Four Torches (Out of Five)

In the new novel Spellwright by Blake Charlton (Tor Books, $24.99), 25 year-old Nicodemus Weal is an apprentice mage at a school for wizards, in a land where magic requires rune-like spells that are physically real and can be spelled out by those with the right ability.

The problem? Nicodemus, who once showed great promise with magic, now can’t ever seem to spell the words correctly. When he tries, disaster always results –  so much so that he’s been classified as a “cacographer” and given only menial tasks.

Is he just cursed, or does he have a deeper purpose? Some markings on his back  suggest that he could be the wizard prophesied to prevent an apocalypse — but even they aren’t spelled quite right.

Then an important mage is murdered, setting in motion all manner of intrigue and danger, including accusations that both Nicodemus and his mentor Shannon are responsible for the crime.

This is a clever idea for a fantasy novel, and in the author’s bio, we learn that the author himself suffers from dyslexia, giving the book an added poignancy.

The author clearly overcame his disability, apparently in part because of a passion for fantasy novels, going on to become an English teacher and a medical student at Standford University School of Medicine — not to mention writing this pretty terrific novel.

The plot is tight with some nicely unexpected reveals along the way, and the ending is particularly satisfying. But it must be said that the characters — earnest, but frustrated young wizard destined for great things and mentor-with-a-secret-past — are pretty standard-issue for a fantasy novel.

Meanwhile, I initially had a bit of a hard time visualizing the actual mechanics of the world’s magic: literal magic words are created by the twitching of muscles, taking actual shape to be wielded and manipulated. If you stick with it, all becomes clear, but it’s never quite seamless.

Still, this is a solid, enjoyable read, and the real-world implications give it an added resonance.

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