Reviews

The Sorcerer of the Wildeeps by Kai Ashante Wilson

rubiscodisco's review against another edition

adventurous dark

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

 A charming little story with an interesting fantasy world that makes you want to know more. The main character is quite likeable, and the relationship with the supporting characters, including the love interest, shows a good hand at depicting interpersonal relationships.

Where the author falls short is in his awkward prose - his sentence construction is, at several points, un-intuitive and hard to understand. There's a way for the words to run smoothly and leap off the page, and he doesn't have the knack for it. 

questionablechilli's review against another edition

adventurous challenging medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

tiarala's review against another edition

I didn’t love this, but I want more. I want to know this universe, this mythology. There’s a rich world here and I was unsatisfied with how much I learned about it. I also found it extremely hard to follow. Over and over I’d roll back the audiobook because I felt like I missed something, and never quite getting what I was looking for. I’m eager to read A Taste of Honey to see if maybe Wilson just isn’t my jam, but I so want it to be. I just want more.

rageagainstthelatrines's review against another edition

What the hell was this book? Yeesh. Awful

pachec_oh_no's review against another edition

4.0

This short novel was very interesting. It's a little outside my wheelhouse, but also distinctly within it at the same time. A queer historical fantasy with good worldbuilding, intense and interesting magic, and high stakes. Except it's ALSO one of the more poetic things I have read lately. The prose is lilting and musical, calling on rich, deep imagery to tell a story about love and hardship and sacrifice and loss. It was so musical, in fact, that the flowery language made it a little difficult to understand what was happening sometimes. This might be a product of having read the audiobook, but the switches between present narration and past memory or just wandering soliloquy was difficult to follow. Coupled with the somewhat ambiguous ending, I'm not entirely sure how I feel about this book because I don't think I fully understand it. That said, it was beautiful, and I am glad I read it.

adesinabrown's review

challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.0

sweeettea's review against another edition

I couldn’t sink into the writing, everyone seemed to constantly talk in rambling long run on sentences. If I ever return to this book or author’s work, it may be better as read as an audiobook or in print so I can go real slow

vmp5062's review against another edition

mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

porkbowl's review

adventurous challenging dark mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

bsparks2112's review

adventurous challenging dark slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

I really liked some things about this but found it ultimately unfulfilling; once again, I think the novella length did the story a disservice by cutting it off just as I was getting hooked. Admittedly, this took a bit to hook me; the world and characters weren't immediately gripping to me, although as more information came to light about the nature of the fantastical world this takes place in (although it was still mostly allusions and hints) and the lives of the characters featured (again, the information is doled out pretty sparingly at first), I found myself much more intrigued. While plot-wise, it's a simple perilous caravan journey tale, the depth found in Demane's backstory and dilemmas that he faces brings the story its real throughline. I just wish there was more to either of those two factors, or ideally both, to really create what felt like a complete journey instead of a half-viewed one. I will also say that Wilson does some really interesting things with language and dialect here, and once again, so much is left inferred rather than spelled out that I was honestly left feeling mostly intrigued but a bit unsatisfied. (The prose might have veered just a bit too far on the florid, purple side for my liking, but at least it displayed a compelling authorial voice.) I'm still impressed by the imagination and craft here, even if it left me wanting by the abrupt end.