Wheel Of The Infinite is a very satisfying read. In 355 pages, readers are treated to a depth and richness similar to that found in more massive, multi-volume epics. The worldbuilding is fascinating, the system of temples and Ancestors, and the Wheel itself, are not quite like anything I've encountered before in a fantasy novel. The characters are compelling: Maskelle, the exiled Voice of the Adversary, is complex and flawed. Her relationships with Rian, a rescued swordsman; the Celestial One, spiritual leader of the temple city of Duvalpore; and Rastim, the head of a troupe of travelling performers,  are believably written; the natures of the relationships change and evolve as the story progresses.

There's a bit of magic in Wheel Of The Infinite, and plenty of adventure. The stakes are high: as is usual in fantasy novels, an entire world is in peril. But in this book, vast armies are not put in place, readers don't get massively epic scenes of battle. This tale's worldsavers are individuals, intriguing and fascinating people with fears and flaws, but who are heroic nonetheless.

The Adversary Itself, an entity for which Maskelle is sort of the host and spokesperson, the vessel, I suppose, is a very intriguing Lucifer-like figure. Rebellious and helpful by turns, It has an agenda that doesn't alway align with Maskelle's. The conflict and tension that this creates is delicious. It's like Maskelle is struggling with her inner-self, but not fully, because although she is the Voice of the Adversary, she is not the Adversary, although it contains elements of her and she of It.

Wheel Of The Infinite was my first Martha Wells novel. She writes very well: descriptive and vivid. She writes action sequences very deftly. I like the characters, setting, and scenartio that she crafted in this fantasy tale. I very much intend to read more books by her.