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Champions of Fate #1
Fatal Shadow
Long ago, magic cracked apart the world and suspended great continents between two suns. But the ebb and flow of human history continues. Trade and war cross the void on dragon wings. Great empires rise and topple…
As the rightful heir to one such fallen state, Drinith has known only exile, dashed hope, and constant threat. She has so far eluded the murderous intentions of the tyrant Magian the Infinite thanks to the prophetic visions of the oracle, Quiescat, but his power is failing. All he can glimpse in the future now is his own death.
An assassin’s blade forces her into a desperate gamble. She takes her one final chance to secure the ally she so desperately needs. But at the end of her journey, she’ll find deceit, betrayal, and murder. And she’ll learn Magian isn’t the only threat to her people.
Fatal Shadow is the first of six books in the Champions of Fate series, an epic fantasy packed with fast-paced action, intriguing characters, and imaginative world-building.
As the rightful heir to one such fallen state, Drinith has known only exile, dashed hope, and constant threat. She has so far eluded the murderous intentions of the tyrant Magian the Infinite thanks to the prophetic visions of the oracle, Quiescat, but his power is failing. All he can glimpse in the future now is his own death.
An assassin’s blade forces her into a desperate gamble. She takes her one final chance to secure the ally she so desperately needs. But at the end of her journey, she’ll find deceit, betrayal, and murder. And she’ll learn Magian isn’t the only threat to her people.
Fatal Shadow is the first of six books in the Champions of Fate series, an epic fantasy packed with fast-paced action, intriguing characters, and imaginative world-building.
- GenresFantasy
Kindle Edition
Published January 1, 2021
20 people are currently reading
79 people want to read
About the author
Noel Coughlan
12 books42 followersNoel lives with his wife and daughter in the West of Ireland. He writes epic fantasy, science fiction and horror.
From a young age, he was always writing a book. Generally, the first page over and over. Sometimes, he even reached the second page before he had shredded an entire copybook. And you couldn’t even recycle all that wasted paper back then.
When he finally wrote and published a book, it took him fourteen years. The Golden Rule became two books so let us be generous and say he averaged seven years per novel. He has gotten a little faster since then. Honest.
His hobbies include writing, reading, and reading about writing. He has written about reading in the past, and he occasionally writes about his writing. He would happily stay at home all day writing, but the family dog, Ruby, insists on taking him for daily walks.
His pet hates include writing his biography and referring to himself in the third person.
From a young age, he was always writing a book. Generally, the first page over and over. Sometimes, he even reached the second page before he had shredded an entire copybook. And you couldn’t even recycle all that wasted paper back then.
When he finally wrote and published a book, it took him fourteen years. The Golden Rule became two books so let us be generous and say he averaged seven years per novel. He has gotten a little faster since then. Honest.
His hobbies include writing, reading, and reading about writing. He has written about reading in the past, and he occasionally writes about his writing. He would happily stay at home all day writing, but the family dog, Ruby, insists on taking him for daily walks.
His pet hates include writing his biography and referring to himself in the third person.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
April 13, 2025
A seer has a vision of an assassination, and warns the victim, the queen. For political/cultural reasons, they're not going to stop the assassin before he attacks, they're going to have the queen fight him off. That's eyebrow-raising, but okay, I'll accept it.
Since they know from the vision how the attack will go, the warmaster person comes up with a sequence of moves to counter that attack and that attack only. Which makes no sense - you presumably know the future can be changed, why on earth would you go ahead as if the assassin won't alter a single twitch from what was foreseen? - but then, Because Vision, the warmaster decides the queen doesn't need to wear mail.
Because she's perfectly safe.
Because of the vision you are making sure does not come true.
No one with any martial experience whatsoever - including childhood pillowfights! - would allow his QUEEN to NOT WEAR ARMOUR for an ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION.
No. Absolutely not. This is on PAGE TWO. If we're getting this level of Unforgivable Dumb this early I dread to think what nonsense we'll have later.
You don't need to make your characters dumb as rocks to have big dramatic moments! An assassination is already set up to be dramatic! What the hell!
Gods damn it, I was really hoping this would be epic.
Since they know from the vision how the attack will go, the warmaster person comes up with a sequence of moves to counter that attack and that attack only. Which makes no sense - you presumably know the future can be changed, why on earth would you go ahead as if the assassin won't alter a single twitch from what was foreseen? - but then, Because Vision, the warmaster decides the queen doesn't need to wear mail.
Because she's perfectly safe.
Because of the vision you are making sure does not come true.
No one with any martial experience whatsoever - including childhood pillowfights! - would allow his QUEEN to NOT WEAR ARMOUR for an ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION.
No. Absolutely not. This is on PAGE TWO. If we're getting this level of Unforgivable Dumb this early I dread to think what nonsense we'll have later.
You don't need to make your characters dumb as rocks to have big dramatic moments! An assassination is already set up to be dramatic! What the hell!
Gods damn it, I was really hoping this would be epic.
September 19, 2022
Solid dark and gritty fantasy with some excellent worldbuilding - https://booknest.eu/reviews/spfbo/246...
March 9, 2021
Right from the start the pace is great with murder, intrigue, and lots of different powers vying for their own goals. The three main characters are well drawn and you can quickly feel the tensions between them. I recommend this book to anyone who likes the epic fantasy genre (Robert Jordan, GRR Martin, Brandon Sanderson, Joe Abercombie). On top of that the author has clearly put a bunch of effort into world building.
October 27, 2022
Action packed from beginning to end this is a well thought out adventure/sci fi novel. I’m glad I verged off my usual type of book to give this one a try. It was worth the read. The author didn’t let the reader down with well thought out characters and intricate fight scenes. Thank you for sharing your words.
February 16, 2023
DNF 13%
Rambling and mostly nonsensical. It feels like there's too much the reader has missed without enough explanation. I wanted to like it, but it just wasn't worth it.
Rambling and mostly nonsensical. It feels like there's too much the reader has missed without enough explanation. I wanted to like it, but it just wasn't worth it.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews