I admit that I had fallen out of Witch King, the first book in this series. While everything was dense and complex, I failed to find something that gripped me and pulled me into the story. Now how about Queen Demon? I still would have loved something to take me by the hand and give me an "in" into this utterly fascinating world. But no, you don't get to be taken by the hand by Martha Wells - she lets you work for it. The world is unbelievably well formed with a million different aspects, from magic systems to politics. And I admit I still have not understood everything described. Eventually though, I have decided to just let it wash over me and bathe in the complexity. We have a gang of characters, led by Kai, and they're as interesting as the world they live in. I didn't need to relate to them to enjoy their adventures. What I found most interesting was the take on gender, as Kai is not bound to a body of a certain gender. There's much to be found and I find myself wanting to unpack it more. This series is not like a movie in your head - it's more like a history book you need to study academically. But if you take it as such, you might find yourself enjoying it a great deal. 4/5 stars Thank you @netgalley and @torbooks for the eARC! #QueenDemon #WitchKing #Netgalley #Bookstagram