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Children of Wisdom #1
The Fate
The thread of life is a delicate thing. It is so easily broken…
My name is Penn, and I’m a spinner. As one of the three Fates, it’s easy for me to know the plans for the lives of the humans. Mine, on the other hand, is a bit foggier. I guess things started to get out of control when I spun her—Kismet. My focus shifted, one thing led to another, and I wound up banished to Earth.
You’d think it’d be pretty hard to surprise me, but after my banishment, they just kept hitting me like a one-two knockout punch. When the people around me started dying before their time, I knew something was very wrong and I had to do whatever I could to set it right. The one thing I didn’t know was…what is the true fate of a Fate?
My name is Penn, and I’m a spinner. As one of the three Fates, it’s easy for me to know the plans for the lives of the humans. Mine, on the other hand, is a bit foggier. I guess things started to get out of control when I spun her—Kismet. My focus shifted, one thing led to another, and I wound up banished to Earth.
You’d think it’d be pretty hard to surprise me, but after my banishment, they just kept hitting me like a one-two knockout punch. When the people around me started dying before their time, I knew something was very wrong and I had to do whatever I could to set it right. The one thing I didn’t know was…what is the true fate of a Fate?
180 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 22, 2015
129 people are currently reading
993 people want to read
About the author
Stephanie Erickson
33 books304 followersI really hate writing these in third person. So hey! I'm Stephanie. I have all kinds of books including post-apocalyptic, dystopian, and paranormal romance. This is my first venture into clean rom-com, and I gotta tell ya, I loved it. I have 12 books planned for the Calendar Girls standalone series, so buckle up, buttercups! It's gonna be a fun ride, and I do hope you'll join me!
What else do you want to know? My husband can usually be found sailing the skies as an airline captain, and my daughter is TEN now (::commence sobbing at the cruel passage of time::)!
I love to connect with readers, so please reach out any time! With nice things of course. Please don't troll me LOL. I have kindof a sharp tongue and little restraint when provoked. It's not cute.
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What else do you want to know? My husband can usually be found sailing the skies as an airline captain, and my daughter is TEN now (::commence sobbing at the cruel passage of time::)!
I love to connect with readers, so please reach out any time! With nice things of course. Please don't troll me LOL. I have kindof a sharp tongue and little restraint when provoked. It's not cute.
www.facebook.com/stephmerickson
www.instagram.com/authorsmerickson
www.stephanieericksonbooks.com
And, I have a newsletter! Sign up for exclusive access to giveaways, updates on new books, and sales!
https://mailchi.mp/stephanieericksonb...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
July 25, 2016
The blub on this one sounded unique so I decided to give it a try. After reading it, I have to say, it reminded me quite a bit of the movie "City of Angels". I still enjoyed this book for the most part though. Here's my breakdown:
Pros:
* Creative storyline
* Solid character development
* Offered as a kindleunlimited
Cons:
* It was not a "feel good" sort of read - if anything it was pretty depressing at times.
* I wasn’t a fan of how important details seemed to be skimmed over. An event of great relevance would occur and on the next page it would just pick up months down the line etc. without much detail.
* It ended on somewhat of a cliffhanger - No real sense of closure
Overall, the writing style was decent and the characters were intriguing enough that I feel the desire to continue to the next book in this series.
Pros:
* Creative storyline
* Solid character development
* Offered as a kindleunlimited
Cons:
* It was not a "feel good" sort of read - if anything it was pretty depressing at times.
* I wasn’t a fan of how important details seemed to be skimmed over. An event of great relevance would occur and on the next page it would just pick up months down the line etc. without much detail.
* It ended on somewhat of a cliffhanger - No real sense of closure
Overall, the writing style was decent and the characters were intriguing enough that I feel the desire to continue to the next book in this series.
January 3, 2016
A free digital copy of this book has been given to me for an honest review. I’ve read it in a single day, since every Erickson’s books are easy reads for me. I must say that this book feels like one of her most accomplished work so far. Slight spoilers ahead, but nothing too terrible.
Summary:
Penn is the Spinner, the first man among the Fates’ sisters, the one who shapes the life of every human born on Earth according to the wishes of God. One day, Penn creates a life so perfect, so marvellously pure and brilliant that he’s mesmerized by his work and can’t go any further. All he manages is her soulmate and then his work turns inefficient and ultimately, God banishes him down on Earth and replace him with his rival, Weaver, the man who was adding every new thread of life in the tapestry of the world. Penn now has one goal, to go and meet his creation, Kismeth, the perfect thread he spun and who consumed his life, his work and dragged him down to Earth. The ultimate question here is, does Fates have a fate and what lies in store for Penn and his friends in Heaven and down on Earth when destiny runs amok?
What’s to love:
At first, I had trouble liking the main character, but I think it’s mostly because of the setting. Fates are really linked to Hercules and Greek mythology in my mind thanks to the Disney movie. When I realized that the rest of it was about God, Jesus, Fallen Angels, Watchers and Reapers, I was surprised. I don’t remember any part of my good old bible mentioning Fates, but religions has many ways of expressing herself, just as creativity. I guess I should get it out of the way first, since it’s an important side of the book for me, the religion view.
I myself believe in God, so I don’t mind seeing him in stories. I can say the religion is not strongly pushed towards the readers as words-of-truth and it makes the setting only more refreshing. The only place where I was worried with the angle of The Fates was the fact everything was clearly destined to happen. In my view of God, humans are created with choices that shapes there life, not lives pre-shaped for them to experience. But the approach quickly proved me wrong in being worried, since the fate of a human in this is like a simple orientation and the person is still given the liberty of choice. All in all, it’s a really refreshing view of life.
So what’s to love about this book?
As I said previously, I had trouble liking Penn from the start, but it changed as the story went on. He has the ability to see a human’s life just by touching them and he cares for his creations in a really sweet way. It felt weird for me that he fell in love with Kismeth, his own creation. Looks somewhat incestuous to me, but she was his masterpiece and I’ve encountered creepiest stuff in other books.
The storyline is well-paced, the writing excellent and all in all, the story flows well and makes it easy to read.
There’s not a lot of character development though. Kismeth seems pretty much perfect, and so is Penn, but this too is addressed and in the end, they’re full-fledged humans. Well, Penn cannot be, but he gets quite human without falling into many clichés of the genre. Michaela, the only angel and Reaper we get to meet, is really interesting and not as flat as you would expect an angel to be. I adore her and wish we’ll learn more in the future.
A lot of time goes by, one year and a half, and I must say that I would have love to get more fluff, but at the same time, this is a quality of this book. There’s not a scene or an encounter without purpose in here. No dull moments or actions that feels out of place. All in all, I felt blessed by a story without fillers, a story that was carefully put together.
The ending leaves a lot of suspense, a good cliffhanger, but I don’t exactly feel worried for the characters. Death is to be expected in this since the human world isn’t the only plane of existence explored.
What’s not to love – or well, some questions raised by this book that were left unanswered.
The rivalry between Webber and Penn, which feels like one of the main hardships Penn could have used more explanations. Being a Fates seems to be quite honorific in heaven, but there’s little explanation to the use of this work. Who are the people before that they become Fates? How was Penn born if he’s immortal? Does he have parents? Was he created? What is God planning? I certainly hope that those questions will be answered in the upcoming books of this trilogy.
A certain lack of action, though it’s compensated by emotional turmoil and reflections on the impacts one can have on others’ lives.
The ending feels really abrupt. I was really getting into the story and my kindle told me I was around 89 % through the book. And then it says to be continued in next volume and we have an excerpt of Unseen. I was a little disappointed, because I wanted more, but as we all know, that’s a good thing.
All in all, this is a good story, with a lot of good people. The bad guys never show. But I bet they’ll be in the second book. With some answers to my questions.
February 17, 2019
Interesting concept in this book. Makes me wonder if something like this really is going on in the Heavens or question how we become of this earth. I will have to check out the rest of the series.
January 5, 2016
I received this as an Arc for an honest review -
I loved the premise of this story so much I wanted to absolutely love it. I can not say that for the first half of the book. For me it was a little me slow. It seemed some of the things that occurred kind of threw me for a loop. Especially the part where is was banished. GOD is supposed to be all forgiving - one strike and you're out kind of isn't how I was taught about GOD. But the more I read the more I became engrossed in the story. I started making up my own scenarios. Bouncing ideas back and forth in my head, like why Penn was dropped where he was and why was it those particular people who found him. Is GOD really looking out for him for him because of his higher purpose? This truly intrigued me and kept me reading. I fell in love with Penn he has a beautiful soul and I am so sad things worked out they way the did, it broke my heart. The book really picked up for me toward the final chapters and I am looking so forward to Reaper!!!
I loved the premise of this story so much I wanted to absolutely love it. I can not say that for the first half of the book. For me it was a little me slow. It seemed some of the things that occurred kind of threw me for a loop. Especially the part where is was banished. GOD is supposed to be all forgiving - one strike and you're out kind of isn't how I was taught about GOD. But the more I read the more I became engrossed in the story. I started making up my own scenarios. Bouncing ideas back and forth in my head, like why Penn was dropped where he was and why was it those particular people who found him. Is GOD really looking out for him for him because of his higher purpose? This truly intrigued me and kept me reading. I fell in love with Penn he has a beautiful soul and I am so sad things worked out they way the did, it broke my heart. The book really picked up for me toward the final chapters and I am looking so forward to Reaper!!!
December 12, 2016
It was a nice light read about a rather serious subject. If you believe in the fates and heaven and stuff. I do kind of feel like Christianity was mixed in with some Greek mythology, but the author made it work. I would recommend, but get the other books in the series too, because you are going to get curious!
July 29, 2016
I wish this book weren't a series. I gave it a four star only because I will have to read "The Reaper" to find out what happens to Kismet and the others. I enjoyed it. Ms Erickson has an amazing imagination.
June 10, 2017
Poor character development, ludicrously "perfect" characters - human as well as heavenly. Story has many repetitive scenes and lacks grounding. I would like to know the "who done it" of this story but I don't think I can force myself to read 2 more of these books!
November 23, 2015
Stephanie Erickson gives us a fabulous story about the Fates. It is so full of love and excitement, you won't be able to put it down!!
January 30, 2017
An interesting read by a gifted writer! Stephanie Erickson spins a tale of how life originates in the Heavens and what happens when one of the Heavenly workers makes a terrible mistake. This honest review is in exchange for a download provided by the author.
The Fates have a great responsibility...they create human life, decide the length of each one and how each will end. Penn reads the order sent from God and then studies the swirling mass of universe dust in the caldron. When he sees everything he needs to create the new life, he plucks it out and begins to spin a thread creating a unique person. When he's finished, he carefully transfers the thread to his sister, Horatia who studies the thread. She gets to decide how long of a life the person will have. She carefully cuts the thread at just the right place. Horatia then hands the thread to sister Galenia who has the hardest job of all - she decides how the person's life will end. She has at her disposal a variety of tools to finish the thread by either fraying, cutting or burning the tip. Once she has ended it, she then carries the thread to Webber, who weaves the thread into the great tapestry of life on Earth.
The Fates continue on in their work producing many new lives for Earth. One life in particular seems to outshine all the others. She is simply spectacular, breathtaking in every way. It seems that a perfect human has been created. Penn then spins a complementary thread for this beautiful young woman - a soul-mate, her perfect companion.
As time goes on, Penn finds himself drawn to the lovely young woman. He often stands in front of the tapestry to watch her life play out. As a heavenly being, he should not be so enamoured with a human, but he cannot help but become obsessed with her. As a result, his work suffers and one day he makes a terrible mistake with a new life he is creating. Once the thread has been spun, it is too late. The thread cannot be respun. Now he must go before God to answer for his mistake, accept his punishment, and learn his fate...
The Fate is an intriguing tale of love found and love lost. I had a difficult time putting it down and finished it with two days. It ends on a note that leaves the reader wanting more! I am anxiously awaiting book 2.
The Fates have a great responsibility...they create human life, decide the length of each one and how each will end. Penn reads the order sent from God and then studies the swirling mass of universe dust in the caldron. When he sees everything he needs to create the new life, he plucks it out and begins to spin a thread creating a unique person. When he's finished, he carefully transfers the thread to his sister, Horatia who studies the thread. She gets to decide how long of a life the person will have. She carefully cuts the thread at just the right place. Horatia then hands the thread to sister Galenia who has the hardest job of all - she decides how the person's life will end. She has at her disposal a variety of tools to finish the thread by either fraying, cutting or burning the tip. Once she has ended it, she then carries the thread to Webber, who weaves the thread into the great tapestry of life on Earth.
The Fates continue on in their work producing many new lives for Earth. One life in particular seems to outshine all the others. She is simply spectacular, breathtaking in every way. It seems that a perfect human has been created. Penn then spins a complementary thread for this beautiful young woman - a soul-mate, her perfect companion.
As time goes on, Penn finds himself drawn to the lovely young woman. He often stands in front of the tapestry to watch her life play out. As a heavenly being, he should not be so enamoured with a human, but he cannot help but become obsessed with her. As a result, his work suffers and one day he makes a terrible mistake with a new life he is creating. Once the thread has been spun, it is too late. The thread cannot be respun. Now he must go before God to answer for his mistake, accept his punishment, and learn his fate...
The Fate is an intriguing tale of love found and love lost. I had a difficult time putting it down and finished it with two days. It ends on a note that leaves the reader wanting more! I am anxiously awaiting book 2.
October 21, 2017
The early-morning insomnia struck again, and I'd just finished an awesome fantasy novel the night before, so I needed something not-too-heavy for eek o'clock in the morning. This seemed like a good bet.
Penn is one of the Fates, the spinner of the threads of life. He also happens to be the first male Fate ever. He spins a thread for Kismet, a woman destined to have an incredible life. Everyone in Heaven marvels at its beauty, and Penn himself becomes obsessed with this thread. He spins the perfect partner for her, to try to overcome his obsession, but it doesn't work. His spinning declines, and eventually he spins such a poor thread it condemns a soul to a short, brutal life. As a result, he's banished to Earth and, perhaps against his better judgement, goes in search of Kismet and Andrew, her intended partner.
This was a YA novel, and a curious mix of mythologies. The Christian God and angels exist in Heaven alongside the Greek Fates, and the Reapers, who collect souls from earth for delivery to the afterlife. It was a little bleak in places, and there are hints of romance thrown in, though nothing particularly detailed. The ideas were intriguing, but felt a little underdeveloped here and there—there were at least a small handful of occasions where I was wanting more information, though that could just have been due to the early hour and minimal tea consumption. The book is a fairly quick read, the ending is something of a cliffhanger and quite dark. It was enjoyable without being especially deep, and picqued my interest sufficiently to continue with the trilogy.
Penn is one of the Fates, the spinner of the threads of life. He also happens to be the first male Fate ever. He spins a thread for Kismet, a woman destined to have an incredible life. Everyone in Heaven marvels at its beauty, and Penn himself becomes obsessed with this thread. He spins the perfect partner for her, to try to overcome his obsession, but it doesn't work. His spinning declines, and eventually he spins such a poor thread it condemns a soul to a short, brutal life. As a result, he's banished to Earth and, perhaps against his better judgement, goes in search of Kismet and Andrew, her intended partner.
This was a YA novel, and a curious mix of mythologies. The Christian God and angels exist in Heaven alongside the Greek Fates, and the Reapers, who collect souls from earth for delivery to the afterlife. It was a little bleak in places, and there are hints of romance thrown in, though nothing particularly detailed. The ideas were intriguing, but felt a little underdeveloped here and there—there were at least a small handful of occasions where I was wanting more information, though that could just have been due to the early hour and minimal tea consumption. The book is a fairly quick read, the ending is something of a cliffhanger and quite dark. It was enjoyable without being especially deep, and picqued my interest sufficiently to continue with the trilogy.
June 13, 2022
I am a great lover of young adult fiction, I think it's the best fictional genre, particularly when there's a good helping of mythology thrown into the mix. This easy reader ticks all of the boxes for me: bit of self-discovery, bit of predictability, bit of surprise, bit of mythology without leaning heavily on the religion side of stuff. The universe Erikson creates integrates heavenly prose with a splash of ancient greek mythology, giving a refreshing spin on the subgenre. I appreciate how the author treats the heavenly subset as another mythological frame of reference, without obviously portraying any reference to the religion or belief system itself.
I'm glad I bought the trilogy in one "book", because I was devistated with the cliff hanger this ended on, until I looked at my kindle percentage and realised I could just carry on. The book wasn't incredibly long or detailed, I'm a pretty slow reader and it only took me a few days, but it painted a good enough picture in my head and it was actually kind of nice not to be bogged down with descriptives for a change! I'd recommend as a light palatte cleanser between heavier stuff, or as a good quick read for lovers of the general mythology YA genre. Looking forward to finishing the trilogy and seeing how this all pans out!
I'm glad I bought the trilogy in one "book", because I was devistated with the cliff hanger this ended on, until I looked at my kindle percentage and realised I could just carry on. The book wasn't incredibly long or detailed, I'm a pretty slow reader and it only took me a few days, but it painted a good enough picture in my head and it was actually kind of nice not to be bogged down with descriptives for a change! I'd recommend as a light palatte cleanser between heavier stuff, or as a good quick read for lovers of the general mythology YA genre. Looking forward to finishing the trilogy and seeing how this all pans out!
January 18, 2018
I was incredibly surprised to see that this book is part of a trilogy. I knew it was when I got it, but I really felt like maybe it should be parts. Instead of it being a trilogy it maybe should just be a single book with three parts? Just a thought, perhaps I will feel differently when I read the other two.
Anyhow, the book does have such a good story and it is well written with very likable characters. The world has a nice, light mix of biblical and mythological references to it that I appreciate. I'm ready to see what happens next!
Anyhow, the book does have such a good story and it is well written with very likable characters. The world has a nice, light mix of biblical and mythological references to it that I appreciate. I'm ready to see what happens next!
May 14, 2017
This is a fantasy story with lovable characters, which is inspired of the ideas of fates spinning peoples future, entwined with Christian mythology. Although the story was engaging and full of action, the author neglected answering the age old question she herself raised - if ones fate is destined by god or are our choices our own. True - the question is hard and the greatest philosophers haven't got to the answer, but the whole idea made reading uncomfortable and the story less believable.
June 27, 2017
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The first half of the book dragged for me. Took a lot of effort to get through. But once, I hit the halfway point, I started to really enjoy it. I loved the mix of mythology and Christianity. It wasn't a happy book, but I did enjoy the telling! Worth the time to read.
The first half of the book dragged for me. Took a lot of effort to get through. But once, I hit the halfway point, I started to really enjoy it. I loved the mix of mythology and Christianity. It wasn't a happy book, but I did enjoy the telling! Worth the time to read.
January 12, 2018
A bit of this book was cliche, but I really liked the author's take on the after life. She weaved together myths from different religions and different parts of history, and I really liked that. I also like the fact that she did not shirk away from characters dying (no matter how important they might seem to the story line). I am looking forward to reading the next installment of this series.
October 8, 2018
Lovely story full of interesting concepts, heartwarming moments and heartbreak. The story progresses smoothly. The point of view from Penn is comfortable. It was a unique concept for me as I have not read similar stories and enjoyed it. My only wish was that the ending was more solid and less of a cliffhanger so I would have the choice if I want to read the next in the series.
June 21, 2020
Disappointed that I have to wait for book 2. This book started off slow but when it gained speed I could not put it down. No spoilers but I will tell you that in mythology you have those that spin, those that weave and those that end the lives of people-- And they have a general outline to go by and it takes the Fates to create the persons life.
July 19, 2019
Enthralling storytelling
June 17, 2016
So after checking out the Unseen trilogy by Ms. Erickson, I was eager to see what the rest of her writing looked like. I’ve purchased at least one other book of hers, but haven’t started reading it yet. (Like about three-quarters of the books I own.) I was planning on reading it next…at least, until I started getting emails about a new book of hers coming out.
A book three.
That was it. I was getting ahead of the game on this one, for once in my life.
It didn’t take much convincing to sell me on the topic, regardless of the author. I’ve been fascinated with angels, mythology, and the like for as long as I can remember. (I didn’t pick Orion as my name just for funsies.) I have an entire trilogy of works in process based on humans and angels interacting in different ways. So telling me that this is a book about one of the three Fates who finds himself inextricably fascinated with a human he has created…I was instantly on board. Particularly since the blurb gives the immediate indication that it’s all going down in a handbasket. I love stuff like that.
Penn is a Spinner, the Fate that creates all human life. The Fates, like most heavenly immortals, are not to have any direct interaction or opinions on the humans they create and work with. But when Penn creates the life which would become Kismet…everything changes. His mind is consumed with her, and when it drives him to make a traumatic mistake in his spinning, he is banished from the heavens and sent to Earth to live out the rest of time. So now where does he stand, and how will he affect his creations around him? What, in fact, is the fate of a Fate?
I love Penn. He is a brilliantly constructed character: full of flaws, but always well-meaning. He doesn’t always do the right thing, but he always tries to follow his heart. Once on Earth, his interactions with Kismet and the other humans he comes across are brilliant. He’s just the right balance between “oh God I don’t know how to interact with humans I’m a Fate what do” and “Ah yes, these people I have spun, I know you well.” It’s important to have that balance, especially since while he’s never interacted with these people, he does know them that well. It’s difficult, and Erickson does it well.
His supporting cast is well rounded as well, and while it was obvious that Kismet would play a large part in his plot, she was never quite 100% predictable—and I appreciated that. Andrew was a more sympathetic character than he could have been, and no one ever felt like they’d just been stuck in for the sake of needing a character. Not just on Earth; all the Fates, the Weaver (I hate you, I hate you so much Webber), the Reapers, even the mentions of God Himself.
That’s another point: this manages to walk the line of being a very Christian-based story, without ever being overwhelming in its religious overtones. God is there, and He’s exactly what one might expect, but he’s (I imagine very intentionally) presented as a guy who looks like every other guy in the world. The heavenly cast clearly take their jobs seriously, and understand the God-based implications of what they do, but it never overpowers the core of the plot. Even from someone who has spent most of their life in churches and around church people, I appreciate the light hand combined with the profound emotions that the author evokes.
Then there was the ending. While the ending of DOROTHY MUST DIE made me go “…wait, what? No, don’t end there!” the ending of THE FATE made my eyes pop open and say “NO NO WAIT NO DON’T END THERE WHAT.” And that’s not easy to do to me anymore. Let’s just say I was very pleased that I’d bought THE REAPER at the same time as THE FATE. And if I haven’t finished that one by the time this blog goes up, something’s wrong with me. I can’t wait until the 29th when THE HUMAN comes out. I can’t wait.
Rating: ***** – Highest Recommendation
A book three.
That was it. I was getting ahead of the game on this one, for once in my life.
It didn’t take much convincing to sell me on the topic, regardless of the author. I’ve been fascinated with angels, mythology, and the like for as long as I can remember. (I didn’t pick Orion as my name just for funsies.) I have an entire trilogy of works in process based on humans and angels interacting in different ways. So telling me that this is a book about one of the three Fates who finds himself inextricably fascinated with a human he has created…I was instantly on board. Particularly since the blurb gives the immediate indication that it’s all going down in a handbasket. I love stuff like that.
Penn is a Spinner, the Fate that creates all human life. The Fates, like most heavenly immortals, are not to have any direct interaction or opinions on the humans they create and work with. But when Penn creates the life which would become Kismet…everything changes. His mind is consumed with her, and when it drives him to make a traumatic mistake in his spinning, he is banished from the heavens and sent to Earth to live out the rest of time. So now where does he stand, and how will he affect his creations around him? What, in fact, is the fate of a Fate?
I love Penn. He is a brilliantly constructed character: full of flaws, but always well-meaning. He doesn’t always do the right thing, but he always tries to follow his heart. Once on Earth, his interactions with Kismet and the other humans he comes across are brilliant. He’s just the right balance between “oh God I don’t know how to interact with humans I’m a Fate what do” and “Ah yes, these people I have spun, I know you well.” It’s important to have that balance, especially since while he’s never interacted with these people, he does know them that well. It’s difficult, and Erickson does it well.
His supporting cast is well rounded as well, and while it was obvious that Kismet would play a large part in his plot, she was never quite 100% predictable—and I appreciated that. Andrew was a more sympathetic character than he could have been, and no one ever felt like they’d just been stuck in for the sake of needing a character. Not just on Earth; all the Fates, the Weaver (I hate you, I hate you so much Webber), the Reapers, even the mentions of God Himself.
That’s another point: this manages to walk the line of being a very Christian-based story, without ever being overwhelming in its religious overtones. God is there, and He’s exactly what one might expect, but he’s (I imagine very intentionally) presented as a guy who looks like every other guy in the world. The heavenly cast clearly take their jobs seriously, and understand the God-based implications of what they do, but it never overpowers the core of the plot. Even from someone who has spent most of their life in churches and around church people, I appreciate the light hand combined with the profound emotions that the author evokes.
Then there was the ending. While the ending of DOROTHY MUST DIE made me go “…wait, what? No, don’t end there!” the ending of THE FATE made my eyes pop open and say “NO NO WAIT NO DON’T END THERE WHAT.” And that’s not easy to do to me anymore. Let’s just say I was very pleased that I’d bought THE REAPER at the same time as THE FATE. And if I haven’t finished that one by the time this blog goes up, something’s wrong with me. I can’t wait until the 29th when THE HUMAN comes out. I can’t wait.
Rating: ***** – Highest Recommendation
August 29, 2016
this review is originally posted at: the Blacksheep Project.
* * *
Well paced and quick to read, The Children of Wisdom series had a great start!
{ 4 things about The Fate }
Mythology.
The main character, Penn, is a spinner - he spins threads to create life. He gives character to a person. His sisters, on the other hand, decides the length of a person's life and how it will end.
I really like this concept. I don't read a lot of mythology-based stories so I'm really happy that I enjoyed this. The idea and how it was executed is good. The world is nicely made. The conflict of the world is also very intriguing.
The pace is PERFECT!
It isn't thrilling yet not exactly boring. It's plainly alright. It's perfect for its story. It actually had me reading non-stop. It was difficult to put down! I like how it kept me reading and never getting that need to breathe or put it down (even for a while). It's not a thrilling read but more like an interesting read - it intrigued me. I was always interested at where things will go, what will happen to Penn, what's causing the untimely death of people.
The romance was sweet!
It's not the swoon-y romance, sorry to tell you that. It's more of the sweet type of romance that would make you smile from ear to ear and make you constantly go 'awwww'. Yup. I don't know about you but I like my romance like that.
The ending left me wanting for more.
Oh this was a really, really fast read for me. It was really intriguing. I had this interest to know what happens to Penn, to 'heaven', to his beloved creation - Kismet. I just kept on turning the pages until there's nothing left.
OVERALL, The Fate is a well paced, fast read. It's honestly not the post page-turning book out there but it kept me glued to it until the end. It's quick read, only a hundred or so pages but the good thing is that the series is over. Penn is a main character that's too kind and too forgiving. It's neither his strength or weakness though. Though this character of him made him a very nice one to follow - I never got tired of him. If you're up for a nice and quick mythology read, I'd say go read this. If you want something completely mind blowing, full of twists, and whatnot, this is not your book.
* * *
Well paced and quick to read, The Children of Wisdom series had a great start!
{ 4 things about The Fate }
Mythology.
The main character, Penn, is a spinner - he spins threads to create life. He gives character to a person. His sisters, on the other hand, decides the length of a person's life and how it will end.
I really like this concept. I don't read a lot of mythology-based stories so I'm really happy that I enjoyed this. The idea and how it was executed is good. The world is nicely made. The conflict of the world is also very intriguing.
The pace is PERFECT!
It isn't thrilling yet not exactly boring. It's plainly alright. It's perfect for its story. It actually had me reading non-stop. It was difficult to put down! I like how it kept me reading and never getting that need to breathe or put it down (even for a while). It's not a thrilling read but more like an interesting read - it intrigued me. I was always interested at where things will go, what will happen to Penn, what's causing the untimely death of people.
The romance was sweet!
It's not the swoon-y romance, sorry to tell you that. It's more of the sweet type of romance that would make you smile from ear to ear and make you constantly go 'awwww'. Yup. I don't know about you but I like my romance like that.
The ending left me wanting for more.
Oh this was a really, really fast read for me. It was really intriguing. I had this interest to know what happens to Penn, to 'heaven', to his beloved creation - Kismet. I just kept on turning the pages until there's nothing left.
OVERALL, The Fate is a well paced, fast read. It's honestly not the post page-turning book out there but it kept me glued to it until the end. It's quick read, only a hundred or so pages but the good thing is that the series is over. Penn is a main character that's too kind and too forgiving. It's neither his strength or weakness though. Though this character of him made him a very nice one to follow - I never got tired of him. If you're up for a nice and quick mythology read, I'd say go read this. If you want something completely mind blowing, full of twists, and whatnot, this is not your book.
September 4, 2016
Wow!! I'm tripping here just a little. I have seriously read nothing like this in all my years. This book almost scared me straight. I mean what if it were true. It's like mythology at its best and worst. It's great yet terrible, happy yet sad.
What if all human lives were truly a tapestry that a group of heavenly beings called, The Fate had the job of creating? In this book, Penn, the spinner in charge of creating the perfect or imperfect human being runs into a problem that changes everything. Penn has to fill orders daily of what kind of human is needed on earth. Dark threads can be added into the weave of that persons life in order to keep the balance of good and bad. Penn is the best spinner ever to create humans. He passes the thread to the next fate who decides how long that person will live. It then gets passed to the fate that determines how that person will die. Last but not least it gets passed to the fate who weaves the thread into the tapestry that makes up the world of humans and their lives. The fate decides if that person will have a good life or a life of hardship.
There is so much to love about this book as well as a bunch of crap I hated. This first book of this series don't go the way you exspect. I didn't like the things that started happening in this interesting story and as bad as I wanted to stop reading, because nothing was going my way, I could not put this book down. The ending is on a cliffhanger, but the good news is, the next book is already out and available. The third book is also available. I'm not sure if the third book is the final installment and I'm too lazy to go find out. Anyway, I'm off to the next book. I love when someone comes up with a fantasy that completely consumed me.
Readers will have a problems with how the book skips ahead in time, leaving you to feeling like there's a few gaps in the story, but the gaps is a small price to pay for a unique story. I will also tell you that although there is a cliffhanger it leaves you feeling excited, with the hope that the people you came to care for may yet have a chance at being saved some how.
What if all human lives were truly a tapestry that a group of heavenly beings called, The Fate had the job of creating? In this book, Penn, the spinner in charge of creating the perfect or imperfect human being runs into a problem that changes everything. Penn has to fill orders daily of what kind of human is needed on earth. Dark threads can be added into the weave of that persons life in order to keep the balance of good and bad. Penn is the best spinner ever to create humans. He passes the thread to the next fate who decides how long that person will live. It then gets passed to the fate that determines how that person will die. Last but not least it gets passed to the fate who weaves the thread into the tapestry that makes up the world of humans and their lives. The fate decides if that person will have a good life or a life of hardship.
There is so much to love about this book as well as a bunch of crap I hated. This first book of this series don't go the way you exspect. I didn't like the things that started happening in this interesting story and as bad as I wanted to stop reading, because nothing was going my way, I could not put this book down. The ending is on a cliffhanger, but the good news is, the next book is already out and available. The third book is also available. I'm not sure if the third book is the final installment and I'm too lazy to go find out. Anyway, I'm off to the next book. I love when someone comes up with a fantasy that completely consumed me.
Readers will have a problems with how the book skips ahead in time, leaving you to feeling like there's a few gaps in the story, but the gaps is a small price to pay for a unique story. I will also tell you that although there is a cliffhanger it leaves you feeling excited, with the hope that the people you came to care for may yet have a chance at being saved some how.
February 23, 2016
Penn is the first male Fate, the spinner of lives, a creator of life according to instructions from G-. Penn is the best spinner, one of three fates who create life and decide how long a life will be and how death will come. Penn has been spinning for decades until he creates the shiniest thread of them all, Kismet, and his entire world and everything he knows comes to a halt. He cannot create like he used to when all his thoughts are distracted by Kismet. She is everything. When Penn makes a mistake, he is banished to earth forever. Is this a true punishment when he can finally meet the real Kismet, or is there something more at work that Penn doesn’t yet know?
The Fate was a fun story told from an interesting perspective, that of only male spinner and molder of life, a Fate. Even though this story is told from “Heaven” and there are glimpses of God, the Fate is not a religious story. The Fate is a love story.
Penn’s story is a simple story that is complicated by a love he cannot have, a love he shouldn’t have. Penn is a Fate and Kismet is a human. He is immortal and she is not. On top of this, Penn has spun the perfect soul mate for Kismet. Penn could never be and will never be Kismet’s other half, but as fate would have it, he gets to meet her. He chooses to spend his banishment as close to Kismet as he can.
There are twists in this story that I did not like. They created an unsatisfying ending. Even though this is book one of a series, it did not tie up loose threads like a book should. Much like Erickson’s book, The Dead Room, the ending falls short of expectations. The ending notwithstanding, I very much enjoyed this book and the way it was told.
The Fate was a fun story told from an interesting perspective, that of only male spinner and molder of life, a Fate. Even though this story is told from “Heaven” and there are glimpses of God, the Fate is not a religious story. The Fate is a love story.
Penn’s story is a simple story that is complicated by a love he cannot have, a love he shouldn’t have. Penn is a Fate and Kismet is a human. He is immortal and she is not. On top of this, Penn has spun the perfect soul mate for Kismet. Penn could never be and will never be Kismet’s other half, but as fate would have it, he gets to meet her. He chooses to spend his banishment as close to Kismet as he can.
There are twists in this story that I did not like. They created an unsatisfying ending. Even though this is book one of a series, it did not tie up loose threads like a book should. Much like Erickson’s book, The Dead Room, the ending falls short of expectations. The ending notwithstanding, I very much enjoyed this book and the way it was told.
March 17, 2016
I wasn’t disappointed with this book at all. But it was more like a set up for the series than being its own story. Its pace was kind of quick. We met the characters and learned a little bit about them and a little bit about their world then the story moved on to the overall plot of the series. It was a nice change of pace and I really enjoyed this.
I liked that the story started out explaining the roles of the three fates and the weaver. I enjoyed watching the full circle of life: creation, life span and death and how that person fits into the big picture.
I also found it interesting that Erickson switched up the genders for some of the roles in her book. Penn was a male fate when in every story I have read all three fates are female and sisters. Erickson also made the reaper (Michaela) we meet female which was cool to. I have read of female reapers in other series before but it was a nice surprise and it will be interesting to get Michaela’s perspective on things in the future.
It was also a little different that even though the characters are immortal they “retire” after a few centuries and someone else takes their place. Usually immortals are born into a role and stay in that role.
I really liked Penn. He is a great character and man. I was pleased to see just how honorable he was when it came to Kismet. I can’t wait to see what Erickson has in store for him in the future. I am rooting for him to find love.
I also loved the description of God
There were a lot of interesting things happening and going on within “The Fate” and I can’t wait to see how this series turns out and comes together. I am looking forward to reading “The Reaper” next.
I liked that the story started out explaining the roles of the three fates and the weaver. I enjoyed watching the full circle of life: creation, life span and death and how that person fits into the big picture.
I also found it interesting that Erickson switched up the genders for some of the roles in her book. Penn was a male fate when in every story I have read all three fates are female and sisters. Erickson also made the reaper (Michaela) we meet female which was cool to. I have read of female reapers in other series before but it was a nice surprise and it will be interesting to get Michaela’s perspective on things in the future.
It was also a little different that even though the characters are immortal they “retire” after a few centuries and someone else takes their place. Usually immortals are born into a role and stay in that role.
I really liked Penn. He is a great character and man. I was pleased to see just how honorable he was when it came to Kismet. I can’t wait to see what Erickson has in store for him in the future. I am rooting for him to find love.
I also loved the description of God
There were a lot of interesting things happening and going on within “The Fate” and I can’t wait to see how this series turns out and comes together. I am looking forward to reading “The Reaper” next.
February 1, 2016
A perfect example of my lettuce head status. Posted this review on the 19th of last month and forgot to put it on here.
I received a copy of this book from the author. Thank you. Also thanks to the Book Gods I was able to finish reading it without the pesky battery dying on me while I was finishing it.
I think this is a very interesting cover. It just screams mystical to me. I did enjoy this book but I found it odd that Penn would be banished for making a mistake. Later on there seems to be a reason behind it that doesn't get revealed that you kinda figure out while you're reading.
Penn is one of the Fates. Yes he's a guy and that's unusual. He screws up and he gets banished to Earth by the big guy. He isn't like the others upstairs. He becomes fascinated with one of his creations. He is lucky to run into a family that helps him out. They really help him become adjust to living like a human being.
Penn is a good guy and it is understandable that he was torn about a decision he was faced with. Ultimately he did the right thing but something went terribly wrong. People start dying of natural causes even though they are young so Penn wants to know what's going on. He runs into his mentor and the one whose place he took. He is taken back upstairs and now a small group of people are trying to figure out what's going on even though Penn doesn't completely trust one of them. I thought this was a great start to a new series and look forward to the next book which I believe comes out next month.
I received a copy of this book from the author. Thank you. Also thanks to the Book Gods I was able to finish reading it without the pesky battery dying on me while I was finishing it.
I think this is a very interesting cover. It just screams mystical to me. I did enjoy this book but I found it odd that Penn would be banished for making a mistake. Later on there seems to be a reason behind it that doesn't get revealed that you kinda figure out while you're reading.
Penn is one of the Fates. Yes he's a guy and that's unusual. He screws up and he gets banished to Earth by the big guy. He isn't like the others upstairs. He becomes fascinated with one of his creations. He is lucky to run into a family that helps him out. They really help him become adjust to living like a human being.
Penn is a good guy and it is understandable that he was torn about a decision he was faced with. Ultimately he did the right thing but something went terribly wrong. People start dying of natural causes even though they are young so Penn wants to know what's going on. He runs into his mentor and the one whose place he took. He is taken back upstairs and now a small group of people are trying to figure out what's going on even though Penn doesn't completely trust one of them. I thought this was a great start to a new series and look forward to the next book which I believe comes out next month.
March 6, 2016
I received this book as a ARC for a honest review. What a cliffhanger by the way wow, is all I can say. This book had my emotions bouncing first I was mad then sad then happy then really just balling my eyes out to wanting more. This is a series I'm diffently going to be getting all of them to read I read this book in one day that's how amazing this book is. Ever wonder what heavens really like? I hope that it's similar to what I just read. Do you ever wonder how life is decided and put on its path? And who is gods workers could it be Archangels, Keepers, Reapers, Spinners,Weavers,Watchers this story has it all. The characters were written so well that they became very real to me and I cared about them.
As, one of the three fates it's easy for Penn a Spinner to know the plans for the lives of the humans, but it all started to get out of control when Penn had spun Kismets his focus shifted to only her and one thing led to another and a mistake was made that Penn would be banished to live on earth forever as a immortal. Adjusting to life as a human for Penn has its ups and downs he doesn't want to lie to Anyone and loves the taste of food. Finding Kismet was very great except he had mixed feelings on the situation, now people he cares for are dieing before they should and he knows because he's made them he must find the answers of what's going on. So if he can get back to heaven maybe he can stop it before it's to late. To find out what happens you must read it and enjoy ***WARNING YOU MIGHT CRY***
As, one of the three fates it's easy for Penn a Spinner to know the plans for the lives of the humans, but it all started to get out of control when Penn had spun Kismets his focus shifted to only her and one thing led to another and a mistake was made that Penn would be banished to live on earth forever as a immortal. Adjusting to life as a human for Penn has its ups and downs he doesn't want to lie to Anyone and loves the taste of food. Finding Kismet was very great except he had mixed feelings on the situation, now people he cares for are dieing before they should and he knows because he's made them he must find the answers of what's going on. So if he can get back to heaven maybe he can stop it before it's to late. To find out what happens you must read it and enjoy ***WARNING YOU MIGHT CRY***
January 5, 2016
*received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review*
Whoa. That's all I can think to say right now over the wailing of my soul after finishing that doozy of a cliffhanger.
I loved Penn's struggles with his newfound emotions and seeing him learn the right things to do. It was terribly easy to be so enamored with him and everyone else, especially Kismet and Andrew. Fia. Cody and his family. The characters were so sweet and kind, but not overtly so that it'd make me question the realm of reality.
The way the story was told with his voice was great, blending a narrative feel with a surreal version of one of Fate's fallen. The whole time I was reading it, I got suckered in, loving the story, crying, loving it again with a little bittersweet kisses, CRYING AGAIN, until eventually- gaaah. This just gave me all the feels, and I'll definitely be reading the second book.
I recommend this story. It's got an interesting take on the Fates who work under God with all the other angels, spinning tales of fate and love and that everyone- even Fate himself -falls under greater power.
Whoa. That's all I can think to say right now over the wailing of my soul after finishing that doozy of a cliffhanger.
I loved Penn's struggles with his newfound emotions and seeing him learn the right things to do. It was terribly easy to be so enamored with him and everyone else, especially Kismet and Andrew. Fia. Cody and his family. The characters were so sweet and kind, but not overtly so that it'd make me question the realm of reality.
The way the story was told with his voice was great, blending a narrative feel with a surreal version of one of Fate's fallen. The whole time I was reading it, I got suckered in, loving the story, crying, loving it again with a little bittersweet kisses, CRYING AGAIN, until eventually- gaaah. This just gave me all the feels, and I'll definitely be reading the second book.
I recommend this story. It's got an interesting take on the Fates who work under God with all the other angels, spinning tales of fate and love and that everyone- even Fate himself -falls under greater power.
January 6, 2016
This book is the first of the series. It is told from Penn's view as the spinner of the 3 Fates He is the first male fate in as long as anyone can remember. He spins the life of a person and then his sisters decide how long a life they will have and how they will die. He spins a beautiful women gifted with talent and becomes a bit obsessed with her. He keeps checking the tapestry of Life to see her as she grows. Another time he starts spinning a man and knows it will be her soul mate. He is handsome and kind. Penn makes a horrible mistake spinning another person and is banished from Heaven and falls to Earth. We follow him as he gets a job and works and begins to make a life for himself. A life he knows was to live a long life is cut short and he was his best friend and he goes looking for answers. When another is taken from him he is smuggled back into heaven to help figure out what is happening. The story was wonderful and I felt for Penn in his happiness and his sorrow and am so looking forward to the next book in the series.
January 12, 2016
Penn is a spinner. He is one of the Fates who create the lives of the people on earth. He is infatuated by one of his creations. As a result he makes a horrible mistake and is banished from Heaven. Can he survive on earth? He adapts to his new life and is happy. He meets people who help and care for him. Best of all he approaches Kismet, the woman he made and fell in love with and they become close friends. In fact he introduces her to her soul mate. Suddenly the world is turned upside down. Both Kismet and her fiancée are taken before their time. Who has changed their life's timeline? Penn is determined to find out who has done this. I loved this story. It has genuine characters that I liked and cared about. The story is well-crafted and cleverly plotted. It's an emotional and suspenseful story that pulled me in and I couldn't stop reading. I can't wait for the next release. Just be aware that this story end with unresolved questions. Luckily the next book will be coming soon.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unscripted review.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unscripted review.
January 24, 2016
Penn is a spinner of life, one of the Fates. He create's life in the palm of his hand. After making his greatest creation he loses his focus thus loses a lot more. After a while things take a turn and thinking things maybe going quite well he realizes things are not going as according to plan, people are dying before their time. Now Penn is on a mission to find out what in hades is going on before more people loose there life.
I enjoyed this story, it was completely different than anything I have read. I love Stephanie Erickson and I love her books, she has a special type of writing that you really never expect things to happen but they do. She keeps you on your toes and brings a great story. This was a very different and exciting story.
Penn was a very loveable character you follow him and his incredible journey he is so selfless and thinks of others first. Of course that was in grained in him being a Fate. He meets a lot of different people on the way and many love him and his vast skills. I can't wait to continue to follow Penn and his mission!
I enjoyed this story, it was completely different than anything I have read. I love Stephanie Erickson and I love her books, she has a special type of writing that you really never expect things to happen but they do. She keeps you on your toes and brings a great story. This was a very different and exciting story.
Penn was a very loveable character you follow him and his incredible journey he is so selfless and thinks of others first. Of course that was in grained in him being a Fate. He meets a lot of different people on the way and many love him and his vast skills. I can't wait to continue to follow Penn and his mission!
January 2, 2016
When the Fates are creating human beings, one particular Fate named Penn creates an almost perfect female human being. He calls her Kismet. The problem is he can’t get her out of his mind. For 26 years, Penn observes Kismet from his heavenly realm. He is totally obsessed and it is affecting his work.
Penn eventually screws up enough that he gets banished to earth. Of course, the first thing he does is seek out Kismet. Everything pretty much goes as planned for her life until she meets an unexpected and untimely death. Penn knows that she was supposed to have a long life, not die in her 20s. So now, Penn is on a mission to try and find out what is happening in heaven and on earth.
I’m a big fan of Stephanie Erickson’s work and this new series is every bit as good as I suspected it would be. I really enjoy the idea behind the fates and how they interact with mankind. I can’t wait for the next book to come out in March 2016.
Penn eventually screws up enough that he gets banished to earth. Of course, the first thing he does is seek out Kismet. Everything pretty much goes as planned for her life until she meets an unexpected and untimely death. Penn knows that she was supposed to have a long life, not die in her 20s. So now, Penn is on a mission to try and find out what is happening in heaven and on earth.
I’m a big fan of Stephanie Erickson’s work and this new series is every bit as good as I suspected it would be. I really enjoy the idea behind the fates and how they interact with mankind. I can’t wait for the next book to come out in March 2016.
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