So say you love Cold War spy dramas that drip with too strong cigarettes, the acrid polyester smell of betrayal and paranoia, and lots and lots of secrets and lies. Now, say you also love the X-Men. Where to find both? This serial box series, man, it really delivers the goods. I hope this series continues on and on - a super strong recommend.

Along with my fondness for genre-blends, I was intrigued by the idea of bringing fantasy elements into a Cold War era spy thriller setting. The concept is sound, unique, and really exciting. For me though, as I read, it felt a little...choppy, I guess? maybe because the parts were written by several different writers, it never seemed for me to hit a smooth stride and gel. That's a shame because the characters and situations were so fascinating, and I like the concept of presenting it episodically like a tv series. I think the execution could work better with one writer taking the lead and maybe collaborating with others, so there's more of a central focus, and it might not feel so scattered. It's a terrific idea though, and I'm not going to not-recommend, because it may hit differently for other readers; just offering my own opinion.

There was much to enjoy here, but I found I couldn't connect with it. I'd read more from the authors in the future though.

Loved the concept of pairing Cold War spies with a secret history magical war - it added double the paranoia, double crossing, and doubt (at some point though when the sorcerers started piling up I wondered how the secret history stayed secret if every spy was also seemingly a witch!). A few of the twists weren’t that twisty, but the characters showed good development.

The multiple authors worked very well (although there were a few points where secondary characters seemed to know different things in different stories). I would have liked more details on how the magic actually worked, but I imagine that’s taken up in the sequel. And I loved the use of the golem!

All in all, a fun, paranoid read. 3.5 stars.

First episode:
When I remembered that this serial features espionage, I started to feel that getting the full first season from Netgalley was a mistake. Happily, I can now say that it wasn't.

You see, this serial isn't just about spies, it's also about magic. Not only that, the parts of the plot that focus more on espionage are pretty fun too.

This specific episode focused more on world-building but I had so much fun that I don't mind.

The characters may be a bit simple but I can see that they will grow throughout the series and I'm pretty sure they'll be quite interesting.

The only thing I regret is that I didn't start this series sooner.

Rating: 4 stars

I enjoyed season one of The Witch Who Came in from the Cold (clearly inspired by John Le Carré’s famous novel). I loved the magical elements in the novel focusing on a war between two magical factions as well as the tensions between the US and Russia. I thought the idea for this series was original, a sort of magical Cold War novel. I really wanted to love this but the bouncing back and forth between espionage and magic was a little OTT and confusing at times. I think this could have been blended together a bit better. I enjoyed the paranormal aspects a lot more and the espionage chapters left me cold at times. I found myself racing through the espionage sections to get to the next paranormal part. The Witch Who Came in from the Cold is a good idea and I did enjoy it but felt it wasn’t executed as well as it could have been.

3.5 of 5 stars

I may not be the biggest fan of spy fiction, but out of all the Serial Box series released so far, The Witch Who Came in From the Cold was probably the one that excited me the most. To know why, you just have to take one look at that dream team of an author line-up. There are even a couple on there who are on my auto-read list. I mean, that’s a lot of talent in one place, and of course, I was also curious to see how their different styles would work together, because as you know this book is a serialized novel made up of a number of individual “episodes”, similar to a season of a TV show.

As you’ve probably gathered from the title, The Witch Who Came in From the Cold draws its inspiration from the Cold War spy novel by John le Carré. Offering a quirky mix of politics and espionage, the story also has a fair bit of magic and other paranormal elements thrown in for good measure. The scene opens in Prague, where both KGB and CIA agents conduct covert operations amidst heightened hostilities between their respective countries. Gabe Pritchard is an American agent who has been struggling with some problems as of late. Ever since returning from another assignment in Cairo, he has been experiencing some strange effects, like headaches and other distractions that seem to strike him at the worst possible times. Eventually, his actions lead him to cross paths with his Russian counterpart, a KGB operative named Tanya Morozova. While Gabe is aware that she is an agent for the other side, little does he know Tanya is actually more than she appears.

For you see, behind the tensions between the US and Russia, there lies another conflict—the struggle between two magical factions, Ice and Flame. Secretly, Tanya is a sorceress for Ice, working to prevent Flame from realizing their vision of a new world born from the ashes of the old. However, after some disturbing new developments, she is beginning to wonder just how much she can trust her own organization. Complicating matters is the fact that an ally in politics does not necessarily mean an ally in magic, and caught in between are the mundane agents who are blissfully unaware that a whole other sphere of reality lies hidden beneath their own.

After an action-packed intro in the first episode, the story does admittedly slow down somewhat, focusing instead on developing the characters’ backstories and how they came to their positions. The magical aspect is made known very early, following Tanya and her colleague Nadia as they track a target through the streets of Prague. This was our first taste of how magic operates in this world, via elementals and human hosts. It’s a fascinating system, and this section also does double duty in revealing where Tanya’s true loyalties lie. Then there’s Gabe, whose chapters alternate with Tanya’s. He is an ambitious CIA agent, and sometimes a bit rash, which often puts him at odds with his superiors throughout the course of the novel. His character is also important because initially, he is just your mundane guy who has no idea magic exists. Through his eyes, we are gradually eased into the secret war between Flame and Ice, once it is discovered that his migraines have a magical cause and he is forced to work with Tanya in order to find out more.

I have to say, I really enjoyed the authors’ take on the Cold War premise here, especially the added layer of complexity thanks to the imaginative inclusion of the magical war. That said though, due to the constant back-and-forth between the themes of espionage and magic, the pacing did sometimes feel a bit uneven to me. To be fair, I don’t read a lot of spy novels, and when I do, they’re often of the thriller-suspense variety, so subtler types of plot developments tend to be wasted on me. Not that I didn’t appreciate all intelligence gathering, underhanded backstabbing, or sowing seeds of doubt, but after a while, it was clear that I so much preferred the paranormal aspects like ley lines, magical golems, and sorcerous cults. In the end, I was not surprised to find myself gravitating more towards Tanya’s chapters, because hers often featured more magic, while Gabe’s dealt more predominantly with spycraft.

I also noticed similar themes or story ideas repeated in some episodes. Not sure if this might be a hitch in the editing process, but I suppose when you have multiple authors working on the same project, there’s going to be more potential for such issues. Of course, it’s possible too that reading the episodes week by might would have given me a completely different experience. On the whole though, I felt that the serialized format actually worked quite well in this case. Transitioning between the different episodes was practically seamless, and there was clear synergy between the authors’ writing styles. Books like these are also fast making me rethink my initial skepticism for serial novels. Though I think I will always prefer consuming my serials like my TV shows, i.e. binging full seasons all at once, I’m definitely starting to see their potential for creative storytelling as well as a more entertaining way of reading.

Bottom line, The Witch Who Came in From the Cold is another sophisticated and innovative series, perfect for readers who might be feeling up for some fantasy in their spy fiction. Despite some minor obstacles, I had a good time with this book, and it was a treat and joy to see the amazing work done on it by some of my favorite authors.

I asked for this book because Michael Swanwick was one of the writers. Too bad the rest of the writing was not up to his standard. I will not review this book online because I could only read a few dozen pages.

In 60s Prague, Soviet and American spies intrigue, but layered on top is the fight between the Ice and the Flame, competing groups of sorcerors trying to save and/or end the world, with tactics at least as underhanded as those of the Cold War spies. A Soviet spy/sorceress and an American spy are forced to work together on behalf of the Ice, after the American stumbles into something he really shouldn’t have and gets an elemental half-stuffed into him. Engaging enough.

The magical factions of Ice and Flame transcend the Cold War enmities present in '70s Prague. Thus the plot to seize a Host as a focus of magical power sees CIA and KGB members banding together, albeit in an atmosphere of mutual distrust and hostility, against their fellow agents. It's a great idea and is also a group project with multiple authors taking different sections. Therein lies my only crit: I get no sense of a detailed action plan having been agreed beforehand. It reads as if each writer accommodates the plot advances made by his/her predecessor then starts off with his/her own set of subplots and story tweaks, so every chapter is slowed by a small amount of exposition that would not occur in the case of a single author who knew exactly where he/she wanted to go with the story. However, that apart, I did enjoy this book, and would certainly read another in the series.

I find the whole serial concept very interesting. I actually purchased the first instalment of The Witch Who Came in From the Cold a while back and then for some reason I can't remember never picked up the second in the series. That was definitely my loss because these stories are excellent!

The stories take place in the real world but feature major magical elements. They take place in 1970s Cold War era Prague and are about about a few KGB, CIA and MI6 intelligence agents. These agents may be representing a particular nation, but they are actually fighting a secretive war between two magical factions, the Ice and the Fire. These two groups are fighting each other to gain control of Hosts, regular people who suddenly become aware of the magical world and possess special items or abilities.

The premise is so different. I don't think I've seen anything like it before! Cold War and magic?! YES! It works so well and the fact that the characters are technically fighting two wars makes it even more intriguing because which side are they actually on? There are a lot of tough situations that the characters have to face.
I loved how each story was written by a different author but all still managed to tell a well planned out and cohesive story. I also appreciated how each instalment was fulfilling and complete. I've read serial type stories in the past where I was given only one tiny chapter. These stories offer a complete story but leave you hanging on wanting more and more.

By the end of the 7th story I was hooked. At the start the characters were quite vague but now I care so much for them. It's amazing and a credit to the story telling just how much the characters changed and developed as I read. I can't wait to start the next bunch of stories because I need to know what's going to happen!

As is obvious from the title, this story takes it's inspiration from John le Carré, with its retro depiction of spies and double agents. In 1970s Prague, the CIA and the KGB dance around each other, their social circles and stomping grounds weirdly overlapping as agents maintain their cover stories and attend official functions...

But 'The Witch who Came in From the Cold' adds another layer. Not only are there two political sides in play, but there are two rival and opposing magical groups, known as 'Fire' and 'Ice.' Each of these groups seems to think the other is the Worst Thing Ever - and that the destruction of the world may be in the offing, if they are not stopped. What makes things more complicated is that both the CIA and the KGB harbor both those who have no knowledge of magic at all - AND both Fire and Ice agents. Those who might be political allies could also be magical enemies, and vice versa.

The story follows Tanya (KGB) and Gabe (CIA) as a magical problem that Gabe's been suffering from leads him down the magic rabbit hole. Lots of jostling for position and questions about who the 'good guys' might be (if anyone) follows.

This was initially published as a serial, and maybe I'd have had a different feeling about it if I'd read it episodically, but read all as one book it kind of felt unnecessarily long and drawn out. But - full disclosure - I find John le Carré a little bit tedious, too (hangs head in shame.) However, i liked the overall concept, and wasn't tempted to give up on it at any point.

I think the story would appeal to fans of Sergey Lukianenko's "Watch" series and Daniel O'Malley's 'Rook Files.'

Many thanks to Serial Box and NetGalley for the opportunity to read. As always, my opinions are not affected by the source of the book.