In the Witch King, Martha Wells throws us head first into an intense epic fantasy, one populated by diverse cultures with different systems of magic. Told in two lines it details how a powerful people called the Heirarchs invaded the lands of this world intent on wiping out or enslaving its people.

Kai is a demon from the Underearth who made a pact with a peaceful nomadic people to experience mortal life in exchange for inhabiting the body of a dying girl. This is considered an honor for the dying person’s family and a way to preserve their memory and continue their line. When the Heirarchs invade, wiping out his entire tribe, Kai manages to escape and will later find himself joining a coalition of cultures intent on fighting back and regaining their world.

The world built by Martha Wells in this fantasy takes a little while to get to know as, rather than large blocks of information, it is gradually revealed through the narrative set in the past and the present. It does take a little attention and concentration to work out who the characters are and what they can do and to keep track of which time line you’re reading, but the reward is well worth the effort.

The characters are all fascinating, particularly Kai, who is hard not to like, even if he is a demon who can drain the life of a mortal in seconds. It wasn’t clear to me why he’s called the Witch King since he’s neither a witch nor a king of witches, except that it’s a name from legend, so maybe this will become clear in a sequel (if there is to be one). Kai’s companion Zeide is a witch who has her own unique magical abilities and together they are looking for Zeide’s wife who has disappeared, and might have been captured herself. Bashasa, leading the band of races revolting against the Heirarchs is also a very charismatic character (and someone I’d love to see more of in a sequel).

Recommended to all lovers of epic fantasy, especially those who enjoy a complex tale of betrayal, revenge and political intrigue wrapped in a creative character driven plot. I hope this is the first of a series as I would love to learn more of this world and what happens next and it will also give me an excuse to re-read this novel, which I suspect I’d enjoy even more the second time around.

A high fantasy adventure with in-depth and completely original worldbuilding. As with the Murderbot series, Wells showcases realistic, prickly-yet-lovable characters and weaves their stories together with a compelling and intricate plot. Kai, a demon prince, finds himself resurrected and hunted. He must outpace and outwit his pursuers as he travels with allies both new and old to rescue the missing members of his once-found family, and possibly set right the course of history.

MY REVIEW: 2 Stars

I love Murderbot so much and I thought I would love this just as much, but unfortunately I did not.

I did enjoy the beginning, but it just got confusing and boring to me. I will stick with Murderbot for sure.

DNF

*Thank you to Netgalley and Tor for a digital copy of this book!

I love Martha Wells’ Murderbot series so I was excited to read this new book by her. Lots of folks say her Fantasy books are just as good or even better than the Murderbot Diaries, so my hopes were high.

I did end up enjoying this book. The action was fun and the plot and pacing were good. I had a really hard time wrapping my head around the world building elements and I still have no idea how to pronounce many of the place names and character names in this book. I think, for me, an audio version might have been better for this one. I’ll probably do the audio after it comes out, so I can hear what the names sound like.

An enjoyable read that I would read again.

This was one of my most anticipated reads, and it certainly didn’t disappoint. Like many others, I discovered Martha Wells through the Murderbot diaries. I wad so excited to find a new fantasy release by her. I loved Kai and Zaide and the dynamic between them. The jumping timeline confused me occasionally, and it’s definitely a book that requires your full attention.

From the publisher: 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.

I love Martha Wells. It is not an exaggeration to say that her Murderbot Diaries series helped me get through the pandemic with my sanity intact. The Murderbot Diaries is science fiction; Witch King is fantasy. But it is every bit as engrossing, populated with fascinating and fully realized characters. Witch King is a tantalizing glimpse into another world, populated by normal people, demons, witches, and a bunch of characters with confusing titles like Immortal Marshall, Lesser Blessed, expositor, and Hierarchs. So many titles, so many names, so many similar names. This is a fascinating and detailed world, and we are dropped into the middle of a crisis where the main characters don’t even know what’s going on.

The book moves back and forth in time. In the Past thread, aggressors are killing anyone who resists them, including entire cultures. In the Present thread, almost 70 years have passed, and a coalition that defeated the aggressors are trying to find a new normal. Four main characters who are immortal or long-lived appear in both threads.

Did I like the Witch King the first time through? It’s by Martha Wells, so of course I did. However, I also found it a bit frustrating. I found the mixed-up timeline confusing and hard to follow. There are many books where the back and forth works well – Project Hail Mary wouldn’t work without it – but I found it particularly baffling here. Maybe because of the unfamiliar names, places, peoples, titles. There is a helpful list of characters at the front of the book, but I still got confused, especially by Bashat and Bashasa, who are not the same person but are related and carry the same title. It took me a long time to realize that.

When I finished reading Witch King I would have rated it 4 stars, maybe even 3.5. But this is Martha Wells! I can’t have that if I can avoid it! So I immediately reread it. First I read the Past sections in order, then I read the Present chapters in order. I enjoyed the book so much more the second time through and I now give it a solid 5 stars. Maybe just rereading it as written would have had the same effect, but I’m glad I read the timelines in order all the same.

I like the main characters and their relationships, which are deep and need more books to explain more fully. Kai (aka Witch King) is a demon of the underearth, who can step into the bodies of the recently dead and is as close as one gets to being immortal. Still, he is vulnerable to certain techniques.

Wells is clever to call Kai a demon. It sets up certain expectations, expectations that are not met. He actually reminds me a lot of the author’s other big character – SecUnit from the Murderbot series. Kai is a magical being in a fantasy world who wants to help people and, for example, shows concern for a whale enslaved to carry a ship. SecUnit is a being in a science fiction world who is crafted of technology and organic matter and is seen as cargo, property, and a dangerous weapon, when all SecUnit wants it to help people and watch entertainment serials. (Don’t get me wrong – the stories are completely different in most ways. But I think if they met Kai and SecUnit would find they have a lot in common.)

One of the things I like about Martha Wells is that her books are inclusive without being in-your-face-woke. Kai is a male demon who has had both male and female human bodies. In one of the main cultures represented in the book, women wear pants and are the soldiers, and men wear skirts. Two of the four main characters in both timelines are women who are married to each other, and Kai is attracted to men. The fourth main character shows traits we are familiar with – he doesn’t like much physical contact, he doesn’t pick up social cues, his communication is curt and often unhelpful to others – but he is not given a label of any kind. All of this is laid out as a natural part of the narrative and the characters. It’s refreshing compared to some books I have read lately where I imagine the author checking items off a list. (Trans? Lesbian? Gay? On the spectrum? check check check check.)

I do find the title odd, misleading, and inaccurate. Kaiisteron is neither a Witch nor a King. He describes himself as an immortal demon prince. He is called Witch King in legends of what happened in the past (but that almost seems like it is in the story so the book can be called Witch King). If this is not a series, The Rising World seems like a better title. If it is a series, The Rising World series, there still have to be a dozen better titles than Witch King.

Is this a standalone novel? It sure doesn’t seem like it. I hope not. I will read the sequel if one comes along. I read an advance reader copy of Witch King from Netgalley. It is scheduled to be published on May 30, and the Galesburg Public Library will own it in print and as an ebook.

I want to preface this with the fact that I LOVE the Murderbot series by Martha Wells. Her fantasy didn't hit home as well for me.

The book is told in alternating chapters of the current time period and the past as we follow the life of Kai, a demon. I found the alternating time periods confusing at times and sometimes had to re-read to figure out if I was in the past or not. The characters were well rounded and fleshed out. There were some elements such as a heart pearl that I wanted to know more about. I do think I will read the next book in the series but I don't think I would ask for the ARC this time.

This turned out to be not to my taste. Lovers of High Fantasy will probably adore this book, but it wasn't for me. Wells is a good writer (I love the Murderbot Diaries and liked her SGA tie-in novels) but for whatever reason, this one didn't grab me.

It's not a bad, or poorly written, book at all, just not for me.

Wells chose to alternate chapters between past and present timelines, and for me this meant I was most of the way through the book before I developed any connection to the characters, since the "getting to know them" scenes all happened in the past. I think the story would have had substantially more momentum if it had been told with a linear chronology. It was interesting, but disjointed in a way that didn't seem to serve any larger purpose. Not a bad book, but not as good as I was hoping for.

I requested a digital copy in order to sample the prose on my phone (since I don't have a eReader) before requesting a physical copy for review. My review will be based on the physical ARC I read (if I qualify)

I don't know how Martha Wells' continues to deliver on incredible, character-driven, speculative fiction. Witch King was one of my favorite reads of the year.

You follow Kai, a demon living in the mortal world, who has lived through peace and wars, the building and rebuilding of empires and has learned to care about witches and immortal marshalls and even some humans. His story begins after he awakens after being snatched away from his body and his allies separated and forced into slumber. Wells uses his journey to reconnect with both new and old friends, to tell the story of his past, and how he happened to help turn the tide of history.

This was a complex, beautifully sculpted, fantasy world. I loved that different cultures and civilizations had different ways to access power and magic, as well as some with rituals to contact demons and the Underearth where they dwelled. The worldbuilding in Witch King did nothing, but draw me farther and farther in.

As in her murderbot series, Martha Wells' strength really lies in the depth and personality of her characters. Kai is a protagonist you come to care deeply for, as are his companions: the witch, Ziede; her wife and Immortal Marshall, Tahren; and Tahren's brother, the Lesser Blessed, Dahin. Even minor characters, though, are so well-rounded and complete. It was a total joy to get to know them and have them further the story.

I can't say enough good things. Tense, action packed and fantastical-- Witch King was an incredible ride.

To say I already loved Martha Wells' writing going into this book would be an understatement. Her series The Murderbot Diaries is my absolute favorite book series. I was extremely excited to read a new fantasy by her, and I am so happy to say that it did not disappoint in the slightest.

Witch King is about Kaiisteron the demon, who has been imprisoned in a watery tomb for reasons unknown. Demons in this world are essentially spirits that possess the body of a recently dead person, keeping the body alive and healthy whatever happens to it, and able to drain the life of regular humans that they touch. Kai has been doing this a long time, has helped shaped the world as it is now, and only trusts his few closest companions. The story goes back and forth in time from his current situation, and his figuring out what caused his prediciment, to when he was a young demon fresh into the world, with a family who loved him and an easy future ahead.

I really enjoyed both of the time periods portrayed, and Wells really does a good job maintaining two similar yet distinct voices for Kai. Her fantasy world building is excellent, the different cultures and political machinations feel real and evolved fluidly without extensive infodumps. I also thouroughly enjoyed all the secondary characters, people whom Kai learns to trust and also some whom he regrets trusting.

This is the first in a series and I cannot wait to read the next one, though I'm going to have to since this one hasn't even been published yet. Also, as someone who cares about this a lot, while there is a greater storyline that will presumably be unfolding over the course of the series, there are smaller storylines that do get resolved in this book, it does not do what many series do these days and end on a complete cliff hanger. I highly recommend.

All I can say is... wow! I had so much fun reading my first Martha Wells fantasy book! It took me just a moment to sink into this new fantasy world, but once I was in, I was in! I absolutely adore Kai and his friends, and I am keeping my fingers crossed that this is the first book in a series, and not a stand-alone novel. I want to know more about demons as they exist in this world. And I also want to see more of Kai and his friends! This book has definitely confirmed Martha Wells as an auto-buy author for me.

Kai is a demon from the underworld who inhabits human bodies. He wakes up in a mysterious tomb, clearly the victim of an assassination, as a mage tries to magically enslave him. The story alternates between the present (where Kai tries to find his allies, solve his murder, and acquire a McGuffin) and the past (where Kai initially meets these allies and is involved in large-scale events that form the groundwork of the present story).

I adore Martha Wells' work, including The Books of the Raksura series, so I was excited to see her return to fantasy. The concept sounds amazing, but I found the book so disorienting that, after several chapters, I doublechecked to make sure I hadn't accidentally started with a sequel.

I did enjoy several sections, almost all set in the past, where we learn more about the land Kai is from, his complex family, and the intricacies of inhabiting someone else's body. He's referred to as a "demon", but it's quite a different sort of demonic possession than you might think. There are also multiple interesting magic systems at work. I really, really wanted more of all of this.

The biggest issues are structure and pacing. The story alternates between the past and present with roughly even time to both. In my opinion, it doesn't work here. I think it's because (1) there's no reason for it as far as I can tell and (2) the present is a sort of roadtrip story, and without understanding what the characters have been through, we miss out on so much: the stakes at hand, why the characters are attached to one another, the emotional weight from seeing "familiar" faces, and so on. The result feels like a gimmicky structure that frustrates rather than tantalizes. I found it difficult to tell the past and present sections apart until a side character who only appears in the past or present pops up as a reminder. All this, combined with a pretty slow first half, made the book quite a slog for me. Still, I'm sure that others will love it!

My thanks to NetGalley for making an eARC of this book available to me.

This was easily one of my top reads of the year. It has interesting and well thought out magic systems and world building, as well as a number of main and side characters who you just want to keep learning more about. The story itself alternates, to good effect, between the current conflict (our protagonist recovering their companions and attempting to figure out why they had been imprisoned) and the past conflict (fighting against the evil invaders). And don't be surprised when you find yourself rooting for the demon (shades of Lois McMaster Bujold's "Penric" series!)

I was hankering for more of the author's Murderbot books when this book came along to leave me conflicted about which series I want to read more of first. That then gives me a chuckle to consider an unlikely crossover between the two series.

I give this a solid 4.5 stars.

When Kai wakes up in an underwater prison, he’s having a bad day. He’s also dead. Sort of. Kai is a demon, and has the ability to move into a host human body. A lesser mage opened up his prison thinking he could contain him in the host body of a young child and draw on his magic, but very quickly learns Kai’s still very powerful.

Flashback to Kai’s life as Kai-Enna, a young woman from a nomadic tribe about a century ago.
Kai’s people made a deal with the tribe years ago to allow demons to take over the bodies of their dead. They get to keep some of the dead’s knowledge, as well as ally with powerful demon magic users, while the demons get to walk around on the surface world. The Hierarchs arrive from parts unknown, intent on world domination, using methods the rest of the world has no way to fight against, and Kai-Enna’s peaceful life on the plains is destroyed.

The story goes back and forth between the past and the present to explain events in both time periods. We have mysteries in both time periods, such as who killed Kai in the present, and the overall arc about the Hierarchs -- their origin and how they were defeated in the past. While the past and the present are less than a century apart, the history of the war is still at least partly a mystery to those in the present day world that’s still not recovered from attacks that left major cities as empty husks. Kai and some of his allies are nigh on immortal, so they can tell the truth of events, but even they can get things wrong if they didn’t have all the details to begin with due to the fog of war.

I liked the main characters, who hit my “found family” button nicely, and the world building is interesting, but I did feel the ending was abrupt. It’s a complete story in one sense, yet it definitely feels like it’s the start of a series to answer the many questions left at the end. Perhaps it’s intended to be, but the blurb doesn’t mention it (yet)?

ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Excellent world-building and pacing. The switches between past and present are occasionally confusing, but become clear within a page, and draw parallels of recurring and analogous threats, as well as demonstrating the character growth as they tackle challenges in new ways. This could be a standalone or a kickoff to a new series; either way, I enjoyed my visit to this post-apocalyptic fantasy world. Witch King deftly illustrates what the aftermath of wars can look like and what it takes -- and means -- to pick up the pieces when the enemy is vanquished (or is it..?)

I was lucky enough to be able to read an advance copy of this book which is a new epic fantasy from Martha Wells.

This author has a real talent for writing charismatic main characters (Murderbot comes to mind immediately) and she has done it again with Kai, a demon from the Underworld. Kai has been part of a scheme whereby demons are brought up above to inhabit the bodies of members of high families. This works for both sides as the demons expand their way of life and the family members do not die but do acquire super skills.

The book is written with alternate sections of the past and the present. Each past chapter cleverly feeds information to the reader which is needed to really understand the events of the present time. Staying alert is essential. Once or twice I found myself confused as to whether I was reading about now or then.

A lot happens and it is a very difficult book to put down at all. I found myself completely rapt by the main characters particularly Kai and Zaide. Kai is the born killer you still have to love. Even when he tosses his eyeballs on the floor - you have to read it to find out why - he is still the best. Zaide has some wonderful skills too like controlling the wind and peeling people's skins off layer by layer. These are demons after all.

Highly recommended to anyone who enjoys epic fantasy. I am not sure if this is a stand-alone or the first book in a new series. The ending, although not a cliff hanger, leaves the way open for more.

A new fantasy from Martha Wells, in a new land with new characters! I love both the Raksura and Murderbot Diaries series, and was really excited to see what the Witch King was all about. How was it?

Kai-Enna, yet ANOTHER compelling character created by Wells, is a formidable demon with insane powers and a tightly-knit group of very diverse companions who have been mysteriously separated. Kai-Enna wakes up from captivity, and immediately action, magic, and betrayal abound as he travels across land and sea to figure out what happened to them and who is responsible.

The book jumps back and forth between two transformative times in Kai's life (long ago and right now) in a way that slowly introduces you to Kai-Enna and the other characters, as well as to their world and the political intrigue that they cannot seem to escape.

The world building was a bit sparse, That is good as we do not have to slog through the huge infodump that typically bogs down most first novels in series. BUT, I really wanted to learn more more more about the world and everyone's backstory.

I love Kai-Enna, Zaide and Tenes, and loved learning more about everyone and everything as the story unfolded. Wells consistently creates imperfectly perfect characters that you can't help but adore. Hopefully, this is a series, but it might be a standalone, who knows?

Overall, 5 stars! I thoroughly enjoyed the book and am eagerly awaiting word of more books to come in this series.

I really wanted to love this but I found the worldbuilding and plot confusing. It just never captured me.