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The Shroud of Prophecy #1
Fate of the Fallen
The start of a brand new adventure from New York Times bestselling author Kel Kade
Not all stories have happy endings.
Everyone loves Mathias. Naturally, when he discovers it’s his destiny to save the world, he dives in head first, pulling his best friend Aaslo along for the ride.
However, saving the world isn’t as easy, or exciting, as it sounds in the stories. The going gets rough and folks start to believe their best chance for survival is to surrender to the forces of evil, which isn’t how the prophecy goes. At all. As the list of allies grows thin, and the friends find themselves staring death in the face they must decide how to become the heroes they were destined to be or, failing that, how to survive.
Not all stories have happy endings.
Everyone loves Mathias. Naturally, when he discovers it’s his destiny to save the world, he dives in head first, pulling his best friend Aaslo along for the ride.
However, saving the world isn’t as easy, or exciting, as it sounds in the stories. The going gets rough and folks start to believe their best chance for survival is to surrender to the forces of evil, which isn’t how the prophecy goes. At all. As the list of allies grows thin, and the friends find themselves staring death in the face they must decide how to become the heroes they were destined to be or, failing that, how to survive.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published November 5, 2019
737 people are currently reading
14722 people want to read
About the author
Kel Kade
13 books3,509 followersKel Kade lives in Texas and occasionally serves as an adjunct college faculty member, inspiring young minds and introducing them to the fascinating and very real world of geosciences. Thanks to Kade’s enthusiastic readers and the success of the King’s Dark Tidings series, Kade is now able to create universes spanning space and time, develop criminal empires, plot the downfall of tyrannous rulers, and dive into fantastical mysteries full time.
Growing up, Kade lived a military lifestyle of traveling to and living in new places. These experiences with distinctive cultures and geography instilled in Kade a sense of wanderlust and opened a young mind to the knowledge that the Earth is expansive and wild. A deep interest in science, ancient history, cultural anthropology, art, music, languages, and spirituality is evidenced by the diversity and richness of the places and cultures depicted in Kade’s writing.
Growing up, Kade lived a military lifestyle of traveling to and living in new places. These experiences with distinctive cultures and geography instilled in Kade a sense of wanderlust and opened a young mind to the knowledge that the Earth is expansive and wild. A deep interest in science, ancient history, cultural anthropology, art, music, languages, and spirituality is evidenced by the diversity and richness of the places and cultures depicted in Kade’s writing.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 958 reviews
July 11, 2020
2.75 stars
This was apparently pitched as “what if Frodo died and Sam had to complete his task” but that is not the feeling of this book, so don’t go in to this book with that expectation.
This is the story of the best friend of the “chosen one” who is really a grumpy loner who tends to the forest and likes it that way. Due to the nature of prophecy and apocalypses, he ends up on a quest.
This reads like a single player DnD campaign in which the player is our main character and every other character he encounters are NPCs. This gives it a particular feeling as the characters aren’t very fleshed out, but it still has the action of a fun quest game. Some plot lines also felt like a DM throwing things at a player to spice things up as there’s so little foreshadowing.
I don’t care enough to continue the series, but I had an okay time with this book.
This was apparently pitched as “what if Frodo died and Sam had to complete his task” but that is not the feeling of this book, so don’t go in to this book with that expectation.
This is the story of the best friend of the “chosen one” who is really a grumpy loner who tends to the forest and likes it that way. Due to the nature of prophecy and apocalypses, he ends up on a quest.
This reads like a single player DnD campaign in which the player is our main character and every other character he encounters are NPCs. This gives it a particular feeling as the characters aren’t very fleshed out, but it still has the action of a fun quest game. Some plot lines also felt like a DM throwing things at a player to spice things up as there’s so little foreshadowing.
I don’t care enough to continue the series, but I had an okay time with this book.
May 7, 2019
Stop me if you’ve heard this before: a small-town boy from a remote village learns that he is the Chosen One, destined to fulfill The Prophecy and save the world from encroaching evil. Sound familiar? Fans of classic epic fantasy from authors Robert Jordan, David Eddings, Anne McCaffrey, and even J.K. Rowling have spun their own versions of this time-honored formula. But what happens if the prophecy fails? How would the world react when it is inevitable that the forces of evil will win? Kel Kade explores this theme in the trope-subverting, wildly entertaining Fate of the Fallen, book one of The Shroud of Prophecy series.
This is a book where the less you know about the plot, the better, so I’ll dance around the details and discuss the larger themes of the story. Kade is skilled at capturing the essence of classic fantasy, focusing on strong character work and building outwards to reveal a world full of magic, monsters, multiple spiritual planes of existence, and the whimsical nature of gods. It walks a fine line between conveying a familiar sense of comfort juxtaposed with some fresh and interesting takes that help to elevate it from other classic fantasy sagas of its kind. The nature of prophecies is called into question: can the future be changed if you know how it plays out in advance? Why bother fighting if the foretold result is inevitable?
Kade writes with a descriptive, flowing prose that breathes life into the many environments we visit. One of the most welcome aspects to the story is how often I was truly surprised by some of its choices. There were at least three separate occasions where I had to re-read the passage, asking “did that really just happen?” It’s almost as if Kade purposely lulls the reader into a false sense of ease before yanking the rug out from under us and beating us to the ground with it.
There are many more aspects to the story I’d like to discuss, but I’ll refrain so as not to spoil any of the fun. And above all, that’s just what this book is: FUN. Lots of it. I wasn’t familiar with Kade’s work before picking up this story, but she has earned herself a new fan. Fate of the Fallen is a welcome addition to the classic fantasy genre, paying homage to what has come before it while adding many new twists to subvert your expectations. It’s going to be a long wait for book two, but I’ll be along for the ride.
ARC provided by Edelweiss. Publication date is November 5th, 2019 by Tor Books.
This is a book where the less you know about the plot, the better, so I’ll dance around the details and discuss the larger themes of the story. Kade is skilled at capturing the essence of classic fantasy, focusing on strong character work and building outwards to reveal a world full of magic, monsters, multiple spiritual planes of existence, and the whimsical nature of gods. It walks a fine line between conveying a familiar sense of comfort juxtaposed with some fresh and interesting takes that help to elevate it from other classic fantasy sagas of its kind. The nature of prophecies is called into question: can the future be changed if you know how it plays out in advance? Why bother fighting if the foretold result is inevitable?
Kade writes with a descriptive, flowing prose that breathes life into the many environments we visit. One of the most welcome aspects to the story is how often I was truly surprised by some of its choices. There were at least three separate occasions where I had to re-read the passage, asking “did that really just happen?” It’s almost as if Kade purposely lulls the reader into a false sense of ease before yanking the rug out from under us and beating us to the ground with it.
There are many more aspects to the story I’d like to discuss, but I’ll refrain so as not to spoil any of the fun. And above all, that’s just what this book is: FUN. Lots of it. I wasn’t familiar with Kade’s work before picking up this story, but she has earned herself a new fan. Fate of the Fallen is a welcome addition to the classic fantasy genre, paying homage to what has come before it while adding many new twists to subvert your expectations. It’s going to be a long wait for book two, but I’ll be along for the ride.
ARC provided by Edelweiss. Publication date is November 5th, 2019 by Tor Books.
November 27, 2019
FATE OF THE FALLEN begins with a prophecy. A prophecy that states that a chosen one will come forth who will be the only person who can save the world from total destruction. There are thousands of threads to this prophecy, but only one particular thread leads to success and only by this particular chosen one's actions shall humanity be saved. Sounds pretty straightforward right? We've seen this all before, the chosen one usually overcomes all kinds of odds to fulfill his or her destiny and ultimately ends up saving the day right?
Well, not so fast. What happens if something goes horribly wrong and the chosen one (in this case a young villager from the town of Mierwyl named Mathias) is incapable of taking up the mantle? What if instead his best friend, the forester Aaslo has to take his place? All is lost right? I mean the prophecy says that only the designated savior can win, so why even try? Only that's exactly what Aaslo has in mind. But what chance does a timid caretaker of forests have against the evil sorcerers and undead corpses that are about to overrun his homeland? Especially when even the King himself has thrown in the towel and accepted their grim fate?
In FATE OF THE FALLEN we get to follow the journey of Aaslo as he attempts to fulfill the prophecy vacated by his best friend Mathias. A prophecy that says he is doomed to fail. That doesn't stop Aaslo from travelling across the continent looking to recruit anyone and everyone who can help him in this most impossible of endeavors. Along the way he meets a couple of wayward thieves who become indebted to him for saving their lives. He also encounters some other highly questionable individuals who may or may not be able to help him.
Aaslo never wanted to be a hero, but that's exactly the role he has been forced into it seems. Rather than accept that life as he knows it could be over very soon he chooses to try to fulfill the prophecy anyway, or to die trying. His only problem is that he wasn't trained for any of this the way Mathias was, nor is he even remotely prepared for what he will likely encounter. But giving up isn't really an option.
I so enjoyed FATE OF THE FALLEN by Kel Kade. I had never read anything by her before this and was pleasantly surprised by how much this book sucked me in right from the start. The story begins like a hundred books that I have read before but within the first few chapters gets turned on its head. We are all set up to prepare for the golden boy Mathias to begin his quest to save the world and then it all goes to hell in a hand basket pretty darn quickly.
This is not your run of the mill reluctant hero steps up and saves the world story. I really liked that Kel Kade attempted to do something very different with this standard trope. Yes we have a reluctant hero, but his reluctance isn't harped on for very long as he soon begins to understand the task at hand that was assigned to his best friend. A best friend who he has proclaimed to be his brother.
Sorcery plays a huge part in this book, which I always enjoy. We have good sorcerers and a lot of really bad ones with their own motivations with regard to the prophecy itself. What complicates Aaslo's job even further is the fact that he also has to contend with a bunch of arrogant gods who are trying to sabotage each other and in doing so are directly impacting what will eventually happen.
While Kel Kade does an excellent job of avoiding the aforementioned tropes, she definitely doesn't withhold any of what makes a classic epic fantasy story great in my opinion. This book has a wonderful element to it that I have described previously as a "comfort read". Much in the same way that I enjoy a Tad Williams or Janny Wurts book, I found some of the same qualities in Kade's writing as well.
This is a story that just compels you to keep reading, even when you may have other chores or commitments to fulfill. If you are looking for a non-standard fantasy book that surprises you at every turn, you should definitely give FATE OF THE FALLEN a try. I found it to be a very promising beginning to The Shroud of Prophecy series and after reading it, I can't wait for book two. All in all a solid fantasy read that will give you all of the feels reminiscent of your favorite authors in the genre.
Well, not so fast. What happens if something goes horribly wrong and the chosen one (in this case a young villager from the town of Mierwyl named Mathias) is incapable of taking up the mantle? What if instead his best friend, the forester Aaslo has to take his place? All is lost right? I mean the prophecy says that only the designated savior can win, so why even try? Only that's exactly what Aaslo has in mind. But what chance does a timid caretaker of forests have against the evil sorcerers and undead corpses that are about to overrun his homeland? Especially when even the King himself has thrown in the towel and accepted their grim fate?
In FATE OF THE FALLEN we get to follow the journey of Aaslo as he attempts to fulfill the prophecy vacated by his best friend Mathias. A prophecy that says he is doomed to fail. That doesn't stop Aaslo from travelling across the continent looking to recruit anyone and everyone who can help him in this most impossible of endeavors. Along the way he meets a couple of wayward thieves who become indebted to him for saving their lives. He also encounters some other highly questionable individuals who may or may not be able to help him.
Aaslo never wanted to be a hero, but that's exactly the role he has been forced into it seems. Rather than accept that life as he knows it could be over very soon he chooses to try to fulfill the prophecy anyway, or to die trying. His only problem is that he wasn't trained for any of this the way Mathias was, nor is he even remotely prepared for what he will likely encounter. But giving up isn't really an option.
I so enjoyed FATE OF THE FALLEN by Kel Kade. I had never read anything by her before this and was pleasantly surprised by how much this book sucked me in right from the start. The story begins like a hundred books that I have read before but within the first few chapters gets turned on its head. We are all set up to prepare for the golden boy Mathias to begin his quest to save the world and then it all goes to hell in a hand basket pretty darn quickly.
This is not your run of the mill reluctant hero steps up and saves the world story. I really liked that Kel Kade attempted to do something very different with this standard trope. Yes we have a reluctant hero, but his reluctance isn't harped on for very long as he soon begins to understand the task at hand that was assigned to his best friend. A best friend who he has proclaimed to be his brother.
Sorcery plays a huge part in this book, which I always enjoy. We have good sorcerers and a lot of really bad ones with their own motivations with regard to the prophecy itself. What complicates Aaslo's job even further is the fact that he also has to contend with a bunch of arrogant gods who are trying to sabotage each other and in doing so are directly impacting what will eventually happen.
While Kel Kade does an excellent job of avoiding the aforementioned tropes, she definitely doesn't withhold any of what makes a classic epic fantasy story great in my opinion. This book has a wonderful element to it that I have described previously as a "comfort read". Much in the same way that I enjoy a Tad Williams or Janny Wurts book, I found some of the same qualities in Kade's writing as well.
This is a story that just compels you to keep reading, even when you may have other chores or commitments to fulfill. If you are looking for a non-standard fantasy book that surprises you at every turn, you should definitely give FATE OF THE FALLEN a try. I found it to be a very promising beginning to The Shroud of Prophecy series and after reading it, I can't wait for book two. All in all a solid fantasy read that will give you all of the feels reminiscent of your favorite authors in the genre.
April 19, 2022
I'm a big fan of Kel Kade's self-published King's Dark Tidings series so I was excited to hear Tor Books had signed her to write brand new fantasy trilogy under their banner. This book is the first in that new series. It is not quite as good as KDT, mostly due to not having the Rez to carry the story, but it still ended up being a fairly fun and engaging adventure fantasy. There was a good balance of dark and light moments and the characters were a good enough bunch to get me invested in the happenings!
The premise of this was a lot of fun. A great prophecy foretells that the chosen one will save all life from annihilation. When Mathias's grandmother reveals he is the chosen one he is shocked but delighted and determined to set out on his quest to save the world. His best friend Aaslo is a lot less delighted by the news but knows he has to accompany Mathias on his quest if he wants to make sure his best friend's head stays attached to his body. The quest soon goes awry as nothing proves as easy as the prophecy promised! Gods, Fae, evil monsters, cowardly mages, and a bunch of nobility intent on quitting rather than fighting to survive make life tough for our potential heroes!
The story was a fun one. Aaslo ended up being the main character and while he was a little sombre and serious he did prove and easy enough guy to root for. The companions he gathered along the way were a likeable bunch and the story was packed full of a bunch of twists and turns that kept the story flowing at a good pace.
I always seen to find Kade's writing fairly engaging and I loved the mix of adventure, action, humour, and drama we got in the story so I ended up enjoying this one. I liked KDT better but that is mostly because Rezkin is a one of a kind sort of character. The characters in this story grew on me quickly enough and I'm looking forward to following their adventures more in the sequel.
The nature of this fantasy world was such that it might even be possible that this series is linked to KDT is a very loose sort of way. The mages and Gods in the series could travel to different worlds and the Fae creatures Aaslo encountered did sound pretty similar to the Fae in KDT. I live in hope!
Rating: 4 stars. This was not as good as KDT but was still a solid and very enjoyable fantasy series.
Reread Update: I think I enjoyed this one even more the second time around!
Audio Note: As always Nick Podehl did a fantastic job with the audio. He is one of the very best narrators.
The premise of this was a lot of fun. A great prophecy foretells that the chosen one will save all life from annihilation. When Mathias's grandmother reveals he is the chosen one he is shocked but delighted and determined to set out on his quest to save the world. His best friend Aaslo is a lot less delighted by the news but knows he has to accompany Mathias on his quest if he wants to make sure his best friend's head stays attached to his body. The quest soon goes awry as nothing proves as easy as the prophecy promised! Gods, Fae, evil monsters, cowardly mages, and a bunch of nobility intent on quitting rather than fighting to survive make life tough for our potential heroes!
The story was a fun one. Aaslo ended up being the main character and while he was a little sombre and serious he did prove and easy enough guy to root for. The companions he gathered along the way were a likeable bunch and the story was packed full of a bunch of twists and turns that kept the story flowing at a good pace.
I always seen to find Kade's writing fairly engaging and I loved the mix of adventure, action, humour, and drama we got in the story so I ended up enjoying this one. I liked KDT better but that is mostly because Rezkin is a one of a kind sort of character. The characters in this story grew on me quickly enough and I'm looking forward to following their adventures more in the sequel.
The nature of this fantasy world was such that it might even be possible that this series is linked to KDT is a very loose sort of way. The mages and Gods in the series could travel to different worlds and the Fae creatures Aaslo encountered did sound pretty similar to the Fae in KDT. I live in hope!
Rating: 4 stars. This was not as good as KDT but was still a solid and very enjoyable fantasy series.
Reread Update: I think I enjoyed this one even more the second time around!
Audio Note: As always Nick Podehl did a fantastic job with the audio. He is one of the very best narrators.
February 11, 2020
Personal rating: 2.5
Man this is hard to wrap my brain around. Overall, I’m disappointed. The structure of this entire book was so weird. Dialogue was awkward. The reader was thrown into such random scenes. The characters acted like mannequins during the intense bits.
Like it wasn’t absolutely terrible! In fact I loved the idea of the foresters and I did really like a pair of side characters. There was a decent chunk of the story that I was into but oof.. it’s tough to decipher.
Man this is hard to wrap my brain around. Overall, I’m disappointed. The structure of this entire book was so weird. Dialogue was awkward. The reader was thrown into such random scenes. The characters acted like mannequins during the intense bits.
Like it wasn’t absolutely terrible! In fact I loved the idea of the foresters and I did really like a pair of side characters. There was a decent chunk of the story that I was into but oof.. it’s tough to decipher.
October 12, 2019
I'm so excited to (FINALLY) be sharing this review. I read this book almost immediately after I received it in the mail back in July/August, and am dying to gush about it with someone. Kade takes a very common trope (the chosen one) and imagines what might happen if for whatever reason the chosen one were not available to save the world.
It's one of my least favorite tropes because it never really made sense to me. Like are we really saying all the rest of the characters in the world are so incompetent that even working together there's only one person who could save them all? Come on.
By turning that trope on it's head, we're already we're being set up for all kinds of fun surprises. Like really, what does happen when the chosen one is out of the picture? Is the world going to end? I felt like I couldn't immediately envision the ending. I have no idea how the ending is going to go. Could this be the first trilogy which really results in the end of the world?! I mean I hope not, but I'm on the edge of my seat here.
Aside from a premise that feels completely fresh, I absolutely adored most of the characters. Aaslo is endeared to the reader from the very beginning. He is best friends with Mathias. Mathias is the golden boy, handsome and smart and talented. Aaslo is no slouch either, but he's constantly overshadowed by Mathias (Aaslo doesn't mind, he's not a center-of-attention kind of guy). He's not outgoing, not particularly charismatic, he has no real filter on his mouth, and is not smooth with the women. Despite all that, he is smart and he is capable with sword and axe. And maybe he's not a likely hero, but he has the capacity to become one.
But Aaslo is not the only character I cared about. We have the rogue thieves, Peck and Mory, the kind Marquess of Ruriton, Teza the barmaid, Dolt the horse, Myropa the reaper... the list goes on. There just wasn't a character here I didn't care about. I loved them all.
I struggled at first, with how very derivative this all felt in the first fifty pages or so, almost cartoonish in its depiction of fantasy, but once Kade makes the division between all those stories that came before and her own, the result is immediately something familiar and yet entirely new.
AND THE BANTER. Dear God, the banter had me laughing out loud in some places. Whether it was Aaslo's inner monologue, or him bantering with Mathias, or with Dolt.. I had a smile on my face almost the whole time I was reading. Banter aside, the book in general is just so funny. There was one scene in particular I remember that felt very slapstick, which isn't my thing in movies, but always works for me in books. It's rare to find something this funny that never felt like it was trying to be funny.
The world building is really great. I mentioned before that this story initially feels derivative but one of the things that helps it to stand out is the number of different elements from all fantasy sub-genres included. We have witches and mages, monsters and zombies, gods and goddesses... the list goes on. In our travels we see cities, forests, swamps, sprawling estates, wide open plains, the setting never gets boring or stale and gives an epic sense of adventure.
If I were to critique one thing, it would be that the prophecy is not very specific. It's a huge part of the story so I wish I had received a little more information about it up front. As it stands I'm still not sure what the prophecy even is beside: "The world is going to end. The one marked by the world is our only hope." Well how is the world going to end exactly? Who are they going to war against? What makes 'the one' the only one? Some of this information does come out in Myropa's story, which helps alleviate the problem, but still, I found myself wanting for specifics.
It's a very small critique that I was easily able to overlook in lieu of everything else this book delivered. I am dying to get my hands on book two and absolutely recommend this to anyone that reads.
Thank you to GoodReads and Tor for hosting the giveaway in which I won this.
It's one of my least favorite tropes because it never really made sense to me. Like are we really saying all the rest of the characters in the world are so incompetent that even working together there's only one person who could save them all? Come on.
By turning that trope on it's head, we're already we're being set up for all kinds of fun surprises. Like really, what does happen when the chosen one is out of the picture? Is the world going to end? I felt like I couldn't immediately envision the ending. I have no idea how the ending is going to go. Could this be the first trilogy which really results in the end of the world?! I mean I hope not, but I'm on the edge of my seat here.
Aside from a premise that feels completely fresh, I absolutely adored most of the characters. Aaslo is endeared to the reader from the very beginning. He is best friends with Mathias. Mathias is the golden boy, handsome and smart and talented. Aaslo is no slouch either, but he's constantly overshadowed by Mathias (Aaslo doesn't mind, he's not a center-of-attention kind of guy). He's not outgoing, not particularly charismatic, he has no real filter on his mouth, and is not smooth with the women. Despite all that, he is smart and he is capable with sword and axe. And maybe he's not a likely hero, but he has the capacity to become one.
But Aaslo is not the only character I cared about. We have the rogue thieves, Peck and Mory, the kind Marquess of Ruriton, Teza the barmaid, Dolt the horse, Myropa the reaper... the list goes on. There just wasn't a character here I didn't care about. I loved them all.
I struggled at first, with how very derivative this all felt in the first fifty pages or so, almost cartoonish in its depiction of fantasy, but once Kade makes the division between all those stories that came before and her own, the result is immediately something familiar and yet entirely new.
AND THE BANTER. Dear God, the banter had me laughing out loud in some places. Whether it was Aaslo's inner monologue, or him bantering with Mathias, or with Dolt.. I had a smile on my face almost the whole time I was reading. Banter aside, the book in general is just so funny. There was one scene in particular I remember that felt very slapstick, which isn't my thing in movies, but always works for me in books. It's rare to find something this funny that never felt like it was trying to be funny.
The world building is really great. I mentioned before that this story initially feels derivative but one of the things that helps it to stand out is the number of different elements from all fantasy sub-genres included. We have witches and mages, monsters and zombies, gods and goddesses... the list goes on. In our travels we see cities, forests, swamps, sprawling estates, wide open plains, the setting never gets boring or stale and gives an epic sense of adventure.
If I were to critique one thing, it would be that the prophecy is not very specific. It's a huge part of the story so I wish I had received a little more information about it up front. As it stands I'm still not sure what the prophecy even is beside: "The world is going to end. The one marked by the world is our only hope." Well how is the world going to end exactly? Who are they going to war against? What makes 'the one' the only one? Some of this information does come out in Myropa's story, which helps alleviate the problem, but still, I found myself wanting for specifics.
It's a very small critique that I was easily able to overlook in lieu of everything else this book delivered. I am dying to get my hands on book two and absolutely recommend this to anyone that reads.
Thank you to GoodReads and Tor for hosting the giveaway in which I won this.
November 2, 2019
Thorough worldbuilding, interesting characters and plenty of twists- great start of a new fantasy series.
February 23, 2020
3.5 stars
Fate of the Fallen was a fantasy book that subverted the 'chosen one' trope and managed to strike a balance between end-of-the-world bleakness and light-heartedness. At the start, the writing and plot felt a bit immature but the story strengthened as it progressed and more characters were introduced.
Plot: 3/5
Characters: 4/5
Writing: 3.5/5
Aaslo was a forester (a person tasked with caring for the forests) and all he wanted was to save the trees- but he ended up trying to save the world. One fateful day, his friend and brother in all things, Mathias, discovered he was chosen. According to prophecy, he was the only one capable of saving the world from evil. It wasn't that much of a surprise, he was skilled and much loved by all, so of course he was destined for greatness... right? Wrong. When he met his untimely end, the very distraught Aaslo decided to take up Mathias' mantle and give their world a fighting chance.
When there wasn't a 'chosen one' anymore, everyone gave up and prepared for doom. Aaslo, however, thought if he was fated to die he might as well do so fighting for the greater good- not hiding away. Generally, I thought that was a good message because in real life so many things don't go to plan but it's not an excuse to give up but more of a reason to move forward with resilience, tenacity and hope for the future- like Aaslo.
As a character, Aaslo was solemn and serious but also extremely genuine in a likeable way- there was not an ounce of deception in him. Some of the other characters were quite endearing too, most notably the two thieves Peck and Mory and an ex-mage called Teza. However, there were a few different points of view, some of which I didn't care about at all (like that of the reaper called Myropa) which made my progression through the book quite forced at times.
The plot was just... a lot. I think if it just focused on Aaslo it would have been fine but the meddling gods kept making appearances and they made the plot more confusing. There was magic, mages, prophecies, fae, zombies and a dragon arm (yes, just an arm) and while it sounds fun, it would have been more fun if the plot was better developed and there was less of what felt like seemingly unnecessary filler.
In conclusion, Fate of the Fallen was a rather humorous read that had a nice twist on a well-known trope. It wasn't spectacular but would make a refreshing read for someone tired of the same old, same old.
Thank you to Tor Books for providing me with a review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Fate of the Fallen was a fantasy book that subverted the 'chosen one' trope and managed to strike a balance between end-of-the-world bleakness and light-heartedness. At the start, the writing and plot felt a bit immature but the story strengthened as it progressed and more characters were introduced.
Plot: 3/5
Characters: 4/5
Writing: 3.5/5
Aaslo was a forester (a person tasked with caring for the forests) and all he wanted was to save the trees- but he ended up trying to save the world. One fateful day, his friend and brother in all things, Mathias, discovered he was chosen. According to prophecy, he was the only one capable of saving the world from evil. It wasn't that much of a surprise, he was skilled and much loved by all, so of course he was destined for greatness... right? Wrong. When he met his untimely end, the very distraught Aaslo decided to take up Mathias' mantle and give their world a fighting chance.
When there wasn't a 'chosen one' anymore, everyone gave up and prepared for doom. Aaslo, however, thought if he was fated to die he might as well do so fighting for the greater good- not hiding away. Generally, I thought that was a good message because in real life so many things don't go to plan but it's not an excuse to give up but more of a reason to move forward with resilience, tenacity and hope for the future- like Aaslo.
As a character, Aaslo was solemn and serious but also extremely genuine in a likeable way- there was not an ounce of deception in him. Some of the other characters were quite endearing too, most notably the two thieves Peck and Mory and an ex-mage called Teza. However, there were a few different points of view, some of which I didn't care about at all (like that of the reaper called Myropa) which made my progression through the book quite forced at times.
The plot was just... a lot. I think if it just focused on Aaslo it would have been fine but the meddling gods kept making appearances and they made the plot more confusing. There was magic, mages, prophecies, fae, zombies and a dragon arm (yes, just an arm) and while it sounds fun, it would have been more fun if the plot was better developed and there was less of what felt like seemingly unnecessary filler.
In conclusion, Fate of the Fallen was a rather humorous read that had a nice twist on a well-known trope. It wasn't spectacular but would make a refreshing read for someone tired of the same old, same old.
Thank you to Tor Books for providing me with a review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Read
October 1, 2019Why I love it
by Liberty Hardy
Saddle up and grab your swords because excitement and danger lurk around every corner in this wildly inventive new saga about good, evil, and (not) saving the day!
Mathias longs for excitement in his life, but his strict grandmother keeps him from doing anything fun, unlike his BFF Aaslo who is an orphan but perfectly happy leading a quiet life. When the fates reveal that Mathias is the Chosen One destined to save their world, Aaslo goes along to help, despite his dislike of magic, creatures, and anything outside their familiar plot of forest. TL;DR: They’re going on an adventure! (*Insert Hobbit adventure gif here*) But what will Aaslo do when the Chosen One fails?
WOW! Failing to save the day has never been so much fun! I am a huge fan of Chosen One narratives (Hello, Buffy Summers!) but Kade turns the mythos upside-down. What we get instead is a compelling tale of questing, full of twists and surprises. On top of the magic, humor, and swordfights (sometimes all at once), I really loved the friendships portrayed in this book, and the idea that sometimes it’s the sidekicks—and not the heroes—destined to save the day. So kick back and enjoy!
Read more at: https://bookofthemonth.com/fate-of-th...
by Liberty Hardy
Saddle up and grab your swords because excitement and danger lurk around every corner in this wildly inventive new saga about good, evil, and (not) saving the day!
Mathias longs for excitement in his life, but his strict grandmother keeps him from doing anything fun, unlike his BFF Aaslo who is an orphan but perfectly happy leading a quiet life. When the fates reveal that Mathias is the Chosen One destined to save their world, Aaslo goes along to help, despite his dislike of magic, creatures, and anything outside their familiar plot of forest. TL;DR: They’re going on an adventure! (*Insert Hobbit adventure gif here*) But what will Aaslo do when the Chosen One fails?
WOW! Failing to save the day has never been so much fun! I am a huge fan of Chosen One narratives (Hello, Buffy Summers!) but Kade turns the mythos upside-down. What we get instead is a compelling tale of questing, full of twists and surprises. On top of the magic, humor, and swordfights (sometimes all at once), I really loved the friendships portrayed in this book, and the idea that sometimes it’s the sidekicks—and not the heroes—destined to save the day. So kick back and enjoy!
Read more at: https://bookofthemonth.com/fate-of-th...
dnf
January 21, 2021I gave this a try for a week, but it and I are very much at odds with each other. After a while I was forcing myself to pick it up and getting nowhere.
I've seen books that can match gruesomeness and humor, humor and pathos. Fate of the Fallen tried very, very hard to do those things, and for me, I'm sorry to say, it failed. Its tonal inconsistency and meandering plot at first disoriented me, and in the longer term annoyed me. The humor fell flat: the mentally unsound but also preternaturally helpful horse, and the "witty" ghost, etc., made me cringe rather than chuckle.
There were a couple of things I liked about it. I liked the main character, Aaslo--now and then he would say something that was pointed or poignant, and I appreciated his doggedness in the face of the strange situations he was thrown into. I liked the idea of foresters, and the beleaguered death goddess (?) was intriguing. I was tempted to skim through to see if she eventually became a more active force in the story.
It could be just a matter of mood, since this past year or so has been "the year of DNF," a time that has made failures of several books that otherwise might have been successes. Plenty of people have liked it, so don't take this non-review as a mark in its disfavor.
I didn't get to the halfway mark, so didn't give it any stars.
I've seen books that can match gruesomeness and humor, humor and pathos. Fate of the Fallen tried very, very hard to do those things, and for me, I'm sorry to say, it failed. Its tonal inconsistency and meandering plot at first disoriented me, and in the longer term annoyed me. The humor fell flat: the mentally unsound but also preternaturally helpful horse, and the "witty" ghost, etc., made me cringe rather than chuckle.
There were a couple of things I liked about it. I liked the main character, Aaslo--now and then he would say something that was pointed or poignant, and I appreciated his doggedness in the face of the strange situations he was thrown into. I liked the idea of foresters, and the beleaguered death goddess (?) was intriguing. I was tempted to skim through to see if she eventually became a more active force in the story.
It could be just a matter of mood, since this past year or so has been "the year of DNF," a time that has made failures of several books that otherwise might have been successes. Plenty of people have liked it, so don't take this non-review as a mark in its disfavor.
I didn't get to the halfway mark, so didn't give it any stars.
June 3, 2024
3,5
Podobała mi się, czekam na kolejny tom ale czegoś mi w niej brakowało, jakiegoś takiego błysku.
Jeśli lubicie fantastykę z motywem drogi i przeznaczenia to polecam
Podobała mi się, czekam na kolejny tom ale czegoś mi w niej brakowało, jakiegoś takiego błysku.
Jeśli lubicie fantastykę z motywem drogi i przeznaczenia to polecam
December 9, 2019
The Fate of the Fallen by Kel Kade is the first instalment in The Shroud of Prophecy series. Initially, it was the cover of this book that completely grabbed my attention; it features an immensely stunning piece of artwork created by the talented Jaime Jones. Now, this year I’ve found myself reading a lot of dark fantasy and grimdark, and whilst I love the genre, it can get to a point where you’re desperate for something different, for a book that is more on the lighthearted side, and one that is just pure fun. This book completely hit that spot for me, and was an absolute delight to read.
The Fate of the Fallen includes many storytelling elements that I have particularly enjoyed in classic high fantasy novels; a hero on a quest, a prophecy, a chosen one. However, folks, what sets this book apart is that it takes these traditional fantasy components and completely turns them on its head, in the most entertaining way! Think, if you will, of a prophecy that has a thousand threads, and only one of those threads leads to a chosen one successfully saving the world from eradication. Imagine then what would happen if the chosen one could not fulfil the prophecy? What if alternatively his best friend, who is a respected yet simple Forester, reluctantly has to bear the weight? Then think of a world where the supposedly powerful either wish to jump ship or surrender instead of fighting a last battle. Basically, they’re all doomed, right? Well in the Fate of the Fallen this is exactly the tale we follow.
Although I’m technically not giving away a spoiler here, as what I’m about to discuss happens with the first few chapters of the book and is also mentioned in the synopsis, if you don’t wish to know anymore about the plot, please skip to the next paragraph. So, in The Fate of the Fallen we travel with our main protagonist Aaslo, a caretaker of the forest of Goldenwood, as he is tasked by the high sorceress Magdelay, with bearing news of the chosen one’s demise to the King of Aldrea, in the hope that a new saviour can be found. The previous chosen one - Mathias, was Aaslo’s best friend, in fact he was more of a brother to him, therefore Aaslo bears a heavy burden indeed... erm quite literally too, as he journeys through Aldrea with the severed head of the chosen one in a burlap sac tied to his waist. If that wasn’t bad enough, Mathias’ severed head talks to him too... constantly! There’s also more that occurs along the way, some ABSOLUTELY INSANE things, but I’ll not say anymore now because what follows throughout the course of the book is just a blast!
Okay, so now I’ll discuss what I thoroughly loved about this book, and hands down, it was two main factors. The first is that this was a satire fantasy. Kade injected just the right amount of sarcasm, shenanigans and witty banter, that had me laughing out loud on so many occasions, and kept me captivated. Everything you would expect to find in a traditional fantasy is overturned, and you never quite know how the story will pan out. I applaud you Kade, because there were some scenes that literally made my jaw drop, and that is a hard feat to manage! Granted, the humour was fairly morbid and dark, but for me personally that’s the best kind! I adore dark twisted humour. I also enjoyed the tongue in cheek humour that the morally questionable God characters brought to the narrative; their views on humanity really showed how ridiculous we all are! I found this to be very much reminiscent of Neil Gaiman’s style.
~
‘“What do you mean you’ve never killed a man?” Peck said. “You carry a head in a bag!”
“Yes, but I didn’t kill him. I needed proof that he was dead, and his body was too big to transport. I only cut off his head after he was dead.”’
~
The second factor which made me fall in love with The Fate of the Fallen was the characters. For the majority of the story we have two main POVs; one being Aaslo, and the second being Myropa. I found Aaslo to be such a wholesome character who despite all the odds, showed strength, and courage, even if he never truly believed his worth. He gave off a dry sense of humour, and was very matter of fact, which worked well to create some comedic dialogue from him. Then there was Myropa, who was a reaper who could pass through the veil and enter Celestria, which was home to the Gods. Myropa was a slightly more tragic character, one that explored the value and appreciation of life, and I particularly liked that Kade included this aspect, because it brought extra depth to the narrative.
It would be amiss of me not to mention the utterly awesome ragtag crew of side characters that Aaslo picks up in his journey through various parts of Aldrea. Kade really excels at giving characters such realistic personalities, with distinct flaws but a lot of heart too. We meet the thieving duo Peck and Mory, and a former mage in training, Teza; I challenge any reader not to love these three by the end of the book! There are many more characters, but the one that stole the show for me was Dolt, a stubborn, violent and amusingly unpredictable horse! Dolt is simply the best!
~
‘Aaslo grunted and then looked at Ijen’s horse, who hadn’t moved during the entire encounter. “Your horse is remarkably well-behaved,” he said.
“As is yours,” replied Ijen, eyeing Dolt where he stood in the middle of the road. “Mine is bespelled.”
“Mine’s an idiot,” said Aaslo as he realised Dolt was actually asleep.’
~
Lastly, I want to mention the world building, as there is an immense amount of magic used and fantastical creatures featured in this novel, and if you know me, you’ll know that I’m a fan of this. There are mages, gods and goddesses, reapers, witches, vights, fae, and erm... a dragons arm!! I’ve made you curious, right?! Although we don’t get a lot of detail on the magical system, I don’t feel there always needs to be an explanation for magic use, and I feel it’s better to just go with it and enjoy. If I had to nitpick slightly, I’d say I did want more background exploring the realm of the gods and their narratives, but as this is the first in a trilogy, there is plenty of room for more in the sequels.
To sum up, within the pages of this book you will find a host of characters that never fail to entertain, and banter that will have you chuckling from beginning to end. I believe Kade has written a real gem of a fantasy in the The Fate of the Fallen, and I can’t wait to see where the story will lead next.
Review Copy provided by Tor in exchange for an honest review. The Fate of the Fallen is out now!
The Fate of the Fallen includes many storytelling elements that I have particularly enjoyed in classic high fantasy novels; a hero on a quest, a prophecy, a chosen one. However, folks, what sets this book apart is that it takes these traditional fantasy components and completely turns them on its head, in the most entertaining way! Think, if you will, of a prophecy that has a thousand threads, and only one of those threads leads to a chosen one successfully saving the world from eradication. Imagine then what would happen if the chosen one could not fulfil the prophecy? What if alternatively his best friend, who is a respected yet simple Forester, reluctantly has to bear the weight? Then think of a world where the supposedly powerful either wish to jump ship or surrender instead of fighting a last battle. Basically, they’re all doomed, right? Well in the Fate of the Fallen this is exactly the tale we follow.
Although I’m technically not giving away a spoiler here, as what I’m about to discuss happens with the first few chapters of the book and is also mentioned in the synopsis, if you don’t wish to know anymore about the plot, please skip to the next paragraph. So, in The Fate of the Fallen we travel with our main protagonist Aaslo, a caretaker of the forest of Goldenwood, as he is tasked by the high sorceress Magdelay, with bearing news of the chosen one’s demise to the King of Aldrea, in the hope that a new saviour can be found. The previous chosen one - Mathias, was Aaslo’s best friend, in fact he was more of a brother to him, therefore Aaslo bears a heavy burden indeed... erm quite literally too, as he journeys through Aldrea with the severed head of the chosen one in a burlap sac tied to his waist. If that wasn’t bad enough, Mathias’ severed head talks to him too... constantly! There’s also more that occurs along the way, some ABSOLUTELY INSANE things, but I’ll not say anymore now because what follows throughout the course of the book is just a blast!
Okay, so now I’ll discuss what I thoroughly loved about this book, and hands down, it was two main factors. The first is that this was a satire fantasy. Kade injected just the right amount of sarcasm, shenanigans and witty banter, that had me laughing out loud on so many occasions, and kept me captivated. Everything you would expect to find in a traditional fantasy is overturned, and you never quite know how the story will pan out. I applaud you Kade, because there were some scenes that literally made my jaw drop, and that is a hard feat to manage! Granted, the humour was fairly morbid and dark, but for me personally that’s the best kind! I adore dark twisted humour. I also enjoyed the tongue in cheek humour that the morally questionable God characters brought to the narrative; their views on humanity really showed how ridiculous we all are! I found this to be very much reminiscent of Neil Gaiman’s style.
~
‘“What do you mean you’ve never killed a man?” Peck said. “You carry a head in a bag!”
“Yes, but I didn’t kill him. I needed proof that he was dead, and his body was too big to transport. I only cut off his head after he was dead.”’
~
The second factor which made me fall in love with The Fate of the Fallen was the characters. For the majority of the story we have two main POVs; one being Aaslo, and the second being Myropa. I found Aaslo to be such a wholesome character who despite all the odds, showed strength, and courage, even if he never truly believed his worth. He gave off a dry sense of humour, and was very matter of fact, which worked well to create some comedic dialogue from him. Then there was Myropa, who was a reaper who could pass through the veil and enter Celestria, which was home to the Gods. Myropa was a slightly more tragic character, one that explored the value and appreciation of life, and I particularly liked that Kade included this aspect, because it brought extra depth to the narrative.
It would be amiss of me not to mention the utterly awesome ragtag crew of side characters that Aaslo picks up in his journey through various parts of Aldrea. Kade really excels at giving characters such realistic personalities, with distinct flaws but a lot of heart too. We meet the thieving duo Peck and Mory, and a former mage in training, Teza; I challenge any reader not to love these three by the end of the book! There are many more characters, but the one that stole the show for me was Dolt, a stubborn, violent and amusingly unpredictable horse! Dolt is simply the best!
~
‘Aaslo grunted and then looked at Ijen’s horse, who hadn’t moved during the entire encounter. “Your horse is remarkably well-behaved,” he said.
“As is yours,” replied Ijen, eyeing Dolt where he stood in the middle of the road. “Mine is bespelled.”
“Mine’s an idiot,” said Aaslo as he realised Dolt was actually asleep.’
~
Lastly, I want to mention the world building, as there is an immense amount of magic used and fantastical creatures featured in this novel, and if you know me, you’ll know that I’m a fan of this. There are mages, gods and goddesses, reapers, witches, vights, fae, and erm... a dragons arm!! I’ve made you curious, right?! Although we don’t get a lot of detail on the magical system, I don’t feel there always needs to be an explanation for magic use, and I feel it’s better to just go with it and enjoy. If I had to nitpick slightly, I’d say I did want more background exploring the realm of the gods and their narratives, but as this is the first in a trilogy, there is plenty of room for more in the sequels.
To sum up, within the pages of this book you will find a host of characters that never fail to entertain, and banter that will have you chuckling from beginning to end. I believe Kade has written a real gem of a fantasy in the The Fate of the Fallen, and I can’t wait to see where the story will lead next.
Review Copy provided by Tor in exchange for an honest review. The Fate of the Fallen is out now!
December 16, 2020
Don't read this if you want to go in without bias to the SFFBC book of the month!
January 12, 2021
I almost absolutely loved this book! For the first 30 pages I was thinking of lighting a fire with it, which would be bad because it is a kindle edition, due to the in your face tropes Kade jammed in. Pleasantly that was just a setting of the table so she could whip the table cloth off, along with all the dishes, silverware and have them fly towards your head.
This is a high fantasy novel where you really aren't sure what comes next which is very refreshing. It has banter, which I love, possible crazy people who talk to themselves...maybe, a horse named Dolt who may or may not be and layers of gods that are hard to comprehend.
My couple of quibbles were that the hand wavy stuff was a bit too wavy and Teza changed too much from when we met her to the end of the book. Otherwise, I can't wait for the next one.
This is a high fantasy novel where you really aren't sure what comes next which is very refreshing. It has banter, which I love, possible crazy people who talk to themselves...maybe, a horse named Dolt who may or may not be and layers of gods that are hard to comprehend.
My couple of quibbles were that the hand wavy stuff was a bit too wavy and Teza changed too much from when we met her to the end of the book. Otherwise, I can't wait for the next one.
December 1, 2019
Fate of the Fallen is an interesting take on the whole - village boy (person) saves the world. What if the chosen one dies before he or she does what they are 'fated' to do?
I like Kel Kade's books even if they are bit predictable and the hero is a bit of male Mary Sue. So I was curious to see how this new series would pan out. There is both good news and bad.
The good news is Fate of the Fallen is very similar in writing to the earlier series. It is fast paced, there is plenty of action and one generally does not feel like putting the book down. The bad news is that the question of 'what if the chosen one dies' is answered in the most insipid way possible. I really wish Kel Kade had come through on this promise instead of coming up with another Kellen like character. So, while the story and world building are decent, the overall uniqueness of the book is diluted.
Overall, I liked the book and will probably read the sequel. But this is not a book that does justice to its premise. Hopefully, the sequel will feature more of an ensemble cast like how a movie Rogue One does.
Ove
I like Kel Kade's books even if they are bit predictable and the hero is a bit of male Mary Sue. So I was curious to see how this new series would pan out. There is both good news and bad.
The good news is Fate of the Fallen is very similar in writing to the earlier series. It is fast paced, there is plenty of action and one generally does not feel like putting the book down. The bad news is that the question of 'what if the chosen one dies' is answered in the most insipid way possible. I really wish Kel Kade had come through on this promise instead of coming up with another Kellen like character. So, while the story and world building are decent, the overall uniqueness of the book is diluted.
Overall, I liked the book and will probably read the sequel. But this is not a book that does justice to its premise. Hopefully, the sequel will feature more of an ensemble cast like how a movie Rogue One does.
Ove
December 10, 2019
"Death was inevitable, but it was not the enemy. Comfort could be found in both its solitude and the embrace of the others who had fallen before him."
Fate of the Fallen first came to my attention earlier this year on Twitter. Admittedly, the rad cover by the talented Jaime Jones (who is seemingly becoming a November staple for me, what with reading The Winter Road in November as well, last year) piqued my curiosity, but then the blurb is of course what ultimately grabbed my attention. Needless to say, I was thrilled when I received this in the mail!
"It begins in a forest..."
Mathias is The Chosen One™ from his small village. You know the type. Attractive, intelligent, charming, well-liked. The prophecy has him destined as the hero that will save the world. Aaslo, his loyal best friend, is closer to him than a brother. He's no sidekick, but neither is he the center of attention. He doesn't have any desire to be the hero. He's just fine being the introverted, snarky forester who is along for the ride. That is, until he finds himself having to carry out the lofty task of a destiny left unfulfilled. Because you see, in this book The Chosen One™ is killed within the first few chapters.
That's not a spoiler! It says as much on the back cover. I swear!
Kel Kade takes a trope you've read many (MANY) times before, twisting and pulling it into unexpected directions. Things do not always go as planned. What happens when the prophecy has failed and The Chosen One™ is now a talking, severed head?
Aaslo must leave his beloved forest behind and become the hero we didn't know we needed! Burdened with a fate that seems impossible, Aaslo has to step in for Mathias and attempt to make allies along the way in order to defeat the darkness from ending the world. His fellow villagers don't appear to have much faith in him completing the prophecy, questioning whether they should just give into the evil forces in hopes of surviving or trust him, the recluse who, although skilled with an axe and sword, isn't exactly someone you would expect to save the future from crumbling. Think Samwise on the treacherous journey in Frodo's place.. if Sam was grumpier. And a bit of an asshole.
Aaslo meets many characters during his journey, which was a massive part of my enjoyment. I will forever love a band of misfits! Dolt, the incompetent horse; Peck and Mory, rogue thieves; Ijen, a prophet; Teza, a former mage-in-training; Magdelay, a sorceress and Mathias's grandmother; and Myropa, the reaper. There's also many corpses! A shit ton of corpses! A deliciously alarming amount of corpses!
The story has banter, friendship, sword fights, magic and humor. All the things I love! I do wish the magic system was expanded on a bit more, however. The reader isn't given much rational backstory of the prophecy. How and why does it work? Why will the world end? With the inevitable sequel, I'm hoping this will be explored more.
The quality of Kade's writing reminded me of Anthony Ryan and his Raven's Shadow series. It's instantly appealing, has the ability to be a comfort read, yet the potential to be something wholly unique.
There are many fantasy elements that are thrown into this that just.. work. Witches and wizards and prophets and foresters and mages and gods and monsters and fae and.. a dragon's arm?! This book was so bloody entertaining!
It's grim, but not so grim; hopeful, but not too hopeful. After all, not all stories have happy endings.
Fate of the Fallen is an excellent start to a new fantasy series. Definitely one to look out for!
(Thanks to Tor Books for sending me a copy!)
**The quotes above were taken from an ARC & are subject to change upon publication**
Fate of the Fallen first came to my attention earlier this year on Twitter. Admittedly, the rad cover by the talented Jaime Jones (who is seemingly becoming a November staple for me, what with reading The Winter Road in November as well, last year) piqued my curiosity, but then the blurb is of course what ultimately grabbed my attention. Needless to say, I was thrilled when I received this in the mail!
"It begins in a forest..."
Mathias is The Chosen One™ from his small village. You know the type. Attractive, intelligent, charming, well-liked. The prophecy has him destined as the hero that will save the world. Aaslo, his loyal best friend, is closer to him than a brother. He's no sidekick, but neither is he the center of attention. He doesn't have any desire to be the hero. He's just fine being the introverted, snarky forester who is along for the ride. That is, until he finds himself having to carry out the lofty task of a destiny left unfulfilled. Because you see, in this book The Chosen One™ is killed within the first few chapters.
That's not a spoiler! It says as much on the back cover. I swear!
Kel Kade takes a trope you've read many (MANY) times before, twisting and pulling it into unexpected directions. Things do not always go as planned. What happens when the prophecy has failed and The Chosen One™ is now a talking, severed head?
Aaslo must leave his beloved forest behind and become the hero we didn't know we needed! Burdened with a fate that seems impossible, Aaslo has to step in for Mathias and attempt to make allies along the way in order to defeat the darkness from ending the world. His fellow villagers don't appear to have much faith in him completing the prophecy, questioning whether they should just give into the evil forces in hopes of surviving or trust him, the recluse who, although skilled with an axe and sword, isn't exactly someone you would expect to save the future from crumbling. Think Samwise on the treacherous journey in Frodo's place.. if Sam was grumpier. And a bit of an asshole.
Aaslo meets many characters during his journey, which was a massive part of my enjoyment. I will forever love a band of misfits! Dolt, the incompetent horse; Peck and Mory, rogue thieves; Ijen, a prophet; Teza, a former mage-in-training; Magdelay, a sorceress and Mathias's grandmother; and Myropa, the reaper. There's also many corpses! A shit ton of corpses! A deliciously alarming amount of corpses!
The story has banter, friendship, sword fights, magic and humor. All the things I love! I do wish the magic system was expanded on a bit more, however. The reader isn't given much rational backstory of the prophecy. How and why does it work? Why will the world end? With the inevitable sequel, I'm hoping this will be explored more.
The quality of Kade's writing reminded me of Anthony Ryan and his Raven's Shadow series. It's instantly appealing, has the ability to be a comfort read, yet the potential to be something wholly unique.
There are many fantasy elements that are thrown into this that just.. work. Witches and wizards and prophets and foresters and mages and gods and monsters and fae and.. a dragon's arm?! This book was so bloody entertaining!
It's grim, but not so grim; hopeful, but not too hopeful. After all, not all stories have happy endings.
Fate of the Fallen is an excellent start to a new fantasy series. Definitely one to look out for!
(Thanks to Tor Books for sending me a copy!)
**The quotes above were taken from an ARC & are subject to change upon publication**
January 17, 2021
4.5 stars actually. But because it didn't totally blow my mind, not 5 stars.
First, I really enjoyed this book, and I'm glad I read it. As a matter of fact, I listened to the audio book narrated by Nick Podehl. I'm convinced that his narration made this book even better. I was genuinely surprised when the first girl (Rayla?) spoke because I hadn't thought it was a multi-cast narration. He was a very convincing girl. And older woman, and nobleman, and young boy, and girl with a Scottish accent, man with a French accent and many, many more. Every single character with dialogue had a very unique and very convincing voice. I'm flabbergasted to be quite honest. So, some people found that the dialogue sounded stilted, but Nick Podehl infused that dialogue with life and character. The Marquess *was* very pompous sounding, but it fit perfectly. Eye-reading it I probably would've found it cartoonish too.
I felt like many of the characters had a lot of depth and flaws and showed real emotion and motivation. This was a wonderful part of this book.
Spoilers ensue!
I was genuinely surprised by several events and said, "wait, what?" several times. The first being when Mathias was killed. I was just wondering when this was going to become something other than teen romance drama, when that happened. Same with the mega-rad lizard arm and Maury's non-death.
I will definitely continue with the series, because 1) I want to know what the deal is with Dolt. I kept expecting him to break out in song or say something sardonic, letting us know that he is not just a stupid, contrary horse. 2) What happens with an epic quest Fantasy that now has Zombies and their Zombie king and 3) Can Aaslo attach Mathias' head to one of his headless zombies and have him back? Not to mention all the threads left dangling (the gods and Myropa; Tezza and Aaslo; the magi and the fae; etc, etc.).
First, I really enjoyed this book, and I'm glad I read it. As a matter of fact, I listened to the audio book narrated by Nick Podehl. I'm convinced that his narration made this book even better. I was genuinely surprised when the first girl (Rayla?) spoke because I hadn't thought it was a multi-cast narration. He was a very convincing girl. And older woman, and nobleman, and young boy, and girl with a Scottish accent, man with a French accent and many, many more. Every single character with dialogue had a very unique and very convincing voice. I'm flabbergasted to be quite honest. So, some people found that the dialogue sounded stilted, but Nick Podehl infused that dialogue with life and character. The Marquess *was* very pompous sounding, but it fit perfectly. Eye-reading it I probably would've found it cartoonish too.
I felt like many of the characters had a lot of depth and flaws and showed real emotion and motivation. This was a wonderful part of this book.
Spoilers ensue!
I was genuinely surprised by several events and said, "wait, what?" several times. The first being when Mathias was killed. I was just wondering when this was going to become something other than teen romance drama, when that happened. Same with the mega-rad lizard arm and Maury's non-death.
I will definitely continue with the series, because 1) I want to know what the deal is with Dolt. I kept expecting him to break out in song or say something sardonic, letting us know that he is not just a stupid, contrary horse. 2) What happens with an epic quest Fantasy that now has Zombies and their Zombie king and 3) Can Aaslo attach Mathias' head to one of his headless zombies and have him back? Not to mention all the threads left dangling (the gods and Myropa; Tezza and Aaslo; the magi and the fae; etc, etc.).
October 13, 2025
A Book of the Month selection for October 2019…Yeah, I’m slightly behind.
3.5 stars
Fate of the Fallen is a refreshing new take on the story of a chosen one who has to fulfill a prophecy. The story takes you down an unexpected path and sprinkles in some humor along the way…mostly thanks to Aaslo and a stupid horse. That ending gave me goosebumps. Worth reading.
3.5 stars
Fate of the Fallen is a refreshing new take on the story of a chosen one who has to fulfill a prophecy. The story takes you down an unexpected path and sprinkles in some humor along the way…mostly thanks to Aaslo and a stupid horse. That ending gave me goosebumps. Worth reading.
December 27, 2021
This was another one of my series-sampling audio listens, to see if I might want to pursue it in print someday.
Audio Narration
The narrator is Nick Podehl. My initial reaction was “ugh” because he was so melodramatic. I usually don’t enjoy the more melodramatic narrators. However, once I got a little further into the story and things took an unexpected turn, I decided he worked pretty well for the tone of the story. There’s a lot of humor in it and he did well with that, and he also did well with distinguishing the different characters. My biggest complaint through the end was his voicing of female characters. He’s one of those narrators who tries too hard when voicing the opposite sex, instead of just speaking a little softer (for men voicing women) or deeper (for women voicing men). The women all came cross as fake-girl-pouty, fake-girl-flirty, or fake-girl-overly-timid. The pouty/flirty/timid did fit in some cases, but I thought it was overdone and it sometimes distracted me. Still, it wasn’t really a horrible narration and I wouldn’t avoid another audiobook that he had narrated if it was something I otherwise wanted to listen to.
Story
Aside from the brief and interesting prologue, the main story kicks off with the feel of a very tried and true epic fantasy story. Mathias is the chosen one, the only hope the world has for survival against an as-yet-unknown enemy. The whole thing was feeling overdone and familiar, but soon after Mathias learns of this, the story took a turn that I didn’t expect at all.
I’d like to say I laughed my head off, but in truth I just chuckled a lot. Some of the dialogue was quite funny, and I absolutely loved the horse named Dolt. Dolt didn’t get nearly enough page time! I would have liked more of the Marquis too. The story held my interest well and I liked or was at least interested in the characters. It could have been a bit longer, really. It felt almost too short. The end isn’t a complete cliff hanger, but there are a lot of plot threads left hanging and several open questions.
I did think some of the humor was a little forced, despite making me chuckle, because .
I plan to come back to this in print someday when the series is complete. It was pretty fun and I’d like to see where the story goes next and hopefully get more answers.
Audio Narration
The narrator is Nick Podehl. My initial reaction was “ugh” because he was so melodramatic. I usually don’t enjoy the more melodramatic narrators. However, once I got a little further into the story and things took an unexpected turn, I decided he worked pretty well for the tone of the story. There’s a lot of humor in it and he did well with that, and he also did well with distinguishing the different characters. My biggest complaint through the end was his voicing of female characters. He’s one of those narrators who tries too hard when voicing the opposite sex, instead of just speaking a little softer (for men voicing women) or deeper (for women voicing men). The women all came cross as fake-girl-pouty, fake-girl-flirty, or fake-girl-overly-timid. The pouty/flirty/timid did fit in some cases, but I thought it was overdone and it sometimes distracted me. Still, it wasn’t really a horrible narration and I wouldn’t avoid another audiobook that he had narrated if it was something I otherwise wanted to listen to.
Story
Aside from the brief and interesting prologue, the main story kicks off with the feel of a very tried and true epic fantasy story. Mathias is the chosen one, the only hope the world has for survival against an as-yet-unknown enemy. The whole thing was feeling overdone and familiar, but soon after Mathias learns of this, the story took a turn that I didn’t expect at all.
I’d like to say I laughed my head off, but in truth I just chuckled a lot. Some of the dialogue was quite funny, and I absolutely loved the horse named Dolt. Dolt didn’t get nearly enough page time! I would have liked more of the Marquis too. The story held my interest well and I liked or was at least interested in the characters. It could have been a bit longer, really. It felt almost too short. The end isn’t a complete cliff hanger, but there are a lot of plot threads left hanging and several open questions.
I did think some of the humor was a little forced, despite making me chuckle, because .
I plan to come back to this in print someday when the series is complete. It was pretty fun and I’d like to see where the story goes next and hopefully get more answers.
November 5, 2019
What a disappointment. I loved the premise - what if Frodo died? What if Harry died? Who would carry on after the Chosen One is killed? (Of course, we know what Sam did when he thought Frodo was dead - he took the ring. But I digress.)
Some of what's below might be considered spoilers?
First off, the book would be better if they didn't spoil what was going to happen on the cover. It would have been more interesting if I hadn't known Mathias was going to die. Second off, once Mathias is dead Aaslo carries his mysteriously well-preserved head around for the rest of the book (ugh) and hears the voice of his friend in his head. Okay whatever, but he responds OUT LOUD. OVER and OVER. STOP RESPONDING OUT LOUD TO YOUR DEAD FRIEND. And people look confused and he mumbles some sort of clarification, or not. This got so old. So so so so old. Aaslo names his horse Dolt but HE is the dolt. And I don't forgive him this because he is "a forester" who spends most of his time in the "forest" and "doesn't know much about people."
Also, draggy draggy plot and then wait, what? We are battling a dragon?
A full star off the rating for the existence of gods playing about with the humans. They weren't particularly interesting or original and made me way less interested in the lives and decisions of the human characters. Because gods, deciding your fate. Or not, maybe, but I also found the gods booooring.
The writing seems immature, almost juvenile, and I was surprised to hear the author has written other successful books. This book reminded me of the worst of the Eragon series. Cliched characters, magic, dialog, plot developments.
I read an advance reader print copy of Fate of the Fallen. I will not be going on to book 2.
Some of what's below might be considered spoilers?
First off, the book would be better if they didn't spoil what was going to happen on the cover. It would have been more interesting if I hadn't known Mathias was going to die. Second off, once Mathias is dead Aaslo carries his mysteriously well-preserved head around for the rest of the book (ugh) and hears the voice of his friend in his head. Okay whatever, but he responds OUT LOUD. OVER and OVER. STOP RESPONDING OUT LOUD TO YOUR DEAD FRIEND. And people look confused and he mumbles some sort of clarification, or not. This got so old. So so so so old. Aaslo names his horse Dolt but HE is the dolt. And I don't forgive him this because he is "a forester" who spends most of his time in the "forest" and "doesn't know much about people."
Also, draggy draggy plot and then wait, what? We are battling a dragon?
A full star off the rating for the existence of gods playing about with the humans. They weren't particularly interesting or original and made me way less interested in the lives and decisions of the human characters. Because gods, deciding your fate. Or not, maybe, but I also found the gods booooring.
The writing seems immature, almost juvenile, and I was surprised to hear the author has written other successful books. This book reminded me of the worst of the Eragon series. Cliched characters, magic, dialog, plot developments.
I read an advance reader print copy of Fate of the Fallen. I will not be going on to book 2.
January 1, 2021
This is one of the most bizarre chop shops I've ever read. DNF @ about 2/3rds complete.
Fate of the Fallen is an incredible missed opportunity. The concept is so cool. What if the chosen one dies- and his friend- the side character needs to complete his mission.
BUT WAIT..what if that side character had to carry his best friend's head around with him, and that head wouldn't stop talking to him.
Hold on, what if this impending doom is actually a bunch of asshole gods and goddesses controlling a multiverse who seem to just be sick of this world.
Fate of the Fallen is an absolute crack infested fever dream. Every plot thread is so exceptionally strange that you can't help but read a little further to see what happens next. Kel Kade deserves points for originality, of that there is no doubt.
Unfortunately, this book needed editors. A whole team of them. Reading Fate of the Fallen kind of feels like watching someone play a videogame.
The beginning of the book does a good enough job justifying this. Aarlo and Matthias are hanging out together talking about going to a dance (?) like they are on an episode of The Vampire Diaries. You then find out that his lifelong love actually isn't that into him and wants to marry Matthias. Then BOOM, they find out he's the chosen one. His grandma stole him from his parents to raise him because shes the only person strong enough...but she never trained in him anything. Also, something is destroying the world, but nobody knows about it or feels its effects. The kickoff is super strange, really fast, and instantly will give you whiplash. I wish I had the Ebook so I could drop some of the utterly bizarre, fast-moving, super strange dialogue that you get within the first 50 pages of the story.
Aarlo, the main character, keeps running into people on his vague mission, and they all feel like soulless NPCs meant to exhaust out dialogue options with them. It feels like this book is wearing the mask of what it thinks an epic fantasy should be with none of the personality of one. Aarlo's journey is diced into small sections where he runs into wealthy folks, thieves, kings, sorcerers, etc, and then...leaves. And that's it. It's so hard to put the whole picture together to understand what it all actually means because none of these characters truly leave their mark on him. None of his adventures change who he is or make him feel he is more deserving of his quest. There's no theme, no character growth, just a ton of extremely strange character introductions.
The gods and reapers side of the story also works awkwardly with the rest of the book, and the short POVs you get with them feel super jarring, like perhaps they were meant for another book.
I was determined to finish this because I think its subversive exploration of fantasy tropes was too cool not to honor, but the farther I got in the book, the more it felt clear to me that the clumsy writing and bullet train pace of the novel wasn't an accident- and I found it harder and harder to give a shit about Aarlo and his quest.
I think if you like weird stuff, this could be a great book for you. It's very weird and very readable. It's also short (Goodreads says 400 pages, but its only 344) Personally though, this one ain't for me.
Fate of the Fallen is an incredible missed opportunity. The concept is so cool. What if the chosen one dies- and his friend- the side character needs to complete his mission.
BUT WAIT..what if that side character had to carry his best friend's head around with him, and that head wouldn't stop talking to him.
Hold on, what if this impending doom is actually a bunch of asshole gods and goddesses controlling a multiverse who seem to just be sick of this world.
Fate of the Fallen is an absolute crack infested fever dream. Every plot thread is so exceptionally strange that you can't help but read a little further to see what happens next. Kel Kade deserves points for originality, of that there is no doubt.
Unfortunately, this book needed editors. A whole team of them. Reading Fate of the Fallen kind of feels like watching someone play a videogame.
The beginning of the book does a good enough job justifying this. Aarlo and Matthias are hanging out together talking about going to a dance (?) like they are on an episode of The Vampire Diaries. You then find out that his lifelong love actually isn't that into him and wants to marry Matthias. Then BOOM, they find out he's the chosen one. His grandma stole him from his parents to raise him because shes the only person strong enough...but she never trained in him anything. Also, something is destroying the world, but nobody knows about it or feels its effects. The kickoff is super strange, really fast, and instantly will give you whiplash. I wish I had the Ebook so I could drop some of the utterly bizarre, fast-moving, super strange dialogue that you get within the first 50 pages of the story.
Aarlo, the main character, keeps running into people on his vague mission, and they all feel like soulless NPCs meant to exhaust out dialogue options with them. It feels like this book is wearing the mask of what it thinks an epic fantasy should be with none of the personality of one. Aarlo's journey is diced into small sections where he runs into wealthy folks, thieves, kings, sorcerers, etc, and then...leaves. And that's it. It's so hard to put the whole picture together to understand what it all actually means because none of these characters truly leave their mark on him. None of his adventures change who he is or make him feel he is more deserving of his quest. There's no theme, no character growth, just a ton of extremely strange character introductions.
The gods and reapers side of the story also works awkwardly with the rest of the book, and the short POVs you get with them feel super jarring, like perhaps they were meant for another book.
I was determined to finish this because I think its subversive exploration of fantasy tropes was too cool not to honor, but the farther I got in the book, the more it felt clear to me that the clumsy writing and bullet train pace of the novel wasn't an accident- and I found it harder and harder to give a shit about Aarlo and his quest.
I think if you like weird stuff, this could be a great book for you. It's very weird and very readable. It's also short (Goodreads says 400 pages, but its only 344) Personally though, this one ain't for me.
April 29, 2020
a really strong 4 stars .. I may even change my mind later and give it 5
This book took a common and beloved fantasy trope and spun it in a new and entertaining way. A small-town boy from a remote village learns that he is the Chosen One; destined to fulfill The Prophecy and save the world from encroaching evil. Sounds familiar, right? Well Fate of the Fallen takes it a step further and asks what happens when that prophecy fails? What do we do - how will the world react - when it is inevitable that evil will win?
I have been going into books knowing as little as possible for a little while now, and once I finished this book, I read the synopsis to see what all I could say that wouldn't be spoilers, but I honestly think that I enjoyed this book that much more because I knew only what I stated above before going into it.
Kel Kade did an excellent job capturing the feels, the magic, the essence of classic fantasy storytelling, while smoothly bringing in some fresh and exciting takes that modernize the story a bit. That puts it above some other classic fantasy stories like this.
We still get a character-driven story with strong characters. Seamless worldbuilding and a fantasy world filled with magic, monsters, different creatures. Whimsical gods and goddesses! While incorporating bits here and there that bring new excitement to the story. Because of this, there were multiple times throughout the story where I was pleasantly surprised with where the plot was going and what the characters were doing. It felt like the author set up this classic fantasy storyline that is so familiar to fantasy readers and then right when we knew the story was going to go one way, it went the opposite.
More than anything, this story is just FUN! Such loveable characters, interesting gods, adventurous world-building, just a fun time. I'm sad to have to wait for the sequel but I know this is a story I will enjoy rereading!
This book took a common and beloved fantasy trope and spun it in a new and entertaining way. A small-town boy from a remote village learns that he is the Chosen One; destined to fulfill The Prophecy and save the world from encroaching evil. Sounds familiar, right? Well Fate of the Fallen takes it a step further and asks what happens when that prophecy fails? What do we do - how will the world react - when it is inevitable that evil will win?
I have been going into books knowing as little as possible for a little while now, and once I finished this book, I read the synopsis to see what all I could say that wouldn't be spoilers, but I honestly think that I enjoyed this book that much more because I knew only what I stated above before going into it.
Kel Kade did an excellent job capturing the feels, the magic, the essence of classic fantasy storytelling, while smoothly bringing in some fresh and exciting takes that modernize the story a bit. That puts it above some other classic fantasy stories like this.
We still get a character-driven story with strong characters. Seamless worldbuilding and a fantasy world filled with magic, monsters, different creatures. Whimsical gods and goddesses! While incorporating bits here and there that bring new excitement to the story. Because of this, there were multiple times throughout the story where I was pleasantly surprised with where the plot was going and what the characters were doing. It felt like the author set up this classic fantasy storyline that is so familiar to fantasy readers and then right when we knew the story was going to go one way, it went the opposite.
More than anything, this story is just FUN! Such loveable characters, interesting gods, adventurous world-building, just a fun time. I'm sad to have to wait for the sequel but I know this is a story I will enjoy rereading!
dnf
January 3, 2021After a good half hour with nothing but high school, teenage drama of the really, really toe-curling "who will I take to the prom", Bella/Edward/Jacob kind of triangle style I'm hard DNF'ing this @ 4%.
May 16, 2021
DNF at 75%. I think the idea behind it is a solid one, but the prose and plot made me more often cringe than not. The humor didn't feel earned but forced.
For a Fantasy book that wants to turn tropes on its head I would much more recommend "Spiderlight" by Adrian Tchailovsky.
For a Fantasy book that wants to turn tropes on its head I would much more recommend "Spiderlight" by Adrian Tchailovsky.
October 4, 2019
RTC. Worth the read but definitely far from perfect.
May 29, 2020
4.5 stars.
This review can also be found on my blog The Tattooed Book Geek: https://thetattooedbookgeek.wordpress...
You’ve all heard of the chosen one, the one who will keep the shadows at bay, the one who will push back the tides of darkness, the one who will defeat the forces of evil and the one whose destiny is to save the world. Well…what if, after years of planning and preparation the chosen one failed? What if the chosen one died and never had the chance to fulfil the prophecy?
How would you react? How would the world react? Would you fight or would give up and wait to die? Your hope dying along with the chosen one and the colours fading to grey. With their death, their failure the world is left with no way of fulfilling the prophecy and the impossible task if any have the courage to pick up the burden and, at least try would fall to another. To the left behind, to the others, to the sidekicks and to the normal people who were destined to live ordinary and uneventful lives, not the chosen, not the hero but the nobody. To the forgotten sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers. Those whose name history wouldn’t remember, those who were destined to be nothing more than footnotes in the story of the chosen one and those, who under normal circumstances would never have crossed paths with the chosen one. But, would you trust a nobody to save the world? Can the nobody succeed and save the world? That is the concept in Fate of the Fallen, not how the chosen one saves the world but, instead, exploring what happens when the chosen one fails to fulfil the prophecy and another is left to carry on in their place.
Beloved by all, Mathias is the golden boy in the village of Goldenwood who dreams of one-day being the village mayor. But, alongside his best friend Aaslo, he has been raised, taught and trained by his strict grandmother and destiny has a different path for him. Mathias is ‘the chosen one‘ and he is destined to fulfil a prophecy, destined to be the hero that saves the world.
Aaslo is Mathias’s childhood best friend, more than that, they are bonded, not by blood but in kinship and they are like brothers. Aaslo would have been happy staying in Goldenwood and its surrounding forest for the rest of his days and living an ordinary life. However, when events take a turn, the truth is revealed and Mathias has to abruptly leave the village, Aaslo follows him. Mathias’s prophecy is to save the world and Aaslo, as his best friend, as his brother will be there, walking right beside him.
Matthias is charming, enigmatic, extroverted and he is the definition of a charismatic hero. Aaslo, a forester is the opposite, he is gruff, contemplative, introverted and stubborn. Whereas Mathias is a people person, Aaslo prefers trees and he is far more at home in the comforting embrace of the forest and away from civilization than surrounded by people.
Aaslo isn’t a warrior, but, he trained alongside Mathias, is a competent swordsman and due to being a forester he is more than capable of handling an axe and he is able to handle himself in a fight. Throughout the journey in Fate of the Fallen, Aaslo grows and we see him change in some unexpected and unforeseen ways. Sacrifices have to be made if there is to be any chance of survival and Aaslo, the ordinary man becomes the reluctant hero, the hero that he doesn’t want to be, that he never wanted to be but also, taking the steps to become the hero that the world needs.
There is a sense of adventure to the story, a lot of journeying, perhaps with no real goal other than to find possible allies and help. Even with his reticence around people, the honest, strong and stalwart Aaslo draws them to him and inspires others giving them hope simply by being himself. Throughout the arduous and perilous journey, he finds some companions, the marquess of Dovermeyer, Ijen, a mysterious prophet, Teza, a spirited and spunky waitress and former fledgeling mage, a couple of scoundrels and thieves in the duo of Peck and Mory and Dolt, an endearing ill-mannered and idiot horse.
Magic inhabits the world but it is rare and slowly fading away. There are 12 bloodlines that carry magic and it is inherited, passed down from one generation to the next but, with each passing generation the strength of the magic is getting weaker. There is also a scheming pantheon of meddlesome and interfering gods stoking the flames of conflict involved in the story. Monstrous creatures and zombies also make an appearance during the story too.
The characters in Fate of the Fallen are highly likeable. For Aaslo and his companions, they are misfits galore that find their way into your heart and make you root for them. I also liked Magdelay, Mathias’s stern grandmother and mention must also go to Myropa, a reaper and a collector of souls who is a very intriguing character and the gateway character for the reader to see what the gods are currently plotting. The story itself is engaging and exciting. The writing is descriptive and flows well with a good sense of location and the settings where the story takes place are all easy to visualise be it the forests, towns/cities or the swamps. There are emotional moments interspersed throughout and a bountiful amount of banter. The banter really shines and it is a mixture of darker, needling and sarcastic along with light-hearted, jovial and good-natured. It is often laugh-out-loud hilarious and it is some of the best that I have read in a long time.
I had a great time reading Fate of the Fallen, it felt like classic fantasy injected with a fresh new feel, it is incredibly entertaining and a hell of a lot of fun. I found it hard to put down, the ending came far too soon and it was with a heavy heart that I turned the final page as I wasn’t yet ready to leave either the characters or the story behind.
This review can also be found on my blog The Tattooed Book Geek: https://thetattooedbookgeek.wordpress...
You’ve all heard of the chosen one, the one who will keep the shadows at bay, the one who will push back the tides of darkness, the one who will defeat the forces of evil and the one whose destiny is to save the world. Well…what if, after years of planning and preparation the chosen one failed? What if the chosen one died and never had the chance to fulfil the prophecy?
How would you react? How would the world react? Would you fight or would give up and wait to die? Your hope dying along with the chosen one and the colours fading to grey. With their death, their failure the world is left with no way of fulfilling the prophecy and the impossible task if any have the courage to pick up the burden and, at least try would fall to another. To the left behind, to the others, to the sidekicks and to the normal people who were destined to live ordinary and uneventful lives, not the chosen, not the hero but the nobody. To the forgotten sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers. Those whose name history wouldn’t remember, those who were destined to be nothing more than footnotes in the story of the chosen one and those, who under normal circumstances would never have crossed paths with the chosen one. But, would you trust a nobody to save the world? Can the nobody succeed and save the world? That is the concept in Fate of the Fallen, not how the chosen one saves the world but, instead, exploring what happens when the chosen one fails to fulfil the prophecy and another is left to carry on in their place.
Beloved by all, Mathias is the golden boy in the village of Goldenwood who dreams of one-day being the village mayor. But, alongside his best friend Aaslo, he has been raised, taught and trained by his strict grandmother and destiny has a different path for him. Mathias is ‘the chosen one‘ and he is destined to fulfil a prophecy, destined to be the hero that saves the world.
Aaslo is Mathias’s childhood best friend, more than that, they are bonded, not by blood but in kinship and they are like brothers. Aaslo would have been happy staying in Goldenwood and its surrounding forest for the rest of his days and living an ordinary life. However, when events take a turn, the truth is revealed and Mathias has to abruptly leave the village, Aaslo follows him. Mathias’s prophecy is to save the world and Aaslo, as his best friend, as his brother will be there, walking right beside him.
Matthias is charming, enigmatic, extroverted and he is the definition of a charismatic hero. Aaslo, a forester is the opposite, he is gruff, contemplative, introverted and stubborn. Whereas Mathias is a people person, Aaslo prefers trees and he is far more at home in the comforting embrace of the forest and away from civilization than surrounded by people.
Aaslo isn’t a warrior, but, he trained alongside Mathias, is a competent swordsman and due to being a forester he is more than capable of handling an axe and he is able to handle himself in a fight. Throughout the journey in Fate of the Fallen, Aaslo grows and we see him change in some unexpected and unforeseen ways. Sacrifices have to be made if there is to be any chance of survival and Aaslo, the ordinary man becomes the reluctant hero, the hero that he doesn’t want to be, that he never wanted to be but also, taking the steps to become the hero that the world needs.
There is a sense of adventure to the story, a lot of journeying, perhaps with no real goal other than to find possible allies and help. Even with his reticence around people, the honest, strong and stalwart Aaslo draws them to him and inspires others giving them hope simply by being himself. Throughout the arduous and perilous journey, he finds some companions, the marquess of Dovermeyer, Ijen, a mysterious prophet, Teza, a spirited and spunky waitress and former fledgeling mage, a couple of scoundrels and thieves in the duo of Peck and Mory and Dolt, an endearing ill-mannered and idiot horse.
Magic inhabits the world but it is rare and slowly fading away. There are 12 bloodlines that carry magic and it is inherited, passed down from one generation to the next but, with each passing generation the strength of the magic is getting weaker. There is also a scheming pantheon of meddlesome and interfering gods stoking the flames of conflict involved in the story. Monstrous creatures and zombies also make an appearance during the story too.
The characters in Fate of the Fallen are highly likeable. For Aaslo and his companions, they are misfits galore that find their way into your heart and make you root for them. I also liked Magdelay, Mathias’s stern grandmother and mention must also go to Myropa, a reaper and a collector of souls who is a very intriguing character and the gateway character for the reader to see what the gods are currently plotting. The story itself is engaging and exciting. The writing is descriptive and flows well with a good sense of location and the settings where the story takes place are all easy to visualise be it the forests, towns/cities or the swamps. There are emotional moments interspersed throughout and a bountiful amount of banter. The banter really shines and it is a mixture of darker, needling and sarcastic along with light-hearted, jovial and good-natured. It is often laugh-out-loud hilarious and it is some of the best that I have read in a long time.
I had a great time reading Fate of the Fallen, it felt like classic fantasy injected with a fresh new feel, it is incredibly entertaining and a hell of a lot of fun. I found it hard to put down, the ending came far too soon and it was with a heavy heart that I turned the final page as I wasn’t yet ready to leave either the characters or the story behind.
October 10, 2019
Aaslo is a forester - a person who protects the forest and ensures plant growth in Aldrea. He never leaves the forest and spends his days in the forest with his best friend Mathias, the girl he loves, and Magdelay (Mathias' grandmother). Magdelay and Mathias are spooked when a stranger shows up in town, forcing Magdelay to reveal the truth: She is a Magus, and Mathias is a child of prophecy. The World is ending, and only Mathias can save it. But, when they are attacked and Mathias is killed, Aaslo picks up the torch and carries it (quite literally) as he takes on the burden to save from the evil that seeks to destroy it. In Fate of the Fallen, Aaslo goes on an adventure that sees him make new friends and acquaintances and learn more about himself and the world he lives in than he ever imagined.
Aaslo is the hero we did not know we needed. He is strong and skilled with a weapon, though he only fights when necessary. He is gentlemanly to a fault. Aaslo is intelligent, though his lack of experience and touch of naiveté leaves him exposed in certain situations. He is brave and loyal and never gives up. And Adventure Fantasy such as this could not ask for a better hero.
Aaslo meets a whole cast of characters along the way, as well. Peck and Mory - a couple of thieves he encounters and befriends - are fun. Teza is a former mage-in-training who knows healing spells and does not take any crap from Aaslo or anyone else along the way. There is a prophet named Ijen, of whom I am not a big fan. I do not understand his contribution to the story, other than trying to be interesting... he doe snot move the story along.
There are also a group of Gods involved. I am also not a huge fan of this aspect. It is hard to do Gods right in fantasy stories, because Gods can essentially do anything they want. Some authors try to fix this plot hole by giving them rules or pitting the against each other, but in the end it always comes down to this: if Gods want to destroy a world, they can; if they want to create one; they can. This book falls into that trap, and I think it detracts from the overall story.
The story itself is interesting. There is adventure, fighting, interesting characters, and a lot of humor. The humor is often brought about during serious times, breaking the mood and lightening things up. That is a big positive. As for how the story progresses, I thought that could have been handled better. Much of the storyline felt random to me. There were many occurrences that did not contribute to the overall progression of the story. I did not get a sense of building up and climax, it was more like plateauing, then a big event would spike, and afterward it would go back to a flatline. There was not much buildup. The ending felt this way, too, like they were cruising along, then a big event and the adventure was over. I would have preferred more of a gradual rise to the peak.
Overall, this was a good book. Aaslo is a great protagonist, and the story was interesting and full of humor. I recommend it for anyone looking for a light fantasy read. Fate of the Fallen, by Kel Kade, will be released on November 5, 2019.
Aaslo is the hero we did not know we needed. He is strong and skilled with a weapon, though he only fights when necessary. He is gentlemanly to a fault. Aaslo is intelligent, though his lack of experience and touch of naiveté leaves him exposed in certain situations. He is brave and loyal and never gives up. And Adventure Fantasy such as this could not ask for a better hero.
Aaslo meets a whole cast of characters along the way, as well. Peck and Mory - a couple of thieves he encounters and befriends - are fun. Teza is a former mage-in-training who knows healing spells and does not take any crap from Aaslo or anyone else along the way. There is a prophet named Ijen, of whom I am not a big fan. I do not understand his contribution to the story, other than trying to be interesting... he doe snot move the story along.
There are also a group of Gods involved. I am also not a huge fan of this aspect. It is hard to do Gods right in fantasy stories, because Gods can essentially do anything they want. Some authors try to fix this plot hole by giving them rules or pitting the against each other, but in the end it always comes down to this: if Gods want to destroy a world, they can; if they want to create one; they can. This book falls into that trap, and I think it detracts from the overall story.
The story itself is interesting. There is adventure, fighting, interesting characters, and a lot of humor. The humor is often brought about during serious times, breaking the mood and lightening things up. That is a big positive. As for how the story progresses, I thought that could have been handled better. Much of the storyline felt random to me. There were many occurrences that did not contribute to the overall progression of the story. I did not get a sense of building up and climax, it was more like plateauing, then a big event would spike, and afterward it would go back to a flatline. There was not much buildup. The ending felt this way, too, like they were cruising along, then a big event and the adventure was over. I would have preferred more of a gradual rise to the peak.
Overall, this was a good book. Aaslo is a great protagonist, and the story was interesting and full of humor. I recommend it for anyone looking for a light fantasy read. Fate of the Fallen, by Kel Kade, will be released on November 5, 2019.
March 20, 2022
Sorry everybody I am having trouble writing comments back to people its fustrating and not fair I don't want anyone thinking im rude or anything im glad some of you want to check this book out I love it Kel Kade is awsome shes underrated I think thanks for adding this to your tbr! Idk whats wrong with my comments!
April 7, 2020
I love the concept behind this book, but the execution was more of a mixed bag. What if Frodo died before completing his quest and Samwise had to pick up the slack? This takes the concept of the fated hero dying and the reluctant sidekick having to take center stage and puts it into its own story and world. Aslo and Mathias have been best friends all their lives. Mathias is handsome and charming, someone everyone loves. Aslo is a Forester- respected but a quieter introvert with a more gruff personality. And as it turns out, Mathias is also the fated hero of the world with his death leading to the destruction of the world. So when he does in fact die, Aslo chooses to carry his burden.
This is a really great setup and I liked the way Aslo and Mathias contrast in terms of personality. There were also things I enjoyed about the progression of the book. It's a surprisingly lighthearted adventure and can be fun and entertaining. However, the world-building feels very lazy and there are bizarre elements sometimes thrown in without explanation.
The magic system is never adequately explained, nor are the enemies seeking to destroy everything, and we get perspectives from these meddling gods in another realm that seem to come out of nowhere. Wait, there are gods in this world? Oh, okay, I guess there are! And they are reminiscent of portrayals of Greek gods playing with humans. Other things like Aslo carrying Mathias' head around in a sack and then conversing with his dead friend are a little strange. At first I thought maybe this was a way of dealing with his grief, but it definitely goes beyond that and turns into something of a joke. Also, it's rarely clear where the plot is actually going and sometimes felt a little random in the way it was constructed.
If it sounds like I hated the book, I didn't. It was largely a fun book to read, but also a strange and sometimes frustrating experience. If you can just go along for the ride and aren't too bothered by the lack of structure and explanation, then this could be a fun one to read. If you need things to make sense and have well-structured worldbuilding, this probably is not the book for you.
This is a really great setup and I liked the way Aslo and Mathias contrast in terms of personality. There were also things I enjoyed about the progression of the book. It's a surprisingly lighthearted adventure and can be fun and entertaining. However, the world-building feels very lazy and there are bizarre elements sometimes thrown in without explanation.
The magic system is never adequately explained, nor are the enemies seeking to destroy everything, and we get perspectives from these meddling gods in another realm that seem to come out of nowhere. Wait, there are gods in this world? Oh, okay, I guess there are! And they are reminiscent of portrayals of Greek gods playing with humans. Other things like Aslo carrying Mathias' head around in a sack and then conversing with his dead friend are a little strange. At first I thought maybe this was a way of dealing with his grief, but it definitely goes beyond that and turns into something of a joke. Also, it's rarely clear where the plot is actually going and sometimes felt a little random in the way it was constructed.
If it sounds like I hated the book, I didn't. It was largely a fun book to read, but also a strange and sometimes frustrating experience. If you can just go along for the ride and aren't too bothered by the lack of structure and explanation, then this could be a fun one to read. If you need things to make sense and have well-structured worldbuilding, this probably is not the book for you.
February 11, 2020
2.5/5
I am really sad to be giving this book a low rating, while I did enjoy the story and the characters, the writing was lacking for me. I want to start out with the positives: I really enjoyed the premise of this! It was such an interesting twist on the chosen one trope and I liked that our main character was very different from our typical charismatic chosen one. All of the side characters really added a lot of spice that this missing because of the ‘dullness’ of the main character. I also really liked the world itself! I thought that the foresters were super interesting. Okay now for the negative side of things. I think they all could be summarized into this: the book was too short and needed more refinements/editing. I can appreciate that the author was trying to make this book comedic and lighthearted but the humor just didn’t connect with me and in my opinion came off as kinda silly. With such a focus being make on the comedy elements it made it really hard to feel any sense of urgency or dread at the supposed incoming doom. Any real action or “scary” scenes were very glossed over. That leads to my main problem with this book: the timing. There was so much happening in this book that just sped right on by without allowing the reader to really sit in the scene and get to know the characters and world. There would be very pivotal scenes and world building opportunities that were so quick moving we couldn’t get a good sense of it. It reminded me of trying to get a good view of a beautiful mountain while you’re driving 100mph past it. Because of this a lot of plot progression seemed very coincidental rather than occurring naturally, the author does explain this but I still would have appreciated a more natural development. I think this was an effort to keep the book from being too long but it just did not lead to a great immersive reading experience. We also are following a few different perspectives which I would have enjoyed had the book been about double the length but with such a short and ambitious book I think the focus needs to be on a single character to really get the proper balance. My last note would be that the book ending did not feel complete, it felt as if it ended in the middle of the book. I really would have loved this book to be a 600 pager rather than just over 300. So while I did not hate the book itself the writing left something to be desired.
I am really sad to be giving this book a low rating, while I did enjoy the story and the characters, the writing was lacking for me. I want to start out with the positives: I really enjoyed the premise of this! It was such an interesting twist on the chosen one trope and I liked that our main character was very different from our typical charismatic chosen one. All of the side characters really added a lot of spice that this missing because of the ‘dullness’ of the main character. I also really liked the world itself! I thought that the foresters were super interesting. Okay now for the negative side of things. I think they all could be summarized into this: the book was too short and needed more refinements/editing. I can appreciate that the author was trying to make this book comedic and lighthearted but the humor just didn’t connect with me and in my opinion came off as kinda silly. With such a focus being make on the comedy elements it made it really hard to feel any sense of urgency or dread at the supposed incoming doom. Any real action or “scary” scenes were very glossed over. That leads to my main problem with this book: the timing. There was so much happening in this book that just sped right on by without allowing the reader to really sit in the scene and get to know the characters and world. There would be very pivotal scenes and world building opportunities that were so quick moving we couldn’t get a good sense of it. It reminded me of trying to get a good view of a beautiful mountain while you’re driving 100mph past it. Because of this a lot of plot progression seemed very coincidental rather than occurring naturally, the author does explain this but I still would have appreciated a more natural development. I think this was an effort to keep the book from being too long but it just did not lead to a great immersive reading experience. We also are following a few different perspectives which I would have enjoyed had the book been about double the length but with such a short and ambitious book I think the focus needs to be on a single character to really get the proper balance. My last note would be that the book ending did not feel complete, it felt as if it ended in the middle of the book. I really would have loved this book to be a 600 pager rather than just over 300. So while I did not hate the book itself the writing left something to be desired.
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