The Library At Mount Char

When this book popped up on my radar, I knew I had to get my hands on a copy ASAP!

Scott Hawkins has included so many of my favorite elements in this enthralling tale: THE best and most complete library in all of time and space (and the librarians to go with it!); a fresh take on deities; a mystery; zombies; action, action, action; and a new god on the block. (I trust you can read the synopsis below for the details!)

Hawkins' writing style is very accessible. I always find it interesting when male authors adeptly write a strong female protagonist as Hawkins has done so brilliantly. Some parts of the book contain strong torture/violence, which may not be for the squeamish or faint of heart. (The scenes are not superfluous; they really are, in my opinion, integral to the story line.)

Once I got started, I couldn't put it down! In the beginning I had to know what had happened to Father and who was keeping the librarians out of their domain. Then, as the truth began to dawn like the horrific new sun over Hawkins' Earth, I was compelled to find out what sort of reign this new god would have and whether there would be any redemption/salvation for her. I love that about this story! It grabs you and won't let you go until the end.

I haven't read a lot of fantasy. It's not my "go-to" genre. But The Library At Mount Char certainly makes me rethink that!

From the Publisher . . .

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.

About the Author . . .

SCOTT HAWKINS lives in Atlanta with his wife and a large pack of foster dogs. When not writing he enjoys woodwork, cooking long and impractical recipes, and playing fetch with his dogs. He works as a computer programmer. The Library at Mount Char is his first novel.