A Nameless Witch by A. Lee Martinez fantasy audiobook reviewsA Nameless Witch by A. Lee Martinez fantasy audiobook reviewsA Nameless Witch by A. Lee Martinez

This silly little tale is about a beautiful witch who doesn’t have a name. When she was young she was taken in by an old ugly witch who educated her in magic spells and other witchiness. Part of her education involved learning how to make herself appear ugly with sloppy clothes, hair coverings, and warts, because nobody trusts a beautiful witch.

After the death of her mentor, the young nameless witch was on her own, though she acquired a few companions: an enchanted broom, a troll, and a demonic duck. After they settled into a friendly village, a brave knight came along and warned them that a goblin horde was approaching. The witch, her companions, and the knight teamed up to defeat the goblins and an evil magician who had plans to remake the world. During the process, the witch realizes she’s got the hots for the knight, but she worries she may eat him alive since she is starting to have some cannibalistic tendencies.

A Nameless Witch (2007) is a short and breezy story that trips along merrily without any pretensions. It has no depth and it doesn’t care. Some aspects of the story are amusing; the demonic duck is pretty funny and I liked the troll, too. But, as far as the plot goes, it doesn’t offer anything particularly interesting or new. I guess I’ve read too many stories about goblin hordes and evil magicians who want to destroy the world. Martinez’s characters are unique, and a couple of them are likeable, but they don’t make up for a dull plot and romance.

The audio version of A Nameless Witch (Tantor Audio) is nicely narrated by Ann Marie Lee.

If you haven’t read anything by A. Lee Martinez, I heartily recommend Emperor Mollusk Versus the Sinister Brain. That story was hilarious and I loved it.

Published in 2007. A tale of vengeance, true love, and cannibalism. Being born undead can have its disadvantages, such as eternal youth and flawless beauty — things most unsuitable for a witch. Hiding behind the guise of a grimy old crone, the witch is content living outside Fort Stalwart with her unlikely band of allies: a troll named Gwurm, an enchanted broom, and a demonic duck named Newt. She leads a simple life filled with spells, potions, and the occasional curse. So when a White Knight arrives at Fort Stalwart, the witch knows her days of peace are at an end. The Knight is just days in front of a horde of ravenous goblings, and Fort Stalwart lies right in the horde’s path. But the goblings are just the first wave of danger, and soon the witch and the Knight must combine forces on a perilous quest to stop a mad sorcerer from destroying the world. Filled with menace, monsters, and magic, A Nameless Witch is a properly witchly read by the award-winning author of Gil’s All Fright Diner and In the Company of Ogres.

Author

  • Kat Hooper

    KAT HOOPER, who started this site in June 2007, earned a Ph.D. in neuroscience and psychology at Indiana University (Bloomington) and now teaches and conducts brain research at the University of North Florida. When she reads fiction, she wants to encounter new ideas and lots of imagination. She wants to view the world in a different way. She wants to have her mind blown. She loves beautiful language and has no patience for dull prose, vapid romance, or cheesy dialogue. She prefers complex characterization, intriguing plots, and plenty of action. Favorite authors are Jack Vance, Robin Hobb, Kage Baker, William Gibson, Gene Wolfe, Richard Matheson, and C.S. Lewis.

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