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Dark Mirror #0.5
Fallen from Grace
"Fallen from Grace" is a bonus Dark Mirror short story, from author M.J. Putney.
Allarde, a gorgeous, wealthy noble, has hidden his true nature. In "Fallen from Grace," delve into Allarde's diary and read about his life at the exclusive school Eton, the discovery of his magic, and his sudden fall from grace. Will Allarde be disinherited from his family estate? How will he survive life at the dreary Lackland Abbey—the reform school for children with shameful magical abilities? But soon Allarde discovers an exciting secret within the grounds of Lackland.
Also included is a preview of M.J. Putney's novel Dark Mirror.
Allarde, a gorgeous, wealthy noble, has hidden his true nature. In "Fallen from Grace," delve into Allarde's diary and read about his life at the exclusive school Eton, the discovery of his magic, and his sudden fall from grace. Will Allarde be disinherited from his family estate? How will he survive life at the dreary Lackland Abbey—the reform school for children with shameful magical abilities? But soon Allarde discovers an exciting secret within the grounds of Lackland.
Also included is a preview of M.J. Putney's novel Dark Mirror.
Kindle Edition
First published March 4, 2011
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May 31, 2011Allarde certainly wasn't my favorite character from Dark Mirror, so I was disappointed to discover that this short story followed him instead of someone like Jack or Cynthia, both of which I found really interesting. I was also expecting this to be a bit longer, more like "Winter's Passage," by Julie Kagawa or "The Strange Case of Finley Jayne" by Kady Cross (both free short stories for series).
The story is told through Allarde's journal entries and follows his "fall from grace," so to speak. It's when he reveals to everyone that he is magical. He is instantly kicked out of university, even though he was only defending someone from being bullied.
Unfortunately, this short story really didn't offer much extra information that I found all that riveting. Allarde is pretty dull all around, at least being inside his head was. This read like a long exposition of his backstory that the author had to cut out of the original manuscript but wanted people to read somehow.
The only highlight for me was when he saw Tory and his feelings for her. Their romance in Dark Mirror was rushed for me, so I liked seeing his feelings and getting that sliver on insight into what he was thinking.
Overall, this wasn't a huge hit for me. But it was free, and I'm enjoying this series, so I'm still looking forward to the next installment, which promises to offer more Jack and Cynthia, so can't wait!
The story is told through Allarde's journal entries and follows his "fall from grace," so to speak. It's when he reveals to everyone that he is magical. He is instantly kicked out of university, even though he was only defending someone from being bullied.
Unfortunately, this short story really didn't offer much extra information that I found all that riveting. Allarde is pretty dull all around, at least being inside his head was. This read like a long exposition of his backstory that the author had to cut out of the original manuscript but wanted people to read somehow.
The only highlight for me was when he saw Tory and his feelings for her. Their romance in Dark Mirror was rushed for me, so I liked seeing his feelings and getting that sliver on insight into what he was thinking.
Overall, this wasn't a huge hit for me. But it was free, and I'm enjoying this series, so I'm still looking forward to the next installment, which promises to offer more Jack and Cynthia, so can't wait!
October 20, 2013
Read the review on my blog:
http://thaliasbooks.tumblr.com/post/6...
http://thaliasbooks.tumblr.com/post/6...
July 7, 2012
A bit too modern in the thinking, but it was an ok addition to the series. (After all, this is only a bonus section). I do like Allarde so I was glad for a brief glimpse into his mind.
July 18, 2019
Really enjoyed reading this short story!
Like all the other books I've read by her, this one really didn't let me look away. Because it was in a diary format, I felt closer to the character, especially when he mentioned the journal had a spell on it so people couldn't just read it. Because this is set rather early (considering her other books characters are already grown and maybe even courting within the first two to three chapters), there's an innocence to it that I really enjoyed because it felt fresh: wanting to please the parents, trying to fit into society, the thrill of using magic freely, meeting girls that are also magic users, etc. if I had any "issues" with the story (which I don't really), it would be that each entry became shorter and shorter, sometimes not even a paragraph long. Because there's constant time skips it was frustrating to fill in the blanks, since I was quite curious, like the time he went to visit his parents for Christmas. How did that go? He didn't mention anything about their encounter. Should I take that as a good sign? That he was able to suppress his use of magic? Did his parents inquire about it? Are they given "reports" from the school or is the information coming from the protagonist? If it's by the school, does that mean if he refuses to give up his magic, his parents will know? And what exactly does giving it up mean? Does he lose it completely or is it sealed? And I had so many more questions, but of course, this is a short story meant to pull me in, and that it did, left me salivating.
I'm excited to read more of Putney's books, especially if she's coming in stronger with magic
Like all the other books I've read by her, this one really didn't let me look away. Because it was in a diary format, I felt closer to the character, especially when he mentioned the journal had a spell on it so people couldn't just read it. Because this is set rather early (considering her other books characters are already grown and maybe even courting within the first two to three chapters), there's an innocence to it that I really enjoyed because it felt fresh: wanting to please the parents, trying to fit into society, the thrill of using magic freely, meeting girls that are also magic users, etc. if I had any "issues" with the story (which I don't really), it would be that each entry became shorter and shorter, sometimes not even a paragraph long. Because there's constant time skips it was frustrating to fill in the blanks, since I was quite curious, like the time he went to visit his parents for Christmas. How did that go? He didn't mention anything about their encounter. Should I take that as a good sign? That he was able to suppress his use of magic? Did his parents inquire about it? Are they given "reports" from the school or is the information coming from the protagonist? If it's by the school, does that mean if he refuses to give up his magic, his parents will know? And what exactly does giving it up mean? Does he lose it completely or is it sealed? And I had so many more questions, but of course, this is a short story meant to pull me in, and that it did, left me salivating.
I'm excited to read more of Putney's books, especially if she's coming in stronger with magic
January 3, 2019
I discovered this short story on my old Nook. I have no idea where it came from or when I acquired this ebook but one of my goals for 2019 is to lower my ebook TBR. I actually really enjoyed the world and magic of Fallen from Grace. I am now intrigued to continue the Dark Mirror series and learn more about the mages in this world. This novella is told in journal entries and at the end the entries began jumping months at a time which I didn't like. With this being my only foray into this world, I would have liked a little more detail but I understand it's just a taster to get you hooked on the series. Which it has done!
September 8, 2020
Not so much a novella as random journal entries. Was probably a 'teaser'; but didn't draw me into a story for the Dark Mirror Series. Kept thinking this was a poor Harry Potter spin-off. Authors do better to release a chapter or two of the actual book or allow for Samples on Amazon than release these. More often than not, they end up repeated in the book that follows or they add no value whatsoever. I understand that this is a teen/young adult series, but the way this was hobbled together, it didn't impress. Granted this was published in 2015, but I hope authors have learned not to do this. It annoys.
September 19, 2018
This book had an interesting take on magic with people with magic, mages, being both good and bad. If you were a noble having magic was a bad thing and if you were or a working or lower class it was good. You could easily make quite a bit of money. This poses such an interesting dichotomy in a low magic world and I've sorely tempted to explore it. Sadly it appears that the Dark Mirror series is no longer carried with Amazon.
February 2, 2021
Good intro to Dark Mirror. Now I really want to read it! It seems like Regency/Victorian/Edwardian era lite, the MCs all seem to be of the nobility, but to have a Social Justice view of the world, though they are misfits in their world due to having magical abilities. 4, I want to read the full book now, stars.
August 22, 2017
This is cute and sweet, especially the last line: "I'm doomed".
September 22, 2018
Decent quick read, had some pretty interesting ideas I think the author could’ve elaborated on instead of making it a short story. Would like to know more.
September 27, 2018
Short story
This novella was a fun read and was short, but to the point. It introduces the character for the series and has a nice twist to it.
This novella was a fun read and was short, but to the point. It introduces the character for the series and has a nice twist to it.
March 25, 2020
Историята на Алард.
July 27, 2022
A thrilling start to a series about mages and intolerance. Looking forward to the first full novel.
October 21, 2022
Way too short. Had so much promise to it.
January 6, 2023
I love her books, but...
Sad to say, this story reads like the preface of a book that didn’t work. (And one can see why.)
Sad to say, this story reads like the preface of a book that didn’t work. (And one can see why.)
March 14, 2024
Okay, not great. Haven't read more from this author.
November 10, 2011
In this short story prequel to the Dark Mirror novel series, we read the diary of Allarde, an English aristocrat with secret magical abilities. At first, he is attending England's finest boarding school, but he reveals his abilities in order to save a fellow student from harm. Because he is an aristocrat with magic, not just a commoner, he is considered evil and has to be ousted from all good society.
His father sends him to a reform school for aristocrats where he learns how to suppress his magic in order to regain some privileges of his former life. But, he meets some other young people there who don't want to pretend to be something they're not, and finds himself considering their philosophy. Also, he meets the protagonist of the novels, Lady Victoria Mansfield, as she arrives at the reform school toward the end of the short story. It ends with hints at his immediate romantic interest in her.
I haven't read any of these novels, yet, but I doubt it's necessary to do so prior to reading this short story. I was a bit disoriented at first, but I found my feet after a while. Allarde is a really likable character, even if we don't get to know him all that well in such a short reading time, but he's an interesting character to follow further. I purchased Dark Mirror (the first novel) prior to reading this, and I'm so glad I did. I want to learn more about this intriguing world of magic users, and why the wealthiest practitioners are ostracized.
His father sends him to a reform school for aristocrats where he learns how to suppress his magic in order to regain some privileges of his former life. But, he meets some other young people there who don't want to pretend to be something they're not, and finds himself considering their philosophy. Also, he meets the protagonist of the novels, Lady Victoria Mansfield, as she arrives at the reform school toward the end of the short story. It ends with hints at his immediate romantic interest in her.
I haven't read any of these novels, yet, but I doubt it's necessary to do so prior to reading this short story. I was a bit disoriented at first, but I found my feet after a while. Allarde is a really likable character, even if we don't get to know him all that well in such a short reading time, but he's an interesting character to follow further. I purchased Dark Mirror (the first novel) prior to reading this, and I'm so glad I did. I want to learn more about this intriguing world of magic users, and why the wealthiest practitioners are ostracized.
July 17, 2013
This short story is told as excerpts from one of the main characters in the Dark Mirror trilogy, Justin Allarde. It is also meant to serve as a short prequel/introduction to the series by offering an explanation and insight into Allarde's character.
This short story only gets a three star rating from me for a variety of reasons. First, it doesn't really offer anything that can't already be garnered from Dark Mirror: Allarde comes from a family that loves him, but they fully expect him to completely give up magecraft and marry a girl who comes from a family with no talents. Although Dark Mirror follows its female protagonist, the reader gets a sense of all of these things independent of this prequel. Second, the 'selection' of entries presented is rushed: There are many from 1801, a couple from 1803, and then a couple from 1803. The short story ends abruptly to coincide with the beginning of Dark Mirror, and there is very little new additional information. Third, I don't mind these 0.5 prequels authors write, but I really do wish that they had a little more content. Ok, so we learn exactly what Allarde did to get sent to Lackland, but does this information really add anything to this character? We already know him to be an honorable, likeable young man, and I would really have liked to read something that felt necessary to the overall story rather than a bone being thrown to the YA reader.
This short story only gets a three star rating from me for a variety of reasons. First, it doesn't really offer anything that can't already be garnered from Dark Mirror: Allarde comes from a family that loves him, but they fully expect him to completely give up magecraft and marry a girl who comes from a family with no talents. Although Dark Mirror follows its female protagonist, the reader gets a sense of all of these things independent of this prequel. Second, the 'selection' of entries presented is rushed: There are many from 1801, a couple from 1803, and then a couple from 1803. The short story ends abruptly to coincide with the beginning of Dark Mirror, and there is very little new additional information. Third, I don't mind these 0.5 prequels authors write, but I really do wish that they had a little more content. Ok, so we learn exactly what Allarde did to get sent to Lackland, but does this information really add anything to this character? We already know him to be an honorable, likeable young man, and I would really have liked to read something that felt necessary to the overall story rather than a bone being thrown to the YA reader.
February 27, 2015
This book was very short, only a couple of chapters long, however, before you get the wrong impression, I thought it was well done. In this book, we have the POV from the main guy character from her Dark Mirror series, which I haven't read in a while, but really enjoyed. And even though I hadn't read them in a long while, I found this book to be very well written and I started to recall the other books in the series. This is for sure not a stand alone, and I don't know if I would recommend spending more than $1 on it, as it is extremely short, but it was offered for free on Amazon and as I loved the other books, I decided to get it, and I'm glad I did. But do read this and then the others, or read the others first and then this one. Don't be afraid due to the shortness of the novel. It covers a lot of time, but it is all in diary form and M.J. Putney doesn't leave out any details that should be there. It starts prior to the beginning of the Dark Mirror books, but ends right around sometime during the beginningish of Dark Mirror (as I said, I haven't read them in over a year, and they are boxed away at the moment since I will be moving at some point soon, but from what I can remember, that is where this book ends).
Thanks M.J. Putney for this small incite into Allard! I really enjoyed it!
Thanks M.J. Putney for this small incite into Allard! I really enjoyed it!
April 22, 2016
Allarde, a gorgeous, wealthy noble, has hidden his true nature. In "Fallen from Grace," delve into Allarde's diary and read about his life at the exclusive school Eton, the discovery of his magic, and his sudden fall from grace. Will Allarde be disinherited from his family estate? How will he survive life at the dreary Lackland Abbey—the reform school for children with shameful magical abilities? But soon Allarde discovers an exciting secret within the grounds of Lackland.
A well-written short story...apart from the fact that nothing happens. I would imagine that this would be better described as a prologue, rather than a separate story. Two things really dragged down my rating of this book:
Nothing actually happens - it is just the back story of one of the characters from the first book of the series, and
The dialogue was very hard to reconcile with the period that this was supposedly set - the early 1800's. It just didn't seem to ring true.
If this was a teaser for a novel, I would give it a miss.
Also includes a preview of Dark Mirror.
Paul
ARH
A well-written short story...apart from the fact that nothing happens. I would imagine that this would be better described as a prologue, rather than a separate story. Two things really dragged down my rating of this book:
Nothing actually happens - it is just the back story of one of the characters from the first book of the series, and
The dialogue was very hard to reconcile with the period that this was supposedly set - the early 1800's. It just didn't seem to ring true.
If this was a teaser for a novel, I would give it a miss.
Also includes a preview of Dark Mirror.
Paul
ARH
April 7, 2014
So Fallen From Grace was another short story I picked up. Even though it wasn't exactly what I was expecting I think it was definitely worth picking up.
The entire novella is in the form of diary entries written by Allarde, the main character. He was likeable and interesting. While I think the story did a decent job of introducing him, it's length prevented me from becoming absolutely obsessed. But I think that only served to encourage me to want to read the actual book series that the novella is a part of.
I liked the way that the diary entries helped to keep the pace of the story by skipping forward through time. As a full novel I don't think this would work, and maybe not with every novella, but the author did an awesome job of pulling it off with this one.
I haven't read any of the Dark Mirror series, so this was my first introduction into that world. I have to say it was interesting and enjoyable and I definitely want to pick up the rest of the series and see where it goes.
April 7, 2012
Goodreads Says: Fallen From Grace A Bonus Dark Mirror Short Story
Allarde, a gorgeous, wealthy noble has hidden his true nature. Discover his diary and witness his sudden fall from grace.
I think this was more of a 3.5 for me.
This is a short story where we meet Allarde, a young aristocrat who will inherit his father's land and title one day until he finds out he has already inherited magical genes. To be of status and have magic is taboo in the in 1800 England. Any person found out will have to either go through a specialized purging of magical sense or become an outcast.
Allarde's story is written as a diary. Even though this story was short I felt the author did a great job in giving us enough information that we didn't have to read the first book and served as a great intro to the series.
Allarde, a gorgeous, wealthy noble has hidden his true nature. Discover his diary and witness his sudden fall from grace.
I think this was more of a 3.5 for me.
This is a short story where we meet Allarde, a young aristocrat who will inherit his father's land and title one day until he finds out he has already inherited magical genes. To be of status and have magic is taboo in the in 1800 England. Any person found out will have to either go through a specialized purging of magical sense or become an outcast.
Allarde's story is written as a diary. Even though this story was short I felt the author did a great job in giving us enough information that we didn't have to read the first book and served as a great intro to the series.
May 9, 2011
Intriguing, but I felt like my understanding of what was going on would have benefited from a little more backstory. While this is admittedly a very short story and there wasn't a lot of time for all sorts of crazy exposition, I was a bit confused as to why magic was so looked down upon by the nobility.
I did like the journal-style entries and the glimpses it gave us into the character of Allarde. I thought the secondary characters were interesting. I think the covers for books 1 and 2 are gorgeous. I guess I wanted more. More information. More explanation.
All this wanting tells me that this story got me interested in the other books in the series. Which is a good thing.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
I did like the journal-style entries and the glimpses it gave us into the character of Allarde. I thought the secondary characters were interesting. I think the covers for books 1 and 2 are gorgeous. I guess I wanted more. More information. More explanation.
All this wanting tells me that this story got me interested in the other books in the series. Which is a good thing.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
May 24, 2013
So this is a SUPER short story and tells you a little bit more about Allarde. I didn't read this until after I finished the series and I wish I had though I don't think that if I had started with it I would have read the series, because the other books are SO much better.
Allarade is one of the main character in this series and a major swoon worthy guy. He has trial and tribulations like anyone but is mysterious and tends to keep to himself through out the series only letting you in a bit at a time, totally worth it (I love mysterious guys) and he is a bit on the broody side too!
Over all it makes me like him more and understand him better and if you haven't read the whole series yet I recommend it to you!
Allarade is one of the main character in this series and a major swoon worthy guy. He has trial and tribulations like anyone but is mysterious and tends to keep to himself through out the series only letting you in a bit at a time, totally worth it (I love mysterious guys) and he is a bit on the broody side too!
Over all it makes me like him more and understand him better and if you haven't read the whole series yet I recommend it to you!
November 4, 2016
Allarde, a gorgeous, wealthy noble has hidden his true nature. Discover his diary and witness his sudden fall from grace.
Magic is a curse and those children found with magic are sent to a special school to cure them. But as in life where there is a supposed cure there is also a rebellion.
And I’m sure that is where the next book will pick up with the Labyrinth in a world of Merlin. So here we go to find it at my favorite place to shop B&N. [smiles]
Oh the writer of the diary see’s a girl and realizes he’s … fallen. :D
Short but sweet.. good read … worthy of five stars… as it served its purpose and has me wanting for more.
Magic is a curse and those children found with magic are sent to a special school to cure them. But as in life where there is a supposed cure there is also a rebellion.
And I’m sure that is where the next book will pick up with the Labyrinth in a world of Merlin. So here we go to find it at my favorite place to shop B&N. [smiles]
Oh the writer of the diary see’s a girl and realizes he’s … fallen. :D
Short but sweet.. good read … worthy of five stars… as it served its purpose and has me wanting for more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 24, 2011
I haven't read "Dark Mirror", but after reading this short story I want to. I’m a sucker for historical English mages (Sorcery & Ceceila, Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, the Bartimaeus trilogy, etc…) and this story makes the world very intriguing to me. The writing was good, the characters were developed, and the story that was told was very good. Obviously it doesn’t tell the whole story, they want you to read “Dark Mirror” for that, but it was a very good introduction into the world the author created.
September 12, 2011
In Dark Mirror we meet the mysterious and handsome (I know that's cliche but he really is!) Marquis of Allarde, the heir to a vast estate, but only if he denies his magic and marries a non-magic woman. In "Fallen from Grace" we find out what happened to Allarde to have made him expose himself and how he really feels about being sent to Lackland Abbey. This is a great addition to the Dark Mirror world and really gives more insight to Allarde's character.
July 22, 2011
This is just a short story in diary form from the point of view of Allarde from Dar Mirror. It starts before the beginning of Dark Mirror and ends overlapping into the beginning of it. It wasn't bad and did give some insight into Allarde's character, but it didn't grab my attention. If I hadn't already known who he was from reading Dark Mirror first, I proably wouldn't have cared.
Note: Picked up as a freebie from B&N
Note: Picked up as a freebie from B&N
February 4, 2017
It was very boring at first because all this guy talked about was his magic and how he was "doomed" because he got kicked out of his non magical school. Then it got a little bit better when his mom told him she had magic in her family and sent him to a magic school and he met a pretty girl.. then he was "doomed" again.. I might read the book "Dark Mirror" Hopefully it'll be so much better than this.
November 24, 2012
This was a good short story leaving you ready for Dark Mirror. It's written in the form of diary entries and it's interesting and captivates you leaving you wanting more. You get a good prospective of Allarde and what he is going through. It also gives you a good orientation of where the book is going, the main setting and the situation in England when it comes to mages. Overall it was a great way to get your interest going and preparing you for Dark Mirror.
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