Status
Available
Call number
Series
Publication
Tor.com (New York, 2018). 1st edition, 1st printing. 320 pages. $15.99.
Description
In an original world reminiscent of Edwardian England in the shadow of a World War, cabals of noble families use their unique magical gifts to control the fates of nations, while one young man seeks only to live a life of his own. Magic marked Miles Singer for suffering the day he was born, doomed either to be enslaved to his family's interest or to be committed to a witches' asylum. He went to war to escape his destiny and came home a different man, but he couldn't leave his past behind. The war between Aeland and Laneer leaves men changed, strangers to their friends and family, but even after faking his own death and reinventing himself as a doctor at a cash-strapped veterans' hospital, Miles can't hide what he truly is. When a fatally poisoned patient exposes Miles' healing gift and his witchmark, he must put his anonymity and freedom at risk to investigate his patient's murder. To find the truth he'll need to rely on the family he despises, and on the kindness of the most gorgeous man he's ever seen.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member dcoward
A fantastic first novel from C.L. Polk. I can't remember the last time I enjoyed a fantasy book this much. There is magic, danger, a mystery, political intrigue, and romance. I am also pleased to report, that while I would happily read more about these characters and this world, the novel did NOT
Show More
end on a cliff hanger. Show Less
LibraryThing member chibitika
Holy cow, everyone, I’m not even finished yet …I have to stop and gush … been reading straight for four hours, that’s how fascinating this story of magic and enslavement and terrible revenge is! I can’t put it down but I have to go to work! The story is powered by mystery upon mystery,
Show More
engagingly told. Polk’s version of magic is unique and fascinating, and the way it is entwined with a form of slavery is pure genius. Just buy this book and read it. Good luck getting anything done once you start reading, though! Show Less
LibraryThing member ladycato
A highly enjoyable read, and fully deserving of its Nebula finalist status. Witchmark creates a fresh secondary world with an Edwardian flavor, wherein a nobleman abandoned the high life to serve as a soldier and practice his healing magic in a way forbidden by society. When a mysterious man drags
The world-building is deep and perfectly paced. This is a world both familiar and strange, and that freshness made it a source of constant fascination. Plus, the characters are fantastic. As someone who loves healer characters, and has included them in numerous of my own books, that angle particularly appealed to me. This book incorporates inclusiveness in a gentle, natural way, and the slowly-building romance between the two male leads feels genuine. No insta-love here. The issue of consent and power in the relationship is especially well-handled.
I'm glad this is the first book in the series. This a world with people I would love to spend more time with.
Show More
a poisoned fellow into the beleaguered hospital where he works, his carefully-constructed yet lonely life begins to fall apart. There's a conspiracy afoot that stretches from the tormented veterans in his care to the most powerful people in the land--his family.The world-building is deep and perfectly paced. This is a world both familiar and strange, and that freshness made it a source of constant fascination. Plus, the characters are fantastic. As someone who loves healer characters, and has included them in numerous of my own books, that angle particularly appealed to me. This book incorporates inclusiveness in a gentle, natural way, and the slowly-building romance between the two male leads feels genuine. No insta-love here. The issue of consent and power in the relationship is especially well-handled.
I'm glad this is the first book in the series. This a world with people I would love to spend more time with.
Show Less
LibraryThing member rivkat
In an alt-England powered by aether and in which the nobility are secretly magicians and witches are imprisoned as mad, Miles Singer ran away from his noble family to avoid being bound—enslaved—to his more weather-talented sister. Now a battle-weary psychiatrist treating soldiers home from
Show More
alt-WWI, he’s trying to investigate the mysterious illness that is driving many of them to murder while hiding his magical status. Then a man dies in his arms, charging him with investigating a secret, and also a stranger who knows he’s a witch approaches him, offering even more danger. There’s a lot going on here, and I would’ve appreciated a bit more on the effects of the torture Singer himself suffered, but it plays very well on the fact that some people will enslave their own family members when it serves their interests—even if some of them feel bad about that—and there’s a nice m/m romance as well. Show Less
LibraryThing member kmartin802
This intriguing fantasy is set in a world powered by magic. Dr. Miles Singer is a psychiatrist who is dealing with the many soldiers who have returned from the war with Laneer with significant mental issues. They are claiming that something in their mind is commanding them to kill. Miles has a
One night, when he is outside for a smoke break, a man - Sir Tristan Hunter - comes up to him carrying a dying man. Nick Elliot is dying and claiming that he has been poisoned. To ease his mind, Miles promises to find his murderer and, in return, Nick gives Miles all of his magic when he dies. Tristan sees the secrets that Miles is hiding about his magic and begins by threatening him to expose it if Miles doesn't keep his promise to Nick. Tristan has quite a few secrets of his own and a task to complete in the eight days he has remaining before he must return home.
Investigating exposes Miles to the family he ran away from to become a doctor and dumps him right in the middle of the politics of the most powerful Mages in Aeland including his father and his sister Grace. Storm-Singers are the powerful mages who control the weather that keeps Aeland a perfect place to live. Only Storm-singer magic is valued. Miles with his healing ability was slated to be nothing more than a Secondary and act as a magical battery for his powerful sister.
I loved the world building in this story. I also loved the relationship that grew between Tristan and Miles. The characters were well-rounded and interesting people with all sorts of problems that they had to solve. The book was fast-paced and filled with mystery and intrigue.
Show More
magic for healing that he has been successful in hiding. He can see this cloud in the mens's mind but he doesn't know what it is or what can be done about it.One night, when he is outside for a smoke break, a man - Sir Tristan Hunter - comes up to him carrying a dying man. Nick Elliot is dying and claiming that he has been poisoned. To ease his mind, Miles promises to find his murderer and, in return, Nick gives Miles all of his magic when he dies. Tristan sees the secrets that Miles is hiding about his magic and begins by threatening him to expose it if Miles doesn't keep his promise to Nick. Tristan has quite a few secrets of his own and a task to complete in the eight days he has remaining before he must return home.
Investigating exposes Miles to the family he ran away from to become a doctor and dumps him right in the middle of the politics of the most powerful Mages in Aeland including his father and his sister Grace. Storm-Singers are the powerful mages who control the weather that keeps Aeland a perfect place to live. Only Storm-singer magic is valued. Miles with his healing ability was slated to be nothing more than a Secondary and act as a magical battery for his powerful sister.
I loved the world building in this story. I also loved the relationship that grew between Tristan and Miles. The characters were well-rounded and interesting people with all sorts of problems that they had to solve. The book was fast-paced and filled with mystery and intrigue.
Show Less
LibraryThing member HOTCHA
STARS, WHAT A GREAT AND INTERESTING BOOK! I felt sorry for Christopher by having to fake his death in order to be free of his family's control. Posed as doctor Miles Singer, he worked at the hospital as a psychiatrist to help returning soldiers coming from from the war where he could secretly use
Show More
his powers to help the men. After 13 years of hiding, it only took one outing for his sister to discover that he was alive. THANK GOODNESS BOOK 2 IS COMING! Show Less
LibraryThing member NeedMoreShelves
I do love it when I land on a new fantasy series to become engrossed in, and the Kingston Cycle is definitely shaping up to be a good one. I'm enthralled with the magic system, wrapped up in the complicated relationships, and eager for the next book to land on my shelves. Definitely a
Show More
recommendation for fantasy readers! Show Less
LibraryThing member Glennis.LeBlanc
This is an alternate history novella set around the time of WWI. There is a rich magic user class that protects version of England from bad weather. The Storm Singers link with less powerful magic users known as Secondaries. Miles left home and joined the army to become a doctor and use his healing
Digital review copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley
Show More
gift instead of being bonded to his sister as a secondary. When a dying man shows up at the veteran’s hospital he is working as psychiatrist his world is turned upside down. Turns out his family did know he was there and they are bringing him back to the family business. Even as his sister has the best of intentions, things don’t go as planned. Miles is also trying to find out who poisoned the man that found him and figure out who is the bystander that helped the dying man to his door. Digital review copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley
Show Less
LibraryThing member Merlucito
I loved this book, it gave me feels. The romance was SO CUTE. I need more books with this kind of gay romance, between adults, between witches, in a world with magic, in an adult fantasy story like this one!
Also, the romance didn't overtake the plot of the story, the intrigue was great as well! I
Also, I really really liked the characters. Miles was adorable and strong, and we need more gay men like him. Tristan won my heart in the first page he appeared. Grace was a little irritating but I could understand her. Robin, the nurse, she's intriguing and for what I read the third book is about her and I'm really glad for that.
I "predicted" the problem with the soul, the possession part, but I think is a cool mystery anyway and it bends really well with the word and the magic itself. I also liked that they couldn't resolve the problem convincing all the others mages because that would be the easy solution.
The thing with the souls at the end, when they bonded with Miles was really cool, how he felt and saw the memories of all those people and everything. Also, the stakes... I thought for a moment he would die lol
This left me wanting to read the second book right away so I could discover more about this world and the story, so I hope I'm able to read it soon.
Also, the romance didn't overtake the plot of the story, the intrigue was great as well! I
Show More
would like to have more rules for the magic system but it was good anyway. The political system, the morals of the society and overall the word itself was great, it felt immersive without long, boring details about everything. Also, I really really liked the characters. Miles was adorable and strong, and we need more gay men like him. Tristan won my heart in the first page he appeared. Grace was a little irritating but I could understand her. Robin, the nurse, she's intriguing and for what I read the third book is about her and I'm really glad for that.
The thing with the souls at the end, when they bonded with Miles was really cool, how he felt and saw the memories of all those people and everything. Also, the stakes... I thought for a moment he would die lol
This left me wanting to read the second book right away so I could discover more about this world and the story, so I hope I'm able to read it soon.
Show Less
LibraryThing member acdha
This is a great first novel which benefits from a relatively fresh setting. One note: some of the reviews read like they were expecting the characters to be too modern — I would recommend reading from the perspective of how hereditary aristocrats in a system of immense would act and view the
Show More
world. Show Less
LibraryThing member Nadishka
This was on my want-to-read list for months, and I finally got down to buying it. It was fast paced. The story plunges you into a murder mystery from the very first chapter. The book is about power: both metaphorical and literal. We follow in the footsteps of Miles who is in hiding at the beginning
I did not know it was categorized under LGBT when I started reading it, so the relationship between Miles and Tristan was a surprise.
There was also very little humour or wit - which I felt was lacking.
Nevertheless, I must admit this is a gripping tale and I look forward to the next installment.
Show More
of the story. He is a psychiatrist, and also a witch. There are many mysteries that unfold as you go through the book. This makes the plot complex - too much so and at times I was confused. The social structure was rather difficult to understand and the backstories and explanations were few and far between. However, if you do read until the end all the threads fall into place in a spectacular, explosive finale. I did not know it was categorized under LGBT when I started reading it, so the relationship between Miles and Tristan was a surprise.
There was also very little humour or wit - which I felt was lacking.
Nevertheless, I must admit this is a gripping tale and I look forward to the next installment.
Show Less
LibraryThing member jennybeast
This is a totally engaging new world -- very WWI reimagined, but definitely fantasy setting. Not full on steampunk, but there are echoes, and I found the magical systems both interesting and satisfying. Really great romance (gay) and mystery (murder) and family dynamics (toxic) and war tie-in that
Show More
specifically talks about mental illness in veterans. Very absorbing, really loved it. Show Less
LibraryThing member DidIReallyReadThat
I found this book very hard to put down. It was an excellent combination of plot, romance, fantasy and character development. I will be reading the sequels.
LibraryThing member N.W.Moors
This is a tough one to review. Witchmark is a short, innovative, fun fantasy read. However, it could have been so much more. In my opinion, the book would have been better if it had been double the length.
Let me explain as there's a lot going on here. Dr. Miles Singer is a psychiatrist working at
This is my problem. While I enjoyed the book, I never knew what it was supposed to be. It skips around all over the place and never digs into any of the plot points very deeply. It would have helped if there were some lore dumps to explain some of this. I never really understood what the magic system was except it had something to do with holding wrists and inner stars. The setting was nebulous; there was a lot of bicycle riding and veterans are returning from war, but that could have been the Boer War or WWI (the book is an alternate version of Edwardian England) - I really didn't get much of a feel for the setting. The characters are never fleshed out either. Miles is sympathetic and the POV character but I never really felt I understood what he was doing. He hid from his family for thirteen years but then seemed to accept their interference now without much questioning despite their dubious actions. His sister Grace was just a mess, alternately deceitful, bossy, or apologizing for betraying Miles again and again. Tristan was a cipher; I expected more from him but he basically trucked Miles around, fed him, and provided the love interest.
I know it sound like a lot of complaints, but that's because I did like the book a lot and wanted to love it. It's definitely worth reading and I'll continue with the series, but I can't help but wish it was better.
Let me explain as there's a lot going on here. Dr. Miles Singer is a psychiatrist working at
Show More
a Veterans Hospital in a world reminiscent of London in the early twentieth century. A man, Tristan Hunter, brings a dying man to him but the man has been poisoned. Together they decide to find the murderer, so this is a murder mystery? Except Miles has magic, so a fantasy? and is also investigating a miasma in his patients that is causing psychiatric issues, so a story about the effects of war on veterans? Oh, and Miles and Tristan are falling in love, so a romance? And Miles is hiding from his rich family who wants to basically enslave him to his sister, so a tale of class warfare and family turmoil?This is my problem. While I enjoyed the book, I never knew what it was supposed to be. It skips around all over the place and never digs into any of the plot points very deeply. It would have helped if there were some lore dumps to explain some of this. I never really understood what the magic system was except it had something to do with holding wrists and inner stars. The setting was nebulous; there was a lot of bicycle riding and veterans are returning from war, but that could have been the Boer War or WWI (the book is an alternate version of Edwardian England) - I really didn't get much of a feel for the setting. The characters are never fleshed out either. Miles is sympathetic and the POV character but I never really felt I understood what he was doing. He hid from his family for thirteen years but then seemed to accept their interference now without much questioning despite their dubious actions. His sister Grace was just a mess, alternately deceitful, bossy, or apologizing for betraying Miles again and again. Tristan was a cipher; I expected more from him but he basically trucked Miles around, fed him, and provided the love interest.
I know it sound like a lot of complaints, but that's because I did like the book a lot and wanted to love it. It's definitely worth reading and I'll continue with the series, but I can't help but wish it was better.
Show Less
LibraryThing member brittaniethekid
Dropped 50 pages in. The writer just kind of drops the reader into the world without explaining anything and I spent the first few chapters confused about what was happening and why I should care. On top of that, some sentences simply didn't make sense, made-up words notwithstanding. Polk needs a
Show More
better editor and a lesson in exposition. Show Less
LibraryThing member renbedell
A fantasy book following a witch who is also a doctor. When one of his patients die mysteriously, the doctor sets off to find the murder mystery. It is set in a similar 1920s like era, but in a completely different world. Overall it is a good book, but didn't seem to pull me in.
LibraryThing member fiverivers
A refreshing take on fantasy, set in a world of an aristocratic ruling class which holds not only social and economic power, but secretly magic, while all others are outcasts, and should they show any signs of magical abilities, are consigned to asylums to apparently languish.
Polk creates some
Altogether an entertaining read.
Polk creates some
Show More
interesting characters caught in both family and political power struggles, while examining morality.Altogether an entertaining read.
Show Less
LibraryThing member bluesalamanders
Content warnings: Possession, murder, slavery, suicide, betrayal
I was skeptical at first, like, ok, sure, another historical fantasy book about a guy with magic, what's the big fuss? But once I got a little into it, I realized how much I enjoyed the characters and their interactions, which made up
I was skeptical at first, like, ok, sure, another historical fantasy book about a guy with magic, what's the big fuss? But once I got a little into it, I realized how much I enjoyed the characters and their interactions, which made up
Show More
for the worldbuilding not being particularly unusual and most of the plot twists being extremely obvious. Show Less
LibraryThing member lavaturtle
I loved this! Great characters, cool setting, and just the right amount of intrigue and romance. Looking forward to reading the sequel!
LibraryThing member spiritedstardust
Where’s the world building and explanation of the magic system bro??
Lots of toxic family relationships in this and a rather bland romance.
The hints we got about the different species and magic piqued my interest but nothing is elucidated about them. I was left confused over so many things. The
I will not be continuing the series.
Lots of toxic family relationships in this and a rather bland romance.
The hints we got about the different species and magic piqued my interest but nothing is elucidated about them. I was left confused over so many things. The
Show More
writing was very average.I will not be continuing the series.
Show Less
LibraryThing member zjakkelien
This has potential, but it is a little clunky. The writing can be abrupt and corny. And the characters don't make sense, at least not fully. I don't care what excuse you give it, that sister gets forgiven way too easily.
LibraryThing member jazzbird61
It was short and sweet. A nice start to what could be nice little series
Awards
Nebula Award (Nominee — Novel — 2018)
Lambda Literary Award (Finalist — 2019)
Locus Award (Finalist — First Novel — 2019)
World Fantasy Award (Nominee — Novel — 2019)
Sunburst Award (Longlist — Adult — 2019)
Prix Aurora Award (Finalist — Novel — 2019)
NPR: Books We Love (2018)
ALA Over the Rainbow Book List (Selection — Genre Fiction — 2019)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2018-06-19
Physical description
320 p.; 5.5 inches
ISBN
9781250162687