recommended." - Library Journal
This information about Spellwright was first featured
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Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Blake Charlton has had short stories published in several fantasy anthologies. Spellwright is his first novel. A medical student at Stanford University, he lives near San Francisco, where he’s working on a sequel.
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