Spellslinger by Sebastien de Castell

To become a man of his people, the Jan’Tep, Kellen needs to do three things. He has to defeat an opponent in a duel, show mastery of the magic that defines the Jan’Tep, and reach his sixteenth birthday. There’s just one problem: Kellen can’t do magic. Facing disgrace and possible exile from the only life he’s ever known, he tries to trick his way through the first trial only to be called out by his own sister. Alone and humiliated, Kellen encounters a hard drinking, chain smoking, card playing drifter who offers to show him another path.

Spellslinger is a YA fantasy novel with a Wild West setting, and is the first book in a new series by Sebastien de Castell. It's fast paced, full of action and witty dialogue, and well-written but, as the first book in the series, I felt that the world building was really lacking. I would have loved to learn more about the history of the Seven Sands and the various cultures mentioned in the story. Also, I have a feeling that I haven't yet got to the real story, that this is an origin story and the main story won't get going until the next book.

That being said, Spellslinger was a really fun read and I devoured it in an afternoon. The characters were a blast and the banter between them was frequently hilarious. Ferius is awesome - she drinks, she curses, she has a lot of opinions and she uses playing cards as weapons. My favourite character, however, is Kellen himself. He's sassy and self-depreciating, and it broke my heart a little bit as he desperately tried to come to terms with being rejected by the people he loved the most. He had to deal with some really tough situations and I loved how he matured through the book.

At its heart, Spellslinger is a coming-of-age novel about accepting who you are rather than who your family or friends want you to be. It's about learning to do the right thing, even if it's hard, and about finding your own path in the world.

Recommended for: YA fantasy fans looking for a quick and easy read

Rating: A really fun, quick read with great characters but lacking in world building. Four stars on Goodreads.

Read On: The next book in the Spellslinger series is Shadowblack. Another YA fantasy coming-of-age novel with a clever protagonist having to find his own path is Half a King by Joe Abercrombie.