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lisa313's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
metaphorosis's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars - Metaphorosis Reviews
Maskelle was once the Voice of the Adversary - the only Ancestor that never took human form. Now, she's returning from exile at the command of the Celestial One to help remake the Wheel of the Infinite - and deal with a problem that risks the existence of the entire world.
I give Martha Wells credit for developing a very different world here. This is not your standard medieval fantasy, nor quite your less-standard Eastern one. It's a mix of existing elements, but it works very well as a fairly unique setting centered around world that must be remade every year through complex rituals. It's never clear whether this is mostly tradition or the world is actually remade (and how the rituals were learned), but clearly the rituals have important effect.
Maskelle, the exiled ex-Voice of the Adversary, is a powerful mage, but also a genuine, human character with needs and emotions. She travels with a group of actors and a mysterious swordsman, and Wells shows us the relationships unfolding in a way that's both subtle and credible. She's not concerned with building up a lot of interplay and romance, and the story works well that way.
The settings and descriptions could have used some clarity, and the descriptions are sometimes overly terse, but we generally get enough for the story to work. What's nice about the story is that not just the relationships, but also the grand, world-shaking actions are presented in a pragmatic, low-key way - the antithesis of the usual over-the-top adventure. These are practical people dealing with problems that just happen to include saving the world. With a touch of humor.
So, what holds this story back? The prose is good, but is generally as low-key as the story itself. It's one area where the book could have benefited from more grace and beauty, to move the language from workmanlike to elegant. The overall plot is good, intriguing, and not quite what we'd expect, but there are also a fair number of loose ends. The core concept is good, but I really wish Wells had done more with the material she introduced. The end fells less like a wrapup than a convenient place to stop, or a good idea that simply isn't fleshed out well enough to satisfy.
All in all, an unusual and interesting world that doesn't reach as far as it should. Recommended despite some flaws.
Maskelle was once the Voice of the Adversary - the only Ancestor that never took human form. Now, she's returning from exile at the command of the Celestial One to help remake the Wheel of the Infinite - and deal with a problem that risks the existence of the entire world.
I give Martha Wells credit for developing a very different world here. This is not your standard medieval fantasy, nor quite your less-standard Eastern one. It's a mix of existing elements, but it works very well as a fairly unique setting centered around world that must be remade every year through complex rituals. It's never clear whether this is mostly tradition or the world is actually remade (and how the rituals were learned), but clearly the rituals have important effect.
Maskelle, the exiled ex-Voice of the Adversary, is a powerful mage, but also a genuine, human character with needs and emotions. She travels with a group of actors and a mysterious swordsman, and Wells shows us the relationships unfolding in a way that's both subtle and credible. She's not concerned with building up a lot of interplay and romance, and the story works well that way.
The settings and descriptions could have used some clarity, and the descriptions are sometimes overly terse, but we generally get enough for the story to work. What's nice about the story is that not just the relationships, but also the grand, world-shaking actions are presented in a pragmatic, low-key way - the antithesis of the usual over-the-top adventure. These are practical people dealing with problems that just happen to include saving the world. With a touch of humor.
So, what holds this story back? The prose is good, but is generally as low-key as the story itself. It's one area where the book could have benefited from more grace and beauty, to move the language from workmanlike to elegant. The overall plot is good, intriguing, and not quite what we'd expect, but there are also a fair number of loose ends. The core concept is good, but I really wish Wells had done more with the material she introduced. The end fells less like a wrapup than a convenient place to stop, or a good idea that simply isn't fleshed out well enough to satisfy.
All in all, an unusual and interesting world that doesn't reach as far as it should. Recommended despite some flaws.
lunacurlypaws's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
book_hound_ross's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- 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
3.75
swancubine's review
adventurous
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
agathe_athena's review against another edition
4.0
Maskelle used to be the Voice of the Adversary, until a bad interpretation of a divine vision led to her expulsion from the capital city. But after seven years of wandering, she’s been called back. She’s worried it has to do with the annual rites remaking the Wheel of the Infinite. She has felt darkness gathering in the outer territories. When she arrives at the capital, she finds that it’s even worse than she thought. Some outside person or force is trying to remake the Wheel to their designs, and it’ll mean the end of the Empire. But being away for so long, she’s not sure who she can trust anymore. Can Maskelle find out who or what’s behind this and stop them in time?
A fun action/adventure fantasy novel. The world-building is great, the characters are interesting, but the pacing is a bit rough. It drags at the beginning trying to do world-building and getting characters in place, but once the big problem is revealed, it moves along smoothly after that. Biggest complaint is that it didn’t feel finished, that there were parts that needed to be fleshed out more the make it feel more complete or areas that needed to be polished better. But overall, an enjoyable read in an interesting world. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
A fun action/adventure fantasy novel. The world-building is great, the characters are interesting, but the pacing is a bit rough. It drags at the beginning trying to do world-building and getting characters in place, but once the big problem is revealed, it moves along smoothly after that. Biggest complaint is that it didn’t feel finished, that there were parts that needed to be fleshed out more the make it feel more complete or areas that needed to be polished better. But overall, an enjoyable read in an interesting world. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
quirkycatsfatstacks's review
4.5
Book Summary:
The Celestial Empire is full of peace, harmony, and joy, but only if they observe certain rules. One such rule is ensuring that the Wheel of the Infinite is successfully remade in time for the ritual.
That hasn’t really been a problem before, but something is desperately working to corrupt it, and they’re running out of time. So, Maskelle, a somewhat disgraced Voice, has been summoned in a last-ditch effort to save things.
My Review:
I just want to start my review by saying that I love that many of Martha Wells’ older novels are being uplifted and republished. Wheel of the Infinite is the latest novel to receive this treatment, and I am here for it.
Wheel of the Infinite is a high fantasy story with a complex political and magical system. I was drawn in right off the bat, as it’s clear that while Maskelle knows much about the world, she shut herself away from it all.
The story unfolded slowly initially, giving readers time to get a feel for the world and characters. With time, however, everything began to kick off. Enemies started popping up everywhere, and the scale grew larger by the second.
In short, I loved how Martha Wells gave us time to become invested before hucking us out into the deep end. Likewise, she did a pretty decent job of answering all my magical and political questions (though me being me, I still have some).
The characters, friendships, and romantic subplots enhanced the story even further. There’s even a touch of humor—or at least I felt it was humorous. Some details in the world just tickled me.
I could be wrong, but I think Wheel of the Infinite is a standalone novel. Either way, I’m looking forward to seeing more of Martha Wells’ older books come back around. It’s been an excellent motivator for me to sit down and read through her back catalog!
Highlights:
High Fantasy
Female Lead
Romantic Subplot
Gods & Deities
You Can Also Find Me On:
Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks | Quirky Cat's Comics | Monkeys Fighting Robots | Storygraph | Bookhype | Bookstagram | Tumblr | Reedsy | CBR | Storylace
The Celestial Empire is full of peace, harmony, and joy, but only if they observe certain rules. One such rule is ensuring that the Wheel of the Infinite is successfully remade in time for the ritual.
That hasn’t really been a problem before, but something is desperately working to corrupt it, and they’re running out of time. So, Maskelle, a somewhat disgraced Voice, has been summoned in a last-ditch effort to save things.
My Review:
I just want to start my review by saying that I love that many of Martha Wells’ older novels are being uplifted and republished. Wheel of the Infinite is the latest novel to receive this treatment, and I am here for it.
Wheel of the Infinite is a high fantasy story with a complex political and magical system. I was drawn in right off the bat, as it’s clear that while Maskelle knows much about the world, she shut herself away from it all.
The story unfolded slowly initially, giving readers time to get a feel for the world and characters. With time, however, everything began to kick off. Enemies started popping up everywhere, and the scale grew larger by the second.
In short, I loved how Martha Wells gave us time to become invested before hucking us out into the deep end. Likewise, she did a pretty decent job of answering all my magical and political questions (though me being me, I still have some).
The characters, friendships, and romantic subplots enhanced the story even further. There’s even a touch of humor—or at least I felt it was humorous. Some details in the world just tickled me.
I could be wrong, but I think Wheel of the Infinite is a standalone novel. Either way, I’m looking forward to seeing more of Martha Wells’ older books come back around. It’s been an excellent motivator for me to sit down and read through her back catalog!
Highlights:
High Fantasy
Female Lead
Romantic Subplot
Gods & Deities
You Can Also Find Me On:
Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks | Quirky Cat's Comics | Monkeys Fighting Robots | Storygraph | Bookhype | Bookstagram | Tumblr | Reedsy | CBR | Storylace
fictionandfarming's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
inspiring
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Martha Wells has been on my list to pick up for a while now and Wheel of the Infinite did not disappoint, I will definitely be reading more of her works in the future.
Wheel of the Infinite is a standalone fantasy set in a world brought to life by beautiful and well-placed description and worldbuilding. We follow the stories of Maskelle and Rian as they are brought together by a chance encounter, wherein Rian joins Maskelle as she returns to Duvalpore for the first time since she was exiled. Together, they must solve the problem of the Wheel of the Infinite and the dark storm that is appearing upon it before the culmination of the 100 year rite.
With inspirations from the likes of Buddhism and southeast Asian cultures, Wells presents a fascinating world and magic system that stands out in a genre full of medieval Europe-styled settings. Her main characters are both well-developed and both POVs are strong and highly enjoyable, as is the relationship that the two have with one another and the other characters. I particularly enjoyed how mature and generally acerbic Maskelle could be. To top it all off, the plot is structured so, so well, leaving enough mystery in the beginning to leave you wondering what would happen next, and everything coming together in the end in a very satisfying way.
Thank you to Tor Books and NetGalley for making the DRC for the newly updated and revised edition available to me. All opinions are my own.
Wheel of the Infinite is a standalone fantasy set in a world brought to life by beautiful and well-placed description and worldbuilding. We follow the stories of Maskelle and Rian as they are brought together by a chance encounter, wherein Rian joins Maskelle as she returns to Duvalpore for the first time since she was exiled. Together, they must solve the problem of the Wheel of the Infinite and the dark storm that is appearing upon it before the culmination of the 100 year rite.
With inspirations from the likes of Buddhism and southeast Asian cultures, Wells presents a fascinating world and magic system that stands out in a genre full of medieval Europe-styled settings. Her main characters are both well-developed and both POVs are strong and highly enjoyable, as is the relationship that the two have with one another and the other characters. I particularly enjoyed how mature and generally acerbic Maskelle could be. To top it all off, the plot is structured so, so well, leaving enough mystery in the beginning to leave you wondering what would happen next, and everything coming together in the end in a very satisfying way.
Thank you to Tor Books and NetGalley for making the DRC for the newly updated and revised edition available to me. All opinions are my own.
enbylibrary's review against another edition
I've read 4 of Martha Wells' re-releases at this point, so I've really gotten used to her fantasy writing style. The ending of this one was weirdly similar to City of Bones, which I think was my favorite of the four. I definitely felt like I was coming into the middle of a series with this one, but also appreciated that it was standalone. With the Ile-Rien books I felt my attention slipping or had to re-read a sentence a few times; luckily that didn't happen AS MUCH here. I liked the descriptions of the city, I really could feel like I was there taking a boat in the canal or feeling the humid air.
sagareads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
funny
mysterious
tense
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5