Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Witch Roads by Kate Elliott Series: The Witch Roads #1
Published by Tor on June 10, 2025
Genres: Science Fiction Fantasy
Pages: 439
Format: eARC
Source: NetGalley
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When an arrogant prince (and his equally arrogant entourage) gets stuck in Orledder Halt as part of brutal political intrigue, competent and sunny deputy courier Elen—once a child slave meant to shield noblemen from the poisonous Pall—is assigned to guide him through the hills to reach his destination.
When she warns him not to enter the haunted Spires, the prince doesn’t heed her advice, and the man who emerges from the towers isn’t the same man who entered.
The journey that follows is fraught with danger. Can a group taught to ignore and despise the lower classes survive with a mere deputy courier as their guide?
Worldbuilding is one of the things Kate Elliott does well, having read a few of her books for comparison. The Witch Roads leans into this love of worldbuilding heavily as she takes the reader on a journey through a smugglers route, treacherous not only due to the difficulty of the route and the company traveling it but also because of the people after them and the deadly spore that could flare up and infect their party. The Witch Roads, first in a series of the same name, is a heavily immersive read, with an emphasis on the world building and hierarchical cultures. It will best serve readers who enjoy books that are about the journey and making it to the final destination.
El helped raise her nephew, Kem, after she and his mother escaped a cruel lord to make their own way in a far off village. They have been free of that life for almost sixteen years but the past has come calling and El has to think quickly if she is going to help save her nephew from his father. It just so happens one of the princes to the land needs an escort to get to the farthest settlement to the north and El is the only one who can lead the party through a smugglers pass to get there in time. There are some political intrigues happening, the prince has enemies and needs this journey for some unknown reason to El.
If the journey was made with the prince it might have been insufferable. But when the party was in one of the resting places a magic took the prince over, the being needs to go to the same place they are headed and the Haunt needs a ride in a willing body. The Prince’s body will do nicely and so a friendship between El and the Haunt is started on their journey to the edge of a mist, the Pall, filled with infectious spore and dangers to the entire land.
Never mistake silence for forgetting
I struggled to read this book. The beginning was really well done and set up the book well. We learn about El and Kem’s relationship and how they are coping after the loss of Kem’s mom. We also get a view of life in a small village and it was rather engaging, especially after learning El and Kem’s mom ran away from the life they used to live. But the journey in the middle was a lot of travelling on the Witch Road, with stops in villages and incremental movement in the plot. I struggle with travelling books in general, so for me it wasn’t as interesting. There is also a wedge between El and Kem that needs to get worked out but we, the reader, had to wait most of the book for that conversation to happen. At about the 80% mark is when most of the interesting things, for me at least, happened. The last twenty percent I finished in one sitting and couldn’t put it down.
Kate Elliott is a great writer that builds fantastic worlds. If you have read anything by her before, you know what you are getting. This wasn’t one of my favorites by her, due to all the traveling but I liked were the story ended up and it is set up very promisingly for the next book in the series. The idea of the Pall and how dangerous it was like a deadly ocean of its own was original. I think there is a huge story about what it truly is that we have only just scratched the surface of. I want to know much more about El’s history and how she ended up with the special talent she has. There is a lot of potential for this series so I will be checking out the next book as well.
“You are a story,” he said, his tone so warm that she flushed, as if the cold air had burst into flame around her.
She pressed a hand to her chest.
He said, softly, gently, “A wild and alluring story, whose mysteries I adore.”
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Hopefully the next one will be even better 😀
Kate Elliott is an author I think I want to try. But what you struggled with would probably make me end up DNFing. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!