Fate of the Fallen

I received a copy of this from Netgalley and the Publisher in exchange for my open and honest review.

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Kel Kade's book, Fate of the Fallen, is a book of tropes turned on their head and flipped all around. For example, how many books have you read about a small-town farming boy and his trusty best friend that learns that he has a magical destiny and is fated to either destroy or save the world? How about that farming boy that was raised by a wise old man who happens to be a wizard. And that wizard has kept it a secret all these years. These tropes are here, sort of.

Here is where this story gets good...

Kade has taken these time old formulas and flipped them all around. Instead of the small-town boy fulfilling the prophecy, he dies in the second chapter. His best friend has to take his head and do all he can do to help save his friends and family. Imagine if Frodo died, and Samwise Gamgee had to take over his quest alone while carrying Frodo's magically bespelled. The old male father figure wizard trope is instead replaced by a female who is a witch. It entirely changes the tone of the story, for the better. And the prophecy is going to come true no matter what. No matter what.

I can't tell you much more about the plot because this is a story that even merely alluding to events in the story that will ruin it. Just know that hackneyed tropes are thrown out the window for fresh and bright storytelling that is enthralling and heartbreaking at the same time. There was more than one time during this story, where I had to put the book down and say out loud, “Damn.”

The side characters are just as exciting as the main protagonist, and I enjoyed the interactions and reactions that Kade has written. The dialog and prose of the story flow from moment to moment but is not jam-packed with so much action and detail that the reader gets tired. It is just enough to keep you only slightly breathless, but always wanting more. Another thing is this story is funny as hell. It had me guffawing and howling a couple of times. Kade really taps into the snark on this one.

Fate of the Fallen is a story that I just loved. It is everything a reader wants out of a fantasy romp. It has great characters, exciting twists, funny dialog, and a protagonist that you want to know more about. Definitely one of the best books I have read this year and I can't wait to read more from Kade.

This was an easy book to listen to. The reader was superb and really brought the story to life. I found myself routing for the protagonist and second guessing the outcome several times throughout the story. I especially enjoyed the interaction between the two best friends, even considering how unnatural it was. The writing has a natural flow and doesn't sound formulaic. I found myself ready to get back into it to find out what happens next.

I deliberated between these three and four stars. I really did enjoy my time in this world. I particularly liked that characters refused to let their lives be determined for them. I did struggle with the gods. Perhaps part of this is my unfamiliarity with the Greco-Roman gods mythologies. Part of it is that I didn't like the gods themselves.

The mortal characters win the day for me. It was a fun adventure. It wasn't a boiler plate story. And it had something to say about life beyond the story. I would recommend this book to people who enjoy the fantasy genre. For those friends who are sensitive to reading books that do not line up with fundamental beliefs, they may want to skip this one. (Greco-Roman pantheon of gods, and all.)

4.5 out of 5 stars
This book took me by surprise. I loved the King's Dark Tidings series, so I was eager to read a new release by Kel Kade. This book has a lot of world building, a lot of character development, and a lot of twists that make me feel like book 2 will be where the story really takes off as intended. My biggest recommendation is to go back and re-read the prologue after you've finished the book because it definitely has a lot more to it than you might originally think

this book was trying very hard to be funny and it just...wasn't. the writing didn't flow very well for me, especially during battle. lots of characters are introduced constantly (even towards the end!) and i didn't particularly like anyone. the gods in were confusing and weren't really covered enough for me to care about them.

i like the idea of subverting a trope, but Aaslo might as well be the chosen one with the way he attracts strays. a big deal is made about how everyone loves Mathias but he is only ever insufferable and annoying, meanwhile people are just SO DRAWN to Aaslo and his being a forester. foresters might as well be a group of heroes with how they're treated in this world.

I love it when books end right in the middle of the story!!! But I should have known, I mean it's practically a law that all fantasy books have to be part of a series... sigh. And of course the next one isn't out yet, which also seems to be law with these things.

I was pretty entertained by this story - it flips the Chosen One narrative, if not on its head, then at least kind of sideways. Matthias and Aaslo are BFFs, and when Matthias finds out he's the Chosen One, prophesied to save what looks like Europe but is named something else, he sets out to save Not-Europe, and immediately gets attacked by monsters and dies. (This is not a spoiler.) Aaslo followed Matthias just in time to see him die, and takes up his mantle instead. Everyone proceeds to tell Aaslo it's a fool's errand, everyone is doomed, might as well lay down and wait. Aaslo doesn't like doing nothing.

Other than it ending in the middle of a bunch of action, this was action-packed and full of interesting characters that were fleshed out well. I stayed engaged with it the whole time. Particularly liked Aaslo's admissions that he's just bumbling along most of the time because he doesn't know how to save anyone, but might as well try. I LOVED Teza and Peck and Mory, and also came to really like Myropa. Great characterizations.

But again, it's not outside the realm of possibility for a fantasy novel to be like, 700 pages, so whyyyyy stop therrrrrrre.

3.5 stars.