Martha Wells gives another wonderful story. The premise is one I've not read before and found to be a good idea to base a story on. The characters develop well and I wanted to always know what they were going to do next. Engaging and fun, like all of Wells work. I recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing for this digital Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.

As a fan of Martha Wells’s Murderbot series, I was more than a little curious to check out her ventures into fantasy. The Murderbot books are often fast-paced plots with a mix of action and humor and each subsequent book in the series has managed to add another layer of emotional depth. Above all else, they are entertaining and if I find myself bordering on a reading slump or if I just finished reading something heavy, they are perfect palette cleansers or even reading slump busters.

It is little surprise then that I found Wheel of the Infinite to be almost equally delightful and entertaining, even if it takes some time to rev up. Wheel of the Infinite starts off relatively fast when our heroine, Maskelle, a former priestess traveling with — of all things — an acting troupe, rescues a ronin-on-the-run by the name of Rian. Maskelle has more or less been excommunicated from her religious order for reasons I will not spoil here, but when she returns to the temple of her former master, both her and Rian find themselves embroiled in a mystery that is affecting the very fabric of their reality.

I love the world Wells has drawn up here, heavy in eastern influences — specifically Hindu-Buddhist. It feels wildly different from much of the fantasy I have read so far, but no less accessible.

Maskelle is a wonderful character. She’s refreshingly older than your standard fantasy heroine, and she has a quiet confidence that never feels labored. As too many poor souls are late to learn, she is a figure of considerable power. And while her acerbic nature (much of the book’s humor stems from her inner monologues) and rough edges win her little adoration from her contemporaries, I suspect most readers will feel differently. Rian, meanwhile, feels woefully underdeveloped by comparison.

After a fast start, Wheel of the Infinite really slows down narratively. The storytelling takes on a passive approach, losing urgency and momentum despite some strong action sequences. But once Wells gets to the heart of the matter and Maskelle’s investigation starts in earnest, Wheel of the Infinite shines as solid, fast-paced entertainment. It isn’t spectacular, but its unique flavors and blessedly stand-alone nature prove invigorating nonetheless.

Note: This book was first published in 2000 but was revised and rereleased in November of 2024. This review is based on this revised edition.

Ok . Omg this was so good, talk about great a great book. The fantasy on this was great. The plot is complex and interesting. It keeps you wanting more at every turn. As a adventure is different and enjoyable. Love the caravan concept and how the story develops thru it. Love Maskelle and Rian banter immensely. Really good standalone.

Martha Wells has become one of my favorite authors. I loved her “Raksura” series and was bowled over by her “Murderbot” novellas. I thought I would follow her across genres. The Wheel of the Infinite soars in terms of world-building imagination, but fallsshort in dramatic shaping and plot structure.

The story starts with a fortuitous encounter on the road between Maskelle, a confident and immensely powerful magic wielder, and handsome, enigmatic swordsman Rian. After she saves his life, he and a band of motley other characters accompany Maskelle to the heart of the Celestial Empire. Much later, we learn that she’s returning from exile after being judged a traitor and much, much later, that her task is to help remake the beautiful, orderly mandala known at the Wheel of the Infinite, thereby ensuring peace and harmony for the Empire. At turns, the action moves swiftly with leaps of dramatic tension or as slowly as any travelogue. In this, it reminded me of The Lord of the Rings (the books, not the movies), which alternated between seat-of-the-pants action and pages upon pages of passing scenery. Also that there’s a quest, although in Rings, the mission is much more clear and consistently present.

Maskelle was one of my favorite characters in a long while. She’s an older woman, always a plus with me, she’s quite comfortable with her sexuality (double plus), and she’s terrifyingly competent as a magician (triple plus). Once the question of whether she’ll decide it wise to take Rian as her lover is settled, he pales by contrast as a character. Many, many other characters appeared (and disappeared, some temporarily, others not so much) but weren’t around for long enough to engage my sympathy.

The premise, world-building, magical system, and protagonist were all marvelous. The book is highly ambitious, offering fresh, original takes on time-honored tropes. Its sheer size and scope break down under their own weight. It’s as if Wells, whose novellas and shorter novels are tightly plotted gems, hasn’t quite made the leap to books of this length and complexity. Nevertheless, both are enjoyable reads with many twists and innovations. While neither worked perfectly for me, I’m eager to read her next project.

So excited that one of my favorite books got revised and updated! Even as I am a little disappointed by the cover and the lack of illustrations….this is Martha Wells we’re talking about.

This story is just as good this second time around, an intriguing world and mysterious and exciting characters! Along with a plot that will have you at the edge of your seat!

I highly recommend this one!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an earc of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Was hoping to enjoy this one but couldn't connect with the premise or writing style. Martha Wells is talented but she's just not for me I fear.

"Maybe I am too old for this, she thought. Too old for war, too mean-tempered for peace."

Martha Wells' Wheel of the Infinite features a competent returned-from-exile middle-aged female protagonist which we don't have enough of in the genre. Asked to return to the capital when traditional rites linked to the world's magic system get buggy, the no-nonsense Maskelle travels to her city and immediately takes charge of the investigation, picking up a bodyguard along the way.

The next few days see a lot of action to solve the mystery before a strict deadline, with ever increasing stakes. The plot is compelling and the book is first and foremost action driven. While the characters are sketched out well and we see their dominant traits come to the fore, the short timeline of the book doesn't leave much space for growth or introspection. Given the strong character growth in the author's later work Murderbot, this was a bit less than what I expected going in. However, the action driven plot, actions which are still somewhat representative of the characters more than make up for it.

I liked the world-building done over the course of the story, giving out only what is required for the plot to the point where it's almost not enough. The magic system is interesting with unique flaws that were of course exploited, and I would have appreciated a bit more depth to the world-building. But more than everything else, I thoroughly enjoyed the author's wry humour and her writing manages to strike a balance with all elements in the book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for an ARC of the 2024 updated edition of this book, the review is entirely honest.

🌟🌟🌟3/4
[3/4 star for the premise and the whole book; One star for the story and themes; 3/4 star for the writing; 3/4 star for the world-building; Half a star for the characters - 3 3/4 stars in total, rounded up to 4 stars.]

Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing for the ARC.

It's so hard to describe what this book is, it's like a epic fantasy condensed into a single volume, yet still able to have the complex worldbuilding and conflicts that reach from the individual characters to the wider spiritual system of this world. I loved the main characters, didn't mind the instalove as much as I normally would. It helps that they're both grown adults with a whole life lived before meeting each other. I'm glad that the success of the Murderbot Diaries is drawing more attention to Martha Wells' earlier works because it's entirely deserved, she's a incredibly gifted writer.

This was an incredible read! It's dense, and it's a slow read, but oh, what a story it is! I'm glad that these stories are being updated and revised, because her Murderbot Diaries series is really popular, and that's getting more eyes, including my own, on these books, which is great, because they're fantastic reads!

Maskelle did some things that she's not proud of, which got her pretty much banished. That she held a position of some significant, and it can't be filled while she's still alive, well, it's complicated. And so is the whole thing with the Wheel of the INfinite and how it works, because it's pretty important to the whole world, that it's done right.

The world building was done really well, in pieces and pieces that were easy to digest, combined with some really excellent characters, because Maskelle and Rian were just awesome to read about. Not to mention the mystery about what's going wrong, and who's behind it.

That ending though? That was so fantastic, and I loved how it tied a lot of little pieces together. That one mention of the past, that came to be pretty important in what was going wrong-and how to fix it. I loved where we left these characters, and what that means for their future!

Loved reading this book and I can't wait to read more by Martha Wells!

Book Summary:

The Celestial Empire is full of peace, harmony, and joy, but only if they observe certain rules. One such rule is ensuring that the Wheel of the Infinite is successfully remade in time for the ritual.

That hasn’t really been a problem before, but something is desperately working to corrupt it, and they’re running out of time. So, Maskelle, a somewhat disgraced Voice, has been summoned in a last-ditch effort to save things.

My Review:

I just want to start my review by saying that I love that many of Martha Wells’ older novels are being uplifted and republished. Wheel of the Infinite is the latest novel to receive this treatment, and I am here for it.

Wheel of the Infinite is a high fantasy story with a complex political and magical system. I was drawn in right off the bat, as it’s clear that while Maskelle knows much about the world, she shut herself away from it all.

The story unfolded slowly initially, giving readers time to get a feel for the world and characters. With time, however, everything began to kick off. Enemies started popping up everywhere, and the scale grew larger by the second.

In short, I loved how Martha Wells gave us time to become invested before hucking us out into the deep end. Likewise, she did a pretty decent job of answering all my magical and political questions (though me being me, I still have some).

The characters, friendships, and romantic subplots enhanced the story even further. There’s even a touch of humor—or at least I felt it was humorous. Some details in the world just tickled me.

I could be wrong, but I think Wheel of the Infinite is a standalone novel. Either way, I’m looking forward to seeing more of Martha Wells’ older books come back around. It’s been an excellent motivator for me to sit down and read through her back catalog!

Highlights:
High Fantasy
Female Lead
Romantic Subplot
Gods & Deities

While the premise was nice, the writing was... not what I expected. I wanted more from the characters because I felt that what was on the front cover and the front flap was not what we were given.

I very much appreciate being gifted this copy of Wheel of the Infinite, and the opportunity to read & review it. Thanks to the publisher. I love that Martha Wells' backworks are getting republished, and with revised editions. She's a truly talented writer.

You can always trust Wells to write diverse and well-rounded characters, and to explore the ramifications of magic in her fantasy worlds. This one's got a genuinely kick-ass middle aged woman at its centre, who also gets a love interest, but(!) the romance doesn't feel forced and doesn't distract from the story.

Unfortunately, I mixed up some characters who became integral to the end plot which meant the end didn't strike with full force. Can't be sure whether that was my lack of attention or, potentially, the characters weren't well introduced or well-defined, causing them to become interchangeable in my mind.

I would have benefited from a demonstration of exactly what could go wrong if the Rite to remake the world went astray, perhaps in a vision. To just trust that the Rite always has to go exactly right, and that it does in fact remake the world felt a stretch too far to have to believe. I especially didn't get a sense why a 100-year anniversary would be higher stakes than the annual ones if they're both doing the same thing. I would have loved to see how the Wheel was discovered in the first place, and how the Rites came to be. (How, exactly, does a society learn that they have to remake the world every year?)

I was surprised that this was a standalone though -- it felt like it had more love to give for the world and its characters. Regardless, a solid read.

Martha Wells has been on my list to pick up for a while now and Wheel of the Infinite did not disappoint, I will definitely be reading more of her works in the future.

Wheel of the Infinite is a standalone fantasy set in a world brought to life by beautiful and well-placed description and worldbuilding. We follow the stories of Maskelle and Rian as they are brought together by a chance encounter, wherein Rian joins Maskelle as she returns to Duvalpore for the first time since she was exiled. Together, they must solve the problem of the Wheel of the Infinite and the dark storm that is appearing upon it before the culmination of the 100 year rite.

With inspirations from the likes of Buddhism and southeast Asian cultures, Wells presents a fascinating world and magic system that stands out in a genre full of medieval Europe-styled settings. Her main characters are both well-developed and both POVs are strong and highly enjoyable, as is the relationship that the two have with one another and the other characters. I particularly enjoyed how mature and generally acerbic Maskelle could be. To top it all off, the plot is structured so, so well, leaving enough mystery in the beginning to leave you wondering what would happen next, and everything coming together in the end in a very satisfying way.

Thank you to Tor Books and NetGalley for making the DRC for the newly updated and revised edition available to me. All opinions are my own.

This was an intriguing political fantasy novel that explores complicated relationships between various factions in society. The main intrigue involves the titular ancient religious artifact, which could cause the world to collapse. It's also a classic story of destiny and self discovery, as the main character comes into her own after a time in exile. I enjoyed the setting and main character, and the intersections of magic and religion were interesting, but found there to be too many side characters to keep straight and thought the romance side plot detracted from the main story. It's still worth the read for fans of Martha Wells' other fantasy novels.

First, I would like to thank NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for a copy of this book for an honest review!
I received the revised version of this book and haven't read the original, so I am not sure what was changed or what is different between the two. However, I still enjoyed this book and the incredible creativity of the characters, world, and magic system.
It is slower in pace than I am used to reading, and I was not sure if I would enjoy this book initially, but it surprised me! I was glad to continue, and the characters' backgrounds were intriguing.
This is my 1st Martha Wells book, and it was a great introduction to her work as I have wanted to read the Murderbot series; I am so glad to begin those soon!

I posted my review on Amazon, so I will add a link once Amazon approves my review!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an advance copy in exchange for honest feedback.

Wheel of the Infinite by Martha Wells is the story of Maskelle, a priest who is not on great terms with her god, but is returning to the religious center on command of her superior. If the proper rituals are not completed, the world will change and life as they know it will be transformed. She's traveling with a troupe of actors and puppeteers who are interested in freeing their possessed puppet. And, along the way, Maskelle meets Rian on a side trip to procure some medical herbs for one of the acting troupe.

I enjoyed the book a great deal, as I have everything I've read by Wells. The religious aspects were plausible, given the world they lived on, and the world building was well done and well-integrated, so that it did not take over the novel. The story kept me engaged throughout with enough twists and turns to keep me engaged

This is wide ranging in world building and focus which I happen to love. She connects the world with her main focus very well in her writing and I think that's very commendable. This was a very well written fantasy with some intriguing characters and a world filled with mystery and great fantasy!

This was so fun! Martha Wells once again has pulled me in with lovable, flawed characters, a beautifully crafted fantasy world, and a mystery to be solved.

Similar to Witch King, Wells throws us directly into the story, leaving us to gather information in order to catch up with our protagonist. Wells’ method of worldbuilding, giving you just enough to follow the story and unveiling more details as you get to know the characters better and the plot unspools, feels so natural to me with no dense exposition or info-dumping. This world felt so rich, with each of the different nations’ geography, religion, and culture feeling unique and fleshed out.

The characters were my favorite part of this story, with our stubborn, funny, and powerful protagonist Maskelle and her dynamic with the reserved, sarcastic, and loyal Rian. I also enjoyed the dynamics of their traveling companions and the mutual exasperation between them.

I thought the overall plotting was very well measured until the end, where some elements became too convoluted and I lost track of the urgency of each mission. That said, the ending was still satisfying and I enjoyed the unspooling of the mystery.

I love Martha Wells’ writing and look forward to all of her future projects! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this eARC of the republished version.