The Rithmatist

Fans of either the Crimson Tide or the Bulldogs will hate this book. For myself, as a resident of Nebraska, I was pleased to find that the ancient power in this young adult fantasy novel is contained by a perpetual war on the island of Nebrask. I thought at first this might be a semantic coincidence, but soon learned that this North America is a collection of disconnected islands. It’s also not a coincidence because Brandon Sanderson was born in Lincoln, Nebraska.

The fact that he anchors so much of his plot in the struggle (albeit unseen) on an island analogous to his home state might make this the most Sandersonian of all his novels. Certainly all the usual elements are here, from well-crafted action scenes to flowing and believable show more dialogue to an intricate magical system into which he’s clearly invested way too much thought.

In addition to these, his Mormon heritage is more obvious than is often the case. Membership in the Monarchical Church comes through an inception ceremony at the cathedral. A fractional percentage of participants receive power to manipulate chalk drawings in ways that affect the world kinetically, and these Rithmatists are sworn never to reveal the secrets of their inception. All of this seems pretty clearly inspired by the Mormon endowment ceremony.

Though written for teenagers, the story is smart and smartly told in a way that can appeal to adults. I’ve read a few modern YA books in recent years; they always leave me aghast that, if they bear any semblance to reality, today’s youth appear to be drowning in an abyss of angst and despair in a world where adults are absent when they aren’t detached or clueless.

This book subverts that, with well-adjusted teenagers and thoughtful adults working together on the mystery of what’s causing Rithmatists of Armedius Academy to vanish. As a delightful bonus for me, Sanderson casually drops hints of his world’s alternate history along the way. One of my favorites is the traditional Italian dish of spaghetti “mixed with fried peppers, mushrooms, water chestnuts, and a tangy tomato soy sauce” due to the hegemony of the joSeun (Korean) Empire over Europe.

At the time of this review, fans of “The Rithmatist” have been waiting over a decade for the next installment, though Sanderson admitted in 2019 that his own son is badgering him for the sequel. For now, this is a fun and satisfying standalone story with more than a passing resemblance to the classic British boarding school novel. Admirable characters and Mormon-clean writing make this a safe bet for parents who want their kids to read but don’t want to worry about what they’re reading.

Oh, and why would I say that certain college football fans will hate this book? Because in this world, the island just northwest of the Floridian Atolls is known as Georgiabama. If another civil war breaks out in the United Isles, my money is that this unnatural powder keg will be the flashpoint. show less

Spring 2020 (April);
~ My Sisyphean Sanderson Challenge

One of those Sanderson books I've heard about in low whispers for two years since I started my challenge, across reading two of the Big Sanderson End-of-Year Letters, and now I finally understand. There's a lot to love about this book.

The magic system is wholly different and interesting. The mystery of the why-or-why-not picked demands to be known more. The growth of the friendships and mentorships. The obvious red herring that blossomed into something even bigger, and less expected (which is 100% why I love Sanderson, because I truly can't predict what he's doing with something).

I, too, am now in the group of people who will be hoping tenuously into forever for another in this show more series. show less

The first couple of chapters left me feeling meh", as the main character was not that likable. Then it gelled and became a standard Sanderson book, which being translated, means it was AWESOME!

This is steampunk. I hate steampunk. And Sanderson made me like this book.

Age of reading is definitely a step above the Alcatraz books, but not the full on adult world of say [b:Mistborn: The Final Empire|68428|Mistborn The Final Empire (Mistborn, #1)|Brandon Sanderson|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1312038619s/68428.jpg|66322] or even [b:Elantris|68427|Elantris|Brandon Sanderson|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1316637512s/68427.jpg|2908871].

Really cool ideas that are well thought out. Characters were interesting, engaging, true to life [ie, even show more complete dicks have their good points] and fun.

The plot was twisty, turny with just the right amount of sentiment, hints of young love, pathos and courageous determinism.

The main reason I didn't give this a 5star is because it is the first of a series. Maybe the series will suck later and affect my thoughts on this book. Maybe Sanderson will die partway through book 2. Who knows. So I reserve judgement for that final star..." show less

I listened to the audio of this. I really liked the banter between Melody and Joel and the world building was great. The pacing was good as was the character development. It did get rather repetitive though, so I knocked off 1/2 a star.

The Rithmatist is steampunk (or, to be more technically correct, gearpunk) set in an alternate North America where magicians called Rithmatists duel with chalk figures that come to life.

Joel has always been fascinated by Rithmatists, though he knows he will never be one. Joel is a non-Rithmatic student at Armedius Academy, one of only eight schools in the United Isles where Rithmatists are trained. As the son of a chalkmaker and a cleaning lady, Joel could never have afforded tuition at Armedius, had not Principal York given Joel a scholarship after his father died. Joel dreams of becoming a scholar of Rithmatics, though his grades in his normal classes are lackluster at best. When he sees a chance to study with Professor Fitch, a show more Rithmatic professor, over the summer, he jumps at the chance. Little does Joel know that the quiet, orderly world of Armedius is about to be turned upside down by the disappearance of several Rithmatic students. When the principal asks Professor Fitch to help the police by examining the Rithmatic lines found at the scenes of the disappearances, Joel is drawn in to the the investigation as well. He's also drawn in (much more reluctantly) to a friendship with Melody, a young Rithmatist who is seeing Fitch for remedial tutoring over the summer. Can Joel, Melody, and Professor Fitch unravel the mystery before other students are taken?

Once again, Sanderson has come up with an innovative and complex magic system, a detailed and imaginative setting, a gripping plot, and fully realized characters. In fact, my only real quibble with the book is that Melody is a stereotypical "spunky redhead" -- where are all of the spunky blondes and brunettes in novels, huh? But that didn't take away from my enjoyment of the story. Fans of Sanderson's adult novels may find this a little simplistic, but I think the target audience (young teens) will find a lot to like here. show less

I almost wish that Sanderson would write something terrible. Because so far I love every one of his books and it's getting... strange. Anyway, this book is perfect. Although meant for a younger audience and not that complex as his other works, Rithmatist brings everything that Sanderson does so wonderfully. The characters are unique and easy to connect to, the plot is original, the "magic" system is new and detailed and I just loved the alternative version of our world (especially things like "traditional European food" – Italian stir-fry spaghetti). With a great twist at the end, there is an opening for a sequel, which in this case I quite appreciate. I want to criticize something, just so this feels more unbias, but I struggle to show more find something. Even a girl obsessed with unicorns, constantly yelling that "The Unicorn Is A Very Noble And Majestic Animal" to everybody seems in place here, not annoying as one would expect. show less

From my blog Anya @ On Starships and Dragonwings

I am a freaking huge Brandon Sanderson fan, so the opportunity to read his first YA novel was not one to pass up ;-). Like all Sanderson novels, The Rithmatist has a new and intriguing magic system, plot twists on top of plot twists, and characters you can’t help but adore. It also takes place in an alternate history where North America is actually an archipelago and so the United States is less united and more a bunch of island states that grudgingly cooperate! The Rithmatist is definitely a YA novel, though, with a magic school and teenage protagonists. While there isn’t a series indicator on the Goodreads page yet, I’m very much hoping Sanderson decides to write a sequel, because show more I can’t wait to go back to the world of chalk battles and mysteries. Though I have to admit that I’m still not sure which Rithmatist the title is referring to specifically….

I borrowed an ARC of The Rithmatist from a friend. I also received a final copy from Tor for review. Thank you!

Title: The Rithmatist
Author: Brandon Sanderson
Length: 384 pages
Genre-ish: Fantasy YA
Rating: ★★★★★ (4.5) - amazing magic and ending, beginning a little simple

Strengths:
First thing is first: chalk magic :D. Certain people get the power to instill their chalk drawings with physical abilities like making an invisible wall above a line of chalk or attacking said walls. The best though are the little doodles that come to life to defend you or attack your opponent :D. There are dragons!!
I loved all of the characters for their own unique quirks. Melody is both girly with her unicorn drawings, insecure in her abilities and freaking hilarious in her declarations of “Everything is a tragedy!” Joel is a character many younger readers will relate to in that he is talented and bright when it comes to the subject he loves (Rithmatics) but is struggling in the rest of his classes because he just isn’t interested. Finally, Professor Fitch is a wonderful portrayal of the absent-minded professor, though he has his own strength when it comes to believing in all of his students, no matter their abilities. Seriously, I just want to hug all of these characters!
Brandon Sanderson always has awesome plot twists, and so I expected no less. The Rithmatist surprised me, however, with plot twists on top of plot twists with it all making sense in the end. I loved it! You will not be able to guess how this one ends, even when you only have 20 pages left ;-).
The alternate history was not emphasized much, but it was quite interesting as a backdrop to the magic and mystery. I am excited to learn more about how their world is different but similar to ours.
The ARC of the The Rithmatist that I read had delightful drawings that I’m sure with persist to the final copy. There are drawings at the beginning of every chapter to teach you about Rithmatic lines and strategies and then there are little doodles throughout the chapters of the chalkings (chalk creatures) that are being drawn in the accompanying text. They are awesome :D.
While the end of The Rithmatist left me content with what we had learned, it also is already building-up for an amazing sequel. I really hope that the sequel doesn’t take too long *puppy dog eyes*.
The ARC I originally read didn't have a map, but the final version Tor sent me does and it's preeeeeetty!
Weaknesses:
The first 2/3 of The Rithmatist felt closer to MG that YA honestly. There was a strange dissonance in my head of Sanderson’s style that I’m used to in his adult books and the feel of a YA on the young side of the spectrum.
Hopefully this will be fixed in the final version, but there were a fair number of sentences that were quite repetitive, telling me information I had already learned a half page ago.
There is a church in The Rithmatist that apparently split from Christianity when Rithmatics was discovered but still is kind of Christian I think. There was some weirdness when it came to referring to the other world religions…. It just didn’t seem to be handled well.
Summary:
I am thrilled that Sanderson has decided to break into the YA genre and I think Harry Potter fans will love The Rithmatist. It has the same magic school with a mystery feel to it and it was just so much fun. The magic system seems simple at first, but we soon start to suspect there is much more potential than has been discovered so far. Sanderson has laid the ground work for an excellent series with The Rithmatist and I really hope he decides to build upon it soon, I must know all the answers! show less