What do you think?
Fair With Fortune
Steal the Sky—or Watch it Fall
Long ago, a forbidden magic shattered Sora. Now, its floating islands drift above an endless abyss, held aloft by the mysterious Fayts—forces that twist will, time, love, and even death. In this fractured sky, humanity rose again, changed and charged with strange, volatile powers.
Valeo is the last of his kind—a luck-bending thief forged by loss, his pocketwatch ticking down the world’s ruin. Breeze burns with unquenchable fury—bloodied fists a vow to the family that left her behind. Together, they’re urban acrobats turned sky pirates—racing rooftops by day, stealing secrets by starlight.
Joining a patchwork band of Corsairs—stitched together by shared scars and stolen dreams—they unearth a thousand-year-old artifact tied to a legendary heist and a civilization lost to myth.
Everything changes.
Now hunted by the Fallen—the terrifying keepers of the dead—and chased by crews who kill for far less, Breeze and Valeo must brave crumbling ruins, ancient Fayt-touched horrors, and the wrath of a dying world. What they carry could rewrite history…or finish what the Cataclysm began.
Their blood holds the key. Their choices will shape the sky. Fail—and Sora falls.
Deluxe/Paperback Editions available on Author Website
Long ago, a forbidden magic shattered Sora. Now, its floating islands drift above an endless abyss, held aloft by the mysterious Fayts—forces that twist will, time, love, and even death. In this fractured sky, humanity rose again, changed and charged with strange, volatile powers.
Valeo is the last of his kind—a luck-bending thief forged by loss, his pocketwatch ticking down the world’s ruin. Breeze burns with unquenchable fury—bloodied fists a vow to the family that left her behind. Together, they’re urban acrobats turned sky pirates—racing rooftops by day, stealing secrets by starlight.
Joining a patchwork band of Corsairs—stitched together by shared scars and stolen dreams—they unearth a thousand-year-old artifact tied to a legendary heist and a civilization lost to myth.
Everything changes.
Now hunted by the Fallen—the terrifying keepers of the dead—and chased by crews who kill for far less, Breeze and Valeo must brave crumbling ruins, ancient Fayt-touched horrors, and the wrath of a dying world. What they carry could rewrite history…or finish what the Cataclysm began.
Their blood holds the key. Their choices will shape the sky. Fail—and Sora falls.
Deluxe/Paperback Editions available on Author Website
400 pages, Paperback
First published May 10, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
March 19, 2026
Story 4, audio 4.5.
Fair With Fortune was a thoroughly fun and immersive debut, with a great audiobook production. The book came to my attention while looking for an alternative to Cello's Gate, which I planned to read to fill the 2025 r/fantasy bingo's "sky pirates" category. That book isn't out on audio yet though, and audio is what I needed at the moment. I'm super glad I found out about Fair With Fortune, as not only did I get sky pirates – excuse me, corsairs – but actual flying sailing ships, powered by mysterious forces that also keep the shattered world afloat in the sky (sky islands!), and grant some people special powers. The story mainly follows Valeo and Breeze, an adventurous and mischievous "free running" duo with luck and strength as their respective powers, as they join a pirate crew under "explosive" circumstances, trying to escape multiple murderous and mysterious pursuers...
The story quite literally starts at a running pace, with the first break after only roughly 10% in. With plenty more fast-paced action sequences throughout the book, the otherwise pretty straightforward plot became a page-turning read for me. I think the story would have benefited from having more of the quieter moments, as the ones we got grounded the characters for me, seeing them getting used to their new place in the world amongst Drake's pirate crew. As a first book, there's of course plenty of setup to do which, together with the abundant fast-paced action, came a bit at the cost of deeper character development and thematic exploration. Multiple interesting threads have been laid out though, so I'm looking forward to see how the mysteries of this world will evolve!
Character-wise, the story follows Valeo and Breeze most closely, who form a solid and endearing main cast. The side characters are more shallow, but their distinctive dialogue and personalities, and interactions with the main cast in general, made them feel more fleshed out to me. Valeo and Breeze's character development felt well-integrated throughout the story, with a pleasing mix of "telling" and "showing", and hardly any immersion-breaking exposition.
Speaking of immersion: while the worldbuilding wasn't that extensive (yet) for me, the settings and action were all easy to picture, resulting in a very immersive read. It has steampunky vibes, though the forces powering it all are still quite mysterious at this point... I'm sure Sewell will be able to build nicely upon the foundation laid out in this first instalment!
Thematically, what stood out most to me were the themes of found family, loyalty, and following one's dreams. I think fans of One Piece will enjoy Fair With Fortune a lot, given the similarities in themes, as well as personalities of the main cast, with Valeo and Luffy definitely giving off a similar vibe to me, at least so far. Setting wise, One Piece fans will be reminded of Skypiea, of course.
While I wouldn't quite rate this book 4 stars based on its elements, it being a more foundational action-packed first-in-a-series, one important aspect elevated the whole for me: the writing. I found Sewell's writing to flow really really well, with great use of alliteration, and dialogue full of character. Add plenty of creativity in form and structure, with a flash-forward prologue, epigraphs and interludes (both contributing to the world building nicely!), and the result felt greater than the sum of its parts.
I strongly recommend giving this debut a try if all this sounds interesting! I am in any case looking forward to the sequel. If Sewell keeps developing the main cast, fleshes out the side characters more, and perhaps introduces a bit more room to breathe, I'd otherwise be totally happy with more of the same.
I'd like to end with a note on the audiobook production. While I love Kate Reading (especially in The Memoirs of Lady Trent), and I think both her and Kramer did a great job, the audiobook would have worked better for me with just Kramer. He narrates ~75% of the book, with fitting voices for the entire cast, male and female alike. Kate Reading narrates the sections from Breeze's perspective, but the difference in voices was a bit jarring at times. She uses a much lower-pitched voice for Valeo than Kramer does, for example, and both their sections are mostly overlapping character-wise in the first place. But again, they did really well bringing the dialogue and story as a whole to life.
2025 fantasy bingo note: this book qualifies for hard mode of the "pirates" prompt, as these aren't seafaring but sky pirates.
Characters
🔲 Flat as cardboard
🔲 Solid main cast, shallow side characters
✅ Well-written
🔲 Complex and nuanced
🔲 Hard to believe they were fictional
Plot
🔲 Same old, same old…
🔲 Few surprises, nothing memorable
✅ Gripping
🔲 Exceptional
🔲 Mind-blowing
Thematic exploration
🔲 Superficial: themes are present but barely explored
✅ Limited: interesting ideas, but not fully realised
🔲 Focused: a few themes explored with solid depth
🔲 Layered: multiple themes explored with depth and nuance
🔲 Resonant: deeply thought-provoking and lingering
Worldbuilding
🔲 Takes place in our world
🔲 Incoherent
🔲 Superficial
✅ Solid
🔲 Nicely detailed
🔲 Paints a complete and vivid picture
Immersion
🔲 I felt detached
🔲 It was somewhat immersive
✅ It felt like I was there
Pacing
🔲 Hard to get through
🔲 Inconsistent
🔲 Well-flowing
✅ Pageturner
🔲 Unputdownable
Fair With Fortune was a thoroughly fun and immersive debut, with a great audiobook production. The book came to my attention while looking for an alternative to Cello's Gate, which I planned to read to fill the 2025 r/fantasy bingo's "sky pirates" category. That book isn't out on audio yet though, and audio is what I needed at the moment. I'm super glad I found out about Fair With Fortune, as not only did I get sky pirates – excuse me, corsairs – but actual flying sailing ships, powered by mysterious forces that also keep the shattered world afloat in the sky (sky islands!), and grant some people special powers. The story mainly follows Valeo and Breeze, an adventurous and mischievous "free running" duo with luck and strength as their respective powers, as they join a pirate crew under "explosive" circumstances, trying to escape multiple murderous and mysterious pursuers...
The story quite literally starts at a running pace, with the first break after only roughly 10% in. With plenty more fast-paced action sequences throughout the book, the otherwise pretty straightforward plot became a page-turning read for me. I think the story would have benefited from having more of the quieter moments, as the ones we got grounded the characters for me, seeing them getting used to their new place in the world amongst Drake's pirate crew. As a first book, there's of course plenty of setup to do which, together with the abundant fast-paced action, came a bit at the cost of deeper character development and thematic exploration. Multiple interesting threads have been laid out though, so I'm looking forward to see how the mysteries of this world will evolve!
Character-wise, the story follows Valeo and Breeze most closely, who form a solid and endearing main cast. The side characters are more shallow, but their distinctive dialogue and personalities, and interactions with the main cast in general, made them feel more fleshed out to me. Valeo and Breeze's character development felt well-integrated throughout the story, with a pleasing mix of "telling" and "showing", and hardly any immersion-breaking exposition.
Speaking of immersion: while the worldbuilding wasn't that extensive (yet) for me, the settings and action were all easy to picture, resulting in a very immersive read. It has steampunky vibes, though the forces powering it all are still quite mysterious at this point... I'm sure Sewell will be able to build nicely upon the foundation laid out in this first instalment!
Thematically, what stood out most to me were the themes of found family, loyalty, and following one's dreams. I think fans of One Piece will enjoy Fair With Fortune a lot, given the similarities in themes, as well as personalities of the main cast, with Valeo and Luffy definitely giving off a similar vibe to me, at least so far. Setting wise, One Piece fans will be reminded of Skypiea, of course.
While I wouldn't quite rate this book 4 stars based on its elements, it being a more foundational action-packed first-in-a-series, one important aspect elevated the whole for me: the writing. I found Sewell's writing to flow really really well, with great use of alliteration, and dialogue full of character. Add plenty of creativity in form and structure, with a flash-forward prologue, epigraphs and interludes (both contributing to the world building nicely!), and the result felt greater than the sum of its parts.
I strongly recommend giving this debut a try if all this sounds interesting! I am in any case looking forward to the sequel. If Sewell keeps developing the main cast, fleshes out the side characters more, and perhaps introduces a bit more room to breathe, I'd otherwise be totally happy with more of the same.
I'd like to end with a note on the audiobook production. While I love Kate Reading (especially in The Memoirs of Lady Trent), and I think both her and Kramer did a great job, the audiobook would have worked better for me with just Kramer. He narrates ~75% of the book, with fitting voices for the entire cast, male and female alike. Kate Reading narrates the sections from Breeze's perspective, but the difference in voices was a bit jarring at times. She uses a much lower-pitched voice for Valeo than Kramer does, for example, and both their sections are mostly overlapping character-wise in the first place. But again, they did really well bringing the dialogue and story as a whole to life.
2025 fantasy bingo note: this book qualifies for hard mode of the "pirates" prompt, as these aren't seafaring but sky pirates.
Characters
🔲 Flat as cardboard
🔲 Solid main cast, shallow side characters
✅ Well-written
🔲 Complex and nuanced
🔲 Hard to believe they were fictional
Plot
🔲 Same old, same old…
🔲 Few surprises, nothing memorable
✅ Gripping
🔲 Exceptional
🔲 Mind-blowing
Thematic exploration
🔲 Superficial: themes are present but barely explored
✅ Limited: interesting ideas, but not fully realised
🔲 Focused: a few themes explored with solid depth
🔲 Layered: multiple themes explored with depth and nuance
🔲 Resonant: deeply thought-provoking and lingering
Worldbuilding
🔲 Takes place in our world
🔲 Incoherent
🔲 Superficial
✅ Solid
🔲 Nicely detailed
🔲 Paints a complete and vivid picture
Immersion
🔲 I felt detached
🔲 It was somewhat immersive
✅ It felt like I was there
Pacing
🔲 Hard to get through
🔲 Inconsistent
🔲 Well-flowing
✅ Pageturner
🔲 Unputdownable
August 21, 2025
There’s a kind of quiet magic in Broc’s writing. Where so many authors wrestle with words, his seem to take flight on their own—threads of story weaving themselves into a greater tapestry, effortless yet intentional.
This tale is, at its heart, pure joy. The world of Sora is impossibly easy to lose yourself in, the kind you long to wander even after the final page. Valeo, brash and endearingly foolish, makes for a hero whose missteps are just as captivating as his triumphs. Breeze carries that air of mystery and unshakable cool—like a riddle ready to be solved. And the host of other characters, each etched with such familiar warmth and originality, feel less like inventions and more like old friends rediscovered.
To let this book slip past you would be to deny yourself an adventure you've been begging for. Devour it in a single enchanted afternoon, and find yourself soaring in the skies of Sora, where stories feel as alive as the wind itself.
This tale is, at its heart, pure joy. The world of Sora is impossibly easy to lose yourself in, the kind you long to wander even after the final page. Valeo, brash and endearingly foolish, makes for a hero whose missteps are just as captivating as his triumphs. Breeze carries that air of mystery and unshakable cool—like a riddle ready to be solved. And the host of other characters, each etched with such familiar warmth and originality, feel less like inventions and more like old friends rediscovered.
To let this book slip past you would be to deny yourself an adventure you've been begging for. Devour it in a single enchanted afternoon, and find yourself soaring in the skies of Sora, where stories feel as alive as the wind itself.
August 21, 2025
It's a wonderful experience when you come across a book that truly transports you into another world.
J. Broc Sewell's incredible attention to detail and the care he puts into the world of Sora makes you feel as if you are right alongside the characters as they undertake a fascinating adventure. You can't help but fall in love with them and the growth they show throughout the story. In particular, Beard, one of the more prominent characters, is my personal favorite as the hardship he endures to discover his bond is one that I believe many people can relate to.
I'm looking forward to the next book in this series and to discovering more about the exciting world of Sora.
J. Broc Sewell's incredible attention to detail and the care he puts into the world of Sora makes you feel as if you are right alongside the characters as they undertake a fascinating adventure. You can't help but fall in love with them and the growth they show throughout the story. In particular, Beard, one of the more prominent characters, is my personal favorite as the hardship he endures to discover his bond is one that I believe many people can relate to.
I'm looking forward to the next book in this series and to discovering more about the exciting world of Sora.
June 22, 2025
The most important thing to me when reading fiction is the level of character development and depth. Do I relate to these characters? Do they seem real? Do they grow and change for better or worse?
The character development in this book is amazing and what I always look for in a series. The way the characters learn about life and themselves is scary and heartwarming. I love that these characters are not perfect, they are young and sometimes make stupid decisions, and the way they respond to those decisions is what really pulled me in to this book. Highly recommend!
The character development in this book is amazing and what I always look for in a series. The way the characters learn about life and themselves is scary and heartwarming. I love that these characters are not perfect, they are young and sometimes make stupid decisions, and the way they respond to those decisions is what really pulled me in to this book. Highly recommend!
June 6, 2025
With a diverse crew of sky pirates, chasing fayts, and uncovering the mysteries of their shattered world, the main characters find themselves outrunning the Fallen, defeating death, and grasping adventure at every turn.
I love Sewell's writing, and his enthusiasm for this world of Sora he has created.
The story starts with two of the main characters running from death when they end up on a pirate ship that becomes their home for the foreseeable future.
The characters they meet all have distinct and intriguing personalities that lend well to an eight/nine part epic fantasy series. This being book one, we can see it set up an exciting adventure that will take us around Sora, and into some exciting mysteries and adventures.
I must add that I love the way Sewell has captured the visual elements of the world, creating vivid imagery, and the way he approaches dialogue adds depth and personality to each character.
Another appeal on a personal level is that he writes characters as humans, not defined by their sex, gender, or orientations. That isn't to say there aren't characters who are from all walks of life, (for example there is a fascinating character who I'm excited to learn more about in the future who is not defined as a singular), but it's not about that, it's a fantasy adventure, and it really captures that well, while still staying true to inclusivity and diversity.
Broc Sewell, a 3-time silver runner-up for the writers of the future competition, definitely shows promise for an Epic adventure that I am personally extremely excited to set further sail upon, and cannot wait for book two in this epic adventure.
I love Sewell's writing, and his enthusiasm for this world of Sora he has created.
The story starts with two of the main characters running from death when they end up on a pirate ship that becomes their home for the foreseeable future.
The characters they meet all have distinct and intriguing personalities that lend well to an eight/nine part epic fantasy series. This being book one, we can see it set up an exciting adventure that will take us around Sora, and into some exciting mysteries and adventures.
I must add that I love the way Sewell has captured the visual elements of the world, creating vivid imagery, and the way he approaches dialogue adds depth and personality to each character.
Another appeal on a personal level is that he writes characters as humans, not defined by their sex, gender, or orientations. That isn't to say there aren't characters who are from all walks of life, (for example there is a fascinating character who I'm excited to learn more about in the future who is not defined as a singular), but it's not about that, it's a fantasy adventure, and it really captures that well, while still staying true to inclusivity and diversity.
Broc Sewell, a 3-time silver runner-up for the writers of the future competition, definitely shows promise for an Epic adventure that I am personally extremely excited to set further sail upon, and cannot wait for book two in this epic adventure.
June 20, 2025
A world that is literally the sky and a wrong slip can mean the end; a world where magic is innate, not learned; a world where sky pirates run rampant; a world that is on the verge of crumbling into the void below. That is the world of Sora. Follow the unbreakable duo Valeo and Breeze as they join a crew of sky pirates whilst fleeing from the mysterious yet terrifying Fallen - keepers of the dead thought to be only legend - that hunt them. As the crew sail the skies in search for answers, the two will be forced to face secrets of their past, of their heritage, all while trying to unravel and understand an ancient prophecy that may or may not have something to do with them.
J. Broc Sewell's debut novel, the first in a series, is astonishingly detailed for a debut. The worldbuilding is fascinating, and you'll be hard-pressed to find anything quite like it. From a cast of characters that leave you feeling a large range of emotions, be they fascinated, adoring, tickled pink, frustrated, or downright murderous, Sewell brings heart into a story that could fall flat with a weaker group of characters.
This was a page-turner, and I ended up finishing it over the course of a weekend because I couldn't stop reading it. If you like high fantasy, subtle magic, maybe a small hint of steampunk here and there, and sky pirates, then this book is definitely one to add to the shelf. The best part? The second book in the series is already written, and only needs to be published.
J. Broc Sewell's debut novel, the first in a series, is astonishingly detailed for a debut. The worldbuilding is fascinating, and you'll be hard-pressed to find anything quite like it. From a cast of characters that leave you feeling a large range of emotions, be they fascinated, adoring, tickled pink, frustrated, or downright murderous, Sewell brings heart into a story that could fall flat with a weaker group of characters.
This was a page-turner, and I ended up finishing it over the course of a weekend because I couldn't stop reading it. If you like high fantasy, subtle magic, maybe a small hint of steampunk here and there, and sky pirates, then this book is definitely one to add to the shelf. The best part? The second book in the series is already written, and only needs to be published.
January 2, 2026
This gives you everything described and more, hanging on every thread following every adventure desperate for the next page.
Solidly one of the best books I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading!
Solidly one of the best books I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading!
July 6, 2025
J Broc Sewell’s astonishingly accomplished debut novel presents a fully-formed and vividly imagined fantasy world, Sora, with its host of complex and convincing characters, accompanied by rich artwork. It’s the first in a projected 8 volume series, and will no doubt leave readers eagerly waiting for the subsequent instalments. Two compelling central characters propel the narrative and their relationship is key. Valeo and Breeze are linked in their quest for a mysterious thousand year old artefact which could be the salvation of Sora, and are pursued by the Fallen, the keepers of the dead. From within themselves Valeo and Breeze must summon the strength, resilience, resourcefulness and sheer courage to prevent Sora being destroyed. What follows is a series of hair-raising adventures, full of peril, which take the reader on a nail-biting and tempestuous roller-coaster of a ride. That the book is action-packed is understating it! With its brisk pace making the book a real page–turner, we root for the pair on their perilous quest. Occasional snatches of humour lighten the mood now and then, and give the reader a breather. The characters are all well-rounded, and develop along with the narrative, and even the villains aren't without moral complexity. Valeo and Breeze engage our sympathy from the start as we accompany them on their dangerous journey, and I look forward to finding out where it takes them next. Epic in scope and scale, this is a novel to sink into, suspend disbelief and become part of a whole new world.
September 11, 2025
So I just finished Fair With Fortune a day ago and I'm still not over the fact that I need to wait to read the next book 😤😭🥺 I'm not a fantasy gal at all... but Broc wrote the HELL out of that book! Multiple times I had to stop and put it down and tell my partner "well shit, Broc's book is REALLY good" 😅
I struggle with paying attention to world building, which is why fantasy and sci-fi ain't my cup of tea. But he integrated his world building sooooo seamlessly into the dialogue and the action that I was able to learn what I needed to learn when I needed to learn it. And the ACTION!! Chef's kiss.
Congrats on bringing this world to light and becoming literally top 3 of all fantasy authors I've ever read hahah (again, not many on the list but kinda wild that I can say that of someone I actually know in real life loll)
I struggle with paying attention to world building, which is why fantasy and sci-fi ain't my cup of tea. But he integrated his world building sooooo seamlessly into the dialogue and the action that I was able to learn what I needed to learn when I needed to learn it. And the ACTION!! Chef's kiss.
Congrats on bringing this world to light and becoming literally top 3 of all fantasy authors I've ever read hahah (again, not many on the list but kinda wild that I can say that of someone I actually know in real life loll)
October 6, 2025
It's not often I fall so completely in love with a new world. This book gripped me so thoroughly that finishing this first installment left me in that magical state of awe mixed with the grief of an ending come too soon. Every character, every description, every stitch of this book. When I finally came up for breath, and sadly rejoined the real world, I felt the pull. That immense longing to continue sailing towards the next adventure with this newly found family. Good luck to my next read, these are some very large shoes to fill.
August 21, 2025
Among the best fantasy novels I've ever had the pleasure of reading. Sewell's worldbuilding and character development is seamless, yet deep. Cannot wait for the next book and to see where this author goes next.
July 7, 2025
This book kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time! I love the adventure it brought to my imagination. I cannot wait until the next book comes out!
August 24, 2025
From the short bit I’ve read, I’m already in and looking forward to more of this fantastical world!
February 1, 2026
Pirates?! Flying Ships?! Pocket watches?! Yes sir! Can’t wait for the next book!
February 12, 2026
Loved this book, lots of action and adventure, great characters with stories that draw you in and make you want to root for them. Also great world building!
June 4, 2026
This is an amazing story with expansive world building, interesting character both major and minor, and an exciting adventure. I can't wait for the next book to be published.
Did Not Finish
August 1, 2026Didn't click with the writing style. I am not a native English speaker, so this might be the reason.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews