What do you think?
Rate this book
The Golden Age That Never Was
Fandoms: Rise of the Guardians (2012), Guardians of Childhood
Relationships: Jack Frost/Pitch Black, Jack Frost/Kozmotis Pitchiner
--------------------------------------------------
Soldier in training Jack Overland is approaching the day of his initiation, finally he’ll learn how to fight back against the living darkness and serve the Tsar and Tsarina Lunanoff. More importantly, maybe it will get him closer to Royal Admiral Kozmotis Pitchiner, Jack’s hero, champion of the people. If only anything ever worked out the way it should.
Relationships: Jack Frost/Pitch Black, Jack Frost/Kozmotis Pitchiner
--------------------------------------------------
Soldier in training Jack Overland is approaching the day of his initiation, finally he’ll learn how to fight back against the living darkness and serve the Tsar and Tsarina Lunanoff. More importantly, maybe it will get him closer to Royal Admiral Kozmotis Pitchiner, Jack’s hero, champion of the people. If only anything ever worked out the way it should.
1360 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 2015
1 person is currently reading
9 people want to read
About the author
Pia Foxhall
16 books176 followersPronouns: They/them
Aka not_poignant
http://not-poignant.tumblr.com/
http://archiveofourown.org/users/not_...
http://archiveofourown.org/users/thes...
NEWSLETTER: http://eepurl.com/dJsDhQ
Aka not_poignant
http://not-poignant.tumblr.com/
http://archiveofourown.org/users/not_...
http://archiveofourown.org/users/thes...
NEWSLETTER: http://eepurl.com/dJsDhQ
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
August 10, 2021
I wish I had a hard copy of this incredible ass story. I'd worship it and keep it by my bed like a bloody bible because of the strength and faith it injects into me. Jack's courage is so very beautiful, and his force of will is relentless as all hell. 10/5 stars
February 20, 2024
This was really good. This is basically an AU of Shadows of Light series by the same author. This can be read as a stand alone, and it is quite long. But I loved every page of it, I'm always shocked by how enjoyable this authors works are.
November 7, 2018
Always five stars for this. An epic tale of fear and courage in unbelievable circumstances.
March 1, 2021
One of my faves
September 5, 2022
okay once again adding a fanfic for my reading challenge but this is probably longer than every single published book i'll read this year so that's fine
November 20, 2019
First off, I admit I have no idea what Rise of the Guardians is, so I read this as an original work. I've read Pia Foxhall's Fae Tales verse, and I am currently on summer break which means I can read! The Golden Age That Never Was is a 400K word epic and it is glorious. I've always been drawn to the idea of rebellions and struggling to win against a stronger power, and that is the strongest appeal this novel has for me. What is it like to realize that your leaders and heroes are not the people you think they are? What is it like to realize that reality is so much different from your ideals?
Foxhall does a brilliant job with Jack's transformation. He starts off loyal to the Tsar and despising Pitch. He loves the Tsar, and he continues to love him even after being hurt by him. There was a point when I was screaming at Jack in my head to just set the Tsar on FIRE (which, yes, he can't do because his magic is with snow, but the intent is still there) because the Tsar is such a manipulative asshole and verbally abusing Jack and Jack doesn't see it. He internalizes the Tsar's cruelty and believes it completely when the Tsar calls him stupid. At the same time, he fights back in ways he doesn't realize. I found myself relating to Jack at times, which made it hard for me to keep reading but at the same time made me go "just one more chapter" even though I needed to sleep because I needed to know that things would get better for him, that he would, so to speak, see the light.
Pitch was... intense. Because we see the entire story from Jack's pov, I read Pitch as an asshole, and immediately, I liked him. Except when he didn't administer aftercare. Come on, Pitch, be better. Pitch has suffered a lot under the reign of the Tsar. He's lost faith in the possibility of a better future, for the most part, except there are parts of him that still support the rebellion. Of course, Pitch and Jack get along super well (HAHAHAHAH), and since the beginning, Pitch has been the one to push Jack to look beyond the Tsar's propaganda and see what's beneath the surface.
This is a slow burn. Like, the slowest burn of the slow burns to ever slow burn. And I love it. Pitch and Jack's relationship grows and changes slowly throughout the course of the novel, and it progresses naturally. It's beautiful how they grow to trust and love each other.
Pitch started out as Jack's hero, and Jack is horrified to find out that Pitch isn't the man Jack has always thought of him to be. However, I love this aspect of their relationship. When is everything always butterflies and sunshine and fluffy clouds? (I actually wouldn't know because I don't understand this relationship thing either.) The two of them fight. They get mad at each other. They don't always talk when they should. But they make up. They try again. And that warms my cold dead heart. To Jack, Pitch is a hero and a man, and in the end, he sees Pitch for who Pitch is, not who Jack wanted him to be.
In regards to the more mature themes, This review is rife with spoilers but I'm keeping these hidden because I'm trying to censor myself (and failing miserably if I'm being honest.)
Mind the tags and, if you think this is something you like, definitely check it out on ao3! I loved it!
Foxhall does a brilliant job with Jack's transformation. He starts off loyal to the Tsar and despising Pitch. He loves the Tsar, and he continues to love him even after being hurt by him. There was a point when I was screaming at Jack in my head to just set the Tsar on FIRE (which, yes, he can't do because his magic is with snow, but the intent is still there) because the Tsar is such a manipulative asshole and verbally abusing Jack and Jack doesn't see it. He internalizes the Tsar's cruelty and believes it completely when the Tsar calls him stupid. At the same time, he fights back in ways he doesn't realize. I found myself relating to Jack at times, which made it hard for me to keep reading but at the same time made me go "just one more chapter" even though I needed to sleep because I needed to know that things would get better for him, that he would, so to speak, see the light.
Pitch was... intense. Because we see the entire story from Jack's pov, I read Pitch as an asshole, and immediately, I liked him. Except when he didn't administer aftercare. Come on, Pitch, be better. Pitch has suffered a lot under the reign of the Tsar. He's lost faith in the possibility of a better future, for the most part, except there are parts of him that still support the rebellion. Of course, Pitch and Jack get along super well (HAHAHAHAH), and since the beginning, Pitch has been the one to push Jack to look beyond the Tsar's propaganda and see what's beneath the surface.
This is a slow burn. Like, the slowest burn of the slow burns to ever slow burn. And I love it. Pitch and Jack's relationship grows and changes slowly throughout the course of the novel, and it progresses naturally. It's beautiful how they grow to trust and love each other.
Pitch started out as Jack's hero, and Jack is horrified to find out that Pitch isn't the man Jack has always thought of him to be. However, I love this aspect of their relationship. When is everything always butterflies and sunshine and fluffy clouds? (I actually wouldn't know because I don't understand this relationship thing either.) The two of them fight. They get mad at each other. They don't always talk when they should. But they make up. They try again. And that warms my cold dead heart. To Jack, Pitch is a hero and a man, and in the end, he sees Pitch for who Pitch is, not who Jack wanted him to be.
In regards to the more mature themes, This review is rife with spoilers but I'm keeping these hidden because I'm trying to censor myself (and failing miserably if I'm being honest.)
Mind the tags and, if you think this is something you like, definitely check it out on ao3! I loved it!
September 28, 2024
This fic changed my life the first time I read it and I feel like there’s a gigantic hole in my chest now that I’ve finished it a second time. This story is seriously so important to me and I’m so glad I live in a world where I get to read it again and again. Pitch & Jack hold such a special place in my heart UGH ❤️
April 16, 2024
4.5
After finishing the saga of SAL, I wanted to read everything with Pitch/Jack, before starting the massive journey that is Fae Tales, so I read this expecting something nice and short.
AND I GOT THIS? THIS EPICNESS? AND OMYGOD? OMYGOD? OMYGOD?
It was very good.
After finishing the saga of SAL, I wanted to read everything with Pitch/Jack, before starting the massive journey that is Fae Tales, so I read this expecting something nice and short.
AND I GOT THIS? THIS EPICNESS? AND OMYGOD? OMYGOD? OMYGOD?
It was very good.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews