A bit about it
The Rithmaist is the first of a series of (at least) two books. The reason I say "at least" is because Sanderson always seems to keep adding new dimensions and twists to his worlds and frequently ends up writing more books than he meant to at the start.
The book itself is set mainly in a prestigious school on the continent of America, which in this imagining is a set of sixty islands rather than a single landmass. The school itself does not play a large part in the story really, it is more a useful location from which to launch the story. The story is part-whodunnit, part-typical "school based story" (Harry Potter elements exist here) and part-"there is clearly more going on here".
The time-period is more "modern" than most of his Cosmere works like Mistborn, Elantris and Warbreaker but it is by no means futuristic. It works for this story as I think there is a temptation some times to "over egg the pudding" by either setting something basically in Middle Earth or so far in the future that it is irrelevant. This hovers nicely in that the world presented is one that we can imagine for our own world, with just a few modifications and a few years difference.
As with all Sanderson creations there is an element of magic surrounding the story, in this case the ability of 1 in 1000 of the population to use chalk to create and control creatures called Chalklings. In an intersting twist, the main protagonist is not one of those blessed with the ability.
The Verdict
I really enjoyed The Rithmatist. It is typical Sanderson but with enough fresh about it to hold your attention.
The story is a little less involved than your usual creations from Brandon. In fact this book feels like it is aimed a touch more towards the YA end of the market. Having said that though I would say that if stories like Harry Potter can be enjoyed by all ages then so can this.
There is more development of the characters than you would see in a true YA book and there is no doubt that the slight drop off in complexity actually aids this story more than hinders. It is in essence a coming of age story but the characters are engaging, there is the usual dose of Sanderson humour and it is definitely a page turner. I read this cover to cover in less than 24 hours.
The world he has created is detailed, vibrant and scarily believable (as always) and the genuine care Sanderson takes to draw you into the narrative and give you the right information at the right time is a feature of all of his work. The denoument of this story (but not the overall arc) is neither too obvious nor deus ex machina. This is a skill of Brandon's that I think is massively underrated, too many writers dig holes they simply cannot get out of or they give it all away on page 1.
The magic system is beautifully presented (both verbally and also visually through some great drawings from a guy called Ben McSweeney) and the pacing of when and how information is revealed about the system itself is perfect. It is another facet of Sanderson's work that his magic systems are always interesting, consistenly applied and a little bit quirky - which is a great mix.
Overall this is a great starter of a series and it is a pretty good stand-alone book on its own. It is no towering epic in the mold of George R.R. Martin or J.R.R. Tolkein but it takes its position in the genre very comfortably. It knows exactly what it is and is proud of it; a fun romp, engaging in its own right but the beginnings of something more. The surface, you feel, has only just been scratched.
Verdict: 4.5 out of 5
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