Myth, Mist and Madness

Fables from Naturae

by Jan Foster

When the life of Queen Elizabeth I is at stake, can a chaotic trickster turn the tables on a tempest to save her?

Fairfax, a plucky daemon, miscalculates when he tries to dupe a cunning spymaster on the back streets of Tudor London. Facing the gallows for treason or almost certain death as a pirate, he agrees to hunt down a mysterious orb, rumoured to have the power to cure the Queen. As he sails in search of the jewel, the sun is barely past the Wanderer’s yardarm when he falls foul of the notorious pirate queen herself, Grainne O’Malley. With time ticking on the Queen’s life, the odds of success shorten. Can Fairfax navigate stormy waters, escape the pirate’s plundering plans and find the lost cure before they are all lost in the mysterious mist? If you like magical realism, a dash of history and a boatload of adventure, you’ll love this fast-paced escape into a world of swords and sorcery. Join Fairfax on his most daring quest yet as he discovers piracy isn’t just about plunder and pluck, but family. The Fables from Naturae Series features characters from the world of Naturae in short stories, perfect for a quick escape into the past. Discover a magical hidden realm where fae, vampires, witches and daemons exist alongside mortals in a time when magic was very real.

50 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 7, 2023

About the author

By day, Jan juggles consultancy work with her family, but by night she sneaks off, into the past. Her penchant for sprinkling history with magic is fueled by coffee and Cadburys. When not writing, Jan takes her dogs and small monsters into the countryside, especially if there is a castle or historic building there with a cosy coffee shop in which to escape the rain of Manchester, England.

Reviews

[Staceywh_17 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been wanting to get stuck into the Naturae series for a while now and I'm ashamed it's taken me this long.

Mist, Myth and Madness is a short read of the fables of Naturae, featuring characters from the world of Naturae.

It was a great way to ease myself into the series and meet some of the characters in future reads. I loved the combination of history and fantasy, with the story being a brilliant swashbuckling pirate tale set at sea.

It's fast paced, full of action and the characters were brilliant.

I'm really excited to start the next in the series now.

[Kristina Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick, swashbuckling read. This historical retelling brings an element of magic to the story of Grace O’Malley. The writing was fast-paced, and the characters flew off the page with their personalities. The work is forthcoming in explaining that the main character is from a larger series. I do wish that a bit more of the character had been explained or hinted at to make this tale stand alone from needing to have read anything about him before. Because daemon isn’t defined within the story, I don’t know if he’s more of a demigod in the Greek sense of the word, or more akin to a demon and the archaic spelling. But he, and several characters, are definitely other-worldly adding to the magical feel of the story. I also learned a couple of new words, which is always fun. If you’re looking for a short story with the best bits of pirate fiction (like ship-to-ship battles and stormy seas) try this.

[TaniaRina · Rating 4 out of 5]

“A boatload of adventure” – literally!
This pirate tale actually occurs on the water and readers are treated to many a plucky encounter.

Some sage advice from the author:
Use your gifts for more than cheap tricks.


This is the first I’ve read from this author and I’m super intrigued to continue with ‘Risking Destiny’ (Vikings) and ‘Destiny Awaiting’ (Henry V).

[Beba Andric · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this very cleverly written short story. It pulled in all the aspects of a great fantasy read and threw in a bit of history too but ultimately, it's the fun I had reading it that cemented the deal.

Fairfax has certainly bitten off more than he can chew, he, the one who dupes, is duped into a situation he can't get out of. Well, he could, if he wanted to face the hangman's noose... not much of a choice, that's for sure. And thing get more.... complex for him. I loved how he integrated himself, very slyly, into the clutches of the famous Irish pirate Grainne O'Malley. But he has a task, a very important task, to find a missing artifact to save a sickly queen, or, as the saying goes, he loses his head, physically! His loyalty to HIS Queen is tested to the extreme but he never waivers, doing a balancing gig constantly. I loved his character, he's smart and sly and snarky and most importantly, hid sense of self preservation is paramount. Is he lucky as he professes? Undoubtedly! I loved how his quick wit and instincts got him out of hot water on numerous occasions and I loved his banter with the tough, foul mouthed, non apologetic Grainne.

There were lovely historical names and events strewn throughout, all true except for the embellishments the author inserted beautifully, giving the read a fresh take on these events and people. Politics, opposing loyalties, hidden agendas, religious beliefs, are the order of the day. Added to the mix, we're presented with daemons, witches and magic, so well crafted together, with a gorgeous humourous undertone, it all just fits. The very authentic sea battles are heavenly, so real to the time period and filled with pirates and Kingsmen, the swords aslicing, the seas arolling, the action credible and hard hitting. A truely enjoyable and action filled read.

[Marcela · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun and intriguing read.
I am a big fan of this author and her Naturae series. Her books in this series are based in a fantasy world of fae and historical England. Her writing style shows an impressive amount of historical research. I love the storyline of this series and its whirlwind plot that makes the books hard to put down. Her book, Myth, Mist and Madness , part of her newest series, Fables from Naturae , did not disappoint and is based on the story of an exciting side character named Fairfax. It was fun to read his story and the development of this character. If you're a fantasy and historical fiction fan, you will love this book and the NaturaeI received an ARC of this book, and I'm voluntarily leaving an honest review.

[Amber Daulton · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the Fables from Naturae series, Fairfax the daemon tries to swindle a man at cards only to find himself roped into a dangerous task. To avoid the gallows, he must find a long-lost missing jewel that supposedly has magical healing properties. So he sets out on the high seas, seeking an Irish pirate who now has the jewel.
I’ve read a few books in the main series, not this spin-off, and it was nice to see Fairfax get his own adventure. It was pretty short, about 50 pages, and I read it easily in one setting. My only complaint is that I wish it was longer. As always, Ms. Foster’s writing was tight yet descriptive. Well done.
4 Stars

[Juliette Godot · Rating 5 out of 5]

Myth, Mist, and Madness is a swashbuckling adventure from start to finish. This is a short story laced with so much action that it just flies by.

Again, we meet Queen Elizabeth's head spy, the seemingly ever-present Walsingham. After losing a card match to Fairfax, a grifter with magical powers, Walsingham forces Fairfax into service. Through luck or fate, Fairfax sets out to find an orb rumored to have the power to heal the Queen's smallpox.

If you're looking for a quick read, this is a well-written, exciting story.

I was given an ARC copy of this recent release.

[Vicky Peplow · Rating 5 out of 5]

In interesting short story

I really enjoyed reading this short story and would love to see this made into a full novel. I'm aware that this story is about a character from the series which is great and using a character that didn't have a big part in that. Great work and well worth reading.

[Tom Leverett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this story for its ability to take the reader into a world of pirates, treasure, magic, danger, and suspense all at once. It was all its own world, though some characters may have appeared elsewhere, and within that world some things made more sense than others, but it all worked together to give us some good escapism. I recommend it.

[Helen Simpson · Rating 3 out of 5]

a short read full of action pirates, magic and intrigue. Am looking forward to read more from the author.

[Kristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it

I really enjoyed my first Jan Foster story. A wonderful high sea adventure, that was a quick and easy read. Looking forward to reading more of her work.