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Sun Wolf and Starhawk #2
The Witches of Wenshar
Once, it was said, Wenshar had been a city of witches, summoning and controlling demons for their evil magic. But in nearby Tandieras, Kaltha claimed to have found their lost book of spells to perform only white magic. When Sun Wolf arrived, he discovered increasing signs of evil magic and demon-controlling spells. And he realized, too late, that a new swarm of demons was trying to lure him to his death....
272 pages, Paperback
First published June 12, 1987
44 people are currently reading
794 people want to read
About the author
Barbara Hambly
204 books1,580 followersaka Barbara Hamilton
Ranging from fantasy to historical fiction, Barbara Hambly has a masterful way of spinning a story. Her twisty plots involve memorable characters, lavish descriptions, scads of novel words, and interesting devices. Her work spans the Star Wars universe, antebellum New Orleans, and various fantasy worlds, sometimes linked with our own.
"I always wanted to be a writer but everyone kept telling me it was impossible to break into the field or make money. I've proven them wrong on both counts."
-Barbara Hambly
Ranging from fantasy to historical fiction, Barbara Hambly has a masterful way of spinning a story. Her twisty plots involve memorable characters, lavish descriptions, scads of novel words, and interesting devices. Her work spans the Star Wars universe, antebellum New Orleans, and various fantasy worlds, sometimes linked with our own.
"I always wanted to be a writer but everyone kept telling me it was impossible to break into the field or make money. I've proven them wrong on both counts."
-Barbara Hambly
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
October 25, 2021
(Be warned this review may contain spoilers for book 1, The ladies of Mandrigyn, so if you haven't read it and want to be surprised when you do, here's the short review for you: this book was really good, and I liked it very much. Now leave before spoilers occur. And have a good day.)
After his last adventure in Mandrigyn revealed his talent for wizardry, Sun Wolf, accompanied by his comrade Starhawk, is desperately seeking a teacher, as magical apptitude without training is a dangerous thing. In Tandieras, the fortress near the ruined city of Wenshar, the arrogant Kaletha claims she can train 'good' magic to any wishing to learn. But Wenshar was a city of witches who gained their power from demons, and soon Sun Wolf and Starhawk find themselves caught in a dangerous web of evil magic and murder.
Okay, melodramatic plot summary, but I genuinely don't want to give anything away. And if the plot sounds so hackneyed you don't want to read the novel, please reconsider. Yes, it may sound a little old and overdone (the book is 30 years old, after all) but the story is done so well it sucked me in and held me until I'd finished.
The fact is, Barbara Hambly is a great writer, and this 'trilogy' of self-contained novels (they can be read as stand alone books, but read better a set, I think) shows off her strengths. These are: well-rounded characters (as well as Sun Wolf and Starhawk the other characters are all well drawn enough to be entirely believable), excellent world building (both the main setting for this novel and the little notes about the rest of the world - for example, Sun Wolf notes the small wars that have erupted to the east of the Middle Kingdoms since the death of the tyrant Wizard King Altiokis - who, by the way, killed all the wizards who could challenge his power, hence Sun Wolf's quest for a teacher) and a simple honest to god ability to write well. As an aside, it's nice to find a book with a romance between the two main characters where they are mature enough not to have to obsess or fret about each other all the time; Starhawk's ability to become friends with other female characters is also a pleasant change from some novels - there is (thankfully) no 'mean girl' sniping going on.
What more can I say? I really liked it and found it a pleasant change to grimdark or 10 part fantasy epics!
After his last adventure in Mandrigyn revealed his talent for wizardry, Sun Wolf, accompanied by his comrade Starhawk, is desperately seeking a teacher, as magical apptitude without training is a dangerous thing. In Tandieras, the fortress near the ruined city of Wenshar, the arrogant Kaletha claims she can train 'good' magic to any wishing to learn. But Wenshar was a city of witches who gained their power from demons, and soon Sun Wolf and Starhawk find themselves caught in a dangerous web of evil magic and murder.
Okay, melodramatic plot summary, but I genuinely don't want to give anything away. And if the plot sounds so hackneyed you don't want to read the novel, please reconsider. Yes, it may sound a little old and overdone (the book is 30 years old, after all) but the story is done so well it sucked me in and held me until I'd finished.
The fact is, Barbara Hambly is a great writer, and this 'trilogy' of self-contained novels (they can be read as stand alone books, but read better a set, I think) shows off her strengths. These are: well-rounded characters (as well as Sun Wolf and Starhawk the other characters are all well drawn enough to be entirely believable), excellent world building (both the main setting for this novel and the little notes about the rest of the world - for example, Sun Wolf notes the small wars that have erupted to the east of the Middle Kingdoms since the death of the tyrant Wizard King Altiokis - who, by the way, killed all the wizards who could challenge his power, hence Sun Wolf's quest for a teacher) and a simple honest to god ability to write well. As an aside, it's nice to find a book with a romance between the two main characters where they are mature enough not to have to obsess or fret about each other all the time; Starhawk's ability to become friends with other female characters is also a pleasant change from some novels - there is (thankfully) no 'mean girl' sniping going on.
What more can I say? I really liked it and found it a pleasant change to grimdark or 10 part fantasy epics!
June 19, 2013
What a wonderful character Starhawk is! Not only is she a formidably kick-butt warrior woman (and Hambly writes about her in such a way that you can really BELIEVE she's a competent fighter, a feat not always managed by those who attempt to write about woman warriors), but she has a powerful sense of integrity, and she never whines. At all. I also appreciate it that she forms bonds of friendship with other women around her, even when they don't always deserve her regard.
The romance is a subplot in this novel, second to the magical mystery the hero and heroine must solve, but it stands out for me because it's downright refreshing to see a love story between two mature adults who act like adults. Sun Wolf's and Starhawk's scenes together are more romantic than 90% of the couple's interactions in what's labeled "paranormal romance" these days. They are two independent human beings who delight in each other's company -- smart, highly competent fighters who happen to love one another.
The romance is a subplot in this novel, second to the magical mystery the hero and heroine must solve, but it stands out for me because it's downright refreshing to see a love story between two mature adults who act like adults. Sun Wolf's and Starhawk's scenes together are more romantic than 90% of the couple's interactions in what's labeled "paranormal romance" these days. They are two independent human beings who delight in each other's company -- smart, highly competent fighters who happen to love one another.
March 21, 2020
Sun Wolf needs a teacher - and finds her in a household that detests magic, and where some evil is afoot...
I truly enjoy these books about mature characters that behave like adults, and their romance is healthy, and non-dramatic. Sure, sometimes it's hard to believe that shell shocked mercenaries could be that skilled in communication, politics, and emotional skills, but it certainly leaves place for other characters, and plot to shine.
I know this is over 30 years old, but it is inclusive without falling in "woke for wokeness sake" - it has people of color, women are people, and it even touches upon toxic masculinity - without feeling preachy or overbearing.
I truly enjoy these books about mature characters that behave like adults, and their romance is healthy, and non-dramatic. Sure, sometimes it's hard to believe that shell shocked mercenaries could be that skilled in communication, politics, and emotional skills, but it certainly leaves place for other characters, and plot to shine.
I know this is over 30 years old, but it is inclusive without falling in "woke for wokeness sake" - it has people of color, women are people, and it even touches upon toxic masculinity - without feeling preachy or overbearing.
June 25, 2019
Segundo libro de la trilogía. Continúa la evolución/ampliación de los personajes y su personalidad presentados en el primer libro y salvo ese detalle —gigantesco por otra parte, son los protagonistas— que funciona de hilo conductor estos dos libros no tienen una dependencia muy directa. Cada historia está contenida en su propio volumen.
A diferencia del anterior en este siento muy cercanos a los protagonistas, percibo cada respiración, cada suspiro, lo que supone para ellos lo que están viviendo. Ya sé como piensan.
A esa buena noticia hay que sumarle un cambio en el estilo literario. Manteniéndose dentro del campo fantástico se trata de un thriller, una novela de misterio, saber de dónde surge el mal o quién es el malo, el motivo por el que suceden ciertas cosas que provoca una gran adicción lectora. Siempre con las ganas de leer un poquito más a ver que cuenta y se va resolviendo el halo misterioso que envuelve a toda la historia.
Tal vez no sea tan adictivo como digo y al estar pegado a los personajes haya pasado por alto los posibles bajones del libro.
El final no es tan “grande” como el anterior y se resuelve el misterio de forma correcta sin más.
Ya he notado en los libros anteriores que he leído de ella, y en este repite, la peculiar concepción de los malos y sus motivaciones. No tanto que las describa y analice al personaje en concreto como que describe un tipo de persona, unas actitudes y características que por unos motivos u otros hacen que en la historia ocupe el lugar del villano.
Aunque el final no llega a ese extraño nivel del primero de la serie en conjunto es mejor libro y me ha gustado más.
Añado: no sé porque la autora no tiene más fama y reconocimiento. Con lo poco que he leído de ella percibo una gran inteligencia, el uso que hace de las herramientas literarias, cómo lleva la narración a ciertos terrenos con delicadeza sin dar la sensación de que esté forzando la historia para llegar a donde quiere. Y una comparación que no debería pero la hago. Veo similitudes en la inteligencia con Ursula K. Le Guin pero creo que Hambly maneja mejor la narración y no me pierde como lector por el camino.
A diferencia del anterior en este siento muy cercanos a los protagonistas, percibo cada respiración, cada suspiro, lo que supone para ellos lo que están viviendo. Ya sé como piensan.
A esa buena noticia hay que sumarle un cambio en el estilo literario. Manteniéndose dentro del campo fantástico se trata de un thriller, una novela de misterio, saber de dónde surge el mal o quién es el malo, el motivo por el que suceden ciertas cosas que provoca una gran adicción lectora. Siempre con las ganas de leer un poquito más a ver que cuenta y se va resolviendo el halo misterioso que envuelve a toda la historia.
Tal vez no sea tan adictivo como digo y al estar pegado a los personajes haya pasado por alto los posibles bajones del libro.
El final no es tan “grande” como el anterior y se resuelve el misterio de forma correcta sin más.
Ya he notado en los libros anteriores que he leído de ella, y en este repite, la peculiar concepción de los malos y sus motivaciones. No tanto que las describa y analice al personaje en concreto como que describe un tipo de persona, unas actitudes y características que por unos motivos u otros hacen que en la historia ocupe el lugar del villano.
Aunque el final no llega a ese extraño nivel del primero de la serie en conjunto es mejor libro y me ha gustado más.
Añado: no sé porque la autora no tiene más fama y reconocimiento. Con lo poco que he leído de ella percibo una gran inteligencia, el uso que hace de las herramientas literarias, cómo lleva la narración a ciertos terrenos con delicadeza sin dar la sensación de que esté forzando la historia para llegar a donde quiere. Y una comparación que no debería pero la hago. Veo similitudes en la inteligencia con Ursula K. Le Guin pero creo que Hambly maneja mejor la narración y no me pierde como lector por el camino.
October 16, 2024
SunWolf and StarHawk Vol2
clicca perche sicuro questo commento vuoi leggerlo
non pochi refusi e la traduzione non mi è piaciuta
ho anche sentito la mancanza dell elemento military ma è stata ugualmente una lettura piacevole
TRAMA E SPOILER:
SunWolf e StarHawk finiscono accusati di omicidio mentre sono ospiti del re di Wenshar, al quale hanno salvato la vita
clicca perche sicuro questo commento vuoi leggerlo
non pochi refusi e la traduzione non mi è piaciuta
ho anche sentito la mancanza dell elemento military ma è stata ugualmente una lettura piacevole
TRAMA E SPOILER:
SunWolf e StarHawk finiscono accusati di omicidio mentre sono ospiti del re di Wenshar, al quale hanno salvato la vita
April 22, 2019
Like the first one, it took a while to get started. There were a lot of descriptions and it was still fun.
January 9, 2018
This was pretty grim. (Major spoilers behind the cut.)
It's got some interesting ideas about gender and violence and war - but it's also got lots of weird grossness about bodies, and especially about fat. There's a major thread throughout, enough that I would say it rises to the level of being a theme, that one character in particular's dissipation and weakness shows up in their body size.
I'm not mad that I read it, overall, but I'm not terribly interested in picking up the next book in the series, or chasing down other books by Hambly.
It's got some interesting ideas about gender and violence and war - but it's also got lots of weird grossness about bodies, and especially about fat. There's a major thread throughout, enough that I would say it rises to the level of being a theme, that one character in particular's dissipation and weakness shows up in their body size.
I'm not mad that I read it, overall, but I'm not terribly interested in picking up the next book in the series, or chasing down other books by Hambly.
March 2, 2022
Barbara Hambly lo ha vuelto a hacer. Lección magistral de cómo meter bastante de profundidad y mucho de feminismo en una historia de fantasía clásica, sin más pretensiones, de forma sutil, sin pretender dar lecciones y con un resultado muy orgánico.
El personaje de Halcón de las Estrellas, su relación con Lobo del Sol y la evolución que viven son fascinantes. La princesa y el príncipe heredero que desafían las normas de género (sin grandes aspavientos, como hacemos la inmensa mayoría de personas en el mundo real) son también muy tiernos y complejos, como lo es la relación que desarrollan con la pareja protagonista.
Eso sí, Hambly, hazte así, que tienes un poco de gordofobia en la mirada. Al igual que ocurría en Las señoras de Mandrigyn, el exceso de grasa es utilizado como descripción moral (negativa) del personaje.
El personaje de Halcón de las Estrellas, su relación con Lobo del Sol y la evolución que viven son fascinantes. La princesa y el príncipe heredero que desafían las normas de género (sin grandes aspavientos, como hacemos la inmensa mayoría de personas en el mundo real) son también muy tiernos y complejos, como lo es la relación que desarrollan con la pareja protagonista.
Eso sí, Hambly, hazte así, que tienes un poco de gordofobia en la mirada. Al igual que ocurría en Las señoras de Mandrigyn, el exceso de grasa es utilizado como descripción moral (negativa) del personaje.
December 18, 2023
The Witches of Wenshar by Barbara Hambly is the second book in the "Sun Wolf and Starhawk' trilogy. This book is Epic/Dark fantasy and is a solid follow-up to the first book, "The Ladies of Mandrigyn". Sun Wolf and Starhawk have traveled to Wenshar to learn the art of being a wizard from experts in this desert region. It isn't easy, and the local politics, as always, are complicated and deadly. Many things are not what they seem and Sun Wolf and Starhawk have their hands full sorting out friend from foe. This story is a cautionary tale about meddling with things you don't understand. A great read in this awsome trilogy.
April 1, 2025
Book two of Hambly’s Sun Wolf and Starhawk trilogy was a bit of a surprise for me. Yes, it is a continuation that follows immediately following book one, but not in the way I thought. It further evolves the relationship between Sun Wolf and Starhawk and Sun Wolf’s evolution as a wizard, but the story is almost completely unrelated. The underlying evil in book one is never addressed and we instead get a new magic evil to contend with. It all seems more of a side vignette, with new evil demons and the lingering power of old evil witches, and not at all a continuation of what happened in book one.
So, I gotta go with 3 stars for this one, and I wonder where Hambly is going to go with book three.
So, I gotta go with 3 stars for this one, and I wonder where Hambly is going to go with book three.
December 28, 2010
This novel picks up a couple months after the end of The Ladies of Mandrigyn, and if it isn't as surprising as that novel was it is no less delightful. While Starhawk has responded with her usual calm to all the changes in their fortunes, Sun Wolf is still assimilating the new needs his power places on his way of life and his new relationship with Starhawk specifically and women in general. Of course he immediately clashes with another strong-minded, aristocratic, redheaded woman, but Kaletha is very definitely not Sheera Galernas.
The Witches of Wenshar delves deeper into the magic system that Hambly has set up for this world, and if none of it rocked my world with originality, its very familiarity let Hambly continue exploring the things obviously dear to her heart: her characters and the role of women in the world. In the course of the novel, Sun Wolf goes through the same series of revelations that Starhawk went through in The Ladies of Mandrigyn when she was stuck in Pergemis with Ram & Orris and their family, and his melancholy as a result is handled with a wonderful delicacy.
This novel is actually better paced than its predecessor was; Sun Wolf and Starhawk are never separated by more than a day's ride, so the shifting between perspectives is much smoother because they are both party to the same events. There are no large battle scenes for Hambly to choreograph, the action all taking place among small bands of people or individuals, so there were never any moments when I lost track of who was doing what. And the denouement, though I could see it coming a mile a way, still drew a snicker from me. All in all, this novel was just as enjoyable as The Ladies of Mandrigyn, and that is no mean feat. I am eagerly awaiting getting my hands on a copy of the conclusion to this trilogy.
The Witches of Wenshar delves deeper into the magic system that Hambly has set up for this world, and if none of it rocked my world with originality, its very familiarity let Hambly continue exploring the things obviously dear to her heart: her characters and the role of women in the world. In the course of the novel, Sun Wolf goes through the same series of revelations that Starhawk went through in The Ladies of Mandrigyn when she was stuck in Pergemis with Ram & Orris and their family, and his melancholy as a result is handled with a wonderful delicacy.
This novel is actually better paced than its predecessor was; Sun Wolf and Starhawk are never separated by more than a day's ride, so the shifting between perspectives is much smoother because they are both party to the same events. There are no large battle scenes for Hambly to choreograph, the action all taking place among small bands of people or individuals, so there were never any moments when I lost track of who was doing what. And the denouement, though I could see it coming a mile a way, still drew a snicker from me. All in all, this novel was just as enjoyable as The Ladies of Mandrigyn, and that is no mean feat. I am eagerly awaiting getting my hands on a copy of the conclusion to this trilogy.
September 17, 2013
This novel picks up shortly after the traumatic ending of The Ladies of Mandrigyn, and reinforces that the Wolf is now a wizard fighting in a magical battlefield instead of an armored one. He is still trying to get a grasp of his powers, and is looking for someone to teach him. In his search, he comes to Wenshar, and is introduced to a rather spiteful character named Kaletha, who agrees to teach him as long as he practically worships her and agrees that she is perfect and brilliant. Gag.
This story deals with quite a bit of magical fallout from the previous book (The Ladies of Mandrigyn ), especially the fact that wizards are practically extinct due to the sorry villain seen there. I did enjoy that the Wolf is seen to struggle with finding a teacher, but thought it was a bit overdone with the women were powerful and the need for power is not just in the male gender. I was struck by a couple of small issues, especially the fact that the main villain was pretty obvious, although the characters were oblivious. I felt that the background of the Wolf could have given him more of an idea how to deal with the people, then thought – perhaps not, as he previously just hit bad guys with a sword, which tends to silence even the most outspoken evildoers.
I do like that the two main characters, Starhawk and Sun Wolf, were kept together for most of the story. I also enjoyed the introduction of two strong new characters, the royal offspring of the ruler of Tandiera, the Princess and Prince. I also enjoyed that most of the fighting was with words, or “offscreen” as it were, so it was easier to keep track of the action than in other stories.
I am looking forward to the final third of this saga.
This story deals with quite a bit of magical fallout from the previous book (The Ladies of Mandrigyn ), especially the fact that wizards are practically extinct due to the sorry villain seen there. I did enjoy that the Wolf is seen to struggle with finding a teacher, but thought it was a bit overdone with the women were powerful and the need for power is not just in the male gender. I was struck by a couple of small issues, especially the fact that the main villain was pretty obvious, although the characters were oblivious. I felt that the background of the Wolf could have given him more of an idea how to deal with the people, then thought – perhaps not, as he previously just hit bad guys with a sword, which tends to silence even the most outspoken evildoers.
I do like that the two main characters, Starhawk and Sun Wolf, were kept together for most of the story. I also enjoyed the introduction of two strong new characters, the royal offspring of the ruler of Tandiera, the Princess and Prince. I also enjoyed that most of the fighting was with words, or “offscreen” as it were, so it was easier to keep track of the action than in other stories.
I am looking forward to the final third of this saga.
March 25, 2018
Honestly I don't know why I finished this... the first book in the series was mostly fantasy with a bit of horror thrown in for giggles... this was... old-fashioned mystery + horror?, complete with super annoying foreshadowing, dragged out clues and reversals, and a super annoying reveal/'lesson-giving' during the final climax scene.
And animal torture. Which, why? And, if you write it in -more than necessary- because 'using black magic against itself,' ok, but then making it serve no purpose in the end? Whyyyyyyyy. Horrifying. I suppose that's the point of the whole hate-magic thing. Echoing another reviewer- really excessively grim all around.
Also, why, when building a world from scratch, would you continue to include misogyny in the backbone of every culture you're elaborating, while allowing for different sexual preferences and less racial (while keeping cultural) tension? You get to choose, why keep that? Gross.
So why did I start reading the last one? When the description from the cover is 'even worse than the last' literally? Maybe because being annoyed at an awful created world is easier/more entertaining than gagging repeatedly while browsing twitter? I don't know, I don't watch TV, so I suppose this is my 'manufactured indignation' for the year.
Starhawk is cool though, I mean, she meditates and is gaining experience being kind and communicating... But the story arc is mostly blindly following this guy - because chemistry + honesty + ability to learn/change (bc he has no other characteristics that even he doesn't want to change, and the change part is SUPER new for him) - is, well, a bad role model of a relationship...
~ oo they'd die for each other ~
... meh.
And animal torture. Which, why? And, if you write it in -more than necessary- because 'using black magic against itself,' ok, but then making it serve no purpose in the end? Whyyyyyyyy. Horrifying. I suppose that's the point of the whole hate-magic thing. Echoing another reviewer- really excessively grim all around.
Also, why, when building a world from scratch, would you continue to include misogyny in the backbone of every culture you're elaborating, while allowing for different sexual preferences and less racial (while keeping cultural) tension? You get to choose, why keep that? Gross.
So why did I start reading the last one? When the description from the cover is 'even worse than the last' literally? Maybe because being annoyed at an awful created world is easier/more entertaining than gagging repeatedly while browsing twitter? I don't know, I don't watch TV, so I suppose this is my 'manufactured indignation' for the year.
Starhawk is cool though, I mean, she meditates and is gaining experience being kind and communicating... But the story arc is mostly blindly following this guy - because chemistry + honesty + ability to learn/change (bc he has no other characteristics that even he doesn't want to change, and the change part is SUPER new for him) - is, well, a bad role model of a relationship...
~ oo they'd die for each other ~
... meh.
August 26, 2011
Not as good as the first, but still entertaining.
August 8, 2017
My paternal grandfather was one of those gruff old Midwestern guys who grew up in the Depression, smoked like a chimney, and had a hard time connecting with his grandsons when we were very young. And his granddaughters? Forget it. Let's just say he related better to adults.
So when my grandmother died and my grandfather subsequently took it upon himself to pick out birthday or holiday gifts for me, I inevitably treasured these items more than other gifts, if only because they represented to me his conscientious attempts to put himself into the mindset of a 13-year-old kid, which you can believe didn't come easy to him.
In 1987, he gave me a mass market copy of The Witches of Wenshar. I've carried this book with me ever since, though I haven't read it until now.
The reason I waited thirty years is because, as a teenager, I wasn't really into reading fantasy. Science fiction, yes--absolutely. But fantasy, not so much, which is odd--because I was really into Dungeons & Dragons at the time. But although I liked The Hobbit, I failed to read The Lord of the Rings past The Fellowship of the Ring, which, to me, seemed to be about nothing but endless feasts and strolling through dark woods talking about brotherhood or some such. This, of course, is not the kind of conversation I would have had with my grandfather, who was no fan of genre fiction. But as I mentioned above, the fact that he tried to pick out a book he thought I'd like is what made it special to me.
Thirty years later, my interest in fantasy stories has strengthened, so I was--at last--ready to give The Witches of Wenshar a try.
What a great book! I don't mean a Great Book (this isn't something The University of Chicago should add to their literature courses), but a great fantasy novel. It features a fairly complex protagonist (Sun Wolf, a sword for hire whose gruff demeanor coincidentally reminds me of my grandfather's own personality), a strong female sidekick, an interesting cast of supporting characters (particularly the king's genre-defying daughter and son), a nice bit of world building, and a spooky (indeed, Lovecraftian) abandoned city on the edge of the desert haunted by spectral demons.
Furthermore, Hambly's prose is refreshingly free of cliche. The locations don't read as carbon copies of Tolkien's Middle Earth; the world feels real and lived-in. Though some of the minor characters might not be as well-rounded as a reader might like, none of them speak in the stock phrases of fantasy, and Hambly doesn't saddle them with that faux-medieval idiom that's so irritating when done poorly. In other words, this book doesn't read like so many fantasy novels I've read: that is, as if the author had written it over the course of a long, coffee-fueled weekend.
This may sound shamefully stereotypical but, based on recent reading experiences (especially the novels of C. J. Cherryh and Ursula K. Le Guin), I'm starting to prefer the work of female genre writers to that of male writers (with a few exceptions). In trying to imagine the relationship between Sun Wolf and Starhawk as written by a man I can't believe Starhawk would have been as strong a character as she is (at least not if this hypothetical man who wrote the story had written it in the '80s). Perhaps that's unfair of me. The me of 2017 doesn't actually have much more experience with fantasy novels that the me of 1987, so I could be completely wrong. But that's the impression I get.
Anyway, a very enjoyable novel. Thanks, Grandpa!
So when my grandmother died and my grandfather subsequently took it upon himself to pick out birthday or holiday gifts for me, I inevitably treasured these items more than other gifts, if only because they represented to me his conscientious attempts to put himself into the mindset of a 13-year-old kid, which you can believe didn't come easy to him.
In 1987, he gave me a mass market copy of The Witches of Wenshar. I've carried this book with me ever since, though I haven't read it until now.
The reason I waited thirty years is because, as a teenager, I wasn't really into reading fantasy. Science fiction, yes--absolutely. But fantasy, not so much, which is odd--because I was really into Dungeons & Dragons at the time. But although I liked The Hobbit, I failed to read The Lord of the Rings past The Fellowship of the Ring, which, to me, seemed to be about nothing but endless feasts and strolling through dark woods talking about brotherhood or some such. This, of course, is not the kind of conversation I would have had with my grandfather, who was no fan of genre fiction. But as I mentioned above, the fact that he tried to pick out a book he thought I'd like is what made it special to me.
Thirty years later, my interest in fantasy stories has strengthened, so I was--at last--ready to give The Witches of Wenshar a try.
What a great book! I don't mean a Great Book (this isn't something The University of Chicago should add to their literature courses), but a great fantasy novel. It features a fairly complex protagonist (Sun Wolf, a sword for hire whose gruff demeanor coincidentally reminds me of my grandfather's own personality), a strong female sidekick, an interesting cast of supporting characters (particularly the king's genre-defying daughter and son), a nice bit of world building, and a spooky (indeed, Lovecraftian) abandoned city on the edge of the desert haunted by spectral demons.
Furthermore, Hambly's prose is refreshingly free of cliche. The locations don't read as carbon copies of Tolkien's Middle Earth; the world feels real and lived-in. Though some of the minor characters might not be as well-rounded as a reader might like, none of them speak in the stock phrases of fantasy, and Hambly doesn't saddle them with that faux-medieval idiom that's so irritating when done poorly. In other words, this book doesn't read like so many fantasy novels I've read: that is, as if the author had written it over the course of a long, coffee-fueled weekend.
This may sound shamefully stereotypical but, based on recent reading experiences (especially the novels of C. J. Cherryh and Ursula K. Le Guin), I'm starting to prefer the work of female genre writers to that of male writers (with a few exceptions). In trying to imagine the relationship between Sun Wolf and Starhawk as written by a man I can't believe Starhawk would have been as strong a character as she is (at least not if this hypothetical man who wrote the story had written it in the '80s). Perhaps that's unfair of me. The me of 2017 doesn't actually have much more experience with fantasy novels that the me of 1987, so I could be completely wrong. But that's the impression I get.
Anyway, a very enjoyable novel. Thanks, Grandpa!
October 2, 2017
This second book of the Sun Wolf and Starhawk series follows Sun Wolf as he embarks on a new career as a wizard, and strongly suggests that he would have been better off simply retiring to a farm instead. Thanks to the efforts of Altiokis, the villain of the previous book, to suppress magical competition, the Middle Kingdoms are short on wizards, which is a problem for Sun Wolf, who is hoping to find somebody to teach him magic. The book opens with this search for a teacher leading him to the far south, where he finds a rather unpleasant woman who is at least half a charlatan, as well as a hypocrite, and yet is easily the best prospective teacher he’s found. In part, this is due to the legacy of the titular witches (part of a magical dynasty who ruled a nearby, now-abandoned city): unfortunately, said witches turn out to have been pretty legitimately evil, as bad as Altiokis in some ways. All this doesn’t exactly put a good light on wizardry: indeed, in this book one is almost tempted to sympathize with Hambly’s usual anti-magic religious figures. Sun Wolf, however, is too stubborn to be pushed aside from his quest for magical knowledge by the anger and disgust he feels at his fellow-wizards: instead, what pushes him aside are the occasions in which he, and sometimes Starhawk too, are being arrested, beaten up, or otherwise mistreated as part of the mystery that forms the other plotline, and which eventually merges, in a rather unpleasant way, with the legacy of the witches. (Unfortunately, Hambly gives a good chunk of the solution away pretty early, in a way that makes you wonder why Sun Wolf didn’t pick up on it: it’s always a bit unfortunate when you feel that you are smarter than the characters in the book.) In fact, though Hambly often has her heroes and heroines suffer, what Sun Wolf and, to a lesser extent, Starhawk go through in this book is pretty extreme. In this case, though, it's clearly for a reason: both of them, but Sun Wolf in particular, are expiating the many sins they committed during their long careers as mercenaries. Making it extra harrowing is that Sun Wolf is smart enough to see the connections: he’s not just suffering physically, but also undergoing a series of increasingly uncomfortable revelations about his past life. This culminates in a really quite powerful scene in which, having been broken (by a threat to Starhawk) and forced to confess to something he didn’t do, he recalls the many times when he was the one doing the breaking. Still, it’s not enough to satisfy karma, so though in the end he and Starhawk do manage to save the day, they end the book once again on the move and encouraged not to come back, with Sun Wolf not much better of a wizard than he was when it started, though richer by a set of magical tomes. The important question of the book, though, is not whether Sun Wolf can be a wizard, but whether, after all the things he has done, he can be a good person. Hambly has clearly weighted the scales a bit (especially with the children: they aren't as bad as they might have been, but there's little in Sun Wolf's past life to suggest that he would make a good father), but the fact that Sun Wolf knows that it’s a question makes him an interesting enough character to support a much worse book than this one.
August 10, 2018
I think I might have liked this book a bit more than the first, mostly because of the murder mystery that kept me guessing until the end. I had a vague idea, way deep into the story, about who might be the murderer, but didn't know the why and the how until the final scenes.
The story starts with Sun Wolf and Starhawk looking for a magic user, in this case a witch, to teach him about magic. The witch turns out to be a disappointment. Kaletha is young, arrogant, and entirely too sure of herself.
I have to admit here that I was not very happy with the way most of the female characters were handled in this book. Sun Wolf's attitude was grating at times, and often I felt like Kaletha's characterization was forced so that she would be unsympathetic. The writing for her, and a couple of other women, was too heavy handed, and became annoying after a while, especially when contrasted with Starhawk.
But the tension, and the mystery were well done! The writer threw in a couple of red herrings, and a few other surprises. As always, the writing was smooth, and fast paced.
I also like that Sun Wolf and Starhawk's relationship is still evolving, They know each other well, but are still discovering hidden depths in each other. The best thing for me was that they weren't separated from each other like in the first book.
I'll probably pick up the third book at some point, but the series as a whole seems to be getting darker and darker.
The story starts with Sun Wolf and Starhawk looking for a magic user, in this case a witch, to teach him about magic. The witch turns out to be a disappointment. Kaletha is young, arrogant, and entirely too sure of herself.
I have to admit here that I was not very happy with the way most of the female characters were handled in this book. Sun Wolf's attitude was grating at times, and often I felt like Kaletha's characterization was forced so that she would be unsympathetic. The writing for her, and a couple of other women, was too heavy handed, and became annoying after a while, especially when contrasted with Starhawk.
But the tension, and the mystery were well done! The writer threw in a couple of red herrings, and a few other surprises. As always, the writing was smooth, and fast paced.
I also like that Sun Wolf and Starhawk's relationship is still evolving, They know each other well, but are still discovering hidden depths in each other. The best thing for me was that they weren't separated from each other like in the first book.
I'll probably pick up the third book at some point, but the series as a whole seems to be getting darker and darker.
December 8, 2018
After discovering that he's a mageborn and a wizard, Sun Wolf, former mercenary captain, and his lover Starhawk scour the world for another wizard who can teach him how to control his magic and use it effectively. Their journey takes them to the edges of the desert, where a mystic claims to be able to teach anyone, mageborn or not, to use magic.
Sun Wolf soon learns of the ancient legacy of the lost kingdom of Wenshar, and the curse the desert magic brings to those who disturb it, as horrific deaths threaten to rip the city apart and unleash not only the dark magics of old, but the simmering tensions of prejudice and fear towards mageborn, as well as the dispossessed and those taken for granted in a callous world.
This dozens of potential suspects, and multiple political factions looking for an excuse to tear each other apart, the maneuvering of political alliances, as well as the dark magic iteself, Sun Wolf and Starhawk are stretched to their limits to try to contain the simmering violence from erupting into full blown anarchy, while also ensuring the legacy of evil magic doesn't rise again.
Sun Wolf soon learns of the ancient legacy of the lost kingdom of Wenshar, and the curse the desert magic brings to those who disturb it, as horrific deaths threaten to rip the city apart and unleash not only the dark magics of old, but the simmering tensions of prejudice and fear towards mageborn, as well as the dispossessed and those taken for granted in a callous world.
This dozens of potential suspects, and multiple political factions looking for an excuse to tear each other apart, the maneuvering of political alliances, as well as the dark magic iteself, Sun Wolf and Starhawk are stretched to their limits to try to contain the simmering violence from erupting into full blown anarchy, while also ensuring the legacy of evil magic doesn't rise again.
January 24, 2022
The quality of Barbara Hambly’s writing is exquisite.
Though the pacing was sometimes too slow for my liking, the depth of description (especially of complex emotion and the movement of light) and the page-turning intrigue of the climax launched The Witches of Wenshar solidly into a 4-star rating.
The strong, already established relationship between the two main characters was refreshing in its lack of childish drama (befitting people in their 40s), as were the ways in which women were shown to be privy to information that men didn’t have to be due to their privilege in society (such as measuring a man by how he treats other men rather than women, social etiquettes, etc.). Starhawk is a great example of a warrior woman who isn’t defined by her appearance and doesn’t put down other women to be “one of the guys.”
As a bit of warning, this book does feature horrific rituals that you would associate with the horror genre’s use of the word “witch.” It was upsetting, but I realised that my emotional response meant that the author did a good job, and it fit the setting and characters.
I would read the first and third books in Sun Wolf and Starhawk’s series if I came across them.
Though the pacing was sometimes too slow for my liking, the depth of description (especially of complex emotion and the movement of light) and the page-turning intrigue of the climax launched The Witches of Wenshar solidly into a 4-star rating.
The strong, already established relationship between the two main characters was refreshing in its lack of childish drama (befitting people in their 40s), as were the ways in which women were shown to be privy to information that men didn’t have to be due to their privilege in society (such as measuring a man by how he treats other men rather than women, social etiquettes, etc.). Starhawk is a great example of a warrior woman who isn’t defined by her appearance and doesn’t put down other women to be “one of the guys.”
As a bit of warning, this book does feature horrific rituals that you would associate with the horror genre’s use of the word “witch.” It was upsetting, but I realised that my emotional response meant that the author did a good job, and it fit the setting and characters.
I would read the first and third books in Sun Wolf and Starhawk’s series if I came across them.
January 2, 2020
They were riding across the open palm of fate
It's lovely to read a sequel that actually changes things up from the original, Ladies of Mandrigyn, the first book in this series, followed a relatively typical adventure plot with an evil wizard in a tower and an unlikely crew of fighters who had to ban together to defeat said evil. Witches changes this up entirely and throws the reader into a murder mystery plot where the main concern is not stopping the evil but identifying what it even is.
I won't spoil anything here but I will say that it's the resolution that makes this one special, for Hambly takes this seemingly typical mystery plot and resolves it with a level of empathy and character focus that is unusual for the fantasy genre.
The reason this doesn't get 5 stars is because of a middle portion that I feel may drag on some readers but even that is somewhat justified by the conclusion which turns the seeming repetition of the middle acts into necessary setup for the great finish.
It's lovely to read a sequel that actually changes things up from the original, Ladies of Mandrigyn, the first book in this series, followed a relatively typical adventure plot with an evil wizard in a tower and an unlikely crew of fighters who had to ban together to defeat said evil. Witches changes this up entirely and throws the reader into a murder mystery plot where the main concern is not stopping the evil but identifying what it even is.
I won't spoil anything here but I will say that it's the resolution that makes this one special, for Hambly takes this seemingly typical mystery plot and resolves it with a level of empathy and character focus that is unusual for the fantasy genre.
The reason this doesn't get 5 stars is because of a middle portion that I feel may drag on some readers but even that is somewhat justified by the conclusion which turns the seeming repetition of the middle acts into necessary setup for the great finish.
July 9, 2023
"The witches…" follows directly timewise after the Ladies of Mandrigyn and once again is following the ex-mercenary Sun Wolf and is ex-lieutenant and now lover Starhawk in his quest to be trained in the magic he has acquired. Unfortunately Sun Wolf's luck has not really been a blessing to him, as he hears of a wizard named Kaletha who has supposedly found a series of books written by the witches of Wenshar, but who specialized in summoning and controlling demons for their evil machinations.
Suddenly people around sun wolf, Starhawk, Kaletha begin dying, or rather being murdered rather gruesomely and of course Sun Wolf is blamed.
This is a very good book that is the second part of the of the Sun Wolf trilogy. It has been many years since I first read this series, and I had forgotten a lot about it so it was very good to be able to remind myself of how well it had been written, and plotted.
Well worth the read.
Suddenly people around sun wolf, Starhawk, Kaletha begin dying, or rather being murdered rather gruesomely and of course Sun Wolf is blamed.
This is a very good book that is the second part of the of the Sun Wolf trilogy. It has been many years since I first read this series, and I had forgotten a lot about it so it was very good to be able to remind myself of how well it had been written, and plotted.
Well worth the read.
December 31, 2024
This novel had all the ingredients I like: fantasy desert setting, witches, ruins of an evil kingdom and horrifying demonic rituals but still something felt missing. The story felt very haphazard in the beginning and the characters and their relations were weird. Around halfway through the story starts to shine and the mystery kicks in.
Sun Wolf's growth as a man and him being utterly humiliated and understanding how he's done evil shit in the past are the best parts. I liked those in the first novel of this series as well. In this we'll get a bit deeper.
The relationship with Starhawk and Sun Wolf gets better as well. There was a part where I almost squealed, it was so good.
"Magic is born in us, because we're children of the earth." These books have one fucking good explanation of why magic exists. There's no need for insanely convoluted hard magic systems; I'll always be a soft magic enjoyer.
Sun Wolf's growth as a man and him being utterly humiliated and understanding how he's done evil shit in the past are the best parts. I liked those in the first novel of this series as well. In this we'll get a bit deeper.
The relationship with Starhawk and Sun Wolf gets better as well. There was a part where I almost squealed, it was so good.
"Magic is born in us, because we're children of the earth." These books have one fucking good explanation of why magic exists. There's no need for insanely convoluted hard magic systems; I'll always be a soft magic enjoyer.
April 9, 2023
A tragedy generations in the making
Although this book starts out as fantasy, it really ends up being a murder mystery. A fantasy murder mystery, of course. With villains aplenty, many of whom don't realize that they're villains. And we finally get a closer look at the demons that have just been a distant part of the scenery in previous books in the Voidverse.
It's also a cautionary tale about meddling with things you don't understand. It's depressing to realize that the original witches were partly a victim of geography. A tragedy generations in the making.
Although this book starts out as fantasy, it really ends up being a murder mystery. A fantasy murder mystery, of course. With villains aplenty, many of whom don't realize that they're villains. And we finally get a closer look at the demons that have just been a distant part of the scenery in previous books in the Voidverse.
It's also a cautionary tale about meddling with things you don't understand. It's depressing to realize that the original witches were partly a victim of geography. A tragedy generations in the making.
Read
October 23, 2025Once, it was said, Wensha had been a city of witches, summoning and controlling demons for their evil magic. But in nearby Tandieras, Kaltha claimed to have found their lost book of spells to perform only white magic. When Sun Wolf arrived, he discovered increasing signs of evil magic and demon-controlling spells. And he realized, too late, that a new swarm of demons was trying to lure him to his death....
March 25, 2021
Not quite as good as the first book in this trilogy in my opinion, but I still like it because I like to see where Sun Wolf and Starhawk go after the changes they went through in The Ladies of Mandrigyn. I think Barbara Hambly is a fantastic author and have enjoyed several of her books. This is a good fantasy trilogy.
December 17, 2023
Seguimos las aventuras de Lobo de Sol y Halcón de las Estrellas con una historia detectivesca y de aventuras llena de matices. Sin forzar y enriqueciendo la trama principal, la trama explora también los deseos de paternidad de un Lobo ya maduro y la relación de una pareja enamorada pero no encorsetada en el ideal de amor románico.
April 24, 2025
This book is a bit slower than the first, but the story building and character arcs hold up well. Barbara Hambly’s writing flows beautifully and the mystery and action are evenly paced. I feel like The Ladies of Mandrigyn would have been a great finish to the trilogy as opposed to the opening story, but we’ll see what book 3 has to offer!
August 8, 2024
Liked the first book in series, started this second one and put it off finding the first half a little slow. Picked it up later and the excitement built gradually as I was left guessing who the real antagonist might be. Enjoyable: looking forward to the third book
June 18, 2019
Good read about fantasy, combining magic with human nature and understanding.
September 4, 2021
3.5 stars
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