A Nameless Witch

From Publishers Weekly Martinez's disappointing third comic fantasy stars a beautiful heroine who's cursed with immortality and an appetite for human flesh that complicates her love life. Rescued and mentored by an old witch nicknamed Ghastly Edna, the witch of the title comes into her own after being locked in the basement until she is 18 (on account of being freakishly ''undead''). After Edna's demise, the Nameless Witch sets off to avenge her death, with some help from her familiar, Newt, who takes the form of a wisecracking killer duck, and a benevolent troll called Gwurm. They settle in at Fort Stalwart, where they're joined by the handsome White Knight and menaced by goblings sent by the sorcerer Soulless Gustav. The White Knight wins the witch's heart, but he can't rescue this quest spoof, which lacks the marvelous effervescence that buoyed Martinez's debut, Gil's All Fright Diner . (May) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From The nameless witch is the victim of a family curse that was supposed to make her hideous and undead. The undead part took, but she is otherwise quite lovely. A witch she calls Ghastly Edna buys her from her parents and trains her in all the witchy arts, including how to dress so that people see the hideous hag they expect a witch to be. When inhuman agents of a mysterious force attack Ghastly Edna, before she expires she tells the nameless witch she has two choices: live a long, peaceful life, or pursue revenge and possible doom, though happiness might instead be the outcome. Of course, the nameless witch chooses revenge. With her demonic duck familiar and a troll met en route, she travels to a town where she provides useful services until a gobling [_sic_] army attacks. She resumes her quest, with White Knight Wyst of the West added to her company. Thanks to a healthy dose of Martinez's signature humor (see his Alex Award winner, Gil's All Fright Diner, 2005), entertainingly witchy. Regina Schroeder Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved A tale of vengeance, true love, and cannibalism Being born undead can have its disadvantages, such as eternal youth and flawless beauty ---things most unsuitable for a witch. Hiding behind the guise of a grimy old crone, the witch is content living outside Fort Stalwart with her unlikely band of allies: a troll named Gwurm, an enchanted broom, and a demonic duck named Newt. She leads a simple life filled with spells, potions, and the occasional curse. So when a White Knight arrives at Fort Stalwart, the witch knows her days of peace are at an end. The Knight is just days in front of a horde of ravenous goblings, and Fort Stalwart lies right in the horde€™s path. But the goblings are just the first wave of danger, and soon the witch and the Knight must combine forces on a perilous quest to stop a mad sorcerer from destroying the world. Filled with menace, monsters, and magic, A Nameless Witc Hiding her inherent beauty while hunting for men to consume, an immortal witch enters a reluctant partnership with the pure-hearted White Knight in order to counter the efforts of an insane sorcerer who is threatening their world.