I received a free copy from Tor Books via Netgalley in exchange for a fair review. Publish date June 10th.

I've read and liked some of Kate Elliott's books in the past, and I was intrigued by the haunted prince premise of her latest new release. In The Witch Roads, Elen is appropriated from her courier duties patrolling the magically irradiated outskirts by an imperial prince who needs a guide across the mountains. But when Prince Gevulin enters an ancient ruin against her advice, he becomes possessed by an entity with his own mysterious agenda...

The Witch Roads is another excellent entry in the guy in someone's head genre (Asunder, A Memory Called Empire), except, intriguingly, from another character's POV. Elen is thirty-something, the sole caretaker of a teenager after the death of her sister, and a courier who walks monthly rounds searching for deadly and infectious Spore. She lives in the backwaters of a major empire, and hopes her traumatic past never comes back to haunt her. Which of course it's going to.

Elen reads as more mature than the usual run of fantasy protagonists, not because of her age, but because of her responsibility for sixteen year old Kem. Kem isn't a plot point to characterize Elen, either. His relationship with Elen is the emotional center of the book, and he accompanies Elen on her journey. He's also trans, not as just a throwaway line, but in a way that demonstrates how his identity shapes his personality, as well as his relationship with Elen and his dead mother. Elen's other major character relationship is her fascination with the haunt possessing the prince. She doesn't quite trust him, but she instinctively sides with him and abets him in his attempt to (badly) impersonate the prince in pursuit of his own ends. Both Elen's and the haunt's many secrets are slowly and tantalizingly revealed over the course of the book.

The worldbuilding is set in a highly formal and ritualized empire which is struggling against the apocalyptic, infectious Spore. There's a complex system of imperial officials, a licensing system for buildings, and a highly regulated road network. Through Elen, we get a first-hand view of the corrupting dangers of Spore, as her profession is dedicated to preventing it from spreading. However, due to her background and personality, Elen tends to hold herself apart from the customs and formalities of the empire. She's overfamiliar, disdains the Interlocutors that high-ranking officials speak through, and has no inherent respect for the imperial family. Which of course plays badly with the original Prince Gavulin's total sense of entitlement and Imperial pride.

Great characters grounded in a compelling fantasy world. Based on the book's dramatic ending, it's sure to be a series, and I'm excited to read the next book when it comes out this November. Recommended for fantasy fans.

This 1st of a duology stars cheerful deputy courier Elen in a world struggling to survive the poisonous Spore-laden Pall. Elen carries inside her a viper that she can release to destroy Spore but must keep a secret. Elen's life is turned upside down when arrogant prince-warden Gevulin and his entourage show up in Orledder Halt. She is forced to guide them.

When they reach the haunted Spires, Gevulin ignores her advice and is taken over by an ancient spirit, who seeks to protect the world from the re-emergence of sorcerer kings. Though the prince's followers are unaware, Elen understands what happened and helps him keep up the pretense as they journey on into great danger.

This first episode ends on a cliffhanger as the real Gevulin is returned to his body!

This was a really wonderful ode to comprehensive and engaging world building, there was so much complexity and mystery around the world Elen and Kem live in. I enjoyed the pacing of the information that was given as well; it wasn't too slow or too fast. I felt like the questions I had were answered in a timely manner by the plot and wasn't confused by what was happening.

I would add a little note to folks who want a lot of action and high adventure: this book is not that. There is a tremendous amount of exposition and establishment of characters, setting, and world. And because of that the plot is fairly slow-moving creature as the author establishes the characters, their motivations, and driving forces. I think this is a really promising start to the beginning of a series and am very curious to know how things will progress in the second book.

For people who like character driven novels, I think you will find Elen and Kem's character arcs very satisfying. I felt like they were really well fleshed out as people, and you had a good sense of who they were and why they were acting the way they were throughout the novel (yay character continuity!). There's plenty left for the next novel to explore with Elen and Kem as well as some of the other titular characters that didn't get as much of the spotlight, so there's certainly things to look forward to in the next novel.

All in all, this was a solid first book to what promises to be a very interesting, original, and engaging series.

The Witch Roads is a fantasy road trip about Elen a middle aged woman just trying to survive and keep her young nephew Kem happy and healthy when they are thrust in the middle of political intrigues with a Prince and his large entourage while ghosts from the past come back to haunt them.
Thank you to NetGalley and Tor for the opportunity to read and review this book which I am giving 3⭐️.
What I liked most about this book was the world building and the FMC Elen. She had a good character, a good relationship with her nephew and I enjoyed her relationship with the haunt inhabiting the body of the Prince.
Unfortunately I felt like this book was too slow and filled with way too many characters involved in the quest that Elen and Kem find themselves forced into. This was my first book by this author and while I would be interested in trying more books by them I am not interested in continuing with the next book in this series. I feel like this book would appeal to fans of Dungeons and Dragons so if you enjoy D&D give this book a chance!

A great epic fantasy about witches and many other magical beings but I love the insight into witches and the worldbuilding l. Need more high fantasy like this

This is one of Kate Elliott's best, I think. Some of the things I loved:

We have a competent middle-aged woman main character. She loves her nephew, a young man who tells her that he doesn't know what he wants to do with his life but must declare for something soon. Most books would be from the boy's perspective and I do like his character but it is so refreshing to read this story from his mentor's POV! The world is meticulously constructed and built out by the author. No one is cartoonishly evil and no one is one dimensional (well, maybe one person). The world has a rich history and discovering more about that history feels like the way the series is going to go. There is deadly magic, there are supernatural creatures who tugged on my heart, there are ancient secrets. The world feels obviously Asian influenced to me, but I don't know what others will think, and it's also very much its own thing.

About the only thing that I didn't like was that it ends on a CLIFFHANGER. I do very much want to find out what happens next.

While the premise was nice, the writing was... not what I expected. I wanted more from the characters because I felt that what was on the front cover and the front flap was not what we were given.

A land riddled with dangerous mists and deadly fungi.

An empire that grows less harmonious the closer one gets to the Palace.

Ancient statues that harbor powerful spirits.

And a twice-escaped fugitive desperate to keep the home she's made for herself, her sister, and her nephew, until an unexpected visit from a Prince of the empire blows her contented life all to pieces.

Now she must guide the Prince and his retinue on a dangerous journey back towards the terrible place she escaped as a child, to stop an evil she's not even sure she believes in.

Another great series start by Kate Elliott - magic, mystery, danger, and intrigue.

Why does this one stand out for me? It satisfies two big tropes: palace and political intrigue with magical hints but not static because all happens during a journey. El is hired to guide a prince and his entourage through a perilous path. There is the succession to the throne plot to solve: who will be a great crown prince or even the next emperor?

El has a viper in her heart... literally. She wants to protect a young boy who is in her care also. In many ways, he is the only weakness she has. They also need to resolve their relationship issues.
Between letting him be possessed or the prince, she lets the ancient possess the prince. But the new personality in the prince now is much more charming and interesting than the oppressive, abusive prince.
The plot twists make for a great ending, although I want more.
This was a great introduction to world-building, some revelations of the past of who is who, the viper in her, and how some natural things came to be. But the political plot is just the beginning.
I'm looking forward to more. The cover is very beautiful.

This is my first book by Kate Elliot and I loved it! It's heavy on narrative with the world building and character development being my favorite parts of this book. Super well done and can't wait to read the second in the duology. The main character, Elen, is a courier who is volunteered for a journey since she is well acquainted with the lands around them. On the journey the prince goes against her warnings and enters the Spires and comes out a different man. The journey is dangerous and there's so much that happens, leaving on quite the cliffhanger.

I had a good time reading this book and hit a fantasy itch I've had for a while, to get lost in a rich world with interesting well written characters. Thank you NetGalley for the eArc for a honest review!

This one was slightly disappointing. I've read other Kate Elliott books and the writing was much tighter in those than we have here, at least in my opinion. The plot is kind of all over the place and there's no consistent focus. One of the few redeeming things I found though was the worldbuilding which semi-salvaged this, although I was ultimately left wanting more with regard to characterization and plot. More complete review forthcoming on the blog in the coming weeks.

This is my first book by Kate Elliot but it will certainly not be my last, and not just because this one ends on a cliffhanger. The writing, world building, magic system, and characters were all spectacular

Elen is a courier for the intendant of a region in a vast and complex empire. She helps keep outlying villages in touch with each other but most importantly she keeps an eye out for signs of Spore, the horrifying fungus that will take over a living being and turn it into something monstrous. She is This is my first book by Kate Elliot but it will certainly not be my last, and not just because this one ends on a cliffhanger. The writing, world building, magic system, characters were all spectacular

I thought this was going to be a fun fantasy adventure road trip type story and in some ways it is, but it is also so much more. She is very good at what she does. When a high ranking prince unexpectedly arrives in town needing passage to the North, Elen is the best choice for a guide.

I thought this was going to be a fun fantasy adventure road trip type story and in some ways it is, but it is also so much more. It deals with many serious issues, the legacy of assault, generational trauma, transphobia, and handles them all deftly. It is well balanced with humor and magic and beauty

It is also a story about love, of all kinds, and what we will do for the ones we love, and what we do when they are gone.

I admit I do not like when a book ends on a cliffhanger, but this one was so good that I think I can forgive it. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for access to the eARC in exchange for an honest review

With richly detailed world-building and excellent descriptive writing, this book pulled me in and didn't let me go. It's not a fast-moving fantasy book, truly moves at the speed of a walking party, but I couldn't put it down. The setting and cast of characters were woven together so wonderfully, in that I could easily understand the social dynamics of the world through how characters spoke to one another. The slow-build of the friendship/romance between the haunt and our main character really pulled at my heartstrings as well. I will be waiting on the edge of my seat for part 2!! Thank you so much to the folks at TOR who reached out to me about this book!

I absolutely loved this story. Elen, the main character, gets swept up into a journey with one of the royal princes. The prince gets changed after an encounter at the Spires and is no longer the same man who started out on the journey. Elen and her nephew Kem lead the prince to his destination after many days journey. After reaching the destination there is a major upset in the situation and it leaves the perfect stepping point into the next book. The 'magic' system in the book is well thought out but there is still plenty of information to be learned, as Elen is finding out. Excellent book!

I received this as an ARC from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

I read “The Keeper’s Six” and am familiar with Elliot’s writing. I felt like it aligned, so fans will be pleased. It’s heavy on the telling narrative style, heavy on the world, light on the plot, which seems to be Elliot's MO. Great worldbuilding, thoughtful character development. It doesn’t feel like it works as a stand-alone so isn’t quite right for our libraries.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor for the ARC.

From the publisher: When an arrogant prince (and his equally arrogant entourage) gets stuck in Orledder Halt as part of brutal political intrigue, competent and sunny deputy courier Elen—once a child slave meant to shield noblemen from the poisonous Pall—is assigned to guide him through the hills to reach his destination. When she warns him not to enter the haunted Spires, the prince doesn’t heed her advice, and the man who emerges from the towers isn’t the same man who entered. The journey that follows is fraught with danger. Can a group taught to ignore and despise the lower classes survive with a mere deputy courier as their guide?

Wow. I loved this. LOVED THIS. The Witch Roads is the best fantasy by an author new to me that I’ve read in years.

“Life is so brief, the wind murmured. Let your heart swell to fill the moments you have.” (ch 55 of the advance reader copy)

Elen is a courier who has walked the same route each month for ten years. She survived a terrible childhood and young adulthood, escaping from danger more than once with her beloved sister. Her sister has since died in a terrible accident, and Elen’s only family is her teenaged nephew Kem. It is time for Kem to Declare for a profession, and Elen takes him on her route so he can see what being a courier is like. They stop overnight at a place with a mysterious reputation, and a haunt reveals itself to Elen while Kem is asleep. Soon after she finds herself escorting a prince and his entourage on a dangerous journey – but the prince is now controlled by the haunt.

Refreshingly, the main character is an adult woman (in her 30s) and the teenagers are treated as young adults who still have things to learn. This a thoughtful, slow-moving fantasy that carefully spins out the tale. The world building is good without being overly detailed. There are a lot of intriguing characters that are distinct enough that I had no trouble telling them apart. They have depth. I felt like any one of them could have been the main character.

“Hope was a liar, so she’d trained herself to love what was present around her and let the rest go. To live where her feet were placed.” (ch 65 of the ARC)

Although the story is slow moving, there is plenty of believable action. I relished every page. The covers are gorgeous, and I loved the chapter lengths. They seemed just about perfect if I needed to find a good place to stop. I frequently don't even notice chapter headings but enjoyed the ones in this book (e.g., Of Course He Was Handsome, Should They Live That Long, Don’t Look Down, Intrusive and Rude). The humor in this story was just right for me. Not crude, but often deliciously subtle.

The Witch Roads was also a timely read for me, right now in what seems like terrible times.
“There were people who used their wicked power to rule. Well, not even to rule, but to take and trample, to blight and to bleed life out of living things in order to extend and expand their own. As long as they shone brightly in their own eyes, in their own fastnesses, they cared not if they cast the world into darkness and despair and disorder.”
“And then what happened?”
“The usual story. Those who opposed them, fought them, even though it must have seemed a futile war. Still, honorable people will stand up when they must. In the end, the honorable people won, although at a terrible cost.”
(ch 55 of the advance reader copy)

I’ve read only one other book by Elliott, the novella The Keeper’s Six, which I enjoyed. I’m excited that I now have a bunch of other books by her to read. The Witch Roads reminded me of two books I’ve read recently by Martha Wells, Witch King and Wheel of the Infinite (both of which I loved).

I read an advance reader copy of The Witch Roads from Netgalley. My biggest complaint is that is scheduled to be published on June 10, and then how long will I have to wait for the sequel? (It very much ends in the middle of the story.) I will reread it right before the sequel is published! The Witch Roads will be available for checkout at the Galesburg Public Library.

Kate Elliott triumphantly captures the spirit of epic fantasy in The Witch Roads, with a moving story, compelling characters, and a world full of adventure, mystery, and ancient magic that is just begging to be explored. This is the kind of book that you just want to get lost in, with deputy courier Elen's peril-filled journey across the richly described lands of the Tranquil Empire in service to a haughty (now haunted) prince and company the perfect avenue to get embedded into the fabric of the story. Elliott weaves a tale thick with political intrigue, family secrets, class hierarchy, dangerous escapes, and a deeply strange, surprising, and touching friendship that will keep readers happily turning pages and marking their calendars for the release date of the second installment of this duology once they reach the shocking ending.

An easy recommendation for any fantasy collection.

I thought this was an ok book. It took a while to get started, which I don't mind but I didn't find it to be especially engaging.

Unfortunately, this book wasn’t for me. I found it slow and hard to connect to the characters or storyline. About 50% in, I did stop reading because it just wasn’t holding my interest. I do appreciate the opportunity to read in advance.

DNF at 10% as I found this to be too slow paced and the story was really slow in picking up with not much happening.