Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

This is a DNF but not because of quality - sometimes you just don’t vibe with a book and that’s okay! I still love Martha Wells as an author, this just wasn’t the book for me. Perhaps I’ll return to it but for now, I’ve been trying to get into it for days and it isn’t quite clicking.

The Book of Ile-Rien
The Element of Fire
By Martha Wells

This was originally her first published book, and she has re-edited and released it (alongside The Death of the Necromancer) I decided to do a separate review for each.

I really loved The Element of Fire! The world building was excellent, the characters were nuanced (flawed but likeable), and the plot was very well structured. But then again, I’ve come to expect all of that with Martha Wells.

Unlike Witch King, I was immediately immersed in this story. Thomas and Kade are both great main characters. Thomas has some complicated relationships which makes his character intriguing and with an interesting view on life (and the worth of his own life). Kade is facing some demons and learning how to trust herself (and others).

The Book of Ile-Rien
The Death of the Necromancer
By Martha Wells

Absolutely fantastic! I loved this one even more than the first story.

If you love Found Family as much as I do, then you’ll love this.

Nicholas is a scoundrel, but a scoundrel with a distinctive purpose: to avenge his foster-father. Over the years he has gathered an eclectic family of lock picks, an actress, a disgraced cavalryman, an addict sorcerer, and a very loyal body guard. When they stumble onto something bigger than revenge, they can’t look the other way but dive in to solving the case. With a little help from a detective/doctor duo.

This book is a romp, a horror show, and a love letter to the chosen family you surround yourself with.

Thanks to @netgalley and @marthawellswriter for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Collecting Martha Wells' The Element of Fire and The Death of the Necromancer for the first time in one place.

The Element of Fire
The kingdom of Ile-Rien lies in peril, menaced by sorcerous threats and devious intrigue, when Kade, bastard sister of King Roland, appears unexpectedly at court. The illegitimate daughter of the old king and the Queen of Air and Darkness herself, Kade's true desires are cloaked in mystery.

The Death of the Necromancer
Nicholas Valiarde is a passionate, embittered nobleman and the greatest thief in all of Ile-Rien. On the gaslight streets of the city, Nicholas assumes the guise of a master criminal, stealing jewels from wealthy nobles to finance his quest for a long-pursued vengeance.

I've now discovered that when it comes to Martha Wells and her fantasy stories you better prepare to get thrown into the fantasy world the story takes place in, and either you sink you swim. Similar to my experience with Witch King, I was barely able to tread water most of the time, and while it is difficult to rate this, I would say Element of Fire is better than Death of the Necromancer.

But rest assured, Wells' signature world building and political intrigue when it comes to her fantasy is still prevalent, even if it does take you a bit to really get into the story.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this rerelease.

I’ve previously only read Martha Wells Murderbot series. If you’re going into this series hoping for the same vibe, it’s very different (and also not science fiction).This is a rerelease of two of her books that I’ve never read, but it was an enjoyable adventure. I’m now looking for the rest of the books set in this world.

These two books set in the world of Ile-Rien are being released in a newly edited edition together and I was so excited to get to check these out as I love Martha Wells’s writing in the Murderbot Diaries series.

I fell in love with the characters in book one, The Element of Fire, especially Kade the half-human, half-fay sorceress who is pretty badass and is also an exiled princess of the kingdom. And Thomas, the captain of the queen’s guard is one of those characters that just gets things done, no matter the cost to himself. Some of the main bad guys in this story are the fae and I enjoyed them being depicted as more of a dark and scary creature instead of how fae often get described in books now.

Book two, The Death of the Necromancer, took me a lot longer to get into. It’s essentially a crime/whodunnit story set in the same world but about 100 (?) years in the future. Once I fell into seeing some familiar tropes with the mystery side of things and we finally had some time to get to know our larger cast of characters better, it got more interesting. It was weird knowing this was the same world but the fae get mostly left behind now while magic does become a bigger focus.

Overall 4.5/5
Book 1 5/5
Book 2 4/5

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

Thank you to tordotcom and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you Netgalley and TOR for this advanced copy.

This is an omnibus of two previous works (The Element of Fire and Death of the Necromancer) that I haven't read before and thus was very excited! While both books take part in the same universe, timeline wise theres a difference of hundreds of years. I prefered the first part more since it focused on court drama, fay and politics. The second book felt a bit more Victorian (and even had a character that reminded me of Sherlock) and had heists, mystery and revenge.

A definite recommendation for those that love fantasy, drama and mystery!

This is an updated omnibus version of Martha Wells first (The Element of Fire) and third (Death of the Necromancer) novels and both take place in Ile-Rien, although about two hundred years apart. There's a lot of sword-and-sorcery and fae of various characteristics, especially in the first novel, while the second one has much more of a steam-punk, Victorian vibe. Although the second novel glancingly references the first one, these are essentially separate stories. Both are very well done and the characters and the action hold the reader's attention throughout. I love the Murderbot stories, but these two are very different. However, they are still very good in a completely different way.

"Collecting Martha Wells' Element of Fire and Death of the Necromancer for the first time in one place, in a new and revised edition!

From the author of Witch King and the Murderbot Diaries:

Both novels included in this volume have been revised and updated. These are the author's preferred texts.

The Element of Fire
The kingdom of Ile-Rien lies in peril, menaced by sorcerous threats and devious intrigue, when Kade, bastard sister of King Roland, appears unexpectedly at court. The illegitimate daughter of the old king and the Queen of Air and Darkness herself, Kade's true desires are cloaked in mystery.

It falls to Thomas Boniface, Captain of the Queen's Guard, to keep the kingdom from harm. But is one man's steel enough to counter all the magic of fayre?

The Death of the Necromancer
Nicholas Valiarde is a passionate, embittered nobleman and the greatest thief in all of Ile-Rien. On the gaslit streets of the city, Nicholas assumes the guise of a master criminal, stealing jewels from wealthy nobles to finance his quest for a long-pursued vengeance.

But Nicholas's murderous mission is being interrupted by a series of eerie, unexplainable, and fatal events. A dark magic opposes him, and traces of a necromantic power that hasn't been used for centuries abound. Nicholas and his compatriots find themselves battling an ancient evil.

And if they lose? Death would be preferable to the fate that awaits them...."

Because we've all become addicts of Martha Wells and have to wait out the time until the next Murderbot book somehow...

There are two complete novels in this omnibus new release. According to the publishers note:"Both novels included in this volume have been revised and updated. These are the author’s preferred texts." The two stories are speculative fiction set in an alternate Europe and are related, the second being about two hundred years after the first one. The ELEMENT OF FIRE was Ms. Wells first published novel.

THE ELEMENT OF FIRE
The Kingdom of Ile-Rien, ruled by the weak and ineffectual King Roland is being targeted by the sorcerer Urban Grandier who seeks revenge caring little for collateral damage and destruction. Roland’s mother, Dowager Queen Ravenna, is the true ruler of the roost who along with her Captain of the Queen’s Guard, Thomas Boniface, must uncover who are their foes and friends. Roland’s half-sister, Kade, who is part Fae and now the Queen of Air and Darkness, shows up during the assaults on the kingdom. The question is whether Kade has returned, after essentially being exiled as a youth, to help or hinder those trying to save the realm.

There are as many enemies inside the court as out of it. Thomas and Kade join forces to root out the evil while battling not only an enemy force, but also part of the Unseelie Wild Hunt whom the sorcerer Grandier has engaged to unleash more mayhem on the main city. Kade has some magic of her own while Thomas has years of experience helping Ravenna to protect their lands often subverting Roland’s lack of leadership and discernment concerning his “friends” who are not necessarily the best of influencers at court.

While not the focus of the story and despite their age difference, Thomas and Kade develop a relationship beyond being battle compatriots so there is a bit of a romantic element. This dark fantasy has Well’s snarky humor, epic battles, political intrigue, and magic abounding as well as strong men and women doing their best to save Ile-Rien from a complete takeover by their enemies. It is a bit slow-going in the beginning working out the setting and world building but ends up being a very good read.

THE DEATH OF THE NECROMANCER
Nicholas Valiarde has many personas he uses as a master criminal in Ile-Rien; he has been working in the Ile-Rien not only to add to his wealth, but take revenge on the wealthy noble who falsely accused his mentor and foster father, sending the man to his death. Nicholas has several accomplices including his lover Madeliene who has some magical talent of her own, his criminal element henchman, and a drug addled magician to name a few. Nicholas’s main goal is temporally subverted when several people turn up dead, hideously tortured by a necromancer he crossed path with while at the home of his nemesis, Count Montesq.

Nicholas understands the danger to his city of Vienne using all his criminal and intellectual skills to find the culprit. The dark magic being wielded in the city threatens more than Nicholas’s own plans taking him and his motley crew into the underbelly of this and other cities in Ile-Rien,

This story has a Sherlock Holmes Victorian feel with Nicholas being more akin to a Moriarty type although he is not a sociopath caring nothing for his fellow human beings. There is a wily inspector with a Dr. Watson type assistant on the case as well. Nicholas sets about apprehending the dangerous necromancer while evading some the law enforcement and those who would work against him. The seemingly ancient evil they are fighting stands to threaten all of Ile-Rien if not stopped. Nicholas has a lot of personal issues to deal with as well stemming from his need for revenge and the direction his life had taken.

This second story is very lengthy, detailed oriented, filled with intrigue, violence, and very dark magic. Of the two stories, I preferred the first one for the themes and pacing. Fans of Ms. Wells currently very popular Murderbot series will find this dark fantasy well written, but a very different kind of read.

Using a fantasy setting in late 19th century Paris Martha weaves two tales of wizards, Faes and murder. Her detailed description of that period brings the stories to life immersing you fully into the characters. I look forward to reading more of her works.

First City of Bones and now The Book Of Ile-Rien, Martha Wells really has me hooked on her fantasy novels! They're just SO GOOD!!

This is the updated edition of 2 standalone stories set in Martha Wells' Ile-Rien fantasy universe. Thanks to @Netgalley for the review copy, this is the second Martha Wells fantasy book that I've read and I have to say, she is just an absolute master of world-building. Both of the stories included in this book are completely different from one-another but they complement each other perfectly.


The Element Of Fire is a traditional fantasy novel; the realm is under siege by the magical forces of fey and at risk from the political machinations of those near to the throne. Full of sorcery, faerie, knights and gunpowder, it's a real page-turner that completely sucked me in and left me wanting the story to continue. Think Game Of Thrones with sorcery and faeries set in 17th Century France.


Death Of The Necromancer on the other hand is set a few hundred years later. Sorcerors still ward the cities against danger but the fey threats of the past are long gone. This time we follow Nicholas Valiarde, a master thief with a special skill at breaking and entering who finds himself competing against powerful forces he cannot comprehend.


More closely resembling a Victorian steampunkesque England than the castles and knights setting of TEOF, I really found DOTN to be gripping in a whole new way. Nicholas and his band of rogues have their own motivations and very deep and developed histories. Again this was so fast-paced that I flew through it and was left wanting more.


It's 2/2 for Wells' fantasy so far and I'm so excited to see what else she has out there.

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Tor Publishing Group for an advance copy of this collection featuring the first two fantasy works by one of best speculative fiction writers working.

Every great hero has an origin story. The moments that make the hero rise to face their fears, to vanquish their foes, and create bestselling books and series. Wait I meant great writers have origin stories. My bad. Though the origin does follow the same sort of arc. Both Hero and Writer want to make the world better, one by crushing evil, the other creating art (but not averse to crushing evil too). Their foes are many, evil creatures from the depths of hell or Internet Trolls, both are interchangeable, though hell creatures can be redeemed. And finally laying siege to dark towers or top ten charts and Bestseller lists. Everyone has a first book, and Martha Wells, author of the phenomenal Murderbot series is no exception. The Book of Ile-Rien is a collection of the author's first and second books, The Element of Fire & The Death of the Necromancer, updated and revised by Martha Wells.

The Element of Fire is the first in a five book series about the Ile-Rien, a kingdom full of magic, wonder, danger and firearms. We met the hero Thomas Bonifaire, Captain of the Queen's Guard as he is sneaking into what should be a deserted building but is actually the lair of rogue wizard with a captive. The operation is kept secret so as not to scare the populous, and to hide a truth that is becoming quite clear. King Roland is not being served well by his companions, is a weak king, and is leading the Kingdom to ruin. Only the efforts of the Dowager Queen Rovenna, are keeping the kingdom safe, with Thomas her right-hand man, and once far more. New arrivals make things more difficult, as deciding who is friend, foe, or indifferent is getting difficult. The Death of the Necromancer is set well after the first book, and is the second book published by Wells This time a young nobleman with a secret life is the hero, Nicholas Valiarde, a man with a posh look, but the heart of a thief. And a thirst for retribution. His godfather had been accused of dark arts, the art of necromancy, and for this trumped up crime, was executed. Valiarde robs the rich at nigh to fund his efforts to get back at those how killed his godfather, but is beginning to come across strange things in his nightly excursions. Things that seem very reminiscent of what his godfather was killed for, and the signs are clear that an ancient evil is gathering strength.

One has their entire life to write their first work, two years max to do their second. That's as true today as it was back when Wells first started publishing. One can see much in the first book The Element of Fire. The action, the use of technology, the way Wells tells the story and the humor. The story is a little too long, but it is still good. You can see the lean writing style that Wells uses for the Murderbot series, and the difference it makes. The second book Death of the Necromancer is a little smoother, a little shorter and with a strong story, and idea. Again one can see the education of the writer here, again technology, smoother fight scenes, smoother inner thoughts. And humor, finding its place even more. The plotting is good, both hold up well, and never lag, though the first one is a tad long.

Very good tales, and both stand-up by themselves. Recommended for fans who can't get enough and might have missed these, and for people who want to see what Wells is like, and enjoy fantasy more. A nice trip into the mind of a writer finding out how to hone their gift.

I finished Martha Wells’ The Book of Ile-Rien last night and it was fantastic!

This was actually two books, both updated by the author, and packaged together for the first time. This will release 2/27/24.

I loved it! It was fantasy (so fay and magic elements were present) but the world building was easier for me than usual, as most unfamiliar words I looked up actually were items from 17th and 18th century earth.

It was cool and engrossing and the story was fun and engaging. Fantasy lovers will dig this book for sure, and folks who like historical fiction may take to it, as well. 🥰📚

Rounded up from 3.5 stars

OK, I love the Murderbot Diaries series from Martha Wells, so I’m reading a lot of her older stuff. I’m clearly not alone since this book (two books, really) is being re-released, no doubt to take advantage of her new fans.

That said, so far I prefer her science fiction to her fantasy. The two Ile-Rien stories show flashes of the humor and brilliance I like from Wells, but they are also a little too long and a little too unfocused. Both of them ended fabulously, but it was a long road to get there. I am undecided whether I will read the books that follow in this world, but I am glad I read The Book of Ile-Rien.

(I admit, I didn’t realize this was two entirely separate stories; I assumed it was more like the Murderbot series, where one book flows into the next. I was surprised when the first story came to what felt like an abrupt end when I thought I was only half done. This would have been more obvious if I’d held the print book instead of an advance reader copy.)

I think I would like this book more if I read it a second time, which I may, at some point.

I read an advance reader copy from Netgalley.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The captivating storyline and well-developed characters made it a delightful read. Highly recommended!

Another worl of art, I must say. After my accidental discovery of The Witch King and got introduced to Martha Wells, the experience of reading a book after book of hers is just magical. This is none too different

I've been wanting to read Martha Wells for a while now, specially because of her science fiction novellas. I had no idea about the existence of this fantasy series, and finding it here in Netgalley made my day.

Thanks to Tor Publishing Group for the e-arc of this book!

Since I had no idea about the details of this series, I didn't kow that this book contained two novels from the series. This was the first element that fascinated at the beginning of my reading experience: I'm getting 2 books in one!

I felt in love in Wells' narration and the way she transported me to the different scenes of the novels. I felt I could travel through Ile-Rien and have a first-hand experience while reading this book. The characters are a strong element for this story. They are all well writtent and structured, making them believable for the reader.

I also enjoyed how Martha Wells managed to include different themes and topics through the novels, a few examples are the conflict between good and evil, the identity, battle for power, and revenge. This was well structured and helped me to give a strong rating to the book.

I think the Book of Ile-Rien is a thrilling and thought-provoking couple of novels that will appeal to fans of fantasy, mystery, and historical fiction. It is a must-read for anyone who enjoys a dark and suspenseful tale.

This is a collection of two books: The Element of Fire & The Death of the Necromancer. The world is the same, but the plots are disconnected to each other.

THE ELEMENT OF FIRE:
A good flintlock fantasy. The vibes of this one reminded me of Pirates of the Caribbean; just a little bit of magic, for atmosphere, but more swashbuckling than sorcery. Or, at least that's what it feels like for the strong parts of this tale.
There's never enough at stake for it to become great. Everything -- but particularly the romance, felt unsupported, like there wasn't enough scenes to keep the vision upright.
It was entertaining and overall unobjectionable. Just never rose above that.

DEATH OF THE NECROMANCER:
Of the two, I much preferred Death of the Necromancer. The story follows a group of thieves with interesting motives, and how they get tangled in a plot with zombies. It's a fun and clever book, playing with tropes of detectives and criminals. The world also feels better thought out in this novel than the other.

Thanks to Netgalley and Tordotcom for a copy of this book to review. All opinions are my own.

THE ELEMENT OF FIRE:
Perhaps the most delightful part of reading this, Martha Wells' first novel, was catching glimpses of what Wells' writing looks like now. It's fun to see how things begin, you know? But anyway, that's not the only delightful part of this novel. I quite enjoyed both main characters (and their great names), Thomas Boniface and Kade Carrion. The world building was detailed but not overwhelming, sprinkled in as needed rather than collected in long paragraphs. It was quite fun to dive into a new fantasy world and trust Wells to take me for a fun ride.

THE DEATH OF THE NECROMANCER
Well, I was a little sad not to spend more time with the main characters from ELEMENT OF FIRE, I fell for the charming found family vibes of THE DEATH OF THE NECROMANCER right away. And even better, it's a little crime family!! If you love a heist and a revenge tale with a side of (admittedly pretty gross) evil magic, look no further. This was, in my opinion, quite engaging and easy to read. There wasn't an MC I didn't like, and now I need to find Wells' Ile-Rien short stories!

I really enjoyed this title. It is the second work from Martha Wells that I read, and I will always be intrigued on how she manages to write such interesting and deep stories, while not losing you along the way.

The story structure itself requires some focus at first, as it is quite complex, but once you are in it, it get easier. I really loved the characters, even thought I struggled to get attached to some of them because of their development and the way they were described.

I think this book has a lot of qualities that qualify it as a very good fantasy title. If you are in the mood for this genre for this fall, you should definitely check it out!