Sky Carver

Carver's World #1

by Dean Whitlock, Trina Schart Hyman (Contributor), Maurizio Manzieri (Cover)

Thomas Painter lives in a land where your name is your life. His father was a genius with a paintbrush, and everyone expects Thomas to be the same. But Thomas stinks at painting. His talent is carving; his genius flows through a knife. Now, with both parents gone and presumed dead, Thomas is still trapped in his father's shadow. Secretly, he has taken the name Carver, but he's not permitted to follow that path. Until a magic wand, dropped by a bemagicked raven girl, falls into his hands, revealing an unforseen raw talent and sending him down an unexpected path. Accompanied by the raven girl, Carver sets off in search of a mage who can train him to use the wand. They befriend Fireboy, who helps them escape on his steamboat from a cruel baron. They become outcasts in a city of filthy canals and spewing workhouses, where mages are hunted and magic won't work. Finally, lured by one of his own father's paintings, Carver and his companions are trapped at the magic apparatus of the great mage Krimm. There, Carver must confront the images of his missing parents in order to overcome the enchantments of the mage, save his friends, and choose his own path.

248 pages, Paperback

First published April 18, 2005

About the author

Vermont author Dean Whitlock writes fantasy and science fiction for young and not-so-young adults. His stories have appeared in Asimov’s, Fantasy & Science Fiction, and Aboriginal SF, as well as in anthologies in the US and abroad. His two YA fantasy novels were published by Clarion Books, but now he publishes independently under the Boatman Press imprint. An Air Force brat, Dean has lived in a dozen states and three foreign countries, a life of travel that gave him plenty of time to read in the car and now enriches his writing.

Reviews

[Josiah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book many many years ago, but for some reason it has stuck with me. I'm not sure why but something about this book stays with me, whenever I think of fantasy books (which I don't typically care for) I think of this book.

[Asani Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Imagine being forced to be someone your not just because of your last name. I wouldn't do so well. This is the predicament that a young boy Thomas was in. He lived in a town where your last name determined your trade, he had the wrong last name. Thomas had the last name Painter, though his father was a good painter he was horrible at it. He was a excellent carver though, he could turn a wooden tree branch into a very detailed dragon in under 30 minuets. His family and friends thought the time he spent carving should've been spent painting because of that last name of his. One day a tree branch fell from the sky, it was no ordinary tree branch this was a magic wand. Thomas renamed him self Carver and left his town a ventured out to find someone that could teach him how to use this wand. On his way he fell into a fantasy world where he could be a ting he wanted. Some things in this new world were good and some where bad. He got to be the carver he wanted to be at the end of the day. I rated this book a 5 because it was a very interesting book always having you thinking what's next ? I also liked the way the book switched from a realistic fiction to a fantasy. Overall this book was great and deserved nothing less than a 5.

[Magda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a medley of themes from other books: there's some science fiction and fantasy, there's a heavy dose of Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn, and some philosophical utopia yearnings before reverting to the fantasy and Mark Twain at the end.

The characters are strong enough to carry it off, but the explanation of making up the first version of this book as a tale for his "six-year-old son and a playmate" clarifies quite a bit. I wish I had the stories my father told me when I was six.

[Creative A · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute read that, I think, leans a tad more MG than YA. If you described the plot to me I would say it sounds like it wanders, but the author did a good job of keeping the themes and journey consistent even as our goals shift fairely often. I would have liked to dig a bit deeper into the villian as I felt he himself wasn't shallow, but how we explored him was. An engrossing read that would be fun to read aloud to young siblings.

[April · Rating 3 out of 5]

If I could, I would give this two and half stars. The characterization was fine, but the plot was kinda boring.

[Michael Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

REally good book. Only problem I had is the ending wrapped up too fast.

[13brem4 · Rating 4 out of 5]

pretty goood story, i do recomend

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Yeah, it was alright. For some reason it just didn't really draw my interest almost at all until the very end. The characters improved by then. Mostly it was all just... not bad. Good enough.

[Rebecca Lowe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Middle school appropriate. Enjoyable read but ultimately not one that really stands out.