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Spellwright #3
Spellbreaker
Leandra Weal has a bad habit of getting herself in dangerous situations. While hunting neodemons in her role as Warden of Ixos, Leandra obtains a prophetic spell that provides a glimpse one day into her future. She discovers that she is doomed to murder someone she loves, soon, but not who. That’s a pretty big problem for a woman who has a shark god for a lover, a hostile empress for an aunt, a rogue misspelling wizard for a father, and a mother who--especially when arguing with her daughter--can be a real dragon. Leandra’s quest to unravel the mystery of the murder-she-will-commit becomes more urgent when her chronic disease flares up and the Ixonian Archipelago is plagued by natural disasters, demon worshiping cults, and fierce political infighting. Everywhere she turns, Leandra finds herself amid intrigue and conflict. It seems her bad habit for getting into dangerous situations is turning into a full blown addiction. As chaos spreads across Ixos, Leandra and her troubled family must race to uncover the shocking truth about a prophesied demonic invasion, human language, and their own identities--if they don't kill each other first.Spellbreaker is the long awaited sequel to Blake Charlton's Spellbound, which was listed by Kirkus Reviews among the Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of 2011. This final installment of the Spellwright Trilogy stands alone as a complete story; however, fans of the series will find in it answers to the questions raised by the previous books about Leandra’s parents, Nicodemus Weal and Francesca DeVega.At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
480 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 23, 2016
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1933 people want to read
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December 8, 2016
3.5 stars. Final review, first posted on Fantasy Literature:
If someone is offering to sell you a spell that predicts one hour into the future, one excellent way to test whether the spell really works is to try to murder the man selling it to you. If you succeed in killing him, clearly it wasn’t a valid prophetic spell. In any case, that’s Leandra Weal’s rationale for poisoning the blackrice liqueur she offers to the smuggler selling her the spell. Luckily for both Leandra and the smuggler, the spell warns the smuggler not to drink the puffer fish liver-infused drink. Unfortunately, once Leandra tries the spell, making a small spelling adjustment to allow her to see twenty-four hours into the future, she sees that she will either have to murder someone she loves or die herself. If she tries to run or avoid the prophecy, everyone she loves will suddenly die.
With this compelling start, Spellbreaker (2016), the final book in Blake Charlton’s SPELLWRIGHT trilogy, launches us into an Indonesian-inspired fantasy world, where local gods and demons are incarnated from the prayers of the faithful, and spells literally need to be spelled in writing, taking physical form and living in your skin and muscles. Misspellings will alter a spell, for good or ill.
Spellbreaker takes place some thirty years after the events of Spellbound, the second book in this series, in which Leandra’s parents, Nicodemus Weal and Francesca DeVega, first met. Leandra, Nicodemus, and Francesca are all Wardens, responsible for converting or destroying neodemons who cause violent disturbances in the League kingdoms. Leandra is estranged from her mother Francesca, who can literally turn into a dragon. Nicodemus is a spellwright (a spell caster) whose dyslexia-like disability results in his misspelling every spell he touches, and his disruptive touch will kill anyone he touches other than his immediate family. His misspelled metaspells, however, also have the mixed benefit of making magic more intuitive, which strengthens the powers of both deities and neodemons in the League of Starfall, and weakens spellwrights. Nicodemus’ half-sister Vivian controls the hostile Neosolar Empire, using metaspells that are the opposite of Nicodemus’: they make magical language more consistent and logical, weakening deities and demons and increasing industrialization, but perilously decreasing the diversity of plant and animal life.
While Leandra is trying to figure out what the best way is to address her deadly prophecy, she is also setting herself at odds with the two competing empires and their opposing magical philosophies. Meanwhile, her father is investigating an appearance by a demon of the ancient continent that portends a potentially devastating supernatural conflict. Her mother Francesca and her aunt, the Empress Vivian, are pursuing their own independent but equally dangerous paths.
After an exciting first chapter, the pace slows down as the story follows Leandra, Nicodemus, and Francesca in turn, each on his or her separate path. The gradual build-up to the main conflict takes about two-thirds of the book, as the characters’ paths weave together and the conflicts between them gradually solidify. Leandra, whose point of view is the predominant one in Spellbreaker,isn’t always a sympathetic protagonist: she takes several ruthless actions in her attempt to pursue the path she thinks is necessary and right.
The SPELLWRIGHT world created by Charlton has intricate and imaginative world building, with a challenging complexity, and strong and diverse characters. The setting of Spellbreaker in an Indonesia-based culture is a breath of fresh air, as is the multifaceted textual-based magical system. Crimson language can wrap around one’s head, be removed, and placed on someone else’s head. Spellwrights do startling things like pull magical text right out of their skin and hurl it at people, as a curse, or use tattooed skinspells to wage war. Having a misspelling disability, like Nicodemus does (an echo of Charlton’s own struggles with dyslexia), is a mixed curse and blessing.
Unfortunately, this detailed and complicated world never became quite real to me. There is quite a bit of info-dumping that was difficult for me to assimilate, although readers who have read the prior two books in this series will probably find it much easier to engage with this world. While it’s possible to read Spellbreaker as a stand-alone novel, after having done that, I can’t personally recommend it. If I’d read Spellwright and Spellbound first, this world would have been familiar and the info-sharing probably would have made more sense and thus been more interesting; but as it was, the detailed background information tended to go in one ear and out the other, leaving me somewhat mystified. Still, it’s a fascinating world in many respects, and I’d like to go back and read the first two books in this series and then give Spellbreaker another try.
If someone is offering to sell you a spell that predicts one hour into the future, one excellent way to test whether the spell really works is to try to murder the man selling it to you. If you succeed in killing him, clearly it wasn’t a valid prophetic spell. In any case, that’s Leandra Weal’s rationale for poisoning the blackrice liqueur she offers to the smuggler selling her the spell. Luckily for both Leandra and the smuggler, the spell warns the smuggler not to drink the puffer fish liver-infused drink. Unfortunately, once Leandra tries the spell, making a small spelling adjustment to allow her to see twenty-four hours into the future, she sees that she will either have to murder someone she loves or die herself. If she tries to run or avoid the prophecy, everyone she loves will suddenly die.
With this compelling start, Spellbreaker (2016), the final book in Blake Charlton’s SPELLWRIGHT trilogy, launches us into an Indonesian-inspired fantasy world, where local gods and demons are incarnated from the prayers of the faithful, and spells literally need to be spelled in writing, taking physical form and living in your skin and muscles. Misspellings will alter a spell, for good or ill.
Spellbreaker takes place some thirty years after the events of Spellbound, the second book in this series, in which Leandra’s parents, Nicodemus Weal and Francesca DeVega, first met. Leandra, Nicodemus, and Francesca are all Wardens, responsible for converting or destroying neodemons who cause violent disturbances in the League kingdoms. Leandra is estranged from her mother Francesca, who can literally turn into a dragon. Nicodemus is a spellwright (a spell caster) whose dyslexia-like disability results in his misspelling every spell he touches, and his disruptive touch will kill anyone he touches other than his immediate family. His misspelled metaspells, however, also have the mixed benefit of making magic more intuitive, which strengthens the powers of both deities and neodemons in the League of Starfall, and weakens spellwrights. Nicodemus’ half-sister Vivian controls the hostile Neosolar Empire, using metaspells that are the opposite of Nicodemus’: they make magical language more consistent and logical, weakening deities and demons and increasing industrialization, but perilously decreasing the diversity of plant and animal life.
While Leandra is trying to figure out what the best way is to address her deadly prophecy, she is also setting herself at odds with the two competing empires and their opposing magical philosophies. Meanwhile, her father is investigating an appearance by a demon of the ancient continent that portends a potentially devastating supernatural conflict. Her mother Francesca and her aunt, the Empress Vivian, are pursuing their own independent but equally dangerous paths.
After an exciting first chapter, the pace slows down as the story follows Leandra, Nicodemus, and Francesca in turn, each on his or her separate path. The gradual build-up to the main conflict takes about two-thirds of the book, as the characters’ paths weave together and the conflicts between them gradually solidify. Leandra, whose point of view is the predominant one in Spellbreaker,isn’t always a sympathetic protagonist: she takes several ruthless actions in her attempt to pursue the path she thinks is necessary and right.
The SPELLWRIGHT world created by Charlton has intricate and imaginative world building, with a challenging complexity, and strong and diverse characters. The setting of Spellbreaker in an Indonesia-based culture is a breath of fresh air, as is the multifaceted textual-based magical system. Crimson language can wrap around one’s head, be removed, and placed on someone else’s head. Spellwrights do startling things like pull magical text right out of their skin and hurl it at people, as a curse, or use tattooed skinspells to wage war. Having a misspelling disability, like Nicodemus does (an echo of Charlton’s own struggles with dyslexia), is a mixed curse and blessing.
Unfortunately, this detailed and complicated world never became quite real to me. There is quite a bit of info-dumping that was difficult for me to assimilate, although readers who have read the prior two books in this series will probably find it much easier to engage with this world. While it’s possible to read Spellbreaker as a stand-alone novel, after having done that, I can’t personally recommend it. If I’d read Spellwright and Spellbound first, this world would have been familiar and the info-sharing probably would have made more sense and thus been more interesting; but as it was, the detailed background information tended to go in one ear and out the other, leaving me somewhat mystified. Still, it’s a fascinating world in many respects, and I’d like to go back and read the first two books in this series and then give Spellbreaker another try.
August 30, 2016
While this is the final book in Charlton's trilogy, it can stand very well on its own, with adequate amounts of reminding and jostling of the memory that serve to help readers who haven't reread since the preceding books were released before Charlton began med school, but that do just as well at introducing new readers.
The magic system is incredibly unique, based around magical texts that compose magic beings, and that magic users can use. Prayer creates new magic text that can be used by the sorcerers. The rules aren't perfectly explained, but for folks who enjoy "hard" magic systems, this is a solid bet.
The plot is easy to follow, and the biggest twist of the story was definitely a surprise. But it was encouraging to look back and realize that it was well laid out beforehand, and to realize that it wasn't deus ex machina.
The character growth takes a long time to happen, but when it finally does, it comes fast and furious and is very satisfying.
I particularly liked the setting, a fusion of South Asian/Polynesian influences and cultural nods.
Really, the parts are all good, and I think the way the whole could have been improved was to have been a bit longer, to link portions of the plot more concretely. But I like my epic fantasy to be a bit on the door-stop sized side, so I might be biased.
I received a review copy courtesy of Net Galley.
The magic system is incredibly unique, based around magical texts that compose magic beings, and that magic users can use. Prayer creates new magic text that can be used by the sorcerers. The rules aren't perfectly explained, but for folks who enjoy "hard" magic systems, this is a solid bet.
The plot is easy to follow, and the biggest twist of the story was definitely a surprise. But it was encouraging to look back and realize that it was well laid out beforehand, and to realize that it wasn't deus ex machina.
The character growth takes a long time to happen, but when it finally does, it comes fast and furious and is very satisfying.
I particularly liked the setting, a fusion of South Asian/Polynesian influences and cultural nods.
Really, the parts are all good, and I think the way the whole could have been improved was to have been a bit longer, to link portions of the plot more concretely. But I like my epic fantasy to be a bit on the door-stop sized side, so I might be biased.
I received a review copy courtesy of Net Galley.
November 22, 2021
This book was initially hard for me to get into because of the 30-year gap from the previous book, but once I did, I enjoyed it very much. In this story, Nicodemus and Francesca take a backseat to their daughter Leandra and her godlike companions. Unfortunately, while Leandra is as equally complex as her parents are, she's not as likeable as they are. I didn't enjoy her character very much, and I'm glad the story spends lots of time exploring other characters as well. In fact, this story is more interesting than the previous two, and I would say overall, it is on far or just a little bit better than the previous book.
March 12, 2019
A wonderful and glorious trilogy, with a unique magic system, it addresses many difficult subjects, I absolutely loved the way it evolves through many years. It left a profound impression on me and will stay in my heart.
Well worth a read
Well worth a read
December 30, 2018
I will admit I had my doubts about this book.
The entire series reads a bit like something of a philosophical parable. The balance between order and chaos is not necessarily one of good versus evil.
This book especially compared to the first two can be rather... uncomfortable. I don't mean this in a sense of graphic violence, raunchy sex scenes, or scandalous topics. It's just weird. The worldbuilding is incredibly unique and wholly complete in and of itself. It actually provides most of the driving force behind the conflict of the novel. It's awesome, that's all I can really say about that.
I think part of the weirdness is that the main character is a little unrelatable. She makes questionable decisions and her morality seems highly vacillate from one moment to a next. She's willing to do what it takes -- which is good I guess -- but she doesn't seem to have the redeemable qualities to make over it. She does come around in the end with a strong goal and motivation but it may or may not be entirely too late depending on your tastes.
Also her family is literally the most disjunct family ever and it's just kinda sad.
BUT.
By the end, I think this book entirely redeems whatever faults you may or may not have with the book. I really liked that ending. It was a surprise. A good surprise. The prose was beautiful, the conclusion was satisfying. Ultimately I think it was absolutely worth reading through. I'm glad I found this series again and discovered that there was actually a third book!
The entire series reads a bit like something of a philosophical parable. The balance between order and chaos is not necessarily one of good versus evil.
This book especially compared to the first two can be rather... uncomfortable. I don't mean this in a sense of graphic violence, raunchy sex scenes, or scandalous topics. It's just weird. The worldbuilding is incredibly unique and wholly complete in and of itself. It actually provides most of the driving force behind the conflict of the novel. It's awesome, that's all I can really say about that.
I think part of the weirdness is that the main character is a little unrelatable. She makes questionable decisions and her morality seems highly vacillate from one moment to a next. She's willing to do what it takes -- which is good I guess -- but she doesn't seem to have the redeemable qualities to make over it. She does come around in the end with a strong goal and motivation but it may or may not be entirely too late depending on your tastes.
Also her family is literally the most disjunct family ever and it's just kinda sad.
BUT.
By the end, I think this book entirely redeems whatever faults you may or may not have with the book. I really liked that ending. It was a surprise. A good surprise. The prose was beautiful, the conclusion was satisfying. Ultimately I think it was absolutely worth reading through. I'm glad I found this series again and discovered that there was actually a third book!
September 29, 2016
This is the last book in a trilogy, but is written with enough reminders from the last 2 books for it stand alone. It takes place 30 years after the events from the last book, so it would have been nice to see this expanded from a trilogy to a 4 or 5 book series, which is why I only gave it 4 stars. I love the magic system, probably the best I've seen in a fantasy story yet. All magic is a special language that is used by magic users (spellwrights) and demigods/neodemons (beings made from up from the language of magic). You follow the tale 3 people, Nicodemus Weal, a mispelling wizard prophesied to either bring an end to magic, or to enhance it, his wife Francesca DeVega a textual being whose magical for is a dragon, and their daughter Leandra Weal, a half human and half textual being. Leandra obtains a prophetic spell that enables her to see 1 hour into the future. When she alters the spell to look further into the future, she learns that she is going to murder someone she loves. She sets out to figure out who she supposed to murder and if there is a way to stop from doing it, while her parents try to protect from getting into a dangerous situation and defend against an invasion from Nicodemus' half sister. There is a pretty big twist close to the end that I didn't expect which made the ending different from what I was expecting.
December 29, 2017
By far my favorite of the series! After the second book I wasn’t sure if I even wanted to read this one, but I can’t just leave things unfinished, and here we are. I was expecting a seriously disappointing ending, but Charlton surprised me by giving me a beautiful ending that I loved, without having to struggle through the build up to get there! I was surprised many times, and saw a few things coning, which just added to my enjoyment.
The only flaw I can think of is some errors in spelling, grammar, and mixing up character names, but I try my best not to think of those too much.
I have to give a shoutout to the handling of what is basically a genderfluid character; bloody well done. Same goes for the gay couple that we eventually discover/meet. Such a shame their story ended the way it did.
All in all I am very glad I decided to read the final installment of this trilogy!
The only flaw I can think of is some errors in spelling, grammar, and mixing up character names, but I try my best not to think of those too much.
I have to give a shoutout to the handling of what is basically a genderfluid character; bloody well done. Same goes for the gay couple that we eventually discover/meet. Such a shame their story ended the way it did.
All in all I am very glad I decided to read the final installment of this trilogy!
September 23, 2018
The large jump in time and focus was a bit surprising - the final book in the trilogy focuses on a brand new character, Nicodemus' daughter Leandra, and a new setting, the archipelago of Ixos. In truth, it could stand on it's own very well (although it does help give you more understanding of the textual magic system if you've read the first two). It is a very good story, easily my favourite of the trilogy. The whole god/demon situation has been given a lot more depth in this book and is so unique. The story was engaging and had enough twists and turns to keep you guessing, and a satisfying ending that although unexpected in hindsight you can see how all the threads lined up to that point. If you are on the second book and wavering about whether or not it's worth finishing the trilogy, I would definitely recommend you keep at it - Charlton has saved the best til last.
May 10, 2018
A beautiful third chapter in one of my favourite series/universes.
The book was, to me, very different from the first two. The language was different, the underlying structures of the story was different and all in all I just had a complete different feeling inside when reading this book, compared to the first two. This difference was in no way bad - just unexpected.
English is not my first language and so, one of the things I love the most about The Spellwright Trilogy is that it leaves me with a better and more creative understanding of the English language with each reading. I love the creativity that has gone into writing these books.
So once again, Blake Charlton has managed to create a beautiful, fascinating, thrilling, creative and educational novel and universe.
The book was, to me, very different from the first two. The language was different, the underlying structures of the story was different and all in all I just had a complete different feeling inside when reading this book, compared to the first two. This difference was in no way bad - just unexpected.
English is not my first language and so, one of the things I love the most about The Spellwright Trilogy is that it leaves me with a better and more creative understanding of the English language with each reading. I love the creativity that has gone into writing these books.
So once again, Blake Charlton has managed to create a beautiful, fascinating, thrilling, creative and educational novel and universe.
October 17, 2016
I struggled a little at the beginning of the book - I hadn't anticipated the time jump and had expected it to more or less directly follow on from Spellbound - but found it mostly satisfying once the plot got up and running. Leandra is a complicated and at times very unlikable character, interesting to read but also infuriating. I did enjoy it, but in the same way Spellbound didn't give me more of my favourite elements of Spellwright, this third book didn't give me more of my favourite bits from either or the first two books. The world building seems a little thin at times, but more in the vein that I would keenly read more stories in this setting were there to be any.
March 14, 2017
It was great to get a conclusion to the series, and I was impressed at how well the book worked considering I rememberded very little from the first two books.
I enjoyed the interesting magic system, the archipelago setting and the premise of trying to solve a murder that you've been prophesised to commit.
I enjoyed the interesting magic system, the archipelago setting and the premise of trying to solve a murder that you've been prophesised to commit.
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December 14, 2020Charlton definitely saved the best for last with this trilogy. From beloved character's epic witty banter to the glorious world of Ixos, I didn't want to put this book down. Beautifully written, insightful, and a suspenseful read.
July 12, 2017
Brilliant
A style unlike any other, difficult at first to follow the storyline as constantly having to focus on the construct of sentences, but worth it.
A style unlike any other, difficult at first to follow the storyline as constantly having to focus on the construct of sentences, but worth it.
July 16, 2020
This is set 30 years after book 2. Nicholas & Francesca have a daughter, Leandra. Being the daughter of a misspelling wizard (Nick) and a textual construct (ie conscious magic spell, Fran) causes Leandra some problems as her two backgrounds conflict. The family has split up and gone their separate ways, but all helping in different parts of The League, while Nick’s half-sister, Vivian, is Empress in the adjoining Empire.
The League and Empire are at loggerheads because the Empire likes strict order, even though it’s causing problems as nature can’t adapt, and the League likes more chaos, which causes problems as people’s prayers create lots of neodemons and divinities. Leandra is the main character here, but Nick and Fran are still heavily involved, so don’t worry about that.
The ending to the trilogy is satisfying, but almost certainly not what you’d expect. The story is good, the magic system is good, but something about the writing style doesn’t sit right with me, hence the 4/5 rating.
The League and Empire are at loggerheads because the Empire likes strict order, even though it’s causing problems as nature can’t adapt, and the League likes more chaos, which causes problems as people’s prayers create lots of neodemons and divinities. Leandra is the main character here, but Nick and Fran are still heavily involved, so don’t worry about that.
The ending to the trilogy is satisfying, but almost certainly not what you’d expect. The story is good, the magic system is good, but something about the writing style doesn’t sit right with me, hence the 4/5 rating.
January 20, 2019
After spending a fair portion of this book unsure whether I liked the new main character, I was deeply satisfied when the author used that very tension to masterfully unpack her themes and build to a breathtaking ending to the series, both sad and beautiful. The story illuminated everything I hoped it would about disability, cruelty, hope, fear, language and love.
December 14, 2019
This book is so much stronger than the previous books in terms of pacing, in how enjoyable it was, and in the complexity of family relationships portrayed. We see Francesca and Nico being parents - determining how much to accept and supervise; and we see Leandra deciding how much to hide from them. I liked that the war hinted at the first book (orderly vs chaotic language) had come to fruition.
November 25, 2018
The first half of the book was not very interesting. Too descriptive, not much adventure. (2 stars)
The second half of the book kind of makes up for it. Lots of action and tension. (4 stars).
The second half of the book kind of makes up for it. Lots of action and tension. (4 stars).
November 5, 2025
wow! That was really good!
These were my words after finishing this trilogy. Wow! I said it again! This last book captured so keenly parent-child relationships, power, and a fierce desire to make a difference. As a parent how do you protect your child and still support them flinging themself into the fray of life??? This book looks at this and so much more.
These were my words after finishing this trilogy. Wow! I said it again! This last book captured so keenly parent-child relationships, power, and a fierce desire to make a difference. As a parent how do you protect your child and still support them flinging themself into the fray of life??? This book looks at this and so much more.
September 5, 2019
Satisfying conclusion to the trilogy.
I've enjoyed reading these three book immensely.
Highly recommended
I've enjoyed reading these three book immensely.
Highly recommended
August 25, 2020
Great end to the trilogy.
It did allude to further books, but I was less interested in them as I felt the story had a wonderful conclusion.
I am less interested in the subsequent narrative, but this book from start to finish was well worth the time.
It did allude to further books, but I was less interested in them as I felt the story had a wonderful conclusion.
I am less interested in the subsequent narrative, but this book from start to finish was well worth the time.
May 31, 2019
A solid end to a wonderful series. The time skip between this book and the last caught me off guard a little, but it works out well in the end. The magic system and system used for divinities here is really well thought out and interesting, the Trimuril espcially made for an enjoyably odd character, being an amalgam of multiple trickster gods in one peculiar package. Probably my favorite.
I did have one disappointment: But it's not enough that I'd deduct a star. I really enjoyed the book, and the series as a whole, and would love to see more from this world should the author ever feel like delving back in.
I did have one disappointment: But it's not enough that I'd deduct a star. I really enjoyed the book, and the series as a whole, and would love to see more from this world should the author ever feel like delving back in.
February 4, 2017
It's really disappointing to get the end of a trilogy and have to write a less-than-glowing review. But while the Spellwright trilogy began with a clever and promising premise and the potential for some real novel world building, it has ended without this things really coming to fruition. The protagonists we invested in in the first two installments are relegated to supporting roles in favor of a new character who never really garners our support. There's nothing likable or noble about her to invest in, and we are instead treated to hundreds of pages of what amounts to a combination of family drama and heavy-handed social messages. Faced with a dysfunctional mother/father/daughter dynamic, one might seek solace in the large cast of supporting characters, but they are all two-dimensional constructs who share a clone-like sense of forcefully witty dialogue and banter. None really stands out. Add to this a great deal of over-description and a tendency to fall into rather jarring modern vernacular, and one can't help but be disappointed. It's too bad, because there's a lot of heart and sincerity in the writing, which I appreciate. But for me, it just didn't deliver on its initial promise.
November 4, 2019
Leandra Weal has a bad habit of getting herself in dangerous situations.
While hunting neodemons in her role as Warden of Ixos, Leandra obtains a prophetic spell that provides a glimpse one day into her future. She discovers that she is doomed to murder someone she loves, soon, but not who. That’s a pretty big problem for a woman who has a shark god for a lover, a hostile empress for an aunt, a rogue misspelling wizard for a father, and a mother who--especially when arguing with her daughter--can be a real dragon.
Leandra’s quest to unravel the mystery of the murder-she-will-commit becomes more urgent when her chronic disease flares up and the Ixonian Archipelago is plagued by natural disasters, demon worshiping cults, and fierce political infighting. Everywhere she turns, Leandra finds herself amid intrigue and conflict. It seems her bad habit for getting into dangerous situations is turning into a full blown addiction
https://www.fahasa.com/
While hunting neodemons in her role as Warden of Ixos, Leandra obtains a prophetic spell that provides a glimpse one day into her future. She discovers that she is doomed to murder someone she loves, soon, but not who. That’s a pretty big problem for a woman who has a shark god for a lover, a hostile empress for an aunt, a rogue misspelling wizard for a father, and a mother who--especially when arguing with her daughter--can be a real dragon.
Leandra’s quest to unravel the mystery of the murder-she-will-commit becomes more urgent when her chronic disease flares up and the Ixonian Archipelago is plagued by natural disasters, demon worshiping cults, and fierce political infighting. Everywhere she turns, Leandra finds herself amid intrigue and conflict. It seems her bad habit for getting into dangerous situations is turning into a full blown addiction
https://www.fahasa.com/
July 21, 2019
I had to re-read the previous two books of the trilogy to refresh my memory of the storyline since it's been some years since I had read them. If you thought the ten year leap between the first two books was big then it's nothing compared to the thirty three year jump between books two and three.
There is a lot of plot to get through, possibly the reason the font was so tiny on the paperback edition I have.
Overall I would give this 3.5 stars, there's some great characters, a very clever and unique magic system that relates to the author's and main character's dyslexia and a lot of philosophy & politics.
There is a lot of plot to get through, possibly the reason the font was so tiny on the paperback edition I have.
Overall I would give this 3.5 stars, there's some great characters, a very clever and unique magic system that relates to the author's and main character's dyslexia and a lot of philosophy & politics.
May 30, 2020
I was a little disappointed in this book, to be honest. I loved the world, thought the characters were genuine and nicely done and the whole storyline was quite good. The main letdown for me now however, is the fact that I did not feel attached to any of the main characters. They did not have the emotional pull with me that I felt in the previous books. I felt mostly drawn to side characters, who were killed off..
I saw myself putting down the book more and more.
Because the world and previous books deserved something better, I rounded down the 2.5 to 2.
So sorry Blake, I really hoped for more
I saw myself putting down the book more and more.
Because the world and previous books deserved something better, I rounded down the 2.5 to 2.
So sorry Blake, I really hoped for more
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 6, 2017
It took me a little while to swap in the broad strokes of what had occurred in the series previously, as well as the world the author had built, but the world had moved on after the second book finished. The action built up through some plot twists, and other turns, most of them unexpected to a climax that was drawn out and not at all what I expected. There wasn't a great deal of resolution, but I can see why there wasn't. It was certainly a fascinating way to finish off the series.
May 26, 2017
So it was a long time ago since i read the two books before this one, but this book stands well alone i think because it caught me up on all the past happenings. I love how the "spell series" system of magic works and it was fun watching the political back and forwards all the characters all do. I like how there was a twist or two or three, and although it was a little bit of a slow start up by the end i couldn't put it down.
March 5, 2017
Wonderful trilogy, but this one? Wow! I did not know how to feel when it was over. Leandra is this narrative's main focus, and she makes so many choices for both good and bad behavior. Her limited time and excessive power make for a magnified version of the human experience. You just cannot decide if you like or hate her, even at the end.
February 22, 2017
This was good, if a little long. I found it harder to like some of the characters in this one, although the story was good, and a fitting conclusion to the trilogy.
September 16, 2016
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: High fantasy novel with a complicated magic/divinity system that took me a long time to comprehend but after that it was a moving story that will stick with me.
Opening Sentence: To test a spell that predicts the future, try to murder the man selling it; if you can, it can’t.
The Review:
Spellbreaker is a high fantasy novel that hooked me in with the first paragraph. I liked how ruthless Leandra was when she went up against a smuggler. Then the story waned a bit for more when it started to describe the neodemons, demons and divinities. Spellbreaker is tied into the two previous books but you could read this as a standalone like I did. I was unfamiliar with the story, I never once felt lost with past events, but I think having prior knowledge would have more impact with events that play out. Everyone in this story has their own motivations and secrets, when your world might be ending not everyone is on the same page.
Leandra is the daughter of Nicodemus Weal and Francesca DeVega. If you’ve read the previous stories then you already know who they are. Leandra is thirty-three years old so I’m guessing that some time has passed from the previous book to this one. Leandra has had a very difficult childhood. She has dealt with a deadly disease all of her life that not even her draconic mother can heal. Leandra is the Warden of Ixos and as such she must protect her citizens from Neodemons. She goes to great lengths to make sure her people are protected. When she buys a spell to see forward into the future she is surprised by all the different futures before her but they all have something in common: she will die, someone she loves will die by her hand, or if she ignores those two everyone around her will die.
Nicodemus is hunting down the River Thief and when he finally catches up with her, he unveils a shocking secret that ties with his daughter Leandra. As a cacographer, Nico destroys spells with his misspellings. His touch is even more dangerous to human skin. Nico is caught within the family feud between is wife and his daughter. He tries to bring them back together but they both are strong-willed and stubborn. He also unwittingly finds himself in a battle with his half-sister.
Francesca has her own talent in prophecy and when she sees that her daughter may kill her it doesn’t stop her from confronting her daughter. Francesca conflicted about her feelings with Leandra. She knows she could have been a better mother. The world is on the brink of war and she wants to be able to gain her relationship with her daughter before one of them dies.
One thing I really liked about this story was the reveal of secrets. The secrets hit when I thought I knew the story but then I realized I didn’t. Each character keeps secrets from each other and from the reader so I had no idea how crazy and secretive they were. Also, the story skips between the three main characters third person point of views so when something was revealed, it kept me hooked because I wanted to know how the other characters would take that news plus I had to know more from the character who revealed said information when their perspective came back around. Another thing, this novel had quite a bit of humor to it. I really enjoyed the quips being thrown during conversations. I got quite a laugh at times.
The only thing that was really confusing for me was the magical system. Since I was new to the series, I didn’t really have a concept of it. I think what really got me was I never quite understood the difference between the neodemons and divinities because people created divinities through prayer but sometimes they were neodemons. My guess is that neodemons were uncontrolled while the divinities were controlled by the prayers and magical system. If I am wrong, I apologize to the author for being a dummy. ;)
Spellbreaker does have a message about the difference/unfairness of how people are perceived and treated. The way the story wraps up was satisfying and a bit heartbreaking. I would definitely recommend this novel for fans of high fantasy to check out.
Notable Scene:
“No one can hate you as much as you can hate yourself because no one knows you as well as you know yourself,” she said to her party. “In fact, loathing of similarities is underestimated in general. Think of all the attention we give to differences. We act as if all prejudice or injustice or war is caused by hating things or people who are different from us. I hate that woman because she wears different clothes. Or we fought that war becauase they worship different gods. We always say that sort of thing. We pretend that we could enter a golden age of peace if we could learn not to distrust foreign things and people.”
“We couldn’t?” Ellen asked, deadpan. The twins, as usual, were silent.
“No, the distrust of difference isn’t everything,” Francesca continued, warming to her argument. “Who can upset you more than someone who is similar to you?”
“But Magistra, you upset me all the time.”
“Exactly my point. I chose you as a student because you reminded me of myself when I was younger.”
“I find that very upsetting.”
“You see!” Francesca said, playing up her passionate voice against Ellen’s flatness.
“Magistra, I am astounded by your rhetoric.”
“What kind of hatred is worse than self-hatred?”
“Hatred of menstrual cramps?”
“Isn’t that usually a punch line from one of my jokes?”
“That’s why I thought it’d make you laugh. But given your present argument, maybe I should have guessed you’d dislike your own punch lines more that anyone else’s.”
“Well, regardless, isn’t that a form of self-hatred? Are you not hating your own uterus at that moment?”
“It is such a surprise,” Ellen said in a tone that indicated that it was anything but, “to find that you have turned my attempt at humor into substance for your argument.”
FTC Advisory: Tor/Macmillan provided me with a copy of Spellbreaker. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: High fantasy novel with a complicated magic/divinity system that took me a long time to comprehend but after that it was a moving story that will stick with me.
Opening Sentence: To test a spell that predicts the future, try to murder the man selling it; if you can, it can’t.
The Review:
Spellbreaker is a high fantasy novel that hooked me in with the first paragraph. I liked how ruthless Leandra was when she went up against a smuggler. Then the story waned a bit for more when it started to describe the neodemons, demons and divinities. Spellbreaker is tied into the two previous books but you could read this as a standalone like I did. I was unfamiliar with the story, I never once felt lost with past events, but I think having prior knowledge would have more impact with events that play out. Everyone in this story has their own motivations and secrets, when your world might be ending not everyone is on the same page.
Leandra is the daughter of Nicodemus Weal and Francesca DeVega. If you’ve read the previous stories then you already know who they are. Leandra is thirty-three years old so I’m guessing that some time has passed from the previous book to this one. Leandra has had a very difficult childhood. She has dealt with a deadly disease all of her life that not even her draconic mother can heal. Leandra is the Warden of Ixos and as such she must protect her citizens from Neodemons. She goes to great lengths to make sure her people are protected. When she buys a spell to see forward into the future she is surprised by all the different futures before her but they all have something in common: she will die, someone she loves will die by her hand, or if she ignores those two everyone around her will die.
Nicodemus is hunting down the River Thief and when he finally catches up with her, he unveils a shocking secret that ties with his daughter Leandra. As a cacographer, Nico destroys spells with his misspellings. His touch is even more dangerous to human skin. Nico is caught within the family feud between is wife and his daughter. He tries to bring them back together but they both are strong-willed and stubborn. He also unwittingly finds himself in a battle with his half-sister.
Francesca has her own talent in prophecy and when she sees that her daughter may kill her it doesn’t stop her from confronting her daughter. Francesca conflicted about her feelings with Leandra. She knows she could have been a better mother. The world is on the brink of war and she wants to be able to gain her relationship with her daughter before one of them dies.
One thing I really liked about this story was the reveal of secrets. The secrets hit when I thought I knew the story but then I realized I didn’t. Each character keeps secrets from each other and from the reader so I had no idea how crazy and secretive they were. Also, the story skips between the three main characters third person point of views so when something was revealed, it kept me hooked because I wanted to know how the other characters would take that news plus I had to know more from the character who revealed said information when their perspective came back around. Another thing, this novel had quite a bit of humor to it. I really enjoyed the quips being thrown during conversations. I got quite a laugh at times.
The only thing that was really confusing for me was the magical system. Since I was new to the series, I didn’t really have a concept of it. I think what really got me was I never quite understood the difference between the neodemons and divinities because people created divinities through prayer but sometimes they were neodemons. My guess is that neodemons were uncontrolled while the divinities were controlled by the prayers and magical system. If I am wrong, I apologize to the author for being a dummy. ;)
Spellbreaker does have a message about the difference/unfairness of how people are perceived and treated. The way the story wraps up was satisfying and a bit heartbreaking. I would definitely recommend this novel for fans of high fantasy to check out.
Notable Scene:
“No one can hate you as much as you can hate yourself because no one knows you as well as you know yourself,” she said to her party. “In fact, loathing of similarities is underestimated in general. Think of all the attention we give to differences. We act as if all prejudice or injustice or war is caused by hating things or people who are different from us. I hate that woman because she wears different clothes. Or we fought that war becauase they worship different gods. We always say that sort of thing. We pretend that we could enter a golden age of peace if we could learn not to distrust foreign things and people.”
“We couldn’t?” Ellen asked, deadpan. The twins, as usual, were silent.
“No, the distrust of difference isn’t everything,” Francesca continued, warming to her argument. “Who can upset you more than someone who is similar to you?”
“But Magistra, you upset me all the time.”
“Exactly my point. I chose you as a student because you reminded me of myself when I was younger.”
“I find that very upsetting.”
“You see!” Francesca said, playing up her passionate voice against Ellen’s flatness.
“Magistra, I am astounded by your rhetoric.”
“What kind of hatred is worse than self-hatred?”
“Hatred of menstrual cramps?”
“Isn’t that usually a punch line from one of my jokes?”
“That’s why I thought it’d make you laugh. But given your present argument, maybe I should have guessed you’d dislike your own punch lines more that anyone else’s.”
“Well, regardless, isn’t that a form of self-hatred? Are you not hating your own uterus at that moment?”
“It is such a surprise,” Ellen said in a tone that indicated that it was anything but, “to find that you have turned my attempt at humor into substance for your argument.”
FTC Advisory: Tor/Macmillan provided me with a copy of Spellbreaker. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
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