What do you think?
Rate this book
The Witch King Trilogy #1
Thalgor's Witch
In a land of perpetual war and wandering, warrior Thalgor not only leads his people in battle, but keeps the hope alive that somebody his displaced tribe can rebuild the kingdom that was lost to the treachery between witches and men. When he captures a beautiful witch, he knows he cannot trust her. But to succeed in his quest to find a new home and prevail over his enemies, he also knows he needs her.
Erwyn might be a slave and feared for her powers and precognition, but she doesn’t cower when confronted by the feared warrior. Nor does she act as expected. Thalgor’s kindness confuses her. His flashes of humor confound her. And the reaction he ignites in her body creates a longing that she cannot deny.
Neither anticipated falling in love. The stakes are high, but when Thalgor is mortally wounded, Erwyn realizes she must accept help from an unlikely source to save him.
Erwyn might be a slave and feared for her powers and precognition, but she doesn’t cower when confronted by the feared warrior. Nor does she act as expected. Thalgor’s kindness confuses her. His flashes of humor confound her. And the reaction he ignites in her body creates a longing that she cannot deny.
Neither anticipated falling in love. The stakes are high, but when Thalgor is mortally wounded, Erwyn realizes she must accept help from an unlikely source to save him.
ebook
First published February 22, 2018
82 people want to read
About the author
Nancy Holland
7 books14 followersNancy Holland recently began to live her dream as a full-time writer. She writes stories about people who refuse to give up on themselves, struggle to change their lives, and learn to trust each other. When not reading or writing, she loves to travel and explore cities where she can feel the lives of people who lived there centuries ago.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
February 20, 2018
***** 3.75 Stars *****
Thalgor's Witch isn't your typical romance story. There isn't really any grand gestures of romance or loving words. Thalgor is actually a pretty harsh man, but his personality fits the setting of the story. Overall I enjoyed this book. My only complaint is that certain areas felt incomplete.
Thalgor's Witch isn't your typical romance story. There isn't really any grand gestures of romance or loving words. Thalgor is actually a pretty harsh man, but his personality fits the setting of the story. Overall I enjoyed this book. My only complaint is that certain areas felt incomplete.
January 14, 2018
This arc was provided to me for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
3 Stars
I’m going to be totally honest and admit I had high hopes for Thalgor’s Witch based on the cover itself. It’s gorgeous, but I don’t feel it fits well with the story. I had a few issues with the story, but overall it wasn’t the worst I have read. In fact, I enjoyed the kind of witch that was featured in this book. The main character isn’t indestructible, but in fact, has a limit to her power. That limit makes it seem more realistic than anything.
The idea of this book increased my interest, a warrior named Thalgor captures a beautiful witch named Erwyn and a small child. He decides to keep them both with his tribe as having a witch will give Thalgor an upper hand in battle. As they battle opposing tribes and marauders, the witch and the warrior fall in love. Though not everyone is happy about it, so together they must fight for their clan and their love.
Most of my issue stem from the fact that the time jumps in this book exist. I am all for jumping time to increase the storyline, but I don’t feel like it did that. It was incredibly rushed in certain parts which frustrated me. And I would have liked to know more about the child. It seemed like it was going to be a major plot point but kind of fizzled out? Along with the Witch King? I don’t want to give away the things we do find out, so I will just say I wish things would have turned out differently.
With all that said, I don’t think this book is for me. I had far too many questions unanswered for me to enjoy this novel. It had a great concept and an overall strong main character, but I just wish it wasn’t rushed and gave me more answers.
3 Stars
I’m going to be totally honest and admit I had high hopes for Thalgor’s Witch based on the cover itself. It’s gorgeous, but I don’t feel it fits well with the story. I had a few issues with the story, but overall it wasn’t the worst I have read. In fact, I enjoyed the kind of witch that was featured in this book. The main character isn’t indestructible, but in fact, has a limit to her power. That limit makes it seem more realistic than anything.
The idea of this book increased my interest, a warrior named Thalgor captures a beautiful witch named Erwyn and a small child. He decides to keep them both with his tribe as having a witch will give Thalgor an upper hand in battle. As they battle opposing tribes and marauders, the witch and the warrior fall in love. Though not everyone is happy about it, so together they must fight for their clan and their love.
Most of my issue stem from the fact that the time jumps in this book exist. I am all for jumping time to increase the storyline, but I don’t feel like it did that. It was incredibly rushed in certain parts which frustrated me. And I would have liked to know more about the child. It seemed like it was going to be a major plot point but kind of fizzled out? Along with the Witch King? I don’t want to give away the things we do find out, so I will just say I wish things would have turned out differently.
With all that said, I don’t think this book is for me. I had far too many questions unanswered for me to enjoy this novel. It had a great concept and an overall strong main character, but I just wish it wasn’t rushed and gave me more answers.
January 9, 2018
Three and a half
This is a romance with a fantasy setting although if honest there isn't exactly a huge amount of world building going on . Basically this is the story of Erwyn, a Witch who has been kept a slave and as a Witch is both feared and ironically despised. When we meet her she's very protective of a young girl who could be cursed but unfortunately that particular thread isn't really followed up. What the author decides to do instead is show how the warrior Thalgor wants Erwyn for himself and the bulk of the story is about their relationship which is very strained at times.
There's conflict aplenty and various characters to help flesh out the story and even some action scenes to liven things up. For this reader though the pace seemed a little slow at times and I really wanted to know more about the Witches and indeed the Witch King who frequently crops up. Likeable characters but the crux of the story seemed to be whether or not Thalgor could find it in his heart to love Erwyn unequivocally. This worked well as a standalone but unfortunately I'm left with questions.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair
This is a romance with a fantasy setting although if honest there isn't exactly a huge amount of world building going on . Basically this is the story of Erwyn, a Witch who has been kept a slave and as a Witch is both feared and ironically despised. When we meet her she's very protective of a young girl who could be cursed but unfortunately that particular thread isn't really followed up. What the author decides to do instead is show how the warrior Thalgor wants Erwyn for himself and the bulk of the story is about their relationship which is very strained at times.
There's conflict aplenty and various characters to help flesh out the story and even some action scenes to liven things up. For this reader though the pace seemed a little slow at times and I really wanted to know more about the Witches and indeed the Witch King who frequently crops up. Likeable characters but the crux of the story seemed to be whether or not Thalgor could find it in his heart to love Erwyn unequivocally. This worked well as a standalone but unfortunately I'm left with questions.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair
December 31, 2017
Erwyn is a witch. Her village where she was slaved has been overrun, and she is trying to escape to the Sea Mountains with a child from her village, Felyn. She is captured by the leader of the raiding party Thalgor, and that is where our story begins.
As a witch, Erwyn has power over fire, foresight, and the power to heal. If Erwyn uses her powers to kill, she will lose her powers completely.
Erwyn is now a part of Thalgor’s clan. There is a lot of mistrust about witches, and about Erwyn herself. Thalgor is attracted to her but also wary of her. I was surprised at how quickly the main character got together in the story, but it was nice not to have a lot of unnecessary back and forth drama. The strength of this story is two people with different beliefs and agenda learning to love each other without compromising who they are.
This is an unhurried fantasy romance, dealing more with character development than action. There are action sequences, but the heart of this story is how Thalgor and Erwyn trust each other and fall in love despite having such different beliefs and upbringings.
Despite the title being Thalgor’s witch, Erwyn is very much her own woman. She has a strict set of beliefs that she does not compromise for Thalgor, even though she grows to love him.
The world building was sparse. It left a lot to the readers imagination. I liked the idea of the witches who could use their powers for self defense, but if they took a life the powers were lost forever. This is a stand-alone, but I would be interested in reading more stories from this world.
The secondary characters are fun to read about and are well developed. The plot is a bit slow. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, it spends a lot of time developing characters. This may be a problem if you prefer action based fantasy, but I loved it.
I would recommend this for fans of Elizabeth Vaughan’s Warprize.
As a witch, Erwyn has power over fire, foresight, and the power to heal. If Erwyn uses her powers to kill, she will lose her powers completely.
Erwyn is now a part of Thalgor’s clan. There is a lot of mistrust about witches, and about Erwyn herself. Thalgor is attracted to her but also wary of her. I was surprised at how quickly the main character got together in the story, but it was nice not to have a lot of unnecessary back and forth drama. The strength of this story is two people with different beliefs and agenda learning to love each other without compromising who they are.
This is an unhurried fantasy romance, dealing more with character development than action. There are action sequences, but the heart of this story is how Thalgor and Erwyn trust each other and fall in love despite having such different beliefs and upbringings.
Despite the title being Thalgor’s witch, Erwyn is very much her own woman. She has a strict set of beliefs that she does not compromise for Thalgor, even though she grows to love him.
The world building was sparse. It left a lot to the readers imagination. I liked the idea of the witches who could use their powers for self defense, but if they took a life the powers were lost forever. This is a stand-alone, but I would be interested in reading more stories from this world.
The secondary characters are fun to read about and are well developed. The plot is a bit slow. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, it spends a lot of time developing characters. This may be a problem if you prefer action based fantasy, but I loved it.
I would recommend this for fans of Elizabeth Vaughan’s Warprize.
January 27, 2018
***ARC received in exchange of an honest opinion***
This book was nice enough. It was a different book in the fantasy genre. It has romance and action and magic. But I think it's still missisng something.
Despite it having many battles, I still think it needed something more to add to them. Maybe a bit more story, a more involving plot line.
I liked the characters, but I didn't feel any real connection to any of them and I think the author missed a few opportunities regarding some of them and how the story could have developed.
Overall it was a good read, but I wasn't throughly impressed by it.
This book was nice enough. It was a different book in the fantasy genre. It has romance and action and magic. But I think it's still missisng something.
Despite it having many battles, I still think it needed something more to add to them. Maybe a bit more story, a more involving plot line.
I liked the characters, but I didn't feel any real connection to any of them and I think the author missed a few opportunities regarding some of them and how the story could have developed.
Overall it was a good read, but I wasn't throughly impressed by it.
January 23, 2018
I received a copy of this story from NetGalley for a honest review.
3 1/2 stars
I have to admit, I love a good fantasy/romance book so I was very excited to read a description for Thalgor's Witch. Erwyn who is a witch/healer is captured by Thalgor's hunting party while she has been a slave in a different camp. The long and the short of this story was that while it was well written, I didn't enjoy the overall story or the character's but that was more due to my personal taste. After reading this book I felt sad, and in all honesty did not feel like this book was a romance, more of a fantasy book with a bit of romance in it.
3 1/2 stars
I have to admit, I love a good fantasy/romance book so I was very excited to read a description for Thalgor's Witch. Erwyn who is a witch/healer is captured by Thalgor's hunting party while she has been a slave in a different camp. The long and the short of this story was that while it was well written, I didn't enjoy the overall story or the character's but that was more due to my personal taste. After reading this book I felt sad, and in all honesty did not feel like this book was a romance, more of a fantasy book with a bit of romance in it.
October 19, 2018
Powerful fantasy romance with amazing world-building and compelling characters. As a witch, Erwyn is both feared and powerful, though her magics are not without their price. Thalgor struggles to love her as a woman and still honor and respect her as a witch. There are dark themes in this book, but they are handled with intelligence and nuance, and delivering the unexpected, as the best of speculative fiction does.
September 26, 2018
I don’t read a lot of fantasy, because so many of the ones I’ve started turn out to be too rapey, but this one I finished and enjoyed. The world building was enough for me to understand the world, but not get bogged down in a long history of who begat whom. I appreciated the heroine’s self-acceptance and confidence, and a hero who has a strong moral compass. This felt like the fantasy book we need for the #metoo era, and I would be comfortable sharing this book with my 14 yr old.
February 11, 2019
4 stars
Reading this book reminded me a lot of the 'Vikings' TV show because things were moving so fast and so many people died and then were forgotten, and there was attack after attack after planning and preparing for an attack.
But for some reason I really enjoyed this book. Couldn't put it down. Hope I'll enjoy this author's other books as well.
Reading this book reminded me a lot of the 'Vikings' TV show because things were moving so fast and so many people died and then were forgotten, and there was attack after attack after planning and preparing for an attack.
But for some reason I really enjoyed this book. Couldn't put it down. Hope I'll enjoy this author's other books as well.
February 24, 2019
This was good but it strayed at times, not a typical romance in the sense of it but quite realistic for what probably happened in medieval times and warlords. But I found it was a bit repetitive in the arguments between them, I liked that Erwyn remained strong and true to herself but found her a bit irritating at times. I was actually sidelined no with Talgarth at some points !
December 10, 2018
I voluntarily read a advanced reader's copy.
Thalgor's Witch by Nancy Holland, A good story if you enjoy fantasy. Not my usual type of read. The plot was well written and I liked the characters.
Thalgor's Witch by Nancy Holland, A good story if you enjoy fantasy. Not my usual type of read. The plot was well written and I liked the characters.
January 13, 2018
I really enjoyed this book. The characters were great and the world interesting. Though much time passed, it all flowed so well and I never felt it was stilted or confusing. While Erwyn and those like her were called witches, they aren't like most would imagine them I don't think. They are bound by rules they must follow or else lose their magic. I liked all that Erwyn could do with her powers. There is a lot of fighting, as would be expected of how they live here, and it's all believable and engaging. Thalgor himself is quite a force to be reckoned with. Despite how serious things tended to be there was also some humor. Often by Rygar, Thalgor's brother whom I also loved.
Erwyn and Thalgor made a really good couple even though they were each the biggest obstacle to them being together. Thalgor had suffered as a child any time he loved, so he has closed his heart off. He also has a hard time trusting Erwyn despite all she's done because a deep fear and distrust of witches has been instilled in everybody from the moment they are born. Erwyn is defiant toward Thalgor often (though usually not when it's real important) and she also always puts her duty as a witch first. Needless to say they fight a lot. But it's impossible not to see how much the two of them care about the other. Throughout the book, they both suffer but Erwyn I think suffers the most. Sometimes it's by her own action, sometimes by Thalgor's. But each time they find a way to move past it and become stronger for it.
Thalgor captures Erwyn soon after a battle and quickly comes to regret capturing a witch. Though, at the same time not really. He's always telling her she's so much trouble, but he never stops desiring her and saving her. And despite his personality, Erwyn soon finds herself not being able to imagine a life without Thalgor. Together they work to keep Thalgor's band safe while also working toward Thalgor's dream of not having to wander and raid anymore. Erwyn's being a witch causes much tension within the camp and her spot in Thalgor's bed feeds the rage of a past lover. Leading to not all battles being fought against enemies.
With Erwyn and his men by his side, it looks like Thalgor's dream is on it's way to becoming true. But all too soon an enemy even more evil and vicious than they've encountered before is upon them. There are many loses, but when it's all over Thalgor's dream is even closer to becoming a reality and his love for Erwyn is stronger than ever.
My only complaint would be that I am left with a lot questions by the end. The witch king for one. Who was he? Was he real? Why did he look so much like Thalgor and call Felyn sister? Speaking of Felyn. One page mentioned Erwyn looking at the girl and realizing something that she vows she would take to her grave. What in the world was the secret she learned?? I also would have loved to know what happened in this world before the story begins. We're told that they used to live in stone homes and not have to travel all the time, but we never find out what happened that destroyed that way of life.
Overall though, a great read.
ARC provided by publisher via Netgalley.
Erwyn and Thalgor made a really good couple even though they were each the biggest obstacle to them being together. Thalgor had suffered as a child any time he loved, so he has closed his heart off. He also has a hard time trusting Erwyn despite all she's done because a deep fear and distrust of witches has been instilled in everybody from the moment they are born. Erwyn is defiant toward Thalgor often (though usually not when it's real important) and she also always puts her duty as a witch first. Needless to say they fight a lot. But it's impossible not to see how much the two of them care about the other. Throughout the book, they both suffer but Erwyn I think suffers the most. Sometimes it's by her own action, sometimes by Thalgor's. But each time they find a way to move past it and become stronger for it.
Thalgor captures Erwyn soon after a battle and quickly comes to regret capturing a witch. Though, at the same time not really. He's always telling her she's so much trouble, but he never stops desiring her and saving her. And despite his personality, Erwyn soon finds herself not being able to imagine a life without Thalgor. Together they work to keep Thalgor's band safe while also working toward Thalgor's dream of not having to wander and raid anymore. Erwyn's being a witch causes much tension within the camp and her spot in Thalgor's bed feeds the rage of a past lover. Leading to not all battles being fought against enemies.
With Erwyn and his men by his side, it looks like Thalgor's dream is on it's way to becoming true. But all too soon an enemy even more evil and vicious than they've encountered before is upon them. There are many loses, but when it's all over Thalgor's dream is even closer to becoming a reality and his love for Erwyn is stronger than ever.
My only complaint would be that I am left with a lot questions by the end. The witch king for one. Who was he? Was he real? Why did he look so much like Thalgor and call Felyn sister? Speaking of Felyn. One page mentioned Erwyn looking at the girl and realizing something that she vows she would take to her grave. What in the world was the secret she learned?? I also would have loved to know what happened in this world before the story begins. We're told that they used to live in stone homes and not have to travel all the time, but we never find out what happened that destroyed that way of life.
Overall though, a great read.
ARC provided by publisher via Netgalley.
January 5, 2018
Although the cover was a bit dark and sinister, I was intrigued by the blurb of Thalgor's Witch. But already on the first page, I was drawn into the story. We meet Erwyn, who is fleeing with Felyn, from the clan where she is a slave. They are discovered by Thalgor and his men and taken to his clan. As a witch, with power to heal and to inflict pain and with the possibility to foresee the future, she is invaluable for any clan.
However, witches are not to be trusted. And Erwyn certainly doesn't feel welcome at Thalgor's clan. So Thalgor is struggling how to convince Erwyn to stay with his clan, without having to bind her with ropes in order to refrain her from escaping to the Sea Mountains.
As the story unfolds, we see how Erwyn slowly befriends some of the people of the clan. And we see how Thalgor and Erwyn are attracted to each other, but the mistrust and difference in beliefs between them is keeping them apart. Meanwhile, Thalgor is trying to find a way to give his clan a safe place to live. The constant wandering of his clan isn't helping them in restoring the great kingdom they once had. But Batte, his second in command wants to keep moving. The difference in beliefs between Batte and Thalgor, fueled by both Erwyn and Dara (Batte's lover) leads to an epic confrontation.
In all a wonderful read, where relationships and clan dynamics are described in a compelling and impressive way. We see how people who are hurt lash out in a terrible way to the people the love the most, how different beliefs can create a gap between people and what happens when people are taking sides.
Five out of five stars from me and a special thank you to Netgalley for providing the arc.
However, witches are not to be trusted. And Erwyn certainly doesn't feel welcome at Thalgor's clan. So Thalgor is struggling how to convince Erwyn to stay with his clan, without having to bind her with ropes in order to refrain her from escaping to the Sea Mountains.
As the story unfolds, we see how Erwyn slowly befriends some of the people of the clan. And we see how Thalgor and Erwyn are attracted to each other, but the mistrust and difference in beliefs between them is keeping them apart. Meanwhile, Thalgor is trying to find a way to give his clan a safe place to live. The constant wandering of his clan isn't helping them in restoring the great kingdom they once had. But Batte, his second in command wants to keep moving. The difference in beliefs between Batte and Thalgor, fueled by both Erwyn and Dara (Batte's lover) leads to an epic confrontation.
In all a wonderful read, where relationships and clan dynamics are described in a compelling and impressive way. We see how people who are hurt lash out in a terrible way to the people the love the most, how different beliefs can create a gap between people and what happens when people are taking sides.
Five out of five stars from me and a special thank you to Netgalley for providing the arc.
Read
January 12, 2018DNF
January 7, 2018
I enjoyed this novel, but I didn’t love it. I’ve been racking my brain on how to best categorize this novel. Romance? Fantasy? Historical Fiction? I think probably Fantasy Romance is closest. Because at the heart, its a romance.
It’s the story of a warrior, with dreams of settling his band down and finding peace, and a witch, who was enslaved and by virtue of being a witch, is generally distrusted by all. In my mind, the world was similarly set as The Last Kingdom (which could be solely because I’ve recently started watching it) but without settlements or towns or leaders. Due to war, the people are all living nomadically in groups. Fighting and struggling to stay alive. This however, could be entirely wrong, or not how another reader envisions it, because that highlights one failing of this novel: the world building. It’s scant and underdeveloped. There is no real explanation of what happened to their society. What the war was about. Why the witches are distrusted and in some cases reviled. There are just snippets and leaves it mostly to the imagination of the reader.
This story is one which follows the lives of these two people, both with dreams, passions and goals (not always of the same mind), traversing through the pitfalls, politics, battles, and loss of trying to accomplish those goals. There is plenty of all those things....the battles...the losses...the politics. But like I said at the beginning, at its heart is the romance. It’s really about these two people. And herein lies my second biggest issue: this novel is written in third person, and as such, at least for me, it felt more like observation of their relationship rather than experiencing it with them. It led to a disconnect with the characters where it could have been so much more.
All the characters were well developed, and I was invested and intrigued by even the secondary characters. I believe this is a stand alone novel, but I would have been quite willing to revisit it. Because I did in fact enjoy my time, regardless of my issues. I enjoyed the concept of witches who would lose their power should they use it for harm. I enjoyed reading about the different bands fighting yet also coming together and their struggles to rebuild their society. I enjoyed many many things about this story. I just wished there had been a bit more.
I received a copy of this novel from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
It’s the story of a warrior, with dreams of settling his band down and finding peace, and a witch, who was enslaved and by virtue of being a witch, is generally distrusted by all. In my mind, the world was similarly set as The Last Kingdom (which could be solely because I’ve recently started watching it) but without settlements or towns or leaders. Due to war, the people are all living nomadically in groups. Fighting and struggling to stay alive. This however, could be entirely wrong, or not how another reader envisions it, because that highlights one failing of this novel: the world building. It’s scant and underdeveloped. There is no real explanation of what happened to their society. What the war was about. Why the witches are distrusted and in some cases reviled. There are just snippets and leaves it mostly to the imagination of the reader.
This story is one which follows the lives of these two people, both with dreams, passions and goals (not always of the same mind), traversing through the pitfalls, politics, battles, and loss of trying to accomplish those goals. There is plenty of all those things....the battles...the losses...the politics. But like I said at the beginning, at its heart is the romance. It’s really about these two people. And herein lies my second biggest issue: this novel is written in third person, and as such, at least for me, it felt more like observation of their relationship rather than experiencing it with them. It led to a disconnect with the characters where it could have been so much more.
All the characters were well developed, and I was invested and intrigued by even the secondary characters. I believe this is a stand alone novel, but I would have been quite willing to revisit it. Because I did in fact enjoy my time, regardless of my issues. I enjoyed the concept of witches who would lose their power should they use it for harm. I enjoyed reading about the different bands fighting yet also coming together and their struggles to rebuild their society. I enjoyed many many things about this story. I just wished there had been a bit more.
I received a copy of this novel from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 7, 2019
Thalgor’s Witch is the first in a new trilogy by Nancy Holland. This world blends fantasy and romance together, creating something new and different. And leaving behind a little bit of something for everyone.
Thalgor is the leader of his band of people. They’re warriors, but only because they must be. They know that there’s another option out there – and hope to one day rebuild the Kingdom they all had lost.
Erwyn is a witch, plain and simple. And she lives in a time when many tribes would fear that fact about her. So when she comes across a warrior who doesn’t fear her and is willing to trust her instincts, she knows she might be able to change her path in life.
I’ll be honest here: one of the main things that caught my attention towards this series is the stunning set of covers. Seriously, go take a look at the three of them. They’re beautiful!
“Why would you heal an enemy too weak to harm you or your child?”
Warnings: Thalgor’s Witch covers a lot of heavy subjects. Included in this novel are subjects such as kidnapping, slavery, rape (mentioned/threatened, but never shown in first person), and abuse.
Thalgor’s Witch was an interesting read, one set in a brilliant world of magic, lore, and feuding tribes. This is not a safe time to be a witch, and that’s what made Erwyn’s plight so fascinating. This was a woman unafraid to heal her enemies, for no other reason than that her magic called for it.
I liked Erwyn right away for that reason, though her regards to other characters made it a little more difficult at times. Meanwhile, Thalgor took a bit more to get used to and to grow to like. And even in the end, I did sort of feel like his character could have used just a touch more character development. But maybe that’s just me.
As for the main plot, it was interesting. But it also wasn’t quite what I was hoping for, either. I’ve enjoyed Nancy Holland’s work in the past, and thus had decent expectations for this series. But so far I’m finding myself slightly less than thrilled. Though I do think I’ll probably continue on and read the whole series – I’m fascinated by the concept of the Witch King, and really want to see more of it.
For more reviews check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
Thalgor is the leader of his band of people. They’re warriors, but only because they must be. They know that there’s another option out there – and hope to one day rebuild the Kingdom they all had lost.
Erwyn is a witch, plain and simple. And she lives in a time when many tribes would fear that fact about her. So when she comes across a warrior who doesn’t fear her and is willing to trust her instincts, she knows she might be able to change her path in life.
I’ll be honest here: one of the main things that caught my attention towards this series is the stunning set of covers. Seriously, go take a look at the three of them. They’re beautiful!
“Why would you heal an enemy too weak to harm you or your child?”
Warnings: Thalgor’s Witch covers a lot of heavy subjects. Included in this novel are subjects such as kidnapping, slavery, rape (mentioned/threatened, but never shown in first person), and abuse.
Thalgor’s Witch was an interesting read, one set in a brilliant world of magic, lore, and feuding tribes. This is not a safe time to be a witch, and that’s what made Erwyn’s plight so fascinating. This was a woman unafraid to heal her enemies, for no other reason than that her magic called for it.
I liked Erwyn right away for that reason, though her regards to other characters made it a little more difficult at times. Meanwhile, Thalgor took a bit more to get used to and to grow to like. And even in the end, I did sort of feel like his character could have used just a touch more character development. But maybe that’s just me.
As for the main plot, it was interesting. But it also wasn’t quite what I was hoping for, either. I’ve enjoyed Nancy Holland’s work in the past, and thus had decent expectations for this series. But so far I’m finding myself slightly less than thrilled. Though I do think I’ll probably continue on and read the whole series – I’m fascinated by the concept of the Witch King, and really want to see more of it.
For more reviews check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
February 27, 2019
To read more reviews in this series and others, check out keikii eats books!
73 points, 3 ¾ stars
I actually enjoyed reading this. If I sound shocked, it is because I am. I was really wary before starting this, because I have had bad luck with this type of story before in the past. I always want to like it, but I rarely do. Therefore I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed myself while reading it. Especially in light of how much I had trouble getting into the writing itself.
Thalgor's Witch is the start of The Witch King trilogy. At its heart, The Witch King trilogy is a fantasy romance series. There are almost equal parts romance and fantasy. While Thalgor's Witch is the end of the story for Erwyn and Thalgor, it isn't the end of the story. It was an good start to the series, despite my problems with the writing.
The goal of the book was to showcase the change in their social structures. In Thalgor's Witch, we're treated to a wanderer society, still pulling itself together after some brutal wars years and years prior. They band together in groups, with survival never certain and bands are constantly trying to steal from each other. They want to change that, though. And that is this story, the change of social structures.
The best descriptor for the writing is that it was really clumsy. All of the good elements to a story were there. It was more than just scaffolding. It was just that every element was just fumbled a little bit. The elements that authors typically take time to explain (setting, characters, events), weren't really taken time to explain, or they were explained in the wrong places. The perspective switches also weren't handled very well and weren't very clearly marked. I think with time Nancy Holland will become a fantastic author, and I do want to read more from her because of it. Some of my favourite authors started out exactly the same way, including Ilona Andrews. I just want you to know that while I liked the story, the writing was a bit clumsy.
Erwyn was a great main character. She tries to stay true to herself and her powers. In fact, her powers themselves require her to stay true to them, or lose them. She isn't willing to lose them. She has to look after her little sister, which makes her vulnerable because she cannot move as freely as she wants to. As much as I liked her, though, I couldn't really connect with her. She makes some really boneheaded choices, even accounting for her young age. She has been a slave before, she doesn't want to be a slave again. She has to find a way to live with Thalgor's group as she is, not as they wish her to be.
Thalgor is definitely the most annoying part to the story. He goes back and forth, back and forth on his position on Erwyn and witches. He doesn't know himself nearly as well as Erwyn does. It is frustrating. HE is frustrating. He keeps trying to crush Erwyn for his own pride, because he is hanging onto this idea of what was, not what is to be. Then she has to knock sense into him, and it repeats. And it repeats. I don't like the dynamic, but I like how much he worships her when he gets the fuck over himself.
For as much as this story is about the romance, the start of the relationship is extremely abbreviated. It went from a pseudo-master/slave relationship, to Erwyn running away to talk to some witches about her sister. Then Thalgor comes to collect her again because "she is his", and... Erwyn inexplicably decides to be with him forevermore. There were a few steps missed in there on the part of the author, and it felt like a giant handwave to me. The characters had to get together, so they did, without all that pesky figuring out how to get them together thing.
All of it is wrapped up in The Witch King, who appears in their dreams. The Witch King keeps pushing them to stay together. Which is necessary since they split up like 10 times in this single book. Imagine that, an abbreviated/non-existent courting period where both parties just decide to be with the other for mysterious reasons don't lead to the world's most stable relationship. Go figure.
Overall, though, like I said in the beginning: I really liked this. Despite all of the problems I had with it. Or maybe in spite of. I was surprisingly emotional while reading it. I think if this was the author's 20th book, and not in her first 5, this would have been an incredibly amazing experience. I'm looking forward to her work in the coming years and seeing her grow.
73 points, 3 ¾ stars
I actually enjoyed reading this. If I sound shocked, it is because I am. I was really wary before starting this, because I have had bad luck with this type of story before in the past. I always want to like it, but I rarely do. Therefore I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed myself while reading it. Especially in light of how much I had trouble getting into the writing itself.
Thalgor's Witch is the start of The Witch King trilogy. At its heart, The Witch King trilogy is a fantasy romance series. There are almost equal parts romance and fantasy. While Thalgor's Witch is the end of the story for Erwyn and Thalgor, it isn't the end of the story. It was an good start to the series, despite my problems with the writing.
The goal of the book was to showcase the change in their social structures. In Thalgor's Witch, we're treated to a wanderer society, still pulling itself together after some brutal wars years and years prior. They band together in groups, with survival never certain and bands are constantly trying to steal from each other. They want to change that, though. And that is this story, the change of social structures.
The best descriptor for the writing is that it was really clumsy. All of the good elements to a story were there. It was more than just scaffolding. It was just that every element was just fumbled a little bit. The elements that authors typically take time to explain (setting, characters, events), weren't really taken time to explain, or they were explained in the wrong places. The perspective switches also weren't handled very well and weren't very clearly marked. I think with time Nancy Holland will become a fantastic author, and I do want to read more from her because of it. Some of my favourite authors started out exactly the same way, including Ilona Andrews. I just want you to know that while I liked the story, the writing was a bit clumsy.
Erwyn was a great main character. She tries to stay true to herself and her powers. In fact, her powers themselves require her to stay true to them, or lose them. She isn't willing to lose them. She has to look after her little sister, which makes her vulnerable because she cannot move as freely as she wants to. As much as I liked her, though, I couldn't really connect with her. She makes some really boneheaded choices, even accounting for her young age. She has been a slave before, she doesn't want to be a slave again. She has to find a way to live with Thalgor's group as she is, not as they wish her to be.
Thalgor is definitely the most annoying part to the story. He goes back and forth, back and forth on his position on Erwyn and witches. He doesn't know himself nearly as well as Erwyn does. It is frustrating. HE is frustrating. He keeps trying to crush Erwyn for his own pride, because he is hanging onto this idea of what was, not what is to be. Then she has to knock sense into him, and it repeats. And it repeats. I don't like the dynamic, but I like how much he worships her when he gets the fuck over himself.
For as much as this story is about the romance, the start of the relationship is extremely abbreviated. It went from a pseudo-master/slave relationship, to Erwyn running away to talk to some witches about her sister. Then Thalgor comes to collect her again because "she is his", and... Erwyn inexplicably decides to be with him forevermore. There were a few steps missed in there on the part of the author, and it felt like a giant handwave to me. The characters had to get together, so they did, without all that pesky figuring out how to get them together thing.
All of it is wrapped up in The Witch King, who appears in their dreams. The Witch King keeps pushing them to stay together. Which is necessary since they split up like 10 times in this single book. Imagine that, an abbreviated/non-existent courting period where both parties just decide to be with the other for mysterious reasons don't lead to the world's most stable relationship. Go figure.
Overall, though, like I said in the beginning: I really liked this. Despite all of the problems I had with it. Or maybe in spite of. I was surprisingly emotional while reading it. I think if this was the author's 20th book, and not in her first 5, this would have been an incredibly amazing experience. I'm looking forward to her work in the coming years and seeing her grow.
March 23, 2018
War was brewing in full force in the Sea Mountains and Erwyn, the despised yet powerful witch and renowned healer, was escaping the battle and slavery with a child named Felyn. Soon they were captured by Thalgor and his men, and Erwyn must do everything to keep the little girl safe and protected. Thalgor was wicked and ruthless and inconsiderate, especially to Erwyn's kind - witches. But he couldn't just let her go or dispatch the witch, because she's got powers that were of great importance to the clan.
At first, I was really confused on how Erwyn would ever fall for the evil and uncouth Thalgor. I was having a hard time deciding whether to like him or despise him for what he was doing to the witches. As the story progressed, I could feel the winds shifting and I began to understand Thalgor's role as a leader of the hunting party and as a chief responsible for the welfare of his tribe. When their increased attraction started unwavering, that's the moment I began to relax and enjoy the journey ahead.
But in the end, there were still a lot of questions unanswered even if the major characters seemed to find their happily ever after. I am still at a loss about Felyn's curse and identity. Who was she? and who was the Witch King? Plus the majority of the timeline lacked world building and the pacing was quite slow.
I did like however, the unhurried romance between Thalgor and Erwyn. I very much liked that this wasn't another case of insta-love. Although the process of slowly kindling those emotions almost had me clenching my hair out of frustration. Good thing, I persevered and let nature run its course. Nevertheless, I am still hoping for a possible sequel to this story so every question running on my mind could be answered. The writing was definitely great and I can see myself looking forward to more Fantasy books by Miss Holland.
At first, I was really confused on how Erwyn would ever fall for the evil and uncouth Thalgor. I was having a hard time deciding whether to like him or despise him for what he was doing to the witches. As the story progressed, I could feel the winds shifting and I began to understand Thalgor's role as a leader of the hunting party and as a chief responsible for the welfare of his tribe. When their increased attraction started unwavering, that's the moment I began to relax and enjoy the journey ahead.
But in the end, there were still a lot of questions unanswered even if the major characters seemed to find their happily ever after. I am still at a loss about Felyn's curse and identity. Who was she? and who was the Witch King? Plus the majority of the timeline lacked world building and the pacing was quite slow.
I did like however, the unhurried romance between Thalgor and Erwyn. I very much liked that this wasn't another case of insta-love. Although the process of slowly kindling those emotions almost had me clenching my hair out of frustration. Good thing, I persevered and let nature run its course. Nevertheless, I am still hoping for a possible sequel to this story so every question running on my mind could be answered. The writing was definitely great and I can see myself looking forward to more Fantasy books by Miss Holland.
January 18, 2018
Thalgor's Witch by Nancy Holland is the first book I have read by this author. Usually when I thin of Tule Publishing I think Montana or Texas contemporary romance, but this is fantasy. It is a wonderful genre expansion which I applaud; being a well-written, solid story; that never failed to keep my interest.
The place seems very much like 14th century with groups who were more nomadic than city builders. Life is harsh and even good souls were harsher still. Peace is only a dream as well as finding a permanent place to live and belong. No one knows that better than Erwyn, the witch. Facts and suspicions mix in her story, making her wanted, feared and hated.
Much of the backstory is revealed as the story progresses with many twists and turns. Some were easily seen such as the dissension of the band but others not so easily such as the last enemy. This made for a page turning read. My husband was shocked at how late I stayed up to find out what would happen.
The romance aspect of the story was filled with just as many twists. I would have given up on Thalgor if I had been Erwyn. I found his actions believable if not likable at times. They did find their HEA in the end. However, the book reads as first in the series since there are many unanswered questions. What exactly is Felyn’s curse? Who is the Witch King? These are just two questions, I would enjoy seeing answered in what I hope will be another book in the series.
4.5 Stars
An ARC of the book was given to me by the publisher through Net Galley.
The place seems very much like 14th century with groups who were more nomadic than city builders. Life is harsh and even good souls were harsher still. Peace is only a dream as well as finding a permanent place to live and belong. No one knows that better than Erwyn, the witch. Facts and suspicions mix in her story, making her wanted, feared and hated.
Much of the backstory is revealed as the story progresses with many twists and turns. Some were easily seen such as the dissension of the band but others not so easily such as the last enemy. This made for a page turning read. My husband was shocked at how late I stayed up to find out what would happen.
The romance aspect of the story was filled with just as many twists. I would have given up on Thalgor if I had been Erwyn. I found his actions believable if not likable at times. They did find their HEA in the end. However, the book reads as first in the series since there are many unanswered questions. What exactly is Felyn’s curse? Who is the Witch King? These are just two questions, I would enjoy seeing answered in what I hope will be another book in the series.
4.5 Stars
An ARC of the book was given to me by the publisher through Net Galley.
January 21, 2018
There are some interesting concepts in Thalgor’s Witch. For example, the fragility of Erwyn’s power. I haven’t seen this in many other witchcraft-themed novels. However, I found it particularly hard to be captivated by the plot as I found the narrative didn’t suit my taste. I personally felt it was too heavily reliant on dialogue and I felt, the majority of the time, I was being told everything rather it being shown.
Another thing was the sense of place in the novel. There was very little build-up in the setting. I kept on wondering when was it set and where? I wanted to know all of this, as this would have made the plot and characters more believable to me, but I found it particularly hard to imagine the setting. It times, I thought it was set in Celtic England, but then there were moments where characters were wearing armour. I then wondered if it was set in the Medieval times? Or was it set in a completely different universe? If so, it needed to be clearer and not leave the reader in the dark.
Underneath the problems, there is potential for a captivating and original plot. But, unfortunately, for me, the narrative and little development on the sense of place spoiled it.
Another thing was the sense of place in the novel. There was very little build-up in the setting. I kept on wondering when was it set and where? I wanted to know all of this, as this would have made the plot and characters more believable to me, but I found it particularly hard to imagine the setting. It times, I thought it was set in Celtic England, but then there were moments where characters were wearing armour. I then wondered if it was set in the Medieval times? Or was it set in a completely different universe? If so, it needed to be clearer and not leave the reader in the dark.
Underneath the problems, there is potential for a captivating and original plot. But, unfortunately, for me, the narrative and little development on the sense of place spoiled it.
December 26, 2017
I received this book from net galley for an honest review. Thank you!!
This novel was a good read. The novel contains magic, romance, betrayal, and battles. Erwyn is a witch with abilities to heal and second site. She made a promise to her mother to save her sister. Erwyn was a slave and escaped but is captured by the man who conquered the people that held her as a slave. Thalgor is a warrior and also has witchblood. He sees Erwyn as a way to help his people, even though he cannot trust a witch. Thalgor is a stubborn man and as a leader, he needs to make tough decisions. Even when Erwyn warns him of danger, he does not listen at first. There are times when he blames Erwyn, which deeply hurts her. This is because they both begin to have feelings for each other. However, there are those who want to keep them apart and spread rumors about Erwyn's abilities, since many already distrust witches. Still, Thalgor does take Erwyn's advice, since she can "see" a person's true nature, but when it causes a deep conflict, his choice could destroy their relationship.
This novel was a good read. The novel contains magic, romance, betrayal, and battles. Erwyn is a witch with abilities to heal and second site. She made a promise to her mother to save her sister. Erwyn was a slave and escaped but is captured by the man who conquered the people that held her as a slave. Thalgor is a warrior and also has witchblood. He sees Erwyn as a way to help his people, even though he cannot trust a witch. Thalgor is a stubborn man and as a leader, he needs to make tough decisions. Even when Erwyn warns him of danger, he does not listen at first. There are times when he blames Erwyn, which deeply hurts her. This is because they both begin to have feelings for each other. However, there are those who want to keep them apart and spread rumors about Erwyn's abilities, since many already distrust witches. Still, Thalgor does take Erwyn's advice, since she can "see" a person's true nature, but when it causes a deep conflict, his choice could destroy their relationship.
March 22, 2018
A haunting mixture between love and hate, death and life, hope and despair, witch and warrior. I found each page to be a chance for the battles both personal and war to win or lose and never knowing which way the story would go. I was on edge throughout the entire book just wondering how it could ever work out. I would never have given the chances to Thalgore that Erwyn did because he was absolutely cruel at times. I felt bad for Thalgore because he struggled with his feelings about witches and Erwyn; it was an internal battle Thalgore had to overcome if he were to ever find happiness. The writing of Ms. Holland offers an alternative view of a paranormal story while offering a world from the past which seems so real.
Delane
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance & More
Full Review @ Coffee Time Romance & More
Delane
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance & More
Full Review @ Coffee Time Romance & More
April 29, 2018
Nancy Hollands "Thalgor's Witch" successfully combines romance novel, fantasy, feminism, and literary fiction in equal parts to good effect. The main character, Erwyn, is taken captive by a tribe who effectively put a scarlet letter 'W' around her collar. She is stigmatized much like Hawthorne's adulturess, but she is in no way an adulturer. She is a witch by birth, and that is enough.
In spite of the stigmata, she becomes rapidly valued if not fully accepted by her mainly male counterparts for her healing abilities and other good witch skills (her character is very wiccan). These conflicting pressures, the stigma, the value, and the inequality, reflect the real hurdles facing women. This presentation categorizes the fantasy / romance novel as feminist literature. Holland also vigorously attacks stereotyping and caste. It would be a good book for a young male curriculum.
In spite of the stigmata, she becomes rapidly valued if not fully accepted by her mainly male counterparts for her healing abilities and other good witch skills (her character is very wiccan). These conflicting pressures, the stigma, the value, and the inequality, reflect the real hurdles facing women. This presentation categorizes the fantasy / romance novel as feminist literature. Holland also vigorously attacks stereotyping and caste. It would be a good book for a young male curriculum.
February 25, 2020
Wonderful world building
I really enjoyed this and actually felt like I had entered another time and place. The world building was simple but believable and I allowed it to suspend my disbelief quite happily.
Great female lead, strong and vulnerable, often not seeing what was in front of her and yet formidable all at the same time, she was easy to connect with and very easy to like
Thagor was very much the hero but showed a confusion that was very appealing when it came to his witch. A strong man not wanting to let emotions rule him and yet not able to resist, he is a worthy lover and leader, and listener when it counts.
This was a lovely read with a good plot and a smooth, flowing style.
I really enjoyed this and actually felt like I had entered another time and place. The world building was simple but believable and I allowed it to suspend my disbelief quite happily.
Great female lead, strong and vulnerable, often not seeing what was in front of her and yet formidable all at the same time, she was easy to connect with and very easy to like
Thagor was very much the hero but showed a confusion that was very appealing when it came to his witch. A strong man not wanting to let emotions rule him and yet not able to resist, he is a worthy lover and leader, and listener when it counts.
This was a lovely read with a good plot and a smooth, flowing style.
July 23, 2021
I thought Thalgor's Witch to be pretty good. I liked the characters, the setting, and there wasn't too much drama, though there were some tense moments with the villains. I would have liked a larger/tighter plot (the book was very episodic/rambling) but overall I enjoyed it and will probably check out Felyn's Curse.
Side note: readers who liked Elizabeth Vaughan's Warlands/Palins series would probably enjoy this.
Side note: readers who liked Elizabeth Vaughan's Warlands/Palins series would probably enjoy this.
January 23, 2018
I rarely read paranormal, but this story tempted me and I’m glad I dived between the covers. It’s a full length novel set in what I imagine to be mediaeval times, though that’s left up to the imagination of the reader, which I really liked. I also liked the conflict faced by Erwyn as she tried to balance her responsibilities as a witch with her hopes, dreams and responsibilities as a woman. The story itself was engrossing. I had started reading expecting it to be a romance, and it was, but there is so much more to this book. I was utterly enchanted!
Read
March 1, 2018Review to come
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews