A rare sequel that is better than its predecessor. . . .Moon Witch, Spider King is a breathtaking book, one that functions as well as a standalone as it does a sequel. . . .Make no mistake, this series is absolutely a must-read. NPR
In the second book of his Dark Star trilogy, James coaxes beauty from dark thoughts, leaving readers with a concaved, mystical and African-inspired world that begins in free-fall. . . .In a world as thoroughly imagined as J.R.R. Tolkien s, no detail seems spared. Full figured and richly drawn, Moon Witch, Spider King is the bridge of a trilogy and also a creation that, like James talent, stands alone. Los Angeles Times
Spectacularly alive. . . .James choreographs fight scenes that make Quentin Tarantino s movies feel comparatively tranquil. And there s a catalogue of diabolically ingenious creatures creeping along the ceilings, jumping from behind trees and even reaching through fourth-dimension portals to keep the pages simmering with terror. . . .Sogolon is a thrilling, haunting heroine. The Washington Post
In this ambitious new installment, James masterfully flips the first's plot on its head, probing the distance between two versions of the same events to ask powerful questions about truth, history, and storytelling. Esquire
James s imagination is vast and fiery, and his numerous fight scenes are heart-pumping and vivid. But what has stayed with me are his more subtle observations on the human condition. . . .The Moon Witch lit my path and showed me how a woman might navigate this dangerous, remarkable world. . . .When I finished the last page of Moon Witch, Spider King, I found my copy of Black Leopard, Red Wolf and started at the beginning. The New York Times Book Review
James is such a ferociously powerful and fast-paced storyteller that one rarely has time to worry about the grander scheme of the plot. . . .Galvanized by a vernacular writing style modeled on the oral tradition of African griots, the scenes are ribald, declamatory, and quick to confrontation. Events are so crazed and swirling they become almost hallucinatory. . . .is this trilogy s prodigious passions, and not any obvious narrative purpose, that make it so gripping. The Wall Street Journal
This is work that both meets the immersive worldbuilding standard in books by Tolkien and Martin and brings to the genre a voice unlike anything seen before. . . .If James managed to capture the imagination of readers with Black Leopard, Red Wolf, this second book, which is darker, longer, and better, does even more: It sets readers up for what will undoubtedly be a superb finale. The Boston Globe
More than 1,200 pages into James trilogy, one thing is clear: Moon Witch, Spider King is even better than Black Leopard, Red Wolf. . . .Not only could you read Moon Witch, Spider King first without missing a beat; it might even be a better introduction to James world. AV Club
[A] medieval feast of dazzling fantasy. It's vulgar and vivacious, big and brutal. . . .When I read the first book in this trilogy, I knew I was reading a genre-altering trilogy. . . .After reading Moon Witch, Spider King, I remain convinced that James is rebuilding the genre. Minneapolis Star-Tribune
A beautiful novel with well-developed characters enmeshed in a very real and terrifying fight, not only for their lives but also against a cycle of life that repeats from generation to generation. . . .It s impressive how much world-building and character development James manages in these pages. San Francisco Chronicle
Moving, vivid, and thought-provoking, this second book is, if anything, even more brilliant than the first. Buzzfeed
In the much-anticipated second installment James has crafted yet another dark fantasy that blends history and mythology in an epic setting. TIME
Part adventure tale, part chronicle of an indomitable woman who bows to no man, [Moon Witch, Spider King] is a fascinating novel that explores power, personality, and the places where they overlap. LGBTQ Reads
Marlon James is the author of the New York Times bestsellers Black Leopard, Red Wolf, which was a finalist for the National Book Award, and A Brief History of Seven Killings, which won the 2015 Man Booker Prize, as well as the novels The Book of Night Women and John Crow s Devil. A professor at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota, he lives in New York City.