Last post for the day, read almost two months after the first two books. Expect books 4 & 5 next week. The series review will not come out until book 6 comes out, which is like December. Soooo January? And then I’ll be trying to complete all the books that I already own, so there is that. Anyway! Review time!
Customary warning: This is a reminder that these are my personal opinions. My thoughts and feelings are not your thoughts and feelings. I may not always be the target audience for a book; sometimes I am. If I do not like a book, that doesn’t mean you’ll dislike it. If I love a book or simply like a book, you may hate it. Take everything I say with this knowledge. If it sounds interesting to you despite what I’ve said, then go ahead and read it. You’ll only know you like something if you read it yourself.
That being said… Spoilers ahead.
Charmcaster by Sebastien De Castell
Synopsis From The Book
A failed mage learns that just because he’s not the chosen one it doesn’t mean he can’t be a hero in the third book of an exciting adventure fantasy series from Sebastien de Castell.
Kellen’s life as an outlaw spellslinger is about to get a lot worse.
In Gitabria, a miraculous discovery draws spies from all over the continent willing to kill to get their hands on it. Swept up in the race for power, Kellen is forced to join the pursuit. But the invention holds a dark secret-one that could spark a war.
Initial Thoughts Before Reading:
Book three here we are! There is a part of me that is tossing and turning in my chair unable to pick up the book. It’s sort of funny, because I have seemed to do this with every book I have read this month. A sort of: I know this is going to be good, but I don’t want to start it because then it will end. I have no idea what is wrong with myself. Maybe burn out? I hope not. I still have a lot of books to read for the year!
Either way, I read this at the end of September, whereas I read 1 and 2 at the beginning of August. I do remember exactly what happened in each of those and with this, I am expecting more of the same. I doubt that these (3-5) will take me very long to read, which is a good thing.
I don’t exactly have all the time in the world left to read these for this month.
Lets do this!
Initial Thoughts After Reading:
I liked it. Was I expecting it to go the way it did? Not really, but at this point I feel like I need to expect that with these novels. I did like this novel, although I think this review probably will not be the longest in the world.
Plot Overview:
We pick up the novel many months after book 2. It has been a year since Kellen has started travels with Ferius. The two have traveled trying to save all the children from the eye worms. They fight for and save Nephenia who was outcast from Kellen’s home. Saving her injures them, and they meet two more Argosi. This leads them to the inventor’s capital of the continent. It is here that they are to research a discordance in the form of a bird.
What they find is a mechanical bird that is truly alive.
The inventor of the bird has been unsuccessful in repeating the process of the bird. Her daughter is controlled by one of the eye worms. Trying to save the girl, proves near impossible. After a series of events, where Kellen gets a new skill under his sleeves, Kellen is led to his sister who is controlling the bracelet that is harming the girl with the eye worm.
Kellen gets the bracelet, his sister goes to jail, he saves the girl almost harming himself, and then is tasked with saving his sister. He does so, and then is led to a mountain where he finds war tools ready to be brought to life the same way the bird was. He is captured with Ferius, but they escape again. Kellen goes to the inventor, intending to kill her. He discovers that the inventor’s husband understood her notes and that she had been failing on purpose. For the missing key feature was the life of an animal or person, to become the soul of the machine. Reichis is taken to become part of the soul of a war dragon, but Kellen saves him, and destroys the dragon. The inventor kills her husband. The inventor and her daughter flee, Kellen pretends to kill her, and destroys all her notes and work.
He, Reichis, Nephenia, and Ferius relax and make camp, ready to go on their next journey. Kellen, however, knows that he can not stay with them. Taking Reichis, he leaves to go off on his own.
What I Liked:
Argosi; I just love the Argosi so much. Their paths, mottos, way of life. Its 100% what makes this book series for me. In some ways, I could care less about the plot of the books. Its this part that makes up for everything else that I know others have had issues with. The path of a wanderer is so interesting to me that I always want to know more. Kinda irritates me that next book won’t have Ferius.
Progressions of a new culture; I always like learning and seeing the new cultures of this world, when we interact with them. It is clear that there can be so much depth to them and I wish there was more time to spend on all of them.
Nephenia; I really like her as a female lead. She was a bit flat in the first book, but with her character development and arc, I feel like she has grown into her own character completely.
Ferius; as always.
Reichis; Always makes me laugh.
Kellen; He’s growing and changing. It is nice to see how he’s asking the right questions now.
Shalla; I still love her and her self righteous attitude.
What I Would Have Liked or Changed:
Nothing I can think of.
Time Taken To Read
2hrs 20min
Rating: 4/5
Notable Quotes:
“Why do I have the feeling that you and ‘the truth’ have only a pasing acquaintance?” – Cressia to Kellen pg 154
Marlena Marie 
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