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Devouring Fortune
Not yet published
Expected 13 Oct 26Perfect for fans of The Unspoken Name and Gideon the Ninth, this queer, dark science fantasy follows a ruthless fortune weaver and an ambitious cave priestess, who enter into cursed bargains with unintended consequences.
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 what he desires: a fortune beast who can teach him to fix his mistake.
But all knowledge comes at a cost.
The ancient beast offers him a bargain: 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 fortune beast’s bidding. Attempting to protect the future by unweaving the errors of the past, Reed must face a dangerous truth:
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 what he desires: a fortune beast who can teach him to fix his mistake.
But all knowledge comes at a cost.
The ancient beast offers him a bargain: 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 fortune beast’s bidding. Attempting to protect the future by unweaving the errors of the past, Reed must face a dangerous truth:
A bargain with a fortune beast cannot be so easily broken.
432 pages, Paperback
Expected publication October 13, 2026
About the author
Oleander Craw
1 book5 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 - 5 of 5 reviews
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 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.
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 - 5 of 5 reviews