The Rithmatist
Brandon Sanderson
A New York Times Bestseller
In a school for the magically gifted, your talent could cost you your life . . .
Bold, fast-paced and masterfully drawn, The Rithmatist is a YA fantasy adventure from Brandon Sanderson, bestselling author of the Mistborn series and the Stormlight Archives.
Joel is fascinated by the magic of Rithmatics, but few have the gift and he is not one of them. Undaunted, he persuades Professor Fitch to teach him magical theory. Joel can't infuse his protective lines and circles with power, or bring his chalk-drawn creatures to life, but he's quick to master the underlying geometric principles. His unique skills will soon face an extraordinary test when top Rithmatist students are kidnapped from his Academy.
Since he's not a magic user, Joel appears to be safe – but he's desperate to investigate and prove himself. Then people start dying, but can Joel really stop a killer alone? As even more students disappear, he realizes he'll need the help of Rithmatist apprentice Melody. Together, they must race to find clues before the killer notices them – and takes them out too.
Featuring illustrations by Ben McSweeney, which depict the magical elements of the novel with elegance and insight.
'An imagination I've only seen in the likes of Stephen King and J.K. Rowling' – James Dashner, author of The Maze Runner
Product Details
About Brandon Sanderson
Reviews for The Rithmatist
Patrick Ness, author of the Chaos Walking series There are very few authors about whom I can say, without a doubt, that I will read every single book they ever write. Brandon Sanderson is a member of that club. He's brilliant and has an imagination I've only seen in the likes of Stephen King and J.K. Rowling
James Dashner, author of The Maze Runner Brimming with wit, mystery, and enough ideas to make ten other books jealous, The Rithmatist is boldly entertaining and wildly original . . . the slam-bang finish made me stand up and cheer
Dan Wells, author of the John Cleaver series Feisty characters, and a complex plot likely to unwind over several volumes, this high-spirited, exciting story will appeal to readers of all ages
Publishers Weekly (starred review)
Fantasy readers should devour this well-crafted mix of action and setup, enriched by thoroughly detailed cultural and historical background and capped by a distinctly unsettling twist
Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
The story is compelling and the main characters of Joel and Melody are ones that we can relate to
even their wishes, desires, hopes, and dreams ring true . . . I believe that it would be of interest to readers of all ages
SFRevu.com
It's utterly engrossing. Because it's a Sanderson book, I feel like it almost doesn't even bear mentioning any more that there's an inventive new magic system with well-defined rules
The FantasyBookCritic blog
The Rithmatist is an imaginative, action-packed SFF adventure - entertaining, fun, and with oodles of future potential. In other words: get your chalk out, folks, because this is another good one from Brandon Sanderson . . . I absolutely cannot wait to return to Joel and Melody's world, and absolutely recommend this book
TheBookSmugglers.com
The Rithmatist has easily become one of my all-time favourite young adult fantasy books and is a wonderful addition to anyone's summer reading list ... I couldn't help but find myself attached to the characters and their struggles to find confidence and worth in themselves. As much as it is a story about magic, monsters, and chalk lines, it is a story about growing up and learning that everyone has something they can do, something they can give to others
TeenReads.com
The Rithmatist is a captivating, winning story with likable characters, an interesting and original magic system, and an ending that opens up rather than closes down
FantasyLiterature.com
A must-read for teens and adults alike. Full of mystery, suspense, intrigue - The Rithmatist is impossible to put down and refreshingly unpredictable. I'm not sure what I enjoyed more - the vivid characters, the clever story, or the rich fantasy world. Together these make for a solid and impressive novel that I wholeheartedly recommend
SciFiChick.com