Scan barcode
A review by catapocalypse
The Sorcerer of the Wildeeps by Kai Ashante Wilson
adventurous
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
This is a bumpy ride through time and space, first and foremost warning. I'm pretty good at staying oriented through time hops, and I still had to double check a couple threads and generally feel I'd benefit from a reread. And while the last chunk of it was the real action-packed part, the whole read felt like an adventure for me. I enjoyed the lush worldbuilding and the relationship between Demane and Captain Isa.
The story follows Demane, a man descended from the gods who have since departed the world, after he takes up a mercenary job to escort a merchant caravan safely to its destination in a southern kingdom. The Captain of this escort is a man descended from another divine family. They both do their best to serve the caravan while hiding their demigod qualities--and their passion for each other. Meanwhile, a rare and exceptionally dangerous force is defying the protections on the Road through the Wildeeps, which is the path their caravan must take. Demane and the Captain's abilities are tested when they must pursue this foe while navigating the volatile Wildeeps itself.
The book ends with some ambiguity, and honestly felt like a cliffhanger to me. I feel more could have been explored there, and even in the events after. There's also only one woman with any significant role in the story in the whole book (and she isn't referred to with an actual name). This could have warranted 3 or 3.5 stars, but I'd say my personal enjoyment was at 4 stars.
The story follows Demane, a man descended from the gods who have since departed the world, after he takes up a mercenary job to escort a merchant caravan safely to its destination in a southern kingdom. The Captain of this escort is a man descended from another divine family. They both do their best to serve the caravan while hiding their demigod qualities--and their passion for each other. Meanwhile, a rare and exceptionally dangerous force is defying the protections on the Road through the Wildeeps, which is the path their caravan must take. Demane and the Captain's abilities are tested when they must pursue this foe while navigating the volatile Wildeeps itself.
The book ends with some ambiguity, and honestly felt like a cliffhanger to me. I feel more could have been explored there, and even in the events after. There's also only one woman with any significant role in the story in the whole book (and she isn't referred to with an actual name). This could have warranted 3 or 3.5 stars, but I'd say my personal enjoyment was at 4 stars.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Blood, and Violence
Moderate: Animal death
Minor: Drug use, Excrement, Grief, Homophobia, and Sexual content