A story of power and friendship, of trust and betrayal, and of the families we choose.
Book Summary
“I didn’t know you were a… demon.”
“You idiot. I’m the demon.”
Kai’s having a long day in Martha Wells’ Witch King….
After being murdered, his consciousness dormant and unaware of the passing of time while confined in an elaborate water trap, Kai wakes to find a lesser mage attempting to harness Kai’s magic to his own advantage. That was never going to go well.
But why was Kai imprisoned in the first place? What has changed in the world since his assassination? And why does the Rising World Coalition appear to be growing in influence?
Kai will need to pull his allies close and draw on all his pain magic if he is to answer even the least of these questions.
He’s not going to like the answers.
Martha Wells has written an exciting, unique, and engaging adventure in her newest book, The Witch King. As a longtime fan of her work, I was eagerly anticipating this latest addition to her growing collection of novels. And let me tell you, it did not disappoint.
Wells has a unique way of crafting a world that feels both wholly original and yet grounded in familiar tropes. Her characters are always richly drawn and complex, and The Witch King is no exception. Kai, the protagonist, is a fascinating and flawed character who I found myself fascinated by from the very beginning What I particularly enjoyed about The Witch King was the way in which Wells explores power and friendship, magic and the mundane, past and present, the human and the nonhuman.
One of the things that sets The Witch King apart from Wells’ other books is its focus on pain magic and demon main characters. While it may sound grim, the way in which Wells weaves this type of magic into the story is both inventive and captivating. It adds an extra layer of tension to an already gripping plot. It’s a unique and fascinating system, and weaves into the worldbuilding very well.
While I thoroughly enjoyed The Witch King, there were a few moments where the pacing felt a bit slow and some plot threads I felt were not entirely tied up. I also am not the biggest fan of time jumps unless very clearly labelled.
Comparing The Witch King to some of Wells’ other books, I would say it’s on par with her prior epic fantasy work in terms of both world-building and character development. That said, it’s a departure from her more well-known scifi novella series, Murderbot, but still excellent in a new way. Wells’ characters are always particularly alive, unique, and relateable, and I enjoyed reading about Kai in The Witch King.
Overall, I highly recommend The Witch King to any fans of fantasy, especially those who have enjoyed Wells’ previous work. It’s a captivating story with richly drawn characters, and it left me interested in more. As her first fantasy publication in a long time, I’m excited to see where she goes with this new world.
Thank you to Tor Books and NetGalley for the ARC!
In The Library 