Charmcaster

By: Sebastien de Castell

Narrated by: Joe Jameson

Length: 11 hrs and 42 mins

Publisher's Summary

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 Series:

• Spellslinger
• Shadowblack
• Charmcaster
• Soulbinder

For more from Sebastien de Castell, check out: 

The Greatcoats Quartet

• Traitor's Blade
• Saint's Blood
• Knight's Shadow
• Tyrant's Throne

©2018 Sebastien de Castell (P)2018 Hachette Audio

Critic Reviews

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

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

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

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

"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

"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

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

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.

Excellent story combined with excellent narration

Charmcaster is the third book in the Spellslinger series.The interplay between characters and de Castell's world building make this series well worth the time and the credit! Friends become enemies and enemies turn into outright villains. If you enjoy magic, deception, quick thinking in perilous situations and some snark, this series is for you.

I became a de Castell fan when I discovered the Greatcoats series, which is also narrated by Joe Jameson. These are books I will read again and again, just to see what I missed the first time. #Fantasy #Magical #TorturedHero #Tagsgiving #Sweepstakes

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.

loved every minute

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

Stop after the first book

This was a struggle to finish.. I blame my OCD. Every enemy is a sociopath that blames Kellen for everything wrong in their life and comes with plot armor against his only gunpowder inspired attack. Never any tension, no ability to finish an enemy despite being "really ready to kill this time guys! Totally mean it!". The first book was good with character development, but it ended there. Dont waste your time.

narration better; playback and recording issues

Really good story, though it was a little slow to start, but once it had, it was riveting throughout.

Narration is drastically better from first 2. Still, some issues with recording - dips and spikes in volume and sound distortion in a number of places. There's also some playback issues that occurred a few times which caused a crash.

In and of themselves, the issues aren't so bad to make it inevitable, but it kinda takes away from the experience immersion and for of the story when you have to restart the app or get your ears blasted because you turned the volume because it was too soft only to have it spike.

pretty damn good. Inspires me to write.

The world crafted is not fanciful in that the characters present do not always triumph, and do not have simple motivations. The world is complex, thoughtful and immersive.

I’m torn. It is becoming mediocre

The book has a great plot but leaves a lot to be desired. The main character is always getting someone to do his dirty work or save his ass. I’d like to see him take on the role of making hard choices and living with his decisions.

More of the same.

The first two were okay, but these are getting pretty repetitive. Don't think I'll be finishing this series.

Young Man forced to grow up.

The heart of these books is a young man who is forced to grow up in a hostile world different from the one he was expecting. This book even highlights this point quite well, "Sometimes I think I'm two very different people..."


The interactions between all the characters is once again sharp and witty.

Joe Jameson's performance is as always superb!

I highly recommend this book and the series as a whole.