Spellwright

A highly original and engaging debut set in a fantasy world where language holds extraordinary power, perfect for fans of Robin Hobb and Tad Williams

Nicodemus Weal is a cacographer, unable to reproduce even simple magical texts without 'misspelling' – a mistake which can have deadly consequences. He was supposed to be the Halcyon, a magic-user of unsurpassed power, destined to save the world; instead he is restricted to menial tasks, and mocked for his failure to live up to the prophecy.

But not everyone interprets prophecy in the same way. There are some factions who believe a cacographer such as Nicodemus could hold great power – power that might be used as easily for evil as for good. And when two of the wizards closest to Nicodemus are found dead, it becomes clear that some of those factions will stop at nothing to find the apprentice and bend him to their will…

Reviews

Praise for SPELLWRIGHT:

'Blake Charlton has not only invented a fascinating world and peopled it with realistic people and wonderful, grisly monsters, but he has also created one of the few truly original magical systems we've seen in fantasy fiction… I'm fascinated to see what happens next and will be following every word with the absorption of an apprentice spellwright. You will be, too' Tad Williams

'Nicodemus Weal is a protagonist that all of us can identify with. SPELLWRIGHT features a unique system of magic and characters that are genuine inhabitants of that world. SPELLWRIGHT is a letter-perfect story: an absorbing read and recommended.' Robin Hobb

‘An enthralling tale’ Terry Brooks

'A clever conceit well executed adds a flair of originality to this wizard-in-training fantasy. A spellcaster who can't spell – in both senses of the word! Fast-paced and well-written, SPELLWRIGHT is an enjoyable read’ Kevin J. Anderson

‘SPELLWRIGHT [is] a refreshingly different fantasy novel… enjoyably well-written, with a satisfying conclusion that leaves plenty of room for the inevitable sequel’ SFX

About the author

Severe dyslexia kept Blake Charlton from reading fluently until he was twelve. Because of this, everyone – including Blake – believed that he would never attend college. Ten years later he graduated summa cum laude from Yale University. Blake is currently studying at Stanford Medical School. Spellwright is his first novel.