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Fate Of The Furycks #5

The Witches of Al'athea

As the threat of the livahti grows and her enemies regroup, Jael Furyck knows she cannot stop.

Escaping Hallow Wood at the head of the Brekkan army, she must find her way to Oss. Her chilling encounter with the Mistress leaves her in no doubt that Eadmund is in grave danger. But facing days on the road and a journey across the Nebbar Straights, will she arrive in time to save him?

In Sarakat, Edela and the shell-shocked crew of Sea Queen must pick themselves up and begin again. Their enemies are victorious, Raymon Vandaal is lost to them, and they need a new path to follow. But to where has he been taken, and how can they find out?

Captured by the Mistress, Mattie soon discovers that she was not the only dreamer stolen away from Osterland. The Mistress intends to claim their power for herself, so they will need to work together to find a way to escape before it’s too late.

A way to escape the island of Al’athea...

The Witches of Al’athea is the fifth book in the thrilling Fate of the Furycks epic fantasy series. Enter a spellbinding world of scheming kings, fearless warriors, and mysterious dreamers, where a long-held secret threatens to destroy, not just a powerful family, but every kingdom of gods and men.


What readers are saying about the

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ‘Excitement and adventure from start to finish... I don’t want to see this series end.’

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ‘If you’re seeking captivating characters and immersive storytelling, AE Rayne is a must-read author.’

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ‘Fast paced and action packed with an excellent storyline.’

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ‘Exciting battles and wonderful strong characters …just a great series by an exceptional writer.’

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ‘Fantastic reading. Great author! What an adventure.’

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ‘Adventure, mystery, romance and magic. What more do you need? Brilliant!’

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ‘Great world-building and well-developed realistic characters.’

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ‘The entire series is a wild adventure.’

This book contains adult themes and mature content

621 pages, Paperback

Published June 19, 2025

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About the author

A.E. Rayne

22 books678 followers
A.E. Rayne is an epic fantasy author from New Zealand who grew up with a love of history and, thanks to her beloved Swedish grandmother, a fascination with Vikings. Unable to locate or build a time machine as a child, she instead invented her own worlds and thrilling adventures. In them, she was usually wielding a sword, overcoming impossible odds, and heroically saving the day. She is tenacious, dogged, willful, loyal, and brutally honest. Which, if you’ve read her books, might just remind you of her most famous character, Jael Furyck.

She has a degree in Communication Studies with a major in television and has also trained as a graphic designer. So not only does she write vivid, cinematic books, but she designs their covers as well.

When she’s not writing, she enjoys staying home with her husband, their three children and a menagerie of animals, endlessly planning trips she never takes. Though one day…

Join her mailing list and receive a free copy of The Furyck Saga prequel, Kings of Fate:
https://www.subscribepage.com/kingsof...

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5 stars
475 (73%)
4 stars
139 (21%)
3 stars
20 (3%)
2 stars
6 (<1%)
1 star
4 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
310 reviews11 followers
July 7, 2025
Another banger

I am somewhat upset and disappointed as I thought, while waiting for this book to come out, that this was the last installment for the FOF! To my surprise, it was not! Now I have to wait until Dec 2025 (it’s July 2025) to read the next one to see what happens next.

Jael is once again pissing me off like she can’t be both a warrior and a dreamer at the same time. If Alys from Alekka can be both, after having been taught to suppress her dreamer side by her grandfather for years, why can’t Jael? You would think the circumstances would force her to realize that she is hindering herself from aiding her family and her people by resisting it.

This book has made it glaringly obvious that the Alekkan dreamers are of better caliber than the Tuuran Brekkan dreamers, with the exception of a few great ones, in both the light and the dark sides. Alys, Eddeth and the Woodland elf like dreamer were leaps and bounds better than the ones we’ve seen in Brekka. Eddeth didn’t even know she was a dreamer until like, what, her mid 30’s to 40’s… hard to tell with the age of marriage being early teens, yet she was and has been doing so many powerful things with no real training. Alys’ grandmother wasn’t able to teach her much before she passed and her mother taught her nothing (at least not on purpose), yet she excelled quickly in her magic AND she hadn’t wielded a sword in over ten years but was able to pick it back up and do damage very quickly. And the elf-like dreamer of Sigurd’s had no training and was abandoned in the wilderness as a child, yet she wielded her magic and her dreams so easily. We’re not even going to mention the dark dreamer witches and what they could do.

On the Brekkan side, Ayla showed her greatness from the start when she summoned the god at sea to save Bram’s and the other boat with Isaura and the kids. It actually seemed like she brought out Edela’s power prior to Draguta’s sister from the hidden cabin in the woods. Now she was also awesome and powerful.

Then there were the Alekka Spirit Dreamers vs the Brekkan Spirit Dreamers…and if you’ve read both sides, you know how hard the Alekka ones go. The Brekkan ones didn’t do much but drop some hints here and there while speaking to the dreamers.

Hopefully Jael will finally unlock her full potential as Furia’s Daughter, Warrior and Dreamer, and do some damage instead of letting the others do all the heavy lifting. I don’t know what I’m going to do until December. 😭😭😭

See my notes, highlights and commentary on Goodreads. Happy reading!
2 reviews
November 5, 2025
The most disappointing book in the whole series, I felt the author has run out of storyline. The first 90% of the book just repeated the story it was trying to tell and I got so bored I almost deleted it. However as I have read every one of the previous books I kept thinking it’s going to get better, however only at the end did things start to move on then the book finishes leaving you no wiser that you were at the beginning. Probably won’t bother to order the next one.
40 reviews
June 29, 2025
Wow!! Just wow!!

Yet another amazing story by AE Rayne! I swear EVERY time I read another of her books, I feel like they are the best thing I ever read. This 1 especially was nail biting, so much suspense! And my gut is twisting now about having to wait for December to see if Ayla's group is safe. I am pretty sure what's going to happen with Eadmund & Jael which saddens me. I'm praying for Mattie & Meena who have more struggles ahead. And most of all our beloved Edela. I hope she can safely get home, with her group. I love summer but now winter can't come fast enough lol. I can't recommend this enough.
Profile Image for Terrie L Book.
16 reviews
July 4, 2025
A little tired of the same ole same ole.

Spoiler alert!

Can we please allow Jael and Edmond to have each other? The constant threat to their loving relationship is getting tiresome, and frankly annoying. They have persevered through magic and manipulation. They have grown as a couple and a family. Pick on another couple if you must. But, I may not continue this serious if you force more incidents of cheating ( magically or otherwise) on this couple. They should get their well deserved happy ending. Please allow your readers, Jael and Edmond, a happy ending worth fighting for. Seems like you want them to fail. I think their love for each other means they won't.
Profile Image for Nicole Simmons.
21 reviews1 follower
July 17, 2025
I guess I’m in the minority on this one, but I felt like this book was largely filler and could’ve been skipped. I’m hoping that it was just a huge set up for the next book and the ending definitely has alluded to that, but I don’t know. This one just felt a little like a slog and didn’t quite capture my interest as much as the others in this series.
Profile Image for Violet.
64 reviews1 follower
July 2, 2025
What a tangled web is spun in this latest installment. This time we learn more about the livanthi and what their goal is …especially the Mistress; to kill the gods that wanted their kind destroyed and using the most powerful dreamers they abducted -to set their plan to kill the gods and Furia in particular, in motion. And the fights that both Edela and Jael are waging look to be heading in the same direction. Jael gets a visit by Furia and explains what she needs to do , but also tells her that the gods can’t help. And both Edela and Jael kill livathis but can’t replicate the method for the rest. After the battles that grandmother and granddaughter have been in with evil…will Edela rescue Raymon and his cohorts from A’lathea and what is the news Eadmund came to give Jael? Always a cliffhanger. Now we need to wait for Jul to find out what happens next. A.E. Rayne’s writing always just sucks you in! Highly recommend!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Rachel.
18 reviews3 followers
September 17, 2025
Gripping from the get go

Fate of the Furycks never disappoints. This installment is packed full of thrill and intrigue. Bursting cover to cover with battles, magic, manipulation, and unexpected surprises both good and bad. Ending on the best kind of cliffhanger that leaves you desperately impatient for the next. Characters continue to develop and evolve, rounding to highlight the good and ugly parts of humanity. Plot lines evolve as seemingly minute details from previous books meld together to form answers and more questions. Will Jael believe the Mistress’s vision that Eadmund is fated to marry another? Will the dreamers be able to escape the Levahti and come together to save those they love? Will Edela ever make it home to her family? Will rival leaders succeed in their plans to usurp kings and queens? Will the Mistress and the Levhati succeed in killing the Gods to control everyone in darkness? Will Meena, Ayla, and Mattie escape to return to those they love?
Profile Image for K.J..
123 reviews
June 25, 2025
Exciting and suspenseful

Oh boy this one is full of action and adventure. Jael is trying not to think about Eadmund and all Eadmund can do is think about Jael.

Where are the missing dreamers? Who has them and why? The Misteess reveals her plans and brings destruction to Jael.

Eadmund must once again defend Oss and his throne from his traitorous kin. And Is there another wife for him?

Can't wait for the next book.
639 reviews10 followers
June 26, 2025
A well written epic fantasy with great world building and an outstanding well developed and realistic cast of characters. Contains an excellent storyline with plenty of adventure, lots of action, and many twists and turns. This epic fantasy has missing dreamers, plenty of magic, and some romance. A page turning read that I fully enjoyed and highly recommend. Bring on the next adventure in this great fantasy series.
20 reviews
June 28, 2025
Can’t wait till December!

I have reread every single book in this series and the previous two so I could read this. I enjoyed rereading all of them and this one was no different! I like the way it jumps back and forth between the characters so you can see what’s going on (with the main characters) roughly at the same time. Can’t wait till book six is released. I need to know what happens next now 😢.
277 reviews
July 8, 2025
This book leaves you hanging..... Unfortunately, the last volume will not be released for a number of months! The storyline for this book is complex, with things happening on a number of fronts. All parts of it are very intense, and terrifying at times! With the future of Brekka, and the Furyck line being threatened, it will be interesting to see the final tally. Who survives, and how that affects the future? I enjoy reading this series, and will miss it once completed!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Debra.
17 reviews1 follower
June 24, 2025
A wonderfully formed series. Book 5 The Witches of Al'athea is another buildup of the growing storm. Jael and company are, as usual, in for a bumpy ride. Our heroine is alone and has only her wits and her faith in Furia to guide her thru. The twists and turns will have you reading far in to the night! Battles, magic, intrigue!
Profile Image for Crystal Morris.
115 reviews
July 18, 2025
Worth the wait

Fantastic continuation of one of the most creative series I've ever read. I am really worried about Means and Mattie and what's to happen to them next.... What will.become of our epic love story ? I really hope Edmonds visit isn't more bad news... I am once again on the edge of my seat and waiting for December so I can confirm is amazing series
3 reviews
September 24, 2025
Continuously gripping

A.E Rayne cleverly weaves and twists multiple stories told from several character's perspective, although as always, jael remains the fearless star of the show. This technique enriches the series and now I feel bereaved I have to wait for the conclusion. There are many ties left to be resolved... jael and edu
Profile Image for John Foley.
31 reviews1 follower
December 10, 2025
Another cracking tale.

Wow what a pace Amy sets. Twists and turns at every corner. It's difficult to put down, hence bleary eyed mornings. The series is like a favourite jumper. It just fits right, is comfortable and definitely welcome. Can't wait for the release of the 6th book of the series.
830 reviews14 followers
July 6, 2025
Oh my! The excitement and tension never stops. Loved the story. Jael is one of my favorite heroines. She's tough yet vulnerable and caught between duty and love with gods and evil villains interfering in her life. Rayne keeps you on the edge of your seat. This is a 'must read' series.
Profile Image for Yemi Olutola Balogun.
39 reviews2 followers
July 9, 2025
Always a heart racing, thrilling read!

The only thing I dislike about this series is having to wait for the next book... six months this time around!

This book and series is just as gripping, exciting, sad, and terrifying as previous ones.

Ms Rayne is a gifted writer!
Profile Image for Jenny Clark.
156 reviews1 follower
July 13, 2025
fantastic

The plot deepens and twists.. the characters are evolving right into the roles the plot has placed them on. The Furyks are getting stronger. The evil dreamers have lost one of their own. What will happen next?!?! I can’t wait to see. These books are amazing!
66 reviews
July 28, 2025
These books never have anything good happening

The plot is convoluted and wandering without any positive conclusions. They are terribly depressing and dark. I am giving up on caring what happens as I'm sure it will never conclude.
30 reviews
August 24, 2025
suspenseful

This series does not disappoint you on action, suspense, mystery and excitement. Looking forward to book 6. I like that the characters have many challenges, adventures and still do not come off as super human. Relatable.
Profile Image for Sonya Kamell.
109 reviews14 followers
August 31, 2025
Excellent, excellent read.

Can't wait for the next one!! And those cliffhangers!! Unfair!! :) I love all these characters so much. I want all the heroes to live!! But I know that's not what happens to heroes so often! Aarrgh!!
Incredible series. Thank you for writing them!!
94 reviews
September 21, 2025
I don't want it to end yet, although I now know another is due Dec 2025. I like how there are separate stories going on but it's easy to keep up and all heading to one goal. I enjoy AE Rayne style of writing which just draws you in.
220 reviews
October 5, 2026
Hold on to your seat when you start reading this book. Edela continues her mission to find Raymond while Meena, Mattie and Aryla are being tested by Katalyne and Dessalene. Jael and Edela come face to face with a livahti in separate places. Both are close to learning how to kill them.
15 reviews
August 26, 2025
A Good Fantasy

Certainly not boring. Magic never is. A easy and great read. Looking forward to the next one of the Furycks Book #6.
Profile Image for Socorro Ramon.
3 reviews
October 31, 2025
Page Turner.

These characters come alive and the reader doesn't want to put it down. The plot is fast a d runs away with hour imagination.
86 reviews
April 26, 2026
What a rush

From beginning to the end, what a ride. Battle from start to end. Jael is a warrior/god. People....watch out, she does not play games
4 reviews
May 1, 2026
waiting for the last book is going to be painful

I’ve really enjoyed these books, it’s hard to put the book down
Not going to lie I’m nervous to see what will happen.
Profile Image for Cristina.
2 reviews
July 3, 2025
I cannot get enough of the Furycks! Not really a spoiler, but I just want the author to know that I am Team Jael and Eadmund ❤️ I became invested in this couple during the Furyck Saga series - don’t break my heart 🙏🏻
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews