Charmcaster

By: Sebastien de Castell

Narrated by: Joe Jameson

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.

Spellslinger SeriesSpellslingerShadowblackCharmcasterSoulbinder
For more from Sebastien de Castell, check out:
The Greatcoats QuartetTraitor's BladeSaint's BloodKnight's ShadowTyrant's Throne

Critic reviews

"Told with the conviction of Ursula Le Guin and the dash of Alexandre Dumas"—New Statesman (UK) on Spellslinger

"Spellslinger is the start of something truly special. Sebastien de Castell is a master of breakneck pacing, dagger-sharp dialogue, and twists you didn't see coming--and this series has it all."—Nicholas Eames, author of Kings of the Wyld on Spellslinger

"A tremendously fun read full of wit and action."—James Islington, author of The Shadow of What Was Lost on Spellslinger

"An intriguing system of magic, wry humor, and a twisting plot make for an entertaining series debut."—Kirkus on Spellslinger

"A bucket-load of tension is offset with humour, power struggles, lots of magic and some great characters. Fantasy junkies will devour with relish."—Guardian (UK) on Spellslinger

"This book is dangerously addictive. It has it all: compelling world-building, breathtaking plot-twists, a page-turning pace, and characters who soon feel like old friends. I can't wait for the next one!"—Melissa Caruso, author of The Tethered Mage on Spellslinger

"Exotic, original and gripping from the get-go, Spellslinger is a must-read"—Jonathan Stroud, author of the Lockwood and Co series on Spellslinger

"There's room for wit and playfulness amid the high-stakes duels and death matches, and Kellen's career is likely to run and run."—The Observer (UK) on Spellslinger

"Hugely enjoyable - fast-paced, compassionate, wise and with terrific characters."—Amanda Craig, author of Hearts and Minds on Spellslinger

"Written with such obvious joy and brio that it demands to be read."—RJ Barker, author of Age of Assassins on Spellslinger

"A fun, fast-moving adventure, with surprising depth and insight."—Hugo Award winning author Jim C. Hines on Spellslinger

"We can confidently say that de Castell's new series has hit the ground running."—Starburst on Spellslinger

Funny, surprising, with a little dancing

I have come to love seeing Sebastien de Castell’s new book releases. His books are delightful- different than many of the fantasy out there, his tone is close to Michael Sullivan but still unique.
Charmcaster is even better than the books that came before it in the series. But I wish he’d give poor Kellen a break! And squirrel-cats continue to be awesome.

This fabulous series gets even better with each book!

Another fabulous adventure with so many twists, turns and drama! My emotions were all over the place and it was even quite touching at times. (No spoilers!;) As always there is great character development, dangerous encounters, secrets revealed, and witty dialogue and banter that kept me riveted! I read the hard copy first but knew I had to get the audio as well because Joe Jameson is a brilliant narrator! I can’t believe all these amazing voices come from only one person!

I love the characters and this story so much and can’t wait for the next book. (I highly recommend all Sebastien De Castell books in print as well as audio since Joe Jameson does his Great Coat series as well. ) I’ll definitely be listening to this again and recommending it to friends. It has everything I love in a great story. And by the way, in my humble opinion, Reichis, the squirrel cat, is the greatest literary animal since the Cheshire Cat ~and that’s high praise indeed!;)

loved every minute

what a great new tale in the Shadowblack worlds. I'm in for number four and any more that come through

Excellent narration, plot is entertaining but seemed long

I thought I had come to the ending of this book after a major plot conflict was resolved, and then I was surprised to discover that three hours remained in the story. A pleasant surprise, but it made the last section of the book seem slow as the secondary conflict wasn’t quite as intense to me. Regardless of the pacing, the clever and teasing dialogue between Kellen and his business partner make the story worth every minute. There are some plot twists, a few seemed predictable/not surprising, but that means the groundwork was well laid out by the author. I very much enjoy the wise tidbits and moments of profundity experienced by Kellen as he learns the Argosi way of seeing things from his mentor. I recommend this book to listeners in middle school and to those well into adulthood.

de Castell + Jameson = another wonderful story

So glad I took a chance on Traitor’s Blade a few months ago, because it opened up the world of Sebastien de Castell to me & it’s a world worth living in. Both the Spellslinger series and the Greatcoats series are top tier worlds of heroic protagonists facing the world against all odds.

And Joe Jameson is a world class narrator; despite the gender (or species), he delivers the goods in glorious fashion. These aren’t credits you’ll ever second guess. I don’t care who you are- these books are fantastic.