2.5

My dudes, this was so boring and it makes me sad! The premise sounded so interesting but the execution was dry as hell.
The back and forth between past and present drags the pacing and the world building/magic is dense. I couldn’t connect to any of the morally grey characters.
I only finished it because I had a pretty copy from illumicrate.

Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/@starkissedstories ( )

This is a really interesting setting, in several ways: the different peoples and cultures of the known world (especially in the "past" storyline), at least three different kinds of magic (intentions and demon stuff and summoning minor spirits), and the beginnings and aftermath of fighting an occupying force and building something new. It took me a while to get up to speed on all the different things going on, and I was glad for the map and list of people, although I could have also used a glossary to remind me about e.g. cohorts and cadres and vanguarders, Imperials and legionaries and the Rising World. But it was worthwhile and I loved the slow-burn relationships between Kai and various people, and the throughline with Zeide and Tahren, and a bunch of other people. ( )

Like Murderbot, this fantasy ends most chapters on a cliffhanger, and keeps you turning pages to see what happens next. Which can be frustrating, as it is a book that alternates between the backstory and the current action, and I definitely found myself in places annoyed that I'd jumped back to the 'other' story!

It does a lovely job of entwining the two though, and introducing us to a complex and well imagined fantasy world, populated by interesting peoples with their own powers and histories.

It might be the first book in a longer series, but it does a good job of being a self contained story despite that. ( )

Martha Wells knows how to write, no doubt about it. Everything makes sense, it's well rounded and well paced. As she admits, she had trouble finding a conclusion and it shows. This is merely a starting off point for a bigger series.

But oh. my. god. Why? Why does everyone has to have weird pronouns? Everyone starts off with they/them which then switches to their preferred pronouns (without any indication when they told anyone of their preference). This is confusing as hell. And it adds nothing to the story.

Also, why does she spend a paragraph or two on clothing for every. single. new. character. Not even character, just a bunch of people standing around have their clothes described in detail. Adds nothing but fluff.

I read two short books in the meantime because I could not get myself to pick up this book, it was that boring. ( )

Kinda boring book if I'm being honest. The flashbacks were much more interesting than the modern story. That said, the world was very interesting and as an epic fantasy reader I want to know more about it. The stories here didn't do much for me, but the world was so interesting and I wish we had more insight into it. In fact, I think if the book had been 50-100 page longer and had had more scenes from the world (and significantly more exposition) I would have enjoyed it more. it's a shame that Martha Wells intends this to be a standalone novel. There is so much more to explore here ( )

I read this book as part of the Nebula finalist packet.

I love Martha Wells's writing, and Witch King is in many ways brilliant, establishing a fresh new fantasy world with unique magic and vibrant characters. Kai is a demon, but the term means something different here, though he does possess bodies and comes from an underworld. As the book begins, he and a comrade are captured in a watery prison, and he breaks free. I was left disoriented at first--like I jumped into a book halfway--and while it took me a while to get my bearings, curiosity had me hooked and I read on.

Much of the plot focuses on Kai's search for answers about who imprisoned him and his comrades, and why. However, this is only one plot line, and there's another, parallel path that is about his past, how he grew up, and how he met his comrades. Both storylines are interesting, but I don't know if the back and forth was necessary. A whole book about Kai's earlier years would've been quite compelling and easier to follow, and could have connected to this one--which would have needed a lot more plot to be a full novel length. ( )

Kai used to be your average demon living in a body of a recently deceased girl, but eventually, he become one of the heroes that defeated the dreaded Hierarchs. Sounds like a spoiler? Well, it isn't because the main story is happening about 70 years after the world has been liberated from their domination. All the countries are now part of a big alliance, and the accords are about to be renewed. As one of the important figures, Kai is invited to attend. Then he wakes up out of his murdered body without a clue what happened. He needs to escape from his prison together with his witch friend and find out who betrayed him.

In addition to this more investigative storyline, the book also includes chapters set in the past. It is almost 50/50 divided between the past and the present storylines.

I can see that Martha Wells wanted to give the story a bit different approach by starting the book after the big fight had already been won. I am not sure it worked much for me because I appreciated the past chapters more than the present ones. Nevertheless, the present chapters also reveal parts of the past story and help discover this unique world.

The world-building was without a doubt the thing that captivated me the most. Even the characters were more interesting not because of their personalities and relationships, but because of their abilities.

The demons were my favorite race. The whole concept of the way they live in the human world and their abilities were quite original. The world has various types of magic that at the same time seem to have a kind of the same basis.

"Bashasa stared as if he had never seen Kai before. Kai knew his clothes were covered with slashes and blood, that his braids were unraveled because someone very foolish and now dead had grabbed his hair from behind and tried to cut his throat. Bashasa was just as disheveled, his brocade coat sleeves slashed bloody, his knuckles scraped raw. He said, “You have a knife in your chest.” Oh, right, he did."

The whole lore could certainly support a long series and I have a feeling this could potentially become one. While the story works as a standalone, the past storyline still had a lot more to tell and the present one had this one piece of information thrown in that, in my opinion, strongly hinted at a potential sequel.

I received an ARC for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

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I mostly liked this book, but it was hard to follow the story at times, or feel what was at stake due to the style of storytelling and lack of compelling stakes. There are different magic systems at work here, but it took awhile for me to work out how they worked because the story is told in two different timelines, the present, and a past timeline that explains how the characters eventually ended up in their current predicament. I felt like this form of storytelling, while an interesting exercise, didn't lend itself well to conveying what is currently at stake in the story, or why I should care about the characters. Because of those reasons, it took me a bit longer to read this book because I found it so hard to get into. It requires full concentration, and for more casual readers it might be a bit hard to follow. That being said, its not a bad book, and Martha Wells is definitely a powerhouse when it comes to creating new and interesting situations and characters. This is an action packed story, but without establishing empathy for all of the characters, some of the action falls flat. ( )

Was excited to read another book in a completely different setting/world than Murderbot from this author, but I gave up after a few chapters as there was just too many new things, names and concept to keep track of. It just felt exhausting really, even if the two main characters were intriguing. SO the 2 stars is for the potential showed by these characters, not for the overall book since I barely made a dent in it. ( )

Täielik üllatus minu jaoks.
See ei olnud halb, aga ma ei suutnud. Umbes poole peale minust jäigi. Absoluutselt ei huvitanud lugu ja mingit seost ei tekkinud ka tegelastega. Umbes nagu kuulaksid raadiost muu tegevuse kõrvale vikerviise - otseselt ei sega, aga aju stimulatsioon täielik null.
Ja ma armastan Murderboti lugusid! ( )

I absolutely loved this book, it jumps around from past to present but it is done seamlessly. ( )

This is a complex second world fantasy with a heavy emphasis on complex politics. I quite like second world fantasy, I don't like complex politics. I also really struggled with the alternating times in the chapters, coming unmoored from the story on a regular basis.

This is beautifully written, the characters are many and fascinating, and I did not love it. I felt about it much like I felt about *The Goblin Emperor*, with the difference that the writing and characters kept me going with this one, and for the other I did not love anything about it enough to stay invested. ( )

Oh, good. Good. I was worried for a while – I was waiting and waiting for this book, and then, as I read, I kept wondering what to think. The world was interesting, but confusing, since the readers crash-land right in the middle of the action and have to find their way in this new universe. I tend to like to figure things out in books, but I wasn’t having a lot of fun this time. It could just have been me having way too many things on my mind ;) At around 40%, everything clicked into place and I flew through the rest of the book with great pleasure. Thank you, Martha Wells!

There are battles, great characters, found families, conspiracies, flying ships, cool magic, and adventures in submerged ruins. I liked the dual timelines and how they gradually merged, how the back stories fueled the “present” timeline.

Kai is a wonderfully badass character. (I’d be happy to read more books about him having various adventures.) How about a body-snatching, soul-sucking, more or less immortal demon as a main character in a fantasy novel? Yes, I thought so. On the other hand, Kai just wants to be left alone so that he can be with his found family and friends. But fate is not obliging.

“ ‘Stop being overdramatic.’
Kai would have loved to, if dramatic things would stop happening to him.”

There are such small matters as being assassinated in one timeline, and saving the world from really evil sorcerers in the other.

“ ‘I’d tell you to be careful, but…’
Kai looked at her through the black film of the veil. ‘You could say ‘be violent’ instead.’
Tahren, who Kai was beginning to suspect had a very dry sense of humor, patted his shoulder and said, ‘Be violent.’ “

The ending was just what the doctor ordered :) ( )

This is my first read of Marth Wells and I thoroughly enjoyed the book. The characters were well developed and refreshingly original. I didn't quite understand all of the politics of the story, but enough that I didn't get frustrated. Kai is a very interesting character and feel like there is more to his story but as it is the book holds up on its own. ( )

Years ago, Kai was instrumental in the war against the Hierarchs. Now, Kai awakes confused after being held in a submerged prison. He finds himself retracing earlier steps as he tries to find what happened to him and to rescue his remaining friends.

I don't have as much patience for high fantasy as I do science fiction, and I'll admit to zoning out rather than rigorously tracking the shifting alliances and political machinations of this world. So I didn't enjoy this as much as the Murderbot Diaries. Still, I like Wells' writing and this is an enjoyable story. The narrator was competent but not great, with an inattentive performance and direction that resulted in a few oddly pronounced words and poor line readings that missed the context (even a few halting readings of sentences that should have flowed more smoothly). ( )

Kai, the eponymous witch king, awakes in the cave in which he’s been trapped for over a year.

The story alternates between the present -- as Kai sets out to find his friends, and to discover who imprisoned him in the first place -- and Kai’s past. Wells switches between the two storylines quite effectively, with the flashback chapters managing to tell a coherent, sequential narrative and simultaneously provide context for whatever is currently going on in the present. (The deft way the two stories fit together reminded me of Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie.)

The scenery, the characters’ personalities and the found-family dynamics are all very Martha Wells-ish. It’s not my favourite, which is to say I’m not as invested in Kai as in some of Wells’ other protagonists, but I thought it was excellent storytelling.

Dahin hesitated, regarding him with wary skepticism. “If you’re really Kai, tell me something only you know.”
Distracted by unwilling suspicion, Kai said absently, “Your great-aunt Kavinen thinks your nine-volume history of the Hierarchs war was a boring waste of time.”
Dahin let out a breath that was half laugh, half gasp of outrage. “Yes, but she never said it to my face [...]”

( )

Just not my thing. This was a lot closer to Clive Barker than Murderbot. ( )

This book seems to have forgotten to tell us why we should care.
There is far too much exposition like a history textbook and far too little story.
It's a decent history textbook. Not one of the really bad ones, but even good exposition is just not good enough to engage me as I expect from a fiction story.
I am having trouble putting my finger on what precisely the problem with this one is but it just drags horribly.
Initially, I tried to give it the benefit of the doubt and waited for the story to pick up but I am 3 hours into the audiobook by now and it is still a horrible drag.
I am just not getting into the story. It feels like an endless and stale list of things the protagonist says and does.

I think I'll just pin it on terrible pacing. I am so disinterested that the bit of humor and banter didn't even make me smile once.

I'm having trouble determining if the narration makes the book boring or if it's the other way around. I know this problem can go both ways. But I definitively have the impression that the narration at least contributes to the utter boredom in this case.

From the first moments that Kai regains consciousness, his focus on finding his friends and/or avenging them is relentless. Almost demonic, except of course he is a demon so that’s stating the obvious. First he must find and rescue Ziede, the witch, with whom he shares a special bond, and then together they must find Tahren, her wife. And at some point they have to figure out what has happened in the world since conspirators managed to imprison them, and how long in fact has that been? For immortal (or nearly immortal) demons, it might have been a long time. Clearly along with some heavy plot points ahead there is going to have to be some broader explanation of just what kind of world we are in as readers. Almost exactly what you would expect from such a fine word craftsperson as Martha Wells.

Kai is an intriguing being, as an under earth demon inhabiting a mortal host. Of course his history has lent him special traits that aren’t typically associated with demons in this world. Ziede is equally fascinating as her powers are more elemental (she controls wind spirits or devils). And Tahren, whom we travel far to meet is of another kind altogether being one of the immortal blessed.

This is fine writing and world building. It’s easy to fall in step with Kai and Ziede and the characters who share their quest for a time. Indeed, although it is billed as a standalone novel, I think you will, as I do, hope that Kai and Ziede’s story continues in some form in the future.

Recommended. ( )

This was really gripping! Perhaps the perfect melding of Wells's Raksura books and the Murderbot series, in that the main character is an outsider with superpowers and romantic feelings, and he moves through a landscape and history that is magical, fantastical, and tremendously complex politically, and there is a TON of action! Two timelines alternate through the book, and though I was occasionally frustrated by the disruption of the story I was reading, I was quickly pulled back in to the other story. And then again a chapter or two later. And toward the end, they begin to dovetail in a very effective way. I really enjoyed this. ( )

Like a slew of readers, I love Martha Wells’ Murderbot series. I do not love her latest fantasy novel, Witch King, which a slew of readers also love. It loses me in part because I find it hard to care about its complex world of demons, expositors, witches, and cantrips. Mostly though, I am bored by the can-do attitude of demon Kai, who says let’s get out of our undersea coffin and hitch a ride on some whales and take care of business. Give me the Eeyore-ish Murderbot any time. He knows that however messed up he is (pardon the old-school pronouns), at least he is not human. ( )

Another Martha Wells series begins. It is the tale of Kaiisteron,Fourth Prince of the underearth. It is beautifully written with complex cultural and metaphysical details. I found it unexciting. ( )

Did not finish ( )

*3.75 stars*

The Witch King is a dense fantasy written in an inimitable Martha Wells way that had me rooting for a demon. While the world building and parallel timeline action took a while for me to get used to, once I was in, I was completely in. Indeed, I ended up having a lot of fun with Kai and his world.

My quibbles are that I wish the worldbuilding had been just a tad less and that we had some more characterization for some side characters.

Overall, a really solid read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Tor for the ARC
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Before Martha Wells created the amazing Murderbot stories, she wrote great fantasy stories, including The Death of the Necromancer. Her first fantasy novel in more than 10 years is Witch King. Kaiisteron, or Kai, is a demon in human form and a witch. Kai's story is told in two timelines. The past, where he first took human form and played a crucial role in overthrowing the invading Hierarchs. In the present, Kai's consciousness becomes aware sometime after his body is entombed in a watery prison. Finding a new body to inhabit, Kai frees his companion Ziede, herself a witch, and sets out to discover who murdered him and what has happened in his absence.
Wells does such an excellent job with characters, plot, and world-building. The world-building occurs in the background as you get to know the characters and follow them on their journey. In the past, Kai learns his powers and weaknesses as he is caught up in a war and captured by the Hierarchs. Prince Bashasa rescues him and uses him in his plans to free the lands from the Hierarchs. In the present, Kai searches for his murderer as well as the plot that he is certain is working to undermine the new rule. Wells uses both of these timelines to sketch a complex world with a diverse cast that have different powers, politics, motivations, and cultures. The complexity of this world is part of its charm. The alternating timelines also highlight what has changed and what has been lost.

This is a fascinating world to visit. Fans of Wells' fantasy are in for a treat!

I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher. ( )