Hammer of Witches

by Seth Mlawski

Overview

In this YA historical fantasy, a teen from Spain finds himself aboard a ship sailing to the "New World" with Christopher Columbus.

Baltasar Infante, a bookmaker's apprentice living in 1492 Spain, can weasel out of any problem with a good story. But when he awakes one night to find a monster straight out of the stories peering at him through his window, he's in trouble that even he can't talk his way out of.

Soon Baltasar is captured by a mysterious arm of the Spanish Inquisition, the Malleus Maleficarum, that demands he reveal the whereabouts of Amir al-Katib, a legendary Moorish sorcerer who can bring myths and the creatures within them to life. Baltasar doesn't know where the man is-or that he himself has the power to summon genies and golems.

Baltasar must escape, find al-Katib, and defeat a dreadful power that may destroy the world. As Baltasar's journey takes him into uncharted lands on Columbus's voyage westward, he learns that stories are more powerful than he once believed them to be-and much more dangerous.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781600609879
Publisher:	Lee & Low Books
Publication date:	04/20/2013
Pages:	400
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.25(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	690L (what's this?)
Age Range:	11 - 17 Years

About the Author

Seth Mlawski, formerly writing as Shana Mlawski, is a longtime writing teacher, story consultant, and script doctor. Seth's essays and comics have been featured in Vogue, The Los Angeles Review of Books, Wired, and many others. He is creative consultant and a writer for the sci-fi podcast Marsfall. Mlawski is nonbinary and uses he/him pronouns. You can find him at www.sethmlawski.com.

Editorial Reviews

Stories come alive in this rousing historical fantasy, which is set against the backdrop of 15th-century Europe and Columbus’s famous first voyage to the New World. Baltasar Infante has grown up listening to the stories of his Uncle Diego, including those of the legendary Moorish hero, Amir al-Katib. However, the 14-year-old boy is still unprepared to learn that not only is he al-Katib’s son, but he’s also a Storyteller—a sorcerer capable of working magic through the old tales. With the sinister witch-hunting order of the Malleus Malificarum after him, Baltasar’s only recourse is to run, joining the crew of the Santa María as it heads west, while hoping to find his long-missing father. As Baltasar explores his abilities, he gets caught up in a conflict between the Old World and the New. Newcomer Mlawski delivers a fast-paced coming-of-age adventure, respectfully evoking the complexities and cultural landscape of the period. She draws from a variety of sources, including Jewish and Biblical myth, offering an accessible, attention-grabbing story that seamlessly inserts its magical elements into historical fact. Ages 12–up. Agent: Jessica Regel, Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

"An engaging, magical adventure set against the historical backdrop of Columbus' westward voyage... Though set in the 1490s, this provocative blend of fantasy and history offers loads of contemporary appeal." — Kirkus Reviews

"Newcomer Mlawski delivers a fastpaced coming-of-age adventure, respectfully evoking the complexities and cultural landscape of the period. She draws from a variety of sources, including Jewish and Biblical myth, offering an accessible, attention-grabbing story that seamlessly inserts its magical elements into historical fact." — Publishers Weekly

"Fantasy lovers will relish the wide array of supernatural goings-on, and history buffs will enjoy reading the author's notes, which explain where Mlawski has stuck to the script and where she takes wing." — Booklist

"Mlawski is creative and daring in her YA debut, blending genres to craft an informative and literary historical fantasy. . . Baltasar is a combination of classic, bumbling coming-of-age protagonist and hero motif, making his character relatable and likable. The novel's storyteller concept is fresh and innovative, making this a lively read for fantasy buffs." — School Library Journal

From the Publisher

An engaging, magical adventure set against the historical backdrop of Columbus' westward voyage. Young Baltasar, a converso (a Spanish Jew converted to Catholicism), relies on his wits to distract the village bully by telling an amusing tale. Soon after, Bal discovers his storytelling has magical properties when he summons a monster to ward off the Malleus Maleficarum, witch-hunting Inquisitors after Bal's father. Intent on escaping and finding the father he thought dead, Bal is hired as translator on none other than the Santa Maria, captained by Columbus himself. The voyage takes Bal on the uncharted seas of Columbus' famous voyage and into adventures that include sea beasts and secrets from Bal's own past. Though keeping track of all the Spanish-named seamen can be a challenge, Mlawski's central characters--Jinniyah, a genie Bal summons, and Catalina, a fellow storyteller, in addition to Bal himself--are imaginative and well-developed, and her swashbuckling pace and intriguing plotting keep readers at seat's edge. This story is told entirely from Bal's perspective, but by placing him on the Santa Maria and inside the Caribbean villages the expedition visits, Mlawski invites young readers to see the familiar Columbus story from another perspective--and to consider the power of stories to shape perception in everyday life. Backmatter includes a helpful author's note and pronunciation guide. Though set in the 1490s, this provocative blend of fantasy and history offers loads of contemporary appeal. (Historical fantasy. 11-15)

Kirkus Reviews