The Rithmatist by Brandon Sanderson

Another great read from the 2016 Sequoyah Intermediate Book List was accomplished today.  It took me more days to finish this book, not the book's fault, just busy with Back to School craziness.  I would slowly, but surely read at least one chapter from The Rithmatist by Brandon Sanderson, a night, but today I plowed through the exciting ending.  The book leaves you wanting more, and thankfully book #2, The Aztlanian, has already come out and the book #3 is due soon.

This is a Steampunk book at its finest.  Joel, the main character, wants nothing more than to be a Rithmatist, those chosen to be the protectors against the dreaded chalkings.  Instead he's just the son of the chalkmaker.  He spends his days studying the defenses used by the Rithmatists and scores a summer internship with one of the best Rithmatist professor.  During the summers, after the regular students go home, the Rithmatist students stay to study more of the art of defense.  That's when students, one by one, start to disappear.  Will Joel's knowledge of the Rithmatists help put an end to the terror?

This book is actually the seond one on this year's Sequoyah list by author, Brandon Sanderson.  The first one I've already reviewed and loved.  This book is right up there as well, but I would choose Steelheart over this one - just my preference, of course.  I can easily see students dedicated to the genre of steampunk falling head over heals for this title.

FYI - If you look at the map on the end pages, you'll see the island of Tulsa.  Pretty cool!