Read All About It: Libriomancer

Libriomancer is the fantastical creation of Jim C. Hines. I haven't read a book like this before--the premise was brilliantly creative and unique, and while I am terrified of spiders, I could deal with this one!

I really enjoyed reading this--there's tons of references to other books, great character relationship development, and some peculiar moral quandaries that got me truly invested in the story. Hines is a great author, and he does great things with this new universe that he has cooked up--drawing liberally from other books (both real and fictional), he creates a new sort of book that probably had a hell of a time with copyright laws. I kind of feel bad for his editor.

Isaac Vainio is a libriomancer--able to pull objects directly from the pages of a book. Removed from field duty, Isaac is relegated to cataloging books from the relative safety of a library--but his life is once again turned upside down after a string of libriomancer murders, plus the appearance of Lena, a dryad, who needs Isaac's help to track down her lover.

Isaac, thrust back into the field, revels in his magic--but not everything is going well. Having been attacked by vampires himself, Isaac realizes that he is not the only one in danger. He sets off with Lena, and his own trusty fire spider, to discover the secrets of libriomancy, figure out why vampires are on a killing streak, find his boss, and try not to start a world war in the process.

Hines has a way with words, and that is especially evident in how he writes his characters. They are complex and lovable, with relatable issues and not-so-relatable (but still awesome) abilities.

Lena isn't a sexy lamp in this novel--she's a strong, mostly independent dryad. She's got this. The result at the end of our novel is not your typical solution, and that was great. Lena grows into herself and her spirit, and seeing her making her own decisions helps push this novel forward. Isaac doesn't value Lena just for her appearance or sexuality, and she likewise is making the best of a bad situation and valuing him both as a friend and potential romantic partner.

Isaac himself is kind of stir-crazy, mostly resigned, and just wants to do research. As a libriomancer, he's a pretty cool dude, but other than that he's an average joe, which only adds to his character. This form of magic is totally unique--pulling objects from books is a literal dream of mine. Hines is able to create lore, rules, and structure that guide the reader through this distinctive magic and its creative abilities. This magic, however, is not all-powerful, but is limited by the size of books, and how many people have read them. I was so happy that this magic wasn't overly powerful, and instead we see its users struggling with the imposed barriers and rues of the practice. Isaac's use in particular is so revolutionary that he is purportedly breaking the laws of the magic itself, so you know it's a pretty sweet deal.

Go read this book; it's nothing like you expect, and a lot like everything you've ever daydreamed of. Until we meet again, keep an eye on your books! You never know what might just leak out of those pages and into your dreams.