Fortune and Fate by Sharon Shinn
published 2008
403 pages
Synopsis from publisher:
Plagued by guilt for failing to protect her king, Rider Wen has fled the city of Gillengaria and given herself the penance of a life of wandering, helping strangers in need. But when chance brings her to the great estate known as Fortune, Wen will find her fate, and finally confront the ghosts of her past.
My thoughts:
This was another good choice for me as I ease my way back into the reading/reviewing vibe. I've thoroughly enjoyed the previous four volumes in Shinn's Twelve Houses series, so I knew going in that I would most likely enjoy this one, too. And happily, I was right.
Fortune and Fate is a definite shift in tone from it's predecessors - they were very much wrapped up in the prelude to rebellion and the war itself. In this book, the war is over, and so in many ways this book felt quieter, less frantic. I was never worried that one of the main characters would die - even though there was some danger and adventure, it never seemed quite as treacherous as it had before.
One of my favorite parts about Shinn's books is that she always gives her readers a strong heroine, and she didn't disappoint in Wen. Honestly, it's just so much fun to see her take on the boys and beat them at their own game - she is strong, and smart, and more than a match for anyone or anything that crosses her path. It was also fun to catch up with the core group of 6 who had featured so prominently in the previous books, and the meeting of Wen and that group was memorable and fulfilling.
This is just a great read. I think I've said before that Shinn's fantasy is most likely not for everyone - she has a definite undertone of romance in her novels, and I know that might turn some readers off. For me, losing myself in her world is always a pleasure. I don't know where she plans to take me next, but I can assure you I'll be going there with her.
Finished: 4/11/10
Source: Forest Avenue library
MPAA rating: PG? Some violence and adult situations, but nothing explicit
My rating: 8/10
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