The West Passage
| Author | Jared Pechaček |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Genre | Fantasy |
| Publisher | Tor Books |
| Publication date | July 16, 2024 |
| Pages | 384 |
| Awards | Crawford Award (2025) |
| ISBN | 9781250323743 |
The West Passage is the 2024 debut fantasy novel written by Jared Pechaček, published by Tor Books.[1]
Plot
The book follows Kew and Pell, two members of the Grey Tower, one of five towers set in the city-like megastructure known only as the Palace.[2]
Awards and reception
The novel received the 2025 Crawford Award.[3] It received a starred review from Kirkus Reviews and was shortlisted for the 2025 Ursula K. Le Guin Prize.[4]
"This is a vividly depicted, decidedly peculiar world governed by an inexplicable logic... Its fablelike but off-kilter qualities and architectural setting will likely appeal to fans of Susanna Clarke’s Piranesi, Angélica Gorodischer’s Kalpa Imperial, and Josiah Bancroft’s Books of Babel series." — Kirkus Reviews, review of The West Passage[1]
The book was a finalist for the 2025 Locus Award for Best First Novel.[5] It was a finalist for the 2025 Washington State Book Award.[6]
In Jake Casella Brookins’ review at Locus Magazine, he noted: "The world of this book is an astonishing delight; each section is new and surprising, but there’s a depth and a completeness to surroundings that is spellbinding. Giant architectural whimsy, here falling into ruin, there still bustling with activity, elsewhere echoing with ancient secrets and magic: It’s a perpetually engaging romp."[7]
References
- 1 2 "The West Passage by Jared Pechaček". Kirkus Reviews. July 1, 2024. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
- ↑ "The West Passage by Jared Pechaček". Strange Horizons. May 12, 2025.
- ↑ "The West Passage Wins Crawford Award". locusmag.com. March 23, 2025.
- ↑ "Here's the shortlist for the 2025 Ursula K. Le Guin Prize for Fiction". Literary Hub. Retrieved 2026-06-11.
- ↑ "2025 Locus Awards Winners". locusmag.com. Retrieved 2026-06-11.
- ↑ "The Washington State Book Awards Announce 2025 Finalists". The Stranger. Retrieved 2026-06-11.
- ↑ "Jake Casella Brookins Reviews The West Passage by Jared Pechaček". locusmag.com. Retrieved 2026-06-11.