The Rithmatist by Brandon
Sanderson, Rithmatist #1
More than anything, Joel
wants to be a Rithmatist. Chosen by the Master in a mysterious inception
ceremony, Rithmatists have the power to infuse life into two-dimensional
figures known as Chalklings. Rithmatists are humanity’s only defense against
the Wild Chalklings — merciless creatures that leave mangled corpses in their
wake. Having nearly overrun the territory of Nebrask, the Wild Chalklings now
threaten all of the American Isles.
As the son of a lowly chalkmaker at Armedius Academy, Joel can only watch as Rithmatist students study the magical art that he would do anything to practice. Then students start disappearing — kidnapped from their rooms at night, leaving trails of blood. Assigned to help the professor who is investigating the crimes, Joel and his friend Melody find themselves on the trail of an unexpected discovery — one that will change Rithmatics — and their world — forever.
As the son of a lowly chalkmaker at Armedius Academy, Joel can only watch as Rithmatist students study the magical art that he would do anything to practice. Then students start disappearing — kidnapped from their rooms at night, leaving trails of blood. Assigned to help the professor who is investigating the crimes, Joel and his friend Melody find themselves on the trail of an unexpected discovery — one that will change Rithmatics — and their world — forever.
Brandon
Sanderson is a well known author in the fantasy world having picked up the
Wheel of Time series from Robert Jordan and having written numerous other
stunning books like the Mistborn Trilogy, one of my all time favorite series.
The Rithmatist is Brandon Sanderson’s first venture into the young-adult genre.
Delivering for them an engaging, interesting and very cool read.
Recently
I have been reading a lot of children’s and young-adult fiction, constantly
hoping to read about new themes and ideas , and so far this journey has proven
to be quite fruitful and I am more than happy to add The Rithmatist to this
list as well. It might be a bit of the setting of The Rithmatist that does put
a certain other young-adult series back in the daylight, Harry Potter. Now
often you do make a comparison for yourself however I don’t whether that is
fair do. But The Rithmatist did remind me of it. Mainly due to the school
setting and several characters. However I must stress enough that it is
completely different and Brandon Sanderson really creates his own unique and
engrossing story, where The Rithmatist lays a solid foundation.
In
The Rithmatist you follow the footsteps of the chalkmaker’s son Joel, who is
studying at the famous Armedius Academy. Joel is just one of the more ordinary
students who follows the normal classes, but Joel wants more. Above everything
else he wants to be a Rithmatist. Other students also take part in the Armedius
Academy following a different route, and those students are known as
Rithmatists. When I first read about the whole idea behind this book I frankly
didn’t really know how this would unfold but the book makes this aspect of Rithmatists
work. A Rithmatist is a special student able to making chalk drawing come to
“life”. They follow the class Rithamtics where they learn the fine details of
it. Now I bet you are guessing what it is they draw, well they aren’t simply a
few doodles here and there. The Rithmatist shows a clear science – if you can
call it that – behind Rithmatics. Which I bet a lot of youngsters will find
pretty cool to read about. Also I think your guessing why are they needed? Well
The Rithmatist takes place in an alternate – steampunked – version of America
where in the center isle, Nebrask, stands the Tower where wild chalklings roam
free and the Ritmatists are specially trained to contain this threat from
spreading across the world.
But
what is Ritmatics precisely? Like I said they aren’t just doodles. First a
Rithmatist basis are the circles of defense that he draws around himself, there
are numerous each suited for a different purpose. You have several variations
2, 4, 6 and even 9 point circles this all has to do with strenghting them and
much more. Its really created in a well though out manner. Second come the
chalklings. A Rithmatist is able to draw specific pictures like that of a knight
or a spider than come to live and attack the other Rithmatist or other
chalklings. This drawing of both the circles and the chalklings come pretty
precise because the straighter your line or the rounder your line, the more
power it has. Same goes for the chalklings, when you draw them with more detail
they become much stronger and obedient. All in all I can stress enough how cool
this chalking part is in The Rithmatist. Brandon Sanderson definitely thought a
new cool idea to introduce to young readers.
Coming
a bit back to Joel now. With what I mentioned above who wouldn’t want to be a
RIthmatist? Well it’s Joel dream but unfortunately he cannot become one, he
wasn’t chosen during his inception rite. But this doesn’t stop Joel from
learning more and more about Rithmatics he even goes as far as attending the
lessons of Rithmatists. Joel seems to know more about Rithmatics than some of
the Rithmatists do. However dark times are encroaching on Armedius Academy as
Rithmatists students are disappearing without any clues of to who is behind it.
Now it falls to Joel, among others to find out more about how this could have
happened. In his search he is not alone, actually he is working for the Head of
the School and on of the professors Fitch. First being taken on as more of an
elective course for the summer but Joel slowly finds out the exact reason of
his work. Also Joel is on one part assisted by Melody but on another part she
also causes a bit of friction. Melody is quite the teenager, bit of a diva girl
with her bold exclamations of “Ow what a tragedy”
and finds that appalling doesn’t quite give the same ring to it. Joel and
Melody have a lot of adventures that were just shown right to really catch the
attention of the younger reader.
What
I really like about this book were the drawings. They really worked there own
wonders to highlight the aspect of Rithmatics. Each time after a few pages you
are confronted with several of the defense drawing of Rithmatists and how they
are build up, what the strengths and weaknesses are. But also about other
things like the Lines of Vigor or Forbiddance. This really gave a cool ring to
the book and furthermore during some scenes where the chalklings are mentioned
there a beautiful drawing in the sidelines.
The
ending of the book leaves nothing to be desired. All along the way there was
just this possibility of something occurring to Joel that would make him more
special, I liked how Brandon Sanderson steered away from the obvious and
letting Joel be Joel, but special in its own way, whether an earlier encounter
might still pose to be fruitful for Joel just has to be seen in the next book.
Plot wise you’re in for a surprise as well as the final perpetrator of the
disappearances is found. It’s a treat!
Brandon
Sandersons foray into the young-adult fantasy has left me with high hopes of
this series. What I have read so far of his adult fantasy books, he transforms
and translates it back into bite size chalks for the younger audience. The
whole setting of The Rithmatist is just boyishly cool to read about. The end
does leave a lot of space open for a great continuation. Even once you finish
the book Brandon Sanderson readily invites the reader to think more about the
series and the storyline itself.