SOLVED. Fantasy Book About a World Where Magic Happens by Writing with Special Ink. No Newer than 1990s. [s]

[Bargle]

The original poster of this book query never returned to the thread, but I still want to know what it is. Here's the OP's description. It's from 2013.

When I was 12 I read a book that was obviously misplaced in the childrens section, but I read it anyways, now 18 years later I want to re-read that book, but I can't remember what the title or author was.

The story is about a world where magic happens by writing with special ink.
The ink was found by a historian reporting on a medieval battle and ran out of ink, but found a black substance and wrote with that, found out that if he changed events the battle changed accordingly as he wrote.

Then the story skips forward a couple of centuries and there are a couple magicians who use the ink to live as gods. the ink supply is dwindling and no-one has a big supply.

The hero of the story gets involved with sorceresses which use a different kind of magic, gets chased by other magicians for his supply and somehow he gets trapped in our world on a mission to find a sister who is locked up in our world.

One of the magicians used the ink to build a floating fortress and to make wings on his own body.

This is about all I can remember about that book.

Inkheart has been suggested, but going by the OP's description, it's too new. The book would have been published no later than the 90s.

[Justanotherbiblophile]

You were not the only one following that request. :)

[Holly]

Could it be on this list? https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/8...

[Bargle]

Possibly. I'll check 'em out.

[Bargle]

Holly wrote: "Could it be on this list? https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/8..."

I checked out the list. No luck.

Magic Ink thread.

[Bargle]

No, Inkheart is too new according to the OPs description.

[Bonnie]

This sounds like the same story with a bit more detail. I've googled all kinds of things to no avail.

https://scifi.stackexchange.com/quest...

[Bargle]

Bonnie wrote: "This sounds like the same story with a bit more detail. I've googled all kinds of things to no avail."

Yes, it does sound like the same story and it's got to be the same person asking. I'm copying over the extra information below.

(view spoiler)[Somehow the protagonist ends up in our world, ends up having to have sex with a woman in a mental institution (or somewhere else where there's guards) so their bodies are joined, so the sisters can pull her along with him out of the world. Right at the moment the guards break down the door they are vanished.
I believe there were 3 sisters could be more though, with two (or more) still in the realm with one sister trapped in our realm. but I'm really not sure.

I think the protagonist had written himself flying rocks or chairs he used to get around.
I also think the ink was made from oil from decomposed dragons or something, but I could be mistaken in that.
The ink would "wear out" over time, causing the magicans to have the need to re -write down the changes they made (castles, wings etc...) otherwise they'd be lost and revert to the original state (imagine losing your wings midair) (hide spoiler)]

[Ayshe]

Just a guess: The OP (https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...) might be Dutch so the book might not have been in English.

[Bargle]

Thanks, Ayshe. I didn't think to check that. You may well be right.

I've added this question to Librarything and Booksleuth, so maybe someone will recognize it between the three sites.

[Eustacia]

Ok, now I'm curious about the book! No idea what it might be though :/

[Christine]

: ) I hope you find it! I'd like to read this too.

[Anne]

I am amazed that you've picked up this question! (My deepest apologies for not proceding with my original post)

I still don't know what the book was or is and who wrote it. It boggles me. Only to find out my exhusband used my account back then to ask this question. That explains a lot why I don't remember it! Apparently he is still searching for it.

[Bargle]

Anne wrote: "I am amazed that you've picked up this question! (My deepest apologies for not proceding with my original post)

I still don't know what the book was or is and who wrote it. It boggles me. Only to find out my exhusband used my account back then to ask this question. That explains a lot why I don't remember it! Apparently he is still searching for it."

Nice to hear from you in any case. Not your fault if the ex was using your account. It's an intriguing sounding book.

[Megan]

I’ve been looking at fantasy books by decade (I was really bored). He is a lot no so other can look too!

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Categ...

[Megan]

It was supposed to say link. Sorry!

[Ann aka Iftcan]

I really wish this would get solved. I want to read this book.

[Bargle]

Ann aka Iftcan wrote: "I really wish this would get solved. I want to read this book."

Me, too. That's why I started a new thread for it.

[Ann aka Iftcan]

Well I was going to suggest The Fire Mages series, since it just showed up on one of my email lists. But it's too new. :o( Still, it looks interesting and it was on super sale--the collection of 3 books was on sale for 99 cents in electronic form.

[Ann aka Iftcan]

Sigh, why, why, why can't anyone tell us what this book is? I want to read it too.

(Bargle lists some of the most interesting books.)

[Bargle]

Ann aka Iftcan wrote: "(Bargle lists some of the most interesting books.)"

Thank you. :-)

[Macey]

*adds book to wishlist*

[Fiona]

I think I have it...

[Fiona]

Someone mentioned it might be in Dutch, so I just checked out about 100 fantasy books, and I may have found it. I am going to look if it is in English too give me a sec

[Fiona]

Okay, I cannot find an English version anywhere. Very frustrating, as the author even won an award for this book at Eurocon.

I am almost positive it is this book as the synopsis has so many things in common as listed in the OP’s description.

So this book is called: ‘’De Schrijvenaar van Thyll’’. The word ‘’Schrijvenaar’’ caught my attention. That word isn’t used (anymore) in the Dutch language. We use the word ‘’schrijver’’ which translated is ‘’Writer’’. It is written in 1987 by Peter Schaap(I know in the link from goodreads it says 1981, that is incorrect), a Dutch author. As I said he won an award for this book in 1988 at Eurocon in Budapest, the Euro-Award.
So, time wise it was written no later than the 90s.
De schrijvenaar van Thyll
So let me show you where I see similarities in the Dutch synopsis.

‘’The story is about a world where magic happens by writing with special ink.
The ink was found by a historian reporting on a medieval battle and ran out of ink, but found a black substance and wrote with that, found out that if he changed events the battle changed accordingly as he wrote.’’

So the Dutch synopsis says that an historian, Randoer, finds that when he used dragon scale extract as ink, he could change reality(mentioned in the OP as changing events). The historian became a great sorcerer after that and shared his secret with the guild of ‘’schrijvenaars’’, who guarded the secret closely. Big and lasting changes could only be executed by writing them in seven books at the same time.

‘’Then the story skips forward a couple of centuries and there are a couple magicians who use the ink to live as gods. the ink supply is dwindling and no-one has a big supply.’’

So it doesn’t mention a skipping couple of centuries in the synopsis, but it says:
One day news arrives that the source of the extract is spent(as the OP says: dwindled) almost completely, as they now use the ink for almost everything. Which causes a big conflict when schrijvenaar Zaranthe(member of the guild of the seven books) refuses to write down in his book, the extract source to be full again(remember that big changes have to be written down in all seven books). With him refusing, since he wants the honour Randoers wish of moderation, all other confreres are outraged.

‘’The hero of the story gets involved with sorceresses which use a different kind of magic, gets chased by other magicians for his supply and somehow he gets trapped in our world on a mission to find a sister who is locked up in our world.’’

Zaranthe now has to find a magical book, that exceeds all others and makes them powerless. There is no time to lose, since the guild want to write him and his book away to oblivion. Being chased by them and them having more and more grip on his reality, he meets a sorceress/witch Yaraia. Together they fight back.

So I think this is the book we have been looking for. It makes sense that nobody has found it, as I can only find a Dutch edition. Maybe @Anne ter Horst can confirm this? ‘’ Ik neem aan dat jij de beschrijving ook overeen vindt komen?’’ I think you might see the similarities as well? If you are on good terms with your ex-husband, and you wouldn’t mind, you can also confirm with him?

I am pretty positive this is it. It has so many similarities. The vibe feels the same. Everythin that Anne’s ex-husband said is in the synopsis. Apart from :
‘’One of the magicians used the ink to build a floating fortress and to make wings on his own body’’.
But obviously not everything can be written in a synopsis haha.

[Fiona]

If this is it, it would finally be solved after seven years, wow. I don't know what the longest is but... that is a pretty long time!

[Anne]

Huh, considering the description of the book.. I’d think you’ve found it!

I’ll let him know. 😁

[Fiona]

I am glad you agree haha.
please let us know if he confirms it!:)

[Fiona]

Only shame is though all the people here have been waiting for this, for years so they could read it... And now it even isnt translated to English :( Sorry guys

[Kimberlyn]

Fiona wrote: "Only shame is though all the people here have been waiting for this, for years so they could read it... And now it even isnt translated to English :( Sorry guys"

Even the Dutch version of the book is hard to find, as it is an older book that appears to be out of print. However there is also value in seeing a mystery solved!

[Anne]

I just got a message from him that this was indeed the book he was looking for!

Mystery solved 😁

[Fiona]

Jeeejjj, that makes me happy haha.
After all these years haha.

[Fiona]

Thanks for letting us know!

[Michael]

Hello, I'm the OP in question, and I'd like to thank Fiona from the depths of my heart for finding the book. This book has plagued my mind off and on for the larger part of my adult life that I wanted to revisit it.
I found a couple of copies for sale on the website bol.com and there is a copy available in the uk amazon. One of the Dutch copies is already on its way to me :-)

Thank you all for your efforts and curiosity.

Also, I have no idea how or why I posted this on my ex wives account. But she notified me, and I'm extremely happy :-)

[Fiona]

I wonder if this is a search record haha. Almosy seven years!

[Fiona]

Ahwww, You are very welcome Michael! Ik hoop dat je er net zoveel plezier aan beleefd als toen je 12 was! Ik moet zeggen dat ik nu ook heel nieuwsgierig ben! Wie weet koop ik hem ook als ik weer wat geld voor boeken te besteden heb!:)

[SamSpayedPI]

Fiona wrote: "I wonder if this is a search record haha. Almosy seven years!"

No, Rainbowheart just solved an 11-year-old thread.

[Bargle]

Yay! One of my thread revivals got solved!

Gives me hope for my own stuff. :-)

ETA: And I fixed the date.