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New York Times: Reversing that trajectory, Martha Wells has followed up her best-selling series of Murderbot novellas with a return to full-length, epic fantasy. WITCH KING (Tordotcom, $28.99, 414 pp.), a deeply immersive throwback to a beloved (and for me, foundational) species of 1990s fantasy doorstop, is full of cataclysmic intrigues between mostly immortal families, complete with map and dramatis personae.

The titular Witch King, Kaiisteron, or Kai, wakes from an enchanted sleep to find that he and his best friend, Ziede, have been betrayed and imprisoned by someone close to them. Kai is a demon, able to wield magic and possess the bodies of the living; Ziede is a witch, able to converse with the elemental world. They use their powers to subdue and escape their would-be captor, but discover that Ziede’s wife, Tahren, is missing.

Together — gathering waifs and strays along the way — they embark on a quest to find her and root out the conspiracy that separated them. As they search for answers, Kai remembers his early life fighting necromantic wizards called Hierarchs and rebuilding the world they broke.

Kai is very good at protecting those he has chosen to care for, and part of the pleasure of “Witch King” comes from seeing his keen-edged competence at work, contrasted with moments of profound, bewildered vulnerability. Kai’s timelines play off each other wonderfully: Elements introduced in a dizzying rush of world building become welcome context for the flashbacks, which in turn escalate tension in the present. Wells is working at the height of her powers here, and it’s relaxing to be carried along for a ride in the company of such a phenomenal storyteller.

Wall Street Journal: Regular readers of sci-fi know Martha Wells from her Murderbot Diaries (if you don’t, go get them immediately). “Witch King” is a fantasy novel about as far from Murderbot as it’s possible to get, and the fact that the author does it so well is a testament to her range and abilities.

We start in the middle of the action, meeting the main character and his companion when they wake up after a mysterious betrayal and attack. Kai uses his supernatural powers to drain the life out of his enemies just in time to rescue Ziede, who has been locked away in a vault. But what starts off seeming to be the tale of two vampiric lovers who kill and consume anyone in their way turns into a story far more complicated and fascinating.

Kai, we soon learn, is a demon from the “underearth,” a creature whose formidable abilities are connected to the experience of pain. In the world of “Witch King” demons are decidedly non-spiritual creatures who have a complex relationship with the people of the Grasslands; they are invited into the bodies of the dead and then treated like family. Ziede is a witch, which here is more a race than a profession. She is close friends with Kai but married to a missing woman called Tahren—who has Fallen from another group, the Immortal Blessed.

“Witch King” across two different timelines: Years ago, when Kai, Ziede and Tahren first meet and help save the world from the crushing invasion of the Hierarchs, and in the story’s present, when the Rising World—an alliance of the surviving nations—is in jeopardy.

Ms. Wells creates uniquely fascinating cultures and abilities for the people who live in her universe, including magic systems that are fully developed and beautifully described. When Kai swallows a magical “intention” into his chest you can practically see it.

The heroes’ adventures together are exciting and their escapes clever; quibbles with the book are just that. There is supposed to be a grand conspiracy trying to topple the Rising World, and it would have been nice to see it in action outside the main group of characters. Also, there are a lot of names to keep track of. Fans of intricate fantasy may love that—but my aging brain needed a wiki.

A wonderfully original world, sympathetic characters and a solid quest make “Witch King” the satisfying fantasy you yearn for when named swords and cursed rings begin to grow stale.

Publishers Weekly: Harrison delivers her signature blend of high stakes urban fantasy and soap operatic interpersonal drama in the 18th installment to her Hollows series (after 2022’s Trouble with the Cursed). Witch-born demon Rachel Morgan has successfully claimed the role of subrosa, or leader of Cincinnati, Ohio’s supernatural communities, but now must defend that title against challengers. Her latest enemy, a mysterious mage, sets out to undermine her power base by targeting her allies, including her friend David, who is harassed by renegade werewolves. Meanwhile, the coven of moral and ethical standards is breathing down Rachel’s neck regarding her use of an unsavory charm, and her boyfriend, elven businessman Trent Kalamack, faces punishment for his own illegal dealings. Rachel must protect her loved ones, prove her innocence to the coven, and defeat the enemies gunning for her before she loses everything. There are a lot of balls in the air, but Harrison juggles them gracefully. Longtime readers will be gratified to see both increased momentum in the overarching series plot and callbacks to much earlier installments. This series still has some surprises up its sleeve.