Spellslinger
I came across Spellslinger in a different way. There’s very few people that I take book recommendations from. I’ve got my own taste in books and there’s not a lot of people I trust to recommend me a book that I’ll like. I tend to post what I read on Instagram. Ironic, right? I don’t take a lot of recommendations, but I throw out what I’m reading all the time. Anyway, I had someone like my book post on Instagram, so I went and checked out their profile. The random people that like my posts tend to be random people that I never really ever follow or check out again. Or they tend to be those accounts that are selling something. Wanna collab? Hit me up! You know what I’m talking about. So when kvinwtm_ on IG liked a book post I made I checked out his account so I could either ignore or block him. It turns out his account is just book posts like mine. What he’s reading. I found it interesting and started browsing his feed. That’s how I came across Spellslinger.
Spellslinger is about a young man named Kellen. He lives in a society where magic is highly regarded. It’s so highly regarded that if you don’t have magic you are basically outcast by your family and turned into one of the serving class, no better than slaves.
Kellen, a boy from a highly regarded magical family, is lacking in magic and basically getting by on being able to con those around him with his knowledge of how the magic works and tricks. The book starts with him taking his first magical trial, a duel, and succeeding with such a trick. Shortly after the trial he meets Ferius Parfax, a brash young woman that begins to turn Kellen’s world upside down and show him that there might be a better way, even without his magic. This leads Kellen to examine himself and his goals in a society where magic is everything and all he wants.
Likes
There was a lot to like about this book. The characters being among them. Everyone from Kellen, to Ferius, Kellen’s sister Shalla, and Reichis (Who I won’t reveal who that is, but suffice to say is one of my favorite characters.) are all likeable characters. Some not at first. They all have flaws that make you hate them at times. The development of each character is the heart of the book. Each grows in different ways that make you eventually like them and want them to succeed.
I’m a sucker for interesting magic systems and Spellslinger delivers. There’s different kinds of magic. Bands are tattooed on each person's arm, at what sounds like a young age. The band has a representation of each type of magic on it. Each band is broken and lights up when a person unlocks that type of magic. Each magic is different, ranging from breath, blood, ember, and so on. All unique in their own way and how they are used.
The twists and turns in this book are one of my favorite parts. Just when you have a grasp on what’s going on it flips it on it’s head. Whether it’s what’s really going on with Kellen’s magic. The plot to overthrow the society as a whole. Or Kellen’s view on what he wants in life. It left me guessing and turning pages to find out what’s really going on.
Dislikes
My biggest dislike was with the Jan’Tep society. From the beginning Kellen believes that if he doesn’t have magic and breaks his bands, he’s a failure. Which to the society as a whole, is not far off. If you don’t have magic you become one of the servant classes, the Sha’Tep. The Sha’Tep are basically thrown out of their families, never to be recognized as a member again. Even Kellen’s uncle, who lives with the family, is one such Sha’Tep. Kellen’s father makes it seem as if he’s shown his brother a great mercy to let him serve in the house, but even then he doesn’t acknowledge him as a brother anymore. It comes across as a racist society that I wanted to scream at most of the time. Kellen’s father became the biggest source of that frustration as well.
Conclusion
All the dislikes I had with this book I believe were supposed to be that way, and work to further the plot. So I hope you don’t take the above issue as a reason to not read the book. This book was fantastic and I’ve already picked up the second one to read so I can find out more about Kellen’s story and where it goes next. I want to find out what happens to each of the characters, even the ones I didn’t like. Also how great was that cover? Although the ebook I picked up was a different one, the cover that kvinwtm_ posted was the one above and was a big reason as to why I looked into the series.
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