In this western-like world, the mage clans are split into two types of people: the Jan'Tep, those that can wield magic, and the Sha-Tep, everyone else. If you do not win your mage trial by age 16 you are considered Sha-Tep and will be a servant to the Jan'Tep.
Our story begins with 15-year-old Kellen, a teenager from one of the most powerful mage bloodlines, who is unable to access his magic, while his younger 13-year-old sister is considered one of the most powerful students in the school. I feel for Kellen throughout the story as he deals with the mage deadline coming closer while dealing with the pressure put on him by his father and the family name. I think the way the author describes Kellen's feelings is so accurate and portrays the feelings of being an outsider perfectly.
That is until Ferius Parfax shows up, an outsider in her own right, and shows Kellen it's not about who you are but what you do. Ferius is a wildcard and in my opinion the voice of reason! She's a badass, sarcastic, card-throwing Argosi wanderer who has experienced the world and knows there is more to life than the small world Kellen knows. Kellen also befriends, and I use that word lightly, Reichis - an obnoxious, arrogant squirrel-cat, who alone makes the story worth reading.
The writing is really easy to read and would be perfect for a YA audience. It reminds me of a slightly older Percy Jackson narration style - extremely sassy and sarcastic but has darker moments. For me, I would say the characters are done well but the world hasn't been developed enough for a full 5 stars. Spellslinger is mainly a story of Kellen starting to accept that his life isn't going to go in the way it was expected to and therefore delves quite heavily into his conflicting emotions on what he has always known and the reality of the situation.
In short, I really enjoyed Spellslinger. This book is a good introduction to the world and the magic system, that I hope is delved into further throughout the series. What really makes this book worth the read is the character work and the discussion of isolation, pressure, and outsiders.
Our story begins with 15-year-old Kellen, a teenager from one of the most powerful mage bloodlines, who is unable to access his magic, while his younger 13-year-old sister is considered one of the most powerful students in the school. I feel for Kellen throughout the story as he deals with the mage deadline coming closer while dealing with the pressure put on him by his father and the family name. I think the way the author describes Kellen's feelings is so accurate and portrays the feelings of being an outsider perfectly.
That is until Ferius Parfax shows up, an outsider in her own right, and shows Kellen it's not about who you are but what you do. Ferius is a wildcard and in my opinion the voice of reason! She's a badass, sarcastic, card-throwing Argosi wanderer who has experienced the world and knows there is more to life than the small world Kellen knows. Kellen also befriends, and I use that word lightly, Reichis - an obnoxious, arrogant squirrel-cat, who alone makes the story worth reading.
The writing is really easy to read and would be perfect for a YA audience. It reminds me of a slightly older Percy Jackson narration style - extremely sassy and sarcastic but has darker moments. For me, I would say the characters are done well but the world hasn't been developed enough for a full 5 stars. Spellslinger is mainly a story of Kellen starting to accept that his life isn't going to go in the way it was expected to and therefore delves quite heavily into his conflicting emotions on what he has always known and the reality of the situation.
In short, I really enjoyed Spellslinger. This book is a good introduction to the world and the magic system, that I hope is delved into further throughout the series. What really makes this book worth the read is the character work and the discussion of isolation, pressure, and outsiders.