Of Spellbooks and Thieves

The Legends of Anticuus #1

by Robin Winckler

Magic is a powerful yet fleeting thing. Those blessed with its presence are given a choice: to do good for their fellow man or to be corrupted. Tobias has neither magic nor the pressure of its power and has lived a peaceful, secluded life because of this. That is, before he stumbles across the key to power: a spellbook. Desperate to unlock its secrets, he accepts it as the promise of something greater.

Until the day a thief snatches the book out from under him. In an effort to get it back, Tobias is thrust out into the dangerous world beyond the comfort of his home. Dragons, secrets, and wild magic lurk around every corner he turns, and he has no hope of catching the thief on his own.

In order to reclaim his book and safely return home, Tobias must learn to adapt to the shifting world outside. But as he is joined by others who volunteer to aid him in his search for the thief, he realizes there’s more to her than he thinks, and the spellbook is only the beginning.

Genres: Fantasy

300 pages, Paperback

Published October 21, 2022

About the author

Robin Winckler is a YA fantasy author with a love for magic, dragons, adventure, and all things high fantasy. She is currently pursuing a degree in English, which she hopes to use to grow her writing skills. When she is not writing, she can be found drawing, reading, or playing with her beloved dog, Pippin.

Reviews

[Arlin Treaty · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars! Gave me dungeons and dragons vibes 🐉 I would say the characters and plot need a bit more developing, but even in The Wrath of Winter her writing improved a lot so I will definitely read other books by Robin!

[Emma Spruce · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has quickly become a comfort read of mine. Set in a rich and immersive fantasy world and with a cast of enjoyable characters you'll quickly grow to love, it has all the ingredients of a great fantasy adventure. In a way, I consider the way its story begins pleasingly reminiscent of Tolkien's The Hobbit - in that Tobias is a somewhat reluctant hero with no power of his own who is thrust into a world much bigger and more dangerous than he's really prepared for - but of course with its own fresh, magical twist and an extra dash of sass. We always love a good bit of sass.

I'd recommend Of Spellbooks and Thieves to anyone ready to get lost in a fantasy and discover a new adventure gang to root for. Seriously, they're so much fun. I'm looking forward to spending more time with them and discovering more about this vast world in the sequel and beyond :D

[Ace Spades · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual rating: 3.5 stars

Spoilers below.

OSaT is a fun read. I was able to finish in one sitting because it keeps making me want to continue reading and see what happens next. I was one of Robin's beta readers, so I've read some previous drafts of the book. Even if I've read it through that way already and knows what's going to happen next, that didn't stop me from feeling bored or making me want to skip a part.

I enjoy the characters very much. Though Tobias is the main character, we also get Kase, a man who helps Tobias search for the spellbook. You can tell the differences between Kase and Tobias through the way they're written. Tobias's narration is simple and plain, while Kase tends to have his emotions affect his way of seeing and narrating things.

In the middle of the book, we're introduced to Aviva, the mage who owns the spellbook and lives in an enchanted forest. I wish we got to explore the enchanted forest a little more, especially since Aviva states that dark magic is affecting her forest and is corrupting it. It would have been nice to see the the corrupted side of her forest, even for a little bit. The only instance we got to see a corruption of the forest was when Aviva shows that the magic in the air is sick, and Tobias mentioning that they saw the corrupted part of the forest.

Regardless, Of Spellbooks and Thieves is a fun fantasy adventure book, and I definitely recommend picking it up!

[Jennie McClellan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pleasantly surprised by this one. This book follows a young boy in a quest to recover a stolen spell book from a thief who is not what she seems. Tobias leaves the comfort and safety of his home to go on a perilous journey with the help of new friends to find the thief and uncovers a greater mystery that will require him to be brave using his own unrealized power. The author has a very engaging writing style. Characters have depth with more to unpack. Looking forward to the sequel or prequel.

[Sandy L Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow

A beautiful fantasy novel. Dragons, I love dragons. Good and Evil contrasting. I recommend this book to those who like fantasy.

[Robin Winckler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wrote this book so I think it's pretty great ;)

[Bre Knight · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whoops, thought I did this forever ago—

Anyway.

Robin Turtle Winckler, you know what you did >:(((((

[Laura Winckler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed Of Spellbooks and Thieves. The world is interesting, and there is clearly lots more to discover about it in future books. The story was entertaining and absorbing, the characters are well-written, and there are dragons. It’s always good to have dragons. It’s a true young adult novel with all of the characters in their teens and early twenties. It’s clean, so if you are looking for a YA fantasy novel that you can confidently hand to a young reader, this is a good choice.