The Library at Mount Char: A Novel

by Scott Hawkins

“Wholly original . . . the work of the newest major talent in fantasy.”—The Wall Street Journal

“Freakishly compelling . . . through heart-thumping acts of violence and laugh-out-loud moments, this book practically dares you to keep reading.”—Atlanta Magazine

A missing God.
A library with the secrets to the universe. 
A woman too busy to notice her heart slipping away.
 
Carolyn's not so different from the other people around her. She likes guacamole and cigarettes and steak. She knows how to use a phone. Clothes are a bit tricky, but everyone says nice things about her outfit with the Christmas sweater over the gold bicycle shorts.  

After all, she was a normal American herself once.   

That was a long time ago, of course. Before her parents died. Before she and the others were taken in by the man they called Father. 

In the years since then, Carolyn hasn't had a chance to get out much. Instead, she and her adopted siblings have been raised according to Father's ancient customs. They've studied the books in his Library and learned some of the secrets of his power. And sometimes, they've wondered if their cruel tutor might secretly be God.  

Now, Father is missing—perhaps even dead—and the Library that holds his secrets stands unguarded. And with it, control over all of creation. 

As Carolyn gathers the tools she needs for the battle to come, fierce competitors for this prize align against her, all of them with powers that far exceed her own. 

But Carolyn has accounted for this. 

And Carolyn has a plan. 

The only trouble is that in the war to make a new God, she's forgotten to protect the things that make her human.

Populated by an unforgettable cast of characters and propelled by a plot that will shock you again and again, The Library at Mount Char is at once horrifying and hilarious, mind-blowingly alien and heartbreakingly human, sweepingly visionary and nail-bitingly thrilling—and signals the arrival of a major new voice in fantasy. 

Praise for The Library at Mount Char

An engrossing fantasy world full of supernatural beings and gruesome consequences."—Boston Globe

"Vivid . . . the dialogue sings . . . you'll spend equal time shuddering and chortling."—Dallas Morning News"

• ISBN10: 0553418629
• ISBN13: 9780553418620
• Publish Date: 15 March 2016 (first published 16 June 2015)
• Publish Status: Active
• Out of Print: 11 March 2021
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: Random House USA Inc
• Imprint: Crown Publishing Group, Division of Random House Inc
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 400
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/isbn/9780553418620

Reviews

[HekArtemis]

What did I just read?

I don't know what to think or feel about this book. I really liked it, I think? Yes I am pretty sure I really liked it. I think my only complaint would be the inaccuracies regarding lion social structure.

Otherwise I am not sure what to say. It's compelling. It's dark and gritty and gross and bloody. But amusing and easy to read. Though confusing. It's so many things. Weird is perhaps the word that sums it up. Also crazy.

Is there going to be a sequel? I hope so.

[maggiefan]

Wow. This book surprised me in so many ways. I can't even describe properly what I'm feeling right now. I loved every second of it. It was the story that I needed in that exact moment.

[vagasker]

I wish English was my mother tongue so I would have had the words to describe how amazing this book is. This book really sucked me into its world, truly captivating. I'll just say it's the best book I've read in a while.

A recommendation for anyone.

[inlibrisveritas]

The Library at Mount Char is one of those oddball books that are hard to find, and harder to describe. Is it fantasy? Magical realism? Horror? Dark Comedy? Probably all of the above.

This is a book that requires patience and a willingness to be in the dark for most of the story, and because of this it took me sometime to get through it. The story is sort of non-liner in nature and as a result you get a bits and pieces of the over arcing plot in small doses, until about 70% of the way through and then it all starts falling together into a picture you can fully understand. The plot as a result doesn’t make sense at times, but it all fits nicely together once the explanations come out and then you realize how well thought Carolyn’s decision were. As the summary suggests much of this has to do with Carolyn, a young women who along with her brothers and sisters have been raised as the children of a god-like man. They all have vast knowledge, but only in one subject and as a result must work together to accomplish things. I loved the fact that they each had a specialization and how that focus changed their personalities. For example David, who controls the library of war and combat, is a bit unstable…he runs around coated in blood and thanks to a bit of ‘lost in translation’ thinks a tutu is something like a battle kilt. My favorite though is Michael, who specializes in animals of all kings (big or small, past or future) and spends much of his time naked and speaking in roars, yips and howls.

To make things a bit easier to digest we have two other point of views that are from a normal human perspective. The first is Steve, who gets pulled into the schemes of these godlike librarians and pretty much out of his league the entire time. His humor is pretty spot on for me, and the fact that his defense mechanism is being a smart ass was just perfect as it relieved some of the tension added by being in the dark and in danger all the time. His unlikely friendship with Naga, a lioness, was also pretty awesome. Erwin is the more brash of the two main humans and knows what he’s dealing with to a certain extent when it comes to the citizens of Garrison Oaks. Carolyn is on his shit list, and he wants her and her siblings gone…but he doesn’t really count on being pulled into the schemes and ends up playing a much larger role than he anticipated. All three of the main characters were likable and I think their vastly different personalities really made this story worth reading even during the slower parts.

Parts of this book were out right hilarious and other parts so horrifying that I could easily understand why the Librarians were a little whacked in the head,. Surprisingly there is a ton of action and some really cool but off the wall world building, and I think the combination of all of these elements really made it into something unique. The book isn’t perfect but I think with the right of amount of patience and willingness to let things get weird this one could be a hit for a lot of people.

[violetpeanut]

Loved this! Full review to come.

[JumpingShelves]

Check out my review of Library at Mount Char at jumpingshelves.wordpress.com.