Witch King tells the story of Kai Ashante, a powerful necromancer who was murdered and imprisoned in a magical trap. When he wakes up, he finds that the world has changed drastically, and he must use his magic to find out what happened and why he was betrayed.

Wells does a masterful job of creating a rich and complex world in Witch King. The characters are well-developed and relatable, and the plot is full of twists and turns. The magic system is also unique and interesting, and it plays a major role in the story.

One of the things that I enjoyed most about Witch King was the relationship between Kai and his allies. Kai is a loner by nature, but he is forced to rely on others in order to survive. He forms a close bond with a group of rebels who are fighting against the oppressive regime that killed him. These relationships are some of the strongest aspects of the novel, and they help to make the story feel more personal.

Overall, Witch King is an excellent fantasy novel. It is well-written, well-paced, and full of memorable characters. I highly recommend it to fans of the genre.

I am DNFing this book at the 26% mark. It is so convoluted that I have no idea what's going on. I have tried to piece things together and when I think I have, it jumps back in time. I'm not a fan of dual time lines. I love Murderbot but this book is not doing it for me in the slightest.

I would like to thank NetGalley for my audio arc of Witch King in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved the storyline and the world building. The fact that demons aren't the bad guys here was a great way to turn that trope on its head. Kai was interesting from the moment he wake up until the end, no matter which body he is in. The magic system was great, a bit tricky to understand when most of the words aren't written in front of me so without paying 100% attention, some things are hard to understand.

My issue with this one wasn't the storyline, but the narration itself. Seeing as this is an audiobook review, I have to mention that the narrator did not do it for me. He was so monotone, putting me to sleep several times. Which is why this became 4 stars vs 4.5 for me.

Saying I am a huge fan of Maratha Wells is an understatement. Having delved into both Books of Raksura series and The Murderbot Diaries series by the queen of science fiction and fantasy, I was over the moon when I heard about Witch King and was extremely lucky to receive an advance copy.

With her compelling storytelling prowess, her staple top notch world building and charismatic character development, Maratha Wells writes an amazing tale in Witch King, of witches, demons, humans, Hierarchs and Expositors. True to her signature style, Wells does not hold the reader’s hand throughout the narrative, and Witch King follows suit. From the very beginning, you are plunged into the story without any contextual preamble, instantly engulfed in a narrative that transitions between the present and the past, imbuing the tale with an alluring layer of mystery and intrigue. Fair warning to the readers! Witch King is no mere light-hearted fantasy novel. It is a work of complexity that demands unwavering attention to every detail in order to fully grasp the expansive and complex story it presents.

One of the main things that stood out to me in Witch King was the concept of how a demon can only be killed in the Above World and if they are killed, they can jump bodies and still retain the power of taking the host’s body to the underworld if needed. This added a rather unique element to an already excellent high fantasy story.

It is no secret that Maratha Wells creates extremely lovable anti-heros so it wasn’t surprising when most of the notable characters in Witch King turned out to be extremely morally grey, including the protagonist Kai. For a life sucking, body jumping demon, Kai is extremely well crafted and managed to steal my heart. I loved how while he appeared to be all fun and games, he could be extremely crafty. The cast of supporting characters were excellent too. I really wish there was more of Ziede and Sanja because I loved both of them very much. The delightful banter between the characters and the evolving bond of friendship, portrayed in both timelines, truly captivated me with its masterful execution. Bashasa, Sanja, Tenes,Tahren, Ramad, and Saadrin, in particular, stood out vividly, leaving a lasting impression. Their personalities shone brilliantly and resonated with me on multiple levels.

In conclusion, Witch King was a fantastic and complex read filled with mystery and intrigue, that absorbed me into the story right from the start. Although the story wrapped up well and can be a stand alone, I would love nothing more if this was turned into a series.

My sincere thanks to Netgally, Macmillan Audio, Tor Books and Martha Wells for providing me this advance copy of Witch King.

Audiobook Review:
The narrator was extremely good and did a great job with the dialogs and the narrative of the story bringing the life out of Kai and the supporting cast of the characters.

Found this story hard to get into. I was looking forward to it, but just couldn't connect with the story. I feel like this may have been more me and my current reading mood. I may try reading it at another time in the future.

Audiobook 3.5-4.0 stars (great narration).
Book may be 4.5, depending on if the text makes things clearer than the audiobook.

This is an incredible new world that Martha Wells has built. I absolutely adore so many of the characters and their development, as well as the vastness and components of the world-building. It is so cool that the different species of people in this world access different sorts of powers and/or approach their “magics” (manipulation of Earthly energies) in different ways. The collection of main characters is each uniquely powerful, deeply hopeful/optimistic and incredibly fallible, especially torn apart by passed their trauma. Their “chosen family” dynamics are wonderfully represented. I also very much appreciate the representation of all kinds of different peoples (diverse genders and races and species, no assumption of heteronormativity, the need .for ongoing healing after experiencing transformative world events, etc).

Truthfully though, I needed to listen to the first 90% of this TWICE to alleviate enough of my confusion to really grasp what was going on!! This is why I am wondering if I would rate the physical book higher, depending on how much clearer things would have been could I have read it in that format.

This is one thing that I continually find in audiobooks - where a text jumps back and forth between the past and present - there seems to be little to no distinction of the jump between timeframes. Is this actually more clearly differentiated in the physical book? Because in this audio, it was only delineated about a third of the time and I found this incredibly confusing!! For example, if you are changing timeframes and not telling us, at LEAST hold a somewhat longer silence in between the two.

Further, IF any book ever comes with an accompanying PDF, those have never ever been released with ARC audios. For those of us that are not able to read physical books, and are reviewing audiobooks in advance of their release, the accompanying PDF should be provided. In this case, I would absolutely have like an accompanying PDF of this world’s maps, as well as journey maps for both the past and the present, as well as the full list of characters to refer back to.

Despite my experience reading fantasy and journeying through new worlds, I found this book incredibly confusing until I read it a second time. During my second reading, I realized that so many things had been tangentially alluded to, that I only knew what was happening in hindsight. Frankly, too many. It shouldn’t take a second read-through to actually understand and enjoy a book - only to potentially get to know it better or find a few hidden easter eggs or better understand the characters’ motivations - not to get the gist of the base plot line!

That said, I absolutely loved the vastness and detail of the world-building, so many of the characters in both the past and present, and overall tone of the writing. As always, Martha Wells’s inclusiveness and representation is refreshing (and something I continue to return to my favourite authors because of).

The second time that I listened to this book, I absolutely loved it. The narration is fantastic too and really adds to the story. I just wish that it could have been made clear enough so that I could have loved it on the first listen.

So much gratitude to the publisher, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this audiobook, in exchange for my honest review.

This was another good book from a great author. I loved the Murder Bot Diaries and so I knew I needed to read this book as well and it did not disappoint.

This is going to be a short review friends. So let us begin. I was not drawn into this book because I knew who the author was. I did not. Though I have now learned of her Murderbot series and will have to give that a shot. I also learned she's a Texas author! I love some Texas authors! So I knew going into this book that it was a fantasy novel, and I adore fantasy. I just do not think I was in the right headspace for this one.

I think this book is meant to be read, in physical form, because the audio was a bit hard to follow. We do not have a linear timeline and we start in the middle of the story and jump from past to present. There are a lot of flashbacks about Kai's past. It was not the easiest to follow in audio form. I think the narrator did an ok job but I don't know if he was the right fit or maybe it was just too immersive when it comes to stories.

There was a lot of great substance but I think I'm going to have to come back to this one later and read the physical or Kindle version of this book. With that being said, it really does have a lot of great fantasy aspects with amazing world building and intriguing characters, it just wasn't for me at this time.

Half of this story is told in flashbacks by Kai a demon living in the mortal world. Kia wakes to find his body trapped and someone trying to use his powers. After defeating the small group and moving into a new host body provided by the attackers, Kai frees a friend entombed with him and they both start a journey to find the rest of their band of friends. The rest of the book alternates with flashbacks of Kai’s first seasons on the mortal plane with distant mortal relations. As the story unfolds in flashbacks his journey in the current time has him going back to where it all started so as the story unfolds you find out why he is going to an abandoned city to find the rest of his friends. A good self-contained story and there is so much room for development in this universe and yet there is no cliffhanger ending to have you demanding the next one ASAP.

First and foremost I really enjoyed the narrator for this audio. I feel that he did a good job of bringing this story to life and doing it justice, I loved this novel. The magic system is super complex and fun and I found myself soaking in every bit of information that i could about it. I really liked Kai and Ziti, i think that in the vast world of adventure bound friends these two will stick out in my mind for a very long time. There is so much presented in this story and I don't feel like the story every bogged down or stalled in any way. The world building is absolutely gorgeous. The attention to detail was so vivid and lyrical I had no problem imaging myself there in the moment with the characters. I think that the timeline jumps would have been a bit easier for me had i read instead of listen to this one, as i did find a few times where i was definitely confused. All in all this is a great fantasy book especially for those that enjoy world building and a more plot driven story line.

I'm a fan of the MurderBot series from Martha Wells, but this is the first fantasy novel of hers I've read. I found it to be a great book. The characters are engaging and diverse, and the story moves along at a pace I enjoyed. There are a few slower spots, but as there is a good bit of world building to set the stage for what is coming, that's expected. Having a demon (even in human form) is an interesting starting point, especially as it has a fairly strict ethical code, which is not what most people thing of with a demon. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and look forward to more books set in this world.

This is one of the first times I can actually say that I need to read the physical book after listening to the audiobook. The book is so dense and it cycled back and forth from the past to the present. With the present only being a few days span. I need to take notes to figure out exactly what is going on and you absolutely need to remember the names in the beginning because there’s so many important characters and the narrator doesn’t change his voice to reflect them (I do love this narrator though and have listened to a few of his narrated books).

The story itself is great and the magic system and demon system is really fascinating. There are almost too many characters and with going back and forth from the past and the present I would forget where I was in the story timeline. But it was a good story overall. I just need to go back and read a physical copy to fully understand the extent of what is going on.

If you like a complex magic system and a really funny and unique set of characters (the dry humor in this was absolutely my favorite part) then you’ll love this. It’s worth me doing a re-read to better understand it because I’m pretty confident there will be another book.

This is first book I've read by this author and I can definitely see now why she has such a large following. The characters are likable anti-heroes that you cheer and eagerly follow as they set about in their world. The Witch King feels a bit like an expanded novella but still maintains interest throughout as our protagonist solves an existential mystery.

Story: Kai wakes up to find his body dead and his spirit imprisoned - not the position a demon wants to find himself in. When fate brings him a new host, he knows he must rescue his colleagues and discover what happened - how did he end up in this position and where is one of his missing friends?

The story is deceptively simple yet surprisingly nuanced. In this world, demons are not evil and instead have a pact with humans that allow them to experience the human world. But there are those who do not want the demons taking sides and so their clans are being eliminated. It is in this situation that our protagonist wakes up. He has to find out what happened to his colleagues (witches and magic users) while at the same time discovering how he came to be so thoroughly entrapped.

The story is told alternating between the present and Kai's memories. The memories are important because they set the world building and the situation that dictates the present. As the mystery slowly unravels, we end up with characters who only exist in the past or in the present, not both. It makes for a very engaging read: beyond the great characters there is also the world mystery to slowly solve.

The pacing is decent and there is plenty of action. But really, the star here is the great set of characters. Each one of highly diverting, with humor, snark, pathos, and whimsey. Some of powerful, some are not, but all are incredible distinct and well built.

This book follows a complete arc. If it is related to any of Martha Wells' other books, I did not feel lost or that I had to read any to follow this story. It's an excellent stand alone and one which I'd love to read more with these people.

Note: I listened to the audio version and the narrator did an excellent job of bringing out all the distinct personalities. It could be a bit hard to follow in audio since it is such a nuanced story, however. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

DNF at 22%. I liked the description of the book, but it couldn't hold my attention. The jumping back and forth between past and present didn't serve the story in my opinion. Considering the complicated cultures and political intrigue it would've made more sense to start at the beginning instead of what felt like the middle. It's also not a good sign when you don't really care about the main character or their concerns.

First thing I’d like to say about this book is that I listened to it and though I love audiobooks and the narrator was good - I think this is a book that would be better in print. There are dual timelines and the switches were sometimes hard for me to follow in the audio. However, I really enjoyed the book and I will probably reread it with my eyeballs to enjoy it more.
The world building in this book is fantastic and so are the characters. The main character Kai is the best part of this book. I think I might not be cut out for stand alone fantasy books though because when this was over I wanted there to be more. It ends in such a way that there is room for more and maybe if I wish hard enough she will write more?
Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for an advance listening copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Oh, Martha... you've wowed us with a murderous robot with feelings and a sense of humor but dished us out a plate of cold noodles with this one. Witch King feels exactly like most other fantasy novels of the modern era with limitless action, but no personality. BUT... loads of people love this kind of story... good writing, neat world-building, justice, revenge. I apologize for desiring more in a book. Give us more Murderbot.

Unfortunately, I had to DNF this at around 50%. I was not enjoying myself, so I had to make the move to put this down. I had never read Martha Wells, I am still interested in the Murder Bot series. The writing was enjoyable, but it was slowly paced.

Witch King is fast and fun, with great world building and characters that make me long for a part 2. Our witch king is Kai, a demon in a mortal body, who wakes up in an unknown place and has to figure out how he got there, what's going on, and most importantly who's trying to kill him. The audio is very well done. The narrator gives a great performance and really helps ease the load of taking in all of the characters and cultures we're given in this world. For those who love their fantasy to have high stakes and a thread of humor throughout.

I received the audiobook as an ARC on NetGalley.

Reading a Martha Wells story is always a great idea and this one did not disappoint.

Kai wakes up and realizes he’s not in his body. He can’t remember what happened or who betrayed him. He collects allies along the way to find the truth and his missing friend. Flashes of the past paint a detailed picture of how friends and foes came to be in the aftermath of a revolution. Witch King is an action packed fantasy adventure filled with twists, political intrigue, and a complex magic system.

I definitely recommend picking up this book!

Love love love and plenty of feels. Gosh, Wells can write! Also, no of course it's not Murderbot--it's not meant to be.

This drops the reader into the world and lets you figure it out as you go, which I always appreciate--very little exposition. There was so much to like about this: Martha Wells builds neat, unusual, fully-realized worlds and I like spending time in the places (as well as with the people) that come out of her head. I love the ways in which she experiments with, and invites the reader to think experimentally about, culture and gender.

A chief complaint by readers who discovered Wells via Murderbot is that Witch King is not a Murderbot book. It is not. Wells has too much depth and range to do something as simplistic as offering a sardonic, long-suffering Murderbot analog in a fantasy setting. The dry wit and sarcasm are there in Witch King, but they're applied with a lighter touch.

Having some characters who are very, very long-lived over the course of a world's history allows the writer to do interesting things with the plot. Demonkind and the Immortal Blessed (who are as insufferable as you'd hope they would be) live for a very long time, so we have characters who experienced events first-hand that contemporary mortal humans have only learned about as history.

Our MC Kai, for all that he's called the Witch King, is not technically either a witch or a king; he is a demon prince living in a human body. His closest friend and comrade-in-arms, Ziede, is a true witch. Witches are the offspring of demon-inhabited human bodies and mortal humans. It sounds complicated, and it is, but the contours of the world are introduced in a way that feels easy to track from within the novel.

Chapters alternate between the present and the past--the history that makes sense of the relationships and conflicting interests in the present. I only just tolerate political intrigue in plots, as long as the book has characters I can care about. Intrigue as the main hook just doesn't do it for me, but it's done well here (*and* I cared about the characters)--it's not clear what motives drive a number of the characters, and wondering who can be trusted does an effective job of creating tension.

Relationships are emphasized, but romantic love for the most part has a space off in the wings: Ziede is driven by her love for her wife to set off and stop at nothing to find her, but the relationships front and center are friendships, sibling relationships, the ready and instant kinship of being the last remnants of a culture that doesn't exist anymore because its people were wiped from the earth, and the bonds created when people fight side-by-side, or are sure they're going to die together.
I adored Kai's friendship with Ziede and learning how it was forged.

The ending wraps things up sufficiently to give a satisfying sense of resolution, but leaves plenty of room for further books in this world. If there are, I will get them and read them.

Quibbles:
I received an ARC of the audiobook, and I have a hard time telling if it's the narrator or me, but the acting/emoting of the dialogue didn't always work for me. There were places where the text said that a character said something drily or "breathed the word," and I kept noticing places where the tone used by the narrator didn't seem to quite line up with the directions. I should add though that it wasn't always in cases where the text specified how something was said; it also happened in places where I just thought a character would have said something differently, and that's pretty subjective. Again, this could be me.

Listening to this as an audiobook, I also had a more difficult time keeping straight the (to my ear similar) names of some characters, cultures / ethnic groups, and places than I would have if I'd had a visible text to refer to.

I received an ARC of the audiobook in exchange for an unbiased review--thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio/Tor for the opportunity. My opinions are entirely my own.