Witch Queen of Redwinter by Ed McDonald – Review

Published: November 12, 2024

Publisher: Tor Books

Series: The Redwinter Chronicles #3

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 400 (Hardcover)

My Rating: 4 Stars

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis:
Having been saved from execution at the hands of the Draoihn – powerful magic users Raine used to count as allies – Raine finds herself in the Fault, a vast magical wasteland, which is falling apart before her eyes.

Alongside her two closest companions, they are searching for the only person Raine believes can help them get back home: the enigmatic and infuriatingly elusive Queen of Feathers.

But what home are they trying to get back to? Ovitus LacNaithe, power-hungry traitor that he is, has taken control of the Draoihn and is unwittingly doing the bidding of a darker master. He is soon to take control of the Crown of Harranir and plunge the land into unending darkness.

The fate of two worlds hangs in the balance. The stakes have never been higher. It’s going to take Raine’s dark, terrible powers, as well as the unbreakable bond of three friends, to ensure everyone lives to see the dawn.

The epic conclusion to Ed McDonald’s Redwinter Chronicles, Witch Queen of Redwinter brings together breathtaking magic, unflinching fellowship and the gruesome spectacle of war in the most thrilling of fantasy adventures.

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The final book in the Redwinter trilogy picks up soon after the dramatic events that ended Traitor of Redwinter. I could not have predicted a more dramatic ending and this installment introduces readers to a strange new world that continues throwing in the unexpected. I must say, I really do love a weird, liminal reality full of strange monsters and abstract geography. It adds a certain horror vibe that works for me.

Raine, Sanvaunt, and Esher have been rudely trapped in the Fault, an area between worlds created long in the past to contain the Faded Lords and their ilk. It’s a world outside of time and the trio find themselves fighting wave after wave of nasty beasts, though they don’t need to eat or drink and only rest to replenish their magic and take a break from the onslaught. They’re trying to find the Queen of Feathers, thinking the entity behind the rise of the Sarathi witch queens will surely know how to return them to their own world and stop the dark entity behind Ovitus LacNaithe’s rise to power. While they’re trying to save the world the three are also trying to work through some very human emotions, namely their love for one another and Raine’s feelings of jealousy and indecision regarding Sanvaunt and Esher. 

Back in the real world, Ovitus has been gathering the Draoihn and their military arm, the Winterra to campaign against those who won’t join him. His failure to steal his uncle’s magic has left him unable to muster the magic required to claim the Crown of Harranir and thus it remains free. His familiar, Waldy, is actually a physical manifestation of the dark entity of the Fault known as Iddin. Thanks to the unclaimed or lost Crowns across the world, the Fault is breaking through and the real world is being destroyed – earthquakes abound, monsters are pouring through rifts, and not even children are being born. 

What impressed me the most about Witch Queen of Redwinter is how Ed McDonald managed to keep the Fault and the Real world plot lines both moving forward without lacking our main character. This next bit is spoilery, so if you want a complete surprise, just skip to the last paragraph. Raine, while in the Fault, has been trying to project herself to watch and speak to those back in Harranir, whether that be coordinating with allies or taunting Ovitus. During a particular moment of rage, she forces through so hard that she literally splits herself into two. Raine left in the Fault is a bit softer while the Raine who has forced herself back to Harranir is vengeful and is determined to destroy Ovitus no matter what – a true Witch Queen. 

Overall, I enjoyed Witch Queen of Redwinter and I thought the ending was satisfying and somewhat unexpected. I often struggle with final books, mostly due to the fact that things either feel very rushed or decisions are out of character, so I’m super pleased with how this wrapped up. That being said, I did get a little bit of what I’ll call plot fatigue because it felt like some plot points were repeating too much. While this wasn’t my personal favorite of the trilogy, I think the series overall was pretty great and I can’t wait to see what Ed McDonald will write next!