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The West Passage

Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
1 of 1 copy available

A palace the size of a city, ruled by giant Ladies of unknowable, eldritch origin. A land left to slow decay, drowning in the debris of generations. All this and more awaits you within The West Passage, a delightfully mysterious and intriguingly weird medieval fantasy unlike anything you've read before.

"The West Passage is a dangerous book of secrets." —Travis Baldree, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Legends & Lattes
"A weird and wonderful tale, rich with imagination and utterly unique." —Sunyi Dean, author of The Book Eaters

"One of the finest fantasies of this decade, a sweeping swarm of fiercely human creativity." —Indrapramit Das, author of The Devourers
When the Guardian of the West Passage died in her bed, the women of Grey Tower fed her to the crows and went back to their chores. No successor was named as Guardian, no one took up the fallen blade; the West Passage went unguarded.
Now, snow blankets Grey in the height of summer. Rats erupt from beneath the earth, fleeing that which comes. Crops fail. Hunger looms. And none stand ready to face the Beast, stirring beneath the poisoned soil.
The fate of all who live in the palace hangs on narrow shoulders. The too-young Mother of Grey House sets out to fix the seasons. The unnamed apprentice of the deceased Grey Guardian goes to warn Black Tower. Both their paths cross the West Passage, the ancient byway of the Beast. On their journeys they will meet schoolteachers and beekeepers, miracles and monsters, and very, very big Ladies. None can say if they'll reach their destinations, but one thing is for sure: the world is about to change.
A Macmillan Audio production from Tor.com.

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    • Publisher's Weekly

      May 6, 2024
      In this overwrought debut, visual artist Pechaček crafts a medieval fantasy with shades of Alice in Wonderland and The Tombs of Atuan. Pell is an apprentice from the Black Tower, whose wimple-wearing women attend all births and deaths in a strange, four-cornered land ruled by ancient houses. When the guardian of the West Passage dies in her sleep, Pell steals a book from her room, triggering a sudden, endless Winter. As crops fail and serfs starve, she embarks on a quest to repair her misdeed. Meanwhile, young Kew, who was the guardian’s next-in-line but was never officially appointed, sets out on a parallel quest to warn the great houses that the mythical Beast is planning a return through the unguarded passage. The narrative alternates between Kew’s and Pell’s adventures, including encounters with bizarre creatures (such as an owl schoolmaster who keeps awkwardly laying eggs) and the giant, ancient ladies of the houses whose old vendettas form fault lines in the land’s jagged history. Pechacek uses broad brushstrokes to paint a world in decay. Though he provides plenty of asides explaining the complex lore, the worldbuilding gets in the way of plot and character development, leaving the protagonists feeling thin despite some quirky Canterbury naturalism. Through all the clutter, it’s hard to connect to the story.

    • AudioFile Magazine
      In this delightfully strange fantasy, Steve West delivers countless stand-out performances of whimsical characters ranging from owl-headed schoolmasters to animatronic hollow men and enormous eldritch rulers. After the Guardian of the West Passage dies, young Pell takes up the mantle of tower Mother, while Kew strives to become the new Guardian. When the mysterious beast begins to rise, Pell and Kew embark on separate quests to protect the palace. Along the way, they meet odd friends and odder foes who help them realize that their faith in their centuries-old power structures may be misplaced. Will they replicate past systems or create something entirely new? West's quirky, committed narration offers an adventurous spirit to an action-packed story, making this a must-listen. A.A.H. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine

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