Witch King

Genre

Fantasy & Magical Realism

Publisher

Tordotcom (Macmillan)

Publication year

2023

ISBN

9781250826794

Kai, a powerful demon, wakes from imprisonment underwater with his memories scattered, betrayed by those he trusted. As he pieces together who trapped him, the novel weaves between his present hunt and the past war that made him a legend. Martha Wells's fantasy won the 2024 Locus Award for Best...

Kai wakes underwater, drowning, stripped of his memories and his power - which is a poor way to treat a demon who once helped save the world. Martha Wells, celebrated for the Murderbot Diaries, returns to secondary-world fantasy with a twisty, propulsive novel that alternates between Kai's furious present-day hunt for whoever betrayed and imprisoned him and the sweeping past war of conquest and resistance in which he became the fearsome 'Witch King.' Wells drops the reader into a dense, unfamiliar world without hand-holding, trusting them to assemble its intricate politics and magic on the move - demanding at first, richly rewarding once it clicks. Her strengths are all here: prickly, loyal characters, crackling banter, and a fierce interest in power, freedom and found family. The dual timeline pays off in genuine emotional and plot revelations. For readers who like immersive, character-driven epic fantasy and do not mind working a little for it, this Locus-winning novel is a confident, satisfying entry into a new world.