Book Review: The Witch Roads

When an arrogant prince (and his equally arrogant entourage) gets stuck in Orledder Halt as part of brutal political intrigue, competent and sunny deputy courier Elen—once a child slave meant to shield noblemen from the poisonous Pall—is assigned to guide him through the hills to reach his destination.

When she warns him not to enter the haunted Spires, the prince doesn’t heed her advice, and the man who emerges from the towers isn’t the same man who entered.

The journey that follows is fraught with danger. Can a group taught to ignore and despise the lower classes survive with a mere deputy courier as their guide?

The Witch Roads by Kate Elliott will be published June 10, 2025. Tor Publishing Group provided an early galley for review.

I will admit that the cover is what caught my attention on this novel. Researching the author's work, I see that Elliott has several fantasy series under her belt with this novel being the start of a new one. I was pleased to see from her introduction that this book has reignited her love of writing. It is encouraging to an amateur writer like myself that even professional writers sometimes find themselves in a dry spell.

This story is very much one of journey and discovery. The geography and places that dot it are very much like characters themselves. It brings to mind other fantasy novels where travel is a key component of the narrative: J.R.R. Tolkien's and Stephen R. Donaldson's works from my youth. Elliott has invested a lot in the world-building here (her "about the author" note at the end states her focus in that area yields immersive results), and it comes across intricately on the page.

However, for my tastes I found that the focus on places and scenery at times pushed aside any main character interaction or dialogue. There were chapters early on where not a word was exchanged between Elen and Kem for pages on end. I found myself bored. I suspect this is because my nature tends to be about getting to the destination (and all that means) and not so much on the routes it takes me. I am like that in real life, I am like that in my writing, and I am like that in my reading.

For the right kinds of readers, this book be captivate.