Wheel of the Infinite, by Martha Wells

[mrissa]

 

Review copy provided by the publisher.

This is a rerelease (coming this fall!) of the author's preferred edition of this 2000 fantasy novel.

Maskelle is supposed to be the Voice of her god, but they've had a falling out. She misinterpreted a vision in a way that angered the powers that be, and she's been a cursed outcast ever since. Her journeys with a band of players are taking her back where her god wants her, back in the city that is the center of his worship.

And the god wants her there for a reason. The ritual that renews the world every year--with particular emphasis on this year's centenary observation--is going awry no matter how they try to fix it. Maskelle has been out in the world, her connection with the god at least used to be the most powerful--surely she's the right choice to set the world right.

This is about as big a job as you might expect. Add in a cursed puppet for the traveling players and all sorts of personal complications for the swordsman they meet along the way, and there's a recipe for a giant shitstorm at the end. Which happens, which definitely happens, and the climax comes together as only Martha Wells books can.