Nancy Foster

The Fragmented Fates book sequel is finished after constant toiling back and forth between writing chapters at lighting speed intertwined with periods of incessant writer's block. Looking at the story as a whole, the ending feels actually very satisfying. I felt transported back to the magic I felt upon writing some of my older books.

Yes, this sequel is darker than Fragmented Fates (which by itself teeters into Grimdark territory). There are also scenes that feel lighthearted and make me show more smile. The 4 protagonists have grown in their own way, and maybe in a sense I feel everyone has returned home at the end.

Anduvio is the epitome of Chaotic Evil, but I cannot ever hate him for his crimes. He amuses me very much. Gulraj is devious playing a more neutral antagonistic role. And yes, I finally reveal Henrietta's true identity.

There is still plenty of canonical story in between the end of this duology and An Ominous Book. Given I wish to write about other things, I probably won't write what happens in between both stories. However, the final chapter nicely wraps up and ties some loose ends that I left hanging in my other books (unfortunately some of these loose ends happen in one of my unpublished books that I might never publish). Only one person has read that particular book and was surprised how dark it is.

And so, I say goodbye to this duology that I started writing in 2019 and split into two halves. I won't put a rating on this book, but overall it feels more complete than the first half. I would have given it 4.5 stars. Hopefully it will be officially published in the next few months for everyone to enjoy.

Have a nice day! show less

This is a review of Fractured Fates by Nancy Foster. It is the first of a duology. I doubt that I would read the second one. The characters include immortal elves, winged harlequins, humans, and crosses. Some of these bonded with demons, which bothered me some. It had a feel of a Middle Eastern setting. I like books with political maneuvering, which one of the characters - the blind seer Talgel - is doing. There are several primary characters. These characters have flaws, which make them show more more realistic, but only one seems potentially likable. The disabled characters are not likable (one seems evil and manipulative, the other bitter and sadistic), and it would have been nice if there was a positive portrayal of one, since they are included. I think this book is just not quite my taste, although I do like complex stories.

I would have liked to know more about the different societies and more about the magic. Since the harlequins have left to set up their own city underground, we might learn more about theirs in the next book.

I received this book for free through LibraryThing Early Reviewers. show less

Fragmented Fates takes place in a magical world, in the city of Almjarhad. Almjarhad is a newly developed city within a vast desert, populated by Elves and Harlequins and their offspring. An exiled elf, Lord Jamarnid, rules alongside his halfling son Jarahad. They help guide their people, as their city is built from the ground up. Jarahad is deeply in love with Talgel, a gifted woman who can see the future. Though she loves him too, she refuses to marry for reasons unknown to any but show more herself. When she sees a troubling vision of the future for Almjarhad, Talgel begins pulling the strings of those around her, to shape the future in the way she prefers. This deeply involves the leader of the Harlequins as well as a young halfling boy named Tioja. What will the future entail? Only Talgel knows.

As this story started, I was fairly confused as to what was going on. Some of the high fantasy names were too similar, and it felt like I was just thrown into the world, with little backstory. I did eventually settle into the rhythm of the story, but never felt fully satisfied. The writing felt stilted, which kept me out of it a bit. The magic system is quite different, with magic users each summoning a special beast/demon that is unique to their magic. I like this system, though I'm not sure I fully understand it even after finishing the novel. I also liked the slowly developing mystery of Talgel's vision. I didn't feel much of a connection to any of the characters, though Talgel was probably my favorite. I am curious to see how the action will ramp up in the sequel. show less

I totally enjoyed reading this book! While it was not what I expected, there is something unique and original about it. The beginning of the book at first was a bit confusing to me but as I read on, I slowly began to understand the plot.

My favourite character is Talgel. I love how strong she is and how she didn't let her disability stop her from achieving great things. I do wish there was a lot of her POV though. I was always looking forward to her chapters.

Overall, this was a great read, show more and I am looking forward to reading the second book! show less