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Devouring Fortune
Not yet published
Expected 13 Oct 26A ruthless fortune weaver and an ambitious cave priestess enter into a cursed bargain in this queer, dark science fantasy—perfect for fans of Tamsyn Muir's Gideon the Ninth and A.K. Larkwood's The Unspoken Name.
A bargain with a fortune beast guarantees luck, but the price is a future devoured.
Reed’s luck has run out. After causing the deaths of his fellow fortune weavers, he spends twelve years searching for atonement. His luck turns when he finally finds a fortune beast who can teach him to fix his mistake. But all knowledge comes at a cost.
The ancient beast offers him a the power he needs to weave a fortune construct that can resurrect the dead. In return, all he must do is listen to the story of Daryifel the Eighty-Seventh.
Intrigued, Reed agrees. Yet he quickly realizes that Daryifel’s story is no simple tale, and he finds himself trapped to the beast’s bidding. Attempting to protect the future by unweaving the errors of the past, Reed must face a dangerous a bargain with a fortune beast cannot be so easily broken.
A bargain with a fortune beast guarantees luck, but the price is a future devoured.
Reed’s luck has run out. After causing the deaths of his fellow fortune weavers, he spends twelve years searching for atonement. His luck turns when he finally finds a fortune beast who can teach him to fix his mistake. But all knowledge comes at a cost.
The ancient beast offers him a the power he needs to weave a fortune construct that can resurrect the dead. In return, all he must do is listen to the story of Daryifel the Eighty-Seventh.
Intrigued, Reed agrees. Yet he quickly realizes that Daryifel’s story is no simple tale, and he finds himself trapped to the beast’s bidding. Attempting to protect the future by unweaving the errors of the past, Reed must face a dangerous a bargain with a fortune beast cannot be so easily broken.
Audible Audio
Expected publication October 13, 2026
About the author
Oleander Craw
1 book6 followersOleander Craw is the author of Devouring Fortune. Their work often revolves around themes of identity and power, featuring complex and flawed queer characters. When not writing, they can be found devoting their time to growing their ever sprawling garden.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
Review of advance copy
There is nothing I love more than an author who can successfully stretch the limits of what we expect a book to be. This is a masterful, careful work of a very talented artist.I know no one wants to hear about world building in a review, but that is the first thing that completely wowed me: This reality is so dark, atmospheric, strange, entrancing, and all the details are there! This fascinating lore and history is seamlessly integrated into the narrative, so there was never a moment where I felt as though I were yawning through the history of the realm (Although I don’t know if anything about this fascinating world would bore me, even if it had been delivered dryly.). This also really heightened the suspense for me, because the author absolutely knows how to withhold and reveal to maximum effect. The dual narratives not only facilitate this integration, but also empower the reader with hints of foreshadowing as the events of one timeline inform the other.
I think it would actually be offensive to call this character-driven (in that they are just one more fully-fleshed aspect of this beautiful, intricate story). But, the characters are so vivid, nuanced, and impossible not to just get completely wrapped up in. I also loved how neatly everything tied together—I felt an exciting buzz of energy as all of the mysterious components started clicking together in culmination: in unexpected ways, although the foreshadowing was solid enough that all of the mythology really took on a life of its own.
I think it would actually be offensive to call this character-driven (in that they are just one more fully-fleshed aspect of this beautiful, intricate story). But, the characters are so vivid, nuanced, and impossible not to just get completely wrapped up in. I also loved how neatly everything tied together—I felt an exciting buzz of energy as all of the mysterious components started clicking together in culmination: in unexpected ways, although the foreshadowing was solid enough that all of the mythology really took on a life of its own.
September 3, 2026
4⭐/5 - Thank you to NetGalley, Chicory Bones Press, and the author, for the ARC!
Wow! What a book, honestly. It had intense worldbuilding, a unique storytelling structure, and an eerie sense of foreboding throughout the whole tale. I found myself drawn to this book for a few reasons, from the ideas of luck and fortune somehow playing a role in this bigger story, to the idea of a beast guarding such fortune that must be bargained with. It was a story within a story that becomes interwoven as the tale goes on in ways you don't expect at all.
Some of my favorite things about the book were actually the smaller side characters that I felt drawn to. Sledge, the marshworker who wants to protect her people. Yasen, who comes across as so cocky and self-assured, but has so much more beneath the surface. There were others I became invested in as well, and I found myself caring about these smaller pieces of the story just as much as the larger plot with Reed and Daryifel.
As far as the worldbuilding, there is a lot coming at you early. This isn't a bad thing, but I will say that I definitely needed the glossary at the beginning. There are a lot of unfamiliar terms, names, places, religions, and concepts introduced very quickly, and I found myself referring back to the glossary more than once to get my bearings. It took me a little while to feel like I understood the world I was stepping into, but once everything began to click into place, I really appreciated just how thoughtfully constructed it all was.
What impressed me most was how different this felt from a lot of fantasy I've read. The concept of fortune weaving, the bargains with the fortune beast, and the sheer level of imagination it takes to come up with so many strange and beautiful things are incredibly impressive! Also, fond mention of the cat competition. Bristle was the best character of all and deserves all the treats.
While this isn't necessarily the easiest book to immediately sink into, once I found my footing, I was completely intrigued by the world and the tale being told. It was dark, atmospheric, bold, bizarre, and beautifully imaginative. A great book for lovers of highbrow fantasy, complex themes, and original stories.
Wow! What a book, honestly. It had intense worldbuilding, a unique storytelling structure, and an eerie sense of foreboding throughout the whole tale. I found myself drawn to this book for a few reasons, from the ideas of luck and fortune somehow playing a role in this bigger story, to the idea of a beast guarding such fortune that must be bargained with. It was a story within a story that becomes interwoven as the tale goes on in ways you don't expect at all.
Some of my favorite things about the book were actually the smaller side characters that I felt drawn to. Sledge, the marshworker who wants to protect her people. Yasen, who comes across as so cocky and self-assured, but has so much more beneath the surface. There were others I became invested in as well, and I found myself caring about these smaller pieces of the story just as much as the larger plot with Reed and Daryifel.
As far as the worldbuilding, there is a lot coming at you early. This isn't a bad thing, but I will say that I definitely needed the glossary at the beginning. There are a lot of unfamiliar terms, names, places, religions, and concepts introduced very quickly, and I found myself referring back to the glossary more than once to get my bearings. It took me a little while to feel like I understood the world I was stepping into, but once everything began to click into place, I really appreciated just how thoughtfully constructed it all was.
What impressed me most was how different this felt from a lot of fantasy I've read. The concept of fortune weaving, the bargains with the fortune beast, and the sheer level of imagination it takes to come up with so many strange and beautiful things are incredibly impressive! Also, fond mention of the cat competition. Bristle was the best character of all and deserves all the treats.
While this isn't necessarily the easiest book to immediately sink into, once I found my footing, I was completely intrigued by the world and the tale being told. It was dark, atmospheric, bold, bizarre, and beautifully imaginative. A great book for lovers of highbrow fantasy, complex themes, and original stories.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC. In exchange, I am offering my honest opinion.
DNF @25%.
This struck me as a book right up my alley, initally. However, if a huge amount of world-building is only explained in a glossary (which I can’t easily consult on an ebook), it fails to grasp me and this is what happened here. There are words and names thrown around the reader seems to be expected to understand but I do not live in the author’s head, so I NEED explanation which god is which and what they stand for, what relation the countries have to each other (or explaining the country the story takes place in in the first place), what the different machinations are.
I read a 109 pages and am still confused what kind of society this book depicts, as there are modern (or futuristic) aspects mixed with more historic or fantastical elements.
I couldn’t get into the MC’s either, the female main character struck me as an entitled brat that couldn’t accept anything that wasn’t benefitting her and the male protagonist was barely dimensional because he had maybe three chapters of screentime.
What made me roll my eyes back into my skull though was the exorbitant mention of salt. Scanning the file, there are 339 mentions of the word „salt“ (including the glossary with seven times). Everything is “salt-encrusted“ or “covered by salt“, there are “meditation cells to entomb one in salt“ and funerals where the inside of the wooden coffin is “lined with salt“.
I really wanted to love this and I am not saying that it is a bad book per se, it just had too many aspects I don’t like or vibe with. I am sure it will resonate with other readers though and find its audience.
DNF @25%.
This struck me as a book right up my alley, initally. However, if a huge amount of world-building is only explained in a glossary (which I can’t easily consult on an ebook), it fails to grasp me and this is what happened here. There are words and names thrown around the reader seems to be expected to understand but I do not live in the author’s head, so I NEED explanation which god is which and what they stand for, what relation the countries have to each other (or explaining the country the story takes place in in the first place), what the different machinations are.
I read a 109 pages and am still confused what kind of society this book depicts, as there are modern (or futuristic) aspects mixed with more historic or fantastical elements.
I couldn’t get into the MC’s either, the female main character struck me as an entitled brat that couldn’t accept anything that wasn’t benefitting her and the male protagonist was barely dimensional because he had maybe three chapters of screentime.
What made me roll my eyes back into my skull though was the exorbitant mention of salt. Scanning the file, there are 339 mentions of the word „salt“ (including the glossary with seven times). Everything is “salt-encrusted“ or “covered by salt“, there are “meditation cells to entomb one in salt“ and funerals where the inside of the wooden coffin is “lined with salt“.
I really wanted to love this and I am not saying that it is a bad book per se, it just had too many aspects I don’t like or vibe with. I am sure it will resonate with other readers though and find its audience.
Review of advance copy received from Author
To be clear, I received this as an advance reader copy (and also have done some freelance work for the author, which I imagine imparts some bias). That said, I enjoyed this book a lot. Fantasy world with queer as default, up to and including non-binary characters who are never misgendered & highly respected (if also kind of a dick)? Hell yeah. Working class sensible person popping in frequently to tell the priestess her priorities are wack? Hell yeah as well. Cool ass magical skeletons? Seasoning based mild body horror? Archival amputated body parts? Many hell yeahs.
Do I understand what the exact nature of these cycles are yet? No. Do I have a lot of questions about one specific briefly mentioned world building detail? Yes. But those are not bad things. They are intriguing things.
I have been burned out on high fantasy (I'll count this as high fantasy. Is it? Ish. There are technological elements, but they do not outweigh the magical ones.), but I liked this. Lots of new ideas, many fun characters. Good writing. I learned a new word. Slightly confused about some details but that might be due to reading it while metroing to and from work and needing a fragment of my working memory to get annoyed at loud phone conversations. Overall, would recommend. 👍👍
Do I understand what the exact nature of these cycles are yet? No. Do I have a lot of questions about one specific briefly mentioned world building detail? Yes. But those are not bad things. They are intriguing things.
I have been burned out on high fantasy (I'll count this as high fantasy. Is it? Ish. There are technological elements, but they do not outweigh the magical ones.), but I liked this. Lots of new ideas, many fun characters. Good writing. I learned a new word. Slightly confused about some details but that might be due to reading it while metroing to and from work and needing a fragment of my working memory to get annoyed at loud phone conversations. Overall, would recommend. 👍👍
September 1, 2026
Fantasy can be a pretty safe genre, sticking to tropes and settings that even none fantasy readers can recognise. Oleander makes a bold take on the genre and creates a fantasy world like nothing else I have read or experienced before.
I am a sucker for dual POVs and I felt this was handled quite well. I loved the interludes with Reed in-between the tale of Daryifel, giving us a chance to put the puzzle pieces together. Bonus points for dubious deals being offered and a magic system that doesn't just solve all your problems (in fact it usually makes them worse!).
If you are looking for something fresh and different from your usual fantasy read, I would recommend this. I look forward to seeing what other work the author puts out in the future.
I am a sucker for dual POVs and I felt this was handled quite well. I loved the interludes with Reed in-between the tale of Daryifel, giving us a chance to put the puzzle pieces together. Bonus points for dubious deals being offered and a magic system that doesn't just solve all your problems (in fact it usually makes them worse!).
If you are looking for something fresh and different from your usual fantasy read, I would recommend this. I look forward to seeing what other work the author puts out in the future.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I just want to say this is an absolutely amazing debut. Craw delivers a twisting, turning dark fantasy that will leave you on the edge of your seat and questioning every word you read before it. The world in this story deals with fortune being able to be bent to you but at a price. I absolutely devoured this book (pun intended) in a couple of days. I couldn't stop thinking about Reed, Daryifel, and Ahte and what would happen.
This is a weird book but I mean it in the best way. It has horror elements, fantasy and tech, and a magic system unlike anything I've read. I can't wait to see what Oleander writes next.
This is a weird book but I mean it in the best way. It has horror elements, fantasy and tech, and a magic system unlike anything I've read. I can't wait to see what Oleander writes next.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Beautifully crafted and wonderfully unique, this dark science fantasy follows a ruthless fortune weaver and an ambitious cave priestess caught in cursed bargains with unexpected consequence.
The worldbuilding is incredible, caves, priestesses, religion, politics, cats, and salt magic! It was so refreshing to see a magic system that felt genuinely original.
The beginning was a little slow and info dumpy, but it was absolutely worth sticking because once the story gets going, the atmosphere, creativity, and world-building really shine.
The worldbuilding is incredible, caves, priestesses, religion, politics, cats, and salt magic! It was so refreshing to see a magic system that felt genuinely original.
The beginning was a little slow and info dumpy, but it was absolutely worth sticking because once the story gets going, the atmosphere, creativity, and world-building really shine.
September 7, 2026
Thank you to the author for the ARC!
I really enjoyed the world-building, which was presented very skillfully without infodumping, and I quite enjoyed the main characters. When you're turning the pages going "noooo, oh no!" and watching the character act true to themselves - but still make the wrong choice - it makes for compelling reading. This was a fun read that was meatier than average but wasn't a slog. If you dig weird worlds, compelling characters, and people making the wrong choice for the right reasons, this is for you.
I really enjoyed the world-building, which was presented very skillfully without infodumping, and I quite enjoyed the main characters. When you're turning the pages going "noooo, oh no!" and watching the character act true to themselves - but still make the wrong choice - it makes for compelling reading. This was a fun read that was meatier than average but wasn't a slog. If you dig weird worlds, compelling characters, and people making the wrong choice for the right reasons, this is for you.
Review of advance copy
Backed the kickstarter for this after reading the sample chapters. This was definitely a fun and wildly different read for me. It's definitely pretty world building heavy and it takes a little bit to get the full picture. I loved the absolute dread that follows you the entire time through the book. You're deliberately left guessing because the characters themselves are too. I honestly had no idea how this book was going to end and I was pleasantly surprised how it did. If you like unique stories that are different from anything you've read before this is definitely for you!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I love my fantasy weird, and this definitely fits the bill. I enjoyed the strange salt- and fortune-based worldbuilding, and the dual timeline POVs kept the intrigue going throughout the book. I've seen the author compare this to both Dune and Elden Ring, and I think those vibes are extremely fitting. Definitely recommended for those who seek out slower-paced, vibey, dark fantasy!
Review of advance copy
This is such a cool book. Highly recommend!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I loved everything about this - the worldbuilding, the characters, all of it. Such a neat premise for a book. This author is seriously talented and I look forward to reading more of their work!
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews