The Witch King by H. E. Edgmon ~ a Review

by MK French

Fae rule the land of Asalin, not witches like Wyatt Croft. His betrothal to his best friend and fae prince Emyr North was supposed to change that. When his magic went awry, Wyatt fled to the world of humans. But Emyr tracks down the transgender Wyatt and plans to go through with the engagement to save his throne. Wyatt strikes a deal with the enemy to escape Asalin, but there are glimpses of the Emyr he once knew. Witches are facing worse and worse conditions, so Wyatt has to figure out if his freedom or his people are most important.

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June 2021; Inkyard Press; 978-1335212795
audio, ebook, print (432 pages); YA fantasy

Wyatt is trans, but could only come out as his true self after leaving the fae and witches behind. Trans people are rare where he came from, and he had felt trapped by the expectation that he would marry and bear heirs for the crown. He had no place otherwise and was never valued for who he was, only the role a feminine body would play. He's pulled back into Asalin against his will because of the engagement contract signed when he and Emyr were children, so the thought of making himself so unlikeable that he's dismissed from Asalin is too tempting to resist. Wyatt himself says that it's almost too neat a parallel: witches born to fae are treated much the same way humans treat LGBT. There are some who accept them and keep them in the family, but others, like Wyatt's parents, are ashamed of the change and do whatever they can to suppress it. That backfires in a bad way, as do the other measures of abuse that are alluded to.

This is book one of a duology, and I'm looking forward to seeing how the story continues. There are so many questions brought up in the final quarter of the book that aren't answered. While it's because Wyatt never knew what was going on in Asalin in the first place, there are also quite a few changes that are in store for the people of Asalin. Things aren't quite what they seem on all fronts, so there is a lot to figure out for the future.

Buy The Witch King at Amazon

Born and raised in New York City, M.K. French started writing stories when very young, dreaming of different worlds and places to visit. She always had an interest in folklore, fairy tales, and the macabre, which has definitely influenced her work. She currently lives in the Midwest with her husband, three young children, and a golden retriever. 

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