Once upon a time, in a faraway kingdom, a witch resided in a small cottage on the edge of the dark forest. She had long, silver hair that fell gracefully down her back, and her eyes sparkled with a mysterious glimmer. Rumors of her powers spread throughout the land, some fearing her as an evil sorceress, while others sought her out for her potent potions and spells. One day, a messenger arrived at the witch's cottage, explaining that the king was in desperate need of her help. The once prosperous kingdom had fallen into despair, plagued by droughts, crop failures, and never-ending wars. The king, desperate for a solution, sought guidance from the powerful witch.
Alex Brown is a queer Black librarian and writer. They have written two books on the history of Napa County, California’s marginalized communities. They write about adult and young adult science fiction, fantasy, and horror as well as BIPOC history and librarianship. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and access set the foundation of all their work. Alex lives in Southern California with their pet rats and ever-increasing piles of books.
Wyatt deals with so much in this book, he makes bad decisions and is put into incredibly challenging positions, and we couldn t have this story from anyone else s perspective. I found that there were some really casual phrases words that made their way into Wyatt s thoughts repetitively, and some of it just felt really awkward or a bit off-putting.
The king, desperate for a solution, sought guidance from the powerful witch. The witch listened intently to the messenger's plea and agreed to meet with the king in his grand palace. When she arrived, the king was taken aback by her otherworldly beauty and grace.
REVIEW: the Witch King by H.E. Edgmon
In Asalin, fae rule and witches like Wyatt Croft…don’t. Wyatt’s betrothal to his best friend, fae prince Emyr North, was supposed to change that. But when Wyatt lost control of his magic one devastating night, he fled to the human world.
Now a coldly distant Emyr has hunted him down. Despite transgender Wyatt’s newfound identity and troubling past, Emyr has no intention of dissolving their engagement. In fact, he claims they must marry now or risk losing the throne. Jaded, Wyatt strikes a deal with the enemy, hoping to escape Asalin forever. But as he gets to know Emyr, Wyatt realizes the boy he once loved may still exist. And as the witches face worsening conditions, he must decide once and for all what’s more important—his people or his freedom.
Tran MC, diverse supporting characters, queer fantasy, past trauma, some language/ dialogue may be upsetting to some readers.
I was excited when I became aware of this book. This is the debut novel of H.E. Edgmon and I will be looking forward to more of his writing. While “The Witch King” is well-written and creative but I didn’t really connect with it. I respect the fact that the author wrote in an introduction that the novel was a part of his own self-discovery process so I don’t doubt the authenticity of the voice. I think it’s wonderful for such a relevant “own-voice” novel to be on the horizon.
Wyatt is an interesting character. He has been born a “witch” in the Fae world which means that he is not only discriminated against but he has been committed to an arranged marriage by his parents. Wyatt was to marry Emry – the Prince heir to the throne. Unable to deal with the possibilities of his upcoming life, Wyatt fled to the human world and his new family (complete with lovely best friend, Briar). In the human world Wyatt is able to live as the man he has always been.
I did enjoy the way that the author wrote about Wyatt’s transness. He is accepted by his family of choice lovingly and without judgment. When Emry comes to find him and basically forces Wyatt back into the contract he has fled… that was when I began to lose my connection to some of the characters.
Emyr I was intrigued by. I enjoyed that as the Prince of the Fae, he wanted to become a uniting influence over the world. He definitely loves Wyatt and immediately requests his pronouns and never misgenders or deadnames him. Sadly, I didn’t feel like I really understood the relationship between Emry and Wyatt. I’ve never been much of a fan of stories in which a characters is in a “forced” or “contracted” relationship which progresses to love. I find that type of relationship problematic at best as I think that it glosses over the rights of individuals to choose their own fates.
This novel also has a huge component of bigotry and “racism” in terms of a large portion of the Fae people being discriminatory towards witches and humans (to a much lesser degree). It was portrayed as very simple and lacking a lot of nuance. Then again, that’s only part of what is going on in the story and this is a YA novel.
Wyatt’s voice was a bit difficult for me to connect with. I found that there were some really casual phrases/words that made their way into Wyatt’s thoughts repetitively, and some of it just felt really awkward or a bit off-putting. For instance, Wyatt repeatedly adds confirmation that he’s gay as a way of describing his attraction to another male character. Another book reviewer suggested that some of this may change in the final edit of the story. As I read an ARC, I’m not sure how much editing is left to be done on this book.
The author’s writing style is great and I would gladly pick up another title. I will always support own-voices authors.
Things You May Want To Know: Please be aware, I’m by no means an expert on what may or may not have the potential to disturb people. I simply list things that I think a reader might want to be aware of. In this book: (SPOILERS) Violence, violent attacks, blood/gore/murder, character’s parents died, misgendering of character (both by accident and intentionally), deadnaming off-page, severe anxiety, trauma (PTSD?), abuse both physical and emotional, racism/ bigotry in the context of a fantasy world, deceit in a friendship.
Goodreads I received an ARC of The Witch King by H.E. Edgmon from Inkyard Press via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
The king sensing some wariness in his troops, ordered them to continue. Reluctant they did so and marched on to within a shadow’s length of the old woman.
He was captivated by her presence and hoped that she could turn his kingdom's fortunes. As they sat in the king's opulent study, the witch revealed that the kingdom's struggles were a result of human greed and lack of harmony with nature. She proposed a plan to restore balance and prosperity to the land - a plan that required the king's full commitment and cooperation. The king, eager to save his kingdom, agreed to follow the witch's guidance. Together, they implemented changes to promote sustainable agriculture, conservation of resources, and fair trade. The king endeavored to mend relations with neighboring kingdoms through peaceful negotiations and alliances. Over time, the kingdom began to transform. The once-barren lands bloomed with bountiful crops, and the people rejoiced as peace prevailed. The witch and the king had restored harmony and prosperity, proving that unity and understanding were more powerful than any magic spell. As the years passed, the witch continued to mentor the king, teaching him the importance of compassion, empathy, and forgiveness. The king became a wise ruler, loved and respected by his people. The tale of the witch and the king spread far and wide, becoming a legend in itself. It reminded people of the significance of humility and open-mindedness, regardless of one's station in life. It taught them that true power lay not in titles or possessions but in the ability to bring positive change to the world. In the end, the witch and the king's unlikely alliance became a testament to the transformative power of collaboration and the relevance of wisdom and love. Their story forever remained in the hearts of the people, reminding them that even in the darkest times, hope and unity could prevail..
Reviews for "Beneath the Crown: The Witch and the King"
1. Matthew - 1 star
I found "The Witch and the King" to be extremely dull and repetitive. The storyline was predictable and lacked any originality. The characters were one-dimensional and uninteresting, making it hard for me to connect with them. The pacing was slow, with very little action or suspense to keep me engaged. Overall, it was a disappointing read and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone looking for an exciting fantasy novel.
2. Jennifer - 2 stars
"The Witch and the King" had potential, but it fell flat for me. The writing style was awkward and felt forced, making it hard for me to get immersed in the story. The plot was confusing and had too many unnecessary subplots that added nothing to the main story. The characters were poorly developed and lacked depth, making it hard to care about their journey. There were also several plot holes and inconsistencies throughout the book. Overall, it was a mediocre read that failed to captivate my interest.
3. David - 2 stars
I was expecting so much more from "The Witch and the King", but unfortunately, it fell short of my expectations. The world-building was weak and lacked detail, leaving me with a shallow and underdeveloped fantasy setting. The dialogue was clunky and unnatural, making it hard to believe in the interactions between the characters. The romance subplot felt forced and lacked chemistry. Additionally, the pacing was off, with long stretches of boring exposition and very little action. Overall, I was left feeling unimpressed with this book and wouldn't recommend it.
4. Emily - 2 stars
I was hoping for an exciting and enchanting fantasy tale when I picked up "The Witch and the King", but I was left disappointed. The writing was dull, lacking any spark or creativity. The characters were cliché and lacked depth or development. The plot had potential, but it was poorly executed and predictable. The magical elements in the book felt forced and inconsistent. Overall, it was a forgettable read that didn't live up to the hype.
5. Samuel - 1 star
"The Witch and the King" was a complete waste of time for me. The writing was amateurish, filled with grammatical errors and awkward sentence structures. The characters were flat and lacked any personality or growth. The plot was unoriginal and uninspired, following familiar tropes without adding anything new. The pacing was slow, with long stretches of unnecessary descriptions and boring dialogue. I struggled to finish this book and wouldn't recommend it to anyone.