The Pledge

Fae of the Crystal Palace #0.5

by Kylie Fennell

***THE PLEDGE IS A SHORT STORY***

A Fae Ranger sent through a portal to Victorian England to stop an assassin faces an impossible choice: save her family or the Fae Realm in a battle between the light and darkness.

This origins story sets the scene for the Fae of the Crystal Palace – a gaslamp YA fantasy romance (with a touch of mystery) series.

Genres: Fantasy, Fae

20 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 5, 2023

About the author

I’m an author of speculative fiction, fantasy and fabulism for adults and young adults. Writing about strong female leads who metaphorically and literally kick butt particularly appeals to me, as does magic…always magic!

My kind of speculative fiction features everything from magical misfits with moxie to fierce and fabulist females.

My writing is influenced by my time living in Japan and Europe and their rich histories. As an Australian writer of European and Aboriginal (Gumbaynggirr and Bundjalung) descent, I’m also fascinated by culture and identity.

I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember.

My love of reading and writing started with an early addiction to Grimms’ fairy tales, Arthurian legends and a love of superheroes.

If I hadn’t become a writer, I would be a superhero librarian – conquering the Dewey Decimal System by day and saving the world one book at a time by night. Failing that, I'd work in a doughnut shop...mmm...doughnuts. Instead, I put my superpowers to work as a Queensland Writers Centre Tutor and speaker (I have presented at industry workshops events including GenreCon 2019).

My creative writing has been recognised via several awards including Queensland Writers Centre Flash Fiction (winner), and Australian Writers Centre Furious Fiction (shortlisted out of 1300 entries), as well as second in GenreCon's short story competition 2019.

I have been shortlisted in The Long Way Home's short story competition in 2019 and 2020 with my stories published in their anthologies. I also have stories published in Lighthouse – An Anthology and Stories of Survival.

My guilty pleasures are watching the Princess Bride, the Labyrinth, Star Wars, Friends or Grease for the zillionth time.

I live in Brisbane (Yuggera and Turrbal Country) with my husband, son and too many pets.

Reviews

[Wine About Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m not really into fantasy but this was a super short prequel to another book. I actually added the next book in the series to my wish list because of this prequel.

Twin sisters living on opposite sides of the realm per say meet when the other kills an elder. The main character twin is tasked with killing her sister Liisi.

[Phoebe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating- 3 stars
(Kindle)
This was a okay read. It really helped to set the scene and introduced the story. Although I'm quite reculant on how this fits into the next story. I think I will be coming back to the first novel another time as I did find the writing to be quite flat and really so not want this to put me into a reading slump

[TaniaRina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Included in ‘Forbidden Doors’ anthology and also available on Amazon.
I really can’t argue with the assassin’s point…

Can’t wait to read the sequel ‘Charmed’ (reading ARC now - releases 30 November).

I also have some of the author's 'Kyprian Prophecy' books.

[Reads_Must · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Pledge
Fae of the Crystal Palace #0.5
Fantasy
Kylie Fennell
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

• ᴀᴄᴛɪᴏɴ • ᴛᴇɴꜱɪᴏɴ • ʙᴇᴛʀᴀʏᴀʟ •

This short read had good pacing, and I really liked the magic alongside a Victorian England setting.

The portals and the pledging ceremony itself made me curious about the magic and the relationship between the Fae and the humans. It was a different take on what makes the Fae Seelie/Good or Unseelie/Evil.

I would've liked some more world building. I will be reading the other books related to this one, though, so hopefully, it'll be developed more, as well as the characters.

[Kirsten · Rating 1 out of 5]

Rushed and somewhat boring

I was really uninterested in the Pledge portion, where the writing was at breakneck speed, just switching from thing to thing and barely giving each thought traction. I understand it’s a short story, but to have huge things happen within the span of a sentence or two and then immediately jump into a new huge thing happening was just too jarring to me. Not interested in reading more at all, even after reading the included preview of the other book.

[Kanan Jain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kylie Fennell's short story The Pledge is described as a gaslamp fantasy prequel to her Fae of the Crystal Palace series, featuring a Fae Ranger in Victorian England who must choose between protecting her family and saving her realm. The narrative is noted as action-packed and introduces the series' blend of historical setting, fae lore, and mystery, successfully building intrigue for the larger series.

[Rebecca (Medusa's Rock Garden) · Rating 2 out of 5]

How'd I just read a short that covered several days at a nice, even, leisurely pace only to move onto this that covers maybe an hour (not counting however long she was unconscious for) and felt so rushed not a single thought felt finished?

A pity as the concept was intriguing.

[Kayla Gribble · Rating 2 out of 5]

A very interesting premise, but the writing fell flat for me. It was very two-dimensional and, honestly, reminded me of a poorly written fan fiction that just makes you cringe.

[Priscila Vera Schmidt · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a good short story... and after that ending, I will totally read the first book of the saga.

[Kelly Lyonns · Rating 5 out of 5]

A dark Fae origin short story for the Fae of the Crystal Palace. A story of bonds and betrayal. What happens when you have to choose between the ones you love and the destruction of worlds.

[Gretchen Bernet-Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Victorian London setting is great and I loved the aspect of duelling sisters, the yin and yang of the pledge and those caught inbetween which kept me reading.

[Virginia · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.