Book Review - WITCH KING by Martha Wells

(Title: Witch King / Author: Martha Wells / Publisher: Tor.comPublishing / Publication Date: May 30, 2023 / Total Pages: 432)

Back Cover Blurb

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 end 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.

Review

Martha Wells is a legendary author in both the fantasy and science fiction genres. I've been an admirer for a long time and her Books of the Raksura series is among my very favorites. Wells' recent Murderbot Diaries expanded her fanbase exponentially and resulted in an entire new segment of readers being made aware of her phenomenal storytelling prowess. Wells' latest book WITCH KING is her first fantasy release in a decade and I was fortunate enough to receive an advance copy from the publisher. Needless to say I was very excited to check this one out and settled in for what I assumed was going to be another cracking story from an author who has wowed me countless times before.

WITCH KING is a book where you are dropped immediately into the story without any context or explanation and you kind of have to piece together the plot as the story progresses. Some people don't enjoy books like this but I actually like this method. It immediately creates a sense of mystery that needs unravelling and as a reader I feel much more engaged as I try along with the characters to work things out. Also the chapters alternate between the present day and an earlier timeline that is suspected will eventually shed more light into what caused things to be where they are in the opening chapter.

This is a slow burn type of fantasy where the action is minimal but when there are moments of conflict they are powerful and leave a lasting impression. There are also many different factions to keep track of whether they be witches, demons who go back and forth from the underworld to the above world, the invading force of Hierarchs, and various leaders of the surrounding kingdoms. So this isn't a light and easy fantasy read by any means. You really have to pay attention the entire time and wade through some stretches where not a lot happens but the dialogue and flashbacks are crucial.

The characters are portrayed in such a way that none of them are really all that likeable and morally gray might even be an understatement in many cases. That being said, the main character Kai is an intriguing one and if you can call a demon charismatic, Kai fits the bill. The whole demon angle is one that I found fascinating as they can only be truly killed in the above world, and if they are they must find another host to occupy if they wish to continue travelling between worlds and maintaining their powers. It really gave this classic epic fantasy an edgy element that made it that much more of a supernatural and mystical read throughout.

In the end I found WITCH KING to be incredibly absorbing and a complex (in a good way) fantasy story. Much like Robin Hobb and Tad Williams' books, Wells takes her time imparting the story but if you have the patience to stick with it the entire way, the reward is well worth it. I don't know if this is a standalone book or will be a continuing series. There is definitely a resolution at the end but it also feels like there may be much more to tell about this world and these characters and I certainly hope that we get to revisit it again. Martha Wells has written a fantasy book that should make not only her devoted fans extremely pleased but also the latecomers to her work as well. Highly recommended for those who enjoy thoughtful epic fantasy with a supernatural twist.

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