The Future Of Fantasy: ‘The Witch King’ Review

The Witch King is original. Truly something special. What makes it so different is…

Name: The Witch King

Author: H. E. Edgmon

Published: June 2021

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.

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.

---

Romantic and fantastical and fierce: let me introduce The Witch King by H. E Edgmon. Alongside amazing trans representation is a powerful cast, a fiery fantasy world and a heartfelt romance.

This year, I’d seen so many gushing reviews of The Witch King, but hadn’t seen the book in any English bookshops. My hunt for the sequel has proved that this series is almost as difficult to get in the UK as decent weather, but I haven’t given up looking! It was only when I went on holiday abroad that I actually found the book… so I had to buy it. And I’m so glad I did! Read on to find out why…

The Witch King is original. Truly something special. What makes it so different is how the author mixes technology in with a portal fantasy setting to create this (hilarious) blended magical world. As far as I’ve seen, technology and fantasy is rarely done outside the realms of sci-fi and I really enjoyed it.

Who doesn’t love a dark, fast paced fantasy? The whole concept feels genuinely unique – fae and witches have been done a million times, but I feel like rarely with so many queer characters and identity exploration (LOVE LOVE LOVE). As well as a complicated plot and complex characters, you can find strong plot twists and politics. As part of his magical gifts, Wyatt can sense people’s energies – like an aura – which wasn’t overcomplicated but felt really different.

Ahhhh Wyatt…

“I am not the golden goose. I am more like an actual goose, hissing and honking and attacking small children who just want to give me bread.” 

― We <3 Wyatt, 

Wyatt was one of the highlights of the book. He was written so well – there’s enough page time given to exploring his trans identity so that he feels fully realised, but without decimating the story with deadnaming and misgendering. Personality wise, Wyatt was also really likeable and had strong character development.

There’s more to his character than being trans. Unfortunately as opposed to other books I’ve read with trans MCs, it felt refreshing and again sets the book apart. The Witch King is not a queer pain story. As well as arson and political rebellions, it’s a book about love – for others and for yourself.

I was absolutely rooting for Wyatt’s romantic plot – I’ve haven’t been this invested in a romance for ages. Such a heartfelt love story. A few of the scenes were a little cliched, but I think the author knew what he was doing… Whose really complaining about the ‘only-one-bed’ trope or the old ‘long-lost-fiance’. They’re classics for a reason…

So if you’re lucky enough to have The Witch King in your local bookshops, first I’m jealous, and also buy it buy it buy it. Entertaining, funny, powerful; I absolutely sped through it. There are plot twists galore, it’s genuinely interesting and so well put together. I think the reason I’m struggling to find this book is because of its indie publishing. It’s vital to support smaller publishers and Own Voices authors so they can keep creating great books like this one!