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Bookworm #1
Bookworm
Elaine is an orphan girl who has grown up in a world where magical ability brings power. Her limited talent was enough to ensure a magical training but she’s very inexperienced and was lucky to get a position working in the Great Library. Now, the Grand Sorcerer – the most powerful magician of them all – is dying, although initially that makes little difference to Elaine; she certainly doesn’t have the power to compete for higher status in the Golden City. But all that changes when she triggers a magical trap and ends up with all the knowledge from the Great Library – including forbidden magic that no one is supposed to know – stuffed inside her head. This unwanted gift doesn’t give her greater power, but it does give her a better understanding of magic, allowing her to accomplish far more than ever before.
It’s also terribly dangerous. If the senior wizards find out what has happened to her, they will almost certainly have her killed. The knowledge locked away in the Great Library was meant to remain permanently sealed and letting it out could mean a repeat of the catastrophic Necromantic Wars of five hundred years earlier. Elaine is forced to struggle with the terrors and temptations represented by her newfound knowledge, all the while trying to stay out of sight of those she fears, embodied by the sinister Inquisitor Dread.
But a darkly powerful figure has been drawing up a plan to take the power of the Grand Sorcerer for himself; and Elaine, unknowingly, is vital to his scheme. Unless she can unlock the mysteries behind her new knowledge, divine the unfolding plan, and discover the truth about her own origins, there is no hope for those she loves, the Golden City or her entire world.
It’s also terribly dangerous. If the senior wizards find out what has happened to her, they will almost certainly have her killed. The knowledge locked away in the Great Library was meant to remain permanently sealed and letting it out could mean a repeat of the catastrophic Necromantic Wars of five hundred years earlier. Elaine is forced to struggle with the terrors and temptations represented by her newfound knowledge, all the while trying to stay out of sight of those she fears, embodied by the sinister Inquisitor Dread.
But a darkly powerful figure has been drawing up a plan to take the power of the Grand Sorcerer for himself; and Elaine, unknowingly, is vital to his scheme. Unless she can unlock the mysteries behind her new knowledge, divine the unfolding plan, and discover the truth about her own origins, there is no hope for those she loves, the Golden City or her entire world.
365 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
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783 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 122 reviews
February 18, 2013
The main problem with this book is the spoiled protagonist.
I'm using "spoiled protagonist" as a kind of technical term (I wrote a blog post on it, partly prompted by this book: http://csidemedia.com/gryphonclerks/2...). In summary, a spoiled protagonist is a main character who is treated by everyone else in the book as if they were the Chosen One of prophecy, even though, in the book, they're not. The sternest authorities forgive their transgressions, people sacrifice their lives to save them, and they need only whine a little to be given whatever they want, however little they deserve it and however little sense it makes.
Such is Elaine. The logical thing for the authorities to do with her would have been to lock her up for the duration of the emergency, or kill her. That would have left no story, though, so she's allowed to run around loose, even though that risks dangerous knowledge getting into the hands of lunatics who would destroy the world with it.
The language is competent, with few editing errors, but doesn't rise above the ordinary. There are no cleverly-turned phrases or well-chosen metaphors. It's a solid three stars for language.
The plot depends in part on people not acting intelligently, which puts me off a book, but is otherwise competent enough. Two and a half stars.
Character I've already mentioned. Two stars.
The setting swoops in and barely saves the book at four stars. It's detailed, and it feels like there's a whole world with history and geography. There are some issues, though. The Asterix the Gaul reference struck me as silly, and the suspenseful denouement is not the place for infodumps. There's a mismatch between the barely contained anarchy that's described and the just and reasonable authorities that we actually see.
The book has definite strengths, but it also has significant problems. On average, I found it average.
I'm using "spoiled protagonist" as a kind of technical term (I wrote a blog post on it, partly prompted by this book: http://csidemedia.com/gryphonclerks/2...). In summary, a spoiled protagonist is a main character who is treated by everyone else in the book as if they were the Chosen One of prophecy, even though, in the book, they're not. The sternest authorities forgive their transgressions, people sacrifice their lives to save them, and they need only whine a little to be given whatever they want, however little they deserve it and however little sense it makes.
Such is Elaine. The logical thing for the authorities to do with her would have been to lock her up for the duration of the emergency, or kill her. That would have left no story, though, so she's allowed to run around loose, even though that risks dangerous knowledge getting into the hands of lunatics who would destroy the world with it.
The language is competent, with few editing errors, but doesn't rise above the ordinary. There are no cleverly-turned phrases or well-chosen metaphors. It's a solid three stars for language.
The plot depends in part on people not acting intelligently, which puts me off a book, but is otherwise competent enough. Two and a half stars.
Character I've already mentioned. Two stars.
The setting swoops in and barely saves the book at four stars. It's detailed, and it feels like there's a whole world with history and geography. There are some issues, though. The Asterix the Gaul reference struck me as silly, and the suspenseful denouement is not the place for infodumps. There's a mismatch between the barely contained anarchy that's described and the just and reasonable authorities that we actually see.
The book has definite strengths, but it also has significant problems. On average, I found it average.
December 23, 2017
Why I couldn't finish this book (and why I wish I'd quit reading after 100 pages rather than 200)
1. one-dimensional characters--clumsy caricatures, really.
2. the world-building is very superficial. I'm happy to suspend my disbelief, but not in the face of such a lack of internal cohesion.
3. the endless repetition. The book would have been half as long if the redundancies had been eliminated.
4.female "characters" appear to have been created by a teenage misogynist. They're objects, and they're either crazy with lust or they're being humiliated (preferably while naked) or tortured, or else they're whining, or conniving how to snare a guy, or they're slaves. I was surprised to find that the author is in his late thirties. I wonder if he actually knows many women.
1. one-dimensional characters--clumsy caricatures, really.
2. the world-building is very superficial. I'm happy to suspend my disbelief, but not in the face of such a lack of internal cohesion.
3. the endless repetition. The book would have been half as long if the redundancies had been eliminated.
4.female "characters" appear to have been created by a teenage misogynist. They're objects, and they're either crazy with lust or they're being humiliated (preferably while naked) or tortured, or else they're whining, or conniving how to snare a guy, or they're slaves. I was surprised to find that the author is in his late thirties. I wonder if he actually knows many women.
August 16, 2017
A few issues with this book -
a) It's slow moving, with way too much telling, not showing.
b) Too much of the book is the main character's narration. She has the same internal monologue over and over, just to really hammer in the point that she's terribly shy, jealous of her pretty roommate, bullied by other people, and now has all of these tempting spells in her mind. Over. And. Over.
c) I'm not sure how old she's supposed to be, but apparently old enough to have graduated from school, and yet her personality is bland and childlike, about on par with what I'd expect from a middle schooler. No coping mechanisms for the daily problems the author *says* she experiences repeatedly.
a) It's slow moving, with way too much telling, not showing.
b) Too much of the book is the main character's narration. She has the same internal monologue over and over, just to really hammer in the point that she's terribly shy, jealous of her pretty roommate, bullied by other people, and now has all of these tempting spells in her mind. Over. And. Over.
c) I'm not sure how old she's supposed to be, but apparently old enough to have graduated from school, and yet her personality is bland and childlike, about on par with what I'd expect from a middle schooler. No coping mechanisms for the daily problems the author *says* she experiences repeatedly.
October 10, 2016
I rated this book as a 1* because of the unnecessary sex written into the book. If it is for young adults, and my grandchildren age 8 read books in this category, the sex in this book is not needed, does not add any thing to the book, and is completely fictional as well as unrealistic from the view of a 73 year old man. In the book the author makes fun of books written by teen age boys fantasy of sex, and then does the very thing he makes fun of in his books. I have no idea why Christopher G. Nuttall would want to destroy a good plot and all the work he put into this book by adding sex to a story that could have stood alone and done very well with out it.
March 24, 2013
Interesting fantasy adventure which moves at a good pace. The book is a complete story in itself but clearly will lead to future volumes as the larger plot is unfinished. The main character is a strong woman who is believable and likable. Refreshingly she is not all powerful. The world building for is particularly interesting and magic based.
February 12, 2013
Unimaginative main character, depressingly male understanding of romance, and a magic system that is completely unexplained. The concept holds merit, but is lacking in follow through.
January 28, 2016
I really enjoyed this. Must be the librarian in me
December 14, 2024
I just couldn't put this book down!
May 19, 2014
This book recently entered the Wishing Shelf Awards. It was awarded the GOLD MEDAL. This is what our readers thought:
FEEDBACK
Author: Christopher Nuttall
Title: Bookworm
COVER: 9/10
The readers thought that the cover was very good, even ‘spectacular’. They liked the title very much and they thought that the blurb was well-written and persuasive. One reader did feel the blurb was overly-long and ‘gave too much of the plot away’.
CONTENT 9/10
All of the readers thought Bookworm was a very exciting book. They loved the mix of magic,adventure and history and they thought the initial idea ‘A girl with a library of magic books in her mind’ was superb and very original.
The characters were also interesting and the readers quickly sympathised with them and their plight in the story. Many of the readers thought this book would make an excellent ‘first book’ in a set. (Note from Ed – I see book two is out. Congrats to the author). Two of the readers felt that the hero of the book did not develop too much as the story went along but they hoped that she would in later installments.
Regarding the sex in the book, most of the readers had no problem with it although three of them did suggest it might limit the market to adult-only, when, apart from the sex, this book would be ideal for the very lucrative YA market.
EDITING 10/10
The readers thought the book was well edited and discovered no glaring problems with grammar, punctuation or spelling. The readers thought the book had excellent pacing and was well-structured.
STYLE 10/10
The style of the author’s writing was very much enjoyed. Not only was it easy to follow and well-structured, there was also a nice undercurrent of humour. The plot was very well crafted, the beginning strong, pulling the reader in; the ending enjoyable and fulfilling making the readers want to read a sequel.
STATS
Of the 33 readers:
32 thought the cover was excellent; 1 thought the blub was too long.
16 thought that ‘description’ was the author’s strongest writing skill.
10 thought that ‘pacing’ was the author’s strongest writing skill.
6 thought ‘the structuring of the story’ was the author’s strongest writing skill..
33 would like to read a sequel.
‘A thrilling adventure packed full of magic and memorable characters. Highly recommended.’ The Wishing Shelf Awards
FEEDBACK
Author: Christopher Nuttall
Title: Bookworm
COVER: 9/10
The readers thought that the cover was very good, even ‘spectacular’. They liked the title very much and they thought that the blurb was well-written and persuasive. One reader did feel the blurb was overly-long and ‘gave too much of the plot away’.
CONTENT 9/10
All of the readers thought Bookworm was a very exciting book. They loved the mix of magic,adventure and history and they thought the initial idea ‘A girl with a library of magic books in her mind’ was superb and very original.
The characters were also interesting and the readers quickly sympathised with them and their plight in the story. Many of the readers thought this book would make an excellent ‘first book’ in a set. (Note from Ed – I see book two is out. Congrats to the author). Two of the readers felt that the hero of the book did not develop too much as the story went along but they hoped that she would in later installments.
Regarding the sex in the book, most of the readers had no problem with it although three of them did suggest it might limit the market to adult-only, when, apart from the sex, this book would be ideal for the very lucrative YA market.
EDITING 10/10
The readers thought the book was well edited and discovered no glaring problems with grammar, punctuation or spelling. The readers thought the book had excellent pacing and was well-structured.
STYLE 10/10
The style of the author’s writing was very much enjoyed. Not only was it easy to follow and well-structured, there was also a nice undercurrent of humour. The plot was very well crafted, the beginning strong, pulling the reader in; the ending enjoyable and fulfilling making the readers want to read a sequel.
STATS
Of the 33 readers:
32 thought the cover was excellent; 1 thought the blub was too long.
16 thought that ‘description’ was the author’s strongest writing skill.
10 thought that ‘pacing’ was the author’s strongest writing skill.
6 thought ‘the structuring of the story’ was the author’s strongest writing skill..
33 would like to read a sequel.
‘A thrilling adventure packed full of magic and memorable characters. Highly recommended.’ The Wishing Shelf Awards
January 23, 2018
Not quite sure where to put this series,
Another parallel universe that is just really really close to schooled in magic where the empire never disbanded, or another timeline?
There are way too many similarities to schooled in magic to be a mere coincindence.
Also the author is a fan of sanderson afaik so I just assume it's some form of connected prequel until somebody tells me differently.
Although there are several inventions that shouldn't be there, I guess you could make a point for roman empire, they also had several inventions that were lost later and took another 1000 years or so to rediscover.
Anywho, besides that confusing point it's a really really good book, and anybody who enjoyed schooled in magic should definitely give it a try.
It's really an interesting approach, on the one hand our heroine has all that knowledge to be technically invincible, on the other hand not nearly enough power to really do anything with it.
If nobody else would know, she would be in an average spot I guess powerwise, but since the secret is out it's more trouble than worth it.
Also, there is sex and brutal murder in it, so I wouldn't recommend it to children (I think I saw 1 or 2 bad reviews earlier because of that) - Fantasy does not equal childrensbook, people should know that, at least since Game of thrones :P
Another parallel universe that is just really really close to schooled in magic where the empire never disbanded, or another timeline?
There are way too many similarities to schooled in magic to be a mere coincindence.
Also the author is a fan of sanderson afaik so I just assume it's some form of connected prequel until somebody tells me differently.
Although there are several inventions that shouldn't be there, I guess you could make a point for roman empire, they also had several inventions that were lost later and took another 1000 years or so to rediscover.
Anywho, besides that confusing point it's a really really good book, and anybody who enjoyed schooled in magic should definitely give it a try.
It's really an interesting approach, on the one hand our heroine has all that knowledge to be technically invincible, on the other hand not nearly enough power to really do anything with it.
If nobody else would know, she would be in an average spot I guess powerwise, but since the secret is out it's more trouble than worth it.
Also, there is sex and brutal murder in it, so I wouldn't recommend it to children (I think I saw 1 or 2 bad reviews earlier because of that) - Fantasy does not equal childrensbook, people should know that, at least since Game of thrones :P
September 17, 2016
I would have liked to give it a three and a half if I could. I did like the main character, though a little overdone I can’t help but feel some sympathy for the orphan who doesn’t fit in but later comes into his/her own and basically saves the world. Throw in some magic and quirky friends and it just makes for a good story for me.
However.. (slight spoiler alert)
The author throws in a brief romantic interest just to facilitate a few fumbling sex scenes. They seemed contrived in the way that some movies would be family oriented except for a few scenes dropped in simply to justify a more adult rating. I’m talking like two…and then the little weak-chinned ninny bails at the first sign of challenge. Unless he shows up for some reason in later books there was absolutely no purpose, zilch, nada, nothing. Shame on you author. If you are going to have those scenes have a reason, make it change or motivate or even break the character’s heart. Something!
Elaine manages to grow anyway and saves the world except for the possibility of evil remaining in the background ready to come back and bite everyone on their magical butts.
However.. (slight spoiler alert)
The author throws in a brief romantic interest just to facilitate a few fumbling sex scenes. They seemed contrived in the way that some movies would be family oriented except for a few scenes dropped in simply to justify a more adult rating. I’m talking like two…and then the little weak-chinned ninny bails at the first sign of challenge. Unless he shows up for some reason in later books there was absolutely no purpose, zilch, nada, nothing. Shame on you author. If you are going to have those scenes have a reason, make it change or motivate or even break the character’s heart. Something!
Elaine manages to grow anyway and saves the world except for the possibility of evil remaining in the background ready to come back and bite everyone on their magical butts.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 9, 2018
Have you ever had a book that just killed the genre all together. Like one minute you’re interested in books about magic and then you come across one that just makes you hate it all together? Yep, this was it for me. It was The worst. The MC is weak. The thing is, you expect her to be weak, she is suppose to progress and evolve into a heroine. Nope.
She has all the knowledge regarding magic yet she becomes stupid and a sexually adventurous person who looses her virginity to a man she’s only seen three times. She danced with him once. The next day was dinner, a few days later he cooks her dinner and then takes her virginity on a couch. So stupid.
Did I mention how boring this book is. I’m not even interested in the ending. I don’t care for any of the Characters. Maybe Dread (yes, that’s his name) but I swear if he ends up becoming Elaine’s hero, lover or friend I think... nah ... who gives a shit. I’m out. Peace.
She has all the knowledge regarding magic yet she becomes stupid and a sexually adventurous person who looses her virginity to a man she’s only seen three times. She danced with him once. The next day was dinner, a few days later he cooks her dinner and then takes her virginity on a couch. So stupid.
Did I mention how boring this book is. I’m not even interested in the ending. I don’t care for any of the Characters. Maybe Dread (yes, that’s his name) but I swear if he ends up becoming Elaine’s hero, lover or friend I think... nah ... who gives a shit. I’m out. Peace.
February 23, 2019
Beschreibung
Elaines magische Gabe ist bestenfalls durchschnittlich und reicht gerade aus, um ihr eine Stellung in der Großen Bibliothek der Goldenen Stadt zu verschaffen. Aus Versehen löst sie dort einen uralten Zauber aus, der das gesamte Wissen der Bibliothek in ihren Kopf überträgt. Obwohl Elaine die dazugehörige Magie fehlt, lenkt ihre Kenntnis der stärksten Zaubersprüche die Aufmerksamkeit der Mächtigen auf sie. Doch noch während sie darum ringt, mehr als eine Trophäe des Adels zu sein, kommt ihr ein schrecklicher Verdacht. War der Vorfall von langer Hand geplant?
Kurzmeinung
Wegen einer Monats-Challenge Aufgabe zur Hand genommen, fürchtete ich fast dass ich hier einen Abbruchkandidaten hätte. Allerdings folgte ich Elaine auf ihrer Reise und Suche unerwartet gerne, trotzdem dass es YA ist. Nur, dass Elaine gefühlt am Ende jedes zweiten Kapitels in Ohnmacht fällt, nervt ein wenig. Erst zur Hälfte realisierte ich, dass es der Anfang einer Reihe ist, die folgenden Bände wurden nicht übersetzt. Es gibt aber die englischen Ausgaben auf scribd, so dass ich diese Welt noch nicht verlassen muss.
Elaines magische Gabe ist bestenfalls durchschnittlich und reicht gerade aus, um ihr eine Stellung in der Großen Bibliothek der Goldenen Stadt zu verschaffen. Aus Versehen löst sie dort einen uralten Zauber aus, der das gesamte Wissen der Bibliothek in ihren Kopf überträgt. Obwohl Elaine die dazugehörige Magie fehlt, lenkt ihre Kenntnis der stärksten Zaubersprüche die Aufmerksamkeit der Mächtigen auf sie. Doch noch während sie darum ringt, mehr als eine Trophäe des Adels zu sein, kommt ihr ein schrecklicher Verdacht. War der Vorfall von langer Hand geplant?
Kurzmeinung
Wegen einer Monats-Challenge Aufgabe zur Hand genommen, fürchtete ich fast dass ich hier einen Abbruchkandidaten hätte. Allerdings folgte ich Elaine auf ihrer Reise und Suche unerwartet gerne, trotzdem dass es YA ist. Nur, dass Elaine gefühlt am Ende jedes zweiten Kapitels in Ohnmacht fällt, nervt ein wenig. Erst zur Hälfte realisierte ich, dass es der Anfang einer Reihe ist, die folgenden Bände wurden nicht übersetzt. Es gibt aber die englischen Ausgaben auf scribd, so dass ich diese Welt noch nicht verlassen muss.
March 4, 2018
I listened to this on audiobook. It was interesting and I kept going back to it which is something I rarely do to finish the series. Elaine is interesting, as is Dread and I'm tempted to get the next one. I enjoyed the series twists and turns.
September 11, 2018
This was more a 3.5 star read for me as there were a few small things that I didn't love, but it got the fourth star for a combination of really clever detailed world-building, and a magical library with the librarian as our protagonist which I thought was cool and I loved it.
Elaine is every ordinary, unimportant "nobody" character we've ever met - in books or in life. She is nearly invisible in her job at the great library, in her society because she's an orphan of unknown parentage and in power, because she has virtually none . . . not so fast!
The blurb tells you that Elaine absorbs all the forbidden knowledge in her world by opening a book so that's not a spoiler. The adventure she is forced to embark on after opening that book, however is a wonderful, exciting, suspenseful and dangerous one. The reader gets to go along on that adventure and it is very entertaining.
I really got into the world the author has created here and I really enjoyed learning about it as Elaine's journey progressed.
I also liked the supporting cast of characters around Elaine, who helped - and sometimes hindered - her progress toward her objective. They all felt like fully realized people with their own stories, not just foils to do things for or to Elaine.
The pacing in this was great, nice ebbs and flows to move the story along but give the reader brief moments of respite to just get to know Elaine and see her doing normal things before ramping up the suspense.
Where I didn't love this was the one sex scene the book included. I'm going to put my distaste for the way that scene was written down to a combination of a male author's perceptions and vision being a different "flavour" than a female, and the fact that I've read a lot of traditional romance and probably have skewed visions of what romance looks like. Regardless, I found that scene: a) unnecessary and distracting from the rest of the story, and b) written in a way that made the sex feel harsh and aggressive. That is a personal reaction, and since it was the only scene in the book it was a minor gripe.
The other thing that bugged me - and that has absolutely nothing to do with the writing or the story - was a format thing. I listened to this as an audio book, and while the narrator did a great job at making the characters sound unique and bringing them to life, her accent kept switching from British to Australian and I found it extremely distracting. I suspect that the narrator is actually Australian and just accidentally fell out of the British from time to time without noticing it but because I am sensitive to accents I noticed every time we went from British to Australian and it took me out of the story as my brain grumped about it. The producer of this recording should have been more diligent while working with the narrator. Again, this is a minor complaint and nothing to do with the story. Unless you are listening to this as an audio book it won't apply.
Overall, I really enjoyed this, and would definitely read future books in this series, although I probably wouldn't do an audio version in future. I would recommend this to fantasy/sci-fi fans who think a magical library and a librarian as a protagonist sound cool - they are.
Elaine is every ordinary, unimportant "nobody" character we've ever met - in books or in life. She is nearly invisible in her job at the great library, in her society because she's an orphan of unknown parentage and in power, because she has virtually none . . . not so fast!
The blurb tells you that Elaine absorbs all the forbidden knowledge in her world by opening a book so that's not a spoiler. The adventure she is forced to embark on after opening that book, however is a wonderful, exciting, suspenseful and dangerous one. The reader gets to go along on that adventure and it is very entertaining.
I really got into the world the author has created here and I really enjoyed learning about it as Elaine's journey progressed.
I also liked the supporting cast of characters around Elaine, who helped - and sometimes hindered - her progress toward her objective. They all felt like fully realized people with their own stories, not just foils to do things for or to Elaine.
The pacing in this was great, nice ebbs and flows to move the story along but give the reader brief moments of respite to just get to know Elaine and see her doing normal things before ramping up the suspense.
Where I didn't love this was the one sex scene the book included. I'm going to put my distaste for the way that scene was written down to a combination of a male author's perceptions and vision being a different "flavour" than a female, and the fact that I've read a lot of traditional romance and probably have skewed visions of what romance looks like. Regardless, I found that scene: a) unnecessary and distracting from the rest of the story, and b) written in a way that made the sex feel harsh and aggressive. That is a personal reaction, and since it was the only scene in the book it was a minor gripe.
The other thing that bugged me - and that has absolutely nothing to do with the writing or the story - was a format thing. I listened to this as an audio book, and while the narrator did a great job at making the characters sound unique and bringing them to life, her accent kept switching from British to Australian and I found it extremely distracting. I suspect that the narrator is actually Australian and just accidentally fell out of the British from time to time without noticing it but because I am sensitive to accents I noticed every time we went from British to Australian and it took me out of the story as my brain grumped about it. The producer of this recording should have been more diligent while working with the narrator. Again, this is a minor complaint and nothing to do with the story. Unless you are listening to this as an audio book it won't apply.
Overall, I really enjoyed this, and would definitely read future books in this series, although I probably wouldn't do an audio version in future. I would recommend this to fantasy/sci-fi fans who think a magical library and a librarian as a protagonist sound cool - they are.
February 25, 2017
This review is also posted on my blog So Many eBooks, So Little Time
I picked up Bookworm by Christopher Nuttall for two reasons. The first was that it was, as the title suggests, about books and the second was that it involved magic.It is also largely set around a huge library filled with these books on magic, my interest was piqued.
Elaine No-Kin was brought up in an orphanage in the Golden City, never knowing her parents or where she came from. Although her magic is limited she attends and graduates from the Peerless School and then takes a job at the Great Library. The Great Library holds the largest collection of books on magic there is, including those books which are banned as they contain information on the dark magic which nearly destroyed them in the necromantic war many years ago.
While sorting through a box of books left to the Great Library by a recently deceased duke Elaine accidentally sets off a magical trap which almost kills her. When she finally comes round she realises that she now has the the knowledge from every book in the library stored inside her own head, including the banned books kept locked in the Black Vault.
I am very conflicted on this book, so lets start with the good points. If there is one thing I love it’s imagination put into books about magic. This book definitely has that. The magic system is well thought out and it works well, throughout the book we see hints of magics capabilities and its limits. We are shown the different and complex ways it can be used, and its shortcomings. The main character is very relatable, and the other characters are really brought to life and hold their own. The plot moves at a good pace and definitely kept me interested, the world it itself is fascinating and beautifully described.
With all the praise I have given, why then am I conflicted and whats stopping me from giving this book a five star rating? This book is listed in more than one place as being Young Adult fiction, so why then is it filled with so much sex? It adds nothing to the story and certainly makes it inappropriate for the young adult category. Elaine and her roommate have a fairly detailed conversation about oral sex after Elaine’s first date, she later walks in on a man receiving oral sex, after being kidnapped she is tortured, mostly psychically but there is also some sexual abuse from her captors. This is all rounded off with a graphic sex scene between Elaine and Bee, her new boyfriend. I have no issue with erotica, but if I want to read that then I will buy it. I don’t expect to find in when reading a young adult book.
Although the book is part of a series, the plot comes together nicely at the end. It makes it clear that there is a next one but wraps most things up satisfyingly. If it had not been for a repeated sexual content this book would have had five stars. However it just felt out of place and inappropriate, therefore I have given it 3 stars.
I picked up Bookworm by Christopher Nuttall for two reasons. The first was that it was, as the title suggests, about books and the second was that it involved magic.It is also largely set around a huge library filled with these books on magic, my interest was piqued.
Elaine No-Kin was brought up in an orphanage in the Golden City, never knowing her parents or where she came from. Although her magic is limited she attends and graduates from the Peerless School and then takes a job at the Great Library. The Great Library holds the largest collection of books on magic there is, including those books which are banned as they contain information on the dark magic which nearly destroyed them in the necromantic war many years ago.
While sorting through a box of books left to the Great Library by a recently deceased duke Elaine accidentally sets off a magical trap which almost kills her. When she finally comes round she realises that she now has the the knowledge from every book in the library stored inside her own head, including the banned books kept locked in the Black Vault.
I am very conflicted on this book, so lets start with the good points. If there is one thing I love it’s imagination put into books about magic. This book definitely has that. The magic system is well thought out and it works well, throughout the book we see hints of magics capabilities and its limits. We are shown the different and complex ways it can be used, and its shortcomings. The main character is very relatable, and the other characters are really brought to life and hold their own. The plot moves at a good pace and definitely kept me interested, the world it itself is fascinating and beautifully described.
With all the praise I have given, why then am I conflicted and whats stopping me from giving this book a five star rating? This book is listed in more than one place as being Young Adult fiction, so why then is it filled with so much sex? It adds nothing to the story and certainly makes it inappropriate for the young adult category. Elaine and her roommate have a fairly detailed conversation about oral sex after Elaine’s first date, she later walks in on a man receiving oral sex, after being kidnapped she is tortured, mostly psychically but there is also some sexual abuse from her captors. This is all rounded off with a graphic sex scene between Elaine and Bee, her new boyfriend. I have no issue with erotica, but if I want to read that then I will buy it. I don’t expect to find in when reading a young adult book.
Although the book is part of a series, the plot comes together nicely at the end. It makes it clear that there is a next one but wraps most things up satisfyingly. If it had not been for a repeated sexual content this book would have had five stars. However it just felt out of place and inappropriate, therefore I have given it 3 stars.
February 24, 2014
his is the third book from Christopher Nuttall that I have read and I have enjoyed them all. Unlike the first two books from Mr. Nuttal that I have read this one is a pure fantasy book without any science fiction component. The book is well written in the same general way as the previous books.
The book follows Elaine who, as the book blurb states, is a magician with limited talent. Elaine’s world is one where magic is abundant and he who has or controls magic is he who rules. The world is very much governed by tradition and old aristocratic rules. The world-building is adequately detailed and provides a nice backdrop for the story.
It was very enjoyable to read this book. After Elaine’s little incident at the start of the book she goes on an adventure to discover the truth about the event and discovers a carefully planned plot to free an ancient enemy and literally take over the world. She also discovers a lot about herself and her friends. Sometimes the book felt like a mixture of Sherlock Holmes and Harry Potter (although with a more adult view). Although somewhat naive at times I quite liked Elaine and I definitely liked Inquisitor Dread.
I was a bit disappointed that, although Elaine did save the day (should not be much of a surprise, there is a second book after all), she did not develop as much as I hoped in terms of her powers. The book also had a fair amount of rather explicit sexual content which I felt was not really adding much. I do not really mind and I am certainly not against sexual content out of some hypocritical principle but it really did not add much of interest to the book.
These are minor flaws though and in general this is a very good book which I much enjoyed reading. I will definitely pick up Bookworm II as well.
The book follows Elaine who, as the book blurb states, is a magician with limited talent. Elaine’s world is one where magic is abundant and he who has or controls magic is he who rules. The world is very much governed by tradition and old aristocratic rules. The world-building is adequately detailed and provides a nice backdrop for the story.
It was very enjoyable to read this book. After Elaine’s little incident at the start of the book she goes on an adventure to discover the truth about the event and discovers a carefully planned plot to free an ancient enemy and literally take over the world. She also discovers a lot about herself and her friends. Sometimes the book felt like a mixture of Sherlock Holmes and Harry Potter (although with a more adult view). Although somewhat naive at times I quite liked Elaine and I definitely liked Inquisitor Dread.
I was a bit disappointed that, although Elaine did save the day (should not be much of a surprise, there is a second book after all), she did not develop as much as I hoped in terms of her powers. The book also had a fair amount of rather explicit sexual content which I felt was not really adding much. I do not really mind and I am certainly not against sexual content out of some hypocritical principle but it really did not add much of interest to the book.
These are minor flaws though and in general this is a very good book which I much enjoyed reading. I will definitely pick up Bookworm II as well.
April 2, 2021
tldr; DO NOT read this book or any of this author's work.
[content warning: rape, sexual abuse]
I read far more of this book than I should have. At first, I was willing to overlook the clumsy dialogue and boring, one-dimensional characters for a somewhat interesting premise. It was clear from the start that the author had no idea how to write women (and potentially had never actually spoken to a woman before. The dialogue is that bad.) As the book went on, the deep misogyny and author's adolescent views on sex and sexuality became a distraction--particularly because the constant, clumsy, awkward mentions of sex add absolutely nothing to the book.
At this point, though, I'm mad enough to write a review and strongly encourage everyone to avoid all Mr. Nuttall's work in the future. In a scene I just read, a team of protagonists (two female, one male) storm the bad guy's manor. They end up fighting some guards and knocking a couple tattling chambermaids unconscious. Fine. Then there's an offhand mention that the two protagonist women have to stop their male companion from raping the two enslaved chambermaids. It literally justifies his desire to rape two unconscious enslaved women because it's 'been a while' but they suggest maybe it's not cool. This is completely shrugged off and the action continues. EXCUSE ME? Your boy gonna go all Brock Turner and these two women are like "okay we get it but not today bro" and keep hanging out with this man? No.
Overall, if, like me, you were willing to offer this book the benefit of the doubt and hope it might redeem itself, save yourself the time. It's a poorly written sadistic teenage fantasy that belongs on the trash heap.
[content warning: rape, sexual abuse]
I read far more of this book than I should have. At first, I was willing to overlook the clumsy dialogue and boring, one-dimensional characters for a somewhat interesting premise. It was clear from the start that the author had no idea how to write women (and potentially had never actually spoken to a woman before. The dialogue is that bad.) As the book went on, the deep misogyny and author's adolescent views on sex and sexuality became a distraction--particularly because the constant, clumsy, awkward mentions of sex add absolutely nothing to the book.
At this point, though, I'm mad enough to write a review and strongly encourage everyone to avoid all Mr. Nuttall's work in the future. In a scene I just read, a team of protagonists (two female, one male) storm the bad guy's manor. They end up fighting some guards and knocking a couple tattling chambermaids unconscious. Fine. Then there's an offhand mention that the two protagonist women have to stop their male companion from raping the two enslaved chambermaids. It literally justifies his desire to rape two unconscious enslaved women because it's 'been a while' but they suggest maybe it's not cool. This is completely shrugged off and the action continues. EXCUSE ME? Your boy gonna go all Brock Turner and these two women are like "okay we get it but not today bro" and keep hanging out with this man? No.
Overall, if, like me, you were willing to offer this book the benefit of the doubt and hope it might redeem itself, save yourself the time. It's a poorly written sadistic teenage fantasy that belongs on the trash heap.
April 2, 2013
I enjoyed this well-imagined fantasy from an independent press. Detailed world building and great pacing kept me reading. A teensy bit predictable and certain core elements were glossed over, but none of that got in the way of some nifty ideas about class, society, and privilege. And magic.
December 1, 2017
2.5 stars. Unnecessarily trashy (didn't advance the story at all), even for someone who didn't go to the Peerless School. [If I had a nickel for every time I rolled my eyes about the Peerless School, I could afford to buy a better book.]
February 6, 2013
This is a great book. I am glad that I found it.
December 14, 2016
Als mir „Die Wissende“ das erste Mal in einer Buchhandlung ins Auge sprang, hätte ich niemals vermutet, dass Christopher Nuttall ein Indie-Autor ist. Obwohl er in Deutschland einen traditionellen Vertrag erhielt, arbeitet er in Großbritannien ausschließlich mit kleinen, unabhängigen Verlagen zusammen und konzentriert sich auf das E-Book-Format. Er hält klassische Verlagshäuser für rückständig und misst den Rezensionen normaler Leser_innen auf Amazon höhere Bedeutung zu als der Meinung professioneller Kritiker_innen. Auf seiner Website veröffentlichte er ein paar seiner Werke zum kostenlosen Download. Er wirkt wie ein Autor, dem sein Bekanntheitsgrad weit wichtiger ist als finanzieller Erfolg. Dadurch ist er mir unleugbar sympathisch. Ich freute mich darauf, seine vierteilige Reihe „Bookworm“ zu beginnen.
Elaine ist eine graue Maus. Im Waisenhaus aufgewachsen und mit geringem magischen Talent gesegnet, wurde sie ihr Leben lang herumgeschubst. Sie hatte sich damit abgefunden, ihr Dasein als unbedeutende Bibliothekarin der Großen Bibliothek in der Goldenen Stadt zu fristen. Doch als sie eines Tages den Nachlass eines verstorbenen Aristokraten untersucht, löst sie einen mächtigen Zauber aus, der das gesamte Wissen der Großen Bibliothek in ihren Kopf transferiert. Auf einmal verfügt Elaine über Fähigkeiten, die sich mit denen des Erzhexers messen können. Sie wird in das Gerangel um Macht und Einfluss hineingezogen, mit dem sie nie etwas zu tun haben wollte und muss einsehen, dass der Zauber kein Unfall war. Elaine erkennt, dass sie eine Spielfigur in einer uralten Verschwörung ist, die die Ordnung des gesamten Reiches bedroht. Wird sie über sich selbst hinauswachsen und Pläne vereiteln, die weit vor ihrer Geburt begannen?
„Die Wissende“ atmet Magie. Magie durchdringt jede Seite und ist das unbestreitbare Zentrum der Handlung. Dadurch umgibt diesen Roman ein traditioneller, nahezu altmodischer Charme, der mir gut gefiel. Kaum zu glauben, dass das Buch 2013 erstveröffentlicht wurde. Es fühlte sich beim Lesen älter an, weil mich die Herangehensweise an die Fantasy der 70er und 80er erinnerte. Christopher Nuttall konstruiert sein Universum um die Magie herum. Magisch Begabte bestimmen, lenken und leiten seine Welt, prägten ihre Vergangenheit und formen ihre Zukunft. Die Goldene Stadt dient als vielfältige, lebendige Metropole der Zauberei, als Herz der Macht und Residenz des Erzhexers, der wiederum die oberste Institution darstellt. Ich fand es interessant, dass Nuttall ein schlichtes Magiesystem mit einer ausgeklügelten, um die Ecke denkenden politischen Ordnung kombiniert, die sich überraschend realitätsnah in Legislative, Judikative und Exekutive unterteilen lässt. Obwohl diese Regierungsform zuverlässig funktioniert, hat sie eine kritische Schwachstelle: die Legislative, der Erzhexer, kann nicht ohne Weiteres ersetzt werden. Da diese Position ungeheure magische Macht voraussetzt, entsteht ein Vakuum, sobald der aktuelle Erzhexer das Zeitliche segnet. Bis der neue Erzhexer bzw. die neue Erzhexe feststeht, ist das Reich quasi führungslos, was in „Die Wissende“ unglücklicherweise der Fall ist. In dieser schwierigen, heiklen Phase des Umbruchs treffen die Leser_innen die Protagonistin Elaine, die unfreiwillig in eine spannende Verschwörung involviert wird, welche darauf abzielt, die vorübergehende Autoritätslosigkeit des Reiches auszunutzen. Ich konnte mich nur zu einem gewissen Grad mit Elaine identifizieren, da wir außer der Liebe zu Büchern kaum etwas gemeinsam haben. Ihr Charakter zeichnet sich vor allem durch ihren Mangel an Lebenserfahrung aus; sie ist naiv, unsicher und nahezu mittelalterlich prüde. Frauen, die Haut zeigen und aussprechen, was sie wollen? Skandalös! Sie zeigt wenig Tiefgang und wirkte auf mich hin und wieder arg hormongesteuert, weil sie sich insgeheim wünscht, selbstbewusst wilde Abenteuer mit dem männlichen Geschlecht zu erleben. Diese sexuelle Komponente des Buches erschien mir irritierend und unnötig. Aufgrund des Bücherwissens in ihrem Kopf erfährt Elaine eine grundsätzlich erfreuliche Entwicklung, die weit überzeugender gewesen wäre, hätte sie sich nicht durch ein plötzliches Bedürfnis, fremde Betten kennenzulernen, manifestiert. Auch fand ich es erstaunlich, wie gut Elaine mit der Informationsflut in ihrem Hirn zurechtkommt. Ich empfände all das Wissen als sehr belastend, weil es in jeder (wirklich jeder) Lebenslage auf sie einprasselt. Sie kann es nicht abschalten. Stellt euch vor, jede Situation eures Lebens hätte zahllose Fußnoten, die sich in eurem Bewusstsein ungefragt abspulen. Brr. Nein, danke.
Ich mochte „Die Wissende“, weil es ein sympathisch klassischer High Fantasy – Roman ist. Magie in Hülle und Fülle übt noch immer einen starken Reiz auf mich aus. Gewiss hätte Christopher Nuttall seine Protagonistin Elaine glaubwürdiger charakterisieren können, doch da mich die Andeutung eines gewaltigen Intrigennetzes, das jahrhundertelang geplant und vorbereitet wurde, einfach neugierig macht, kann ich über meine lasche Bindung an sie hinwegsehen und möchte „Bookworm“ trotzdem weiterlesen. Der Puppenspieler im Hintergrund wird sicher an weiteren Fäden zupfen, um dem Reich zu schaden und das möchte ich keinesfalls verpassen. Ich hoffe, dass die Große Bibliothek in Zukunft eine bedeutendere Rolle einnimmt – schließlich ist sie eindeutig mehr als nur ein Gebäude und deshalb mein liebstes Detail in Nuttalls faszinierender Welt. Wer weiß, vielleicht schlägt Elaine in den Folgebänden aufgrund ihrer Verbundenheit mit der Bibliothek sogar eine Richtung ein, mit der ich mich besser identifizieren kann. Wer das Wissen von Millionen Büchern mit sich herumträgt, kann wohl kaum eine graue Maus bleiben, oder?
July 29, 2013
Originally published at Risingshadow.
Christopher Nuttall's Bookworm was a pleasant surprise for me, because the author has woven an exciting and entertaining story of secrets, dark history, books, werewolves and magic, and knows how to keep the story on the move. I'm sure that this book will remind several readers of how much fun reading a fantasy book can be, because it's fluently written escapism.
Before I write more about Bookworm, I'll mention that I did a bit of research when I finished reading it and noticed that there are readers who haven't liked it. I think that these readers haven't understood this book, because it's pure entertainment from start to finish and should be read and reviewed as such. This kind of entertaining fantasy has always divided readers into two groups and I think that it will continue to do so, because readers have different tastes and there are readers who don't enjoy pure light-hearted escapism as much as others. I personally like well written escapism very much, because it's delightful to read good and light-hearted entertainment when the fantasy world is interesting and the story moves fluently from start to finish.
In my opinion Bookworm is one of those books that you can easily pick up and read as pure escapism and that's a good thing, because it's very relaxing to read this kind of entertaining fantasy (we all need books that make us relax and forget everything else for a while). If you're like me and like good escapism, Bookworm will most certainly please and entertain you.
Bookworm is a combination of adult fantasy, young adult fantasy, traditonal fantasy and a bit of modern fantasy. It contains traditional fantasy elements from a young heroine to a sinister plot, but it also contains modern themes (dating and sex) that separate it from other similar books. (Please note: Although there are certain young adult elements in this book, it isn't suitable for young adults, because it contains sex and violence.)
Bookworm is a charming and easy-to-read standalone book. It's a bit difficult to find standalone fantasy books nowadays, because many authors tend to write series, so I respect the author for having the courage to write a standalone book. (Although Bookworm is a standalone book, it would be possible to write sequels or prequels, because the world that the author has created is fascinating and several more things could be revealed about it. I personally would like to read more about this fantasy world.)
Here's a bit of information about the story:
The heroine of this book is Elaine. She has lived quite a sheltered life and has been bullied as a child. She's a young woman who doesn't have special magical abilities - she can only do simple things with magic. She's a librarian and works at the Great Library. One day Elaine triggers a magical trap and learns all the spells - including all the dangerous and forbidden spells that are locked in the Black Vault - in the Great Library. This changes her life, because she suddenly finds out that she has more knowledge than before and she's able to do things she couldn't do before. She fears Inquisition and tries to keep her new talents hidden from Inquisitor Dread... At the same time the Grand Sorcerer is dying and several sorcerors want to take his place... And a dark and sinister figure has woven a plot that may bring death and destruction to everybody...
Elaine is an interesting protagonist because of her past: she was an orphan and then she went to the Peerless School to learn magic. Elaine reminded me quite a lot of the heroines in several young adult books, because she gets into all kinds of trouble and has to figure out how to survive.
The author writes well about Elaine's powers, fears and life. I enjoyed reading about how Elaine's past and the magical accident affected her life and decisions. Before the accident she was very careful, but after the accident she became bolder and had more courage to do things that she normally wouldn't have done.
It was interesting to read how Elaine slowly got to know what it feels like to be a woman as she started dating Bee, because it was something different (fantasy authors don't normally write as boldly and uninhibitedly about this subject as Christopher Nuttall does). I enjoyed reading about Elaine's relationship with Bee. Her first steps towards being a woman were a bit awkward, but that's what it's like for real people too, because we all have to learn things for ourselves, and every now and then everybody feels insecure.
This book has two difficult themes: the temptation of power and the corrupting power of magic. Both themes were handled amazingly well, because Elaine had to think about how the new knowledge affected her and how she could easily become a powerful person if she chose to surrender herself to the temptations. She also thought about how easy it would be to totally loose control.
It was intriguing to read how Elaine felt about Millicent, because she didn't like her at all. Millicent had tormented and humiliated Elaine when they were at school together. I especially enjoyed reading about how Millicent was taught a lesson, because it was an excellent scene.
Elaine's friend, Daria, is a fascinating character. She's totally different from Elaine, because she isn't shy, likes men and loves dancing etc. Daria is a good friend to Elaine, because she supports her. Daria also has a secret that she has kept hidden from others.
Inquisitor Dread is a bit mysterious character. At first he seems to be a man who must be feared, but as readers get to know more about him, it's easier to understand his motives and work. He's a complex character who tries to do his best to protect the world and innocent people, but may sometimes have to do difficult decisions and obey orders. The conversations between him and Elaine were handled well.
Reading about Elaine's search for her parents was interesting, because she didn't know anything about her past and wanted to find out what had happened to her when she was born.
In my opinion Christopher Nuttall writes surprisingly boldly about such sensitive things as sex and sexuality. He also manages to deliver shocks and surprises when necessary, which is nice, because they add quite a lot of atmosphere to the story (these things are used to spice up the story). The author also uses humour in a good way in this book.
When I read Christopher Nuttall's Bookworm, it reminded me a bit of the author's other book, The Royal Sorceress, because both of these books have a young heroine as a protagonist. It also reminded me slightly of Blake Charlton's Spellwright, but was totally different from it.
The author writes well about power struggle, magic, ancient evil and history. Worldbuilding works nicely, because the author evokes images of the different places in the reader's mind by writing about the landscapes and places in a fluently descriptive, but not overwhelming way. It was fascinating to read about the dark history of the Empire and what happened during the Necromantic Wars that almost destroyed the whole world.
The Great Library is an interesting building, because it has been protected by magic from all who try to break into it and steal the secrets that have been stored inside it. The library is much bigger on the inside than on the outside. This kind of magic has also been used elsewhere in the world.
The society of sorcerors is intriguing and ruthless, because everybody has their own place in the society depending on their powers and abilities. Rivalry is common and there's even family rivalry among the sorcerors. It was good that the author showed how power and magical powers affected characters and defined the sorcerors.
I think that Bookworm will please everybody who wants to read an entertaining fantasy story and wants to escape reality for a few hours. It's a charming fantasy book for readers who like magic and young heroines. I give this book strong four stars for its entertainment values. (PS. If you enjoy reading this book, please take a look at the author's The Royal Sorceress, because you'll enjoy it too.)
Excellent escapism!
Christopher Nuttall's Bookworm was a pleasant surprise for me, because the author has woven an exciting and entertaining story of secrets, dark history, books, werewolves and magic, and knows how to keep the story on the move. I'm sure that this book will remind several readers of how much fun reading a fantasy book can be, because it's fluently written escapism.
Before I write more about Bookworm, I'll mention that I did a bit of research when I finished reading it and noticed that there are readers who haven't liked it. I think that these readers haven't understood this book, because it's pure entertainment from start to finish and should be read and reviewed as such. This kind of entertaining fantasy has always divided readers into two groups and I think that it will continue to do so, because readers have different tastes and there are readers who don't enjoy pure light-hearted escapism as much as others. I personally like well written escapism very much, because it's delightful to read good and light-hearted entertainment when the fantasy world is interesting and the story moves fluently from start to finish.
In my opinion Bookworm is one of those books that you can easily pick up and read as pure escapism and that's a good thing, because it's very relaxing to read this kind of entertaining fantasy (we all need books that make us relax and forget everything else for a while). If you're like me and like good escapism, Bookworm will most certainly please and entertain you.
Bookworm is a combination of adult fantasy, young adult fantasy, traditonal fantasy and a bit of modern fantasy. It contains traditional fantasy elements from a young heroine to a sinister plot, but it also contains modern themes (dating and sex) that separate it from other similar books. (Please note: Although there are certain young adult elements in this book, it isn't suitable for young adults, because it contains sex and violence.)
Bookworm is a charming and easy-to-read standalone book. It's a bit difficult to find standalone fantasy books nowadays, because many authors tend to write series, so I respect the author for having the courage to write a standalone book. (Although Bookworm is a standalone book, it would be possible to write sequels or prequels, because the world that the author has created is fascinating and several more things could be revealed about it. I personally would like to read more about this fantasy world.)
Here's a bit of information about the story:
The heroine of this book is Elaine. She has lived quite a sheltered life and has been bullied as a child. She's a young woman who doesn't have special magical abilities - she can only do simple things with magic. She's a librarian and works at the Great Library. One day Elaine triggers a magical trap and learns all the spells - including all the dangerous and forbidden spells that are locked in the Black Vault - in the Great Library. This changes her life, because she suddenly finds out that she has more knowledge than before and she's able to do things she couldn't do before. She fears Inquisition and tries to keep her new talents hidden from Inquisitor Dread... At the same time the Grand Sorcerer is dying and several sorcerors want to take his place... And a dark and sinister figure has woven a plot that may bring death and destruction to everybody...
Elaine is an interesting protagonist because of her past: she was an orphan and then she went to the Peerless School to learn magic. Elaine reminded me quite a lot of the heroines in several young adult books, because she gets into all kinds of trouble and has to figure out how to survive.
The author writes well about Elaine's powers, fears and life. I enjoyed reading about how Elaine's past and the magical accident affected her life and decisions. Before the accident she was very careful, but after the accident she became bolder and had more courage to do things that she normally wouldn't have done.
It was interesting to read how Elaine slowly got to know what it feels like to be a woman as she started dating Bee, because it was something different (fantasy authors don't normally write as boldly and uninhibitedly about this subject as Christopher Nuttall does). I enjoyed reading about Elaine's relationship with Bee. Her first steps towards being a woman were a bit awkward, but that's what it's like for real people too, because we all have to learn things for ourselves, and every now and then everybody feels insecure.
This book has two difficult themes: the temptation of power and the corrupting power of magic. Both themes were handled amazingly well, because Elaine had to think about how the new knowledge affected her and how she could easily become a powerful person if she chose to surrender herself to the temptations. She also thought about how easy it would be to totally loose control.
It was intriguing to read how Elaine felt about Millicent, because she didn't like her at all. Millicent had tormented and humiliated Elaine when they were at school together. I especially enjoyed reading about how Millicent was taught a lesson, because it was an excellent scene.
Elaine's friend, Daria, is a fascinating character. She's totally different from Elaine, because she isn't shy, likes men and loves dancing etc. Daria is a good friend to Elaine, because she supports her. Daria also has a secret that she has kept hidden from others.
Inquisitor Dread is a bit mysterious character. At first he seems to be a man who must be feared, but as readers get to know more about him, it's easier to understand his motives and work. He's a complex character who tries to do his best to protect the world and innocent people, but may sometimes have to do difficult decisions and obey orders. The conversations between him and Elaine were handled well.
Reading about Elaine's search for her parents was interesting, because she didn't know anything about her past and wanted to find out what had happened to her when she was born.
In my opinion Christopher Nuttall writes surprisingly boldly about such sensitive things as sex and sexuality. He also manages to deliver shocks and surprises when necessary, which is nice, because they add quite a lot of atmosphere to the story (these things are used to spice up the story). The author also uses humour in a good way in this book.
When I read Christopher Nuttall's Bookworm, it reminded me a bit of the author's other book, The Royal Sorceress, because both of these books have a young heroine as a protagonist. It also reminded me slightly of Blake Charlton's Spellwright, but was totally different from it.
The author writes well about power struggle, magic, ancient evil and history. Worldbuilding works nicely, because the author evokes images of the different places in the reader's mind by writing about the landscapes and places in a fluently descriptive, but not overwhelming way. It was fascinating to read about the dark history of the Empire and what happened during the Necromantic Wars that almost destroyed the whole world.
The Great Library is an interesting building, because it has been protected by magic from all who try to break into it and steal the secrets that have been stored inside it. The library is much bigger on the inside than on the outside. This kind of magic has also been used elsewhere in the world.
The society of sorcerors is intriguing and ruthless, because everybody has their own place in the society depending on their powers and abilities. Rivalry is common and there's even family rivalry among the sorcerors. It was good that the author showed how power and magical powers affected characters and defined the sorcerors.
I think that Bookworm will please everybody who wants to read an entertaining fantasy story and wants to escape reality for a few hours. It's a charming fantasy book for readers who like magic and young heroines. I give this book strong four stars for its entertainment values. (PS. If you enjoy reading this book, please take a look at the author's The Royal Sorceress, because you'll enjoy it too.)
Excellent escapism!
April 14, 2015
Diese Rezension erschien ursprünglich auf kopf.kino
// Was passiert //
Elaines Leben ist nicht gerade etwas, um das man sie beneidet. Als Baby in einem Waisenhaus abgegeben, hat sie ihr Leben in eben solchen verbracht, ehe sie auf die “Schule der Einzigartigen” gekommen ist. Dank ihrer Herkunft und ihrer leider eher weniger intensiv ausgeprägten magischen Fähigkeiten muss sie sich nicht nur mit dem Unterricht herum schlagen, sondern auch mit eingebildeten Tussis, die sie tagein, tagaus mobben. Mittlerweile ist Elaine Anfang Zwanzig, lebt zusammen mit ihrer Freundin Daria in einer herunter gekommenen Wohnung und arbeitet als Mädchen für alles in der “Großen Bibliothek”. Doch sie hat sich damit arrangiert und ist, trotz der Geldsorgen, weitestgehend zufrieden mit ihrem Leben.
Zumindest bis zu dem Tag, an dem sie den Nachlass eines verstorbenen Magiers auspackt und dank eines in einem Buch versteckten Fluches das komplette Wissen der Bücherei in sich aufnimmt. Und damit ist sie eigentlich eine Kandidatin für den Scheiterhaufen. Also versucht Elaine, ihr Geheimnis für sich zu behalten und heraus zu finden, warum gerade sie von dem Fluch getroffen wurde
// Was ich denke //
Als ich das Buch aufgeschlagen habe, wusste ich nicht so recht, was mich erwartete bzw. was ich erwarten sollte. Es war mein erster Fantasy-Roman überhaupt und ich hatte ein wenig Angst, dass es schwer für mich werden würde, in die Welt, die rund um die Goldene Stadt gesponnen ist, hineinzufinden. Tatsächlich lief das aber einfacher als gedacht, was ganz sicher daran lag, dass sie sich im Großen und Ganze wenig von unserer Realität unterscheidet. Es gibt Fernzüge, es gibt Tages- und Fachzeitungen, es gibt Theatervorstellungen. Die Grundstruktur der Gesellschaft besteht aus armen Menschen, reichen Herrschern, korrupten Politikern und einem Staatsoberhaupt. Nur eben alles mit einer Prise Magie… okay, es ist eher eine gute Hand voll, aber ihr versteht schon, was ich meine.
Elaine lebt zusammen mit ihrer besten Freundin Daria in ärmlichen Verhältnissen, womit sie sich allerdings abgefunden hat. Trotz ihrer engen Freundschaft, die daraus resultiert, dass sie beide Aussenseiter sind, könnten die beiden Frauen nicht unterschiedlicher sein. Daria ist sehr lebensfroh, bringt gerne mal einen One Night Stand mit nach Hause und achtet auf Make-Up und Kleidung, während Elaine schon bei der Erwähnung des Wortes ‘Sex’ rot anläuft und mit dem Lebensstil ihrer Freundin nichts anfangen kann. Und an der Stelle kommen wir direkt mal zum ersten Kritikpunkt, den ich an Die Wissende habe: die Präsenz von sexuellen Themen im Buch.
Zum einen muss ich sagen, dass ich Elaines Prüderie stellenweise ein wenig zu extrem empfand. Ich kann durchaus nachvollziehen, dass sie – vielleicht auch aufgrund ihres bisherigen Lebens – keine Erfahrungen mit dem Thema hat und etwas unsicher reagiert, aber diese ewige Erröten ist irgendwann einfach nervig. Im Gegensatz ging es mir aber auch ziemlich auf den Sack, dass Daria anscheinend an nichts anderes denken kann und der Meinung ist, dass ihre Freundin nur einfach mal richtig durchgenommen werden müsste, um glücklicher zu werden. Versteht mich nicht falsch, ich habe überhaupt kein Problem mit diesem Thema, aber hier wirkte irgendwie teilweise einfach komplett fehl am Platz.
Das beziehe ich auch ein wenig auf die gebrauchte Sprache. Generell kann man sagen, dass sich der Schreibstil ein wenig am Mittelalter orientiert, das heißt, die Menschen sprechen sich mit “Euch” an und gesamt wirkt alles ein wenig ‘gehobener’. Und dann kommen da Dialoge (meisten ausgehend von Daria), wo nur so mit Worten wie “Schwanz” um sich geschmissen werden. Wie gesagt: absolut kein Problem für mich persönlich, es passt nur so überhaupt nicht zum Rest. Natürlich sprechen Freundinnen miteinander über solche Themen, logisch, aber in Zusammenhang mit dieser Welt erscheint es mir einfach zu derbe. Vielleicht bin das wirklich nur ich, aber es hatmgestört.
Davon abgesehen hat mir der Schreibstil aber wirklich gut gefallen. Um nicht zu sagen: er ist genauso, wie ich es mir bei einem Fantasy-Buch vorgestellt habe. Christopher Nuttall schreibt sehr flüssig, so dass man die Geschichte locker weg lesen kann. Tatsächlich habe ich für den 480-Seite-Wälzer (ja, für mich ist das schon ein Wälzer) weniger Zeit gebraucht als für vergleichbar dicke Bücher.
Das liegt zu einem bestimmten Grad aber sicher auch an der Geschichte. Ich kann zwar nicht behaupten, dass die mich von Anfang bis Ende begeistert hat, aber doch zum größten Teil. Irgendwie erging es mir beim Plot genauso wie mit dem Schreibstil: bei manchen Passagen habe ich mich einfach gefragt, was genau das soll. Oder anders gesagt: die große Story rund um den Fluch ist super, spannend und interessant, fesselnd. Aber dann sind da so Punkte/Szenen, die für mich einfach nicht so ganz ins Konzept passen bzw. die für mich einfach keinen Mehrwert darstellen. Zum Beispiel der Love Interest von Elaine. Ja, das Mädel will unbedingt einen Freund, aber für meinen Geschmack entwickelt sich das einfach viel zu schnell, es wirkt (zu) gewollt. Eben noch schüchterne Jungfrau und plötzlich den Drang, aufs Ganze zu gehen? Es kann natürlich gut sein, dass das als Nebenwirkung des Fluches bzw. dessen Beeinträchtigung von Elaines Wesen gedacht ist, für mich ist es aber einfach nicht ganz rund.
Wie man vielleicht merkt, bin ich ein wenig hin und her gerissen in meiner Meinung. Zum einen war das Buch wirklich gut und hat mir gefallen, aber diese ganzen Kleinigkeiten haben das Lesevergnügen irgendwie getrübt. Dafür kann ich zumindest sagen, dass ich die Charaktere an sich mochte. Mir waren sowohl Elaine als auch Daria sympathisch, mein Favorit dürfte aber Inquestor Zorn sein. Dieser heftet sich eigentlich an Elaines Fersehen, nachdem er merkt, dass etwas mit ihr nicht stimmt, wird mit der Zeit aber zum Verbündeten. Ich mochte, dass man zwischendurch immer wieder merkte, dass hinter der harten Fassade des Staatsdieners ein mitfühlender Mensch steckt.
// Schlusswort //
Die Wissende, der erste Band der Bibliothek der schwarzen Magie, ist ein guter Fantasy-Roman mit einer interessanten und innovativen Idee, die die Protagonistin in ein spannendes Abenteuer verwickelt. Es gab einige Kleinigkeiten, die für mich nicht ganz stimmig waren, weshalb ich leider nicht mehr als 3.5 (mit einer Tendenz zu 4) Sterne vergeben mag, aber für Fans des Fanatsy-Genres ist das Buch auf jeden Fall einen Blick wert.
// Was passiert //
Elaines Leben ist nicht gerade etwas, um das man sie beneidet. Als Baby in einem Waisenhaus abgegeben, hat sie ihr Leben in eben solchen verbracht, ehe sie auf die “Schule der Einzigartigen” gekommen ist. Dank ihrer Herkunft und ihrer leider eher weniger intensiv ausgeprägten magischen Fähigkeiten muss sie sich nicht nur mit dem Unterricht herum schlagen, sondern auch mit eingebildeten Tussis, die sie tagein, tagaus mobben. Mittlerweile ist Elaine Anfang Zwanzig, lebt zusammen mit ihrer Freundin Daria in einer herunter gekommenen Wohnung und arbeitet als Mädchen für alles in der “Großen Bibliothek”. Doch sie hat sich damit arrangiert und ist, trotz der Geldsorgen, weitestgehend zufrieden mit ihrem Leben.
Zumindest bis zu dem Tag, an dem sie den Nachlass eines verstorbenen Magiers auspackt und dank eines in einem Buch versteckten Fluches das komplette Wissen der Bücherei in sich aufnimmt. Und damit ist sie eigentlich eine Kandidatin für den Scheiterhaufen. Also versucht Elaine, ihr Geheimnis für sich zu behalten und heraus zu finden, warum gerade sie von dem Fluch getroffen wurde
// Was ich denke //
Als ich das Buch aufgeschlagen habe, wusste ich nicht so recht, was mich erwartete bzw. was ich erwarten sollte. Es war mein erster Fantasy-Roman überhaupt und ich hatte ein wenig Angst, dass es schwer für mich werden würde, in die Welt, die rund um die Goldene Stadt gesponnen ist, hineinzufinden. Tatsächlich lief das aber einfacher als gedacht, was ganz sicher daran lag, dass sie sich im Großen und Ganze wenig von unserer Realität unterscheidet. Es gibt Fernzüge, es gibt Tages- und Fachzeitungen, es gibt Theatervorstellungen. Die Grundstruktur der Gesellschaft besteht aus armen Menschen, reichen Herrschern, korrupten Politikern und einem Staatsoberhaupt. Nur eben alles mit einer Prise Magie… okay, es ist eher eine gute Hand voll, aber ihr versteht schon, was ich meine.
Elaine lebt zusammen mit ihrer besten Freundin Daria in ärmlichen Verhältnissen, womit sie sich allerdings abgefunden hat. Trotz ihrer engen Freundschaft, die daraus resultiert, dass sie beide Aussenseiter sind, könnten die beiden Frauen nicht unterschiedlicher sein. Daria ist sehr lebensfroh, bringt gerne mal einen One Night Stand mit nach Hause und achtet auf Make-Up und Kleidung, während Elaine schon bei der Erwähnung des Wortes ‘Sex’ rot anläuft und mit dem Lebensstil ihrer Freundin nichts anfangen kann. Und an der Stelle kommen wir direkt mal zum ersten Kritikpunkt, den ich an Die Wissende habe: die Präsenz von sexuellen Themen im Buch.
Zum einen muss ich sagen, dass ich Elaines Prüderie stellenweise ein wenig zu extrem empfand. Ich kann durchaus nachvollziehen, dass sie – vielleicht auch aufgrund ihres bisherigen Lebens – keine Erfahrungen mit dem Thema hat und etwas unsicher reagiert, aber diese ewige Erröten ist irgendwann einfach nervig. Im Gegensatz ging es mir aber auch ziemlich auf den Sack, dass Daria anscheinend an nichts anderes denken kann und der Meinung ist, dass ihre Freundin nur einfach mal richtig durchgenommen werden müsste, um glücklicher zu werden. Versteht mich nicht falsch, ich habe überhaupt kein Problem mit diesem Thema, aber hier wirkte irgendwie teilweise einfach komplett fehl am Platz.
Das beziehe ich auch ein wenig auf die gebrauchte Sprache. Generell kann man sagen, dass sich der Schreibstil ein wenig am Mittelalter orientiert, das heißt, die Menschen sprechen sich mit “Euch” an und gesamt wirkt alles ein wenig ‘gehobener’. Und dann kommen da Dialoge (meisten ausgehend von Daria), wo nur so mit Worten wie “Schwanz” um sich geschmissen werden. Wie gesagt: absolut kein Problem für mich persönlich, es passt nur so überhaupt nicht zum Rest. Natürlich sprechen Freundinnen miteinander über solche Themen, logisch, aber in Zusammenhang mit dieser Welt erscheint es mir einfach zu derbe. Vielleicht bin das wirklich nur ich, aber es hatmgestört.
Davon abgesehen hat mir der Schreibstil aber wirklich gut gefallen. Um nicht zu sagen: er ist genauso, wie ich es mir bei einem Fantasy-Buch vorgestellt habe. Christopher Nuttall schreibt sehr flüssig, so dass man die Geschichte locker weg lesen kann. Tatsächlich habe ich für den 480-Seite-Wälzer (ja, für mich ist das schon ein Wälzer) weniger Zeit gebraucht als für vergleichbar dicke Bücher.
Das liegt zu einem bestimmten Grad aber sicher auch an der Geschichte. Ich kann zwar nicht behaupten, dass die mich von Anfang bis Ende begeistert hat, aber doch zum größten Teil. Irgendwie erging es mir beim Plot genauso wie mit dem Schreibstil: bei manchen Passagen habe ich mich einfach gefragt, was genau das soll. Oder anders gesagt: die große Story rund um den Fluch ist super, spannend und interessant, fesselnd. Aber dann sind da so Punkte/Szenen, die für mich einfach nicht so ganz ins Konzept passen bzw. die für mich einfach keinen Mehrwert darstellen. Zum Beispiel der Love Interest von Elaine. Ja, das Mädel will unbedingt einen Freund, aber für meinen Geschmack entwickelt sich das einfach viel zu schnell, es wirkt (zu) gewollt. Eben noch schüchterne Jungfrau und plötzlich den Drang, aufs Ganze zu gehen? Es kann natürlich gut sein, dass das als Nebenwirkung des Fluches bzw. dessen Beeinträchtigung von Elaines Wesen gedacht ist, für mich ist es aber einfach nicht ganz rund.
Wie man vielleicht merkt, bin ich ein wenig hin und her gerissen in meiner Meinung. Zum einen war das Buch wirklich gut und hat mir gefallen, aber diese ganzen Kleinigkeiten haben das Lesevergnügen irgendwie getrübt. Dafür kann ich zumindest sagen, dass ich die Charaktere an sich mochte. Mir waren sowohl Elaine als auch Daria sympathisch, mein Favorit dürfte aber Inquestor Zorn sein. Dieser heftet sich eigentlich an Elaines Fersehen, nachdem er merkt, dass etwas mit ihr nicht stimmt, wird mit der Zeit aber zum Verbündeten. Ich mochte, dass man zwischendurch immer wieder merkte, dass hinter der harten Fassade des Staatsdieners ein mitfühlender Mensch steckt.
// Schlusswort //
Die Wissende, der erste Band der Bibliothek der schwarzen Magie, ist ein guter Fantasy-Roman mit einer interessanten und innovativen Idee, die die Protagonistin in ein spannendes Abenteuer verwickelt. Es gab einige Kleinigkeiten, die für mich nicht ganz stimmig waren, weshalb ich leider nicht mehr als 3.5 (mit einer Tendenz zu 4) Sterne vergeben mag, aber für Fans des Fanatsy-Genres ist das Buch auf jeden Fall einen Blick wert.
August 30, 2017
Summary, this is about a magic world but skipping the usual stuff. Skips the bully, skips the school stuff, skips finding a job. MC done that already, and is not happy where she is, until a magic book fills her head full of knowledge. Characters are likable enough, its a small cast and that's good. Nothing really stands out but its a easy read, I suggest audiobook while doing something else.
The world is actually pretty dark but without harping on it like other books do. Since magic is everywhere not hidden away(the current trend) we get slave collars, entitled brats playing cruel pranks on the helpless like transforming them into pigs. MC is sympathetic but does not dwell on any of it until she is involved, something she does realize later.
Biggest negative, the constant repetition of her saying "the thoughts inside my head" everytime she calls upon her new found magical knowledge. Might read other books in series but don't know if I can recommend.
The world is actually pretty dark but without harping on it like other books do. Since magic is everywhere not hidden away(the current trend) we get slave collars, entitled brats playing cruel pranks on the helpless like transforming them into pigs. MC is sympathetic but does not dwell on any of it until she is involved, something she does realize later.
Biggest negative, the constant repetition of her saying "the thoughts inside my head" everytime she calls upon her new found magical knowledge. Might read other books in series but don't know if I can recommend.
March 16, 2018
This was a fun book with some interesting world building, but also quite a few flaws.
The world is very interesting. It doesn't really map to a particular historical time in our world. Some things about it are very modern, some feel more Victorian, and others downright Medieval.
The main character is an interesting choice - a bookish, not-especially-good magician who works in a magical library. A magical accident leaves her no more powerful, but crammed full of forbidden knowledge. Sort of like a person with asthma who somehow mastered martial arts. She can do some really fantastic things, but not for long and not too much at once.
However, though the personalities of many of the characters are quite good, the decisions get pretty bizarre, resulting in weird plot holes and "idiot plots" that would never work if various people weren't stupid.
All in all, though, it was a fun, easy listen, and I imagine I'll check out the rest of the series later.
The world is very interesting. It doesn't really map to a particular historical time in our world. Some things about it are very modern, some feel more Victorian, and others downright Medieval.
The main character is an interesting choice - a bookish, not-especially-good magician who works in a magical library. A magical accident leaves her no more powerful, but crammed full of forbidden knowledge. Sort of like a person with asthma who somehow mastered martial arts. She can do some really fantastic things, but not for long and not too much at once.
However, though the personalities of many of the characters are quite good, the decisions get pretty bizarre, resulting in weird plot holes and "idiot plots" that would never work if various people weren't stupid.
All in all, though, it was a fun, easy listen, and I imagine I'll check out the rest of the series later.
December 5, 2017
This book began with great promise, and I was raptly attentive. I picked that up again at the very end, but somehow once the main adventure started I lost some interest. Part of the problem was the completely unnecessary extremely explicit sex, which surely removes the book from a Young Adult Fantasy designation. I am from the school that believes that leaving something to the imagination is more intriguing and compelling. The main couple of adventures were more brutal than I expected. I have really enjoyed the Schooled in Magic series, but tried not to compare the two. If the sexual portions were not so explicit and the violence was not so explicit, I would have given this four stars. However, I am likely to read the sequel as I have faith in Christopher Nuttall.
January 26, 2019
I’ve read other books by this author that I really enjoyed, so it was particularly jarring to read this book. It feels like it was published without ever being edited; at times I found myself skimming through paragraph after paragraph of information that added nothing to the story.
3 stars because I like the idea behind this book and I like the author in general.
You can tell that Elaine was written by a man. Her voice only comes across as female because the book says she’s a female—the unnecessary romance in the book is an awkward and uncomfortable look into how some men think that women think.
All in all, this book would have been a four or five star book had it been properly trimmed down.
3 stars because I like the idea behind this book and I like the author in general.
You can tell that Elaine was written by a man. Her voice only comes across as female because the book says she’s a female—the unnecessary romance in the book is an awkward and uncomfortable look into how some men think that women think.
All in all, this book would have been a four or five star book had it been properly trimmed down.
February 12, 2024
This book isn't terrible, but it definitely isn't good.
The world-building is very weak, with neither the political situation nor the magical system making much sense and being filled with the worst sort of clichés. The characterizations are sketched out unconvincingly and inconsistently. And the plot is incoherent, with the protagonist gaining ultimate, or perhaps nearly insignificant, power without any real effort, then even though inexperienced and without much inherent power, stopping the existential threat by sheer awesomeness. Oh, and there's a bit of gratuitous, and relatively explicit, sex, because why not?
It's not the kind of disaster that it would take for me to give it one star, but I'm done with this series.
The world-building is very weak, with neither the political situation nor the magical system making much sense and being filled with the worst sort of clichés. The characterizations are sketched out unconvincingly and inconsistently. And the plot is incoherent, with the protagonist gaining ultimate, or perhaps nearly insignificant, power without any real effort, then even though inexperienced and without much inherent power, stopping the existential threat by sheer awesomeness. Oh, and there's a bit of gratuitous, and relatively explicit, sex, because why not?
It's not the kind of disaster that it would take for me to give it one star, but I'm done with this series.
May 15, 2024
From the moment I met Elaine I was taken with her. As a librarian in the great library she is conscientious and doesn't bemoan her orphan status or the fact that her magical talent is limited in a world where your worth is measured by the how much magic you have.
At first sight you'd think she was a push over, but when she opens a book and wakes up in hospital, her world changes forever, we find she's quietly determined to get to the bottom of what happened so she can protect herself.
Unlike the tired, devil-may-care, fantasy heroines in many books I've read lately, when she gets into danger she doesn't need to be reduced, she thinks her way out. Occasionally though she does get assistance from her flamboyant flatmate and friend and a brooding inquisitor.
Christopher G. Nuttall not only developed some great characters, but his world building is intriguing and rich, and he didn't need to put that much of an effort in because he had me at magical library. The plot behind the book that knocks Elaine out is twisty and turny and keeps you trapped in the story for the whole book.
This is a great series that lovers of magical fantasy worlds and strong female heroines are bound to enjoy.
At first sight you'd think she was a push over, but when she opens a book and wakes up in hospital, her world changes forever, we find she's quietly determined to get to the bottom of what happened so she can protect herself.
Unlike the tired, devil-may-care, fantasy heroines in many books I've read lately, when she gets into danger she doesn't need to be reduced, she thinks her way out. Occasionally though she does get assistance from her flamboyant flatmate and friend and a brooding inquisitor.
Christopher G. Nuttall not only developed some great characters, but his world building is intriguing and rich, and he didn't need to put that much of an effort in because he had me at magical library. The plot behind the book that knocks Elaine out is twisty and turny and keeps you trapped in the story for the whole book.
This is a great series that lovers of magical fantasy worlds and strong female heroines are bound to enjoy.
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