scijessreads

The Witch King – This is my first Martha Wells book. I’ve heard a lot about the Murderbot series, but never got around to it. If I were to pick between pure sci-fi and fantasy, I definitely veer toward fantasy when I choose books to read. So, this one was much more up my alley. And from what I read from other reviewers, those who started with the Murderbot books may have been thrown a bit for this new direction in her writing. But I really liked it, and coming in with no expectations may have been helpful in this regard. It is fantasy, but it is definitely a story that doesn’t start out with a backstory, it slowly unravels as the current situation rolls on. It makes you work for your information, and even then it hides a lot in the shadows.

Dropped into the story en media res, we find ourselves with Kai, a demon that was trapped and finds itself within the body of a new host (because he can do that sort of thing). What follows is a journey and a mystery. How did Kai (and Ziede, a witch) end up trapped? Where is Tahren (Ziede’s wife and a Blessed being)? How long have they been there? And who is responsible?

This world is rich and vibrant, with a mess of people and political intrigue. There is magic, in a way, but it feels more like an abstract source of power than most magic we tend to see in fantasy stories. The magic is there, and important, but does not overpower the characters and their search for answers. The story goes back and forth between past and present, each portion slowly pulling together the threads that will lead Kai and Ziede to the answers that they seek (because the present is firmly linked to past events). And boy, are those threads twisty and tangled. This is a story of power and politics and conspiracy and war. It is also a story of knowing who to trust with your life, and who to keep at a distance. The closeness of Kai and Ziede is apparent, and their dialogue with each other highlights the familiarity they have as a result of the years and events that brought them together.

Throughout, you also get the sense that Kai is tired. And loyal. And wishes that he probably wasn’t so right about many things. And the ending suggests that things might not yet be done and that there is more story to tell.

*I received a free ARC from Netgalley and the publisher to read and review. All opinions are my own.