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thistlereads's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
noum's review against another edition
DNF at the halfway mark, which is a pity because the worldbuilding is richly imaginative but I was starting to tire of the characters (which is always the main thing I read books for) and of the slow pace of the plot.
Halfway through and we were still muddling along, vaguely aware of a threat but not really of what it threatened, who was behind it and what they were after.
Most of all, Maskelle and Rian's relationship, which I found so refreshing at first (two adults wanting to bang each other and who just do!) now feels too deep and steeped in trust and devotion to feel earned. When/how did that happen? The dynamic also feels reminiscent of the Aes Sedai/Warder one from Jordan's The Wheel of Time, with a warrior acting as servitor and protector to a magician, which is the unbalanced kind of relationship I'm not super fond of, especially when it's also romantic.
I also didn't feel that Maskelle was all that remorseful for her past wrong doings, just sorry for herself and the repercussions those entailed. That was starting to make me dislike her, especially since the narrative seemed to endorse her "I'm awesome and barely restraining my temper and myself from unleashing my fury at people" so I called it quits.
The main difference between this book and City of Bones, which was just as slow paced, was that I loved the characters: not so with this one.
Halfway through and we were still muddling along, vaguely aware of a threat but not really of what it threatened, who was behind it and what they were after.
Most of all, Maskelle and Rian's relationship, which I found so refreshing at first (two adults wanting to bang each other and who just do!) now feels too deep and steeped in trust and devotion to feel earned. When/how did that happen? The dynamic also feels reminiscent of the Aes Sedai/Warder one from Jordan's The Wheel of Time, with a warrior acting as servitor and protector to a magician, which is the unbalanced kind of relationship I'm not super fond of, especially when it's also romantic.
I also didn't feel that Maskelle was all that remorseful for her past wrong doings, just sorry for herself and the repercussions those entailed. That was starting to make me dislike her, especially since the narrative seemed to endorse her "I'm awesome and barely restraining my temper and myself from unleashing my fury at people" so I called it quits.
The main difference between this book and City of Bones, which was just as slow paced, was that I loved the characters: not so with this one.
carol26388's review against another edition
4.0
A woeful number of fantasy readers are unfamiliar with Martha Wells. My proof, you ask? The very fact that rights have reverted back to Wells and she has decided to re-release her books in e-book form.
Wide-ranging in world-building and focus, she hasn’t been content to settle down in one fantasy universe and write an endless series (cough, cough, Robert Jordan). I happen to love her fine balance between plotting and world-building, and the way she winds them together with reasonably sophisticated–but non-purplish–language. I’m a little regretful that it took me so long to discover her writing despite my wide-ranging fantasy tastes, and I’d encourage any fantasy reader to check her work out–there’s certainly enough variety that if one book doesn’t suit, there’s likely another that will fit better. And if nothing else, her take on fantasy tends towards the unusual.
Wheel of the Infinite centers on Maskelle, a formerly powerful woman who has left her position as her temple divinity’s living Voice in disgrace. Set in a society somewhat loosely based on Tibetan Buddhism, there is a pantheon of gods who have spent time on earth and have returned to the Divine Realms. A core ritual of the combined temples is to recreate the mandala pattern of the lands annually or the land will suffer, and this year marks a crucial hundred-year ceremony. Although Maskelle retains many of her powers from her time as the Voice, she’s been traveling incognito, acting as seer for a traveling theater troupe. While looking for herbs, she discovers a river inn overrun with raiders. Feeling rather ornery, she decides to see if there are any honest folk left to rescue, and she instead discovers a foreign traveler captive to the bandits’ amusements. They mutually rescue each other, discovering an immediate connection. He surreptitiously follows as she leads the troupe to the capital city of the Celestial Empire, until a temporary rouse as her bodyguard leads to a permanent association. Once in the city, Maskelle, her new bodyguard Rian, and the troupe quickly become the focus of local politics, both supernatural and corporeal.
**************
As usual, I have more to say. But since my first paragraph was already woefully off-topic, there isn't any guarantee this review won't be removed. So find it at:
http://clsiewert.wordpress.com/2014/08/01/wheel-of-the-infinite-by-martha-wells/
Wide-ranging in world-building and focus, she hasn’t been content to settle down in one fantasy universe and write an endless series (cough, cough, Robert Jordan). I happen to love her fine balance between plotting and world-building, and the way she winds them together with reasonably sophisticated–but non-purplish–language. I’m a little regretful that it took me so long to discover her writing despite my wide-ranging fantasy tastes, and I’d encourage any fantasy reader to check her work out–there’s certainly enough variety that if one book doesn’t suit, there’s likely another that will fit better. And if nothing else, her take on fantasy tends towards the unusual.
Wheel of the Infinite centers on Maskelle, a formerly powerful woman who has left her position as her temple divinity’s living Voice in disgrace. Set in a society somewhat loosely based on Tibetan Buddhism, there is a pantheon of gods who have spent time on earth and have returned to the Divine Realms. A core ritual of the combined temples is to recreate the mandala pattern of the lands annually or the land will suffer, and this year marks a crucial hundred-year ceremony. Although Maskelle retains many of her powers from her time as the Voice, she’s been traveling incognito, acting as seer for a traveling theater troupe. While looking for herbs, she discovers a river inn overrun with raiders. Feeling rather ornery, she decides to see if there are any honest folk left to rescue, and she instead discovers a foreign traveler captive to the bandits’ amusements. They mutually rescue each other, discovering an immediate connection. He surreptitiously follows as she leads the troupe to the capital city of the Celestial Empire, until a temporary rouse as her bodyguard leads to a permanent association. Once in the city, Maskelle, her new bodyguard Rian, and the troupe quickly become the focus of local politics, both supernatural and corporeal.
**************
As usual, I have more to say. But since my first paragraph was already woefully off-topic, there isn't any guarantee this review won't be removed. So find it at:
http://clsiewert.wordpress.com/2014/08/01/wheel-of-the-infinite-by-martha-wells/
janetlun's review against another edition
Fast-paced, compelling characters -- highly recommended!
jamesnotlatimer's review against another edition
5.0
I think I'm getting a feel for Martha Wells now, and I definitely wish I'd discovered her years, if not decades, earlier. There are definite similarities with [b:The Element of Fire|1996589|The Element of Fire|Martha Wells|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1271118674s/1996589.jpg|357332] - the mystery, the romantically-attracted pair investigating it, the high-level conspiracy and magical threat - but she has taken this one to another level. I think the SE Asian-inspired setting helps, with the temples clearly inspired by Angkor Wat taking us to a fantasy setting with a lot of familiar elements but a different flavour. The lead character is a great shift, too, with a female lead finally taking centre stage, and uncompromisingly so. I think this book would find a lot of fans today, because it was clearly ahead of its time.
The only thing that perhaps stands out is the pace, which, while not slow, isn't breakneck, either, and something about how competent the heroes are reduces the tension somewhat. Maybe something about Wells' prose, too, which can be a bit...dry? But really, this is a fantastic book, a great example of amazing work that may have been overlooked, and something I'll recommend far and wide.
The only thing that perhaps stands out is the pace, which, while not slow, isn't breakneck, either, and something about how competent the heroes are reduces the tension somewhat. Maybe something about Wells' prose, too, which can be a bit...dry? But really, this is a fantastic book, a great example of amazing work that may have been overlooked, and something I'll recommend far and wide.
julieputty's review against another edition
5.0
I think Martha Wells writes the best women in fantasy. Just wonderful characterization and world-building.
mikhailrekun's review against another edition
4.0
A bit rougher around the edges than some of Martha Wells's other work (particularly Death of the Necromancer), but with the same excellent world-building, complex plotting, and likable characters. Bonus points for have the main protagonist be a 45-year-old pseudo-Buddhist nun.
celli's review against another edition
5.0
My entire review is really just KEYSMASH KEYSMASH ARGLEBARGLE LOVE WOULD READ TEN MILLION MORE WORDS. Because, like, older physically confident kind of murderous kickass women REPRESENT. Worldbuilding x 1000. Love interest thumbs up. Magical system I could get lost in. AC-TORS. Demons.
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graculus's review against another edition
4.0
First off, for those readers who care about this sort of thing - this is a stand-alone novel, not the first part of a trilogy or longer series. Yes, people used to write those, though they've always been vanishingly rare in comparison...
Wheel of the Infinite is about a society where ritual plays a very large part in the literal remaking of the world around them - the eponymous Wheel is a massive sand painting which is remade for the end of each ritual cycle and by being remade keeps the world from being unmade. So, for example, when one time the Wheel showed there was no passageway through a particular set of straits, those straits and the lands around them literally ceased to exist.
The main character of our story is Maskelle, who has been summoned back to assist with a problem around this year's set of rites. When we first meet her, she is travelling with a theatre troupe who are slogging their way through the mud, which we soon discover is far from usual for people like her. As well as being a middle-aged woman, which is relatively unusual for a fantasy main character, Maskelle has the less unusual trait of being someone who can't help sticking her nose in other people's business and ends up rescuing one of the other main characters (Rian, an itinerant swordsman) as a result.
When they arrive in the temple, Maskelle has already told us why she left years earlier - she had been led astray by a false vision and killed her husband, after the prophecy insisted that if his son became emperor, disaster would follow. Now, as the Wheel is being remade, a dark patch keeps appearing on it and can't be removed successfully, so perhaps Maskelle has some ideas? It turns out that she does, though it's safe to say that things go from bad to very much worse before matters resolve themselves.
As with this author's Raksura books, the world-building is excellent in all aspects, and there are also a few twists and turns in the plot to keep it interesting. So, if you're looking for stand-alone fantasy, Wheel of the Infinite might just fit the bill!
Wheel of the Infinite is about a society where ritual plays a very large part in the literal remaking of the world around them - the eponymous Wheel is a massive sand painting which is remade for the end of each ritual cycle and by being remade keeps the world from being unmade. So, for example, when one time the Wheel showed there was no passageway through a particular set of straits, those straits and the lands around them literally ceased to exist.
The main character of our story is Maskelle, who has been summoned back to assist with a problem around this year's set of rites. When we first meet her, she is travelling with a theatre troupe who are slogging their way through the mud, which we soon discover is far from usual for people like her. As well as being a middle-aged woman, which is relatively unusual for a fantasy main character, Maskelle has the less unusual trait of being someone who can't help sticking her nose in other people's business and ends up rescuing one of the other main characters (Rian, an itinerant swordsman) as a result.
When they arrive in the temple, Maskelle has already told us why she left years earlier - she had been led astray by a false vision and killed her husband, after the prophecy insisted that if his son became emperor, disaster would follow. Now, as the Wheel is being remade, a dark patch keeps appearing on it and can't be removed successfully, so perhaps Maskelle has some ideas? It turns out that she does, though it's safe to say that things go from bad to very much worse before matters resolve themselves.
As with this author's Raksura books, the world-building is excellent in all aspects, and there are also a few twists and turns in the plot to keep it interesting. So, if you're looking for stand-alone fantasy, Wheel of the Infinite might just fit the bill!
alexiskaegi's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75