Devouring Fortune

by Oleander Craw

The exploration of choice as seen in The Unspoken Name meets the lush, gothic weirdness of classic fantasy by Tanith Lee in this unsettling and twisting queer dark science fantasy, about a ruthless fortune weaver and an ambitious cave priestess, who enter into cursed bargains.

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 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.

Reviews

[Alexis Ames · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC from the author. Rtc!

[Isabelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a cool book. Highly recommend!