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Rysa Torres stumbles through life an overwhelmed young woman fighting against her attention deficit disorder. She can’t get a handle on the world, no matter how she tries.
But when monsters activate a part of her she didn’t know she had, Rysa becomes the Fate at the center of an epic battle against a terrifying future—and a world consumed by fire.
When Ladon and his companion beast, Dragon, find Rysa, they see only the potential hell a young Fate might unleash into their lives. But Ladon quickly realizes Rysa is much more than the daughter of an old enemy—she is his key to forgiveness.
With the threat of a burning future distorting Rysa’s Fate abilities, she sees only two options: End her own life, or watch Ladon, the only man to see beyond her attention issues and love her for who she is, die. Will they accept the only future they see, or will they find the strength to break the bonds of fate?
The Fate - Fire - Shifter - Dragon Series:
New Adult Urban Fantasy Romance
The Fate - Fire - Shifter - Dragon series takes Rysa and Ladon—and Ladon’s companion beast, Dragon—through a landscape punctuated by unfamiliar creatures:
Fates with the ability to see past, present, and future.
Ghouls called Burners who devour with fire and acid.
Shifters who shape much more than their bodies.
And two dragons who speak with color and pattern.
#1 Games of Fate
#2 Flux of Skin
#3 Fifth of Blood
#4 Bonds Broken & Silent
#5 All But Human
#6 Men and Beasts coming soon!
This is an alternate-cover edition for ASIN B00B7PI158.
But when monsters activate a part of her she didn’t know she had, Rysa becomes the Fate at the center of an epic battle against a terrifying future—and a world consumed by fire.
When Ladon and his companion beast, Dragon, find Rysa, they see only the potential hell a young Fate might unleash into their lives. But Ladon quickly realizes Rysa is much more than the daughter of an old enemy—she is his key to forgiveness.
With the threat of a burning future distorting Rysa’s Fate abilities, she sees only two options: End her own life, or watch Ladon, the only man to see beyond her attention issues and love her for who she is, die. Will they accept the only future they see, or will they find the strength to break the bonds of fate?
The Fate - Fire - Shifter - Dragon Series:
New Adult Urban Fantasy Romance
The Fate - Fire - Shifter - Dragon series takes Rysa and Ladon—and Ladon’s companion beast, Dragon—through a landscape punctuated by unfamiliar creatures:
Fates with the ability to see past, present, and future.
Ghouls called Burners who devour with fire and acid.
Shifters who shape much more than their bodies.
And two dragons who speak with color and pattern.
#1 Games of Fate
#2 Flux of Skin
#3 Fifth of Blood
#4 Bonds Broken & Silent
#5 All But Human
#6 Men and Beasts coming soon!
This is an alternate-cover edition for ASIN B00B7PI158.
Unknown Binding
First published January 28, 2013
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November 16, 2016
Enough to make your head spin, hang on for the paranormal ride of your life as one young woman stumbles through the maze that is her life, only to discover the life she knows is only the tip of the iceberg of the life she is destined to lead. Rysa has struggled with the chaos of Attention Deficit Disorder all of her life. Missing just one pill sends her into a frenzied tailspin and that is when it happened. Rysa’s world is about to go beyond the Twilight Zone and straight into the deadly and dangerous zone as she discovers the truth of who and what she is. Fate is NOT playing with her because she IS Fate, or at least one of them and there are those who would do anything to see her dead.
GAMES OF FATE by Kris Austen Radcliffe is a tale of Science Fiction meets Urban Fantasy and the clash is explosive, bringing the world of dragons, immortal warriors, family and love together in a rapid-fire tale. As an inexperienced Fate, Rysa’s newfound powers could destroy the future of the world, turning it into a raging inferno of pain and death.
Ladon is an immortal warrior, and along with his companion, Dragon must decide if Rysa is the innocent and clueless woman she says or if she is the lethal weapon she was intended to be. Can he use her to his advantage or will he find that Fate has brought her to him to warm his frozen heart and help him find forgiveness?
Extremely detailed, filled with a cast of characters that pass through the pages at breakneck speed, this tale demands its readers’ full attention. Sometimes confusing, and a bit choppy, there is a huge potential here to be a completely riveting tale that will mesmerize readers from start to finish. Rysa is clearly a heroine in over her head until she grows into who and what she has become. Dragon’s loyalty and Ladon’s ability to see beyond her issues is at once, heartwarming and risky on his part. But everyone needs someone to believe in them, especially when they are not ready to believe in themselves.
Looking for a read that demands your full attention to believe in? This could be it.
I received a request for review from the author - but had already purchased this book in 2014!
My Rating 3.5 Stars
Publisher: Six Talon Sign Fantasy & Futuristic Romance; 2 edition (December 23, 2013)
Publication Date: December 23, 2013
Genre: Sci-Fi | Fantasy
Print Length: 339 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
GAMES OF FATE by Kris Austen Radcliffe is a tale of Science Fiction meets Urban Fantasy and the clash is explosive, bringing the world of dragons, immortal warriors, family and love together in a rapid-fire tale. As an inexperienced Fate, Rysa’s newfound powers could destroy the future of the world, turning it into a raging inferno of pain and death.
Ladon is an immortal warrior, and along with his companion, Dragon must decide if Rysa is the innocent and clueless woman she says or if she is the lethal weapon she was intended to be. Can he use her to his advantage or will he find that Fate has brought her to him to warm his frozen heart and help him find forgiveness?
Extremely detailed, filled with a cast of characters that pass through the pages at breakneck speed, this tale demands its readers’ full attention. Sometimes confusing, and a bit choppy, there is a huge potential here to be a completely riveting tale that will mesmerize readers from start to finish. Rysa is clearly a heroine in over her head until she grows into who and what she has become. Dragon’s loyalty and Ladon’s ability to see beyond her issues is at once, heartwarming and risky on his part. But everyone needs someone to believe in them, especially when they are not ready to believe in themselves.
Looking for a read that demands your full attention to believe in? This could be it.
I received a request for review from the author - but had already purchased this book in 2014!
My Rating 3.5 Stars
Publisher: Six Talon Sign Fantasy & Futuristic Romance; 2 edition (December 23, 2013)
Publication Date: December 23, 2013
Genre: Sci-Fi | Fantasy
Print Length: 339 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
April 22, 2013
****This book was part of a blog tour I received a copy for my honest review****
This book starts of with a bang and just doesn't stopped.
Rysa Torres things she is just an ordinary student, well as ordinary as she can be with ADHD. She struggles through life unable to remain focused without her medication. All of a sudden she is attacked and she finds out she is a Fate. She is flung into an insane world of shifters, burners and fates. She realises that she has been lied too and kept in the dark and that she is a pawn that could mean the end of the world. Landon and Dragon are the only ones who seem to be able to help her, but Rysa struggles with her feelings for this pair, especially when she realises she may be the end of them.
This is the first book in a new urban fantasy series and the underlying story is truly original and fascinating. Normally there is a lot of world building in the first of a series and that is no different in Games of Fate. There is a lot of information given to you in this book, so much that at times I struggled to formulate what the book was telling me in my mind. Rysa is a fate, but she is a singular, which means she can see the past, present and future. The scenes with Rysa were what I mostly found difficult to distinguish between, as most times I was unsure if it was present day or a vision. Sometimes in books these things are outlined with italics, but not in this book.
In saying this I did really enjoy the story and was eager to find out exactly what was going on. It is a fast paced book, which made the book fly by. I enjoyed the different characters and the relationship between Rysa, Landon and Dragon was interesting. There could have been a bit more romance between the couple for me, as I did like it when it focused on them and their growing relationship.
This is a solid start to what could be a really great series, I will be checking out the next book.
This book starts of with a bang and just doesn't stopped.
Rysa Torres things she is just an ordinary student, well as ordinary as she can be with ADHD. She struggles through life unable to remain focused without her medication. All of a sudden she is attacked and she finds out she is a Fate. She is flung into an insane world of shifters, burners and fates. She realises that she has been lied too and kept in the dark and that she is a pawn that could mean the end of the world. Landon and Dragon are the only ones who seem to be able to help her, but Rysa struggles with her feelings for this pair, especially when she realises she may be the end of them.
This is the first book in a new urban fantasy series and the underlying story is truly original and fascinating. Normally there is a lot of world building in the first of a series and that is no different in Games of Fate. There is a lot of information given to you in this book, so much that at times I struggled to formulate what the book was telling me in my mind. Rysa is a fate, but she is a singular, which means she can see the past, present and future. The scenes with Rysa were what I mostly found difficult to distinguish between, as most times I was unsure if it was present day or a vision. Sometimes in books these things are outlined with italics, but not in this book.
In saying this I did really enjoy the story and was eager to find out exactly what was going on. It is a fast paced book, which made the book fly by. I enjoyed the different characters and the relationship between Rysa, Landon and Dragon was interesting. There could have been a bit more romance between the couple for me, as I did like it when it focused on them and their growing relationship.
This is a solid start to what could be a really great series, I will be checking out the next book.
May 3, 2015
2.5
I really want to give this book a low 2 star rating, because I really didn't enjoy it. But I'll drag it up to a 3 because a large part of what I disliked is the result of me not being the proper demographic for the book. Plus, the writing is honestly fine. (Though the book did feel overly long, some passages seemed to drag and deus ex machina solutions are never good, IMO.)
Before I get into the review, I'm going to talk a bit about myself. This is to centre me as a reviewer so others can understand where I'm coming from in my review...what type of reader I am. This should help others in deciding if my review would be pertinent to them or not. For those much like me I hope it will be, but it probably won't be for a lot of others.
I've not read a lot of New Adult books. Of the few I have read I found that they tend to encompass all the worst (most annoying) traits of Young Adult literature, except the heroine is in college instead of high school and they include sex, or worse, a lot of angst about if they should be having sex.
The thing is that I'm a woman in my mid-thirties who has been married for a dozen years. I can no longer relate to this whole internal agony over such a decision. It's not that I don't respect it as an important one, but whole plots that hinge on or are simply cluttered with an endless litany of yes, no, yes, no, maybe, I want, I don't want, I crave, I don't crave, I cry, I push him away, I pull him near, I give in, I regret, I make a big deal of my own decision, etc drives me away as a reader. So, from the get go, I'm always a little wary picking up a NA book. I always hope for the best. Why else would I bother? But I'm more often than not disappointed.
Despite my misgivings about it being NA, I had such high hopes for this book. It has dragons in it! Yes, fates too and they're cool...but DRAGONS, my favorite mythical beast.
The plot is basically that a new Fate is born and a human/dragon pair rescue and fall in love with her. There's a bit more to it, but not much. The vast majority of the 300+ pages is dedicated to worshipping Rysa.
Now, I understand that the target audience is women in their early twenties who are likely in the stage of life when they are looking for someone to make them feel special. However, I eventually started gagging on all of Ladon's obsessive appreciation of her and how he wanted to protect her, coddle her, make her happy, bla, bla, bla.
It's not that I mind it in and of itself, but it was ennnnddddllllesssss. And being coupled with Rysa's cliché, no man looks at ME that way, no one's ever told ME that I was pretty, I'm ugly, awkward, a spaz, etc pushed it into annoying overdrive.
Then there was the ex-boyfriend issue. Apparently, he was a selfish and unconcerned lover, as many young college-aged men are wont to be. But is bad sex really worth counselling, low self-esteem and a hesitancy to trust any other men? Seems a little extreme. The guy certainly deserved to be slapped something fierce, but it hardly equates to grievous harm.
If she'd been raped or abused I could see it, but being so emotionally damaged over something so slight makes her seem very, very weak. It makes it feel like she has no emotional armour or resilience, which is one of the most important parts of a heroine's strength. I simply don't like to waste my time with female leads of the victim variety and a woman who is so easily injured and has NO CONTROL OVER ANYTHING, even what's in her own head is nothing but a victim. She's no fun to spend time with or root for.
Additionally, there is no downtime in the book. It's run, cry, confusion, on a constant stream. It's too much. The only exceptions are when Rysa repeatedly just lets bad things happen to her because she suddenly and inexplicably can't think straight, or can't remember, or can't control herself, or someone else can control her mind. Victim. Victim. Victim. Blerg.
Irritating me more even than all that, was the subtext of her sexuality. Whenever she was conscious she pushed Landon away, but whenever she was unconscious, she was literally crawling all over him, rubbing, kissing and seducing him. As if to suggest that any "good girl" couldn't possibly also be sexually forward and secure in her own desires. In order to be that, she has to be unconscious and devoid of responsibility.
I mean she had to be punished with bad sex and emotional damage for daring to have sex in the past! If I really wanted to drag this point out, I could break the events down further to show how they reinforce this same idea. For example, the one time she pseudo-initiates sex, it is immediately followed with tears, fear and guilt because some horrible realisation crashes down on her as a direct result of allowing herself to "impulsively have sex with Ladon." However, the one time her frail sensibilities are essentially overwhelmed by his intense passion they get their happy night together.
This is a trope I see a lot of and HATE. I'm not a prude but I must ask, is this really the message we want to still be sending young women approaching their own sexual maturity? That in order to enjoy, or even personally want sex they have to abdicate all responsibility for it and they'll be (deservingly) punished if they don't? I'd hoped we'd grown beyond that.
There was also the small matter of the insta-love, or at least baseless love. Since the action essentially never stops, there is no point at which the characters could slow down and have a conversation. They were never given the chance to get to know one another, so what was their love based on? I especially felt this lack of development in Ladon/Dragon's extreme loyalty and dedication to her and her safety and happiness.
Now I can't blame all of my dislike on being too old to appreciate the genre tropes. And honestly, that's most of what I dealt with here. I also spent a lot of time gagging on the incredibly descriptive, purple prose used to describe Rysa's experiences or visions. And while I understood that she was tied to chaos, I was quickly annoyed with the pages and pages of confusion and discordant havoc. There were lot of times that I simply couldn't understand what was supposed to be happening or had simply reached my limit of 'it's all crazy and unexplainable because of her ADHD.'
Speaking of her ADHD, I thought that it was over emphasised, even before she went all Fate, vision-laden über ADHD. It just felt like one more way to weaken her so that Landon could more fully protect her.
The book also has the same problem a lot of such books have. Rysa is essentially psychic, but for more than half the book she somehow still manages to misread every obvious signals Ladon throws her. And there are a lot of really obvious ones and very very few contradictory ones. The man wants her with every fiber of his being, practically from the moment he meets her and he's pretty clear on that. But still Rysa, who can see the past, the present and the future and knows they'll end up together in some way at some point continues to think of herself as nothing but an unwanted burden to him. Um...either she's REALLY dumb, which we're told she's not or this is a giant fault line in the plot to keep the angst high and the story rolling along.
Lastly, I was left wondering about all the characters who were introduced and then dropped. What happened to Gavin, Marcus and Harold? They all just kind of disappeared.
I did like that there is an effortless gay couple. By effortless, I mean that no big deal was made of it. It was as unworthy of extra attention as any het relationship and I appreciated that. I know that mentioning it at all counters that same easy existence, but I can't compliment it if I don't and I'd like to see more such inclusions in fiction, which requires that people make it known that they like finding it.
All in all, not a winner for me personally. But I'm owning up to the fact that it really might be me, not the book that was the problem...Or, at least, the pairing of me and this book. I know a lot of people really like the heavy-handed romances. To each their own.
February 9, 2013
This book was gifted to me for an honest review. Thank You!
Twenty-year-old Rysa forgets her ADHD medication and then starts having visions. Her abilities as a fate were activated when her mother spit in her orange juice. A gang of ghouls, also called Burners, attack and shackle her. A man and a dragon defend her. Ladon has history with Rysa's mother and it isn't friendly. There are three fates, one can see the past, one the present and one the future. Rysa is a singular fate, she sees past, present and future. Fates activate on a metal object, their talisman, which they then have to have on their person. Rysa seems to activates on the shackles the Burners put on her. There is so much going on in this book. The writing is really amazing. The pacing is spot on. The characters are likable. There is romance, magic, adventure and excitement. This book has it all. I didn't want to stop reading it. “Fate always has its due. Your purpose is to give its glorious clarity to the world.”
Twenty-year-old Rysa forgets her ADHD medication and then starts having visions. Her abilities as a fate were activated when her mother spit in her orange juice. A gang of ghouls, also called Burners, attack and shackle her. A man and a dragon defend her. Ladon has history with Rysa's mother and it isn't friendly. There are three fates, one can see the past, one the present and one the future. Rysa is a singular fate, she sees past, present and future. Fates activate on a metal object, their talisman, which they then have to have on their person. Rysa seems to activates on the shackles the Burners put on her. There is so much going on in this book. The writing is really amazing. The pacing is spot on. The characters are likable. There is romance, magic, adventure and excitement. This book has it all. I didn't want to stop reading it. “Fate always has its due. Your purpose is to give its glorious clarity to the world.”
February 22, 2013
I just finished reading this book and I can tell you that it will be highly recommended from me. This is an author to keep your eye on. The power of her words will take you on an amazing adventure of fates, shifters, and burners with some tasteful romance to keep you glued to the pages. I could not put this book down for the life of me and through it all I was cheering encouragement to Rysa and Ladon to defeat the evil and allow their emotions to fully develop. I was not disappointed in the least which is why I chose to rate this as a five star read.
Rysa begins her journey without any knowledge of who she truly is and the power she can potentially hold. She meets Ladon and his dragon in a time of need and the three of them fight against all odds to beat back the evil that holds Rysa and threatens to destroy them all. The book played easily with my emotions making me angry at any character fighting against them, happy when they finally accepted to fight together as one, and ALMOST...ok, it brought me to tears when Rysa's mother spoke her riddles of forgiveness. It made me laugh when Rysa ponders what she wishes her future could be, her white picket fence and Ladon and Dragon by her side for always. As I turned the last pages I was holding my breath through fear and worry for the characters that I fell in love with throughout the pages. This book held me captive until I flipped the last page.
I am looking forward to the next book in the series. Not because the story ended with a cliff hanger, because this book can easily stand alone, but because I love the authors style of writing and am eager to fall captive to another one of her books. My only suggestion to the author for the next series is to have a dictionary of new terms within her pages to allow the reader more knowledge of the history of specific breeds within the book. Amazing work Radcliffe, you have stolen a place among my favourite authors.
Rysa begins her journey without any knowledge of who she truly is and the power she can potentially hold. She meets Ladon and his dragon in a time of need and the three of them fight against all odds to beat back the evil that holds Rysa and threatens to destroy them all. The book played easily with my emotions making me angry at any character fighting against them, happy when they finally accepted to fight together as one, and ALMOST...ok, it brought me to tears when Rysa's mother spoke her riddles of forgiveness. It made me laugh when Rysa ponders what she wishes her future could be, her white picket fence and Ladon and Dragon by her side for always. As I turned the last pages I was holding my breath through fear and worry for the characters that I fell in love with throughout the pages. This book held me captive until I flipped the last page.
I am looking forward to the next book in the series. Not because the story ended with a cliff hanger, because this book can easily stand alone, but because I love the authors style of writing and am eager to fall captive to another one of her books. My only suggestion to the author for the next series is to have a dictionary of new terms within her pages to allow the reader more knowledge of the history of specific breeds within the book. Amazing work Radcliffe, you have stolen a place among my favourite authors.
April 26, 2013
I loved that this book did not shy away from anything even from the very beginning. Rysa is under the impression that she is just an ordinary girl, with ADHD of course. Without her meds, she can not remain focused and ends up being attacked. This is when she finds out that she is a Fate.
In this book there are a world full of shifters, burners and fates. Landon and Dragon are the only persons that seem to be on her side, but Rysa’s feelings for Both of them drive her crazy.
This being the first book in a new series that is urban and fantasy means that I will be hooked in from now on. In this book you get to know the world and it builds up the context. You are able to build imagery in your mind and fantasize what this type of world would be like. Rysa is a fate, but she is a singular, which means she can see the past, present and future.
I loved this book because it did bounce between the present and visions that she was havinf of what would be the future. The book is an easy read and I enjoyed all the different character building relationships. I am one for a romantic triangle. Although this one did not get super in depth, there are more books in the series. I will for sure be checking out the next book in the series!!
In this book there are a world full of shifters, burners and fates. Landon and Dragon are the only persons that seem to be on her side, but Rysa’s feelings for Both of them drive her crazy.
This being the first book in a new series that is urban and fantasy means that I will be hooked in from now on. In this book you get to know the world and it builds up the context. You are able to build imagery in your mind and fantasize what this type of world would be like. Rysa is a fate, but she is a singular, which means she can see the past, present and future.
I loved this book because it did bounce between the present and visions that she was havinf of what would be the future. The book is an easy read and I enjoyed all the different character building relationships. I am one for a romantic triangle. Although this one did not get super in depth, there are more books in the series. I will for sure be checking out the next book in the series!!
April 10, 2015
When I first heard what this book was about I was excited to get to read it. It sounded interesting and different then some of the other epic fantasy, paranormal romance, urban fantasies that I have read lately. When I was done reading it I was glad I did! It is a great read and great writing. It has fantasy, paranormal, and romance aspects! It has dragons, fates, shifters, and more! I would suggest this read to my friends that are straight Fantasy fans and to my friends that are fans of paranormal romance/urban fantasy.
The writer does a great job of having the reader see through the eyes of the character she is writing from. When seeing through the perspective of the ADHD main character it is sometimes erratic and I was just as confused as the character about what was going on. When seeing through Landon's perspective some things were cleared up. There was just enough explanation to follow the story and not reveal anything too early.
Excellent Read!
The writer does a great job of having the reader see through the eyes of the character she is writing from. When seeing through the perspective of the ADHD main character it is sometimes erratic and I was just as confused as the character about what was going on. When seeing through Landon's perspective some things were cleared up. There was just enough explanation to follow the story and not reveal anything too early.
Excellent Read!
November 21, 2013
I recieved this book for free in exchange for an honest review. Rysa Torres suffers from ADHD. She is a college student and it is hard for her to keep up with her course work. Gavin her bestfriend helps when he can but he would like to be more than her friend. Her world is about to change forever. Rysa is destined to become a fate, and it it has been activated now she needs to learn how to control it. But how can she her ADHD makes it hard for her to even complete a simple task. Will Landon, his dragon companion, Marcus and Harold be able to help her control the chaos in her head? Will Landon be successful in keeping her safe from the burners? A beautifully written Dragon story non stop action plus the chemistry between Rysa and Landon. I would diffently buy more books from this author your totally drawn into the story and i felt connected to Rysa. Look forward to reading more by books by Kris Austen Radcliffe
February 1, 2013
I'm a huge fan of paranormal and fantasy, especially when it has some hot romance it, and this book delivers. I loved that Rysa is a flawed character fighting to overcome her own challenges of ADD when her life is turned upside down by magic and destiny and Fate!
The ghouls--Burners--are frightening characters who threaten to tear the world apart with fire.
I especially enjoyed the budding romance between Rysa and Ladon and the Dragon, who is a unique and fun character.
Perhaps my favorite part of this read was the beautiful writing style of this author. Her debut novel shows immense talent and incredible prose, and I can't wait to read more books from her. I'm ready for book 2!
The ghouls--Burners--are frightening characters who threaten to tear the world apart with fire.
I especially enjoyed the budding romance between Rysa and Ladon and the Dragon, who is a unique and fun character.
Perhaps my favorite part of this read was the beautiful writing style of this author. Her debut novel shows immense talent and incredible prose, and I can't wait to read more books from her. I'm ready for book 2!
February 26, 2013
I received this book free from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.
I loved this book! I love how American Sign Language is a part of this book, because I have a deaf older brother and I have yet to read a book that incorporates it at all! I also love that the main character is afflicted with ADD but amidst all the other problems, she is able to get through that. I love the dynamics of Rysa, Ladon and Dragon together and I loved all the mystical aspects and how they ended up coming together. I felt as if I kept learning new details all throughout the book and each one made the story better and made me also want to learn more! Great Fantasy Read!
I loved this book! I love how American Sign Language is a part of this book, because I have a deaf older brother and I have yet to read a book that incorporates it at all! I also love that the main character is afflicted with ADD but amidst all the other problems, she is able to get through that. I love the dynamics of Rysa, Ladon and Dragon together and I loved all the mystical aspects and how they ended up coming together. I felt as if I kept learning new details all throughout the book and each one made the story better and made me also want to learn more! Great Fantasy Read!
August 6, 2013
I received this e-book copy in return for an honest review.
What can I say about Games of Fate? It was wonderful. Very refreshing and action packed.
Rysa, a college student with ADHD find out she’s a Fate. Not an easy thing to accept or escape. She’s being chased by Ghouls called Burners when Ladon and Dragon save her.
Ladon, handsome warrior and his dragon companion are drawn to Rysa in ways Ladon doesn’t understand or really want since he’s not too fond of Fates.
This book is full of great character’s (some of them a bit scary), tons of action and mixed in there is a little romance. I cannot wait to continue their story in book two. Also…I want a dragon
What can I say about Games of Fate? It was wonderful. Very refreshing and action packed.
Rysa, a college student with ADHD find out she’s a Fate. Not an easy thing to accept or escape. She’s being chased by Ghouls called Burners when Ladon and Dragon save her.
Ladon, handsome warrior and his dragon companion are drawn to Rysa in ways Ladon doesn’t understand or really want since he’s not too fond of Fates.
This book is full of great character’s (some of them a bit scary), tons of action and mixed in there is a little romance. I cannot wait to continue their story in book two. Also…I want a dragon
March 11, 2014
Absolutely great book!
But if you're into vampires who sparkle or cute werewolves or any of those other trendy things, find another book to read. This isn't about gods from olympus or mythology or any of that other stuff.
What it is -- it's the slam-dunk great beginning to an awesome series. I've read them all, and I'm totally hooked on this series.
If you love dragons - then this is a must read book for you.
And oh yeah, there's a love story mixed in there too. Along with ADHD and PTSD. It's a meaty, fast-paced book written by a very talented author.
But if you're into vampires who sparkle or cute werewolves or any of those other trendy things, find another book to read. This isn't about gods from olympus or mythology or any of that other stuff.
What it is -- it's the slam-dunk great beginning to an awesome series. I've read them all, and I'm totally hooked on this series.
If you love dragons - then this is a must read book for you.
And oh yeah, there's a love story mixed in there too. Along with ADHD and PTSD. It's a meaty, fast-paced book written by a very talented author.
July 11, 2018
DNF 15%
I have no idea what the hell is going on. This needs a stiff rewrite so it actually makes sense.
I have no idea what the hell is going on. This needs a stiff rewrite so it actually makes sense.
October 17, 2015
I can see a vast array of 5 star reviews for this book and I can't help but wonder if I've stumbled onto the wrong page, because this book doesn't even deserve 1 star, let alone five. To put it bluntly; this book is a shitshow. The writing is horrific enough that I had to physically stop reading because it was so terrible and convoluted that my mine just went "nope." Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.
It starts off potentially hopeful, beginning to introduce Rhysa and her friend (? boyfriend? enemy? best friend? it's hard to tell considering she flits from description to shitty description about him all in the space of about 10 pages with absolutely no explanation whatsoever) but it stops there. There isn't any real introduction to ANYTHING beyond some very basic details about the MC. It doesn't really shed much light on her friend, or what type of world they're in. (Side note; I don't think this author has ever heard of world building. At all. Ever. I feel like someone close to her should have at least pointed her in the direction of a wiki page, but apparently not.)
In the first few pages she has some sort of déjà vu vision thing of stuff getting blown up, and some weird connection to it, then she runs outside (I think? Again, it's not exactly very clear. One minute she's inside and the next she's blacking out in a carpark. No explanation, so I guess she's a teleporter. Or the writer just forgot that we don't live inside her head and see everything she thinks.) Anyway, then some "ghoul" hillbillies show up who are apparently called Burners. There is no explanation of what that is, if it's normal to this world, if it's something new and terrifying, if the MC knows anything about them or to be totally honest, any sort of background on them whatsoever. Sort of like if a book switched mid sentence to another language, leaving you there side eyeing the page like "what the ever loving fuck."
There's some more shitty writing where lots of stuff blends together because it's poorly written, poorly paced and poorly plotted, and then she's blacking out again and she's chained up. There's some more apparent shock value statements like "they've put burn dust in my chains" as if the audience is supposed to have any idea what that means. I wouldn't mind half these scattered ideas if they were EXPLAINED. Plenty of fantasy and urban fantasy books have integral features of their worlds that the reader is quickly exposed to but for the most part they're either explained, or the reactions to them are the explanation.
There is none of that in this book, which is basically a hot mess. Anyway, then she has some vision again and she thinks her deaf friend from study group earlier has shown up, with a sword, then she changes her mind and suddenly a dragon appears and a grumpy guy with the dragon. She senses that they have a "connection" and has a few more visions with a few ADHD references thrown in for good measure. Then we get multiple POV's in the form of dragon boy and his trusty sidekick which also make no sense, and have the exact same tone to them as the MC's point of view which is just the last nail in the coffin of this horrific book.
But because I'm a masochist, I kept reading. Really, it just gets worse. Hard to believe but true. Next ADHD girl starts having more visions and sees herself having sex with dragon boy, because of course, why else would there be a semi attractive male in this awful book if not to be a love interest for the MC? Then dragon boy has a weird moment where he apparently went there to save her but doesn't want to save her because he doesn't like her kind because he has ~~history~~ with them, references her mother and then gets really weird and aggressive about her, then they go to save said mortal enemy of dragon boy.
If this isn't making a lot of sense to you, then great! You're practically getting the full experience of reading the book!
It gets progressively worse as the storyline continues, but after they go to save her mother and her mother randomly tries to kill her and screams stuff at dragon boy for again, absolutely no reason, I decided that there's masochism and a slow suicide and this definitely fell into the latter category.
If you like the written word in any form, this isn't a book for you.
-10/10, I wish I could get the hour of my life back that I wasted on this absolute travesty.
It starts off potentially hopeful, beginning to introduce Rhysa and her friend (? boyfriend? enemy? best friend? it's hard to tell considering she flits from description to shitty description about him all in the space of about 10 pages with absolutely no explanation whatsoever) but it stops there. There isn't any real introduction to ANYTHING beyond some very basic details about the MC. It doesn't really shed much light on her friend, or what type of world they're in. (Side note; I don't think this author has ever heard of world building. At all. Ever. I feel like someone close to her should have at least pointed her in the direction of a wiki page, but apparently not.)
In the first few pages she has some sort of déjà vu vision thing of stuff getting blown up, and some weird connection to it, then she runs outside (I think? Again, it's not exactly very clear. One minute she's inside and the next she's blacking out in a carpark. No explanation, so I guess she's a teleporter. Or the writer just forgot that we don't live inside her head and see everything she thinks.) Anyway, then some "ghoul" hillbillies show up who are apparently called Burners. There is no explanation of what that is, if it's normal to this world, if it's something new and terrifying, if the MC knows anything about them or to be totally honest, any sort of background on them whatsoever. Sort of like if a book switched mid sentence to another language, leaving you there side eyeing the page like "what the ever loving fuck."
There's some more shitty writing where lots of stuff blends together because it's poorly written, poorly paced and poorly plotted, and then she's blacking out again and she's chained up. There's some more apparent shock value statements like "they've put burn dust in my chains" as if the audience is supposed to have any idea what that means. I wouldn't mind half these scattered ideas if they were EXPLAINED. Plenty of fantasy and urban fantasy books have integral features of their worlds that the reader is quickly exposed to but for the most part they're either explained, or the reactions to them are the explanation.
There is none of that in this book, which is basically a hot mess. Anyway, then she has some vision again and she thinks her deaf friend from study group earlier has shown up, with a sword, then she changes her mind and suddenly a dragon appears and a grumpy guy with the dragon. She senses that they have a "connection" and has a few more visions with a few ADHD references thrown in for good measure. Then we get multiple POV's in the form of dragon boy and his trusty sidekick which also make no sense, and have the exact same tone to them as the MC's point of view which is just the last nail in the coffin of this horrific book.
But because I'm a masochist, I kept reading. Really, it just gets worse. Hard to believe but true. Next ADHD girl starts having more visions and sees herself having sex with dragon boy, because of course, why else would there be a semi attractive male in this awful book if not to be a love interest for the MC? Then dragon boy has a weird moment where he apparently went there to save her but doesn't want to save her because he doesn't like her kind because he has ~~history~~ with them, references her mother and then gets really weird and aggressive about her, then they go to save said mortal enemy of dragon boy.
If this isn't making a lot of sense to you, then great! You're practically getting the full experience of reading the book!
It gets progressively worse as the storyline continues, but after they go to save her mother and her mother randomly tries to kill her and screams stuff at dragon boy for again, absolutely no reason, I decided that there's masochism and a slow suicide and this definitely fell into the latter category.
If you like the written word in any form, this isn't a book for you.
-10/10, I wish I could get the hour of my life back that I wasted on this absolute travesty.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 21, 2013
Games of Fate is not an easy read, nor is it a smooth walk through the park with occasional kick heinie action. It is chaotic and nonstop action from start to finish with battles, betrayals, and yes new love. It begins with a Rysa in a café with a friend. Her behavior is obviously manic with her thought processes reflecting on her attention deficit disorder and not having taken her medication. This intrigued me right away, as it was a totally new perspective for a main protagonist for me. Rysa is obviously a difficult character and frankly not very likeable to those around her because of her "condition." Exit the diner and all hell breaks loose and off we go on a frenetic adventure that does not stop. The entire story takes place over about a week's time and it does not stop. There are no breathers and frankly at times I even got exhausted reading. Rysa turns out be what is known as a Fate. Now fates generally come in threes with one seeing the past, one seeing the present, and one seeing the future with the three Fates working together to balance each other and accomplishing their goals. Well Rysa hit the jackpot and no wonder the girl has ADD she has all three Fates within her and there is not a baddie around that does not want to harness her and her abilities. Enter Landon and Dragon the most wonderful pair who are one and are just for Rysa. The writing is clean and world building is fun with a new take on dragons, ghouls, and shifters, as well as the premise of the entire supernatural world. The conclusion was well done and left me feeling satisfied and intrigued to read more about these characters. I am going to venture to say that while I really enjoyed the book very much and often had difficulty putting it down, I do not think it will be everyone's cup of tea, primarily because of the pacing. If you enjoy nonstop action, battles, all manner of baddies, and a little taste of smexy definitely give this intriguing new series a try. I requested this book from the author and received it with a request for my honest review without any compensation whatsoever, other than the joy of reading a new book.
April 1, 2013
I received a free eBook copy for an honest review.
Games of Fate is about a young woman named Rysa who in addition to having ADHD, is also a Fate. Yes, a Greek mythological Fate who, in her case, can see into the past, present, and future. Rysa does not know this though. It isn't until she is tortured and rescued by a way-too-handsome Ladon and his Dragon that she starts to unravel all the mysteries of who she is, both as a Fate and as a woman.
The Good:
-It has a unique concept. The idea of a Fate in this world is very different, and there are many other supernatural/paranormal beings that supplement it very well in ways you wouldn't expect.
-The romance is both a pro and a con. The pro is that the romance really is touching. Yes, it deals with paranormal problems such as Rysa seeing her and Ladon being intimate before it happens, but there is just as much, if not more, real issues like struggling with being worthy of love, trying to take care of and comfort someone you love, etc.
-The plot has a lot of potential.
The not-so-good:
-The reason I said the plot has a lot of potential and not, the plot was great, is because a lot of this story is at lightening speed and confusing. A lot of names are thrown around that you really don't know who they actually are and how they connect. The visions make it seem like there is a severe case of an unreliable narrator at parts. The story just gets very muddled the further it goes, and it seems months pass, but it really is only a few days to a couple weeks.
-With that speed, the con of the romance is that speed. They know each other for less than 48 hours and are talking love. I'm not saying the intensity isn't there, but it definitely puts a damper on the credibility of their relationship long term.
Overall, it's a bit shaky, but still holding, 3 stars. If you want something fantasy that is new and unique with a strong romance, then I would definitely tell you to give it a try, just read very slowly.
Games of Fate is about a young woman named Rysa who in addition to having ADHD, is also a Fate. Yes, a Greek mythological Fate who, in her case, can see into the past, present, and future. Rysa does not know this though. It isn't until she is tortured and rescued by a way-too-handsome Ladon and his Dragon that she starts to unravel all the mysteries of who she is, both as a Fate and as a woman.
The Good:
-It has a unique concept. The idea of a Fate in this world is very different, and there are many other supernatural/paranormal beings that supplement it very well in ways you wouldn't expect.
-The romance is both a pro and a con. The pro is that the romance really is touching. Yes, it deals with paranormal problems such as Rysa seeing her and Ladon being intimate before it happens, but there is just as much, if not more, real issues like struggling with being worthy of love, trying to take care of and comfort someone you love, etc.
-The plot has a lot of potential.
The not-so-good:
-The reason I said the plot has a lot of potential and not, the plot was great, is because a lot of this story is at lightening speed and confusing. A lot of names are thrown around that you really don't know who they actually are and how they connect. The visions make it seem like there is a severe case of an unreliable narrator at parts. The story just gets very muddled the further it goes, and it seems months pass, but it really is only a few days to a couple weeks.
-With that speed, the con of the romance is that speed. They know each other for less than 48 hours and are talking love. I'm not saying the intensity isn't there, but it definitely puts a damper on the credibility of their relationship long term.
Overall, it's a bit shaky, but still holding, 3 stars. If you want something fantasy that is new and unique with a strong romance, then I would definitely tell you to give it a try, just read very slowly.
February 8, 2013
The following review is my opinion and not a paid review. I was given a free copy of the book from the author for my honest opinion.
Rysa Torres has problems concentrating and focusing on the tasks at hand. She has ADD luckily she has her medication. But Rysa forges ahead with her life doing the best she knows how to stay in control.
When Rysa starts having vision she learns that she is a Fate and she is destin to set the world on fire. Her mother has hidden this knowledge from Rysa her whole life. Her mother is ripped from her life and Rysa has no knowledge of where she is. Then she meets Ladon and his friend Dragon whom she comes to care a lot for. Rysa believes she will set the world on fire and she doesn't won't to hurt the one she has fallen in love with. Will Rysa set the world on fire killing Ladon and Dragon? Can she control her destiny? Can she change her fate and save the ones she loves?
Ladon will do any and everything possible to save and protect Rysa and her mother. Even if it means that he would lose his life. The Bruners want Rysa but there is no way Ladon will let them have her. Ladon tries to tell Rysa he knows she would never hurt him or Dragon but Rysa having seen it in a vision is not sure. She believes that her vision will come true and there is no way to change them.
Games of Fate is the first book that I have read with an actual dragon in it and I loved it. I can't wait to read the next book in the series. Games of Fate is one of those books you don't want to put down or want it to end. You want to keep reading more about Rysa, Ladon and Dragon. I loved Dragon how he was very aware of Rysa's feelings and how much he cared about her and his human Ladon very much. Dragon, like Ladon would do anything for Rysa.
Rysa Torres has problems concentrating and focusing on the tasks at hand. She has ADD luckily she has her medication. But Rysa forges ahead with her life doing the best she knows how to stay in control.
When Rysa starts having vision she learns that she is a Fate and she is destin to set the world on fire. Her mother has hidden this knowledge from Rysa her whole life. Her mother is ripped from her life and Rysa has no knowledge of where she is. Then she meets Ladon and his friend Dragon whom she comes to care a lot for. Rysa believes she will set the world on fire and she doesn't won't to hurt the one she has fallen in love with. Will Rysa set the world on fire killing Ladon and Dragon? Can she control her destiny? Can she change her fate and save the ones she loves?
Ladon will do any and everything possible to save and protect Rysa and her mother. Even if it means that he would lose his life. The Bruners want Rysa but there is no way Ladon will let them have her. Ladon tries to tell Rysa he knows she would never hurt him or Dragon but Rysa having seen it in a vision is not sure. She believes that her vision will come true and there is no way to change them.
Games of Fate is the first book that I have read with an actual dragon in it and I loved it. I can't wait to read the next book in the series. Games of Fate is one of those books you don't want to put down or want it to end. You want to keep reading more about Rysa, Ladon and Dragon. I loved Dragon how he was very aware of Rysa's feelings and how much he cared about her and his human Ladon very much. Dragon, like Ladon would do anything for Rysa.
February 13, 2013
Review of Games of Fate by Kris Austen Radcliffe
(Fate ~ Fire ~ Shifter ~ Dragon #1)
5 stars
Rated 18+ (sensual content, violence, language)
It is not a pretty world in which Rysa finds herself. Misplacing her meds for ADHD, cramming to get acceptance to graduate school, dealing with others is nothing compared to the chaos in the external world—fires, explosions, deaths—and the chaos internally. Rysa may not have taken stock of it, but she’s a Fate—and one about to activate. So she’s attracted attention from the Ghouls—Fire-users—and from a dragon and its companion Ladon. If she’s not very fortunate and very careful, soon she won’t have to worry about her meds, and the world around her will go to Hades in a heartbeat.
“Games of Fate” is so fast-paced that it almost literally kept me breathless. Even the beginning scene moved like a bullet train, and I didn’t have time to inhale before Rysa was thrust into the midst of the Fire Ghouls, simultaneously activating as a Fate, and discovering Ladon & Dragon. Don’t start this novel unless you have plenty of time set aside to stick to it, because you will not be able to push it away until it’s over—and then you can just hold your breath till the next installment in this adventurous Urban Fantasy series. I don’t remember Fantasy of any sub-genre ever being quite like this one.
(Fate ~ Fire ~ Shifter ~ Dragon #1)
5 stars
Rated 18+ (sensual content, violence, language)
It is not a pretty world in which Rysa finds herself. Misplacing her meds for ADHD, cramming to get acceptance to graduate school, dealing with others is nothing compared to the chaos in the external world—fires, explosions, deaths—and the chaos internally. Rysa may not have taken stock of it, but she’s a Fate—and one about to activate. So she’s attracted attention from the Ghouls—Fire-users—and from a dragon and its companion Ladon. If she’s not very fortunate and very careful, soon she won’t have to worry about her meds, and the world around her will go to Hades in a heartbeat.
“Games of Fate” is so fast-paced that it almost literally kept me breathless. Even the beginning scene moved like a bullet train, and I didn’t have time to inhale before Rysa was thrust into the midst of the Fire Ghouls, simultaneously activating as a Fate, and discovering Ladon & Dragon. Don’t start this novel unless you have plenty of time set aside to stick to it, because you will not be able to push it away until it’s over—and then you can just hold your breath till the next installment in this adventurous Urban Fantasy series. I don’t remember Fantasy of any sub-genre ever being quite like this one.
February 12, 2013
From Chapter 9 of "Games of Fate":
Twenty-three centuries he and Dragon had fought battles and dealt with Burners. Twenty-three sets of one hundred year intervals, a meaningless measure of time for someone who’d lived through so many of them. Yet, they’d persevered and done what they were supposed to do. Every single one of those actions and reactions dropped onto their heads like a grain of sand blown in from the desert. Twenty-three centuries and sometimes Ladon wondered if he still had the strength to move through the dunes of his life.
“Mom,” Rysa whispered.
The young woman clinging to his arm carried no such weight. Yet the boulder of her new existence would smear her flat if he and Dragon did nothing—or worst, the minimum necessary to finish this job.
He’d been annoyed by her questions in the van. Irritated when he realized she was Jani. But she didn’t deserve this. No one deserved vile insults hurled at them, especially from a parent.
So Ladon folded her tighter against his ribcage, his arm around her shoulder and his hand spread protectively across her shoulder blades.
Twenty-three centuries he and Dragon had fought battles and dealt with Burners. Twenty-three sets of one hundred year intervals, a meaningless measure of time for someone who’d lived through so many of them. Yet, they’d persevered and done what they were supposed to do. Every single one of those actions and reactions dropped onto their heads like a grain of sand blown in from the desert. Twenty-three centuries and sometimes Ladon wondered if he still had the strength to move through the dunes of his life.
“Mom,” Rysa whispered.
The young woman clinging to his arm carried no such weight. Yet the boulder of her new existence would smear her flat if he and Dragon did nothing—or worst, the minimum necessary to finish this job.
He’d been annoyed by her questions in the van. Irritated when he realized she was Jani. But she didn’t deserve this. No one deserved vile insults hurled at them, especially from a parent.
So Ladon folded her tighter against his ribcage, his arm around her shoulder and his hand spread protectively across her shoulder blades.
August 28, 2016
I love when authors take a condition, mental or physical, and create a character that lives that condition. Not just suffers from it, but lives their lives experiencing the joys, frustrations and consequences of that condition.
Rysa's ADD issues permeate every part of her life. Her focus, concentration and learning abilities are manageable, but become more difficult depending on lack of sleep, lack of food and stress...all real world-issues and consequences that readers can relate to.
When she is attacked by people that don't fit any normal understanding of existence, her sanity is stretched even farther by the man and dragon that rescue her. For Rysa, the crazy has just begun. She, Ladon and Dragon find themselves on a journey of self-discovery that none of them expected.
Ms. Radcliffe has created a complex world filled with magic, interesting creatures, amazing beasts, sexy men, and ultimately, the desire to love and be loved.
My only complaint: there were times I was confused and had to reread sections to understand a scene. Was it frustrating? A bit. Did it happen often enough to keep me from continuing? Absolutely not.
Rysa's ADD issues permeate every part of her life. Her focus, concentration and learning abilities are manageable, but become more difficult depending on lack of sleep, lack of food and stress...all real world-issues and consequences that readers can relate to.
When she is attacked by people that don't fit any normal understanding of existence, her sanity is stretched even farther by the man and dragon that rescue her. For Rysa, the crazy has just begun. She, Ladon and Dragon find themselves on a journey of self-discovery that none of them expected.
Ms. Radcliffe has created a complex world filled with magic, interesting creatures, amazing beasts, sexy men, and ultimately, the desire to love and be loved.
My only complaint: there were times I was confused and had to reread sections to understand a scene. Was it frustrating? A bit. Did it happen often enough to keep me from continuing? Absolutely not.
August 18, 2013
Rysa Torres is your average college student, or at least she thinks she is. She suffers from ADD and requires tutoring from her best friend Gavin to get by. Little did she know, her entire world is about to change forever. She is destined to become a Fate, and it has been activated, how will she learn to control it when she can't even focus on a simple task. Will Ladon, his Dragon companion, Marcus and Harold be able to help her control the chaos in her head? Will Ladon be successful at keeping her safe from the Burners?
I love, love, love dragon stories and this one is awesome! This book was nonstop action from the very beginning. The chemistry between Rysa and Ladon is incredibly intense. Rysa is a lovable main character, even when she had no idea what was going on, she told Gavin to run and she then took on the Burners on her own, not knowing if someone would come to her aid. This is a fantastic first book in the series, and I can't wait to read the next one.
I love, love, love dragon stories and this one is awesome! This book was nonstop action from the very beginning. The chemistry between Rysa and Ladon is incredibly intense. Rysa is a lovable main character, even when she had no idea what was going on, she told Gavin to run and she then took on the Burners on her own, not knowing if someone would come to her aid. This is a fantastic first book in the series, and I can't wait to read the next one.
May 16, 2014
A gifted copy was given in exchange for an honest review.
Rysa is a young girl trying to finish high school in spite of her Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Suddenly everything changes into a nightmare she doesn’t understand at all. Awful creatures start invading her world, ghouls called Burners who try to capture her, Shifters who try to manipulate her mind, Fates who say they are relatives of her and Ladon and his beast, Dragon who try to save her.
Although it's not really my type of book, I gave it a chance after reading Prolusio, because it's very well written. The story fluids so easily that's it's really a pleasure to read it. The pace of the story is very intense. When you think you’re going to have a break, there she goes again and you don’t have time to breath. I wish we will have plenty of dragons to give us support and peace when needed. Maybe with their help people would be less selfish and greedy.
Rysa is a young girl trying to finish high school in spite of her Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Suddenly everything changes into a nightmare she doesn’t understand at all. Awful creatures start invading her world, ghouls called Burners who try to capture her, Shifters who try to manipulate her mind, Fates who say they are relatives of her and Ladon and his beast, Dragon who try to save her.
Although it's not really my type of book, I gave it a chance after reading Prolusio, because it's very well written. The story fluids so easily that's it's really a pleasure to read it. The pace of the story is very intense. When you think you’re going to have a break, there she goes again and you don’t have time to breath. I wish we will have plenty of dragons to give us support and peace when needed. Maybe with their help people would be less selfish and greedy.
February 24, 2013
What a great book that kept you turning page after page to find out what happened next! This books was all about Fates, human-dragons,shifters and burners! Rysa activates as a Fate but has no idea what is going on or how to control because she never knew anything about it, that her family was fates, lucky Ladon and his Dragon showed up to save her from burners! Rysa is a rare an unique Fate, which everyone is trying to get her! Not only does she have to learn how to control her visions, but deal with visions others put in her head but is also falling in love with Ladon-Dragon! This book was full of suspense, fights,troubled people and a great love story! I can't wait to read the next one!
August 19, 2013
Games of Fate...... I just have to say my new favorite mythical creature is a dragon thanks to this book!! It takes you on a unbelievable journey with Rysa. She is a college student that is normal so she thinks. Rysa starts to activate and the burners are after her.In comes Landon and Dragon to her rescue. Will she find out whats happening to her? Will the world burn as fates has seen? Or will she find true love with Landon and Dragon? That is something you will have to read to find out. I absolutely loved this book. I can't wait to see what happens next. I will give this book a 5 fang review!!!
February 26, 2013
Intriguing but it doesn’t completely live up to the premise.
Review of Games of Fate by Kris Austen Radcliffe
(Fate ~ Fire ~ Shifter ~ Dragon #1)
3 stars
Rated 18+ (sensual content, violence, language)
Full disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book in electronic format and was asked for an honest review. I read the entire book and the following is my completely unbiased opinion. This is not a spoiler free review.
First a short version for those who don’t want a review with spoilers.
If you like urban fantasy and are tired of the near cookie cutter stories of vampires/shifters/witches who happen to be kick ass bounty hunters/cops, then this story might be for you. I give the author kudos for doing some original and intriguing world building. The story is filled with a cast of ancient supernatural creatures including fates (also called Parcae) who can see the past, present, and future, immortals bonded to dragons, ghouls (also called Burners), and a mysterious group of creatures called Shifters.
Our heroine Rysa is introduced in the first chapter where we learn that she is an intelligent college student who has ADD and no idea she is anything but human. Rysa very quickly discovers this hidden world when she is attacked by a ghoul and activated as a fate. The rest of the story follows her and her romantic interest Ladon and his dragon as she tried to understand her own fate and to gain control of her abilities.
I found the ideas and the characters in this book very intriguing and I plan to keep an eye out for more from this author and hope to read the sequel. Unfortunately, the writing style makes loving this book impossible. As much as I was invested in the story, the writing was often distracting, confusing, and sometimes completely incomprehensible. More than once, I found I had to re-read an entire chapter to figure out what just happened only to find that re-reading only added a slight bit of clarity. This was especially the case during the action sequences.
If you are the type of reader who is willing to give a new writer a chance, I would recommend this book. I am hoping the writing improves as the series goes on.
--Spoiler alert--
The rest of the review contains spoilers and very specific commentary so don’t read if you would rather enjoy the book spoiler free.
First of all, the good:
The chemistry, sexual tension, and growing relationship between Rysa and Ladon was very well done. I did find, however, that he had very little reason to be in love with her so very quickly. That is how romances work though so that isn’t really a negative, just an observation. Another positive in this book was the dragon – adorably named simply Dragon. The dragon has to be one of the most innovative and delightful versions of a dragon that I’ve ever seen. Also the relationship between Ladon – who is often called a human even though he is immortal – and Dragon is splendidly mysterious and intriguing. Their origins are not clear though we do eventually get an origin story of sorts in this book. It isn’t clear if Ladon and Dragon are really two bound creatures or are they really two aspects of one being? They were a bit reminiscent of the human/daemon dynamic seen in Philip Pullman’s Dark Materials series.
The relationship between Rysa and Dragon was also really well done. It very aptly demonstrated her growing attachment to Ladon in a safe way for her. She couldn’t let herself love him or allow herself to get too attached to him but somehow she found it safe to cuddle and bond with Dragon. Rysa’s near instant attachment to Dragon is explained at the very end of the book in a way that I didn’t see coming. Well done.
The relationship between Rysa and Ladon seemed almost entirely chemical and based on mutual sexual attraction rather than anything based in their personalities or actions. That said, the sexually explicit scenes were some of the best I’ve read and in addition to being well written remained romantic and sweet. This story is at its heart a romance and as a romance it really succeeds. Unfortunately, for me at least, I saw a potential for so much more and it didn’t deliver on the rest of that promise.
Now for some of the aspects of the book that turned me off
I was 72 % done with the book when I realized that Rysa still hadn’t actually done anything. It was 92% into the book before the heroine did anything significant. Rysa spends almost the entirety of the book being dragged around by Ladon and Dragon trying to evade capture by various factions.
There is a large cast of characters that we meet throughout the book, but we don’t ever really get to know them or even truly meet them. Rysa is completely new to this supernatural world, but everyone else knows each other. Laden is twenty-two hundred years old and has often centuries of history with many of the characters we meet along the way. This can be confusing at times with the story structure that is centered around Rysa. At times, we get more of Ladon’s POV and some flashbacks. These are some of the best parts of the book.
There is a great deal of complexity to the underlying world and the relationships, but the story itself focuses on our heroine and her trouble dealing with her new powers. That might have been good if we had more of active role on her part in some immediate story. Ostensibly, that would be rescuing her mother but not only does Rysa have little to do with that rescue, her mother practically falls into their laps when the time comes. Their journey throughout the book if it could be called that is almost an aimless road trip rather than a journey.
Also, from the moment Rysa is activated, there is almost no connection with the ‘normal’ world. In chapter 1, we meet her best friend Gavin. It is literally 25% into the book before she even thinks of him again. At that point she notices that he has been texting her frantically. She doesn’t even bother to text him back and doesn’t think of him again until about half way through the book where he makes another brief appearance in her thoughts. We never see him again. We also don’t really get any feel for what her life was like before she starts this fantastical journey. She whines a lot in her mind about her ex-boyfriend and people reactions to her ADD, but based on what we see one would think she is completely and totally defined by ADD and has not other character traits.
Another thing that never came across to me either through Rysa or any of the people she faced was how the visions were in the least bit useful. They certainly didn’t seem to do either her cousins or her uncle any good. It would have been nice to see Rysa actually accomplish something either through her visions or her inherent intelligence.
For all of the negative points I’ve mentioned, in the end I am so intrigued by the characters and this world that I want to read more. This first book barely scratches the surface when it comes to the creatures that inhabit the world. By the end of the books we get a slight glimpse into the origins of the warring factions but that glimpse brings more questions than answers.
Review of Games of Fate by Kris Austen Radcliffe
(Fate ~ Fire ~ Shifter ~ Dragon #1)
3 stars
Rated 18+ (sensual content, violence, language)
Full disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book in electronic format and was asked for an honest review. I read the entire book and the following is my completely unbiased opinion. This is not a spoiler free review.
First a short version for those who don’t want a review with spoilers.
If you like urban fantasy and are tired of the near cookie cutter stories of vampires/shifters/witches who happen to be kick ass bounty hunters/cops, then this story might be for you. I give the author kudos for doing some original and intriguing world building. The story is filled with a cast of ancient supernatural creatures including fates (also called Parcae) who can see the past, present, and future, immortals bonded to dragons, ghouls (also called Burners), and a mysterious group of creatures called Shifters.
Our heroine Rysa is introduced in the first chapter where we learn that she is an intelligent college student who has ADD and no idea she is anything but human. Rysa very quickly discovers this hidden world when she is attacked by a ghoul and activated as a fate. The rest of the story follows her and her romantic interest Ladon and his dragon as she tried to understand her own fate and to gain control of her abilities.
I found the ideas and the characters in this book very intriguing and I plan to keep an eye out for more from this author and hope to read the sequel. Unfortunately, the writing style makes loving this book impossible. As much as I was invested in the story, the writing was often distracting, confusing, and sometimes completely incomprehensible. More than once, I found I had to re-read an entire chapter to figure out what just happened only to find that re-reading only added a slight bit of clarity. This was especially the case during the action sequences.
If you are the type of reader who is willing to give a new writer a chance, I would recommend this book. I am hoping the writing improves as the series goes on.
--Spoiler alert--
The rest of the review contains spoilers and very specific commentary so don’t read if you would rather enjoy the book spoiler free.
First of all, the good:
The chemistry, sexual tension, and growing relationship between Rysa and Ladon was very well done. I did find, however, that he had very little reason to be in love with her so very quickly. That is how romances work though so that isn’t really a negative, just an observation. Another positive in this book was the dragon – adorably named simply Dragon. The dragon has to be one of the most innovative and delightful versions of a dragon that I’ve ever seen. Also the relationship between Ladon – who is often called a human even though he is immortal – and Dragon is splendidly mysterious and intriguing. Their origins are not clear though we do eventually get an origin story of sorts in this book. It isn’t clear if Ladon and Dragon are really two bound creatures or are they really two aspects of one being? They were a bit reminiscent of the human/daemon dynamic seen in Philip Pullman’s Dark Materials series.
The relationship between Rysa and Dragon was also really well done. It very aptly demonstrated her growing attachment to Ladon in a safe way for her. She couldn’t let herself love him or allow herself to get too attached to him but somehow she found it safe to cuddle and bond with Dragon. Rysa’s near instant attachment to Dragon is explained at the very end of the book in a way that I didn’t see coming. Well done.
The relationship between Rysa and Ladon seemed almost entirely chemical and based on mutual sexual attraction rather than anything based in their personalities or actions. That said, the sexually explicit scenes were some of the best I’ve read and in addition to being well written remained romantic and sweet. This story is at its heart a romance and as a romance it really succeeds. Unfortunately, for me at least, I saw a potential for so much more and it didn’t deliver on the rest of that promise.
Now for some of the aspects of the book that turned me off
I was 72 % done with the book when I realized that Rysa still hadn’t actually done anything. It was 92% into the book before the heroine did anything significant. Rysa spends almost the entirety of the book being dragged around by Ladon and Dragon trying to evade capture by various factions.
There is a large cast of characters that we meet throughout the book, but we don’t ever really get to know them or even truly meet them. Rysa is completely new to this supernatural world, but everyone else knows each other. Laden is twenty-two hundred years old and has often centuries of history with many of the characters we meet along the way. This can be confusing at times with the story structure that is centered around Rysa. At times, we get more of Ladon’s POV and some flashbacks. These are some of the best parts of the book.
There is a great deal of complexity to the underlying world and the relationships, but the story itself focuses on our heroine and her trouble dealing with her new powers. That might have been good if we had more of active role on her part in some immediate story. Ostensibly, that would be rescuing her mother but not only does Rysa have little to do with that rescue, her mother practically falls into their laps when the time comes. Their journey throughout the book if it could be called that is almost an aimless road trip rather than a journey.
Also, from the moment Rysa is activated, there is almost no connection with the ‘normal’ world. In chapter 1, we meet her best friend Gavin. It is literally 25% into the book before she even thinks of him again. At that point she notices that he has been texting her frantically. She doesn’t even bother to text him back and doesn’t think of him again until about half way through the book where he makes another brief appearance in her thoughts. We never see him again. We also don’t really get any feel for what her life was like before she starts this fantastical journey. She whines a lot in her mind about her ex-boyfriend and people reactions to her ADD, but based on what we see one would think she is completely and totally defined by ADD and has not other character traits.
Another thing that never came across to me either through Rysa or any of the people she faced was how the visions were in the least bit useful. They certainly didn’t seem to do either her cousins or her uncle any good. It would have been nice to see Rysa actually accomplish something either through her visions or her inherent intelligence.
For all of the negative points I’ve mentioned, in the end I am so intrigued by the characters and this world that I want to read more. This first book barely scratches the surface when it comes to the creatures that inhabit the world. By the end of the books we get a slight glimpse into the origins of the warring factions but that glimpse brings more questions than answers.
August 31, 2018
The more I read of Kris Austen Radcliffe's work the more I want! Games of Fate is no different. While some may struggle with the fast onset of action and be confused as to what is going on at the beginning of the story, I found that this was more to the reader's advantage to help you understand what it is like through the main heroine Rysa's eyes and experience having ADHD. If you hang in I believe the story all comes together explaining itself and is well worth reading again and again. I loved the real-world relatability of a character with ADHD, something unique, as well as the "Burners" to the Fate, Fire, Shifter, Dragon world.
The book begins with Rysa finding out she is part of what are called Fates and her activating, or coming into her abilities, while being attacked by these Burners. In rushes Ladon and his Dragon whom are 23 centuries old and linked together, only being able to be a certain distance apart, to reluctantly save her. I'm not a fan of rushed romances, but Radcliffe writes in such a way that even I enjoyed reading the chemistry and tension unfold between Ladon and Rysa as well as how protective and compassionate Dragon is towards her, perhaps even falling for her first before Ladon was ready to.
There is so much more to the story, but I don't want to give away any spoilers. There is a LOT going on, and some unexpected surprises as well. It will keep you on your toes, or well, at least turning the pages just to see what happens next!
I highly recommend this book as it is non-stop action with a great sense of humour and romance thrown in. If you are a fan of urban fantasy and dragons (especially the Dragonriders of Pern series) you will not be disappointed. Radcliffe writes with a unique perspective on dragons, creating a multi-layered world uniquely her own, characters that are multi-faceted, deep, and well-developed villain and hero alike, or even if they seem minor to the plot. I can't wait to start on Book 2!
The book begins with Rysa finding out she is part of what are called Fates and her activating, or coming into her abilities, while being attacked by these Burners. In rushes Ladon and his Dragon whom are 23 centuries old and linked together, only being able to be a certain distance apart, to reluctantly save her. I'm not a fan of rushed romances, but Radcliffe writes in such a way that even I enjoyed reading the chemistry and tension unfold between Ladon and Rysa as well as how protective and compassionate Dragon is towards her, perhaps even falling for her first before Ladon was ready to.
There is so much more to the story, but I don't want to give away any spoilers. There is a LOT going on, and some unexpected surprises as well. It will keep you on your toes, or well, at least turning the pages just to see what happens next!
I highly recommend this book as it is non-stop action with a great sense of humour and romance thrown in. If you are a fan of urban fantasy and dragons (especially the Dragonriders of Pern series) you will not be disappointed. Radcliffe writes with a unique perspective on dragons, creating a multi-layered world uniquely her own, characters that are multi-faceted, deep, and well-developed villain and hero alike, or even if they seem minor to the plot. I can't wait to start on Book 2!
October 19, 2016
I voluntarily received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book has got to be one of the most confusing books I've ever read in my life.
The story follows Rysa, our heroine, who has ADHD and one day wakes up to find that her powers, " her seers", have activated and she can suddenly see the future, past and present. In swoops in our hero, who is also an immortal warrior linked to a dragon, to help heroine figure out her life and save the day.
I enjoyed the novel all in all, because I thought the plot was captivating and original, and the characters interesting as well as well thought. However, I don't know if it was written purposely in such a confusing way because the heroine has ADHD or if this was the author's regular writing style, but I definitely didn't understand at least a third of the novel. Another thing that really bothered me was the title: Fate Fire Shifter Dragon, I don't get it, I really don't. Finally, the thing that really grossed me out was when H&h have sex and the dragon is just there looking at them and emitting all sorts of weird colours LOL.
I would recommend this book but only if you have the patience to get to the end seeing as how the beginning is very hard to understand!
This book has got to be one of the most confusing books I've ever read in my life.
The story follows Rysa, our heroine, who has ADHD and one day wakes up to find that her powers, " her seers", have activated and she can suddenly see the future, past and present. In swoops in our hero, who is also an immortal warrior linked to a dragon, to help heroine figure out her life and save the day.
I enjoyed the novel all in all, because I thought the plot was captivating and original, and the characters interesting as well as well thought. However, I don't know if it was written purposely in such a confusing way because the heroine has ADHD or if this was the author's regular writing style, but I definitely didn't understand at least a third of the novel. Another thing that really bothered me was the title: Fate Fire Shifter Dragon, I don't get it, I really don't. Finally, the thing that really grossed me out was when H&h have sex and the dragon is just there looking at them and emitting all sorts of weird colours LOL.
I would recommend this book but only if you have the patience to get to the end seeing as how the beginning is very hard to understand!
May 17, 2013
Alright, first I’m going to critique the description of this book — found on amazon.com and other book sites as well: When you say she’s left with one choice, but then spell out two choices — well, obviously she has more than one choice, now doesn’t she?
This book initially annoyed me. Part of that, I’m guessing, is because I couldn’t get into it at all. It’s very choppy and distracting, which fits it, I guess, as Rysa has very bad A.D.H.D. and I have it as well. So when you have a book that’s written about it and from that person’s point of view, and you’re dealing with your own attention span issues, it’s a bad combo.
The storyline, itself, is quite good. It’s new and fascinating and I like the idea of Ladon and Dragon being two parts to one whole. Though there aren’t hugely Greek overtones (from which the original Fates, or Moirai, originated from) there are a few references to the beginnings of them.
Ladon-Dragon is a great character, as is Rysa, both having many layers and relatable. The sexual tension between them is palpable though Rysa continuously doubts her appeal as she has had nothing but bad experiences with men in the past, due to her attention and hyperactivity issues. I can relate to her jumping up and down when she gets excited, or always fidgeting, as I do the same. So I do like her character quite a bit. And I wish I had a Dragon of my own — but then, don’t we all?
Once I was able to concentrate and focus on the book, and more towards the end of the book where the plot takes a sudden turn, I was able to more fully enjoy it. I do like the book, but like is the best I can give it. It took me a while to get into it due to it. At the end of the book there is a preview of the next book in the series which seems to be a little more focused than this one — then again, it is told from Ladon’s point of view and not Rysa’s (at least to begin with). I do want to read that, but I wish that Ms. Radcliffe hadn’t made the book, itself, A.D.H.D.
So three out of five flowers from this reviewer. I know it will get different responses (and I have read other reviews) but due to my own attention issues and the choppiness of the book, it was just more difficult.
This book initially annoyed me. Part of that, I’m guessing, is because I couldn’t get into it at all. It’s very choppy and distracting, which fits it, I guess, as Rysa has very bad A.D.H.D. and I have it as well. So when you have a book that’s written about it and from that person’s point of view, and you’re dealing with your own attention span issues, it’s a bad combo.
The storyline, itself, is quite good. It’s new and fascinating and I like the idea of Ladon and Dragon being two parts to one whole. Though there aren’t hugely Greek overtones (from which the original Fates, or Moirai, originated from) there are a few references to the beginnings of them.
Ladon-Dragon is a great character, as is Rysa, both having many layers and relatable. The sexual tension between them is palpable though Rysa continuously doubts her appeal as she has had nothing but bad experiences with men in the past, due to her attention and hyperactivity issues. I can relate to her jumping up and down when she gets excited, or always fidgeting, as I do the same. So I do like her character quite a bit. And I wish I had a Dragon of my own — but then, don’t we all?
Once I was able to concentrate and focus on the book, and more towards the end of the book where the plot takes a sudden turn, I was able to more fully enjoy it. I do like the book, but like is the best I can give it. It took me a while to get into it due to it. At the end of the book there is a preview of the next book in the series which seems to be a little more focused than this one — then again, it is told from Ladon’s point of view and not Rysa’s (at least to begin with). I do want to read that, but I wish that Ms. Radcliffe hadn’t made the book, itself, A.D.H.D.
So three out of five flowers from this reviewer. I know it will get different responses (and I have read other reviews) but due to my own attention issues and the choppiness of the book, it was just more difficult.
June 5, 2017
DNF @ 80%
This book has a great idea, however showcasing the ADHD that the main character has makes the book chaotic to understand. I had difficulty keeping track of what was real, what wasn't real, I couldn't figure out the perimeters of the world in which this character lived in. It has promise it just needs to be cleaned up more. I had trouble caring what was going to happen after a while. This whole concept was kind of confusing. I enjoyed the whole Dragon aspect, however not much of that was really explained. I wanted more depth of knowledge of how this new world worked, I wanted to understand more clearly. We get some bits and pieces but it's still a jumbled jigsaw puzzle that I should have a decent understanding of but I don't. I want to like this book, I want to care, I just go to a point where I stalled and couldn't continue.
I want to thank the author and publisher for allowing me a chance to read and review this book. All opinions in this review are mine and mine alone
This book has a great idea, however showcasing the ADHD that the main character has makes the book chaotic to understand. I had difficulty keeping track of what was real, what wasn't real, I couldn't figure out the perimeters of the world in which this character lived in. It has promise it just needs to be cleaned up more. I had trouble caring what was going to happen after a while. This whole concept was kind of confusing. I enjoyed the whole Dragon aspect, however not much of that was really explained. I wanted more depth of knowledge of how this new world worked, I wanted to understand more clearly. We get some bits and pieces but it's still a jumbled jigsaw puzzle that I should have a decent understanding of but I don't. I want to like this book, I want to care, I just go to a point where I stalled and couldn't continue.
I want to thank the author and publisher for allowing me a chance to read and review this book. All opinions in this review are mine and mine alone
January 16, 2016
This book was amazing; I loved it! All the characters were engaging in one way or another: I adored the good guys and detested the bad guys (but only in the sense that they were bad guys...both the good and bad guys were very well characterized). The story was riveting, the plot had twists and turns that I never saw coming: it was great! Sadly, there were a few parts that did not seem as well written as the rest of the book. I was confused in places (I am mentally disabled) but thankfully these points in the story were very short-lived and did not detract from the overall good feelings I felt while reading this story. I was always able to gather enough context in these confusing paragraphs to keep up with the action. I can't wait to read more of this series and hope Kris Austen Radcliffe writes fast. :)
**This book was gifted to me in exchange for my opinion/review.
**This book was gifted to me in exchange for my opinion/review.
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