Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Reading Time
    • Home
    • Reviews
      • Highly Recommended
      • CBCA Short Listed
      • Early Childhood Books
      • Younger Readers
      • Intermediate Readers
      • Older Readers
      • ANZAC books
      • Great Read Alouds
      • Information Books
      • LGBTQIA+
      • Picture Books
      • Professional Development
    • Interviews
    • Suggestions
    • News
    • Meet The Review Team
    • Contact Us
    Reading Time
    You are at:Home»Reviews»Older Readers»Spellslinger (Spellslinger #1)

    Spellslinger (Spellslinger #1)

    0
    By Admin on June 7, 2017 Older Readers

    Sebastien de Castell, Spellslinger (Spellslinger #1),  Hot Key Books/Allen & Unwin, May 2017,  396pp.,  $19.99 (pbk),  ISBN 9781471406119

    Only truth can defeat magic, as sixteen-year-old Kellen learns from Ferius when she comes into his life. Kellen is about to undergo tests that will determine whether he will follow in the family’s footsteps and become a mage, or whether he will merely be a servant for the rest of his life. He knows that he will not pass the tests, but he still undertakes them, in hope.  Catastrophe follows, as does a squirrel-cat called Reichis. Kellen begins to unravel the complex history and contemporary machinations which have brought his people, the Jan Tep, and his family, to this point.

    de Castell has created a world of rival clans, nasty behaviour, magic spells and physical violence, but there is also an air of decency and negotiation. Surely the latter will prevail. The descriptions of the spells are detailed and seem unnecessarily so, but they do add colour to the story. Characterisation is excellent. Kellen is a decent lad, confused by the world; Ferius is a sardonic and no-nonsense sophisticate; Reichis is a calculating and blood-thirsty animal.

    Spellslinger takes to heart the tradition of a number of volumes to make a series. This, the first, is a long book and there are many unfinished leads, people who have more to say, and an overall unfinished story. It is all worth sticking to, so look out for book 2, Shadowblack.

    Reviewed by Stella Lees

    Related Posts

    The Bravest Word

    Dirt Circus League

    Dark Rise

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    • Themes
    • Curriculum
    Action adventure Airplanes Alphabet Anxiety autism Bullying CBCA Awards Coming of age Dystopian emotions family fantasy friendship grief Historical humour magic Mystery Post apocalyptic Readers Cup reluctant readers school Sci-Fi series of books siblings Sport Starting school Teacher Notes
    ANZAC Australian animals Australian history Biography Culture & Diversity Disabilities First Nations Geography health Humanities mental health Poetry Reconciliation resilience Science STEM Stolen Generation sustainability Wordless books



    Recent Comments
    • Cherie on Elephant Island
    • Patricia Tilton on Freddy the Not-Teddy
    • Jilanne Hoffmann on Freddy the Not-Teddy
    • Penelope Pratley on The Secret of Sapling Green
    • Emily Flint on Walk of the Whales
    Recent Posts
    • It’s Up to Us
    • The Bravest Word
    • The Ghost Locket
    • The Ghost Locket
    • Enough Love?
    Recent Comments
    • Cherie on Elephant Island
    • Patricia Tilton on Freddy the Not-Teddy
    • Jilanne Hoffmann on Freddy the Not-Teddy
    • Penelope Pratley on The Secret of Sapling Green
    • Emily Flint on Walk of the Whales
    © Copyright 2021 The Children’s Book Council of Australia - All rights reserved

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

    Posting....