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winterscape's review
4.0
The quality of Barbara Hambly’s writing is exquisite.
Though the pacing was sometimes too slow for my liking, the depth of description (especially of complex emotion and the movement of light) and the page-turning intrigue of the climax launched The Witches of Wenshar solidly into a 4-star rating.
The strong, already established relationship between the two main characters was refreshing in its lack of childish drama (befitting people in their 40s), as were the ways in which women were shown to be privy to information that men didn’t have to be due to their privilege in society (such as measuring a man by how he treats other men rather than women, social etiquettes, etc.). Starhawk is a great example of a warrior woman who isn’t defined by her appearance and doesn’t put down other women to be “one of the guys.”
As a bit of warning, this book does feature horrific rituals that you would associate with the horror genre’s use of the word “witch.” It was upsetting, but I realised that my emotional response meant that the author did a good job, and it fit the setting and characters.
I would read the first and third books in Sun Wolf and Starhawk’s series if I came across them.
Though the pacing was sometimes too slow for my liking, the depth of description (especially of complex emotion and the movement of light) and the page-turning intrigue of the climax launched The Witches of Wenshar solidly into a 4-star rating.
The strong, already established relationship between the two main characters was refreshing in its lack of childish drama (befitting people in their 40s), as were the ways in which women were shown to be privy to information that men didn’t have to be due to their privilege in society (such as measuring a man by how he treats other men rather than women, social etiquettes, etc.). Starhawk is a great example of a warrior woman who isn’t defined by her appearance and doesn’t put down other women to be “one of the guys.”
As a bit of warning, this book does feature horrific rituals that you would associate with the horror genre’s use of the word “witch.” It was upsetting, but I realised that my emotional response meant that the author did a good job, and it fit the setting and characters.
I would read the first and third books in Sun Wolf and Starhawk’s series if I came across them.
carolined314's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation
Moderate: Violence, Alcoholism, Bullying, Alcohol, Murder, Death, and Torture
Minor: Xenophobia
wazbar's review
adventurous
funny
mysterious
slow-paced
5.0
It's kind of funny to me there's a like half page disclaimer at the beggining about how the author means no offense to wiccans when the whole character of kaletha is a like caricature of a white wiccan. She sucks in a way that is fun for the book.
This is basically a magical whodunnit, and a surprisingly good one. The characters are all well-defined (perhaps too stereotypically, but there are a lot of them).
Sun Wolf and Starhawk continue to be a good pair, and they're convincingly comfortable partners for each other. I was concerned there'd be a contrived conflict but their relationship is a source of strength for them and that's neat, to me. They do a little bit of exploring the legitimate evil that sun wolf has done as a mercenary. It's fairly unflinching, but it does not go very far; I'm curious whether this will be a thread in the next book as well.
This is basically a magical whodunnit, and a surprisingly good one. The characters are all well-defined (perhaps too stereotypically, but there are a lot of them).
Sun Wolf and Starhawk continue to be a good pair, and they're convincingly comfortable partners for each other. I was concerned there'd be a contrived conflict but their relationship is a source of strength for them and that's neat, to me. They do a little bit of exploring the legitimate evil that sun wolf has done as a mercenary. It's fairly unflinching, but it does not go very far; I'm curious whether this will be a thread in the next book as well.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse
lian_tanner's review against another edition
4.0
Probably more like 3.5 stars really. It's a bit slow in places, though the relationships and characters carry it through, and I don't like this one quite as much as 'The Ladies of Mandrigyn'. But it's still pretty good.
vaderbird's review
4.0
5 star - Perfect
4 star - i would recommend
3 star - good
2 star - struggled to complete
1 star - could not finish
4 star - i would recommend
3 star - good
2 star - struggled to complete
1 star - could not finish
ejimenez's review
3.0
This was pretty grim. (Major spoilers behind the cut.)
And the ones who die all go pretty horribly. Yes, the ending is hopeful, but there's a lot of misery to wade through to get there, only somewhat alleviated by the fact that Starhawk and Sun Wolf at least get to hang out together for most of the book.
It's got some interesting ideas about gender and violence and war - but it's also got lots of weird grossness about bodies, and especially about fat. There's a major thread throughout, enough that I would say it rises to the level of being a theme, that one character in particular's dissipation and weakness shows up in their body size.
I'm not mad that I read it, overall, but I'm not terribly interested in picking up the next book in the series, or chasing down other books by Hambly.
Spoiler
Of the new named characters we meet in this book, I think only three, or maybe four, depending on how you read the ending, survive.And the ones who die all go pretty horribly. Yes, the ending is hopeful, but there's a lot of misery to wade through to get there, only somewhat alleviated by the fact that Starhawk and Sun Wolf at least get to hang out together for most of the book.
It's got some interesting ideas about gender and violence and war - but it's also got lots of weird grossness about bodies, and especially about fat. There's a major thread throughout, enough that I would say it rises to the level of being a theme, that one character in particular's dissipation and weakness shows up in their body size.
I'm not mad that I read it, overall, but I'm not terribly interested in picking up the next book in the series, or chasing down other books by Hambly.
curgoth's review
4.0
Moar Sun Wolf and Starhawk!
The book has a foreward where Hambly apologises for using the term "witch" in a pejorative way, because witches they were persecuted and woman power and love the earth and I'll be over here (dah dah dah). Which I thought was just tremendously sweet.
Sun Wolf and Starhawk fight the terrible power of hate in a desert kingdom. It's so nice seeing their relationship grow and change.
The book has a foreward where Hambly apologises for using the term "witch" in a pejorative way, because witches they were persecuted and woman power and love the earth and I'll be over here (dah dah dah). Which I thought was just tremendously sweet.
Sun Wolf and Starhawk fight the terrible power of hate in a desert kingdom. It's so nice seeing their relationship grow and change.
badmc's review
4.0
Sun Wolf needs a teacher - and finds her in a household that detests magic, and where some evil is afoot...
I truly enjoy these books about mature characters that behave like adults, and their romance is healthy, and non-dramatic. Sure, sometimes it's hard to believe that shell shocked mercenaries could be that skilled in communication, politics, and emotional skills, but it certainly leaves place for other characters, and plot to shine.
I know this is over 30 years old, but it is inclusive without falling in "woke for wokeness sake" - it has people of color, women are people, and it even touches upon toxic masculinity - without feeling preachy or overbearing.
I truly enjoy these books about mature characters that behave like adults, and their romance is healthy, and non-dramatic. Sure, sometimes it's hard to believe that shell shocked mercenaries could be that skilled in communication, politics, and emotional skills, but it certainly leaves place for other characters, and plot to shine.
I know this is over 30 years old, but it is inclusive without falling in "woke for wokeness sake" - it has people of color, women are people, and it even touches upon toxic masculinity - without feeling preachy or overbearing.
kikiandarrowsfishshelf's review
3.0
Hambly does a good job of showing the characters' love for each other without going over the top. She shows a very real couple.
Hambly also makes great use of a cliche with one line - "If wishes were horses, Sun Wolf thought, there'd be horseprints all over my hide".
Hambly also makes great use of a cliche with one line - "If wishes were horses, Sun Wolf thought, there'd be horseprints all over my hide".
nat16's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
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