I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
TRIGGER WARNING: Death and mentions of parental death; physical assault; sexual harassment; child abuse; trauma relating to fires; suicide attempt; misgendering and deadnaming (dead name off the page). Reader Discretion is Advised.
A young transgender witch must decide between his people and his freedom after the royal fiancee he left behind after a traumatic incident comes back in order to save the royal throne in author H.E. Edgmon’s “The Witch King”, the first in THE WITCH KING series.
The Synopsis
To save a fae kingdom, a trans witch must face his traumatic past and the royal fiancé he left behind. This debut YA fantasy will leave you spellbound.
Wyatt would give anything to forget where he came from—but a kingdom demands its king.
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.
The Review
This was such an impactful and engaging dark fantasy read. A fantasy storyline that incorporates some hard-hitting and intense themes, the novel challenges the reader to consider questions of equality, acceptance, and the rights of those who may live differently than what is considered by society to be “the norm”. The pacing and voice in which the author writes really elevate the overall tone and realism that is blended with the magical elements of this fantasy novel, creating a truly engaging story.
Yet it is the characters themselves that really make this novel shine so brightly. A mature story that features some heavy topics, (hence the trigger warning), the novel itself features a truly memorable protagonist in Wyatt. The characters evolution not only physically in his background, but emotionally as well as he not only overcomes the trauma he suffered in the past and his own actions as a result but the anger and resentment that has built up for so long inside of him for not being seen for who he really is, as well as the treatment of not only him but all witches by the high social class of fae, makes his overall character arc both relatable and emotionally investing. Combine this with the relationship both strained and growing stronger between Wyatt and Emyr is incredibly engaging, keeping the reader invested as they follow the path these two betrothed make with one another, from combative frenemies to allies and possibly something more.
The Verdict
A memorable, emotionally driven, and heartfelt fantasy novel with a multitude of important themes and story elements that remain relevant in our own modern world, author H.E. Edgmon’s “The Witch King” is the perfect start to a brand new fantasy series. A great LGBTQ-driven narrative, the amazingly well-rounded and complex cast of characters, when combined with the entertaining and haunting narrative that the author has created, makes this the perfect read not only for PRIDE month but for 2021 overall! Be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
About the Author
H.E. Edgmon (he/they) was born in the deep south but has had many homes, dropped out of school to be gay, and is at least a little feral.
In both his writing and daily life, he aims to center the voices of Indigenous people, trans people, and survivors of trauma. It is always his goal to create safe spaces for the vulnerable, while being the thing predators are afraid of.
H.E. has an eclectic little family of his own design and they’re currently living out the found family trope in Brooklyn. Online, he can most often be found on Twitter @heedgmon.
https://www.instagram.com/heedgmon/
https://www.bookbub.com/books/the-witch-king-by-h-e-edgmon