Destiny: A Fairy Tale

by Aaron Mahnke

Every tale must have a beginning, a birth, a point of departure. Some tales begin long, long ago, while others in a land far away. Some begin with both, and for some, that is where they end as well.

It is said that stories give life to people long dead and forgotten. That the mysterious path to immortality is a life worthy of remembrance. Tales can last thousands of years, or vanish with the coming spring. They can be heirlooms, passed from father to son with love and reverence, or trinkets tossed aside like unwanted toys. Some tales birth gods, and some conceal the truth. This tale does not lay claim to the former, but it certainly deals strongly in the latter. For truth is better digested when taken with honey…

Orphaned at birth with a mysterious key, Simon Kendrick was raised in the quiet village of Bywood unaware of his true story. But when a traveling knight presents him with the opportunity to search for answers outside his home, Simon jumps at the chance.

Now, Simon must undertake an unforgettable journey if he is to discover who he truly is.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction

256 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 19, 2011

About the author

One of the most successful podcast producers in the world, Aaron Mahnke began his career in 2015 with the launch of Lore, which went on to become a breakout hit.

Aside from racking up over 450-million downloads to date, Lore was adapted for two seasons of television on Amazon, and as a three-book set from Penguin Random House. Aaron has also toured extensively, delivering his trademark storytelling experience to thousands of people across the country.

In 2019, Aaron also published his first comic book series, Wellington, through IDW. And in 2021, he launched the first of a new slate of fiction podcasts, beginning with the breakout hit Bridgewater, starring Misha Collins, Melissa Ponzia, Karan Soni, Alan Tudyk, and Tricia Helfer.

Reviews

[Alisha · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was horribly written and incredibly boring. There was no mystery at all, the ending could be guessed after the first two chapters. The characters were dull and uninteresting, and the epilogue a bit ridiculous. There was no romance, but somehow at the end they try to make it seem like there was some sort of connection between characters. It was quick, the mystery seemed to just fall into the hands of the characters without them even having to do any work. There was one decent thing though, the author is pretty descriptive with his landscaping and imagery. The details were nice and there weren't any grammatical errors that stuck out. It was just so straight forward it almost read more like a textbook then a fiction book.

[Jeremiah Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading a lot of epic fantasy novels in the past year (including one of Aaron's own) it is a refreshing change of pace to get into a quick read such as this. Even though the story is short, the characters are very well developed. I really enjoyed the adventure and was pleased with the way things ended.
To me, the story evoked feelings of older stories such as the Hobbit and Legend. It isn't nearly as complex as those, but it had the same adventurous feel.

[Jayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute read

I liked this book.. along with a straightforward fantasy book came a simple ending in the epilogue. Nice to read a one and done, in the fantasy genre, since so few seem to follow that course.
And also nice to hear Aaron Mahnke’s voice, all through the ride.

[Dan Hopkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved

Easy quick read that is creative clever and fun. Aaron Mann's is very talented and I look forward to reading more of his works!

[Rachel Davis · Rating 2 out of 5]

The entire book reads like a first draft. Predictable ending and shallow character development. I love "Lore " but I doubt I'll read another Mahnke book again.

[Tim Ricchuiti · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice, quick read if fantasy's your thing. Cribs a bit much from Star Wars.

[Kara Prem · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book opens with a seriously wounded couple making their way into a village, and the woman is about to give birth. They find shelter at the cobbler's home, she gives birth and dies. The man leaves a key with the cobbler and asks that the cobbler's family raise the baby. The man leaves to die in the woods.

Now that the orphaned baby Simon is almost an adult, he is told that he isn't really the cobbler's child (which would explain why he was treated so poorly by the whole family). He flees his small village to accompany a traveling knight on a quest to slay a dragon. Simon is anxious to discover the meaning of the key and to find out more about who he really is.

There is also an old king, who sends his Hunter out to find a legendary crown which will help him to grow his empire back to the vast lands it used to cover. Of course there are signs that Simon's path will cross with the Hunter as they each pursue their journey.

The ending epilogue was nice, if a bit rushed, but the book was an easy read, and I enjoyed it.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Strange but very good book. Sucked right into it and really enjoyed the storyline. A little over the place at times but it all comes together in the end.

Just a small town boy, Simon, finds out that he is adopted. Or abandoned would be the best word for it. The 'parents' had no other choice than to raise him but not in the best why. He has always been loved less by his family. A knight appears in her small village and he decided to travel with him to find out what a key that was given to him when he was born means. The journey will be long and tough for Simon and his friend but will it be worth it? What will he find at the end of the road?

[Jacque Hodges (Carter) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the story but it seemed like a pretty abrupt ending. He just kind of wrapped up the loose ends in a short conclusion. Could have had a lot more story. Also needed some editing. Grammar errors and awkward sentences are distracting.

[Holly Hilbrands · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice easy read, may be for young adults, but a good story

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely fairy tale that manages to place so much lore and world-building into such a relatively short amount of space. Very charming.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting read, fresh take on fantasy novels in general. Thoroughly enjoyed this one!

[Cassandra · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wasn't impressed with this book. I had high expectations because Lore is so well written and gripping but when it came to this original story I felt Aaron Mahnke fell flat. It was predictable and used a lot of common fairytale clichés. I was disappointed in the lack of originality of the story. That being said I'm aware it's one of Aaron's earlier novels and would be willing to give a newer one a try.