I really wanted to like this more but something about the dense and whimsical world-building did now mesh well with the urgency of a quest for me. I think tonally this needed a lot more levity to feel truly engrossing, instead of reducing the reader to a breakneck holder-on to a narrative which needed less intrigue and more wonder and accessible charm. That said, it does break the general fantasy mold akin to works of Nghi Vo, but falls short in being as gripping and evocative as the Singing Hills stories.

The West Passage by Jared Pechaček
Genre: Dark Fantasy
Length: 384 pages
Release Date: July 16, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor for the gifted arc of this novel.

This book was so different from anything I have read in a long time. The cover art of this book immediately caught my attention and I knew I needed to read it. The West Passage is a debut novel by Pechaček was nothing if not memorable. The novel reminded me of the weird fantasy / sci-fi I am familiar with heavy weights of the genre in the vein of China Mieville and Adrian Tschiakovsky. The story follows two apprentinces from the Grey tower, one trainings to become Mother, learning to care for people at death and birth, and the other in training to become a Guardian, charged with the defence of the palace against the Beast. As typically happens in these type of stories, things do not go to plan and a little (or lot) of chaos ensues. I had such a good time with this novel, one of my favorite subgenres is weird fantasy or sci-fi so I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I am a bit mad at myself for not reading this one sooner. Just take a look at that cover and tell me that you aren't at least a bit intrigued to find out what goes on within those pages.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this book for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

A wonderfully strange and darkly whimsical novel, it captured my imagination in the best way. This is a newfound favorite of mine, resting in my beloved queer medieval religious horror/fantasy niche. There is truly not enough praise I can heap onto this book for its complete and beautiful strangeness and its depiction of the grotesque side of holy and sublime things. It has put a longing in me for fantastical sights that I will sadly never see.

I was so pleased to discover that the author not only wrote this book, but illustrated it beautifully as well. What a cool human being to not only be able to write such awesome material, but to illustrate it as well! I am in awe of his work and would LOVE to read more.

I thought The West Passage would be a fun romp through a world full of whimsy and intrigue. I was sorely mistaken. While the world was colorful, exotic, weird, and random, everything else fell short of its mark. The main characters, Kew and Pell, lack any real agency until close to the halfway mark. They are strung along by side characters that flit in and out of the narrative, and Pechaček shows little interest in building compelling relationships or interesting subplots. The main plot, if you could consider what unfolds a proper story arc (I wouldn't), is shallow enough not to matter at all. I fought with the book for weeks, hoping I could finish it before a book club discussion, but I ultimately stopped reading sixty pages from the end because I couldn't stand one more sentence of the pointless but odd adventure.

Though I didn't have luck with this novel, it might appeal to readers looking to lose themselves in a book made up almost entirely of strange settings and oddball encounters.

If your like fairy tales on the darker side, this is for you. The story is a bit twisted, in a good way, and brought me back to movies I watched as a child in the ‘80s (we were witness to a lot of weird films!). The writing is beautiful, and I know I’m going to have to re-read it because it was a bit of a whirlwind and I wasn’t prepared for the ending.

. A beautiful, strange novel, glowing with eldritch characters. Reading The West Passage is not easy—it resists resolution. But for those willing to surrender to its labyrinthine depths, it offers an experience that lingers long after the final page. The book doesn't end; it leaves you circling back to yourself, as though you, too, are part of its dreamlike world.

This book is a captivating and immersive read that hooks you from the first page. The writing is beautifully crafted, with vivid descriptions and strong character development that makes the story come alive. The plot is well-paced, balancing moments of tension with quieter, reflective scenes that allow the characters to grow. The themes explored are deep and thought-provoking, resonating long after the final page. Whether it's the emotional depth, the twists and turns of the plot, or the unforgettable characters, this book is a must-read for anyone who enjoys rich, engaging stories. Highly recommended.

A totally unique work of fantasy. Evokes an ancient world shrouded in shadows populated by mysterious godlike beings, unspeakable monsters, and small humans trying to keep the world from falling apart. Veering between dream and nightmare, this is a really fascinating work of beauty.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

this is quite a unique setting or worldbuilding. i like this towers idea in the book which I normally would just find in a webtoon or Chinese novels. though I would like to point out that the description of the creatures characteristics are not really done well, I feel like the author could picture what they would look like but couldn't really put it into words.

Imagine a city, if you will, one containing multiple towers, ruled by powerful Ladies. The city is on the brink of disaster and full of intrigue. A Beast is coming, and with it most likely the end of your city. Now imagine you're but a novice, who must face this threat alongside all the wonders your odd city has to offer. Meet The West Passage, an utterly innovative Fantasy novel which took me surprise and gave me hours of delight. Thanks to Tordotcom and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I am a very avid Fantasy reader and have been for decades now. As such, I have at times lost the ability to be truly surprised by many Fantasy books. I don't mean on a plot-level, where authors are consistently surprising me with their twists and turns. I guess I mean the level of world-building, or, even more abstractly, the way a Fantasy novel engages with the tropes of the Fantasy genre itself. This is mostly true for Fantasy novels which, in some way, base themselves on European history, mythology, and folklore as I am intimately familiar with it, in part due to my vocation as a Medievalist. I will recognise the elements drawn from medieval literature, or from the first wave of medievalist works, like The Lord of the Rings, and understand pretty quickly where the world building is going and what kind of book I am dealing with. Because of my familiarity with the material and my love for works like Tolkien's, I also often miss a sense of depth in the world-building. Not everyone, in fact hardly anyone, should feel forced to invent entire languages for their Fantasy novel, but sometimes I can tell that the history of a story world is thin and does not extend past what is on the page. For a reader like me, that is always a little disappointing, even if it does not always affect my enjoyment of the book. The reason for this long preamble is to state that in The West Passage, Jared Pechaček surprised me on almost every page. I was already intrigued by the blurb, but I was not prepared for the way Pechaček plays with Fantasy. Rather than following its rules, he takes the genre's freedom and runs with it, dragging you along for a thrilling journey.

The West Passage is the story of Kew and Pell, two young inhabitants of Grey Tower. Pell is in training with the women of Grey Tower, a group which is slowly dying out. When Yarrow, one of the two remaining Grey women, dies, Pell becomes the new Yarrow. With her group under threat and the Beast's arrival imminent, she must set off to warn the other towers. Kew, meanwhile, is the apprentice of Hawthorn, the Guardian, who is meant to stand against the Beast when it rises again. When Hawthorn dies, he wants to take her place but realises he must travel to the Black Tower and its Lady in order to warn them of the coming Beast. Both set out, separately, from Grey Tower in order to warn the rest of their city. And that is where I'm going to leave you, plot wise, although it just about covers the first two of the nine "books" of which The West Passage is made up. It is best, I think, to go into this book with as little knowledge as possible, so that Pechaček can surprise you at every turn. I will say that I was enamoured with both Pell/Yarrow and Kew/Hawthorn. Their journeys, both the physical ones through the Towers and the emotional ones as they become settled in their (new) identities, selves, and roles, are crafted very well and allow Pechaček to comment on preconceptions, our belief in the stories we grew up with, and our desire for a future. The novel talks about the desire for and fear of change, the disregard of those in power, and the power of history and story.

Jared Pechaček is an artist and this comes through really strongly in his descriptions of the Towers and its various inhabitants. He has an imagination I could swim in, and the way he brings it to life in the pages of The West Passage is what makes this book such a stand-out. From the large concepts to the small details, there were things in this book I had never read before and which are still echoing around in my head. I would love to tell you about the things Pechaček does, believe me, but I think you deserve to discover it on your own. The novel is billed as a medieval fantasy, which makes some sense if one considers the (stunning) cover and the emphasis on story telling throughout the novel, yet there is also something very post-Industrial Revolution/Enlightenment period about it to me. Pechaček creates a blend of different influences and ideas, which feels incredibly rich. There is a sense of knowledge being passed down generations, of centuries of history behind every object or figure, which gives the novel a great depth. I always felt as if there would be more to learn and discover, if we only lingered in that location a little longer, or if Kew or Pell had asked a slightly different question. For me, that is a marker of excellent world building and I could spend hundreds of more pages in these Towers. This is also helped by a strong narratorial voice, which is almost in cahoots with the reader as we follow the two apprentices on their journeys. The West Passage is very confident for a debut novel, in all it does, and I cannot wait to read more by Pechaček in the future.

Note on the cover: it is truly beautiful! The cover art is by Kuri Huang and the cover design by Christine Foltzer.

The West Passage is one of my favourite books of 2024 so far! It is inventive and surprising, both daring and kind, and the kind of book I will absolutely be rereading. I only finished it a week ago, but I am already itching to dive back in.

This is a tricky one to review because it is a book unlike any other I've read. The narrative is almost dreamlike at times, when you realize characters and storylines are not as they appear or you would suspect them to be. The story follows two characters whose identities change as their titles change, they grow and shift with the ever-changing plot, but they begin as Kew and Pell, members of the Grey Tower, an apprentice to the Guardian, of the West Passage and one of the women working under the Mother. This is a "weird fantasy" book with a capital W. If the reader doesn't appreciate Weird they will not like this book, it is not a straightforward narrative. The prose is beautiful and makes the setting really vivid despite the complexities. I enjoyed this a lot.

thank you to netgalley for giving me an arc!

the best way to describe the west passage is a maze with no entrance or exit: we don't know how this world came to be or these characters came to exist here, but they do and the journey has started. in a world where there are towers run by the "ladies", we follow two main perspectives as they travel and explore this confusing and expansive system, trying to save their world as they know it. this book offers a vast yet specific cast of characters, little anecdotes are common and included at just the right times, perfectly building the world but not revealing everything to the reader.

the west passage very much reminded me of piranesi by susanna clarke in the best way possible. in the west passage, we do get more characterization and a linear plot, however, the settings in both stories are vividly confusing and entertaining. this is not a book you can read when you're half asleep and that adds to its charm. to fully follow and understand the west passage, i would say it requires your utmost engagement. however, no matter how you read it always ends with the most rewarding payback.

Thank you Tordotcom and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

The West Passage is such a strange, bizarre delight and one of my favorite reads of 2024. I loved Pechaček’s world and the way the setting was utilized, and the imagery was incredible. It’s difficult for me to describe exactly how and why this book works so well, but I found it extremely engaging, despite the fact it asks you to be okay with being confused for… quite a long time. I thought it was a book that almost meanders but in a way that works for the story, and while the overall plot is fairly simplistic (there is a beast! it must be defeated!), there’s a lot of other things going on here (the power of stories!!).

Pell and Kew, the protagonists, go on their respective quests across the palace, and I found it easy to keep their separate storylines separate. They made for good point of view characters and while this is a book that asks you to be patient and trust the process, I thought the payoff was well worth it.

The eARC copy did not have the illustrations present in the finished text, but those are marvelous.

dangerously bewitching and venomous in a world filled with darkness and light. something that is always worth another read

I enjoyed The West Passage!
It was an absolutely beautifully written book that had some awesome world building!
It was also a super unique read with some really interesting characters that I really enjoyed.
I'm actually really struggling to put this review together as I have no idea what else to say, as I really enjoyed the book, but it is hard to put it into words...

What I can say is that The West Passage was a really great book that i definitely recommend!
Especially to anyone who loves books that have more vibes than plot in the story.
Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a review.

Thank you NetGalley and Tordotcom for this ARC Copy!

I was not really sure what to expect going in to this book but I was pleasantly surprised. The different towers and factions were interesting and the world building was intricate and enjoyable, but also left a lot to the readers imagination in a weird but also fun way. It was definitely one of the most interesting and inventive stories I have read in a long time, and though it was weird, it was captivating and thought provoking.

A very whimsical and different fantasy then anything else I 've read recently. I really like the world build and I am intrigued to see where this goes next.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review.

Let me talk about art for a moment. My mother is a retired art teacher and two of her three children were color blind. (And didn’t really possess any illustrative talents.) I’ve long since held that I would love to be able to draw some of the fantasy scenes that I’ve read in these books. I’d love to be able to draw Elric even a percentage as good as Michael Whelan can or I’d kill to be able to take my mental image of some of the scenes from David Wellington’s Paradise-1 and be able to draw them out. I’m immensely jealous of all the people that do illustrations for tabletop RPGs and they are a big reason why I try to make some time for practicing drawing everyday.

Thus, I believe and will arguethat Jared Pechaček’s West Passage is a masterpiece specifically because he not only wrote an epic fantasy book, but illustrated it himself. It’s a great fantasy novel, don’t get me wrong, but something about him doing his own illustrations elevates it to a new level. This is what we’d call in baseball a two-way player (I’m desperately trying to find a way to write about baseball for K&G, ok?) . Is Jared Pechaček the Shohei Ohtani of fantasy fiction?

Yes.

The characters are great and the world building is phenomenal. We are living in a golden age of really weird fantasy settings and I’m loving that. I remember the great Aiden Moher tweeting years ago about how we are entering a generation of fantasy writers whose inspirations were JRPGs and how that’s a great thing. I think some day there will need to be some analysis on the impact of Weird video games like Elden Ring or Bloodborne and their impact on the fantasy fiction genre. I think it’s great and I love these evocative and bizarre settings and the West Passage is a brilliant example of that. This is definitely a book worth purchasing and having on your shelf because it is both brilliant and it looks beautiful. I can’t wait to see what comes next from this author.

I Love It!! Truly it is such a different world, the characters are really interesting in a physical way, like a combination of human and bizarre elements. The history is good too, weird in a good way that kept ne engaged and separates the book from more standards fantasies. The only negative thing is that the ARC did not have the illustrations and I think it would have helped me to "see" the history better in me mind. I definitely recommed it to people that like the stranger stories.

Thank You Netgalley and Tordotcom for the ARC.