Customer Reviews

The Witches of Wenshar

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The sequel to Ladies of Mandrigyn, this book follows Sunwolf and Starhawk on their quest to find a mage to teach Sun Wolf the ways of power. They arrive in Wenshar, where they find a self-taught mage named Kaletha. But Kaletha's methods do not agree with Sun Wolf. They also quickly find that wizards are not welcome in pious Wenshar, where memories of the long-dead and wicked Witches of Wenshar are still fresh. And soon after they arrive, grusome murders begin, murders that Sun Wolf is sure were done by magical means most foul. But who is responsible? And how does Kaletha derive her power when she has had no formal training? Can Sun Wolf and Starhawk figure out the cuplrit(s) before they are the next target for murder while staying out of Wenshar politics?
This is the premise of this book, which is a worthy "next chapter" in the Sun Wolf trilogy. I found this book to be slightly below the Ladies of Mandrigyn in its ability to grip and hold the reader's attention, but still a great read. Hambley is an accomplished writer of both fantasy and mystery, and she combines both those skills well in producing this book. Although the some of the characters are a little too wooden (the King couldn't possibly be falling-down drunk all the time and still run his country) and some of the plot details a little hard to believe, I did enjoy this book, and fans of both fantasy and mystery ought to find this a good read. You won't be disappointed.

Mandrigyn had been left far behind. Sun Wolf had tangled with magic, and now he had to live with the consequences of that folly. With only Starhawk at his side, he began searching for, of all things, a wizard of his own... one to help solve his present problems. When the search brought them to Wenshar, he and the Hawk hoped to remain aloof from its stormy politics -- especially since the Lady Kaletha, a self proclaimed wizard with a strong following, stood at the eye of the storm. But then someone was brutally murdered by magic, and the two found themselves forced to step in and find the killer...

If you liked Ladies of Mandrigyn, then you'll love The Witches of Wenshar and the continuing adventures of Sun Wolf and Star Hawk.

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Against all odds, Sun Wolf won his previous fight--but only by becoming a wizard
himself, though he has always been taught to hate and fear wizards. Now he is
staggering around the known world, a place similar to the Mediterranean coast in
the Bronze Age, trying to find somebody who will teach him to be a good wizard.
He knows he can never go back to being the leader of a troop of mercenaries, nor
would Star Hawk follow him into that life again.

Into a word similar to the pre-Muslim Arabic world he stumbles, only to find
himself faced with a culture in which many of the women are witches of a very
special, and very unsavory, kind. What is he going to do now? What is Star Hawk
going to do?

Read and find out.

I had this book for over 5 years now. A first edition,but I read that book so many times that it is quite worn. "The Witches Of Wenshar",is the continuing of another story, "The Ladies Of Mandrigyn",(look it up),and is based in(you guessed it) Wenshar,situated at the edge of a vast desert, inhabited by the Shirdar. It is about two warriors, Sunwolf and his former second in command Starhawk,who came south, looking for a wizard or a witch, to find themselves in danger from a mysterious killer that rips it victims apart.Gruesome huh? Sunwolf's father was right,magic could get someone killed before they can turn around. You will never guess who the killer is!