Witch King

by Martha Wells

Rovina Cai (Illustrator)

When Witch King and Fourth Prince of the underearth, Kaiisteron—just Kai to his many powerful friends and strange relations—awakens to find himself a prisoner in an underwater stronghold, he has no idea how he got there. Upon learning that his closest ally, the wind Witch Ziede, is also imprisoned, Kai affects a spectacular escape not only from his bonds, but from his very body.

This is not the first time he has accomplished such a trick, as we learn in this twisting, twining narrative that gradually brings together plot lines past and present into a thrilling now. Magic-wielding expositors, terrifying monsters, haughty holy warriors, crafty politicians, and unimaginably powerful outlander wizards bent on world domination are among Kai’s opponents.

He finds himself as much at war with his own demonic nature as with his enemies, reliant on allies old and new to solve the mystery of who imprisoned him, and why. As a conspiracy is gradually uncovered at the highest levels of the Rising World, the empire Kai helped found, questions outnumber answers and dangers threaten from unexpected directions.

• Publish Date: 2023 (first published 30 May 2023)
• Publish Status: Forthcoming
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Subterranean Press
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 432
• Language: English
• URL: https://subterraneanpress.com/wells-wk/
• Special: Exclusive Design Numbered Signed

Reviews

[Quirky Cat]

Book Summary:

Waking up can be surreal in the best of times. Finding yourself locked in a tomb (yes, you read that right) will certainly not be a good time. Yet that is precisely the situation Kai finds himself in, as he wakes to realize he has been murdered and locked away.

Who could have locked Kai away? Whomever it was would have to know how to do so, which limits the number of people significantly. Which begs the question – who betrayed Kai, and why?

My Review:

I've been a fan of Martha Wells for quite some time. One of the things I love the most about her writing would have to be her expansive worlds. The second thing I love about her work? Just how unique and creative each world she creates is.

On that note, Witch King is nothing like MurderBot Diaries. Don't enter this read expecting a science fiction romp featuring a robot with an existential crisis. This is a high fantasy novel, and it is pure excellence. Kai's journey is complex and intricate, and I loved every minute.

The story bounces around between two points in time. Effectively, there's the present (post-murder/betrayal), and then there's the past. The two weave together in beautiful and surprising ways. There were times when I found myself more invested in the present and times when I was upset to leave the past timeline. In other words, the tension was balanced pretty evenly between the two.

I'm not going to lie - Witch King is a dense read. It's 432 pages (I believe), and it has a plot that is just as thick. That said, I seriously recommend this book to anyone who enjoys high fantasy, epic tales, and rich worldbuilding. Witch King is that and so much more. I quickly grew to love many of the characters and sincerely cannot wait for the next installment of this series.

Highlights:
High Fantasy
Complex World
Friendship & Betrayal

Trigger Warnings:
Violence
Death
Enslavement

Thanks to Tor.com and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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