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Furyck Saga #1
Winter's Fury
IN A WORLD RULED BY MEN, ONE WOMAN WILL RISE
She was their greatest warrior; the daughter of the king. But her uncle stole the throne and sent her away to marry Eadmund, the drunken son of their worst enemy. Now she must pick up her sword again to restore her family’s honour and return to the home she loves.
Despite her skill with a sword, her prowess in battle, and her reputation as the greatest warrior in Brekka, without her father to protect her, Jael was merely a pawn, a woman to be married off so her uncle could forge an alliance to fulfil his own desperate ambitions.
Eadmund is broken hearted, tortured by the murder of his first wife, but his father had lost patience with him. He wanted heirs for his kingdom. He wanted his son back, restored to the fierce warrior he had once been. And when his daughter has a dream about Jael, the woman who would save him, he eagerly jumps at the opportunity to make an alliance with his worst enemy.
Jael and Eadmund will fight against their union, but the dreamers know that this marriage is meant to be; it must happen for the sake of all Osterland. For without them... without Jael and her sword, without Eadmund by her side, the five kingdoms will not survive the darkness that is coming to claim them all.
She was their greatest warrior; the daughter of the king. But her uncle stole the throne and sent her away to marry Eadmund, the drunken son of their worst enemy. Now she must pick up her sword again to restore her family’s honour and return to the home she loves.
Despite her skill with a sword, her prowess in battle, and her reputation as the greatest warrior in Brekka, without her father to protect her, Jael was merely a pawn, a woman to be married off so her uncle could forge an alliance to fulfil his own desperate ambitions.
Eadmund is broken hearted, tortured by the murder of his first wife, but his father had lost patience with him. He wanted heirs for his kingdom. He wanted his son back, restored to the fierce warrior he had once been. And when his daughter has a dream about Jael, the woman who would save him, he eagerly jumps at the opportunity to make an alliance with his worst enemy.
Jael and Eadmund will fight against their union, but the dreamers know that this marriage is meant to be; it must happen for the sake of all Osterland. For without them... without Jael and her sword, without Eadmund by her side, the five kingdoms will not survive the darkness that is coming to claim them all.
738 pages, ebook
First published July 21, 2017
7345 people are currently reading
9433 people want to read
About the author
A.E. Rayne
22 books620 followersIntroducing myself
Hello, I’m Amy!
I live in Auckland, New Zealand, and have done for three-quarters of my life. The other quarter was spent in England, where my kids were born. I have three of those, and they’re very cool. I’m a bit demented and thought it would be a good idea to have them a year or so apart. I’m still recovering from that misguided notion, but am convinced that a month in Bora Bora would set me right!
Speaking of travelling, as much as I crave a tropical island escape, you’re far more inclined to find me hankering after snow. We don’t have any of that in Auckland – not a drop! And, although it did snow occasionally in dear old England, I’m still looking for the up-to-your-window sort of snow experience. I come from Viking stock (my grandmother was Swedish), so maybe that’s why I have always craved the cold, white stuff. In fact, my husband and I bonded over our love of scarves.
'Twas love at first discussion about the pleasure of a good scarf!
My reading journey
I was drawn to historical romance as a young reader. I loved anything by the Brontë sisters, but I think Jane Austen was my favourite author at that time. It was a toss-up between Pride & Prejudice and Jane Eyre for my favourite book as a tween. As I got older and developed a real love of history, I became obsessed with anything do with Vikings. I fell in love with Bernard Cornwell and Robert Lowe, Giles Kristian, too. But there’s always been time to fit in the next Diana Gabaldon. Her Outlander series is probably my favourite series ever (great tv too!). History is my one true love, so some of my favourites lately have been C.J. Sansom’s thrilling Tudor series and Patrick O’Brien 19th century naval adventures.
I always thought I would write the Furyck Saga as a historical fiction series, but I never found a period or place where it felt possible. Ultimately, I realised that actual history was far too limiting, so I stepped away from reality and entered the wonderful world of fantasy, and that’s when the fun started…
It took me a long time to become a writer.
I have ring binders and ring binders of stories, screenplays, tv show concepts, and book ideas that I’ve been creating since I was 10-years-old.
I was always very fast with ideas but seeing them all the way through was a lot harder, and eventually, as I grew up, life and work got in the way.
I would try writing Winter’s Fury off and on, but I never got very far, and dissatisfied, I always gave up, telling myself there simply wasn’t enough
time to fit writing in around three children, two dogs, a graphic design business, etc. etc. But what I quickly discovered is that time is what you make of it.
Inspired by an article I read about James Patterson, who got up early to write his first book and fit it in around his job, I started making writing a
daily discipline; the idea being that, bit by bit, I would eventually create an actual book. At first, it was tough. It felt like I was training for a marathon
and I didn’t even know how to run. But every day it got a little easier and eventually, I started to write more freely, and one day I had enough of a
book to show my husband. At this point it was either, forget it again, or keep going.
He read it and said… keep going. So, I did.
And I haven’t stopped!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 520 reviews
November 7, 2017
I hope you enjoy reading my book as much as I enjoyed writing it. Visit my site to find out more about me and book II, The Burning Sea, which is out now. http://aerayne.com/
October 23, 2022
Families and Kingdoms compete through marriages, magic and war
A fantasy/sword and sorcery novel with strong female characters, romance and a little soap opera. Well written but a little long in places. Volume two in this series is really long in several places. It carries the soap opera style much farther than I'm willing to go.
A fantasy/sword and sorcery novel with strong female characters, romance and a little soap opera. Well written but a little long in places. Volume two in this series is really long in several places. It carries the soap opera style much farther than I'm willing to go.
July 30, 2018
4.5 Well Deserved Stars
This one started out a bit slow for me. I wasn't entirely sure I was going to continue, but once I got into it, I was SO GLAD I DID.
This book really sets everything up right for a totally EPIC saga - Magic, battles, swords, alliances, a prophecy, an unwilling but strong heroine who is actually older than early 20 something, stolen/lost loves, witches, dreamers, good vs evil and a lot of gray areas in between, and the list goes on....
There are so many well developed characters in this, and while the story does sometimes seem slow, I think that a lot of it is needed to allow for enough character development for all of these people who are likely to play important roles. After about the first few chapters, I stopped minding that it was long and wordy and really starting enjoying delving into the characters. You have those characters you are totally rooting for, those that you want to punch, and those that you can't wait to see them lose their heads!
I absolutely LOVED Jael, she was a strong, kick ass warrior and I am totally invested in seeing how her story unfolds. Then there is Eadmund... Oh Eadmund, so many times I wanted to slap you!
I found it was sometimes really hard to read about his alcoholism and watching him hit rock bottom, but I loved Eadmund as a character. He is totally flawed, definitely not Jael's knight in shining armor - she doesn't need one! - and while this isn't a love story, I have hope that they will eventually be the epic couple they are meant to be.
There is a lot of darkness overshadowing everything, although that mostly remains in the background in this one, but you know its coming and it isn't going to be good for Jael and her allies.
So worth a read IMHO! An excellent start to the series
This one started out a bit slow for me. I wasn't entirely sure I was going to continue, but once I got into it, I was SO GLAD I DID.
This book really sets everything up right for a totally EPIC saga - Magic, battles, swords, alliances, a prophecy, an unwilling but strong heroine who is actually older than early 20 something, stolen/lost loves, witches, dreamers, good vs evil and a lot of gray areas in between, and the list goes on....
There are so many well developed characters in this, and while the story does sometimes seem slow, I think that a lot of it is needed to allow for enough character development for all of these people who are likely to play important roles. After about the first few chapters, I stopped minding that it was long and wordy and really starting enjoying delving into the characters. You have those characters you are totally rooting for, those that you want to punch, and those that you can't wait to see them lose their heads!
I absolutely LOVED Jael, she was a strong, kick ass warrior and I am totally invested in seeing how her story unfolds. Then there is Eadmund... Oh Eadmund, so many times I wanted to slap you!
I found it was sometimes really hard to read about his alcoholism and watching him hit rock bottom, but I loved Eadmund as a character. He is totally flawed, definitely not Jael's knight in shining armor - she doesn't need one! - and while this isn't a love story, I have hope that they will eventually be the epic couple they are meant to be.
There is a lot of darkness overshadowing everything, although that mostly remains in the background in this one, but you know its coming and it isn't going to be good for Jael and her allies.
So worth a read IMHO! An excellent start to the series
September 9, 2018
Like riding a stationary bike
I liked that the characters had flaws and were therefore more relatable, but man... this story moved at a glacial pace. So much writing for almost no story progress. Also, the author changes perspectives on a paragraph to paragraph basis--sometimes even within a paragraph--and I found this to be jarring. In fact, I found I COULDN'T stay up late reading because it was so hard to follow the constant perspective switches. They actually made me angry at times.
*vague spoilers ahead*
With that said, I think the story has some promise and I'm hopeful that the whole lotta nothing that happened in this book will springboard future action. The primary story follows a warrior princess, Jael, as she is forced by her evil uncle to marry a drunken, pathetic excuse for a prince of another nation. Already a fully actualized woman and skilled warrior in her late twenties, Jael has had a long and dedicated relationship (like a marriage) with another man/warrior, Aleksander, who she is forced to leave behind. I don't care much for love triangles but I appreciated the non-sugar coated tragedy of this situation and how it wasn't just the typical storyline of young virgin being shipped off to the love of her life. In this world, there are wise women, "Dreamers" who can see the future. Jael's Dreamer grandmother believes that this is Jael's true path, but discovers that Jael is in danger and seeks help from Aleksander and others to learn how to save Jael. Meanwhile, Jael's mother must wed and bed a bad person and we readers get to experience her perspective for no purpose really. In the nation of Oss, Jael makes new friends, including one who was brutally raped by one of the story's antagonists. Jael seeking revenge for her friend is a major storyline for this book. Also, in spite of being a very strong, non-gender conforming woman, Jael decides she is attracted to her new husband enough to cheat on Aleksander with him, even after he says some pretty misogynistic things to her (i.e., threatening to lock her in a cage to keep her from running from him and his sexual advances). It is entirely unclear how and why Jael would have a change of heart; her new husband spent most of his time as a pathetic drunk. He is cured from his alcoholism and apparently this is enough to woo Jael? I just don't get this logical leap. Beyond the stupid interpersonal dramas of court life, and there is some greater evil brewing: a Dark God wants to make a comeback. He is working through a witch, who is working through her evil daughter who wants Jael's husband... and we are back to petty love triangles and stereotypical female jealousy. Then Jael's evil brother in law shows up and he wants her badly... more love triangle drama. There are some politics here that are entertaining but most of the drama throughout the book does not move the story forward substantially; it feels like pedaling hard on a stationary bike.
I liked that the characters had flaws and were therefore more relatable, but man... this story moved at a glacial pace. So much writing for almost no story progress. Also, the author changes perspectives on a paragraph to paragraph basis--sometimes even within a paragraph--and I found this to be jarring. In fact, I found I COULDN'T stay up late reading because it was so hard to follow the constant perspective switches. They actually made me angry at times.
*vague spoilers ahead*
With that said, I think the story has some promise and I'm hopeful that the whole lotta nothing that happened in this book will springboard future action. The primary story follows a warrior princess, Jael, as she is forced by her evil uncle to marry a drunken, pathetic excuse for a prince of another nation. Already a fully actualized woman and skilled warrior in her late twenties, Jael has had a long and dedicated relationship (like a marriage) with another man/warrior, Aleksander, who she is forced to leave behind. I don't care much for love triangles but I appreciated the non-sugar coated tragedy of this situation and how it wasn't just the typical storyline of young virgin being shipped off to the love of her life. In this world, there are wise women, "Dreamers" who can see the future. Jael's Dreamer grandmother believes that this is Jael's true path, but discovers that Jael is in danger and seeks help from Aleksander and others to learn how to save Jael. Meanwhile, Jael's mother must wed and bed a bad person and we readers get to experience her perspective for no purpose really. In the nation of Oss, Jael makes new friends, including one who was brutally raped by one of the story's antagonists. Jael seeking revenge for her friend is a major storyline for this book. Also, in spite of being a very strong, non-gender conforming woman, Jael decides she is attracted to her new husband enough to cheat on Aleksander with him, even after he says some pretty misogynistic things to her (i.e., threatening to lock her in a cage to keep her from running from him and his sexual advances). It is entirely unclear how and why Jael would have a change of heart; her new husband spent most of his time as a pathetic drunk. He is cured from his alcoholism and apparently this is enough to woo Jael? I just don't get this logical leap. Beyond the stupid interpersonal dramas of court life, and there is some greater evil brewing: a Dark God wants to make a comeback. He is working through a witch, who is working through her evil daughter who wants Jael's husband... and we are back to petty love triangles and stereotypical female jealousy. Then Jael's evil brother in law shows up and he wants her badly... more love triangle drama. There are some politics here that are entertaining but most of the drama throughout the book does not move the story forward substantially; it feels like pedaling hard on a stationary bike.
August 18, 2020
A complicated read with VERY mixed feelings
This book was very mixed for me. I thoroughly enjoyed and loved some of the details in this book but it also had massive flaws for me.
What I loved: the worldbuilding. That was amazing. The small and intricate details rich with culture and humour was fantastic. It's rare to see something like that. A new world the author has thought of but for it to be believable and well thought-out.
What let me down: the confusing characters and POVs. There was WAY TOO MANY CHARACTERS AND TOO MANY DIFFERENT POVs!!! It was confusing and felt like I was jumping from one train to the next. I don't mind different POVs, but it would be nice for one chapter not to be split into six different sections for different characters. Some thoughts we don't need to hear, it adds to the mystery!!
The plot was interesting, but not enough. I don't think I will be picking up book 2.
→2.75 stars
This book was very mixed for me. I thoroughly enjoyed and loved some of the details in this book but it also had massive flaws for me.
What I loved: the worldbuilding. That was amazing. The small and intricate details rich with culture and humour was fantastic. It's rare to see something like that. A new world the author has thought of but for it to be believable and well thought-out.
What let me down: the confusing characters and POVs. There was WAY TOO MANY CHARACTERS AND TOO MANY DIFFERENT POVs!!! It was confusing and felt like I was jumping from one train to the next. I don't mind different POVs, but it would be nice for one chapter not to be split into six different sections for different characters. Some thoughts we don't need to hear, it adds to the mystery!!
The plot was interesting, but not enough. I don't think I will be picking up book 2.
→2.75 stars
November 27, 2020
Winter’s Fury…yet another Norse inspired novel that has indeed broken me. An ending that only has you downloading book two and screaming into the void! An ending that will only have you yelling the authors name, but without A.E. Rayne’s dastardly writing skills, there would be no Winter’s Fury. It’s taken me a few days to write this review because I have been on a book hungover, adrenaline intoxicated state. This is the second Norse -inspired book that I’ve read in under a week and I seriously think I’ve found my fantasy sub-genre niche.
Let’s take a small walk and allow me to show you just why I ended up in such a tangle of threads.
Winter’s Fury. Never has a fantasy novel held such promise and such truth. The story takes place on what seems like the coldest place on earth. The atmosphere is chilling alongside our protagonist’s mindframe after being forced into a marriage she doesn’t want or need. Whilst reading this book I had serious Viking TV show vibes, the same display of strong women, evil deeds and a running thread of Norse mythology and traditions being played throughout. It’s a slow burn but you get to learn fascinating back stories that either get you on board with characters or turn you straight off.
The author is highly skilled and receptive to how the plot should unfold. I particularly enjoyed how we have an extremely strong female character, but instead of suffering due to her past traumas, she has become stronger because of them. Her strengths and limitations are not unrealistic. She is quick to anger and react, but it is certainly not out of place due to her situation. It was especially pleasing when Jael Furyck became friends with her husband’s best friend. The relationship was spunky and fun…best of all no sign of a love triangle anywhere!
Winter’s Fury is a long ass book. It’s a long book but it was perfect for what the story needed to be. We had multiple plot lines interweaving and I’m glad that the author took the time to not only develop the characters but to give the reader perspective. The magical systems look to give a big pay-out in book two and I can’t wait to see how characters will play and favour in the final dance. I have my definite favourites and not just our MC.
Winter’s Fury leaves a lot to look forward to. We had twists and turns, highs and lows. The storyline with the main villain was thrilling and I was totally invested in the final fight. Everything that this story promised, it fully delivered on.
Let’s take a small walk and allow me to show you just why I ended up in such a tangle of threads.
Winter’s Fury. Never has a fantasy novel held such promise and such truth. The story takes place on what seems like the coldest place on earth. The atmosphere is chilling alongside our protagonist’s mindframe after being forced into a marriage she doesn’t want or need. Whilst reading this book I had serious Viking TV show vibes, the same display of strong women, evil deeds and a running thread of Norse mythology and traditions being played throughout. It’s a slow burn but you get to learn fascinating back stories that either get you on board with characters or turn you straight off.
The author is highly skilled and receptive to how the plot should unfold. I particularly enjoyed how we have an extremely strong female character, but instead of suffering due to her past traumas, she has become stronger because of them. Her strengths and limitations are not unrealistic. She is quick to anger and react, but it is certainly not out of place due to her situation. It was especially pleasing when Jael Furyck became friends with her husband’s best friend. The relationship was spunky and fun…best of all no sign of a love triangle anywhere!
Winter’s Fury is a long ass book. It’s a long book but it was perfect for what the story needed to be. We had multiple plot lines interweaving and I’m glad that the author took the time to not only develop the characters but to give the reader perspective. The magical systems look to give a big pay-out in book two and I can’t wait to see how characters will play and favour in the final dance. I have my definite favourites and not just our MC.
Winter’s Fury leaves a lot to look forward to. We had twists and turns, highs and lows. The storyline with the main villain was thrilling and I was totally invested in the final fight. Everything that this story promised, it fully delivered on.
January 18, 2021
This is actually a hidden gem 💎
Tog meets vikings and lord of the rings
Highly suggest it!!!
Tog meets vikings and lord of the rings
Highly suggest it!!!
November 15, 2024
This book stinks!
The book is so long, unnecessarily, so you (1) start losing interest in characters and their boring everyday life on a middle-of-nowhere frozen island (2) start skimming and skipping a page here and there (3) start being very bored and skip chapters and finally, (4) skip to the climax… and a total disappointment…after the whole 700+ pages of a tedious, stinking, freezing storyline. No Book 2 for me, as I barely survived this one without throwing up.
— The descriptions of various types of stench were so graphic, I found myself unable to read them without some sympathetic retching. The stew almost undid me. Stopped reading stinky graphic descriptions.
— Eadmund… I got so incredibly tired of this malodorous, weak, disgusting, drunken individual. His panic over a pregnant girlfriend would be laughable, were it not so real life-like.
— Right after a page that describes, in minute detail, how awfully Eadmund smells, covered in vomit and piss, how dirty and unkept he is, and how bad he looks, you read about him having a passionate sex with his lover. I thought I’d throw up. I couldn’t stomach any sex scenes involving him.
— The obsessed girlfriend, Evaine. She is so cut-and-paste bad person heroine, you just know her type. Spoiled, beautiful, innocent-looking but cunning and evil. No depth there, no deviation from a much trodden path.
— The evil uncle, Lothar. Another cut-and-paste, keep formatting type of a character. I still don’t understand why all loyal to a previous king people would choose him over a rightful heir. I didn’t get an impression that the kingdom was so unstable and under a threat, they must’ve had a strong, mature king. Why betray their king’s family, even if his choice of heir was not ideal?
— Jael is cool, but Gosh, how on Earth did she manage to fall in love with Eadmund? Not believable at all. Summarily, I found her gradual change of heart towards him unrealistic and inconsistent with her character as portrayed, since he hasn’t done anything to deserve it.
I just can’t see her falling in love with him, after the Author so thoroughly degraded Eadmund. You can’t respect him. I don’t see why would she?
— I was promised epic fighting! There is some training, in miserable cold, with wooden swords, and a bit of foot-to-head action… Epic saga, my stinking a$$.
The book is so long, unnecessarily, so you (1) start losing interest in characters and their boring everyday life on a middle-of-nowhere frozen island (2) start skimming and skipping a page here and there (3) start being very bored and skip chapters and finally, (4) skip to the climax… and a total disappointment…after the whole 700+ pages of a tedious, stinking, freezing storyline. No Book 2 for me, as I barely survived this one without throwing up.
— The descriptions of various types of stench were so graphic, I found myself unable to read them without some sympathetic retching. The stew almost undid me. Stopped reading stinky graphic descriptions.
— Eadmund… I got so incredibly tired of this malodorous, weak, disgusting, drunken individual. His panic over a pregnant girlfriend would be laughable, were it not so real life-like.
— Right after a page that describes, in minute detail, how awfully Eadmund smells, covered in vomit and piss, how dirty and unkept he is, and how bad he looks, you read about him having a passionate sex with his lover. I thought I’d throw up. I couldn’t stomach any sex scenes involving him.
— The obsessed girlfriend, Evaine. She is so cut-and-paste bad person heroine, you just know her type. Spoiled, beautiful, innocent-looking but cunning and evil. No depth there, no deviation from a much trodden path.
— The evil uncle, Lothar. Another cut-and-paste, keep formatting type of a character. I still don’t understand why all loyal to a previous king people would choose him over a rightful heir. I didn’t get an impression that the kingdom was so unstable and under a threat, they must’ve had a strong, mature king. Why betray their king’s family, even if his choice of heir was not ideal?
— Jael is cool, but Gosh, how on Earth did she manage to fall in love with Eadmund? Not believable at all. Summarily, I found her gradual change of heart towards him unrealistic and inconsistent with her character as portrayed, since he hasn’t done anything to deserve it.
I just can’t see her falling in love with him, after the Author so thoroughly degraded Eadmund. You can’t respect him. I don’t see why would she?
— I was promised epic fighting! There is some training, in miserable cold, with wooden swords, and a bit of foot-to-head action… Epic saga, my stinking a$$.
November 4, 2024
And done! An epic start to a series regarding prophecies, politics, revenge and magic. I found myself invested in all the characters which is rare for me. A bit too long for a first book but job well done!!!
February 29, 2020
1.5 stars, rounding up. DNF @ 25%.
I started this months ago but had to put it down. This was the first book I picked up after reading the entire A Song of Ice and Fire series by GRRM, so I didn't do Winter's Fury any justice with that juxtaposition. The characters were one dimensional, the pacing was off, and the POV shifting mid page was confusing. I also didn't connect with Jael's motivation. Her marriage was arranged and her lovely new husband was a drunk. It's hard to believe she's going to be a great heroine when she's trying so hard to make a man better she doesn't even know.
And let's talk about the drunk. One who drinks excessively develops, over time, some level of tolerance. Eadmund however, is written to be sloppy, blackout drunk after only a few drinks. I also think it was a bit of a stretch to associate his drinking with the death of his first wife. If I remember correctly (it has been months since I paused reading this), he only knew his first wife for one day before she was killed. 20 years of drinking to get over someone he knew for one day? C'mon! It would've been more relatable if his drinking was an addiction he struggled with. It was all just a little too unbelievable.
I loved the concept of this book and I really wanted a strong heroine to pull for, but this fell flat for me. It felt like a first draft. Many people really enjoyed this, so I am probably in the minority here. I hope to revisit in the future and give it another shot.
Cheers to a cool book cover! 🍻
I started this months ago but had to put it down. This was the first book I picked up after reading the entire A Song of Ice and Fire series by GRRM, so I didn't do Winter's Fury any justice with that juxtaposition. The characters were one dimensional, the pacing was off, and the POV shifting mid page was confusing. I also didn't connect with Jael's motivation. Her marriage was arranged and her lovely new husband was a drunk. It's hard to believe she's going to be a great heroine when she's trying so hard to make a man better she doesn't even know.
And let's talk about the drunk. One who drinks excessively develops, over time, some level of tolerance. Eadmund however, is written to be sloppy, blackout drunk after only a few drinks. I also think it was a bit of a stretch to associate his drinking with the death of his first wife. If I remember correctly (it has been months since I paused reading this), he only knew his first wife for one day before she was killed. 20 years of drinking to get over someone he knew for one day? C'mon! It would've been more relatable if his drinking was an addiction he struggled with. It was all just a little too unbelievable.
I loved the concept of this book and I really wanted a strong heroine to pull for, but this fell flat for me. It felt like a first draft. Many people really enjoyed this, so I am probably in the minority here. I hope to revisit in the future and give it another shot.
Cheers to a cool book cover! 🍻
August 6, 2022
Read 6/10/20
The h was an awesome woman. She's smart, resourceful, and a total badass. The H, on the other hand,was a drunken ass for almost the entire book. Not worthy of her and clueless about the woman he was sleeping with. How could she find herself in love in the end. It made no sense. He did improve once he got sober and away from his mistress. Hopefully the next book will better!
The h was an awesome woman. She's smart, resourceful, and a total badass. The H, on the other hand,was a drunken ass for almost the entire book. Not worthy of her and clueless about the woman he was sleeping with. How could she find herself in love in the end. It made no sense. He did improve once he got sober and away from his mistress. Hopefully the next book will better!
November 27, 2020
When I start a book, I just have to finish it - however bad it is, but this book tested that persistence in the extreme! It’s not a short read - 750 pages, but it has to be the most drawn out 750 pages I have ever had the misfortune to pick up. The plot is fairly straightforward - warrior princess forced into unwanted marriage and exile by nasty uncle who has assumed the throne after the death of her father. Various references to her future fate but the only thing which actually happens in this book is a fight contest in the court of her new island home against a stereotypical baddy. Seriously - this plot could have been easily covered in 200 pages. It is repetitive in the extreme and simply acts as a prologue to the rest of the saga, which would be fine if it had been less verbose. I normally speed through books but this took me over a week of forced reading to get to a rather uneventful ending. I can’t really find anything to recommend this book I’m afraid 😟
May 9, 2021
The story is good but the book is unnecessarily long.
February 15, 2022
"But if you risk nothing, you'll have nothing."
Winter’s Fury is an engrossing epic fantasy that blends together the complex characters and interwoven rivalries of Game of Thrones, with the exciting battles and fearless loyalty of the Vikings.
Warring kingdoms, love and betrayal, dark magic and an ancient prophecy that emerges from the shadows to weave a dangerous web around them all.
Come and start the journey today…
What did I enjoy?
This book is very much a character driven story, so if that is something you find yourself enjoying whilst reading, then this could be a good read for you. The main character, Jael Furyck, is a strong, badass female protagonist, and her POV's are actually quite enjoyable to read. Throughout the book we learn more about Jael's backstory, and begin to understand why she is the way that she is, which makes her feel so realistic. If I had to choose one thing to praise A.E. Rayne for, it would be the way she develops her characters so intricately, and portrays each character's flaws in a way that feels so relatable - even when I actually have nothing in common with the character myself, it's easy to relate to them, and learn to understand their actions, accepting them for who they are.
I also quite enjoyed the slow burn romance between Jael and Eadmund, and the way that they developed a friendship before a relationship. Following that point, my overall favourite part of this book has got to be the friendships! I don't even know where to start with this, as there was just so many diverse friendships throughout this story, they all tugged on my heartstrings, made me laugh, and made me cry. Jael & Thorgils - their dynamic often had me smiling and laughing. Aleksander & Edela - so many lovely, heart-warming moments. Eydis & Jael - adorable companionship, loved how Jael treated her as an equal. Fyn, Jael & Thorgils - an iconic trio.
In conclusion, my positives for this book are the realistic characters, and the beautiful themes of unlikely friendships/camaraderie.
So, what didn't I enjoy?
I absolutely love long books usually, as I find myself becoming more attached to the characters and immersed into the world that I've thrown myself into. However, in Winter's Fury, this just wasn't the case for me. I feel like this book could've easily have been condensed into a 400-500 page book without losing any of the plot, nor the worldbuilding, nor the character developments. I found myself skimming certain character POV's (which I will delve into a little later on), and having to put the book down when the story just got too slow, and lost it's sense of direction.
During the first few chapters of the book I was hooked with the prospect of battles and betrayals in this Viking fantasy setting, but quickly found that this book was lacking in the 'epicness' it originally kicked off with. The official fighting and action in this book of 'exciting battles and fearless loyalty' begins in chapter 57, page 691 of 751. Now don't get me wrong, I do much prefer scenes building upon characters rather than constant action, but when I picked up this book about Viking's with the promise of an 'engrossing epic fantasy' I definitely expected the action to come much sooner, and more frequently.
Now, this may just be a matter of personal preference, but I found it to be one of my main struggles when reading this book. Aleksander and Edela's POV's. More so Aleksander, as there were actually a few Edela chapters that I thoroughly enjoyed. Aleksander's POV's, for me, were just boring - to put it simply. There was nothing about his character that made me interested to learn more, or even make me feel any kind of emotion besides utter boredom. In the first couple of chapters, when Aleksander and Jael are still together, I was intrigued to see how they would both deal with the separation, and perhaps grow into who they really are without one another to depend on - as they had most of their lives. Jael's storyline kept me on my toes and constantly had me wanting to learn more, more , more about her past and what was going to happen next. Aleksander, on the other hand, couldn't have been more dull if he tried. His entire personality obviously must've revolved around Jael, his only thought being about her and how much he misses her, with the occasional thought about her being stuck with Eadmund as a husband (a drunkard), only to adopt those behaviours himself further down the line. I realise that this sounds like I am rambling about my dislike for him, but it is more of a dislike about the way he was written. He had way more potential to become a character with more complex thoughts and feelings, but ended up coming short with his entire personality being the overbearingly dull ex-love interest.
Final Verdict
I debated on rating this book 3 stars, but ended up settling for a solid 2.5 in the end. I found myself loving a lot of aspects of this book, but also found myself, unfortunately, disliking the same - if not more - amount in comparison.
If a character heavy story is what you enjoy, then this book will probably be ideal for you. However, if you prefer more action and plot, or a healthy mixture of everything, then you may find yourself struggling to finish this book, much like I did.
I would probably try to read the second book in the saga at some point, but it is most definitely not a priority of mine. I'm disappointed that I don't have the urge to immediately pick up the next book and get sucked into the world again, as longer book series are typically a guilty pleasure of mine, however the ending didn't leave me asking enough questions to feel that need to make my bank account cry with purchase after purchase of the rest of these books.
A solid 2.5 star read.
Winter’s Fury is an engrossing epic fantasy that blends together the complex characters and interwoven rivalries of Game of Thrones, with the exciting battles and fearless loyalty of the Vikings.
Warring kingdoms, love and betrayal, dark magic and an ancient prophecy that emerges from the shadows to weave a dangerous web around them all.
Come and start the journey today…
What did I enjoy?
This book is very much a character driven story, so if that is something you find yourself enjoying whilst reading, then this could be a good read for you. The main character, Jael Furyck, is a strong, badass female protagonist, and her POV's are actually quite enjoyable to read. Throughout the book we learn more about Jael's backstory, and begin to understand why she is the way that she is, which makes her feel so realistic. If I had to choose one thing to praise A.E. Rayne for, it would be the way she develops her characters so intricately, and portrays each character's flaws in a way that feels so relatable - even when I actually have nothing in common with the character myself, it's easy to relate to them, and learn to understand their actions, accepting them for who they are.
I also quite enjoyed the slow burn romance between Jael and Eadmund, and the way that they developed a friendship before a relationship. Following that point, my overall favourite part of this book has got to be the friendships! I don't even know where to start with this, as there was just so many diverse friendships throughout this story, they all tugged on my heartstrings, made me laugh, and made me cry. Jael & Thorgils - their dynamic often had me smiling and laughing. Aleksander & Edela - so many lovely, heart-warming moments. Eydis & Jael - adorable companionship, loved how Jael treated her as an equal. Fyn, Jael & Thorgils - an iconic trio.
In conclusion, my positives for this book are the realistic characters, and the beautiful themes of unlikely friendships/camaraderie.
So, what didn't I enjoy?
I absolutely love long books usually, as I find myself becoming more attached to the characters and immersed into the world that I've thrown myself into. However, in Winter's Fury, this just wasn't the case for me. I feel like this book could've easily have been condensed into a 400-500 page book without losing any of the plot, nor the worldbuilding, nor the character developments. I found myself skimming certain character POV's (which I will delve into a little later on), and having to put the book down when the story just got too slow, and lost it's sense of direction.
During the first few chapters of the book I was hooked with the prospect of battles and betrayals in this Viking fantasy setting, but quickly found that this book was lacking in the 'epicness' it originally kicked off with. The official fighting and action in this book of 'exciting battles and fearless loyalty' begins in chapter 57, page 691 of 751. Now don't get me wrong, I do much prefer scenes building upon characters rather than constant action, but when I picked up this book about Viking's with the promise of an 'engrossing epic fantasy' I definitely expected the action to come much sooner, and more frequently.
Now, this may just be a matter of personal preference, but I found it to be one of my main struggles when reading this book. Aleksander and Edela's POV's. More so Aleksander, as there were actually a few Edela chapters that I thoroughly enjoyed. Aleksander's POV's, for me, were just boring - to put it simply. There was nothing about his character that made me interested to learn more, or even make me feel any kind of emotion besides utter boredom. In the first couple of chapters, when Aleksander and Jael are still together, I was intrigued to see how they would both deal with the separation, and perhaps grow into who they really are without one another to depend on - as they had most of their lives. Jael's storyline kept me on my toes and constantly had me wanting to learn more, more , more about her past and what was going to happen next. Aleksander, on the other hand, couldn't have been more dull if he tried. His entire personality obviously must've revolved around Jael, his only thought being about her and how much he misses her, with the occasional thought about her being stuck with Eadmund as a husband (a drunkard), only to adopt those behaviours himself further down the line. I realise that this sounds like I am rambling about my dislike for him, but it is more of a dislike about the way he was written. He had way more potential to become a character with more complex thoughts and feelings, but ended up coming short with his entire personality being the overbearingly dull ex-love interest.
Final Verdict
I debated on rating this book 3 stars, but ended up settling for a solid 2.5 in the end. I found myself loving a lot of aspects of this book, but also found myself, unfortunately, disliking the same - if not more - amount in comparison.
If a character heavy story is what you enjoy, then this book will probably be ideal for you. However, if you prefer more action and plot, or a healthy mixture of everything, then you may find yourself struggling to finish this book, much like I did.
I would probably try to read the second book in the saga at some point, but it is most definitely not a priority of mine. I'm disappointed that I don't have the urge to immediately pick up the next book and get sucked into the world again, as longer book series are typically a guilty pleasure of mine, however the ending didn't leave me asking enough questions to feel that need to make my bank account cry with purchase after purchase of the rest of these books.
A solid 2.5 star read.
December 17, 2024
The world building in this book was so good and detailed. It was very immersive.
September 1, 2018
I found the characters of the book to be engaging. Jael is a no nonsense young woman with true grit, she let's herself be pushed into a marriage she doesn't want to protect her family and the man she really loves. Her family's fortunes have gone into a downward spiral after her father the King dies. Disinherited, her uncle takes the throne. The uncle is greedy and ambitious, using Jael to cement an alliance with a old enemy to defeat a mutual foe. Eadmund, her new husband ,is heir to the throne, but has become a useless drunk after the death of his first wife. His father threatens to disinherit him and bring back his exiled other son, if the marriage fails. Nobody wants that. Jael faces hostility from all sides and has many enemies. In the background lurks another enemy, an ancient and magical evil that is targeting Jael and her family. It's purpose is yet unknown. Lovely read. I would recommend this to anyone who loves sword & sorcery fantasy.
November 19, 2019
Listen up - this. This book was amazeballs. I am so grateful that I stumbled across this one. I am going to process this and find a way to put this in to words to do this book justice.
On to book #2 first ....
On to book #2 first ....
May 12, 2025
By page 600 I was hooked
August 26, 2020
I’m not a fan of the authors writing style as it jumps around randomly with each character’s POV but I found myself invested in the story anyway. It took me quite a few chapters before I got into the characters or learned to care for them. I’m looking forward to reading the next book.
January 14, 2024
I really enjoyed this book, however, I finished it not caring to read the rest of the series because of how long winded it was. I felt like it was missing a little something, but I can’t put my finger on it.
October 17, 2025
This book started out a little slow but was sooo worth it. At first it was hard for me to track all of the characters but holy moly once I did, it was so easy to get hooked in. Evil uncle, arranged marriage, leaving lover behind, evil brother in law, dreamers seeing the future, dark magic lurking, badass FMC, war on the horizon, revenge. I loved this epic Viking fantasy and can’t wait to read the next one.
September 2, 2020
DNF. This was like a super bad harlequin romance. The hero was scum. He is nothing but a drunk that knocks up Evaine, while being married to Jael. Why is he a drunk? His wife of one day died 8? years ago...
They made Evaine out to be this terrible person, but honestly she was a little girl that was being led along and manipulated by the hero. There was nothing to like about the hero or his father. The hero sends away his pregnant mistress and is now supposed to fall in love with Jael. Jael was probably the only likeable character. But she's supposed to be this powerful warrior who is commanded by her uncle. I don't buy it. Anyways, the plot sucked, the characters sucked. Hated the POV changes, that happened every other page. It was annoying and ruined the pacing. I could have forced myself to keep reading this because the writing wasn't bad but I will pass.
They made Evaine out to be this terrible person, but honestly she was a little girl that was being led along and manipulated by the hero. There was nothing to like about the hero or his father. The hero sends away his pregnant mistress and is now supposed to fall in love with Jael. Jael was probably the only likeable character. But she's supposed to be this powerful warrior who is commanded by her uncle. I don't buy it. Anyways, the plot sucked, the characters sucked. Hated the POV changes, that happened every other page. It was annoying and ruined the pacing. I could have forced myself to keep reading this because the writing wasn't bad but I will pass.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 3, 2019
4.5 stars
So good! Character driven. Strategic. Magical.
Takes a little bit to get going, in a good way. Like a rollercoaster car before it’s first dip. YOU MUST BE IN THE MOOD for high fantasy. It’s awfully meaty and very satisfying, if high fantasy is what you crave.
Be ready to change POVs often, but then, I did say it was character driven.
So good! Character driven. Strategic. Magical.
Takes a little bit to get going, in a good way. Like a rollercoaster car before it’s first dip. YOU MUST BE IN THE MOOD for high fantasy. It’s awfully meaty and very satisfying, if high fantasy is what you crave.
Be ready to change POVs often, but then, I did say it was character driven.
December 22, 2019
I'd have killed Edmund by page 500 ..
Why the lead female character would fall for a spoiled alcoholic who seemed to spend the first 600 pages drunk and covered in his own filth was beyond me.. Far too long to develop , no humour and as such I personally didn't sympathise with the two main characters .
Why the lead female character would fall for a spoiled alcoholic who seemed to spend the first 600 pages drunk and covered in his own filth was beyond me.. Far too long to develop , no humour and as such I personally didn't sympathise with the two main characters .
November 24, 2021
No cap, this book is good. I can’t believe I finished it in 2 days. This book felt like a series that gets you hooked on the first day.
TW; rape is mentioned in the book so please take care and take a break when needed
TW; rape is mentioned in the book so please take care and take a break when needed
Want to read
January 17, 2020🎁 FREE on Amazon today (1/17/2020)! 🎁
February 2, 2021
Winter’s fury is classified as EPIC Fantasy. However, while I think the Furyck Saga SERIES might be epic fantasy, this book only hints at that.
Winter’s Fury is less EPIC and more of a HEROINE’S JOURNEY.
I’ll be talking about The Heroine’s Journey by Gail Carriger in a later video and blog post, but there are many aspects of Winter’s Fury that align with the narrative design of the HEROINE’s JOURNEY.
This is the tale of one woman in a man’s world who is thrown into an unwilling marriage in order to unite two countries with the goal of taking over a third. However, the main plot of Winter’s Fury focuses more on Jael’s coming into her own.
My thoughts on the present reviews/ratings
It’s a 4-star story for sure, but I’ve seen a number of reviews that offer the critique, “It’s like riding a stationary bike.” With all due respect to those reviewers, I believe they simply felt they would be getting a more epic story in book 1—maybe one that was broader in scope rather than focusing so intently on the characters. Honestly, I wondered if that was the case when I picked up this book, and felt like my hunch was justified in the end.
For me, the characters’ inner and outer journeys combined with solid worldbuilding are the most rewarding parts about reading fantasy.
My rating of Wynter’s Fury & my rating scale
When I rate a book (and I can be fairly harsh on occasion), I have to take an average.
For Winter’s Fury, here are my scores:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Character development: This is a 100% character-driven story.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Plot. The plot was good. But because there were promises made but not fulfilled, I subtracted one star. I don’t mind this, because I expect some of that in series, but it rarely lets me give a 5-star to a single book in the series.
⭐⭐⭐ Writing style for the following reasons.
It’s simple and mostly easy to read.
There was a good deal of emotional telling.
Lots of head-hopping under the guise of omniscient point of view. Yes, that’s a choice. Yes, the author admits the choice. Unfortunately, I found it jarring.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Worldbuilding, or maybe slightly lower.
Caveat: I LOVE good, original, and thorough worldbuilding – even if it’s steeped in some real historical lore. Worldbuilding is absolutely my jam!
⚔️ I felt this book’s worldbuilding was light. Okay, that’s another choice, but it relied on common reader knowledge of Norse Mythology, which makes it not super original.
⚔️ I’d have liked a better map. Maybe it’s my old eyes, but I can’t read a lot of what’s on there. Hopefully, that’s improved in subsequent books.
⚔️ All this being said, the world was consistent, and I always had the feeling I was right there with the characters. And cold. I was usually feeling cold.
The Bottom Line
⭐⭐⭐⭐
If you like immersive fantasy, this will do the trick. However, be aware that the bulk of the story is one person’s journey.
Winter’s Fury is less EPIC and more of a HEROINE’S JOURNEY.
I’ll be talking about The Heroine’s Journey by Gail Carriger in a later video and blog post, but there are many aspects of Winter’s Fury that align with the narrative design of the HEROINE’s JOURNEY.
This is the tale of one woman in a man’s world who is thrown into an unwilling marriage in order to unite two countries with the goal of taking over a third. However, the main plot of Winter’s Fury focuses more on Jael’s coming into her own.
My thoughts on the present reviews/ratings
It’s a 4-star story for sure, but I’ve seen a number of reviews that offer the critique, “It’s like riding a stationary bike.” With all due respect to those reviewers, I believe they simply felt they would be getting a more epic story in book 1—maybe one that was broader in scope rather than focusing so intently on the characters. Honestly, I wondered if that was the case when I picked up this book, and felt like my hunch was justified in the end.
For me, the characters’ inner and outer journeys combined with solid worldbuilding are the most rewarding parts about reading fantasy.
My rating of Wynter’s Fury & my rating scale
When I rate a book (and I can be fairly harsh on occasion), I have to take an average.
For Winter’s Fury, here are my scores:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Character development: This is a 100% character-driven story.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Plot. The plot was good. But because there were promises made but not fulfilled, I subtracted one star. I don’t mind this, because I expect some of that in series, but it rarely lets me give a 5-star to a single book in the series.
⭐⭐⭐ Writing style for the following reasons.
It’s simple and mostly easy to read.
There was a good deal of emotional telling.
Lots of head-hopping under the guise of omniscient point of view. Yes, that’s a choice. Yes, the author admits the choice. Unfortunately, I found it jarring.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Worldbuilding, or maybe slightly lower.
Caveat: I LOVE good, original, and thorough worldbuilding – even if it’s steeped in some real historical lore. Worldbuilding is absolutely my jam!
⚔️ I felt this book’s worldbuilding was light. Okay, that’s another choice, but it relied on common reader knowledge of Norse Mythology, which makes it not super original.
⚔️ I’d have liked a better map. Maybe it’s my old eyes, but I can’t read a lot of what’s on there. Hopefully, that’s improved in subsequent books.
⚔️ All this being said, the world was consistent, and I always had the feeling I was right there with the characters. And cold. I was usually feeling cold.
The Bottom Line
⭐⭐⭐⭐
If you like immersive fantasy, this will do the trick. However, be aware that the bulk of the story is one person’s journey.
September 18, 2023
Took 3 years to read on and off. More of a 3.5 than a 3. An attempt at GoT but lacks the incredible storytelling of that (probably an unfair comparison). The scene setting takes a long time to build and reach a point where the story catches light. This doesnt justify the book running to 700+ pages and a lot are fairly slow and is probably at least a 150 pages too long. However when it does get going the story is fast paced but a little crammed towards the end. There are a couple of surprising moments and i am tempted to push on and read the next but the length is somewhat off putting. By the end you are invested in the main characters although it does take some time to care much about them
Read
August 14, 2025I'm still debating a star rating..
It's definitely very slow to start with, but as I got further into it, I completely understood why. There's a lot of characters and story threads being built, which they need to be because it's clearly going to be a detailed series. It gives you time to love the characters and root for them. A lot of sad things happen, but I'd still describe it as a cosy fantasy. I found it really immersive, and it gave my Skyrim vibes in many ways 😂 I'm looking forward to reading the next one.
It's definitely very slow to start with, but as I got further into it, I completely understood why. There's a lot of characters and story threads being built, which they need to be because it's clearly going to be a detailed series. It gives you time to love the characters and root for them. A lot of sad things happen, but I'd still describe it as a cosy fantasy. I found it really immersive, and it gave my Skyrim vibes in many ways 😂 I'm looking forward to reading the next one.
January 26, 2025
Wow I REALLLYYYY liked this one. It had everything I like In a fantasy book. I have very little complaints. This was a near perfect start to an epic fantasy series. Can’t wait to see what future books will bring! 4.5/5 ⭐️
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