The First Definition of Fortune

by Ken McEwen

OVER NINE CENTURIES HAVE PASSED SINCE THE RENDING, a cataclysm that isolated the Illunni Realm from the rest of the world by a series of impassable barriers: sheer mountains, scorching desert, and a stinging barrier reef patrolled by titanic leviathans. Dwindling resources have put the realm at risk of collapse, and with the ruling family betrayed and murdered, nothing is certain.

Dez is a pickpocket, scraping together a life on the reef at the edge of the world. He dreams of finding his fortune in the distant city of Greenleg, but without so much as a pearl to his name, a better life seems further from reach than even the twin moons. When he finds gold in a drifter’s pocket, Dez thinks his prayers to the leviathan gods have been answered...only for a stranger in white to turn all his plans to ashes.

Reeling, broken, Dez finds the world a wider, stranger, and far more treacherous place than he’d imagined. Now, he must do more than survive – he must decide who he wants to be.

And always, the stranger in white draws closer.

A sweeping coming of age story, The First Definition of Fortune is at once an epic adventure and an intimate exploration of identity, belonging, and the necessity of hope.

488 pages, Paperback

Expected publication May 4, 2027

About the author

I was drawn to fantasy at an early age; I’d lived in six houses in four states by the time I turned twelve, and a child without siblings must find companionship somewhere. Any little town has a bookstore, and every bookstore has a corner at the back where swords and dragons and colorful magics whirl across the shelves. I would settle into a patch of faded carpet, worn thread-bare by those who’d come before me, and return to the only places I’d ever known to be familiar.

I rode with heroes, empathized with villains, bartered with beasts and bandits. I carried gems in my pocket, caked with bone dust that lay thick in the dungeon’s halls. I faced the end of the world, burning spear in hand, while suburbia groaned at my back.

I was small. I was mighty.

Now, I’ve added a facet to the great gleaming gem of fantasy. A story born on that patch of faded carpet, carried in my heart all these many years.

My familiar place these days is Birmingham, AL, where I live with my brilliant wife, my daughter, and my son. Prior to moving to The South, I earned a bachelor’s degree in English: Writing and Rhetoric from Pepperdine University, and an MBA from Samford University.

THE FIRST DEFINITION OF FORTUNE is my first novel, but more are on the way!

Reviews

[Ian Thomas]

I received an ARC copy of this book.

As an avid fantasy reader, I've read and experienced a lot over the years. Various worlds, magic systems, protagonists, adventures... One of the things I really love about the genre is the ability to explore and build is only limited by the author's own imagination.

This worldbuilding exceeded my high expectations. The Illunni Realm - and Paradiso! - are richly imagined and vividly written in a way that brings the grime of the city and the splash of the sea right into my mind. I tend to be a pretty imaginative reader, i.e., what I read, my mind build as I go along. My favorite stories are ones that have seamlessly flowed from page to mind, and I loved that TFDoF (personally coined) slotted right into my mind.

There are a lot of elements in this story that I gravitate towards, in particular the mystery-box nature of some of the story elements. These story elements are not all answered or wrapped up in book 1, obviously, but the threads are there for this to continue to be mapped out in future books.

Dez, Anabelle, Braz, Leyndarik, Granny Raven - to name a few favorites - are well-written and developed, even the smaller ones providing unique perspectives and voices. I'm excited to see where Dez's journey takes him, even as the ending of Book 1 in some ways feels like the beginning of his story.

In future stories, I only expect McEwen's voice and storytelling to further develop as he continues to hone his craft. Having recently read some debut novels from now-favorite fantasy authors, I'm very impressed with the standard this book sets.

The book isn't even fully out yet, but I'm ready for more.

[David McKee]

I was sent an ARC copy of this book for review, and…damn.

I don't read stacks of books—but I do thoroughly enjoy fantasy with cleverly written characters when I set aside time to consume them...and The First Definition of Fortune fits that description very well.

Ken McEwen is a storyteller, and his prose is precise and vivid. The world he builds comes alive in your mind without asking you to do a bunch of heavy lifting, and the character dialogue is a joy to consume. The surprises delight, the gut punches hurt. It’s a series opener and a complete book in itself.

Part I does a great job introducing you to the settlement of Paradiso and weaving in the characters. The story provides enough detail for the people and places to pop to life in your mind, while also leaving room for your imagination to take the imagery and run. I found myself feeling like I knew some of the characters personally, or like I've been to Paradiso. And I don't believe that's an accident — I believe that's just great storytelling.

Dez is deeply good-hearted, with a moral compass that doesn't waver even when the world around him does. Injustice bothers him. He cares. He faces real challenges — and he climbs out of his hardships, driven by a quiet confidence; there is a better life out there for him and he's going to find it. Watching him grow into himself is genuinely satisfying. This is a self-discovery story. A coming-of-age story where the growth feels earned.

Part II is where the story really takes off, and I literally can't say more than that without spoilers, but the timing of it all feels great. And Part III lands the whole thing with warmth and enough of an open door that I was immediately annoyed Book II doesn't exist yet. Still, this was both a series opener and a complete book in itself.

I will say that it took me until Chapter 4 to really understand what kind of book this was going to be. Chapters 1-3 weren’t slow or disappointing by any means, just letting the reader wonder a bit before bringing the threads together and finding the heart of the story.

Overall, what stays with me after reading this is the moral richness of it. Altruism. Earned respect. The idea that you trust your gut and do right by the people who deserve it. It doesn't preach — it just lives those values through the characters, and you feel it.

[Reuben]

I received an ARC copy of this book
I really enjoyed reading The First Definition of Fortune, It is very well written and this stands out a lot as it is also the author's first novel.
It takes a couple chapters to be introduced to the main character and to build the world and setting but once this is accomplished the story really takes off and sucks you in.
McEwen has done an excellent job in developing all the characters and giving each of them a personality that is life-like and believable.
As things develop McEwen gives you just enough information to keep you intrigued and wanting to keep reading to find out more. you can definitely tell that this is only the first novel in a series as there are several bigger plot lines that are hinted at or that I would love to see explored further and you get the sense that these will be uncovered as the series continues, which makes me just want to read the next book in the series even more.

[Jim]

Please note, I received an early copy from the author.

As a whole the book is well written, refreshing and engaging. Ken takes the reader into an entirely new world where you are never sure what is going to happen next. While reading I found myself completely lost in the story and upset when I had to put the book down. It’s perfect for regular fantasy readers or those who are just dipping their toe into the genre. Pick it up and let Dez take you for a roller coaster of a ride.

[David Baker]

Full transparency … I was sent an ARC copy of the book to read and review.

As a life long fantasy reader I was very excited to get my hands on this book early. And boy does it deliver! Good worldbuilding, engaging characters, the ever lurking threat from the Man in White, bits and pieces of humor sprinkled throughout the book etc.

Growing up what attracted me to the fantasy genre was the idea of exploring and discovering a new world the author created. And the “small world” as Dez refers to it in the book is one of the best, not to mention more unique, realms I’ve come across. Written with great prose, McEwen slowly reveals a world that is well thought out, chalked full of mystery and intrigue and will leave you wanting more!

It didn’t take long for me to fall in love with the characters. From the first introduction to Dez you can tell that despite a rough upbringing he’s a good hearted kid at his core, loyal to his friends but also wanting more from life. It’s easy to fall in love with all the characters as their personalities really shine through the pages. And there is such a wide range of traits, from the stoic to the analytical to the rather chaotic, all well done.

The First Definition of Fortune feels like just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to this world. McEwen has a way with worlds that brings it all to life! There is so much out there to explore and this book is just the beginning. Which brings me to my one complaint. The book almost feels like it’s incomplete, like it’s only the first half of something more (which I suppose it is). There’s a whole world out there to explore, new opportunities are opening up to Dez, there are potential dangers and conflicts hinted at and the book just … ends. While a bit anti-climatic it’s still very satisfying and leaves me wanting more. I’m super excited for the next book and about where the rest of the series is going.

The worldbuilding, characters and prose certainly more than make up for any complaints I have and I would for sure recommend this book to any fantasy lovers out there (and even if you don’t read fantasy, give it a try!)

I wish Goodreads would let me give out half grades as this would easily be a 4.5 out of 5 for me. However, keeping in mind this is the author's first book this bumps it up to a 5 for me as.

[Kira Perdue]

I had the privilege of reading the ARC for this book. I was drawn in very quickly, and truly enjoyed the book.

I found this book refreshing in its setting. Fantasy does not always have to be dragons and wizards and fae. The ocean setting, with pirates and deserted islands, made for a unique feel.

The prose flowed well. Wasn't overly wordy to me, and there were a few times I chuckled over a metaphor. It is easy to follow, and didn't require me to exhaust my brain to make sense of anything.

The characters were great. Well written and dynamic. Dez's story is a bit of a rollercoaster, and as someone who has been through loss, I appreciated the understanding of grief and how it affects a person, and how it was portrayed in this story. Anabelle is HILARIOUS! I very much look forward to more of her. All the characters had personality that came through well in the writing.

The dialogue was well done. Witty banter, insults. Humour was well placed. And there were several thought provoking and heartfelt conversations throughout as well.

There is some swearing and more mature comments/incidents. I would let older teens read, 16+ in my mind.

My one complaint is the length of the chapters. They are LONG.

This is not a high action story, but this did not affect my being captivated by the plot. It's a journey of growth and learning who you are when life doesn't go as planned. I was very invested in Dez and what happened to him. We are left with unanswered questions, and there is enough mystery as to what is happening to make me want more. I definitely recommend and look forward to the next book.