The Sword Catcher by Cassandra Clare is the first instalment in her new adult fantasy series, The Chronicles of Castellane, which is set to span four books. The second book was published in March this year.

Best known for her hugely popular Shadowhunter Chronicles in the young adult genre, Clare makes her debut in adult fantasy with this title.

While her world-building and characters remain engaging and believable, the novel feels overlong – it would have benefitted from trimming at least 100 pages.

Kel, an orphan stolen from the streets, is reshaped into the Sword Catcher – body double to Prince Conor Aurelian, heir to the throne. Raised in the palace and trained in combat and courtly diplomacy, Kel becomes the prince’s shadow and confidant.

Set in the city of Castellane, this fantasy world is curiously light on magic. Most of it was erased during a cataclysmic event known as the Sundering. Only the Ashkar retain access to a subtle magic called Gematry – a craft of talismans, healing and charms. For this, they are both feared and reviled, and since the Sundering, have lived as reluctant refugees within foreign lands.

Lin Caster, an Ashkar physician, is driven by desperation to rediscover the lost healing arts as her best friend is dying from a slow, untreatable illness. When an assassination attempt draws her into Kel’s world, the two become entangled in the intrigues of Castellane’s underworld, ruled by the elusive Ragpicker King, a shadowy criminal mastermind.

From a romantic perspective, the story is relatively chaste, despite visits to a few brothels. The romantic moments failed to truly grip me, and Kel’s endless pining for his childhood crush becomes repetitive.

That said, Lin’s quest for forbidden magic and the enigmatic Ragpicker King – along with his band of merry criminals – were standout elements. Together with Kel, they brought depth and tension to the story, even if the narrative moved at a slower pace than I’d have preferred.

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