I urge readers who only know Wells for her wonderful Murderbot science fiction novels to give Wheel of the Infinite a try. It features Maskelle, a middle-aged, self-exiled priestess returning to the capital of the Celestial Empire for her Koshan religion’s most important rite.
What seems like fairly standard science fantasy, combining feudal lives in cities where people walk around open markets with tech like airships and massive building projects, turns into something akin to a trip to a dangerous, mysterious part of the Dreamlands. Back in the this world, things keep getting weirder and more wondrous…
“I found the worldbuilding satisfyingly rich and intriguing … What I did find challenging was empathizing with the protagonist, although eventually I found myself at peace with her, as she found her own type of peace.”
You see, the protagonist/narrator is a shapeshifting monster who keeps rebuilding her body from the remnants of defeated enemies, but a lot of the people she deals with are monstrous in their own ways. … and when she meets a uniquely likeable and caring woman, Homily, and tries to help her and communicate with her instead of just eating her, readers like me end up cheering for both of them.
Glover’s prose doesn’t often soar to poetic heights, but it’s direct and practical and a breeze to read. There’s a lot going on in this 443-page book, but it doesn’t feel nearly that long; Glover keeps it all racing along together and lands the ending with a very satisfying touchdown.
It’s primarily a semi-supernatural romance, blended with mystery, home renovations, inheritances, and homecoming.
